My youngest son, Elijah (Lij!), would have graduated from NEHS in May of 2023, and it’s impossible for me not to wonder what he would be doing. I suspect he’d have pursued the full IB Diploma, would have read more novels than I have this year, pumped all his teachers and classmates full of questions about how their subjects interact with life and the world, and relentlessly engaged in community healing and problem-solving, all while somehow making time for video games and music-making and climbing tall structures, getting into mischievous trouble, and who even knows what else. It sounds impossible, but that is just who he was. He was magical, and I wish you’d all been able to know him.

And while it absolutely breaks my heart that he isn’t here to do all of that and more, I am blown away by how many students we have that remind me of him, for a hundred reasons in tiny moments and little snippets. With that in mind, I’m hoping to raise money for a student grant in Lij’s name. Rather than be a scholarship that is dedicated to college tuition, I’d specifically like his grant to provide opportunities for students to learn something they geek out about or get an opportunity that feels once-in-a-lifetime or make a positive contribution in a way that genuinely excites them, and that without funding would otherwise be unattainable. I want this grant to allow for experiences that bring kids alive, spark joy, and inspire optimism. Absolute priority will go to enthusiasm and passion, bonus points for creativity or pursuits that benefit other people, animals, or our environment.

-Amary Taylor