Annie Wright started the year with a new school, the Annie Wright Upper School for Boys, and last Monday held the first Yellow Tie mixer for both the Upper School girl and boy students.

Annie Wright has had a single gender upper school for 133 years since their opening, and this year, 2017, the first class of boys was added to the Upper School, but as a separate division. The boys spend all of their classes separated from the girls, two and a half of the days at their downtown campus, and the other two and a half days here in their classrooms on the fourth floor, which is where the six dormers stay as well.

Daniel Wang, a dormer from China, said, “Before I came to Annie Wright, I thought that dorm life would be difficult, but it’s very relaxing. You get used to it really quickly.”

“I think we are getting into a routine,” said Jeremy Stubbs, the dean of students for the boys’ school. The first few weeks were a little crazy because you have got orientation, you have the first time you are taking buses downtown, and then you are tracking down the boys, but here we are and we are in our fourth week of school and I think the boys are getting those routines down and it is starting to feel more normal.”

The mixer was an optional event, however almost all of the boys attended as well as many of the girls. During the mixer, both genders were encouraged to socialize and get to know one another as well as participate in fun activities, including eating ice cream.

Question: How do you think the mixer went? Would you attend or make another?

Jeremy Stubbs, Dean of Students, Upper School for Boys

“From what I could tell it looked like it was successful. You know there were a lot of people there. By numbers, it looked successful. Annie and I thought it was fun. I think both Annie and I really want to honor the single-gender experience for students who that’s why they are at Annie Wright. So, while I think there will be more mixers I don’t think they will be like all the time or regularly or anything like that.”

Rachel Kennedy, Upper School for Girls

“It was nice to know their names because when you see them on campus it’s nice to know if they go to your school, and we are a Yellow Tie family so it’s nice to get to know them. If it was less structured so we could talk to them like we do at other times, it’s not hard to socialize.”

Mac Bryant, Upper School for Boys

“I feel like it was kind of awkward. Definitely. But that’s kind of what the mixers are for, to get rid of that. I’d go to another one. I feel like it’s going to get less awkward. I think we just needed more time to converse.”

Daniel Wang, Upper School for Boys

“Kind of weird. Like right before we got the ice cream, we did a pyramid, and it was so weird. That was awkward. I’d go again if there was more ice cream. And whatever you do, no pyramid.”

Annie Green, Dean of Students, Upper School for Girls

“I’ve heard rumbling that Mr. Stubbs and Mrs. Bauska have some kind of an after-hours event planned for Yellow Ties that the boys’ school would be sponsoring. We’re really excited to see what students want to envision, I see this as a building year. It’s the year where we can establish a precedent for what the interaction between the boys’ school and the girls’ school might be and should be.”