Running Laps Towards Myself – A Hyde School Alumni Story

A Hyde School Alumni Success Story

This reflection comes from Rachel Slater, Class of 1987. Her journey shows how Hyde School’s structure, community, and expectation of participation helped her move from self-destructive behaviors to artistry, connection, and self-strength.

Hyde Alumni Story

Rachel Slater ’87 (middle) with two classmates from the Class of 1987 — Hyde School friendships and lessons that last a lifetime.

In the mid-1980s, during my sophomore year, I found myself at Hyde School in Bath, Maine. Before my arrival, I was living in a group home for troubled teens and had a 30-day stint in rehab for smoking pot, taking pills, and drinking. During this time, I was in a state of profound depression, insecurity, and self-destructive behavior. I resorted to self-medicating to feel like someone other than myself. This self-sabotaging pattern persisted for about a year and a half during my time at Hyde School.

I spent a significant portion of my time on the work crew and 24. This involved waking up at 5 a.m. to run laps and hold push-up planks in the gym, clearing brush from the woods, and performing various other tough jobs on campus alongside others on work crew and 24. While it was tough physically and embarrassing to publicly acknowledge my poor choices, I eventually found my focus in art and sports.

America’s Spirit was particularly challenging for me. Standing on stage in front of the entire school to sing a song was a terrifying experience. However, oddly enough, during my senior year, a group of us collaborated on a play and performed it for the student body. Eventually, I even went on to earn my BFA in Theatre Performance from VCU.

At the time, the requirement for everyone to participate in sports seemed absurd to me. I had previously given up on this possibility after unsuccessfully participating on a soccer team when I was around 9 or 10 years old. However, being forced to play on a soccer team at Hyde School turned out to be a positive experience. Don’t get me wrong, we were terrible, but senior year, despite our dysfunction, we managed to kick butt at MAISADS. We still stay in touch, reminisce about our time at Hyde, and get together frequently.

In retrospect, I came to realize that the teachers at Hyde: the Gaulds, Laurie Hurd, Gary Kent, Don MacMillan, Connie Freer, et al, were not the enemy but were genuinely invested in guiding students to break the pattern of self-sabotaging behavior and work towards self-strength and growth.

The Lasting Impact of a Hyde School Education

Hyde Voices shares authentic perspectives from Hyde School alumni, parents, and staff. Each story demonstrates how Hyde School’s focus on truth, growth, and character creates lasting change. Explore more Hyde School stories, share your own reflection, or learn more about the school itself at the Hyde School website.