After five years of leadership at Pingree and taking the school's image to a new level, Mr. Cowen is returning to North Carolina. During these five years, Mr. Cowen has overseen numerous additions to Pingree, including the New Academic Center, eight new tennis courts, the soon-to-be turf field and many other assets that have raised the stature of Pingree School.

Before this year, I assumed Mr. Cowen was the stereotypical headmaster; one who focuses on the business of running a school without truly getting to know the students he is working to improve. It came as a surprise to me to learn that my assumption was far from the truth; I have gotten to know him better over the past six months. Unfortunately, not all of the community has gotten to know him and instead, they might share that same misconception I once held.

No matter where you are, those who are in power will always be misjudged. Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart make a living out of misjudging and mocking any authority figure they can. Mr. Cowen is no exception to this type of public scrutiny.

When I entered his Senior English course, I took it upon myself to see how many of those judgments were true. Many were not.

In our early encounters in class this past fall, I was pleasantly surprised to learn how personable, passionate, and engaging he is. I couldn't explain to you how he accomplished this, but Mr. Cowen managed to teach us for the long term. You can try to forget what he taught you, but somehow, it stays in your head no matter what. I will never be able to forget that "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" no matter how much I try.

It wasn't just memorization of Hamlet quotes that he taught us, though; even as I write this, I am constantly checking my grammar to ensure there are no mistakes whatsoever because I know how much he values a well written article.

So when Mr. Blackman delivered the news that Mr. Cowen would not be returning next year, I felt it necessary to show the "true" Mr. Cowen that many of the Pingree community has not been able to know.

When asked of his fondest memories at Pingree, it was no surprise to hear several of them had to do with relationships he shared with students. Even though it was his first year, Mr. Cowen shared a strong bond with a senior, Jimmy Wholley, and spoke on Jimmy's behalf at the annual senior tribute. "It was a sign I had connected with a student, which is what Pingree is all about: student-teacher relationships," said Mr. Cowen with a reminiscent tone.

Those student-teacher relationships are something that are taken for granted too often. When I arrived as a freshman in 2004, it was unbelievable to see students and teachers on a first-name basis where they were seemingly treated as equals. I can assure you that it is not the same at most other high schools, but then again, neither is seeing dogs roam the halls. That encouraging, friendly daily ambiance has been something Mr. Cowen is proud to say hasn't changed during his tenure.

Mr. Cowen’s changes over his past five years can be summed up in two words: honor and integrity. What instantly comes to mind to every student is the annual honor assembly, which has been a critical part in the development of students in Mr. Cowen's mind. "To me, educating teenagers is all about human values: compassion, respect, integrity, selflessness. And I hope those who come after me will put the same highest priority on integrity as I have."

Regrettably, Mr. Cowen hasn't been able to instill all of the goals he has aspired to during his five years. With a deep sigh, Mr. Cowen confessed that he was disappointed that he "could not get everyone to see the Pingree glass as half full."

"There have been a number of times where I have been frustrated by the attitudes of some members of our community where I've thought a more flexible outlook on school life and a more understanding point of view could've been adopted. I guess that’s just leadership and life.”



Moving on and looking to the future, Mr. Cowen acknowledged an emphasis on "the importance of humor" because it’s a critical characteristic to the community. That means Nate Leach is going to have to pass down the torch of comedy as he departs; David Rodriguez or another underclassman will have to pick up the slack.

As he reclined in his chair, Mr. Cowen described how he hopes that Pingree will recognize that it need not be "all things to all people." The community has been concerned about some issues over the past few years, causing many to believe Pingree needed a change from its current state. "It should continue to change and grow but never lose sight of what makes it a special place."

In his final words, Mr. Cowen reiterated the need to "remember why we're here: it's all about the students and setting them up for success."