...through the eyes of Senior Monitors

In his speech at Foundation Day, Senior Monitor Adam Beckman was responding to the address by Roderick Braithwaite, author of Mill Hill School History Strikingly Alive. Adam said, “Mill Hill offers a great deal of opportunities to its pupils. No-one should be discouraged from achieving their potential.”

Adam gave his free time during the summer vacation to attend one of the School’s overseas partnership projects. “Teaching English at the Sri Jayendra School in Tamil Nadu did make me a better person. The difference between the opportunities for these young children and those back home was huge. I learnt a great deal in India, not only about how to teach but also about the needs of others, and how it is possible for all of us to make a difference to the world we live in.”

Adam is keen to follow a Performing Arts degree course next year. The School’s three-man production of Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, featuring Adam along with Mark Montague and Benjamin Kustow, played at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2006. “The Fringe was great. As well as our six performances, I saw more than 25 other shows that week. I hope to go every year.” He is now looking forward to his involvement in the production of Never Had It So Good at the Artsdepot in January.

Captain of the rugby first XI, Adam also represents the first team in hockey, cricket and fives. “We are going on a three-week rugby tour to New Zealand and the Cook Islands in July 2007. I am really looking forward to it, particularly if it’s as great as the 2005 tour to Canada. We have a fairly young team this year with only a couple of U6, including myself.” Terming himself a ‘utility forward’, Adam also plays for the successful Saracens U19 side.

Adam Beckman in action captaining the 1st XV team and performing in the Orphans play.