Nora Curran confers with Erik Kapitulik during Judgement Day.

Hi, my name is Nora Curran, I’m 17 years old, from Cambridge, MA. I am a senior and I have gone to Hyde for all four years of my high school career.

I expected this year to be hard, but I was never informed that I would be screaming at my Head of School and Dean of Students to be quiet and listen to me, all while they were carrying logs above their heads.  I am talking about “Judgment Day”.  It started out as a lovely sunny day in pre-season.  Then the seniors were told that we were not going to sports practice in the afternoon and instead, we were all to meet in the lecture hall at 1:00 PM.  We had no idea what we were in for.  After an introduction about the opportunity ahead of us, we went out to the field and were immediately yelled at by these big ex-military guys.  None of us were in good moods anymore.  One by one, Mr. Kapitulik, the head instructor of “The Program,” called on different seniors to lead the group.  Suddenly he pointed at me, asked my name, and told me to get everyone back from our break in two minutes.  I did.  Then he told me to get everyone to be silent and start carrying 35 pound bags from one end of the field to the other, while the other half of the class and faculty picked up and carried giant logs, putting them over their heads, sitting down with them, doing sit-ups, and then standing back up.  All while carrying the logs!  Now, I am not one for being a loud type of leader but in that situation my voice finally burst out demanding, “EVERYONE BE QUIET!!”  They listened.  Finally, they listened to me. After that day I knew what I could do and so did my senior class.  They were able to see me like they had never seen me before and I was so excited for that opportunity to start off my senior year.

Nora Curran, Class of 2010

For more information on Nora’s experience with Hyde’s “Judgment Day” go to: http://wolfpack.hyde.edu/2009/09/03/news/judgment-day-comes-to-woodstock/.

For more information on “The Program” go to: http://theprogramathletics.com/index.htm.