Then and Now: Seeing Peck Through New Eyes

Editor's note: During a recent visit with Peck’s second graders, parent Ken Lopian ’01 had the chance to reflect on his own years as a student—and the traditions and values that continue to connect generations of Peck alumni and families. In the post below, he shares his perspective on returning to campus, what has evolved over the years, and why the heart of Peck still feels like home.

A Campus That Has Grown—In Every Direction

Standing in front of a room full of second graders at Peck, I had a surreal realization: I was walking them through a school I knew so well, even though so much of it has changed.

I graduated from Peck 25 years ago and shared photographs in my presentation that were taken during that time period. Saying that out loud made me feel a little old, but mostly grateful. Because while the facilities, uniforms, and programs have evolved in remarkable ways, the heart of Peck feels comfortingly familiar and just like home.

When I was a student, the campus looked very different. The old dining hall was round, loud, and filled with the constant clatter of forks, laughter, and conversation. The gym, where the Peck Commons now stands, had carpeted floors, which meant plenty of rug burns during basketball and dodgeball. If it rained, the fields turned muddy for weeks. There was no turf, no bright, expansive gyms, no structures like the ones students enjoy today.

And yet, it was still Peck.

What Is Different

• We played simple games like four square and tag on the blacktop. Snack time meant big communal bowls of pretzels and ginger snaps that everyone grabbed before heading back out to play. Assemblies, performances, and fundraisers all happened in shared spaces that brought the community together, even if they weren’t especially polished.
   
• Uniforms were stricter back then! Sneakers and sweatshirts were a definite no. Boys wore jackets and ties every day (we should bring that back!) from fifth through eighth grade, even in the September heat, even after sports. Girls wore an array of navy, plaid and pastel jumpers. Sturdy neutral dress shoes were the norm, which made untied laces and curled-up toes a real issue.
   
• Classrooms look different today. We didn’t have fancy smartboards or projections, just chalkboards and handwritten notes. Back then, the special’s spaces for art, music, and woodworking were simple and functional. Today, those same spaces are far more developed, fully equipped, and designed to support a wider range of skills and creativity.

What Has Always Stayed the Same

Though facilities, snacks and uniforms have remarkably transformed, learning still happens through conversation, curiosity, and connection. The focus on thinking and engagement feels very much the same. And above all, some of my favorite moments describing to the students were about traditions that we share.

• Downy-Redhead Field Day: It was a highlight when I was a student, just as it is now. We didn’t have tickets or months of buildup, but we had the same races, the same tug-of-war (always the best event), and the same parents and grandparents cheering from the sidelines. I love seeing today’s students march onto the field in full spirit wear and buzzing with excitement.  It’s not about winning or losing, but creating a community through shared experiences. Also, Go Downys!
   
• Consideration of Others: At the end of my visit, a student asked a question that really stayed with me: What is something you learned at Peck that you still carry with you today? The answer came easily. Consideration of others. That value has been part of Peck for as long as I can remember, being kind to classmates, respectful to teachers, and thoughtful about how your actions affect those around you. It shaped how I moved through high school, college, and adulthood. It’s helped me build lasting friendships and meaningful connections, many of which began right here.
   
• Lifelong Friendships: I’m still close with many of my Peck friends today. Some live far away. Some are now parents of children sitting in the same classrooms we once shared. It’s always fun to reminisce about the traditions, teachers, and moments that shaped us. Now as a parent, it’s been a thrill to develop similar bonds with current Peck parents the same way my parents did 25 years ago.

Peck looks different than it did when I was a student, and in many ways, it’s grown in incredible ways. But what matters most hasn’t changed. The friendships. The emphasis on kindness and connection. Developing confident students that love learning for life.

If today’s students carry even one thing with them beyond 247 South Street, I hope it’s the same thing I did: an understanding that how you treat others matters, and that the relationships you build here can last a lifetime.

That, to me, is what makes Peck truly special.