Gulf Stream School deeply values its alumni and wants all who attended GSS to stay informed and involved.

My wife, Kristin, and I have three children — Harrison, Caroline and Stirling. Harrison graduated from Gulf Stream School four years ago, Caroline is graduating this year and Stirling is in fourth grade.

Gulf Stream School shaped my future far more than any other school I attended. It nurtured a shy kid into a student who was confident enough to not only speak in front of audiences, but allowed me to fall in love with creative writing. This discovered talent has made all the difference in my career, as my writing skills and understanding how to uniquely communicate with people has permitted me to promote some of the largest businesses in South Florida.

The incredible faculty members at Gulf Stream School were different than teachers I had anywhere else. It wasn’t about the memorizing lessons; it was about discovering concepts.

Mr. Winans inspired us to read. Mr. Robinson inspired us to create with words. Mr. Craig taught us to discover. And although Miss Gibb was the toughest and most intimidating teacher ever, she was preparing us to achieve success at the next level and we love her for it.

I’ll never forget the day of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. I was in what was at the time the library, when our Head of School, Mr. Garten, rushed in and had all the kids come into the one room that had a TV and we watched the coverage. It was as if the school paused so we could all mourn together. I did my eighth grade speech on the Challenger crew…it was an emotional time.

My brother, Whittaker, was in the Gulf Stream School Class of 2004, and is now a senior manager at Accenture. My wife, Kimi, and I welcomed our daughter, Charlotte, into the world this summer. She’s full of spirit!

Gulf Stream provided a strong foundation for my education and career. I learned the value of hard work, teamwork and critical skills like public speaking. I hope I can provide my own children an equivalent education.

I benefited from having so many great teachers at Gulf Stream that it’s hard to narrow down the list. I’ll always remember Mr. Wilson’s history class. He was the ultimate history buff. I loved all the obscure anecdotes he incorporated into his lessons. I didn’t understand most of them at the time but appreciate them today!

I clearly remember the morning of September 11, 2001. We were so shocked and scared. We had English with Miss Gibb that morning. I remember she shared her experience from the war years with the class. She emphasized how important it was to carry on, not to alter our way of life. We then opened our grammar books and held our lesson as usual. I’ll never forget her strength and resolve.

My sister, Holly Coughlan, was in the Gulf Stream School Class of 2018, and is currently attending the St. Andrew’s School.

My years at Gulf Stream School taught me important skills that I have used throughout my academic career and personal life. The academic foundation and development that GSS helped me build has guided me toward success in and out of the classroom. I learned study habits and time-management skills that have enabled me to balance the rigorous academic and athletic schedules I have in college. It also helped me develop a confidence in myself and my abilities that has allowed me to pursue a career path that interests me, while still taking classes that help me to be a well-rounded individual. It was also at Gulf Stream School that I played lacrosse for the first time, prompting me to then play the sport outside of school and eventually preparing me to play at the Division I level in college. In addition to the technical skills I learned and education I received, I made friends at GSS that have stuck with me to this day, no matter how much distance there may be between us.

I will always remember our class trips to Canada and the Grand Canyon! Our class really bonded through the shared experiences we had and, looking back, it was such an amazing opportunity to experience different places, people and cultures…together.

My sister, Nicolette Adrian, was in the Gulf Stream School Class of 2009, and is currently enrolled in PA school. It’s safe to say we both owe our love of science to our time at GSS.

I feel extremely grateful to have gone to such an amazing school. Gulf Stream School helped prepare me for life in so many ways. From encouraging me to try every sport to teaching me public speaking, GSS aided my growth as a young student and set me up for success.

I don’t know if I could pick one favorite teacher or subject. I did really enjoy math, science, art and Latin, though. While at Gulf Stream School, my favorite sport/activity was lacrosse, which I also played throughout high school and college.

GSS created such an amazing community to grow up in. I remember all of the chapel assemblies fondly — singing as a Streamer, going up on stage every year in my Halloween costume, performing in a play in front of the entire school, my eighth-grade speech, the Field Day skits and, finally, my graduation ceremony!

The rigorous academics and athletics programs at Gulf Stream School helped prepare me for success as I continued my education and also in my career. The support of the Gulf Stream School community also drove me to become the best version of myself. I only attended GSS for four years, but the education and community bonds from my time there are timeless.

History and math.

I’ll always remember having English class on the beach with Mr. Winans.

Gulf Stream School was so unique and had such an amazing group of teachers, coaches and mentors. My experience there set the foundation for a lifetime of hard work and dedication to learning and growing. The people at Gulf Stream School were my second family. The school provided a wonderful environment to grow and develop, and I created lifelong friendships and mentors who shaped who I am today.

Miss Gibb, the matriarch of the school! But, of course, I cannot forget the Gulf Stream School classics — Mr. Winans, Mrs. Forde, Mr. Sherry, the Handlers, the Cooks, the Wilsons, Miss Holly, Miss Abrams, Mr. Mahady and so many others!

Every year at Gulf Stream School was memorable, and I love getting together with old friends to reminisce. The most memorable year was eighth grade with Miss Gibb, especially the tea party, her “Jolly Lollys” and visits to the soda machine. Winning back-to-back basketball championships was also unforgettable.

Gulf Stream School instilled the etiquette, manners and work ethic that would allow any young professional to succeed in life. At a young age, Gulf Stream taught me the importance of listening to others and evaluating situations with an open mind. They taught the value of hard work and if one wants to be successful, one has to put in the hours. But, at the same time, Gulf Stream taught the importance of community. Having grown up in the Town of Gulf Stream, I spent most of my weekends playing around the school and climbing the big banyans out front (Don’t tell the headmaster, but my initials are carved in a couple of them!). The school was always a meeting point for the community, and I always felt welcomed as if it were a second home.

This is kind of a funny question because math was always my strength, but I somehow ended up becoming an attorney.

One of my greatest memories was our seventh-grade trip to Costa Rica. This trip was every other year, so it was my grade as well as the eighth-grade class. Some of my best friends were in that class, too, and I still see many of them on a weekly basis. Anyway, one of the hotels we stayed in was along a river, and a small group of us, along with Mr. Mahady, went for a swim. Next thing we know, we’ve swum to the other side and are climbing up a tree to jump out of it. We were probably 15 to 20 feet up, trying to decide who should jump first. All of a sudden, and completely unexpectedly, Mr. Mahady dives in — we judged it a 1.5 (a full front-flip rotation and then another half-flip finishing in a dive). The rest of us looked at each other in disbelief and then jumped in after him.