This past Thursday, members of the senior class gathered with the Board of Trustees for the annual Board of Trustees dinner, an event designed to connect the community. Seniors Harrison Inman and Megan Pinkley were among the students in attendance, and they both described the evening as welcoming and enjoyable, and a good way to close out their time at the school. For Pinkley, her most memorable moment from the night was early on when the atmosphere began to change.

“At the beginning, it was really nerve-wracking,” Pinkley said. “But then everybody kind of warmed up and started being themselves.” 

Pinkley also admitted that the dinner did not turn out as she had expected. Pinkley felt there was a sense of ease that allowed her to connect on a more personal level with the trustees.

“I was expecting it to be really, really formal,” Pinkley said. “But honestly, everybody there was so welcoming and warm that it didn’t feel too formal at all, and you could just kind of be yourself.” 

Inman also echoed those thoughts, and he emphasized that the interactions between the trustees and the students felt very natural. He also mentioned that the relaxed atmosphere helped to bridge the gap between the trustees and the students, which reinforced the emphasis on community and mutual respect.

Beyond the social part of the dinner, the dinner made many students reflect on the fact that they have less than a semester left in their final year.

“It made me kind of just think back to how I got to where I am and everything and everybody that helped me get to where I am now,” said Inman, who has been a part of the community for 13 years. 

As the Class of 2026’s time comes to a close, the Board of Trustees Dinner served as a reflection of their time and a celebration of their accomplishments, while also serving as a reminder of the relationships and the values that define their high school experience.

“Community is a big part of Darlington, and I believe this dinner is a great example of that,” Inman said.