It begins with a love of history and mountains. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be reading history books or romping in the outdoors. These twin loves led me from the hills of Vermont to college in Maine. From there, the path was both clear and opaque. Yes to the mountains, the where was uncertain. First it was Lake Tahoe and the High Sierra to ski in the winter and lead Outward Bound mountaineering trips in the summer. A stint of graduate school in Missoula, Montana provided both mountains and history books. What followed was 26 years at CRMS, balancing climbing, teaching, dorms, skiing, and outdoor trips. The unifying thread was the joy in connecting students to ideas and a world bigger than themselves and seeing them unlock the potential to be their best selves. There were some notable moments – chiefly building a robust climbing program that won state and national championships, helping students shine on the AP US history exam, and leaving students with the lifelong question of what constitutes the Good Life. Mostly, it was finding joy in the daily life of being a teacher and working with remarkable kids and great colleagues in a beautiful and inspiring place. In my time at CRMS, I hope that my work has helped to provide a partial answer to the question I posed in my 2025 graduation speech: “Is the world better because you were here?” I hope that CRMS and my students are better because I was here. – Dave Meyer, 2026