January 16, 2007-- Head of School Dr. Michael E. Cooper opened the 18th Annual Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture by reminding the community that out of a tragedy – the death of a student 18 years ago – came the unfolding of a legacy, a legacy of a young man who touched many lives in his own short life and whose legacy has created opportunities for other lives.

“His parents took that legacy … and made it into something spectacular and powerful affecting many, many lives,” Cooper said. The story of the bright young man whose life was cut short just before his high school graduation, although told and retold, continues to inspire others.

One of those inspired lives was that of the day’s guest speaker, Dr. Joyce L. Ferris, former academic dean at Brewster.

Like Ferris was about to do, Cooper reminded everyone in the standing-room only assembly hall that hopes and dreams can carry us through our darkest moments.

Ferris began by talking about how the Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture came to be. It was 1990 she explained and Trey’s parents, A.B. Whitfield and Janie Whitney, along with numerous family and friends, including Ferris herself, were still in much pain from Trey’s death. Ferris, A.B., Janie, and then headmaster David M. Smith came up with the idea for a memorial lecture in Trey’s memory. “It helped to ease our pain,” Ferris said.

“It never occurred to me that I would be here as the speaker,” she added.

With the lecture, we also wanted to make a connection to Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose dreams and legacy have created opportunities in the lives of others, Ferris said. “Trey and Martin Luther King were excellent examples of showing what it meant to be wonderful human beings.”

Ferris and Trey first met while Trey’s older brother Alvin was a student at Cushing Academy and where Ferris was the director of studies. “We called [Trey] the little guy and I couldn’t wait to have him as a student,” Ferris said. After Trey’s freshman year at Cushing, he transferred to Brewster. A year later, Ferris joined the Brewster community as the academic dean.

Ferris spoke candidly about her trepidation of being new to the community; however, she recalled having the good fortune of arriving at Brewster for the Sunday night barbeque during opening of school weekend. She described feeling intimidated, standing at the edge of the crowd, watching students reunite after summer break and welcome new students.

“Here comes across the lawn, running, not walking, dodging people … there was my friend Trey, his arms outstretched … he lifted me, spun me around.”

“I was a small person, but Trey made me feel tall and regal, like a Queen.”

“If I was in with Trey, I was in at Brewster. I had it made,” she recalled smiling. “In the midst of this good time, this reunion, he was thinking of me.” And, that was Trey Whitfield.

Although often remembered as a 6’5” athlete who performed magic on the basketball court, Ferris recalled Trey the scholar, remembering fondly the day that every teacher cherishes, when he or she witnesses one of their students who “gets it.” It was a mythology lesson and Trey chose to write about Theseus, the Greek god who was known to have relied on his knowledge, not his physical strength, to meet his challenges. “I remember very well and understand what Trey got out of that class,” Ferris said. “He read the material. He listened. He formed an insight that was meaningful to him. Trey chose the mind.”

Ferris offered more stories of Trey, each one describing a young man who genuinely cared about his friends and teachers but who remained open to their own strength when he needed to draw on it. And with that, she advised students to reap all the benefits of their education and the opportunities offered at Brewster. “I want you to listen to your teachers because they really do listen to you.”

"I found it to be inspirational, and it really gave me a feel of what he was like," said Alison Waldorf '08.

Before Ferris concluded, she joyfully introduced the Brooklyn, New York-based Trey Whitfield School Choir, always a highlight of the annual lecture. The choir, comprised of students in grades 2-8 and under the energetic direction of Donna White, delivered a powerful, uplifting performance of inspirational songs.