Hollis Montessori opened in 2008 with classes for children age 3 through 6th grade. In 2011, we added the Adolescent Program for grades 7-9. As a young school, we have fairly young alumni, but now that we’re in our 15th year, some of our alumni have become adults. Over the next few issues, we will be featuring stories about them in our “Where Are They Now” series. In Part One, we talked to Owyn Desrochers.
Owyn spent the past four years at the University of New Hampshire studying Business Administration with an Option in Information Systems and Data Analytics. After graduating, he accepted a role with the PGA TOUR at their Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He works in the Digital Revenue Department doing Advertising Strategy and Operations. “I work with companies that would like to advertise with the TOUR, help them customize a plan of where they would like to spend, and what would be best for their brands.” During the advertising campaigns, Owyn provides analytics and keeps in constant communication with the clients. His job, he says, is “to make sure everything is running smoothly and their goals are hit.”
Owyn (the tall one) during his time in the HMS Adolescent Program
“On a personal note,” he says, “I am spending time away from work exploring my new home in Florida! Jacksonville has been great to explore and adjusting to the Florida weather has not been a tough ask.”
Asked how he ended up at the PGA, he noted that “for those who know me, I have always been involved in sports.” In college, he had an internship with a Boston-based sports media company, and that exposure to sports at a professional level convinced him that he wanted to be in sports as a career-path. After submitting his application, he went through a 12-step interview process “jokingly referred to as ‘The Gauntlet’” before being offered the position. He feels that “ I definitely got to where I am today due to experience, interest, and curiosity about the field.”
Owyn (center) in the AP
We asked Owyn how his Montessori experience affected his pathway to adulthood, he said that “whether it be professional life or personal life, Montessori has given me a different perspective on my day-to-day that sets me aside from my peers.” He feels that his time at Hollis Montessori gave him three major skills that helped him “be successful through the rest of my time in school, and breaking into the professional world.”
The first skill he mentioned was empathy, which he attributes to the learning style he experienced at HMS. “The curriculum removes you from a textbook and puts your lessons in the real-world. Students can make connections, see and touch what they are learning in real-time. Being able to draw connections, put faces to stories and experience everything first-hand is invaluable.”
The second skill was curiosity because “Montessori allows students to approach all topics of life and pursue their passions.”
Finally, he feels he learned responsibility at HMS. He was given the chance to be independent and responsible for many aspects of his education. “There is always support behind students and guiding hands,” he said. Owyn even quoted Maria Montessori herself, saying “‘The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.’” and noted that “this is just a scratch on the surface of lessons and skills that have helped propel me to where I am today.”
“To wrap things up,” Owyn said, he wants to leave a message to current students: “I encourage you to ask questions, take advantage of the opportunities HMS provides you, and never let your curiosity dwindle.”
Owyn at the PGA TOUR