Presidential Parell

As the co-president of the Student Council and the Exeter Social Service Organization (ESSO), a captain of the water polo team and a proctor in Wentworth Hall, senior Jackson Parell has become a role model for Exonians throughout his four years at the school.

"It's a place where I look around and feel at home- a place of impressive students, dear friends and brilliant classmates..."

After attending the summer school at Exeter, Parell knew that he wanted to become a member of the community. According to Parell, Exeter was the only boarding school he applied to. After being accepted, “I decided to give it a shot,” he said. “It was the best decision of my life.”

He considers attending Exeter a special experience mainly because of the people who make up the community. “It’s a place where I look around and feel at home—a place of impressive students, dear friends and brilliant classmates,” he said.

Because of the accomplished teachers and hardworking classmates that he shares the Harkness table with, Parell enjoys all the subjects he is taking. “Every class dynamic is unique, but every class has helped me learn and grow as a student. I don’t have one favorite class, but rather I cherish the lessons learned in all of them.”

Parell’s former teacher, history instructor, Nolan Lincoln, commended Parell for immersing himself in what he studied while engaging the class with interesting comments. Lincoln said, “He seemed enthusiastic and willing to dive into the readings. It didn’t matter what was going on with him, if he had a late night or had just been really busy, he was always engaged.”

Student Council Co-Vice President and senior Tim Han added that Parell’s hard work has also helped the Student Council to have an industrious start to the year. “For one of the busiest students on campus, Jackson is always prepared, always energetic and always eager to get work done,” Han said.

Outside of the classroom, Parell is a member of the Dean’s Council and co-head of the Entrepreneurship, Student Council, ESSO, Business and Wildlife Conservation Clubs. He is also an avid surfer. Parell takes part of these extracurriculars in order to stay involved with the Exeter community. “The clubs that I have participated in over the years have helped me to connect with Exeter, its teachers and its students in ways I never expected,” he said.

Han noted the positive effect Parell’s eagerness to connect with others has had on the Student Council. “Particularly in [Student Council], it has been great working with someone so inclusive and ready to collaborate with everyone, from [co-president] Menat [Bahnasy] all the way down to the newest member of Council,” Han said.

In addition to leading a multitude of clubs, Parell is a tri-varsity athlete and captain of the boys’ water polo team. He plays for the swim and crew teams. Parell credits the friendships he has made while being a member of these groups as integral parts of his time at Exeter.

Because his bond with teammates has improved his Exeter experience, Parell is working as a captain to provide younger players with the same opportunities. One of Parell’s goals as captain of the water polo team is to create a strong community. He accomplishes this by supporting the younger players through the challenges and triumphs of the season. “I hope that when they are seniors, they can look back and remember me as someone who was there for them as a teammate and a friend both in and out of the pool,” Parell said.

Boys’ water polo Coach and Parell’s advisor Don Mills attested that Parell has achieved his goal of creating a welcoming team dynamic. “Jackson has a way of connecting with the new players and building a strong team atmosphere,” Mills said.

Parell brings this same spirit and encouragement for younger students to his role as proctor in Wentworth Hall. Upper Dylan Yin praised Parell for his work as a proctor in helping students to feel they are a part of the Exeter community. Yin said, “One of the best qualities I see in Jackson is his openness and ability to reach out to others easily.”

He recalled Parell demonstrating these traits at the start of this school year. According to Yin, on one of the first nights of the school year, Parell went to every new student’s door to introduce himself and welcome them into the dorm. Yin said, “He made sure they felt like they were at home, all while making them smile and laugh.”

Yin added that Parell’s kind and welcoming nature compelled the new students to follow him, resulting in the entire hall crowding around Parell to greet their new dorm-mates. “It was the smoothest transition for new students that I’ve ever seen, and it was all thanks to Jackson’s unending warmth and sociability,” Yin said.

Fellow Wentworth dorm member and senior Brian Zhao considers Parell to be a proponent of a strong dorm community. Zhao said, “I think Jackson’s best qualities are his leadership and ability to motivate others. He’s always able to pick someone up from a bad day or encourage someone to take a risk.” Zhao continued, telling of how Parell has served as a motivational and supportive member of the dorm. “Small moments of positive encouragement and him pushing me to be the best version of myself are invaluable,” Zhao said.

Despite the high praise Parell receives from friends and teachers alike, he has remained humble and kind. He said, “We have so many friendly and unique individuals here on campus. I can only hope that a little bit of their knowledge, experience and talent has rubbed off on me.”