James Kent, a famous Yale graduate and legal scholar once said, “Nothing is so potent as the silent influence of a good example.” But how does a person, especially a 17-year old high school student, achieve such high regard by his coaches, teachers, and teammates without saying much?

“Barrett was the only non-senior captain on the team last year,” Pat Kennedy, the head coach of the Episcopal School of Dallas’ lacrosse team says. “The team votes on who they want to be the captains. I think it’s safe to say he’ll resume that role this spring. He’s quiet, but always leads by example. He is the prime example of a kid who leads by example. He’s always hustling and giving more than 100 percent in every drill.”

Barrett Anigian gained his poise and proficiency the same way many athletes do – practice, dedication, and appreciation. Now a senior at the Episcopal School of Dallas, Anigian, who has verbally committed to play Division I lacrosse for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, is preparing to head north and face a new milestone head-on. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Anigian says ESD has helped him hone the necessary skills to succeed in college.

It is this fearless attitude that has also made Anigian a tenacious presence on the Eagle’s lacrosse team. Standing at a commanding 6’0 and 180 pounds, the midfielder has proven himself several times as a force to be reckoned with. Last season, down by five goals against Highland Park High School, the team rallied after halftime to narrow the score down to 9-10. Unwilling to see his team fail on their home field, Anigian took a shot with less than three minutes left to tie the game; 60 seconds later, Jack Blair secured the game-winning goal.

“My team stayed focused and we didn’t panic,” Anigian explains. “That was such an important game we won. I have never felt so proud of my team.”

The tendency to not panic or become overwhelmed by anxiety has not always come easily for Anigian. As a freshman on the varsity team, he had to learn to keep his emotions in check and stay calm in high-pressure situations.

“I became a nervous player,” Anigian says. “Thankfully my coaches were the first to notice and step in. I had to learn to cope with the excitement of playing on a big stage, and not crumble when the game matters most. I now try to absorb the information and advice that is given to me by teachers and coaches and do my best to implement it.”

During one semester in Tolly Salz’s English class, Anigian was faced with the challenge of writing about his first love. Momentarily stumped, he eventually settled on his older sister’s blueberry pie.

“He locks onto an idea and goes at it with full force,” Salz says. “If you needed someone to push a button to save the world, Barrett would accomplish the task with more compassion, conviction, dedication, and integrity than anyone else.”

The traits others use to describe him are all keywords within the school’s honor code that Anigian himself is so thankful for. ESD’s Founding Tenets of “daily worship,” “community” “ethical decision making,” and “service” are the pillars that help form the honor code Anigian so deeply respects.

“At ESD, the Honor Code is a part of daily life.  It is posted on the wall of each classroom and students sign a pledge each year to uphold it.  I didn’t think much about it early in high school but now that high school is almost over, I am grateful to go to a school with this code in place,” Anigian says. “Not only do we hold ourselves to the moral standard which forbids us to lie, cheat or steal but it also commits us to maintain a high level of respect for others and ourselves.  I have been shaped by the Honor Code and will consider it a privilege to continue my academic career at a place built on honor, trust, and respect.”

“He is a student that truly understands honor and integrity,” Salz explains. “It’s part of how his brain and heart are wired. It’s been engrained in him from day one.”

As a “lifer” (ESD-speak for students who have been at the school since Kindergarten), Anigian is the third member of his family to join the community. Anigian’s parents say it was an easy decision to send their youngest son to ESD.
“We are so thankful to the ESD community that makes up the school,” Anigian’s parents, Dee Ann and Gregg say. “We have seen the community rally around one another in times of great challenge and genuinely celebrate with each other during joyful times.”

Looking ahead to when he joins the Air Force Falcons in the fall of 2013,Anigian says he feels more than prepared, all thanks to the skills he has learned at the Episcopal School of Dallas.

“I have learned to be more organized and make better use of my time, and I’ve found that the busier I am, the more efficient I become,” he says. “I expect having to manage academics with a demanding lacrosse schedule and my other commitments will be an enormous challenge, but I believe I’m ready for it.”

“Barrett will succeed at anything he does. He thrives on a challenge,” Salz says. “He doesn’t know how to fail.”