The Hidden Cost of Belonging

Understanding how everyday expenses can shape inclusion at Govs

At The Governor’s Academy, we often talk about belonging, about the feeling of being known, seen, and valued. It’s what makes this place more than a school. It’s what makes it home. We see belonging in the way students cheer for a teammate from the sidelines, collaborate with a peer in the classroom, or stay behind after a performance to congratulate a friend. It lives in the small, daily acts that bring us together. But sometimes, belonging has a hidden cost.

For many students, full participation in Govs life means joining a weekend trip to the Topsfield Fair, wearing the same jacket as their teammates, going out to dinner with dorm mates, or buying a ticket to Prom. These are ordinary moments of connection, but they often come with a price tag. A coffee here, a rideshare there, a deposit for an off-campus trip, it all adds up. For some, these are minor details. For others, they can be quiet reminders of difference.

This isn’t about blame. Our community is filled with generosity, good intentions, and care. But at schools like ours, abundance can sometimes mask inequity. When we assume everyone can participate without considering financial realities, we risk sending an unintended message: you belong, but only if you can afford to.

That’s why Govs has made access and inclusion a priority. Through the Access Fund, we help students take part in the full Govs experience, from joining the Harvard Model Congress delegation in Boston to traveling during March Break with their team or purchasing supplies for a class project. When every student can step confidently into those shared experiences, our community becomes stronger.

Belonging, though, is not only about what we can afford. It’s also about what we create together. Some of the most powerful moments of connection at Govs cost nothing at all. A perfect example is the annual Lip Sync Battle, where students and dorm parents team up for an evening of laughter, creativity, and unfiltered joy. There’s no ticket to buy, just an auditorium full of students cheering each other on. Events like that remind us that belonging isn’t built through money spent, but through memories made together.

There are other simple ways we nurture this sense of togetherness: movie nights in the dorms, casual games at the field house, study sessions that turn into conversations, and shared meals in the dining hall that stretch long past dessert. These moments, free, spontaneous, and human, are where the real heart of Govs lives.

Our responsibility as educators and community members is to keep widening that circle. We can do that by planning with empathy, communicating early about costs, and remembering that access isn’t about charity, it’s about fairness. It’s making sure that when opportunities arise, every student has the same chance to say yes.

Belonging at Govs is both a feeling and a commitment. It’s built through the Access Fund and through laughter on stage during the Lip Sync Battle. It’s built in classrooms and dorms and on the fields. And it’s built every time we make decisions that tell students, in ways big and small: you belong here, completely. When we make inclusion intentional, the hidden costs of belonging begin to disappear. What’s left is the kind of community that defines Govs: joyful, caring, and together.

Author: Michelle de la Guardia, Dean of Community and Belonging