Jim Kent: Helping Students Take Flight

by Bob Broudo

Jim Kent is an invaluable Landmark veteran who joined the High School Counseling Department in the mid ’80s. While Jim did teach for a bit in his early years, his primary role has been helping students to take flight by better understanding their own voices, learning to navigate their social-emotional worlds, and developing communication plans. He was the steady presence to whom they could turn when their paths were a bit uncertain.

And who better? Jim’s own upbringing taught him to meet people where they are, know and value differences, appreciate both small and big opportunities, and to be socially and politically aware. Jim has an uncanny ability to work from his head, with his hands, and, most importantly, from his heart. Jim Kent cares, and without any presumption, is always present and available if he can be the resource to help in any way. Because Jim is Jim, he has changed the course of hundreds of students’ lives and been a reliable resource for the faculty.

Jim loves the ocean, boats, gardens, baking bread, his family history, and people. Among his strongest attributes is his ability to take life seriously—to see the importance of decisions, events, and interactions—yet to accept and trust outcomes and to always maintain a healthy and uplifting sense of humor. He has the gift of helping others see and feel the positive, and he has an endless amount of will and energy to help others in any possible way when he sees a need.

As a “blink” exercise, I asked a student to describe Jim Kent, and he replied: “Jim Kent is empathetic, kind, caring, goes above and beyond, loves people, is a leader in his own humble way, and is wise—he just knows!” Yes, that describes Jim Kent very well! 

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