If changing times are marked by turns of phrase, there’s one in particular we’re well-acquainted with by now: the challenges of the year. For our staff, faculty, and students, showing up in the classroom each and every day with uncertainty and fear perched on our shoulders drew on reserves of bravery and grit most of us didn’t even know we had. At the best of times (and the hardest times, too), teaching and learning are made possible with help, support, warmth, and humor, and a helping hand when needed. And when it comes to helping hands, a line from a song by The Association comes to mind:
And then along comes Mary.
Mary Babbitt Hammers, that is—Ms. Mary to our students—held so many roles during this past year many of our staff began calling her Magical Mary.
- Need a substitute for Junior Kindergarten? Check the mud kitchen—Ms. Mary is already there.
- Need someone to get a Hillbrook PE class on its feet? Ms. Mary will lace up her sneakers.
- Need an engaging article for Hillbrook Voices or the website? You can probably guess the nom de plume.
- Need someone with years of TV hosting experience to emcee an entire virtual fundraiser? Just turn on the microphone—Emcee Hammers, like she has been for more than a decade, is always camera-ready.
- ¿Necesitas una profesora sustituta para la clase de español? Ms. Mary está ahí.
- Need a presentation coach to guide eighth-graders through their virtual keynotes at the first-ever Impact Summit? There’s way more to it than PowerPoint – just ask Ms. Mary.
It sounds like a lot—and that only covers a few of the Many Magical Roles that Mary Hammers has had at Hillbrook, spanning nearly two decades—so many, in fact, that even Mary can’t count them all. “I’m not exactly sure!” she said. “Director of Communications, Hillbrook Quarterly writer, community outreach assistant, cross-country coach, Benefit emcee, Hillbrook documentary narrator, plus various parent volunteer roles from parent tour guide, 8th grade play volunteer coordinator, room mom, various HSPC stuff.” And the list is still growing: this past year, she also stepped in as a teacher’s aide and substitute teacher. When she’s not on campus, Mary hosts a wine podcast called Sip, Sip Hooray, with freelance voiceover work for NBC Bay Area and beyond.
A California native, Mary grew up in Torrance as the second-youngest of five. “Being part of a big family was formative for me,” Mary said. “It was never just about me, which made me more self-sufficient and resilient. I remember when we were little and fell or got hurt my mom (who is incredibly kind and loving) would greet our tears with a breezy go sit on the wall [a small backyard planter] and I’ll check on you in a minute. More often than not, after just a few minutes of sitting on that wall we’d get tired or bored and go back to playing. It taught us to get up and keep going instead of fussing over every little thing.”
In addition to news anchor, longtime Bay Area residents might remember Mary as the host of Emmy-award winning “In Wine Country” on NBC Bay Area. As production came to a close, she sought out a role that would allow her to spend more time with her four children—the Director of Communications position at Hillbrook was a natural transition, especially given her singular talent for words. “Before the wine show, I’d been a news anchor and had always done a lot of writing in my work, so writing for Hillbrook seemed like the perfect fit.”
Mary has been a warm, steady presence on the Hillbrook campus since 2004, when her oldest son, Cole, enrolled in junior kindergarten. Cole was the first of four Hammers graduates, including Luke ’15, Gracie ’17, and Jude ’20. Like many parents, Mary found the campus somewhat serendipitously: “I was touring the school with my friend Sally, who was considering it for kindergarten for her daughter…I wasn’t necessarily looking for a school, but when I stepped on the Hillbrook campus, I changed my mind. I saw all these happy faces and beautiful green spaces, and I loved it immediately.” Hillbrook seemed like a perfect fit for the Hammers children, filled with outdoor spaces “where students can play, explore, dream, and relax. The campus is full of magical spaces where students create their own fun, and I love that.”
Though the last of the Hammers clan graduated in 2020, Mary has remained an integral part of Hillbrook life as her roles have continued to evolve. When the campus reopened in-person in the fall of 2020, she stepped in as a substitute teacher, taking on every grade and subject imaginable: kindergarten, Spanish, PE, and more. “Because of COVID restrictions, Hillbrook needed to create cohorts for students [to keep] kids safely separated,” Mary said. “I believed in the goal of getting the school open for in-person learning, and I felt that I could be a helper. I also knew that I would enjoy being around the kids, even with Covid-19.” As many found last year, constant mask-wearing took some getting used to, but, “the fun of being with students and the incredible teachers more than made up for it. No matter what, I can find a million reasons to smile at Hillbrook. I adore the children and get such joy from watching them, working with them and sharing a small part of their journey with them. The teachers and staff are also a joy to work with, and everyone is always ready to lend a hand, share a good story or collaborate on a project.”
While her roles took her all over campus, Mary was most often found in the junior kindergarten classroom, leading the students in a few rounds of “Miss Mary Mac.” “The connection she has with that group is magical,” said JK teacher Dorian Okano. “Whenever we saw her on campus the kids would yell out Misssss Maaaaary! and she would jump up and down and send us air kisses and hugs. We love her so much!”
“It seems, at Hillbrook, that when you have a Hammers, everything looks like a nail,” joked Amy Hand, Hillbrook’s Head of Middle School. “While Mary lived primarily in our Lower School this year, she was also a key support with our 5th through 8th graders. Whether she was teaching PE for a week, supporting recess supervision, or serving as a middle school sub for just a day, Mary showed up with a smile on her face and with abundant care for our students. She’s a jack of all trades, and a master of them all.”
As an independent school, Hillbrook’s work doesn’t end with the school day; the annual Benefit fundraiser draws on community donations to build out key programs. For over a decade, Mary has played a vital role in making that happen as our Benefit emcee, keeping the event fun, flowing, and warm, as the contributions roll in throughout the evening. Hosting is a tough gig for many, but the secret (if there is one) is in the approach: “I try to make it about the cause, not me,” Mary said. “Try to relax and have fun—generally speaking, the audience is there to have a good time. It helps emceeing for Hillbrook, because I care deeply about the school and its community.” Mary also lent her presentation expertise to several eighth-graders this past spring, as they prepared to present their Impact Projects to a virtual audience of over one hundred community and family members—a yearlong exercise in bringing a passion project to life in tangible form. “I met Mary Hammers many times at Hillbrook, but the first time I really got to know her was when she helped me with my Social Impact and Leadership keynote speech,” said Kelsey, a graduating Hillbrook eighth-grader. “I had so much fun talking with her and editing my presentation. In that short meeting, I learned of her love for writing, speaking and how kind and curious she is when it comes to helping people. Not only did she make me more excited to give my speech, but she also gave me confidence to present it.”
As those same eighth-graders leave our campus to head to high school, Mary has this wonderful advice to share: “Be yourself and believe in yourself—you are enough and you can do hard things if you only try! Enjoy the space you are in instead of always worrying about getting to the next thing. Find friends who lift you up and make you laugh.”
To say that Mary Hammers has meant a lot to Hillbrook campus and community really only describes the first five minutes of her day. In happy times and challenging ones, just knowing someone is willing to help can make all the difference. When it comes to Magical Mary, she’s not only willing—she’s already there.