Hello, folks, it's been a while!@NotABaseballGuy great insights -- and congrats to your son.
Years before I became a parent I read an article about a growing theory that adolescents' development was due as much or more to the influence of their peers than that of their parents and teachers. It varies with different kids, but I think think this is largely true, and it continues into college years. I have have strong reason to believe that the positive influence of upperclassmen greatly affected my son's academic success, his career choices, and how he's gone about his business professionally. I also believe that he did his best to do the same for underclassmen when his time came.