I am involved with many activities throughout the Shipley community. In my Junior year, I co-founded the Civic Activism Club, which aimed to bring awareness to current political issues and teach students how to stand up for what they believe in. I also have been a member of Youth Participatory Action Research since my sophomore year, a club where students research issues facing their school and perform action steps to combat that issue, culminating with a presentation of your findings at UPenn at the end of the year. I have also been the Service Learning head on the student government since my Freshman year, coordinating service activities for the Upper School. I am the president of the Service Club, where we do smaller acts of service each week and learn how we can get involved in our community. In the winter, I have been a member of Positive Paws since my Sophomore year, where we go to the Andrew Jackson School weekly in south Philadelphia to teach first graders their character strengths and have fun with them. I have also been the leader of the business council for Shipley Mini-THON, which is a dance marathon with Four Diamonds for pediatric cancer, since its inaugural year last year. I have competed in DECA, a business competition, since freshman year and won second place in Pennsylvania in 2018, qualifying me for nationals. I am also the co-president of Lower School Tutoring, where high school students visit the lower school to aid the teachers working there and help out the students. In addition to those clubs, I also play tennis and am the Varsity Cross Country captain.

 

My favorite club at Shipley has to be Positive Paws. Every Tuesday we fill a van with snacks, markers, and anything else we need for that session, and head to the Andrew Jackson School in the city. Once we arrive, we are always greeted with the kids jumping on top of us, eager to see us. We talk with our groups about really anything and then facilitate a discussion about whatever that week's topic is, which can be anything from responsibility to love to sharing. After we're done eating and talking, we head outside to play games. Hide-and-go-seek and tag are always the favorites. I love kids, and being able to not only positively teach them how they should act, but also become a role model for them is invaluable to their maturation. We also have incredible dance parties.

 

Favorite Class:  

My favorite class I took at Shipley was Pre-Calculus Honors in my junior year. Before taking this course, I liked math, but definitely did not love it or see myself doing it in the future. But, in this class, I was challenged in a way I had never been to before. I felt like I was learning so much information, but it never became boring or tedious. I was actually excited to learn each new concept. I have to attribute this to my teacher, Dr. Rebholz. He taught the material in a way that was understandable, logical, and interesting. I have never had a teacher like him before. Now, I really want to pursue math in some capacity in my life.

 

My favorite memory from my years at Shipley, although there are so many, has to be Westward Ho in fourth grade. We had been learning about the Oregon Trail and western expansion in history, and we got to put what we learned to the test. We were divided into families and had to take our wagon, packed full of snacks, across the "trail", which was different parts of a nearby park. We had to get across a river, hunt for our food (throwing bean bags at stuffed animals), negotiate with a trader, and many more fun activities. It was a perfect way of mixing fun with learning.

 

Most Valuable Lesson Learned: 

The most valuable lesson I have learned at Shipley is to keep trying. There have been many setbacks on my journey, but I have never had a teacher tell me to give up. They always have encouraged me to strive for excellence, and to keep pushing myself. Now, I never take the "easy" way out, because there is an expectation at Shipley that everyone should always be trying their best, whatever that may be.

 

Advice to New Students: 

When I started Shipley, when I was four, I was only excited to join the community. My two brothers were already enrolled, and I wanted to be just like them, wearing my white polo and navy shorts. Even if you are coming as an older student, I think you should take the same sentiment as my Pre-Kindergarten self. Always be willing to take risks and put yourself out there. Talk to everyone you meet, anybody at Shipley would be willing to help you transition into the community. If you try to get involved and put yourself out there, you will be a great fit for the Shipley community. When the club fair happens, if you are in Upper School, try to get involved in a few, not overly many, clubs that you find interesting. With Shipley having a club period every day, you can get pretty close with the people in your club. This can be a great way to meet new people who like the same things that you do.