From public to private schools, the Greenwich school district is among the highest caliber in Connecticut. This newsletter profiles three students-- from Greenwich High School and Greenwich Academy-- highlighting their favorite experiences, what they love most about growing up in Greenwich, and some insights they would like to share.
Photo: Bob Luckey
Photo: Greenwich High School
Wyatt Radzin, Greenwich High School
As Secretary for the rising Senior Class, Co-President of Model United Nations Club, and an active member of the GHS Economics Team, Wyatt is an engaged member of the Greenwich High School community. She attended Hamilton Avenue and Western Middle School and loved growing up in Greenwich!
Who has been your favorite teacher and why?
This is a hard one-- I’ve had a lot of great teachers! At Greenwich High School, one of my favorite teachers is Ms. Karen Boyea, my Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher I had as a sophomore. It was very clear that she cared about the subject she was teaching, and she was really able to make meaningful connections with students.
What class, teacher, or experience has changed you the most and how has it changed you?
In elementary school, my first grade teacher Ms. Janette James would give me special math questions as a fun way to challenge me. This was in first grade before they split people into different class levels through the Advanced Learning Program. Greenwich Public Schools has lots of opportunities to challenge yourself, but this was my first unique experience like this.
Advice to Elementary School Parents:
In general, encourage your student to take opportunities as they are available. It makes a difference if you take them. The school system is amazing, especially the public school system, so make sure they make the most of it! Opportunities will blossom if you’re prepared to take them.
Advice to Elementary School Students:
Read! Reading is a good way to prepare yourself for when school gets a bit harder. It develops the ability to understand and instils a joy for learning-- finding those new worlds in a book is an amazing experience.
Advice to Middle School Parents:
Middle School is a time for a bit more independence, so letting your child use that independence (while also making sure they’re doing their work) is a great way to help them become self-motivated.
Advice to Middle School Students:
Don’t be too hard on yourself-- middle school is a great time to have some fun. At the same time, be aware that high school is in the future; the harder you work in middle school, the more it will pay off later.
Advice to High School Parents:
Encourage your student to sign up for clubs and different activities. I’ve always had a full or near full schedule because of all the fun class options available. If there’s not a class that satisfies what you are interested in, your student can create an independent study. And if there’s not a club, students can create their own!
Advice to High School Students:
Don’t let school fill up your life, but still make sure you’re aware of all of its opportunities. Take into account that you need free time in your schedule, but be sure to try new things! Don’t be afraid to sign up for 10 clubs at the club fair, attend a few meetings to figure out which ones are your favorites, and drop the rest later.
What do you love the most about growing up in Greenwich?
I love that the school system has lots of opportunities. Greenwich is a great town to be in, especially to just have fun, be a kid, and learn a lot.
What is your favorite thing about Greenwich High School?
The opportunities and the great community. There are lots of different kinds of people at the high school; GHS is a big space to give you an understanding of what the town as a whole is like. It’s a big change from middle school. I also love that, in switching from middle school to high school, students encounter a massive new group as they’re mixed in with peers from different parts of town.
Plus, you can never do all classes and clubs because there are so many! I love the flexibility and how you can make your own clubs and classes via independent studies.
Photo: Greenwich Academy
Alicia Qin, Greenwich Academy
Alicia is a rising sophomore who has attended Greenwich Academy since middle school. As an active member of her school’s varsity volleyball team, she has loved getting to know the amazing Greenwich Academy community. In high school, GA students have the opportunity to t ake courses at Brunswick, so she has lots to share about her experiences with both schools!
Who has been your favorite teacher and why?
My biology teacher, Ms. Montanez, from Brunswick. She made everything about the subject seem so interesting, and made me really interested in biology.
I also loved my 6th grade teacher, Ms. Ancona, who was my history and advisor (homebase) teacher. She has really great leadership skills. It was super inspiring to see her have all her things in check and organized; she was so fun and had such a good way with kids.
What class, teacher, or experience has changed you the most and how has it changed you?
The varsity volleyball team while balancing academics. It was such a commitment to have athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars going all at once. All of my academic classes just matured me as a person and allowed me to gain time management and self-management skills.
Advice to Elementary School Parents:
Sometimes it’s important to let your kid figure out what works for them. As long as things aren’t life changing, it’s good for kids if they can solve problems on their own and make sure they aren’t too dependent on you. It’s tempting to always help, but sometimes it’s good to let them figure things out on their own.
Advice to Elementary School Students:
Don’t take yourself too seriously, and don’t be uptight! Don’t think that you have to take all honors or advanced classes. It’s only elementary school-- so enjoy life! Try new things, but not just in school. Try a ton of different sports and activities so you know what you’re interested in by the time high school comes.
Advice to Middle School Parents:
Middle school is a time where your student is going to figure out time management. Keep a good check on how your kid is feeling-- make sure they’re not overworking -- but also make sure they’re being serious. Make sure they have some freedom for themselves. If there’s a time to be overworked, it’s high school. Now is about finding that balance.
Advice to Middle School Students:
Always make sure to get help from your teachers if you need it. It’s always good to get help when things aren’t super urgent. If you let yourself get confused by waiting, it’ll just stress you out more.
Advice to High School Parents:
Let your student be more socially free than you think they should be. A lot of times parents may keep their kid under a tight grip, so you should try and avoid that. Make sure they feel like they have time for themselves and their friends, because everything gets so intense in high school. It’s important that they stay on top of things, but it’s also important to make them feel like they have free time.
Advice to High School Students:
Be prepared for your interests to change. High school is the time where everyone thinks they need to know what major they want to be in college. As you take more classes and electives, you’ll begin to realize what you’re interested in. My freshman year, I realized I really liked biology and science more than history. There are so many different classes that will shape you into the person you will be in college. You’ll end up more prepared to go into the college world than you think. Don’t worry about your major or getting into a certain college.
What do you love the most about growing up in Greenwich?
I love how the community feels very tight. I feel like I know a lot more people in Greenwich than I did when I lived in Stamford. I’m able to feel closer with more people. There is a huge sense of community.
What is your favorite thing about Greenwich Academy?
The sense of community you develop within your grade and the school. There are so many things the teachers and the headmistress do to make you feel connected. It feels like a loving family at GA and it makes you feel really comfortable. It’s amazing to have that big sense of community.
Photo: Greenwich High School
Olivia Schnur, Greenwich High School
A rising senior at Greenwich High School, Olivia is an active member of the Greenwich community through her involvement in the First Selectman’s Youth Commission, Co-President of Girls Who Code, and Co-Captain of her crew team. She attended Cos Cob Elementary School and Central Middle School, and has many fond experiences to share about her time in Greenwich Public Schools.
Who has been your favorite teacher and why?
It’s a tough choice! I’m definitely more interested in humanities compared to STEM [science, technology, engineering, math] so my favorite experiences have primarily been in my english and history classes. Mr. Mangano, a teacher I had at Central Middle School, treated all the kids really well and got us engaged. I really appreciated the class and the many reading-related opportunities that came with it.
At Greenwich High School, Mrs. Keller, who teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History, is one of the best teachers ever! She just loves what she does, has an infectious personality, and is always kind to everyone. AP U.S. History is a fast-paced, content-heavy course. She made it both manageable and fun. Mr. Murphy, who I had this past year for Advanced Placement Government, consistently provided extensive and detailed resources for studying and exam preparation. He is also super fun and kind!
What class, teacher, or experience has changed you the most and how has it changed you?
My computer programming classes have been the most influential because of what they exposed me to. It was different from consistently being in the same class with the same faces, which was about 20 kids. At the same time, having that community feeling was really nice. In such a big school, it was great to build those friendships. It was also a majority male class, and taught me to get out of my comfort zone socially. Most people tend to get comfortable with people they know in classes, but this was different.
The computer science teachers, Ms. Bolger and Dr. Gundel, are both great. You get a lot of personal attention. There's probably only three teachers in the whole school who are qualified to teach the class. Having Ms. Bolger for two years in a row allowed me to get to know her well. The exposure to the STEM field and the way that the class ran was really unique. It was really challenging, but it was my “constant” class.
Advice to Elementary School Parents:
It’s important to let your kid try a lot of new things. They have time to figure out what they like. By the time you get to Greenwich High School, it’s good to have a plan and figure out what you're interested in.
Advice to Elementary School Students:
Have fun! High school is a high-stress environment, but middle school and elementary school shouldn't be stressful. The resources available are great, so make the most of them!
Advice to Middle School Parents:
Don’t push your kids into everything. Sometimes parents start pushing their kids to play an instrument or do really well in classes, but if you’re putting your kid on track to burn out by high school, that’s not a good thing. Go over what they’re interested in, and if this is the time to get some tutoring or extra help in classes, do it! There are a variety of resources available and so many courses at the high school to get your kid on track relative to their interests.
Advice to Middle School Students:
Don’t get caught up in the social aspect of school, and don’t let others around you dictate what you do and what path you decide to go on. Everyone in middle school goes through a stressful change period, and you have to roll with it. Nothing really “counts” yet, so it’s all about striking the right balance.
Advice to High School Parents:
In high school, take a step back as opposed to elementary school and middle school. You have to be helpful to your child without being overwhelming. Depending on what the student’s involved in, there’s a lot of things they can try. You have to let them pick for themselves. Any student at Greenwich High School has an opportunity to pursue what they’re interested in. Kids in programming might be interested in going to MIT; kids interested in fashion might be interested in going to fashion institutes. There’s a club, sport, or organization for everything. Your way of helping is to know what is going on so you can suggest things.
Advice to High School Students:
Try to build a healthy schedule. Get your art credits out of the way early! Greenwich High School has so many Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes, and you have to figure out how to take the right amount in the right concentration. Find a schedule that challenges you but that is also manageable, whether that be 4 APs and 2 Honors, 2 APs and 4 Honors, more or less, it’s all good! Choose your own path, and remember you have to be smart about choosing the right path. Take advantage of what is available to you.
What do you love the most about growing up in Greenwich?
What it’s like geographically. I love how there are multiple neighborhoods in our town like Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Glenville. There are so many different things to do, and so many nice parks!
With a town of about 60,000 people, there’s always something going on. For me, there was always a team to be a part of. When I was younger, I played soccer and lacrosse competitively. The best part was the sports, because we have so many athletes and so many types of teams to join! Travel soccer was a team and community that I carried with me through high school. There are 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school: in high school, when everyone comes together, you realize how many connections you have!
What is your favorite thing about Greenwich High School?
Personally, club involvement is how I feel the closest to Greenwich High School. My sport is not affiliated with GHS, so most of my connections are from Girls Who Code Club and Student Government. The student engagement is really strong; there are a lot of students who care about improving the school. There’s something for everyone, and you really can get involved if you’re interested-- there’s 100 ways to do it.
Overall, my favorite thing about GHS is the ability to play an active role in the community. Even if it’s the small things like Girls Who Code and Student Government, I feel like I’m a part of big conversations. The administration representation is really good as well.
This month's issue: Created by Greenwich High School Student Ambika Grover
