When I was an incoming freshman, I frequently rolled my eyes at upperclassmen yapping about how high school would be gone before you knew it and the ‘sisterhood’ of STA. “Jeez, I get it,” I thought. “It’s only high school.”
Little did I know how much I would love STA.
My Freshman Year Advanced Biology Table:
I was frequently late to first period my freshman year due to my mom’s (and my) inclination to pick up Starbucks on the way to STA. While this annoyed my teacher Blake quite a lot, my biology table tended to expect me five minutes after the bell. These girls, Gabriella Campbell, Kendal Maxwell and Anna Christianson, were some of first new friends I made. Thanks to all the forced collaboration the course required, our conversations quickly escalated from cells and photosynthesis to social outings and clothes. Knowing I was going to see those girls at the start of every day made me excited to come to school and they showed me how easy it is to click with almost any girl at STA. I absolutely love how all the girls here have been so easy- going, open and genuinely kind; it makes for the best community to go through high school with.
The Quad:
There is truly nothing better at STA than the first warm day after the long winter. You can find almost every single class outside in the quad soaking up the sun. One of my favorite events at STA has always been our yard days. Trying to soak up every last UV ray you can while eating lunch and chatting with your friends will always be some of my favorite memories. No matter how stressed, sad or exhausted I’m feeling, a class in the quad always makes me feel relaxed, rejuvenated and refreshed. Not only do I cherish my memories of the quad on some of the ordinary school days, but on the special ones too. From running through the quad during the freshman retreat scavenger hunt to Mother Daughter Fashion show to taking Prom pictures underneath the blooming trees, the quad has always been the best backdrop to my high school experience.
Advisory:
This list could never be complete without my advisory on here. Freshman year I was put into Greene advisory with the lovely Maya Tule. While at first being surrounded by upperclassmen felt intimidating and scary, advisory soon became one of my favorite parts of the day. Every long advisory Greene would force us all to sit in a circle and participate in a “Sharing of the Heart,” which no other advisories seemed to do. However, through this practice (and our Cane’s picnics) I was able to feel comfortable and made friends with all the amazing girls in my advisory. Since my freshman year, we have now been entrusted into the care of Schmittgens. A fan favorite all around campus, Schmittgens is an amazing advisor. From our frequent Raising Cane’s lunches to our annual Secret Santa, I love and cherish all my advisory sisters and advisor. My advisory was one of the first places I felt at home at STA and I’ll always remember it.
The Dart (of course):
Taking Journalism my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I made at STA. I only wish I took it earlier. I’ve loved being on staff these past two years and can’t fathom that I won’t be next year. It’s such a great experience getting to collaborate with girls from other grade levels while bringing stories of the STA community to life. One of my favorite memories of the newspaper has to be our 2023 Boston trip for the NSPA journalism conference. I loved connecting with my friends and other journalists from the Washington Post and Boston Globe and hearing their stories. While I had lots of fun on this trip, it also taught me so much about the importance of accurate journalism in today’s world. The Dart has taught me so much about how to collaborate, be a leader and create an awesome newspaper. I’m so thankful for all these friendships and memories I’ve made on The Dart and will carry them with me to college.
