Students Of The Term - Michaelmas 2024

Middle School Student of the Term

Of our middle-school student-of-the-term, teachers wrote that she brings an infectious love of learning and boundless energy to the classroom, making the subject matter more engaging and accessible to all her classmates. Her positive attitude and natural ability to inspire enthusiasm foster a vibrant and collaborative learning environment. In addition to her dynamic presence, she is exceptionally hard-working, diligent, and responsible. She approaches her studies with dedication and a strong sense of ownership, consistently demonstrating a high level of focus and responsibility in all aspects of her work. “She is always a delight in my classes,” wrote one of her teachers. Her answers to questions are astute and insightful, and her creativity flourishes in many ways, whether composing music, playing piano, or singing and dancing in our musicals. As a musical cast member, she always brings energy and vitality to the shows and the people around her, both on and off stage. Please congratulate our middle-school student-of-the-term, Simran Pass.

High School Student of the Term

I have been at Ridgeview for approximately as long as most members of the senior class have been alive. When I first began teaching here, determining the student of the quarters was serious business. At the time, the upper-school faculty gathered in Room 208 and debated who merited being recommended for this honor. We discussed academics, how they behaved in class, what we saw of them at lunch or in the hallways, and invariably, the conversation always landed time and again on this question: “What specifically were we looking for in a student of the quarter?”

It was a nebulous thing. Some of the qualifications were tangible and many intangible. Usually, the way the answer was expressed was, “If we were all to vanish, who would be able to carry on running Ridgeview in our absence?” It’s an interesting thought experiment because what it meant was who had demonstrated that they valued our principles so thoroughly that they would insist upon them for future generations of students. At the time, it felt as no matter who we chose, we were criticized for choosing to award students who appealed to the faculty but were not appreciated or respected by the student body. Whether it was sour grapes or an insufficiency of information or wisdom on our part, our decisions were too often regarded as our having awarded sycophancy.

A lot of time has now passed. Enough that we now have teachers who were students, and we have some very practical experience in the qualities one would or should have were they to want to be the ones who passed on the traditions and upheld the principles. That so many have returned to Ridgeview to teach is something I continued to be impressed and inspired by. It is an important confirmation that the work matters.

All of this said, it brings us back to the point: what are we looking for? Here it is as clearly as I can put it. We are scouring the student body for students who believe in Ridgeview and are proud of their school. Proud of their school—not just proud of themselves. We want students who have done academically well, but we acknowledge that not every great student will have a 4.0. In fact, too often students with impeccable grades have not been impeccable people because grades are not an assessment of the moral quality of an individual. We desire students who not only want to be at Ridgeview, but believe in it so thoroughly that they want others to be at Ridgeview. They work with their fellow students to persevere through the hard times that are inevitable, and encourage new students to commit to the greater experience.

The students we are seeking participate fully, not narrowly, in the life of the school. They engage with the performing arts program, whether on stage or in the crew, and they behave as good team mates in an athletic endeavor. They know that growing up is not only an intellectual or academic progression, but a physical one. They show up to the extracurricular events, and they go on the outdoor trips. They endure the heat or the cold, they do the hard mountains, the scary climbs, and they emerge with invaluable memories. They help others—both within the Ridgeview community and within the broader communities of Northern Colorado. Sometimes, it’s as simple as showing up for a reading group with elementary students or running in Valborg, and sometimes it’s only being a small part of a philanthropic event. It helps, abundantly, if they also have good manners—not because someone is watching or it might ingratiate them to a teacher whose class they are in, but because to not behave with good manners would be a betrayal of their upbringing. They are leaders in the sense that they lead from the front and they are willing to risk their popularity for their principles. That’s a lot to ask of a kid. It’s definitely a lot more than is in the gradebook. It’s not even a series of qualifications that are possible to evaluate at a school in which people do not know one another.

So, this term’s high-school student-of-the-term is fittingly exceptional. She is diligent and hard-working. She consistently demonstrates a tremendous commitment to her work. She approaches every task with determination and an attention to detail that are truly exemplary. Beyond her academic achievements, she is unfailingly polite, gentle, positive, and kind. She interacts with others with respect and empathy, which happily and healthfully leads to a supportive and harmonious atmosphere in the classroom. Her thoughtful and considerate nature makes her a pleasure to work with, making her a valued and integral member of the class.

Another teacher wrote, “She is diligence personified.”  Day-in and day-out, she always does her best, and on major assignments, she always tries to better her best.  Although her voice is soft and her manner gentle, she proves a force in discussions because she is not only well-prepared but also willing to venture comments to keep a discussion going when her classmates lag.  Add to all this her native goodness of heart: She is an admirable young person.

Mrs. Carvalho and Mr. Perkins often joke that she is the third employee of the Outdoor Program. She can always be counted on to get a job done while paying attention to every detail. This year she has especially stepped up when it comes to leading her peers.

Finally, another teacher wrote, “I have had the opportunity to work with her on our musicals and concerts. As a faithful member of the stage crew team, she has always shown herself to be reliable, self-sufficient, and humble in carrying out her duties. In particular, she's always been our most astute usher for performances, showing no hesitation in holding students, parents, and even teachers accountable to the rules of the PAC! She is a student I can trust to get the job done, no matter the circumstances.”

For all of these reasons, it is a privilege to announce that our high-school student-of-the-term is Averie Stewart.