Where are they now? Gavin Steed

We recently reached out to invite some of our alumni to be part of a special spotlight series to help us honor the legacy of the past 25 years and inspire the next generation of Ridgeview students. Gavin Steed, a lifer from the class of 2023, shared that he learned many things from his time at Ridgeview including what a good teacher is, what real friends are, and what it means to live a good life.

We also had the opportunity to sit down and record a podcast with Gavin earlier this year, listen here: https://ridgeviewclassical.org/hoplite-radio

"Ridgeview was my life for 13 years, from kindergarten in 2010 through my senior year in 2023, and I can honestly say I was deeply grateful for it. I learned my alphabet, my parents’ phone numbers, and my times tables. I learned how to do algebra, how to act with good character, and how to study properly for tests. Among the many things Ridgeview taught me, it taught me what a good teacher was, what real friends were, and what it meant to live a good life. My vision of a good life argued for balance, including change, a willingness to seek things outside one’s comfort zone, and a healthy amount of stillness and self-reflection.”

I often think back on the many times Mr. Anderson said that past alumni no longer resonated with their theses, I do not follow suit. I still believe it is the path to A good life, not the only one, but certainly a good life. My time at Ridgeview flew by as I took every chance I could to go on outdoor trips and adventures with the Ambassadors, the Student Government, and especially my Class of 2023. I cannot encourage the students of the future enough to take every chance you can to go on these trips. Among the community that I found at Ridgeview, these trips were my favorite part. I am proud to be an alum of this school and I pray to never forget what I learned both inside the classroom and outside of it.

Since graduating from Ridgeview Classical School, I have been chasing a good life at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I found my faith in Jesus Christ, that being my greatest change and the change that I credit the most with the progress and growth I have made. I always argued that change in life is necessary for growth, but I never realized that this change would be my faith and that it would grow me just as much as it has. I have traveled to multiple other countries since graduating, and I have loved to witness the new cultures, new food, and especially the unique architecture, which is my major at CU Boulder. I am pursuing a Bachelor's in Environmental Design with a concentration on Architecture as well as a Minor in Business. I am still spending a good amount of time in Fort Collins, in which I credit the better downtown, but I truly love the mountains, the skiing, and the campus in Boulder. I will graduate in the fall of 2026 and then spend a year as an intern at my campus ministry, The Annex, where I have found some of my best friends and a second family. After that comes real life and actually having to act like an adult, but I know that with the preparation and roots set here at RCS, I will be ready for anything, especially if it involves ice axes and crampons.”