Upper School Signature Programs

On September 21, a line of Rowland Hall buses pulled up to Great Salt Lake State Park and dropped off a group of fourth- and eleventh-graders, who began making their way to the shoreline.

It was a longer walk than it used to be. For years, Great Salt Lake has been shrinking, and in recent months there’s been an increased outcry to protect the lake. And it’s not just adults who want to find solutions to the possible loss of one of the state’s most renowned landmarks. On this sunny fall day, the Rowland Hall students—who had the chance to come together thanks to Beyond the Classroom, an annual Upper School event that engages students with the greater Salt Lake community and its natural surroundings—were focused on taking away inspiration from the lake to power their own Great Salt Lake projects this year.

Kids are really motivated by problems and love to solve them. They think outside the box, they’re creative, they take chances adults won’t.—Tyler Stack, fourth-grade teacher

For the fourth graders, the day was extra special, as it was a chance to get personally familiar with the lake that will play a prominent role in their classrooms this year. While a study of waterways has always been part of Rowland Hall’s Utah studies curriculum, the pressing issues of Great Salt Lake, which many lower schoolers are well aware of, have given the fourth-grade team—Marianne Love, Cheryl Chen, Haas Pectol, and Tyler Stack—a natural opportunity to help students connect classroom learning to real-world conversations, delve into the role we all play in protecting our shared natural resources in the desert we call home, and search for solutions.

“Kids are really motivated by problems and love to solve them, and it’s cool to get their ideas about a bigger issue,” said Tyler. “They think outside the box, they’re creative, they take chances adults won’t. Maybe someone will think of a solution no one has thought of.” And reminding kids that they can make a difference also helps connect them to their community. “It gives them pride in where they live, and ownership and stewardship,” said Marianne.

The trip to Great Salt Lake allowed students to begin to connect to the lake as they discovered what about it most appealed to them and made them excited to learn—like why the lake is salty or what story its exposed waterlines tell. With the support of their Upper School buddies, they were asked to see, think, and wonder about the lake as they explored. “We want them to think about why they think we should save the Great Salt Lake, not just ideas they hear from adults or teachers,” said Tyler.

After visiting the lake, the students, with the help of their buddies, created slideshows that highlighted their areas of interest—the jumping-off point of research projects they will work on over the year. These slideshows also opened the door to another opportunity: the chance to present at Aridity and Great Salt Lake, a community discussion on water in the West held at Rowland Hall on October 12. Three students volunteered to speak, excited to share with a larger audience what they had learned and why it was important.

Everyone can help.—Hadley R., fourth grade

“I wanted them to know about how much the Great Salt Lake was drying up,” said Hadley R., who also wanted to remind attendees that they can make a difference. “Everyone can help,” she added.

These fourth-grade presenters also wanted to remind the group that many lives depend on the lake. Millie C., who is fascinated by Great Salt Lake’s well-known Black Rock and the creatures who call it home, shared, “I wanted them to walk away thinking about things near the Great Salt Lake.”

Fourth graders will continue to build on this early Great Salt Lake work with upcoming projects, including writing persuasive letters about the lake to state representatives (as well as visiting the Utah State Capitol during the General Session in January) and presenting their research to a panel of community experts. It’s certainly an exciting year to be a Rowland Hall fourth grader, and our school community is looking forward to seeing the many ways these students will inspire others, drive important conversations, and contribute to solutions to protect our shared home.

“This is a great place to live, and we want to keep it that way,” said Marianne.

Authentic Learning

Beyond the Classroom 2021 was a great success!

"We were so glad to be able to offer our Beyond the Classroom program again this year after taking a break due to COVID in 2020,” said Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. An Upper School tradition, Beyond the Classroom is a four-year sequence of experiences designed to take students out of the classroom and into the broader community.

We enjoyed a great day of relationship building, exploration, and self-reflection.—Ingrid Gustavson, Upper School principal

“Beyond the Classroom offers an opportunity for students in grades nine through eleven to engage with the greater Salt Lake City community and its natural surroundings to learn leadership skills, identify areas of interest, and develop an understanding about how to have an impact through individual and collective action,” said Ingrid. “Students heard from guest speakers, worked in teams, and explored areas of our own backyard, like the state capitol and Three Creeks Confluence, while also having a chance to go much further afield in the High Uintas. Seniors focused on their college applications, with a full day of workshopping their essays with college counselors and English teachers. The smiles in the photos say it all! We enjoyed a great day (three days for ninth graders) of relationship building, exploration, and self-reflection.”

This year’s event was held on September 21 and included the following experiences.

Ninth Grade

Ninth graders enjoyed activities around the theme Water and the West, first learning about federal water policy—including tension between the federal government and states around managing and conserving water—from the Debate Team. They then worked with the Seven Canyons Trust and Jordan River Commission to understand current efforts to daylight creeks.

Ninth graders continued their Beyond the Classroom experience with learning rotations at Camp Roger, located in Utah’s High Uintas, on Wednesday and Thursday, and meetings with advisors and teachers on Friday.

Tenth Grade

Tenth graders spent the day at Camp Roger, where they enjoyed learning rotations involving watercolors and hiking.

Eleventh Grade

Eleventh graders spent the morning examining climate effects in the West and how they disproportionately impact communities. They then mapped the heat island effect in the Folsom Corridor before traveling to the state capitol to learn from Better Utah about Utah’s climate and air quality issues.

Twelfth Grade

Twelfth graders participated in a college counseling workshop where they received assistance with their college applications from Rowland Hall’s college counselors and senior English teachers.

Experiential Learning

Every day on the Lincoln Street Campus, students walk past a bulletin board displaying the award-winning Annual Report story “Computer Science for All at Rowland Hall.” The bold headline is a lofty aspiration that is becoming a reality, one class at a time.

“We’ve always known this was an area that we wanted to grow,” said Director of Technology Integration Christian Waters. “We feel that increasing opportunities for students in computer science and robotics is in line with the strategic priority to prepare students for an ever-changing world.”

There is an argument that coding is a new literacy skill everyone must have, along with reading, writing, and arithmetic.—Christian Waters, director of technology integration

And in today’s digital world, no matter what fields students want to go into, an understanding of the basics of computer science is not only an asset—it’s a necessity. “There is an argument that coding is a new literacy skill everyone must have, along with reading, writing, and arithmetic,” said Christian.

Knowing this, Rowland Hall has made recent investments in our computer science offerings, which are already making a difference across divisions, including in the Middle School. This year’s hiring of the division’s first full-time computer science teacher is one substantive proof of the school’s commitment to growing the program, and the Middle School team is taking advantage of the opportunity to offer classes students haven’t always had access to before. This year, they are building robots made of LEGO bricks, designing games, and coding their own websites. Next year, there will be even more opportunities, like application design, expanded robotics offerings, and a maker class.

And students are discovering a passion for the subject—even if they were unsure what to expect when they began. Eighth grader Emery L. thought she was signing up for a mechanical engineering course, so was surprised when it was software engineering. Now, though, she’s passionate about creating with code. “I enjoy the problem solving,” she said. “The more you learn, the more tools you have to work with, and eventually you can put them all together and create something big and impressive.”

Eighth grader George J. sees the possibilities as limitless when it comes to what he can do with his growing knowledge of computer science. He also said it has changed the way he views the world. “I like looking at websites and knowing how they were built, and knowing I could build something similar,” he said. “If I see a problem in the design, I know I could fix it."

The number of students discovering a passion for computer science in the Middle School is expected to increase in coming years, due largely to the exposure they are getting in the Lower School. Starting in kindergarten, Rowland Hall students are introduced to STEM and robotics principles, and starting in second grade, all Lower School students take computer science as part of their curriculum. Students also have access to more resources, including an all-new TREC (technology, robotics, engineering, coding) lab, which is home to multiple 3D printers and has plenty of space for students to build, experiment, and explore.

“Not only are they building skills and knowledge, but they are also building interest,” said Director of Curriculum and Instruction Wendell Thomas. “In a couple of years, the students coming into the Middle School will have significant experience, and we will be able to offer them next steps and challenges.”

I enjoy the problem solving. The more you learn, the more tools you have to work with, and eventually you can put them all together and create something big and impressive.—Emery L., class of 2027

Introducing these skills and knowledge earlier also means more students are invested in computer science and see themselves as a part of the field—an important step in fulfilling the school’s goal of bringing computer science to all. “We realize that, like schools across the country, we still have work to do to ensure girls and people of color are represented in our computer science classes,” said Christian. “Everybody should be able to see themselves as successful in computer science and robotics.”

It's a plan Emery supports. Even though she’s not currently taking computer science this semester, she is continuing the work she started in the fall on her own time, learning various code languages and continuing to work with computer science teacher Jon Poll on projects. She enjoys the challenges the subject presents and the opportunities her experience will bring in the future. “In any job, tech is always present,” she said. “If you have these skills and abilities, there will be a way to apply them in any career that you choose. Even if it’s a minuscule part, there still is something to do with it.”

Wendell agreed, noting that the future of computer science in the Middle School, as well as the school as a whole, all comes down to fulfilling our vision to prepare students to make a difference in today’s world. “People the world needs need to understand how computers work and how they can be used,” he said. “We are doing that at Rowland Hall.”

STEM

Every day at Rowland Hall, students have their limits tested by a challenging curriculum and by mentors. It helps them grow. But what happens when the curriculum and mentors are pushed by challenging students?

More growth.

At the beginning of the school year, members of Rowland Hall’s technology team were approached by a number of ninth-grade students who had a complaint: they wanted to be able to do more on their school-issued laptops, but the current administrative settings wouldn’t let them. The restrictions were impeding their ability to grow as coders, they said. They didn’t just want more access, they needed it to learn.

The tech team is used to complaints, but not like this. They decided to try something new. They came to the students with an offer they couldn’t refuse.

“They challenged us to hack through the protections,” said Eli Hatton. “They said if we could do it they would let us keep the access instead of revoking it.”

This isn’t to say the tech team didn’t have their reservations. And they had very good reasons to say no. But they also knew this was an opportunity.

This isn’t to say the tech team didn’t have their reservations. And they had very good reasons to say no. But they also knew this was an opportunity. “We are always interested in cybersecurity,” said Alan Jeppson, associate director of technology. “Sometimes the only way to know if our security is working is to try and break it.”

Break it they did: the ninth graders were able to gain the access they desired, and then walked the tech team exactly what they had done so the weakness could be resolved. And thus the Rowland Hall Debugging Club was born.

“First thing we did was have them write a contract for acceptable use with their new machines,” said Alan. “Then we started looking around the school for more projects.”

It didn’t take long to find them. Upper School Assistant Principal Bernard Geoxavier needed a solution for tracking students needing physical education credits while not playing a sport or taking a class. The Debuggers figured out a solution: students needing the credits can now log time in the weight room with just a swipe of their student IDs when they exit and enter. It was a learning experience for the club members they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. “We learned about readying software for very specific hardware and then deploying it,” said Eli. “Then we had to test it and see if it worked.”

Cybersecurity is a growing issue worldwide, and the club, along with members of the tech team and faculty, are looking at ways to improve their skills and the skills of the school community.

That was the first of many projects. Now the club is working on building a chatbot that will help students with everyday tasks, like navigating schedules, reviewing assignments, and performing other functions they would normally have to log in to the student portal to complete.

The opportunities are multiplying too, for both the benefit of the students and the school. Cybersecurity is a growing issue worldwide, and the club, along with members of the tech team and faculty, are looking at ways to improve their skills and the skills of the school community.

“We are looking at how we can get more kids involved, and how we could eventually compete in events like hackathons as a school,” said Ben Smith ’89, Upper School computer science teacher. “This would help these kids grow in areas where they could have real professional success in the future.”

Of course, the founding members of the Debuggers may have a future in store that no one has yet imagined. “This is a good group of super smart kids,” said Chief Information Officer Patrick Godfrey.  “It’s put all of us back on our toes how advanced they are and how they take a project and go after it.”

Added Alan, “These kids are crazy smart and talented. I really am interested in where they go from here.”

STEM

On September 21, a line of Rowland Hall buses pulled up to Great Salt Lake State Park and dropped off a group of fourth- and eleventh-graders, who began making their way to the shoreline.

It was a longer walk than it used to be. For years, Great Salt Lake has been shrinking, and in recent months there’s been an increased outcry to protect the lake. And it’s not just adults who want to find solutions to the possible loss of one of the state’s most renowned landmarks. On this sunny fall day, the Rowland Hall students—who had the chance to come together thanks to Beyond the Classroom, an annual Upper School event that engages students with the greater Salt Lake community and its natural surroundings—were focused on taking away inspiration from the lake to power their own Great Salt Lake projects this year.

Kids are really motivated by problems and love to solve them. They think outside the box, they’re creative, they take chances adults won’t.—Tyler Stack, fourth-grade teacher

For the fourth graders, the day was extra special, as it was a chance to get personally familiar with the lake that will play a prominent role in their classrooms this year. While a study of waterways has always been part of Rowland Hall’s Utah studies curriculum, the pressing issues of Great Salt Lake, which many lower schoolers are well aware of, have given the fourth-grade team—Marianne Love, Cheryl Chen, Haas Pectol, and Tyler Stack—a natural opportunity to help students connect classroom learning to real-world conversations, delve into the role we all play in protecting our shared natural resources in the desert we call home, and search for solutions.

“Kids are really motivated by problems and love to solve them, and it’s cool to get their ideas about a bigger issue,” said Tyler. “They think outside the box, they’re creative, they take chances adults won’t. Maybe someone will think of a solution no one has thought of.” And reminding kids that they can make a difference also helps connect them to their community. “It gives them pride in where they live, and ownership and stewardship,” said Marianne.

The trip to Great Salt Lake allowed students to begin to connect to the lake as they discovered what about it most appealed to them and made them excited to learn—like why the lake is salty or what story its exposed waterlines tell. With the support of their Upper School buddies, they were asked to see, think, and wonder about the lake as they explored. “We want them to think about why they think we should save the Great Salt Lake, not just ideas they hear from adults or teachers,” said Tyler.

After visiting the lake, the students, with the help of their buddies, created slideshows that highlighted their areas of interest—the jumping-off point of research projects they will work on over the year. These slideshows also opened the door to another opportunity: the chance to present at Aridity and Great Salt Lake, a community discussion on water in the West held at Rowland Hall on October 12. Three students volunteered to speak, excited to share with a larger audience what they had learned and why it was important.

Everyone can help.—Hadley R., fourth grade

“I wanted them to know about how much the Great Salt Lake was drying up,” said Hadley R., who also wanted to remind attendees that they can make a difference. “Everyone can help,” she added.

These fourth-grade presenters also wanted to remind the group that many lives depend on the lake. Millie C., who is fascinated by Great Salt Lake’s well-known Black Rock and the creatures who call it home, shared, “I wanted them to walk away thinking about things near the Great Salt Lake.”

Fourth graders will continue to build on this early Great Salt Lake work with upcoming projects, including writing persuasive letters about the lake to state representatives (as well as visiting the Utah State Capitol during the General Session in January) and presenting their research to a panel of community experts. It’s certainly an exciting year to be a Rowland Hall fourth grader, and our school community is looking forward to seeing the many ways these students will inspire others, drive important conversations, and contribute to solutions to protect our shared home.

“This is a great place to live, and we want to keep it that way,” said Marianne.

Authentic Learning

Beyond the Classroom 2021 was a great success!

"We were so glad to be able to offer our Beyond the Classroom program again this year after taking a break due to COVID in 2020,” said Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. An Upper School tradition, Beyond the Classroom is a four-year sequence of experiences designed to take students out of the classroom and into the broader community.

We enjoyed a great day of relationship building, exploration, and self-reflection.—Ingrid Gustavson, Upper School principal

“Beyond the Classroom offers an opportunity for students in grades nine through eleven to engage with the greater Salt Lake City community and its natural surroundings to learn leadership skills, identify areas of interest, and develop an understanding about how to have an impact through individual and collective action,” said Ingrid. “Students heard from guest speakers, worked in teams, and explored areas of our own backyard, like the state capitol and Three Creeks Confluence, while also having a chance to go much further afield in the High Uintas. Seniors focused on their college applications, with a full day of workshopping their essays with college counselors and English teachers. The smiles in the photos say it all! We enjoyed a great day (three days for ninth graders) of relationship building, exploration, and self-reflection.”

This year’s event was held on September 21 and included the following experiences.

Ninth Grade

Ninth graders enjoyed activities around the theme Water and the West, first learning about federal water policy—including tension between the federal government and states around managing and conserving water—from the Debate Team. They then worked with the Seven Canyons Trust and Jordan River Commission to understand current efforts to daylight creeks.

Ninth graders continued their Beyond the Classroom experience with learning rotations at Camp Roger, located in Utah’s High Uintas, on Wednesday and Thursday, and meetings with advisors and teachers on Friday.

Tenth Grade

Tenth graders spent the day at Camp Roger, where they enjoyed learning rotations involving watercolors and hiking.

Eleventh Grade

Eleventh graders spent the morning examining climate effects in the West and how they disproportionately impact communities. They then mapped the heat island effect in the Folsom Corridor before traveling to the state capitol to learn from Better Utah about Utah’s climate and air quality issues.

Twelfth Grade

Twelfth graders participated in a college counseling workshop where they received assistance with their college applications from Rowland Hall’s college counselors and senior English teachers.

Experiential Learning

When Rowland Hall debaters gathered to defend their two-time state title at the 2023 3A tournament at Ogden High School in March, they weren’t facing an easy challenge.

First, as title defenders, the team had a target on their backs. They were also up against a formidable 19 schools, all of which are larger than Rowland Hall, as the debate team plays up a classification level (meaning our students compete in 3A, rather than 2A, to access more events, including Policy, the school’s flagship event). However, the team felt confident, not least because of the changes they had put into place in the 2020–2021 season and that continued to guide them over this most recent debate season.

“Three years ago, we expanded our goals and expectations,” explained Mike Shackelford, Rowland Hall’s head debate coach. Mike said that online debate during the pandemic greatly shifted the team’s approach to state. Motivated by the isolation of online competitions and distance learning, they chose to compete as a collective unit, rather than individually, that year. “We had always tried to win individual titles,” said Mike, “but had never set our sights on competing as a 30-person roster across 10 different events.”

And when they did, they claimed the school’s first-ever state debate victory, solidifying the collective-approach strategy, which they’ve continued to hold themselves to, even though it is often more difficult to pull off as it requires a deeper commitment from debaters, who must remain flexible, push the boundaries of their comfort zones, and even take on multiple events to make the Winged Lions competitive. But it works: the strategy paid off again in 2022, and for a third time this spring (complete with a new overall point record).

“We continued to demand the most from each other, working hard and flexing our skills across different topics and formats,” said Mike; these topics included immigration, universal healthcare, artificial intelligence, high-speed rail, the Supreme Court, and global security strategy (not to mention the impromptu topics and legislative proposals from Student Congress simulations). “Now we enjoy knowing that we have the depth, consistency, and talent to always be in a position to win,” said Mike.

Our third state victory solidifies the school as a premier program in the eyes of the larger debate community. Winning state one year is an achievement, but winning it three years in a row is a trend. It builds a narrative that Rowland Hall and debate success are synonymous.—Mike Shackelford, head debate coach

Senior Layla Hijjawi agrees with her beloved coach. As a five-year Rowland Hall debater (who will go on to debate for Harvard in fall 2023), Layla has had a front-row seat to the team’s incredible growth, and it’s clear she has a deep respect of her fellow debaters and the work they put in to hold onto the state title for three consecutive years.

“It’s easy to say, but it’s harder to actually comprehend how much work this team puts in to consistently remain nationally competitive and locally dominant,” said Layla. “These students are completing thesis-level research annually on unbelievably complex contemporary political issues. They’re spending upwards of 20 hours at tournaments on weekends, not to mention the hours of practice that lead up to those competitions. And they’re committing to an activity where they’re repeatedly told they’re wrong … for fun! That’s difficult, and it necessitates maturity and tenacity you wouldn’t generally expect from teenagers.”

And as a result of their hard work, the team has built on the name of Rowland Hall Debate, which is becoming more broadly known. While the school has long been known as a place to be if you want to go far in debate, the team’s third consecutive state victory is making more people in the debate world pay attention.

“Our third state victory solidifies the school as a premier program in the eyes of the larger debate community,” said Mike. “Winning state one year is an achievement, but winning it three years in a row is a trend. It builds a narrative that Rowland Hall and debate success are synonymous.”

This narrative definitely shapes how students view the program. Ninth grader Zion Wirthlin-Ngugi, who impressed in their first year on the team by competing in different events with different partners, and finishing in the top five in Student Congress at state, said they knew the reputation of Rowland Hall Debate before enrolling at the school last year, and that reputation played a major role in their choice to attend Rowland Hall. In their first year, Zion was determined to soak in as much knowledge as possible from their more experienced peers, citing an opportunity to debrief with seniors Anna Hull and Zachary Klein after Zion’s first national tournament at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, among their top memories of the year.

Looking back, Zion is grateful to have played a role in this year’s state victory. “I feel accomplished to have assisted the team by making it to finals,” they said, adding that they are impressed by the skill level of the nation’s top debaters and, as they move through the program, determined to be among those ranks. “It was a shocking experience to truly apprehend the depth and scope of the skilled debater realm, both from national competitors and in Rowland Hall,” said Zion. “I am looking forward to being amongst them in the future.”

For Layla, the Tournament of Champions—or TOC, to debaters—was a top memory of the year. (The team attended TOC in person this year for the first time since 2019. TOC was held online in 2020 and 2021, and the team didn't qualify in 2022.) It was a chance to, as Layla shared, “compete with some of the best debaters in the country and to join the legacy of Rowland Hall debaters who have attended the TOC,” and to enjoy the camaraderie built among teammates during these experiences—on planes, at dinner, or during late-night research sessions. These “little moments,” as Layla calls them, are a major part of what she will miss after graduation.

“It’s hard to find a group of kids where someone can make a joke about the state of political affairs in Croatia, and the entire room bursts into laughter,” she said. “We often jokingly call ourselves ‘the most distractible debate team in the nation,’ and I think that’s a testament to how well we get along and how many things we want to share with each other—albeit unrelated to the actual task at hand. I’ll miss that companionship dearly.”

Layla and her fellow seniors will also miss their coaches, Mike Shackelford and new recruit Zach Thiede. In fact, the entire team is quick to point out how the coaching staff’s support and dedication to the debate program has been absolutely essential to establishing Rowland Hall Debate as a premier program in the larger debate community. They especially recognize how Mike, who has coached the team since fall 2007, has created an environment that allowed the program to grow to its current level, and whose dedication to each debater has shaped them into, in Layla’s words, “the competitors, students, and people we are today.”

Our team is special because our collaboration is organic and we have many committed members. Mr. Shackelford, Zach Thiede, and upperclassmen to novices prioritize our learning, experience, and understanding of debate conceptually, which in turn improves performance.—Zion Wirthlin-Ngugi, class of 2026

“Mr. Shackelford is an incredible force on this team, and the Rowland Hall debaters and I couldn’t be more grateful for his dedication,” said Layla. “The Rowland Hall Debate team would cease to exist without the overwhelming amount of care and coaching Mr. Shackelford invests in the team. As I’ve mentioned, the debaters are incredible people, but it’s Mr. Shackelford who cultivates their talent and effort into a cohesive team that is capable of achieving results that lead to Tournament of Champions qualifications. It’s an honor and a privilege to be coached by him, and he deserves immense amounts of praise for both the success Rowland Hall has found debating and the truly uplifting and positive environment on the team.”

After all, it’s this uplifting and positive environment that will continue the momentum of this season, and returning members are excited to build on the team’s latest success. They also recognize the exceptional group they are part of.

“Our team is special because our collaboration is organic and we have many committed members,” said Zion. “Mr. Shackelford, Zach Thiede, and upperclassmen to novices prioritize our learning, experience, and understanding of debate conceptually, which in turn improves performance.”

This team-first approach also builds confidence, and while the debaters can’t know for sure what the future holds, their collective experiences over the last three years have shown them that they can believe in themselves and are capable of holding their team to their newest standard of excellence.

“Success breeds expectations, but as an optimist, I've found that expectations dictate outcomes,” said Mike, who knows that the state of Rowland Hall’s debate program is solid—and its future promising. “Our students can compete against anyone, on any topic, in any format. Our program is as strong as ever thanks to great student leaders and mentors who continued the guidance for each new batch of young debaters and reinforced a culture of success.”

Rowland Hall Debate State Performances 2023

Below are Rowland Hall’s top performances at the 2023 state tournament, by debate event.

• Informative Speaking: Senior Angel Wang earned an excellence rating in this event, where debaters present a 10-minute prepared speech that seeks to inform and explain.
• Lincoln-Douglas: Senior Julia Summerfield was Rowland Hall’s top performer in this event, finishing as a quarterfinalist for her solo debate on the Supreme Court.
• Impromptu Speaking: Ninth grader Anya Ellahie was a finalist in this event in which debaters are given a random topic and have one to two minutes to prepare before delivering five-minute speeches.
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Senior Zachary Klein took second place in this event in which debaters are given a current-event question and have 30 minutes to research, write, and deliver seven-minute speeches. Senior Amelie Corson was also a finalist in the event.
• Student Congress: Sophomore Andrew Murphy took second place in this event where students lead and participate in a simulation where they debate different pieces of national legislation. Ninth grader Zion Wirthlin-Ngugi also finished in the top five of the event.
• Policy: Seniors Ruchi Agarwal and Layla Hijjawi took first place in this event for their debate on the best proposals for NATO security. Juniors Marina Peng and Logan Fang, sophomores Eli Hatton and Aiden Gandhi, and ninth graders Enzo Rust and Baker Campsen all had winning records in Policy, finishing in second, third, and fourth, respectively. That's a clean sweep!
• Public Forum: Senior teammates Micah Sheinberg and Anna Hull took first place in this event for their debate on the pros and cons of India's space program. Junior Sophie Baker and sophomore Elena Owens also made it to finals, giving them the co-championship. Senior teammates Amelie Corson and Iman Ellahie, as well as the team of junior Harris Matheson and ninth grader Harrison Lasater, were quarterfinalists in the event.

Debate

For this year’s debate team, there may be one thing that feels better than claiming Rowland Hall’s second consecutive region and state titles.

Doing it in person.

After two years of online-only competition, debaters from across the state were able to gather in person once again for the 2022 regional and state tournaments. After numerous Zoom-room competitions, said Mike Shackelford, Rowland Hall debate coach, these in-person gatherings were a welcome change.

"A return to in-person debate was rejuvenating,” said Mike. “Sure, it meant more planning and earlier mornings—but it also meant pep talks and motivational speeches, real-time collaboration, bonding and playing together between rounds, and supporting one another by watching final rounds as a group. It allowed our students to be truly seen and heard by their opponents, judges, and teammates." And it was especially exciting for the team members who hadn’t yet experienced in-person debate events. “They didn't even know what they were missing,” said Mike.

Sophomore Zac Bahna was one of these students. He experienced his first year of competition—where he placed third in Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking at state—on Zoom, and now understands the contrast between the two settings.

We were able to foster an environment in which everyone was willing to help each other out and push each other to succeed.—Zac Bahna, class of 2024

“The in-person experience is a lot different but more fun,” said Zac, who, with fellow sophomore and partner Harris Matheson, took third place in this year’s Public Forum event. “You get to talk to debaters from other schools and hang out with your teammates between rounds. Although last year’s debate season was still a great experience, the team felt more isolated and disconnected when we were all debating from our own homes. The state tournament was one of the first times that I could really feel the good energy of a team environment.”

That energy makes a difference for Rowland Hall not only because the team plays up a division into the 3A classification, pitting them against larger schools, but also because they had to spend a lot of time preparing for individual speech events—an area they don't practice during the regular season—to be competitive.

“It was so awesome to see so many Rowland Hall debaters come together and push themselves to compete in different events than they normally would and work together to achieve a common goal,” said Zac. “We were able to foster an environment in which everyone was willing to help each other out and push each other to succeed.”

As a result, the team walked away from the state tournament with their second consecutive 3A state title (their total score, 108, was 33 points higher than the second-place team) and an impressive list of performances:

• Senior Samantha Lehman took first place in National Extemporaneous Speaking, an event in which debaters are given a domestic affairs question and have 30 minutes to research, write, and deliver seven-minute speeches.
• Senior teammates Ella Houden and Kit Stevens took first place in Public Forum, an event that includes short speeches interspersed with three-minute crossfire sections, on the topic of the pros and cons of organic agriculture. Senior Samantha Lehman and junior Micah Sheinberg as well as sophomores Zac Bahna and Harris Matheson closed out the top three spots, giving them a co-championship.
• Junior Layla Hijjawi and sophomore Joey Lieskovan took first place in Policy, an event in which teams advocate for or against a policy change resolution, for their take on the best proposals for water resource protection. Juniors Ruchi Agarwal and Julia Summerfield also went undefeated in this event, giving them the co-championship, while senior George Drakos and sophomore Gabe Andrus, as well as sophomores Marina Peng and Logan Fang, tied for third place—a clean sweep of the top four spots! (Learn more about how debaters across the state, including Rowland Hall students, prepared for this topic in The Salt Lake Tribune.)
• Freshman Aiden Gandhi took fifth place in Lincoln-Douglas, a solo debate event, for his speech on journalistic ethics.
• Junior Zachary Klein took third place in Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking, an event in which debaters are given a foreign affairs question and have 30 minutes to research, write, and deliver seven-minute speeches.
• Freshman Andrew Murphy took fifth place in Student Congress, a competition in which students lead and participate in a simulation where they debate different pieces of national legislation.
• Junior Micah Sheinberg took fourth place in Impromptu Speaking, an event in which debaters are required to prepare and deliver speeches on a random topic, with only one to two minutes to prepare.

Samantha Lehman also made school history by being the first Rowland Hall student to win an individual state championship in three different debate events over her high school career. The senior said the accomplishment showed her that she can successfully debate on both national and state levels—and reminded her of what she’s learned over four years.

Debate has made me more confident in my voice.—Samantha Lehman, class of 2022

“Debate has made me a more confident person,” said Samantha. “I’ve always been willing to put myself out there, but debate has made me more confident in my voice, in my ability to convey ideas. I know how to speak to a specific audience, to use my research skills and cater arguments to different groups. I know how to speak efficiently and clearly, in a way that’s not pedantic. I know more about the world: criminal justice issues, arms sales, international relations, water, climate change—subjects you would never find out just in school and reading the news.”

This perspective was echoed by ninth grader Aiden Gandhi, who emerged as a team phenom in his novice season, taking fifth place in Lincoln-Douglas at his first state tournament.

“The season allowed me to grow and learn about topics and ideas that I never would have explored otherwise,” said Aiden. And though he is thrilled about the accomplishments of this year, he’s even more excited about his personal growth. “I think I am most proud of achieving the growth that I did this year in debate. It means that I will be better equipped for next year and future debates.”

It’s this kind of attitude, found across the team, that promises continued excellence for Rowland Hall Debate. Even after graduation, said Samantha, she’ll be keeping an eye on the team—she’s that excited about what lies ahead. Zac and Aiden, also looking forward to what's in the team’s future, have already promised to contribute to ongoing success by challenging themselves and their teammates, cultivating a positive and fun environment, and building community.

“I am excited for the opportunity that next year's season brings to connect, grow, and improve,” said Aiden.

Debate

Rowland Hall is proud to congratulate four student-athletes from the class of 2023 who will be going on to compete at the college level.

Rowland Hall Athletics recently recognized these students at our first Senior Signing Celebration, held on May 30.

• Jada Crockett will run track at California State University, Fresno
• Maile Fukushima will play soccer at Occidental College
• Arden Louchheim will golf for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Ezra Shilling Rabin will run cross country and track at Emory University

“We are so proud of these talented athletes and wish them all the best as they go on to compete for their colleges,” said Kendra Tomsic, director of athletics. “We will be cheering them on.”

Watch the Senior Signing Celebration.

Athletics

With a collective commitment to their class-chosen values of respect, kindness, honesty, empathy, and compassion, the 72 graduates of Rowland Hall’s class of 2023 have done something remarkable: they’ve shown us all how a supportive, collaborative, and fun-loving community both buoys individuals and positively impacts the world.

Driven to make a difference, these graduates have devoted themselves to their studies, accumulating impressive academic achievements. The group includes eight National Merit semifinalists, an affiliate honorable mention recipient of the 2023 National Center for Women in Information and Technology awards, an honorable mention recipient of the Westminster Honors College essay contest, the Utah winner and national runner-up of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition, and a four-time qualifier for the prestigious American Invitational Mathematics Examination. Several top-tier debaters are among these graduates, including four individual state champions, three Academic All-Americans, two National Speech & Debate Association and Tournament of Champions qualifiers, and the captains who led Rowland Hall’s debate team to their third consecutive 3A state title.

Driven to make a difference, these graduates have devoted themselves to their studies, accumulating impressive academic achievements.

In addition to their high school classes, these students tackled subjects at the college level, enrolling in courses in architecture, Python, calculus, engineering, and linear algebra. Some spent their summers engaged in subjects including philosophy, AI, and government, law, and ethics. They also explored careers and further engaged in real-world learning through internships with the Huntsman Cancer Institute, McNeill Von Maack, the Natural History Museum of Utah, the Park Record, PINK Concussions, Suzanne Harrison, The Sharing Place, and the University of Utah, among others.

Winged Lion seniors were instrumental in capturing 24 region and 10 state titles as teams, and earned several individual region and state championships. Eighteen seniors were named All-State and nine were named All-Region, while 23 earned Academic All-State and 36 received Academic All-Region honors. Four athletes have committed to play at the college level. Rowmark Ski Academy's four graduating seniors achieved career-best performances this winter, including 19 top-ten finishes, 13 top-five finishes, and five podium finishes in Fédération Internationale de Ski races. One Rowmarker, the youngest athlete on the US Ski Team’s Alpine Development Team, finished the season ranked first in the world for her age in giant slalom and as the team’s Rookie of the Year. The class also includes members of Park City Ski & Snowboard, Altabird Freeride, and the Salt Lake City Composite Mountain Biking Team, as well as a powerlifter, an ultramarathoner, a water polo player, a Utah PGA Junior Series golfer, and several competitive basketball, volleyball, soccer, and hockey players.

The class of 2023 has given back to their communities, donating hundreds of hours to organizations and groups. Some even created their own organizations to better fill or meet the needs of communities.

The class of 2023 has given back to their communities, donating hundreds of hours to organizations and groups including The City Library, Holladay United Church of Christ, Horizonte Instruction and Training Center, Mundi Project, Planned Parenthood, Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake Peer Court, Salt Lake Youth City Government, Sunnyvale Community Center, and the Utah Attorney General’s Youth Advisory Committee. Several students applied classroom lessons to issues that impact them and their communities by lobbying and advocating for vaccines, gun control, women’s rights, public health, and full-day public kindergarten; others canvassed for political candidates or registered voters. A knowledgeable water conservation advocate shared her voice with both The Salt Lake Tribune and community radio station KRCL. One volunteer earned the Bill Casper Humanitarian Award for his work with nonprofit First Tee, while another received the North Carolina Lt. Governor's Volunteer Recognition Certificate for his work with the Zakat Foundation of America. Some created their own organizations to better fill or meet the needs of communities: one founded a charity to make hockey equipment more affordable for young players, while another led a math tutoring nonprofit. Two budding developers even created the Lending Lions app to connect peers with charities and to track donations.

This creative class has also made the world more beautiful with art. In addition to contributing to school theater and dance productions, as well as creating pieces that reflect their studies, extend their voices, and address social issues, these students have shared their talents with wider communities. One graduate is a Greek dancer, while another practices Bharatanatyam, a form of classical Indian dance. One young artist’s work was selected by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums to travel the state in rotating exhibits and to be displayed at Hogle Zoo. Many of these students play instruments—some which they took up during the pandemic—including the guitar, cello, piano, bluegrass fiddle, trombone, and violin. One exceptional pianist earned a superior rating at a state solo music competition, while another, a longtime student of The Royal Conservatory of Music, recorded a piece composed by her father for The Royal Conservatory's Music Lights the Way piano concert.

We wish each member of this class all the best, knowing that wherever their paths lead, they will live extraordinary lives.

As this group of graduates begin a new chapter of their lives, many will be furthering their education: the class of 2023 earned admission to 149 colleges and universities, with 75 percent of them receiving at least one merit scholarship. As they begin their next adventures, we wish each member of this class all the best, knowing that wherever their paths lead, they will live extraordinary lives and leave their own authentic, indelible marks on the world. Congratulations, class of 2023!

Students

At the beginning of June, rising Rowland Hall senior Samantha Lehman began an internship for the Utah House of Representatives majority staff. She spent two weeks sitting in on appropriations and caucus meetings, communicating important information through social media, and researching everything from local procedures for foreign diplomats visiting Utah to water and transportation policy (did you know that 32,933,228,764 miles were driven on Utah roads in 2019? Neither did Samantha!).

While working at the capitol, Samantha was approached by Harry Hansen, communications manager and podcast host, who asked to interview her for the Utah House of Representatives Podcast about her experience attending high school during a pandemic. She said yes, and when Harry asked if there was anything specific she wanted to talk about, Samantha immediately answered, “Mental health.” Below, Samantha, a Rowland Hall mental health educator and this year’s student body president, reflects on why she chose to focus that discussion on the toll the pandemic is taking on students' mental well-being.

Mental Health and the Pandemic: A High Schooler’s Perspective

By Samantha Lehman, Class of 2022

The movies don’t lie when they say that high school is tough.

I, and many other students, found it hard to stay motivated and to care about things we were previously interested in. I felt alone, helpless, burned out, and like I was a failure for not being more engaged. It was as if Earth’s gravity had suddenly increased: everything looked the same, but it was harder to lift myself up.

Homework, studying, and the epic highs and lows of extracurriculars are enormously stressful, so a balance between friends and work can help make school manageable. However, the pandemic meant students were isolated in their rooms, unable to be around their friends, making school feel more strenuous and boring. Additionally, in-person class is hard to replicate on Zoom. There’s just not the same energy, and focusing is near impossible when a) you have been staring at a screen for hours at a time, and b) the world of the internet is at your fingertips (I’ll be fully transparent here: I definitely watched The Office instead of paying attention in class more than a couple of times). As the year went on, many students found it harder and harder to keep up with work and make themselves pay attention to what they were supposed to be learning, even if they were able to be in person at school some of the time. I, and many other students, found it hard to stay motivated and to care about things we were previously interested in. I felt alone, helpless, burned out, and like I was a failure for not being more engaged. It was as if Earth’s gravity had suddenly increased: everything looked the same, but it was harder to lift myself up.

Another problem with school during a pandemic is repetitive thoughts. When you’re stuck at home all day in front of a computer with nothing but your brain to keep you company, repetitive thoughts become a real problem. My brain kept telling me, “You should be doing better at school,” or, “You’re a horrible student and don’t deserve to be here,” and, “You’re a failure.” After hearing those things again and again, I started to believe them. Unfortunately, many of my classmates had this experience as well, and they struggled with school and their mental health as a result.

For some students, having their routine dramatically switched up by the pandemic was a huge challenge. For others, they enjoyed being online for school, perhaps because they are uncomfortable in many social situations, so going back in person towards the end of the year was a hard adjustment. Maybe a student lost a relative or a friend during or to the pandemic and didn’t get the community support they needed. Regardless of the reason, the pandemic impacted every student’s mental health in some way, and that may have long-lasting effects, even if this school year looks a little more normal.

I think it’s important to realize that mental health is not a reason a person isn’t strong. You can be strong and still struggle with your mental health.

I think it’s important to realize that struggling with mental health is not a reason a person isn’t strong. You can be strong and still struggle with your mental health. Take Simone Biles, for example. She has 31 Olympic and World Championship medals and pulled out of the Olympic team competition to prioritize her mental health. That’s strength if I’ve ever seen it. A person also doesn’t have to be diagnosed with something like anxiety, OCD, or depression to need to take time to prioritize their mental health. Brains are weird and life is hard.

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, the advice I’d give to parents and guardians is to remember it’s important to realize that kids need time to recharge and get their heads on straight to succeed. It’s OK for kids to feel tired and want to take breaks from work, and caregivers should encourage them to prioritize their mental health as well as support their kids in times of struggle. My parents support me by reminding me that they are there for me and by never judging or criticizing me for struggling with mental health.

Additionally, as students, we need to remember to support each other. There is never a bad time to tell a friend that they are doing great and that you are there for them. As a community, we need to continue to uplift each other and give each other the space to put mental health first.

Student Voices

Editor's note: this piece is republished from Rowland Hall's 2019–2020 Annual Report story "The Rowland Hall Internship Program: Connecting Classroom Learning to Careers and Community."

---

For Jonah Holbrook ’16, a Rowland Hall internship was more than a summer experience—it was the first step on his career path.

After taking Advanced Placement Biology as a junior, Jonah was reconsidering plans to study mechanical engineering in college. When he saw Rowland Hall's internship program advertising an opportunity at Michael S. Kay’s biochemistry lab at the University of Utah, he jumped at the chance to explore the field, and spent that summer assisting a PhD student researching a viable inhibitor for Ebola virus strains.

The following summer, Dr. Kay recommended Jonah for a second internship at Navigen Pharmaceuticals, where, thanks to his Kay lab experience, Jonah transitioned from intern to assistant research scientist working on a lead inhibitor for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). He also took part in a weekly club where employees discussed conditions that may benefit from Navigen technology—Jonah researched how it could potentially inhibit a circulating peptide related to migraine headaches.

Reflecting on his Kay lab internship, Jonah said, “It helped me find my passion in terms of my career.”

In fall 2016, during his freshman year at Cal Poly, Jonah joined the Medical Design Club, which enables students to develop, research, design, and manufacture technology that improves quality of life. Jonah received permission from Navigen to pitch his migraine drug idea, and received funding. This experience led to the opportunity to run for club president (a position he held his sophomore through senior years), where he advised peers on a variety of projects, from an alternative EpiPen to a neurostimulator. It also helped him realize a desire to attend medical school, a goal he worked toward at Cal Poly alongside conducting his own research and returning to Navigen every summer to work on the RSV drug.

Reflecting on his Kay lab internship, Jonah said, “It helped me find my passion in terms of my career.” And he’s well on his way. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering in May 2020, Jonah began working as a medical assistant to a vascular surgeon. He plans on starting medical school in fall 2021.

---

Top photo: Jonah with former Head of School Alan Sparrow at his 2016 graduation.

STEM

Todd Brickson stands tall as a mountain in the world of ski racing. 

For the past 20 years, he has served as the program director of Rowmark Ski Academy, Rowland Hall’s world-class ski racing program, founded in 1982. An international level 500 coach in the US Ski & Snowboard Association, Todd has worked with hundreds of top-level Olympic, World Cup, and collegiate athletes. But, even with all that experience, those who know Todd don’t immediately bring up his coaching prowess, or his experience on the slopes. Instead, they talk about who he is as a person—and for good reason.

Priority one, before coaching, is to be a very good role model. You need to be the kind of person who young people aspire to be one day. Todd is solid in that way.—Olle Larsson, Rowmark Ski Academy co-founder

“Priority one, before coaching, is to be a very good role model in front of people. If you fail that, it doesn’t matter what kind of coach you are,” said Olle Larsson, former Rowmark program director and the co-founder of the program, who was instrumental in hiring Todd. “You need to be the kind of person who young people aspire to be one day. Todd is solid in that way.”

Building athletes of good character is central to Todd. He makes that clear on the first page of the handbook given to all team members. There, he writes that the main goal of the program is “for each Rowmarker to learn and develop responsible independence.” He emphasizes that there is more to being on the team than just making it down the hill, adding, “This is above all a process, a time of trial and error, a time to learn from mistakes, a time to learn how to win—and learn how to lose.”

The values of responsibility and independence that Todd promotes create a strong bedrock on which he builds exceptional competitors and people. But here is where Todd steps back a bit, to let the athletes find that fire within that’s needed to push themselves farther and achieve more. He’s the iconic definition of a coach in these moments, trusting that his athletes are capable of practicing what to do, and he allows them to do it. That mutual respect is what launches Rowmark athletes into greatness.

“Todd provided me with tools and then didn't put any pressure or expectation on race day. He knew that pushing wouldn’t help, and that I needed to figure it out,” said former Rowmarker and Olympic athlete Breezy Johnson ’13. “He provided me with the means to reach my incredibly high goals, and then was there with a hug and a word of advice, win or lose, at the end of the day.”

Todd does teach competitive spirit, but not in ways you may expect. He meets his students in competition in other arenas to show them that he respects them enough to go nose to nose. It may be on the golf course, in a go-kart, or by the side of a lake with a fishing pole in hand. Todd understands that coaching is a disposition and not contained to a certain time or place.

“There have been times when Todd has played hockey with us on a pond after skiing, or field hockey on dry land,” said Elisabeth Bocock, a senior who currently competes for both Rowmark and the US Ski Team. “He is never afraid to go shoulder on shoulder with us if that’s what it takes. He is super intense and does what he needs to do to win the game.”

And in his 20 years with the program, Todd’s intensity has helped raise the bar for Rowmark as an elite ski academy. Since 1988, there has been a representative from Rowmark at each Winter Olympics, and in 2014, the program became one of the first in the nation to achieve the Gold Certification level from the US Ski & Snowboard Association, and they’ve held onto that certification in the eight years since.

Rowmark’s skiers achieve off the slopes as well. The team currently has a 100 percent college placement rate, and its students are sought after by the best colleges and universities in the nation. “Todd is very involved in our academic success,” said Ian Hanrahan, co-captain of the Rowmark Academy Program. “He and the other coaches do a lot of work to make sure our teachers understand our busy schedules to help us stay on top of school and make sure we are successful skiers while still growing our academic careers.”

And Todd’s concern about the success of Rowmark skiers starts before they are even on the team. From the outset, he makes sure new recruits can thrive in the program. “Todd gives so much time to prospective families,” said Kathy Gunderson, former director of admission for Rowland Hall. “He cares so much about the candidates not only being a good fit for Rowmark but also finding academic success at the school as well. He’s brought recruiting to the next level.”

Todd’s recruiting prowess also extends to the coaches he selects to help guide the team. Every coach on Todd’s team knows they were selected for their excellence and are expected to reach extraordinarily high standards. But they also know that Todd views them as peers and wants them to feel welcome and able to grow as professionals through trial and error.

“Todd works to develop his staff,” said Rowmark Junior Program Director Troy Price. “Recently, three former staff members have gone on to coach for the US Ski Team. You must have excellent training to get job offers at that level.”

Staff development goes beyond coaching skills under Todd’s mentorship. After all, there is much more to the job than improving skiing skills. There are also all the logistical concerns, financial planning, health tracking, and emotional support needs that must be handled. Then there are the moments that are totally unexpected.

“My first season with the team we had a group of Rowmarkers involved in a head-on car accident while racing in Oregon,” said Troy. “Todd was coaching at another race in Whistler, Canada, yet he made arrangements to get to Portland. He stayed with our injured members during this extremely difficult time and was the glue that held everyone together. His empathy for others and his ability to stay calm in difficult situations is unmatched.”

Todd was a very important person in my development as an athlete. He taught me the tools I needed both technically with the fundamentals, and the greater work ethic required to make it to the highest level.—Breezy Johnson ‘13, Olympian

Todd’s two decades with Rowmark have left an indelible mark on all aspects of the program, and that impact will only continue to grow in the coming years. In 2019, an alpine training addition to the Utah Olympic Park became the team’s primary training facility, giving athletes access to the very slopes where their idols have competed. “This is the most important development for Rowmark since 1982,” said Olle. “The training arena that they now have does not exist anywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere.”

Time will tell what athletes will come off those slopes and into the national and international spotlights, but it’s clear that all of them will have benefitted from having Todd Brickson as a coach, mentor, and friend, just as those who came before them have.

“Todd was a very important person in my development as an athlete,” said Breezy. “He taught me the tools I needed both technically with the fundamentals, and the greater work ethic required to make it to the highest level.”

Rowmark

---

Todd's anniversary isn't the only celebration for Rowmark Ski Academy this year. Rowmark is also excited to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a celebration weekend, March 10–12.

At only 18 years old, Rowmarker Mary Bocock has already had an impressive skiing career.

In addition to her achievements as a top Rowmark Ski Academy athlete, Mary had the chance to compete with the US Ski & Snowboard Team in Europe in January 2021, an opportunity that led to her first nomination to the US Alpine Ski Team later that year. Earlier this month, she was nominated to the US Ski Team for a second time. And prior to sustaining a knee injury in December, Mary was ranked first in super-G, third in giant slalom, and eighth in slalom in the United States for her age.

Mary will soon add another achievement to her resume—college athlete—when she joins the Dartmouth College women’s ski team next year. She plans to enroll as a first-year student in fall 2023, after taking a gap year to continue her healing and focus on her commitment to the US Ski Team before she dives back into a routine of balancing school, training, and racing.

“Joining the Dartmouth ski team has been one of my athletic goals since I started thinking about colleges,” said Mary, who long considered the Ivy League school not only because it offered a top ski program, but also because of its academic excellence.

“This is a great fit for Mary on all levels,” said Todd Brickson, Rowmark Ski Academy program director. “Dartmouth has a long history of developing world-class ski racers within their storied NCAA Division I ski team, in conjunction with their flexible academic structure and top-notch education.”

To celebrate Mary’s plan to attend Dartmouth, we asked her a few questions about her decision and her journey as a skier. The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

---

When did you find out that you have a spot on Dartmouth's ski team? How did it feel to receive that news?

I started talking to the coach about a year and a half before I committed to skiing for him. I knew the coach was interested in me, but I knew that I shouldn’t get my hopes up because there could be other girls out there. So when he told me he wanted to offer me a spot in the fall of 2023, I felt relieved and excited that I didn’t have to worry about my college experience.

You'll be taking a gap year before heading to Dartmouth. Why did you make that choice?

I will be taking a gap year after I graduate in the spring so that I can focus on my commitment to the US Ski Team and take advantage of all the resources they provide. Throughout my whole racing career, I have always had to balance traveling and school, so I want to experience the sport without having to balance the stresses of high school alongside the pressure of performing well in races and traveling. The Dartmouth coach actually offered me a spot to start in the fall of 2022, but I decided that I want to take a year to mature as an athlete and really focus on racing to make the most of my opportunity with the US Ski Team.

You've been offered a spot on the Dartmouth team and you're on the US Ski Team—basically, you've achieved two of your dreams. While you can't know what lies ahead, how are you approaching these two amazing opportunities?

I feel very lucky to have these two incredible opportunities ahead of me. I am trying to stay present and not worry about how I will balance the two programs. I am just trying to take advantage of the places and lessons I am experiencing. I always try to not take anything for granted—especially after COVID—and make the most of my time traveling and exploring new mountains and countries.

Focusing on your time at Rowland Hall, what moment as a member of Rowmark are you most proud of?

I’ve had a lot of great experiences on Rowmark, so it’s hard for me to pick my favorite moment. But if I had to, I would say one of my favorite memories is when I won a GS [giant slalom] race in Breckenridge, Colorado, at the end of my junior year. It was that race that helped me lower my points enough to make criteria for the US Ski Team. When I came down and everyone was cheering for me, I was so excited that I couldn’t stop smiling. Then, a few minutes later, my coach came down and gave me a hug (which is rare because he’s not one for hugs), and I started to experience an overwhelming amount of emotions because it all felt real.

On the other side, some of the most memorable experiences from Rowmark have been off the snow. The conditioning/team bonding week is always a highlight of the year because the whole team comes together to compete with each other in a very cohesive way. Competition is one of my favorite aspects of ski racing, so I always have a lot of fun on the camping weekend when the whole trip is just filled with competition.

Tell us about the skills you built at Rowland Hall and on Rowmark that you'll be taking with you after graduation.

One of the most notable skills I’ve learned from being on Rowmark while attending a challenging high school is time management and communication. In order for me to keep up with my work while I’m gone, I have to be very diligent with letting my teachers know when I will be gone and updating them on my progress throughout my trips. My first few training camps with the US Ski Team have been very different compared to those with Rowmark because nobody else in my group is in school. I am the only one trying to keep up with classes while skiing at a high level. I have to find time to separate myself and sit down and do school work while my teammates do their other activities. However, I have actually started to really enjoy Zooming into my classes while I'm away on ski trips because it is an opportunity for me to take time off from thinking about skiing and still feel connected with my life at home.

Congratulations, Mary!

Athletics