A note on language: While there are multiple ways to identify as Autistic, Rowland Hall has chosen to use the identity-first language that many Autistic adults advocate for. We have also chosen to capitalize Autism and Autistic to affirm this identity.

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Third-grade teacher Hannah Ruske has a passion for inspiring children to make the world a better place for every type of learner.

“I feel very strongly that kids need to be exposed to neurodivergence really early,” said Hannah.

The daughter of a special education teacher, who for years has supported neurodivergent learners herself, Hannah has plenty of experience working with students of all abilities. But she knows these opportunities aren’t available to everyone—and she’s working to change that. That’s because when people, of any age, have chances to learn about neurodivergence, as well as disability, they’re better prepared to be welcoming and inclusive.

When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future.—Hannah Ruske, third-grade teacher

“When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future,” said Hannah.

So Hannah has committed to making her classroom a place where students learn about the many ways brains work and practice skills that help others feel welcome and included. She also looks for real-world opportunities for students to practice these skills in their own communities. At Rowland Hall, this has happened through an exciting new partnership between Hannah’s class and the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, located next door to the McCarthey Campus. 

Thanks to the nature of the independent education model, which leaves space for teachers to pursue learning opportunities around classroom areas of interest, Hannah was able to design a powerful authentic learning experience that connected, and mutually benefited, students at both Rowland Hall and Pingree. After sharing her initial idea with Rowland Hall’s Center for Community Impact team, Hannah met with Rafael Ochoa, clinical director of the Pingree Center, in November to discuss how they could work together. They decided one to two monthly meet-ups, which would allow the Rowland Hall class to work with several grade levels, would most benefit both schools.

To prepare for these visits, Hannah spent two months helping her class understand the best ways to be good friends to Pingree students. They learned about Autism, including viewing Autism as a skill, not a deficit, and began forming an understanding that there are a wide array of Autistic experiences. They talked about the many ways brains work. They discussed disabilities, including how to notice differences without making people feel singled out and uncomfortable. And as they learned, Hannah made sure there was lots of time for questions.

“It’s important to teach how to categorize difference in a safe environment where students can ask questions and make mistakes before they’re out in the world and don’t know how to approach it,” she explained.

To assist with their learning and guide neurodiversity-affirming interactions, the class created a list of tips, from how to engage a friend to how to be respectful of a student’s sensory needs. They identified activities they could enjoy with their friends, including reading, drawing, working on booklets, playing on the playground, and engaging in outdoor games designed for students of all abilities. And after they began their meet-ups in January, they started reflecting on each visit together and in personal writings—an important step in helping the third graders more deeply engage in the experience

“It felt like such a privilege to have this time and freedom,” Hannah said about this space to prepare and reflect. “I think that’s why it’s been so successful.”

It’s been a success for Pingree, too, making space for students in a range of classes to sharpen their social and communication skills within safe, welcoming relationships with other children.

“As an Autism center supporting clients with social communication challenges, our partnership with Rowland Hall’s third-grade classroom has been an incredibly meaningful experience,” said Rafael, Pingree’s clinical director. “These shared moments create natural opportunities for our clients to practice social skills in a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment. Watching friendships form over ‘get to know you’ booklets, playground games, and shared laughter has been a reminder of how powerful connection and kindness can be. Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.”

Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.—Rafael Ochoa, clinical director, Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning

And what’s perhaps most exciting is how this community, fostered among preschool and elementary students from two campuses on Guardsman Way, is growing every day. Drop by Hannah’s classroom and it won’t be long before you’re treated to a variety of stories—like how a class member used these new skills to make a friend at the airport during April break, or how another, a young ballerina, said this knowledge has helped her be a better friend to a fellow dancer.

The third graders are also doing their part to engage others in this work. From teaching their families and friends to sharing their list of tips with the entire Lower School at a recent Roar and Soar assembly, these changemakers are shaping a world of belonging for every type of learner—and they hope you’ll join them. Read on to learn more.

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Tips for Being a Good Friend, by Ms. Ruske’s Third Graders

Below, Hannah’s class share their top takeaways from this year’s partnership with Pingree. (Please note that these tips are based on the class’s experience at one center that serves Autistic children and don’t encompass every Autistic experience. Additionally, while these tips focus on making friends at Pingree, many are helpful for making friends with anyone.)

• Remember that everyone you meet is, first and foremost, a person. One of the top things every class member will tell you is to center an Autistic or disabled person’s humanity in your interactions. “These friends are not different,” said class member Kitty K. “Their brains work differently.” And, added Monroe O., like any other kid, each person has their own likes, dislikes, and preferences. “I think about it as: when you have friends they can sometimes do different things,” she said.
• Ask before you help someone. Just as you wouldn’t want someone to assume you can’t do something based on your age or how you look, don’t assume an Autistic or disabled person needs your help. Show them the same respect you’d want. “Ask before you help someone,” said Jack S. And that goes for any devices a person may use—they’re an extension of that person. “Don’t touch a wheelchair without permission. The user might not want to be moved,” added Jack. (It’s also good practice to always ask permission before you touch someone, even when it’s not to help—such as when they may need a hug. “Ask before you touch,” advised Gracie W.)
• Laugh with your friends, not at them. Everyone knows how much it hurts to be laughed at or left out of a joke, so keep these things out of your friendships. Also, be aware that friends, including Autistic ones, may do things that are out of their control or feel unfamiliar to you, like calling out in class. Never react by laughing. “You don’t want to laugh. It’s kind of rude,” said Cooper C.
• Be aware that loud noises might be upsetting to Autistic people or anyone with over- or under-sensitive sensory systems. “Be really sensitive,” said Rohan C. about supporting these friends. “You should be quiet and calm,” added Calder O. And be aware that sensory needs take lots of shapes, including visual and tactile sensitivities.
• Be respectful of people’s patterns and organization systems. Some Autistic people may rely on patterns, such as repetitive behaviors, as well as organization systems that are integral to their routines. Be respectful of both and never interfere without permission. “Ask to help,” said Cara D.
• Follow your friend’s lead—you don’t always need to be in charge. At each visit, the third graders found it was best to start by letting their Pingree friends take the lead. This not only helped them gauge each friend’s comfort level (“Some kids ran up to you and hugged you; others were nervous and shy,” said Leo A.), but also showed their friends that they were excited to engage in what they wanted to do. “You don't decide for others, and you have to let friends take the wheel, like if they want to talk or play,” said Zoe P.
• Talk with your friends, not at them. Be sure everyone is part of the conversation. Including everyone in the conversation shows they belong, as does respecting everyone by seeing them as a full person. “Don’t use markers that could be hurtful,” said Zoe T., referring to labels that reduce a person to just one part of who they are. And, of course, remember these rules still apply when someone isn’t in the room. “Don’t talk behind backs,” said Leo.

Further Resources

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network
• Have You Been Wondering: What Is Neurodiversity?
• When Should You Use “Neurodiverse”?
• The Autism Spectrum: A Circle, Not a Line

Community

Student-Led Research Defines a New Era in Rowland Hall Computer Science

When Rowland Hall introduced Advanced Research Computational and Mathematical Sciences in 2024, it marked a milestone: for the first time, students could pursue self-directed, college-level research in computer science. In the class’s inaugural year, students looked into how technology can help solve real-world questions in a variety of areas—including cybersecurity, emergency response services, and health care—and published work with the potential to influence industry and academia.

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The milestone was a decade in the making. While Rowland Hall has offered computer science classes for more than 40 years, the program we recognize today really kicked off in 2014—the year the Upper School began offering Exploring Computer Science. Class options only grew from there. Initially spurred by the school’s 2014 Strategic Plan, which set a goal to provide the Intermountain West’s most outstanding math and science program, the Upper School grew its computer science offerings over the next 10 years, adding classes in robotics and programming, as well as two Advanced Placement courses. And students can't get enough. Today, the most passionate can exhaust the division’s offerings by the end of their junior year—and they still want more.

Ben Smith ’89, chair of the Computer Science and Innovation Department, is constantly on the lookout for ways to expand his department's offerings, and he was aware his advanced students were ready for a new challenge. So when the Upper School rolled out Advanced Research in 2023 to provide more avenues for student-designed projects and original research, Ben knew adding a computer science option to the lineup would be a success.

“It’s a testament to the maturity of the computer science department, which was an infant 10 years ago,” said Ben. In one short decade—thanks to Rowland Hall's ongoing investments not only in the Upper School, but also in the lower and middle schools—the program has gotten to the point where students are prepared to design their own areas of study and conduct college-level research as juniors and seniors.

In its first year, seven seniors jumped at the opportunity to take AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences. Like those in AR Humanities, students choose their individual fields of interest. They also identify at least one professional in their field who will act as subject matter expert and mentor, with Ben further assisting with project management and the research process. This year’s students focused their research on a variety of topics:

• Spencer Brady explored using Grover’s algorithm for efficient quantum space optimization.
• A. Cichos used field-programmable gate arrays, or FPGAs, and 8-bit computer design to explore instruction set architecture.
• Aiden Gandhi explored U-Net vertebrae segmentation for spinal cord stimulation.
• Frances Hodson looked into drone-based 3D modeling for smarter surveying.
• Jack Revoy examined the supply chain dangers of open-source software and cyberattack prevention.
• Evan Weinstein explored drone pathfinding algorithms for emergency response.
• Teo Welton conducted a comparison of CNN and tree-based algorithms on MNIST and Tiny ImageNet datasets.

The projects aren’t only impressive—they’re making a real impact in students’ chosen fields. One local team benefiting from this collaboration is the University of Utah NERVES Lab, which works to improve quality of life for people with neurological impairments. Class member Aiden Gandhi, who’s interested in artificial intelligence’s role in health care, interned at the lab and used his AR project to contribute to their work. “I knew I wanted to do some research in this area, and my interests and what they need aligned,” he said.

Aiden was able to jump into an early project around spinal cord stimulation, a process in which doctors implant electrodes into a patient’s spine to improve their quality of life. Because this process is imprecise, the team is interested in how AI can improve it. Leaning on his computer science background, Aiden programmed U-Net architecture to build maps of patient spines from X-rays, which will help doctors better determine the ideal spots to place electrodes. He found the experience incredibly rewarding and is thrilled his research will help further the NERVES Lab’s goal to improve lives.

Helping people worldwide has always been what’s appealing to me.—Aiden Gandhi, class of 2025

“Helping people worldwide has always been what’s appealing to me,” said Aiden. “This has been much more challenging than other projects, but much more rewarding because the impact is clear.”
 
Classmate Spencer Brady also helped further knowledge in his chosen field: quantum computing. Spencer said he’s fascinated by this young area of computing, which uses quantum mechanics to more quickly solve complex calculations, including those a classical computer can’t handle. (For comparison, classical computers—the ones we use daily—use bits, or 0s and 1s, to solve calculations, while quantum computers use qubits, which use quantum mechanics to be both 0 and 1 simultaneously.)

Spencer decided to look into how quantum computing can be used for spatial optimization—the best way to arrange items within a space, such as efficiently packing a box or a container ship. While classical algorithms exist, he explained, actually finding the optimal configuration involves a level of testing that very quickly becomes too complex. Using Grover's algorithm, a classical quantum search algorithm, as a foundation, Spencer experimented with using a quantum computing program for spatial optimization, defining the problem so the quantum computer could understand it, and consequently solve it. And while his project didn’t end with a perfect answer or solution, Spencer feels it’s helped move forward our understanding of this emerging technology.

“Quantum computing is such a new field; you have to try it on every program to see if it’s better,” he said. This contributes to collective knowledge around possible solutions to complex problems, and may also serve as a jumping-off point for other researchers.

“At some point you just have to put research out in the world. You learned stuff, you found stuff, you maybe put another stepping stone out there for future researchers,” said Spencer. “Maybe someday it will help somebody. Maybe somebody will see my work and think, ‘We can do this even better.’”

It’s a perspective that Ben wants his AR students to take away from the class: that they can contribute to a body of knowledge, even if their projects don’t feel “done.”

“Research is inherently never done, by definition,” he said, and he wants students to get comfortable with that fact. “You are contributing, to the best of your ability, to the knowledge that already exists. If you’re lucky, you might push the ball farther than someone else.”

Like in any other AR class, students are required to share their work publicly. In addition to giving presentations this spring, many class members are ending the year writing papers they’ll send to science journals for consideration. “I didn’t realize how valuable that experience would be, putting your ideas on paper, explaining to others the culmination of your scientific research,” said Aiden.

Rowland Hall is pushing toward students doing things that actually matter to the world—not writing essays just to write essays, but to publish and advance science. AR classes enable you to do that.—Spencer Brady, class of 2025

It’s an opportunity these young researchers hope their peers try—especially because these valuable experiences can’t be found at every school. When asked why he’d recommend AR classes, Spencer recalled this fall’s State of the School address, where Head of School Mick Gee highlighted the growth of exciting research opportunities.

“Mick talked about how Rowland Hall is pushing toward students doing things that actually matter to the world—not writing essays just to write essays, but to publish and advance science,” he said. “AR classes enable you to do that. That’s an opportunity everybody should take advantage of. Not many high schoolers get to do that.”

Ben agrees, and he’s using his experience creating and teaching AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences to imagine future courses—with an eye on equity.

“I’m now thinking about how this can be broadened. How do we give more students, not just our top students, this type of opportunity?” he said. A longtime proponent of breaking down barriers in computer science, Ben believes this begins by taking STEM off a pedestal.

“Most people’s knee-jerk reaction to computer science is, ‘I could never understand that,’ but in fact these students have delved into areas that on the surface look really complicated, but are accessible for everyone,” he said. “Anybody who has the fortitude, really, can engage with these topics and learn.” And his role, he added, is to help even more students understand this so they’re empowered to do great things.  

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Special thanks to the professionals who mentored this year’s AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences students:

• Spencer Brady was mentored by Adam Crenshaw (L3Harris) and Dr. Nathan McLaughlin (PsiQuantum).
• A. Cichos was mentored by Dr. David Hovemeyer (Johns Hopkins University), Jakub Oleksy (GitHub), and Caelum van Ispelen ’23 (computer science student at the University of Utah and Rowland Hall Middle School MathCounts coach).
• Aiden Gandhi was mentored by Ashley N. Dalrymple, PhD, Chimdi Ihediwa, and Kyle Valestrino (all at the University of Utah NERVES Lab).
• Frances Hodson was mentored by Anson Fogel (Locus Studio), Mina Golazad (construction engineering student at the University of Utah), and Bill Tatomer (Rowland Hall).
• Jack Revoy was mentored by Adam Crenshaw (L3Harris) and Noah Masur (Take-Two Interactive Software).
• Evan Weinstein was mentored by Charles Dawson (Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources), Anson Fogel (Locus Studio), Mary-Lou Smulders (Dedrone), and Tascha Knowlton (Rowland Hall).
• Teo Welton was mentored by Maiko Sell and Yi Jin (both at Rio Tinto).

Advanced Research

What happens when you combine a deep love of learning, a passion for educating, and a sharp legal mind?

You get Charlotte Larsen.

And as Rowland Hall’s new Lower School principal (she officially started on January 22), Charlotte is tapping into all of these characteristics as she works to build community among all the groups she’s now leading—students, teachers, families, and staff.

“I want people to know they are seen and cared for,” she said. “My goal is to arrive every single day and show people they’re part of a community that truly values them.”

When it comes to showing up for her community, Charlotte’s focus is on building trust and relationships, both of which are necessary at a school that’s dedicated to being a place where everyone thrives. This work opens many doors, she explained, from helping people feel they belong to allowing for honest conversations. And it’s especially important for ensuring that students learn at their very best.

“Children learn, grow, and thrive when they have a sense of belonging in their learning community—when their identities and perspectives are known and valued,” she said.

Happily for Charlotte, Rowland Hall, where she’s worked since 2013, shares her approach to learning and growing as a community.

“I have immense respect for the people and values of our community,” she said. “I’m honored to serve in a learning community with values and members I care so deeply about.”

Children learn, grow, and thrive when they have a sense of belonging in their learning community—when their identities and perspectives are known and valued.—Charlotte Larsen, Lower School principal

A lifelong learner, Charlotte was drawn to education when, as a college sophomore, she traveled to China to teach English to children. It was a life-changing experience that helped her realize she loved teaching—a career path that would also allow her to continuously learn. A few years later, as a student teacher, Charlotte had another impactful experience when she volunteered for a gubernatorial campaign focused on educational policy. Inspired by this route to strengthen education and support teachers, Charlotte applied to law school. Earning her Juris Doctor and being a judicial clerk were valuable experiences that built critical-thinking and communication skills she still uses today, yet her love of teaching and learning eventually brought her back to the classroom.

“I wanted to do something proactive, not reactive, within education and educational policy,” said Charlotte. “I knew intuitively that for me to create and advocate for better educational communities, I needed to increase my experience as a teacher and an educational leader.”

So Charlotte returned to the classroom, and four years later found a home at Rowland Hall, first in the Middle School, then the fifth grade. In 2017, she tried her hand as an administrator when asked to serve as the Middle School’s interim assistant principal, which she saw as a new avenue for learning and growth. (She dropped the “interim” the next year when she became the division’s official assistant principal.) Then late last year, after filling in at the Lower School during Emma Wellman’s maternity leave, and following the school’s decision to return to a dual principal model on the McCarthey Campus, Charlotte applied to lead the division permanently. Throughout the national search, she rose as the top choice, thanks to her experience, background, and knowledge of the Rowland Hall community.

Now, three months into the role and deeply immersed in her community-building goals, Charlotte is excited about what lies ahead. The campus community is excited, too, knowing that the school’s newest Lower School principal has proven, no matter what role she takes on, that she makes Rowland Hall a better place through her unique background as a dedicated learner, teacher, leader, and lawyer (turns out, conflict dispute resolution training is really valuable for an educator!). 

Congratulations, Charlotte on your new position!

People

A school can only truly thrive when it’s changing and growing to meet learners where they are.

Rowland Hall is thriving.

This year, the school held its first-ever Impact Summit on the themes of innovation and social impact. The afternoon event brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners from the community to look at how the world is changing—and how they can change it for the better. 

“Our students are preparing to tackle the world’s toughest problems,” said Director of Community Engagement and Impact Ryan Hoglund. “It was about taking a moment to realize what can be done when we center student voices and collaborate with the community to learn together.” 

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The summit started with a panel of keynote speakers made up of established innovators from the Rowland Hall community. They covered a wide range of topics, from biotechnology to diversifying finance to the future of the Great Salt Lake. And they also gave students advice on how to succeed in their endeavors, even when success doesn’t seem possible. 

“Owning your failure—there is a real power in that. Give yourself that room and that compassion to fail and try again,” said Caroline Gleich ’03, a former candidate for the US Senate. “Remember, when people tell us our dreams are impossible or too big, we say, ‘Watch us.’”

The keynote speakers were followed by breakout sessions led by Upper School students presenting projects and research they had worked on for the past year. Again, the projects presented spanned a number of fields, from the possibilities of upcycling tires to create road pavers, quantum computing, and fungi research, to the reality of engaging in AR Debate and attending conferences on inclusion. 

Twelfth-grader Frances Hodson presented on using drones to create 3D models of potential building sites. It was a project she had worked on in her AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences class with teacher Ben Smith, and she received help from engineer, architect, and Rowland Hall parent Anson Fogel. 

“This was a really exciting opportunity,” she said. “And having everyone show up, like a completely full room, was really empowering, and it helps me believe in myself, my project, and this program.” 

The Impact Summit was put on by Rowland Hall’s newly formed Center for Community Impact. The core mission of the center is rooted in the school’s primary objective: developing people the world needs. It also exists to further one of the school’s strategic priorities: being an indispensable partner to the larger community. 

“Rowland Hall has long been a private school with a public purpose,” Ryan said. “We do not want to be insular and removed from those around us, but instead be a valued partner in co-creating solutions for other schools, nonprofits, businesses, and others in the community.” 

Rowland Hall has long been a private school with a public purpose. We do not want to be insular and removed from those around us, but instead be a valued partner in co-creating solutions for other schools, nonprofits, businesses, and others in the community.—Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact

The center has already launched several programs, including a series of breakfast meetings for community partners, a mentorship program aimed at bringing in experts from the community to work with students, and placing students in nearby schools to tutor younger children in subjects like reading and math. This summer, the center will launch its most ambitious program: Horizons at Rowland Hall. This six-week summer camp will bring students from two Title I schools in Salt Lake City to the McCarthey Campus for instruction in math, reading, swimming, and other skills. The program is the first Utah affiliate of the Horizons National program, which is aimed at reducing summer learning loss and advancing equitable educational opportunities. 

“What really excites me about this camp is that Rowland Hall teachers and teachers from Salt Lake City schools will be working together,” said Program Coordinator Kiara Rivera. “It’s an opportunity to exchange best practices and support these young learners.” 

Rowland Hall isn’t only looking at bringing the larger community in, but also putting representatives from Rowland Hall, especially students, out in the community. This work already exists with the current internship program, a robust experiential learning program led by Dr. Laura Johnson. The center is helping to identify more opportunities like these by building trust with community partners. 

“There are very few high schools in the country that are doing this,” said Head of School Mick Gee. “We are creating changemakers by letting them work with those in this community already making changes.” 

Students are being encouraged to find mentors and opportunities in fields that interest them. The real world is a lab for the curriculum being taught in the classroom. And the opportunities are endless. 

“We’ve got a small group of students participating in events we are hosting. They’re learning about the civic process and how they can engage productively on issues like this,” said Jake Dreyfous ’18, managing director of Grow the Flow. “It’s incredible to provide students at such a young age opportunities to pursue their passions and interests in a really unstructured way that allows them the freedom to do what they want to and succeed.” 

Letting the students choose where to focus their efforts, and work on projects important to them, furthers another strategic goal of the school: increasing student voice and choice in their educational journeys. Giving them that sense of ownership creates a deeper learning experience and makes it so they are more likely to continue their work. 

“As we develop relationships with community partners, we hope to find opportunities that will interest every student and let them develop new skills and capacities in themselves,” said Ryan. “Luckily, Salt Lake and Park City are such rapidly growing places with diverse interests that I don’t think that will be a problem.”

As the Intermountain West grows, Rowland Hall is growing with it. As an educational institution committed to evolving to best serve students and the community, we’re finding opportunities not only for learning, but for leading and generating changes.

“Rowland Hall is leading the charge into this new, different world,” said Impact Summit keynote speaker and Board of Trustees member Zach Smith. “They are going to change the world. I am a big believer in future generations. They are going to make the world much better than we are today.”

Authentic Learning

It’s been an incredible season for five Rowmark alums competing at the international level.

Four of those alums—Breezy Johnson ’13, Katie Hensien ’18, Mary Bocock ’22, and Elisabeth Bocock ’23—are members of the US Ski Team, and one, Madi Hoffman ’18, is a member of the Australian National Team.

“It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season,” said Rowmark Ski Academy Program Director Todd Brickson.

It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season.—Todd Brickson, Rowmark Ski Academy program director

The fun kicked off early at the World Cup in Solden, Austria, where, on October 26, Katie Hensien took fourth place in the opening giant slalom event, then won her second run. Less than two months later, at the first NorAm Cup races of the season at Panorama Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Madi Hoffman won first place in giant slalom and second and third in slalom, and Mary Bocock placed third in giant slalom.

The Rowmark community saw gold in February when Breezy Johnson made history by winning the World Championships downhill in Saalbach, Austria. Breezy is only the third American woman to win gold in downhill at worlds. Just three days later, Breezy and teammate Mikaela Shiffrin took gold in the team combined event by 0.4 seconds. Katie Hensien also competed in the team combined event, skiing to 10th place out of 26 teams with partner Jackie Wiles.

Later that month, Elizabeth Bocock raced at the World Junior Championships in Tarvisio, Italy, where she took the bronze in the team parallel event and the giant slalom race. And in March, sister Mary Bocock put a bow on the season by winning both a NorAm downhill and NorAm super-G at Sugarloaf, Maine. What a year!

Congratulations to all on a banner season—it’s been an honor to cheer you on and watch you represent Rowmark on the international stage.

Alumni

Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that Per Lundstam has been named the new director of Rowmark Ski Academy.

Per brings over two decades of high-performance sports experience to the role, as well as a strong background in coaching and athlete development, including for high-level athletes as young as eight years old. This diverse background makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead Rowmark Ski Academy in its next chapter.

Per’s impressive coaching background includes serving as men’s assistant World Cup downhill/super-G coach, men’s assistant World Cup slalom/giant slalom coach, and head conditioning coach for US Ski & Snowboard. He also served as men’s assistant World Cup coach and head conditioning coach for the Swedish Ski Federation. Per earned Level 500 coaching certification, the highest level of coaching credential, from US Ski & Snowboard.

We are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future. He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community.—Todd Brickson, outgoing Rowmark Ski Academy director

Per’s career features significant leadership roles within top-tier sports. He’s currently the alpine sport science director for US Ski & Snowboard, where he drives innovative sports science programming. Prior to that role, Per was director of high performance for Red Bull North America, where he managed performance strategies for a wide array of elite athletes.

Throughout his career, Per has demonstrated a strong ability to build meaningful relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Again and again, Per’s references spoke about his deep knowledge, his expertise in skiing and coaching, and his commitment to supporting each skier’s athletic and personal progression. He is known as a collaborative leader who listens deeply and leads with kindness.

“As I pass the torch, we are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future,” said Todd Brickson, current Rowmark Ski Academy director. “He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community, and we look forward to the vision and direction he will bring to the program.”

Welcome, Per! We look forward to Rowmark Ski Academy’s bright future under your direction.

Rowmark

Every time senior Claire Hersh enters Susanna Mellor’s classroom, the first-grade teacher thinks of the sitcom Cheers.

“The kids always call out, ‘Claaaaaaire,’” she laughs, in a way that reminds her of how the character Norm was greeted when he entered a scene on the television program. “They’re always excited to see her and to show her things.”

And this year, Susanna’s first graders have had a lot of chances to greet and interact with Claire, who joins their class several times each week as part of her independent project on elementary education.

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“Since I was little, I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher,” said Claire, and she’s taken every opportunity she can to prepare for this career: she’s an expert babysitter, has worked as a summer camp counselor, and has a part-time job at an after-school program.

But one of Claire’s goals—to intern in a real classroom—felt out of reach. After all, elementary schools are often on break during the summer, the time when most high school internships take place. So you can imagine Claire’s delight when English teacher Dr. Laura Johnson, who also manages the internship program, proposed that Claire instead take on an independent project, an option the Upper School offers to interested juniors and seniors in good academic standing.

Upper School Assistant Principal Stacia McFadden, who approves and oversees independent projects, said the division has offered an informal version of this kind of experience for years, often used to resolve class scheduling conflicts. But as the Upper School has worked to create even more authentic learning opportunities for students who want to follow their interests and build real-world skills, the team has started featuring independent projects more prominently as an option for deep learning, fitting naturally alongside opportunities like internships and Advanced Research classes.

“We want to make sure students don’t just leave here with book knowledge, but also with experiential knowledge—and perhaps find their passion while in high school,” said Stacia. “Allowing students to follow their passions leads to more engaged learning, which helps them succeed.”

And the division has found that students who take on independent projects tend to feel empowered by the experience. Each student-led project, which earns credit toward graduation requirements, includes a proposal, regular check-ins with an advisor, and possibly a presentation at an end-of-year showcase, all of which require full engagement with their subject. Fueled by their own interests or passions, students build confidence as they exercise their agency and find purpose in their chosen work.

It's a very unique opportunity, and I'm very grateful for it. It's something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.—Claire Hersh, class of 2025

The benefits that come from these opportunities are as varied as the projects themselves. For Claire, who’s dreamed of teaching since she was four years old, an independent project has allowed her to try on her dream career, solidifying her confidence in that path.

“I’m actually teaching,” said Claire, who’s led both small- and full-group lessons that have helped her get a feel for the job—a rare opportunity for a high school student, and one that most student teachers only have in their last year of college. And it goes beyond benefiting her today: Claire will continue to tap into the knowledge she’s building as she begins her undergraduate work this fall.

“Claire’s going to be able to connect these experiences with her studies,” said Susanna, who views Claire’s independent project journey as a perfect example of the natural learning cycle that builds meaningful, lasting knowledge. “She can use these concrete experiences to hook theoretical ideas back to. I would have loved to engage in something like this prior to studying educational theory, approaches, and history.”

“It’s a very unique opportunity, and I’m very grateful for it,” added Claire. “It’s something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.”

Junior Catherine Seagrave has a similar perspective, knowing her independent project experience could have only happened at Rowland Hall. Like Claire, Catherine found her passion early in life: a love of all things French, nourished by Fancy Nancy, fashion, and her father’s fondness for romance languages. She planned to take a year of French IV as a junior, but at the start of the year, she spotted a second-semester conflict: the Ornithology class she was interested in was the same period as French. Around the same time, French teacher Effy Bentley, whom students call Madame, approached Catherine about an exciting opportunity: the chance to work as a server in Effy’s friend’s bakery, located in a coastal city in northern France, for the upcoming summer—a dream come true for the young Francophile.

I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students.—Catherine Seagrave, class of 2026

The duo saw a chance to turn the scheduling conflict into a transformative learning experience that would prepare Catherine to live and work in France for eight weeks this summer. After starting in French IV in the fall, Catherine switched to an independent project for the second semester. Building on her first-semester studies, she created a plan that would further the skills she’ll need for her time in France, like a solid knowledge of travel, home, and time vocabulary, opportunities for oral practice, and even creating a French resume. It’s been a purposeful way to deeply engage with her language studies and build her confidence, and Catherine is thankful to be at a school where her passion was recognized and supported in such an unexpected way.

“It’s been so meaningful. It makes me feel very valued as a community member,” she said. “I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students. I feel personally recognized by my teachers, specifically Madame.”

She’s also grateful that the experience has helped her better understand herself as a learner.

“I like to work independently, so being able to plan my own coursework and learn things on my own, and sometimes work with Madame, is something that I really enjoy doing,” said Catherine.

This ability to take a new kind of ownership of learning has been a game-changer for many of the students conducting independent projects. Senior Ashlyn Lieberman, for one, has enjoyed the chance to determine how and when she wants to take on her studies in wilderness first aid, a subject she felt would be a wise use of her time as someone who spends a lot of time outdoors. With a busy senior-year workload, including four AP classes, it’s been refreshing for Ashlyn to have a project where she’s fully in charge of setting tasks and managing deadlines.

“It’s allowed me to take my time and learn the material I’m interested in,” she said. And it’s let her apply the skills she’s been building at Rowland Hall in new, low-pressure ways that are good practice for college.

“It gave me freedom that I really haven’t had before,” said Ashlyn. “I have a new sense of when things need to get done, and how I can do them to meet my internal standards.” It’s even, she shared, proving to be a smart move as she applies for summer jobs like river guiding, because it shows initiative to employers.

Ashlyn said she’s hopeful more students who enjoy a bit of independence in learning will consider this kind of option. “The type of student who will do well with this doesn’t have to have the best grades of all time or be the most academic,” she said. But if you crave a chance to be more self-reliant and you’re willing to try out a path that may help lead to success, it can be a wonderful way to uncover your personal strengths and build your self-confidence.

And whether a student chooses a project on education, or French, or physics, or finance, the many benefits, and memories, that stem from this type of authentic learning opportunity stay with them long after the work is complete. For Claire, those memories are numerous, though there’s one that rises above all others. When she walked into the first-grade classroom on her 18th birthday, she was greeted by the students as usual, though this time with cries of “Happy birthday!” mixed in. The class then presented Claire with a stack of handmade cards, each of which shared something special: an “I love you” message, a hand-drawn picture of Claire as a cat. As she read through the cards, Claire teared up.

“They reflected the lessons I taught them about punctuation, the impact that our conversations and relationships have had on them,” said Claire. Each was a representation of a child she’s gotten to know, whose life she’s brought joy into, and each is a reminder of the passion that led her to take on this opportunity. She plans to bring the cards to college, where they’ll continue to inspire her as she takes the next step on her journey to bring her teaching dream to life.

“Those will always be treasures to me,” she said.
 

Authentic Learning

Rowland Hall’s vision is to develop people the world needs. This February, a group of students from the Middle School got a formal introduction to that world and discovered just how vast it really is.

“When we entered the United Nations building it was crazy to see all these nameplates of different countries,” said eighth grader Alex P. “I got to meet people from Spain, Italy, West Africa, all sorts of places.”

Alex was one of 16 Rowland Hall students who traveled to New York City for the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Model UN conference. There, they were among more than 1,300 young people from more than 100 schools representing 60-plus nations from around the world. They were also the youngest delegation, being the only middle schoolers invited to attend.

“A lot of the kids who were 15 or 16 were asking me how old I was,” said eighth grader Dean B. “They were like, ‘You’re so brave.’ So my goal was just to talk as much as I could.”

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During the conference, the kids were split up and placed in different committees to examine various dilemmas facing the world today. Some explored climate change, while others talked about criminal justice or issues impacting labor. All were put into situations that would stretch their cultural competency and move them out of their comfort zones. However, what could have been a challenge instead became a highlight of the experience.

"My favorite part was getting to hear everyone's different languages and viewpoints,” said eighth grader Zoe P. “Even seeing how computer keyboards were adapted to write in those different languages."

My favorite part was getting to hear everyone’s different languages and viewpoints.—Zoe P., class of 2029

The students soon found themselves making friends with people from all over the world.

“I got to make some really good friends that were from all sorts of different countries, specifically Jamaica, Italy, and Georgia,” said eighth grader Zoya S. “It was really interesting because they brought a lot of new ideas to the table and made the discussions a lot better.”

Improving cultural competency and practicing soft diplomatic skills were not the only lessons learned. Students stepped up to become leaders and, in the process, gained skills that can’t be taught, but only earned.

“These kids walked in there unsure and not really confident,” said seventh-grade world studies teacher Margot Miller. “They walked out on top of the moon. They became very confident, whether it was because they made a speech or had their language included in a resolution. All of that, whether it was very small or very big, mattered to these kids.”

The presence of an authentic audience played a part in students' transformative experiences. The opportunity to step outside the classroom and interact and receive feedback from a larger community led to the students taking the matter more seriously and dedicating their full attention to what they were doing.

“That immersion was so important. It doesn’t get more authentic than the UN headquarters,” said political science and debate teacher Mike Shackelford. “It's a simulation, but you can't simulate a multicultural, global experience like that. You can't get that reading textbooks, being online, or doing any kind of in-class simulation.”

They also had the opportunity to learn from peer mentors who, not long ago, had been in their shoes. The delegation was led by two ninth graders who had previously taken Model UN in Middle School and now are taking Mike’s Applied Forensics class in the Upper School. Gregory House and Reid Venkatesan not only went to participate but also to serve as guides to their younger classmates.

“They would show me and everyone else the work they were doing, five days, four days, every day before the conference,” said Alex about the older students. “They'd help us by showing us the ropes and what to do, explaining things we didn't understand, and even helping us write speeches.”

“Reid was in my commission, and I was trying to keep up with him,” added Dean. “I would probably not be as brave if he wasn’t there. I saw Reid do all this stuff and I wanted to do it too.”

For their part, Gregory and Reid said they were happy to help their classmates, and hope it means they will continue with Model UN as they progress through school.

“I think if you go to Rowland Hall, you should take that class,” said Reid. “The skills that you gain from it, the public speaking, the research skills, and learning how to incorporate that into the rest of your schoolwork, has been super beneficial for all of the work that I do at school.”

Both Reid and Gregory received diplomacy awards for their work, setting a standard that their Middle School classmates hope to attain at future conferences. And some hope to exceed it.

This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world.—Jena S., class of 2029

“This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world,” said eighth grader Jena S. “I think I want to be an ambassador in the UN because it's a way of making change. This helped me open my mind to that.”

Students like Jena are the future of the UN and may help save it in the face of challenges it is facing from around the world.

“It's a delicate arrangement to pursue peace and put your country's interests aside. And that doesn't come naturally,” said Mike. “To instill in younger generations that the UN is a viable institution means that work can continue.”

Rowland Hall will continue its work with the UN this spring during Interim, when a group from the school travels to attend a leadership lab organized by WFUNA, exploring local solutions to global dilemmas.

It’s another step in a partnership that not only opens up a world of opportunity for these students but also gives the world the people it needs.

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Banner photo courtesy of the World Federation of United Nations Associations

Authentic Learning

Student-Led Research Defines a New Era in Rowland Hall Computer Science

When Rowland Hall introduced Advanced Research Computational and Mathematical Sciences in 2024, it marked a milestone: for the first time, students could pursue self-directed, college-level research in computer science. In the class’s inaugural year, students looked into how technology can help solve real-world questions in a variety of areas—including cybersecurity, emergency response services, and health care—and published work with the potential to influence industry and academia.

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The milestone was a decade in the making. While Rowland Hall has offered computer science classes for more than 40 years, the program we recognize today really kicked off in 2014—the year the Upper School began offering Exploring Computer Science. Class options only grew from there. Initially spurred by the school’s 2014 Strategic Plan, which set a goal to provide the Intermountain West’s most outstanding math and science program, the Upper School grew its computer science offerings over the next 10 years, adding classes in robotics and programming, as well as two Advanced Placement courses. And students can't get enough. Today, the most passionate can exhaust the division’s offerings by the end of their junior year—and they still want more.

Ben Smith ’89, chair of the Computer Science and Innovation Department, is constantly on the lookout for ways to expand his department's offerings, and he was aware his advanced students were ready for a new challenge. So when the Upper School rolled out Advanced Research in 2023 to provide more avenues for student-designed projects and original research, Ben knew adding a computer science option to the lineup would be a success.

“It’s a testament to the maturity of the computer science department, which was an infant 10 years ago,” said Ben. In one short decade—thanks to Rowland Hall's ongoing investments not only in the Upper School, but also in the lower and middle schools—the program has gotten to the point where students are prepared to design their own areas of study and conduct college-level research as juniors and seniors.

In its first year, seven seniors jumped at the opportunity to take AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences. Like those in AR Humanities, students choose their individual fields of interest. They also identify at least one professional in their field who will act as subject matter expert and mentor, with Ben further assisting with project management and the research process. This year’s students focused their research on a variety of topics:

• Spencer Brady explored using Grover’s algorithm for efficient quantum space optimization.
• A. Cichos used field-programmable gate arrays, or FPGAs, and 8-bit computer design to explore instruction set architecture.
• Aiden Gandhi explored U-Net vertebrae segmentation for spinal cord stimulation.
• Frances Hodson looked into drone-based 3D modeling for smarter surveying.
• Jack Revoy examined the supply chain dangers of open-source software and cyberattack prevention.
• Evan Weinstein explored drone pathfinding algorithms for emergency response.
• Teo Welton conducted a comparison of CNN and tree-based algorithms on MNIST and Tiny ImageNet datasets.

The projects aren’t only impressive—they’re making a real impact in students’ chosen fields. One local team benefiting from this collaboration is the University of Utah NERVES Lab, which works to improve quality of life for people with neurological impairments. Class member Aiden Gandhi, who’s interested in artificial intelligence’s role in health care, interned at the lab and used his AR project to contribute to their work. “I knew I wanted to do some research in this area, and my interests and what they need aligned,” he said.

Aiden was able to jump into an early project around spinal cord stimulation, a process in which doctors implant electrodes into a patient’s spine to improve their quality of life. Because this process is imprecise, the team is interested in how AI can improve it. Leaning on his computer science background, Aiden programmed U-Net architecture to build maps of patient spines from X-rays, which will help doctors better determine the ideal spots to place electrodes. He found the experience incredibly rewarding and is thrilled his research will help further the NERVES Lab’s goal to improve lives.

Helping people worldwide has always been what’s appealing to me.—Aiden Gandhi, class of 2025

“Helping people worldwide has always been what’s appealing to me,” said Aiden. “This has been much more challenging than other projects, but much more rewarding because the impact is clear.”
 
Classmate Spencer Brady also helped further knowledge in his chosen field: quantum computing. Spencer said he’s fascinated by this young area of computing, which uses quantum mechanics to more quickly solve complex calculations, including those a classical computer can’t handle. (For comparison, classical computers—the ones we use daily—use bits, or 0s and 1s, to solve calculations, while quantum computers use qubits, which use quantum mechanics to be both 0 and 1 simultaneously.)

Spencer decided to look into how quantum computing can be used for spatial optimization—the best way to arrange items within a space, such as efficiently packing a box or a container ship. While classical algorithms exist, he explained, actually finding the optimal configuration involves a level of testing that very quickly becomes too complex. Using Grover's algorithm, a classical quantum search algorithm, as a foundation, Spencer experimented with using a quantum computing program for spatial optimization, defining the problem so the quantum computer could understand it, and consequently solve it. And while his project didn’t end with a perfect answer or solution, Spencer feels it’s helped move forward our understanding of this emerging technology.

“Quantum computing is such a new field; you have to try it on every program to see if it’s better,” he said. This contributes to collective knowledge around possible solutions to complex problems, and may also serve as a jumping-off point for other researchers.

“At some point you just have to put research out in the world. You learned stuff, you found stuff, you maybe put another stepping stone out there for future researchers,” said Spencer. “Maybe someday it will help somebody. Maybe somebody will see my work and think, ‘We can do this even better.’”

It’s a perspective that Ben wants his AR students to take away from the class: that they can contribute to a body of knowledge, even if their projects don’t feel “done.”

“Research is inherently never done, by definition,” he said, and he wants students to get comfortable with that fact. “You are contributing, to the best of your ability, to the knowledge that already exists. If you’re lucky, you might push the ball farther than someone else.”

Like in any other AR class, students are required to share their work publicly. In addition to giving presentations this spring, many class members are ending the year writing papers they’ll send to science journals for consideration. “I didn’t realize how valuable that experience would be, putting your ideas on paper, explaining to others the culmination of your scientific research,” said Aiden.

Rowland Hall is pushing toward students doing things that actually matter to the world—not writing essays just to write essays, but to publish and advance science. AR classes enable you to do that.—Spencer Brady, class of 2025

It’s an opportunity these young researchers hope their peers try—especially because these valuable experiences can’t be found at every school. When asked why he’d recommend AR classes, Spencer recalled this fall’s State of the School address, where Head of School Mick Gee highlighted the growth of exciting research opportunities.

“Mick talked about how Rowland Hall is pushing toward students doing things that actually matter to the world—not writing essays just to write essays, but to publish and advance science,” he said. “AR classes enable you to do that. That’s an opportunity everybody should take advantage of. Not many high schoolers get to do that.”

Ben agrees, and he’s using his experience creating and teaching AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences to imagine future courses—with an eye on equity.

“I’m now thinking about how this can be broadened. How do we give more students, not just our top students, this type of opportunity?” he said. A longtime proponent of breaking down barriers in computer science, Ben believes this begins by taking STEM off a pedestal.

“Most people’s knee-jerk reaction to computer science is, ‘I could never understand that,’ but in fact these students have delved into areas that on the surface look really complicated, but are accessible for everyone,” he said. “Anybody who has the fortitude, really, can engage with these topics and learn.” And his role, he added, is to help even more students understand this so they’re empowered to do great things.  

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Special thanks to the professionals who mentored this year’s AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences students:

• Spencer Brady was mentored by Adam Crenshaw (L3Harris) and Dr. Nathan McLaughlin (PsiQuantum).
• A. Cichos was mentored by Dr. David Hovemeyer (Johns Hopkins University), Jakub Oleksy (GitHub), and Caelum van Ispelen ’23 (computer science student at the University of Utah and Rowland Hall Middle School MathCounts coach).
• Aiden Gandhi was mentored by Ashley N. Dalrymple, PhD, Chimdi Ihediwa, and Kyle Valestrino (all at the University of Utah NERVES Lab).
• Frances Hodson was mentored by Anson Fogel (Locus Studio), Mina Golazad (construction engineering student at the University of Utah), and Bill Tatomer (Rowland Hall).
• Jack Revoy was mentored by Adam Crenshaw (L3Harris) and Noah Masur (Take-Two Interactive Software).
• Evan Weinstein was mentored by Charles Dawson (Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources), Anson Fogel (Locus Studio), Mary-Lou Smulders (Dedrone), and Tascha Knowlton (Rowland Hall).
• Teo Welton was mentored by Maiko Sell and Yi Jin (both at Rio Tinto).

Advanced Research

A school can only truly thrive when it’s changing and growing to meet learners where they are.

Rowland Hall is thriving.

This year, the school held its first-ever Impact Summit on the themes of innovation and social impact. The afternoon event brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners from the community to look at how the world is changing—and how they can change it for the better. 

“Our students are preparing to tackle the world’s toughest problems,” said Director of Community Engagement and Impact Ryan Hoglund. “It was about taking a moment to realize what can be done when we center student voices and collaborate with the community to learn together.” 

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The summit started with a panel of keynote speakers made up of established innovators from the Rowland Hall community. They covered a wide range of topics, from biotechnology to diversifying finance to the future of the Great Salt Lake. And they also gave students advice on how to succeed in their endeavors, even when success doesn’t seem possible. 

“Owning your failure—there is a real power in that. Give yourself that room and that compassion to fail and try again,” said Caroline Gleich ’03, a former candidate for the US Senate. “Remember, when people tell us our dreams are impossible or too big, we say, ‘Watch us.’”

The keynote speakers were followed by breakout sessions led by Upper School students presenting projects and research they had worked on for the past year. Again, the projects presented spanned a number of fields, from the possibilities of upcycling tires to create road pavers, quantum computing, and fungi research, to the reality of engaging in AR Debate and attending conferences on inclusion. 

Twelfth-grader Frances Hodson presented on using drones to create 3D models of potential building sites. It was a project she had worked on in her AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences class with teacher Ben Smith, and she received help from engineer, architect, and Rowland Hall parent Anson Fogel. 

“This was a really exciting opportunity,” she said. “And having everyone show up, like a completely full room, was really empowering, and it helps me believe in myself, my project, and this program.” 

The Impact Summit was put on by Rowland Hall’s newly formed Center for Community Impact. The core mission of the center is rooted in the school’s primary objective: developing people the world needs. It also exists to further one of the school’s strategic priorities: being an indispensable partner to the larger community. 

“Rowland Hall has long been a private school with a public purpose,” Ryan said. “We do not want to be insular and removed from those around us, but instead be a valued partner in co-creating solutions for other schools, nonprofits, businesses, and others in the community.” 

Rowland Hall has long been a private school with a public purpose. We do not want to be insular and removed from those around us, but instead be a valued partner in co-creating solutions for other schools, nonprofits, businesses, and others in the community.—Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact

The center has already launched several programs, including a series of breakfast meetings for community partners, a mentorship program aimed at bringing in experts from the community to work with students, and placing students in nearby schools to tutor younger children in subjects like reading and math. This summer, the center will launch its most ambitious program: Horizons at Rowland Hall. This six-week summer camp will bring students from two Title I schools in Salt Lake City to the McCarthey Campus for instruction in math, reading, swimming, and other skills. The program is the first Utah affiliate of the Horizons National program, which is aimed at reducing summer learning loss and advancing equitable educational opportunities. 

“What really excites me about this camp is that Rowland Hall teachers and teachers from Salt Lake City schools will be working together,” said Program Coordinator Kiara Rivera. “It’s an opportunity to exchange best practices and support these young learners.” 

Rowland Hall isn’t only looking at bringing the larger community in, but also putting representatives from Rowland Hall, especially students, out in the community. This work already exists with the current internship program, a robust experiential learning program led by Dr. Laura Johnson. The center is helping to identify more opportunities like these by building trust with community partners. 

“There are very few high schools in the country that are doing this,” said Head of School Mick Gee. “We are creating changemakers by letting them work with those in this community already making changes.” 

Students are being encouraged to find mentors and opportunities in fields that interest them. The real world is a lab for the curriculum being taught in the classroom. And the opportunities are endless. 

“We’ve got a small group of students participating in events we are hosting. They’re learning about the civic process and how they can engage productively on issues like this,” said Jake Dreyfous ’18, managing director of Grow the Flow. “It’s incredible to provide students at such a young age opportunities to pursue their passions and interests in a really unstructured way that allows them the freedom to do what they want to and succeed.” 

Letting the students choose where to focus their efforts, and work on projects important to them, furthers another strategic goal of the school: increasing student voice and choice in their educational journeys. Giving them that sense of ownership creates a deeper learning experience and makes it so they are more likely to continue their work. 

“As we develop relationships with community partners, we hope to find opportunities that will interest every student and let them develop new skills and capacities in themselves,” said Ryan. “Luckily, Salt Lake and Park City are such rapidly growing places with diverse interests that I don’t think that will be a problem.”

As the Intermountain West grows, Rowland Hall is growing with it. As an educational institution committed to evolving to best serve students and the community, we’re finding opportunities not only for learning, but for leading and generating changes.

“Rowland Hall is leading the charge into this new, different world,” said Impact Summit keynote speaker and Board of Trustees member Zach Smith. “They are going to change the world. I am a big believer in future generations. They are going to make the world much better than we are today.”

Authentic Learning

Every time senior Claire Hersh enters Susanna Mellor’s classroom, the first-grade teacher thinks of the sitcom Cheers.

“The kids always call out, ‘Claaaaaaire,’” she laughs, in a way that reminds her of how the character Norm was greeted when he entered a scene on the television program. “They’re always excited to see her and to show her things.”

And this year, Susanna’s first graders have had a lot of chances to greet and interact with Claire, who joins their class several times each week as part of her independent project on elementary education.

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“Since I was little, I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher,” said Claire, and she’s taken every opportunity she can to prepare for this career: she’s an expert babysitter, has worked as a summer camp counselor, and has a part-time job at an after-school program.

But one of Claire’s goals—to intern in a real classroom—felt out of reach. After all, elementary schools are often on break during the summer, the time when most high school internships take place. So you can imagine Claire’s delight when English teacher Dr. Laura Johnson, who also manages the internship program, proposed that Claire instead take on an independent project, an option the Upper School offers to interested juniors and seniors in good academic standing.

Upper School Assistant Principal Stacia McFadden, who approves and oversees independent projects, said the division has offered an informal version of this kind of experience for years, often used to resolve class scheduling conflicts. But as the Upper School has worked to create even more authentic learning opportunities for students who want to follow their interests and build real-world skills, the team has started featuring independent projects more prominently as an option for deep learning, fitting naturally alongside opportunities like internships and Advanced Research classes.

“We want to make sure students don’t just leave here with book knowledge, but also with experiential knowledge—and perhaps find their passion while in high school,” said Stacia. “Allowing students to follow their passions leads to more engaged learning, which helps them succeed.”

And the division has found that students who take on independent projects tend to feel empowered by the experience. Each student-led project, which earns credit toward graduation requirements, includes a proposal, regular check-ins with an advisor, and possibly a presentation at an end-of-year showcase, all of which require full engagement with their subject. Fueled by their own interests or passions, students build confidence as they exercise their agency and find purpose in their chosen work.

It's a very unique opportunity, and I'm very grateful for it. It's something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.—Claire Hersh, class of 2025

The benefits that come from these opportunities are as varied as the projects themselves. For Claire, who’s dreamed of teaching since she was four years old, an independent project has allowed her to try on her dream career, solidifying her confidence in that path.

“I’m actually teaching,” said Claire, who’s led both small- and full-group lessons that have helped her get a feel for the job—a rare opportunity for a high school student, and one that most student teachers only have in their last year of college. And it goes beyond benefiting her today: Claire will continue to tap into the knowledge she’s building as she begins her undergraduate work this fall.

“Claire’s going to be able to connect these experiences with her studies,” said Susanna, who views Claire’s independent project journey as a perfect example of the natural learning cycle that builds meaningful, lasting knowledge. “She can use these concrete experiences to hook theoretical ideas back to. I would have loved to engage in something like this prior to studying educational theory, approaches, and history.”

“It’s a very unique opportunity, and I’m very grateful for it,” added Claire. “It’s something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.”

Junior Catherine Seagrave has a similar perspective, knowing her independent project experience could have only happened at Rowland Hall. Like Claire, Catherine found her passion early in life: a love of all things French, nourished by Fancy Nancy, fashion, and her father’s fondness for romance languages. She planned to take a year of French IV as a junior, but at the start of the year, she spotted a second-semester conflict: the Ornithology class she was interested in was the same period as French. Around the same time, French teacher Effy Bentley, whom students call Madame, approached Catherine about an exciting opportunity: the chance to work as a server in Effy’s friend’s bakery, located in a coastal city in northern France, for the upcoming summer—a dream come true for the young Francophile.

I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students.—Catherine Seagrave, class of 2026

The duo saw a chance to turn the scheduling conflict into a transformative learning experience that would prepare Catherine to live and work in France for eight weeks this summer. After starting in French IV in the fall, Catherine switched to an independent project for the second semester. Building on her first-semester studies, she created a plan that would further the skills she’ll need for her time in France, like a solid knowledge of travel, home, and time vocabulary, opportunities for oral practice, and even creating a French resume. It’s been a purposeful way to deeply engage with her language studies and build her confidence, and Catherine is thankful to be at a school where her passion was recognized and supported in such an unexpected way.

“It’s been so meaningful. It makes me feel very valued as a community member,” she said. “I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students. I feel personally recognized by my teachers, specifically Madame.”

She’s also grateful that the experience has helped her better understand herself as a learner.

“I like to work independently, so being able to plan my own coursework and learn things on my own, and sometimes work with Madame, is something that I really enjoy doing,” said Catherine.

This ability to take a new kind of ownership of learning has been a game-changer for many of the students conducting independent projects. Senior Ashlyn Lieberman, for one, has enjoyed the chance to determine how and when she wants to take on her studies in wilderness first aid, a subject she felt would be a wise use of her time as someone who spends a lot of time outdoors. With a busy senior-year workload, including four AP classes, it’s been refreshing for Ashlyn to have a project where she’s fully in charge of setting tasks and managing deadlines.

“It’s allowed me to take my time and learn the material I’m interested in,” she said. And it’s let her apply the skills she’s been building at Rowland Hall in new, low-pressure ways that are good practice for college.

“It gave me freedom that I really haven’t had before,” said Ashlyn. “I have a new sense of when things need to get done, and how I can do them to meet my internal standards.” It’s even, she shared, proving to be a smart move as she applies for summer jobs like river guiding, because it shows initiative to employers.

Ashlyn said she’s hopeful more students who enjoy a bit of independence in learning will consider this kind of option. “The type of student who will do well with this doesn’t have to have the best grades of all time or be the most academic,” she said. But if you crave a chance to be more self-reliant and you’re willing to try out a path that may help lead to success, it can be a wonderful way to uncover your personal strengths and build your self-confidence.

And whether a student chooses a project on education, or French, or physics, or finance, the many benefits, and memories, that stem from this type of authentic learning opportunity stay with them long after the work is complete. For Claire, those memories are numerous, though there’s one that rises above all others. When she walked into the first-grade classroom on her 18th birthday, she was greeted by the students as usual, though this time with cries of “Happy birthday!” mixed in. The class then presented Claire with a stack of handmade cards, each of which shared something special: an “I love you” message, a hand-drawn picture of Claire as a cat. As she read through the cards, Claire teared up.

“They reflected the lessons I taught them about punctuation, the impact that our conversations and relationships have had on them,” said Claire. Each was a representation of a child she’s gotten to know, whose life she’s brought joy into, and each is a reminder of the passion that led her to take on this opportunity. She plans to bring the cards to college, where they’ll continue to inspire her as she takes the next step on her journey to bring her teaching dream to life.

“Those will always be treasures to me,” she said.
 

Authentic Learning

Rowland Hall’s vision is to develop people the world needs. This February, a group of students from the Middle School got a formal introduction to that world and discovered just how vast it really is.

“When we entered the United Nations building it was crazy to see all these nameplates of different countries,” said eighth grader Alex P. “I got to meet people from Spain, Italy, West Africa, all sorts of places.”

Alex was one of 16 Rowland Hall students who traveled to New York City for the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Model UN conference. There, they were among more than 1,300 young people from more than 100 schools representing 60-plus nations from around the world. They were also the youngest delegation, being the only middle schoolers invited to attend.

“A lot of the kids who were 15 or 16 were asking me how old I was,” said eighth grader Dean B. “They were like, ‘You’re so brave.’ So my goal was just to talk as much as I could.”

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During the conference, the kids were split up and placed in different committees to examine various dilemmas facing the world today. Some explored climate change, while others talked about criminal justice or issues impacting labor. All were put into situations that would stretch their cultural competency and move them out of their comfort zones. However, what could have been a challenge instead became a highlight of the experience.

"My favorite part was getting to hear everyone's different languages and viewpoints,” said eighth grader Zoe P. “Even seeing how computer keyboards were adapted to write in those different languages."

My favorite part was getting to hear everyone’s different languages and viewpoints.—Zoe P., class of 2029

The students soon found themselves making friends with people from all over the world.

“I got to make some really good friends that were from all sorts of different countries, specifically Jamaica, Italy, and Georgia,” said eighth grader Zoya S. “It was really interesting because they brought a lot of new ideas to the table and made the discussions a lot better.”

Improving cultural competency and practicing soft diplomatic skills were not the only lessons learned. Students stepped up to become leaders and, in the process, gained skills that can’t be taught, but only earned.

“These kids walked in there unsure and not really confident,” said seventh-grade world studies teacher Margot Miller. “They walked out on top of the moon. They became very confident, whether it was because they made a speech or had their language included in a resolution. All of that, whether it was very small or very big, mattered to these kids.”

The presence of an authentic audience played a part in students' transformative experiences. The opportunity to step outside the classroom and interact and receive feedback from a larger community led to the students taking the matter more seriously and dedicating their full attention to what they were doing.

“That immersion was so important. It doesn’t get more authentic than the UN headquarters,” said political science and debate teacher Mike Shackelford. “It's a simulation, but you can't simulate a multicultural, global experience like that. You can't get that reading textbooks, being online, or doing any kind of in-class simulation.”

They also had the opportunity to learn from peer mentors who, not long ago, had been in their shoes. The delegation was led by two ninth graders who had previously taken Model UN in Middle School and now are taking Mike’s Applied Forensics class in the Upper School. Gregory House and Reid Venkatesan not only went to participate but also to serve as guides to their younger classmates.

“They would show me and everyone else the work they were doing, five days, four days, every day before the conference,” said Alex about the older students. “They'd help us by showing us the ropes and what to do, explaining things we didn't understand, and even helping us write speeches.”

“Reid was in my commission, and I was trying to keep up with him,” added Dean. “I would probably not be as brave if he wasn’t there. I saw Reid do all this stuff and I wanted to do it too.”

For their part, Gregory and Reid said they were happy to help their classmates, and hope it means they will continue with Model UN as they progress through school.

“I think if you go to Rowland Hall, you should take that class,” said Reid. “The skills that you gain from it, the public speaking, the research skills, and learning how to incorporate that into the rest of your schoolwork, has been super beneficial for all of the work that I do at school.”

Both Reid and Gregory received diplomacy awards for their work, setting a standard that their Middle School classmates hope to attain at future conferences. And some hope to exceed it.

This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world.—Jena S., class of 2029

“This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world,” said eighth grader Jena S. “I think I want to be an ambassador in the UN because it's a way of making change. This helped me open my mind to that.”

Students like Jena are the future of the UN and may help save it in the face of challenges it is facing from around the world.

“It's a delicate arrangement to pursue peace and put your country's interests aside. And that doesn't come naturally,” said Mike. “To instill in younger generations that the UN is a viable institution means that work can continue.”

Rowland Hall will continue its work with the UN this spring during Interim, when a group from the school travels to attend a leadership lab organized by WFUNA, exploring local solutions to global dilemmas.

It’s another step in a partnership that not only opens up a world of opportunity for these students but also gives the world the people it needs.

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Banner photo courtesy of the World Federation of United Nations Associations

Authentic Learning

There is a certain magic that comes from sitting around a campfire. The warmth of the flames, the smell of the smoke, and the popping sounds from the burning wood cast a spell over all those gathered. 

“I like warming up and then going to play,” said kindergartner Florence H. “Then I come back again when I get cold.” 

Florence and her friends are gathered around a fire not high in the Uintas but in the play yard of the Beginning School. It’s part of the new expanded nature curriculum for the grade’s ongoing Switcharoo, time spent mixing Rowland Hall’s three kindergarten classes for various activities. Each week all the students are mixed up into different cohorts and take part in one of three activities: outdoor cooking and storytelling, nature-based art, or the study of birds.

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“I see a lot of benefit in letting them explore and learn outside,” said kindergarten teacher Mary Grace Ellison. “It’s a different way that their brains get to work and learn from nature and not from manipulatives and teachers.” 

The benefits of nature-based learning are well documented. Students of any age see gains in cognition, problem-solving abilities, and creativity.

The benefits of nature-based learning are well documented. Students of any age see gains in cognition, problem-solving abilities, and creativity. The time spent outside can help decrease anxiety, feelings of sadness, and loneliness, and improve mental health overall. It also can help improve physical health, increase coordination, and refine motor skills. 

“Any time we are outdoors it ticks all the boxes,” said kindergarten teacher Melanie Robbins. “It fulfills the sensory needs of the children, gives them new skills, and improves relationships and how they work together. It does it all.”

And this year’s Switcharoo program has a new nature element – from an unexpected place. Melanie was hiking in Norway’s countryside when she came across an outdoor classroom where students would come for hours, or even days, to learn in nature. After talking to the program director she decided to ask her fellow teachers if they could expand their nature studies by adding an outdoor cooking and storytelling component to it. They embraced the idea wholeheartedly. 

The new aspect of the program has led to the students exploring lessons normally not taught in kindergarten—fire safety, for example. Before they light the fire the children go over all the rules about how to behave around the fire, and what to do if a problem arises. Since they all know their time around the fire is a privilege they take the instructions very seriously.

“We don’t run around the fire, and we don’t go inside the circle around it,” said kindergartner C.J. L. “That way we all stay safe.” 

There are also new ways of learning being explored, which is how kindergarten teacher Bethany Stephensen ended up with a large bird nest outside of her classroom. The students examined a variety of bird nests and then built their own using tree limbs and sticks they collected from the play yards. 

“We took the first thing they all knew about birds, that they live in nests, and we built on it,” Bethany said. “Having this nest makes the learning more tangible. It’s concrete and real and they can play in it. That’s how children solidify their learning, through play.” 

While learning from nature, children are also gaining an appreciation for it.

While the children are learning from nature, they are also gaining an appreciation for it, not just in parks or preserves, but everywhere. After all, a tree isn’t any less important because it’s planted on a parking strip rather than in an arboretum. The students are also finding ways to give back to nature with projects like bird feeders for their feathered friends.

“Sun butter, pine cones, and seeds, that’s what we used,” said kindergartner Aldyn G. “I hung it at my house and a hundred birds came. Or eight. Or eighty.”

Students are also learning how to appreciate and care for each other. During these activities, they are not with their regular classmates, but with a mixture of friends from all three kindergarten sections, some they know from years past, and some they are meeting for the first time. 

“It feels like more of a community that way,” said kindergarten teacher Mimi Andrews. “And not just for the students, but the teachers too. We get to know all of the kindergartners, not just our classrooms.”

Connecting with the community, appreciating nature, and building skills that last a lifetime. A Switcheroo is as magical as the campfire at the center of the gathering and teaches lessons that will be remembered long after the last ember has gone out.

Academics

When it comes to learning about wise spending and saving, you can never start too young.

“It’s important to make sure kids are growing up with financial knowledge,” said Samantha Hill, the Upper School’s entrepreneurship and innovation teacher.
 

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It’s also important to start building that financial knowledge early, which is why, in late October, upper schoolers spent two days teaching first and third graders about smart money choices.

Teaching something to someone else—especially to younger kids, because you have to put it in a language they will understand—helped me to reinforce my own knowledge.—Jane Borst, class of 2026

This project—assigned to students in both Samantha’s Business & Finance and Entrepreneurship classes—ties into the Jump$tart Teen Teach-In program, which brings high school students into elementary classrooms to teach personal finance lessons. It’s a win-win opportunity: not only do the older students engage with their class lessons in fresh ways as they prepare to teach, but it also introduces the younger students to important financial concepts.

To prepare for teaching, the students tapped into the knowledge they’ve been building in class this fall, as well as reviewed Jump$tart materials on the topics they’d be presenting: “Needs and Wants” for first graders and “Saving, Spending, Borrowing, and Lending” for third graders. They split into pairs or groups, depending on how many students they’d be working with, and each team chose how they wanted to present the information to the students. It was a valuable exercise.

“Teaching something to someone else—especially to younger kids, because you have to put it in a language they will understand—helped me to reinforce my own knowledge,” said junior Jane Borst. “I also had to be prepared for any questions they would ask, so I had to go more in depth than normal.”

Students chose to present their topics in several ways, from presentations to a variety of games (for example, one group asked first graders to sort pictures of items—such as clothing, a teddy bear, water, and a puppy—into “wants” and “needs” columns). Whatever the approach, the younger students were engaged, active, and thrilled to interact with the big kids.

“They were all so sweet and funny. They seemed to enjoy themselves the whole time too,” said junior Eliana Jansen, who also found the experience beneficial. “It helped me solidify my knowledge by helping others learn, as well as made it more memorable by having a fun experience associated with the information.”

For Samantha and the Lower School teachers, it also served as a reminder of the real benefits of cross-divisional collaborations, including deeper learning, increased student confidence, and even joyful moments. The latter was certainly true for junior Duke O'Neil, who was assigned to a group of Ms. April’s first graders—10 years after being one of her students.

“It was super cool to come full circle and teach some of her class,” said Duke. “My personal favorite part was watching the kids really grasp onto the ideas. We spent a lot of time and effort composing a fun lesson for them, and seeing them really have fun with it and learn something gave the assignment purpose.”

Perhaps most importantly, these opportunities also strengthen bonds between age groups, reminding all students that they’re valued and important to their school community.

“They’re all connected,” said Samantha. “They’re all Winged Lions.”

Experiential Learning

Starting middle school is an adventure in many ways, but not many students can say their experience included tackling high ropes obstacles up to 25 feet in the air while their classmates cheered them on. For Rowland Hall’s sixth graders, though, this is just one way of settling into the new school year.

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Every September, Rowland Hall’s Middle School holds a week of class trips designed to allow students to get to know one another, and their teachers, outside the classroom. The sixth-grade class trip, known as Wasatch Adventure, engages students in a variety of exciting Utah experiences (see call-out box) and serves an important purpose: to build a sense of belonging and self-confidence in the newest members of the Middle School.

Wasatch Adventure consists of four days of Utah experiences. This year, students—divided into three groups—each spent one day at a ropes course and glassblowing demonstration, hiking and paddleboarding, and visiting the Hill Aerospace Museum and Ogden Dinosaur Park. On the final day, all sixth graders gathered to raft the Provo River and enjoy a BBQ lunch.

To accomplish this goal, Rowland Hall’s sixth-grade team is intentional about the trip’s activities. Some focus purely on bonding, while others—such as a visit to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s ROPES Challenge Course, a high ropes course nestled in the Salt Lake foothills—also aim to build students’ confidence.

On one particularly bluebird morning, the trip’s purpose could be seen in action within the sixth graders visiting the ropes course that day. After spending the morning engaged in a variety of on-the-ground team-building activities that developed the skills they’d need for the high ropes course—such as communication, self-advocacy, and trust—they were finally harnessed, helmeted, and ready to take on the obstacle course towering above them. As Taylor Swift’s voice echoed off the red brick building and the concrete retaining wall that enclose the course, the first climbers began their ascent. Soon, their supporters began calling out guidance and encouragement.

“Wait, Anna. Step down,” coached a member of the group holding the belay lines of a teammate moving across an unstable bridge above their heads. Across the lawn, another cluster of students, spotting a classmate making his way across a cargo net, began to cheer. “Good job!” called one. “Amazing!” cried another.

To any onlooker, it’s clear this activity serves a purpose beyond the fun of a ropes course.

“They’re learning to build trust and develop strategies, as well as to express their emotions in a safe space, through activities designed to promote these skills in a stress-free environment,” said sixth-grade English teacher Kate Siwicki as she observed the group.

The experience and its takeaways are also in line with a larger goal: to help the new sixth graders succeed by giving them thoughtful, purposeful support, particularly in the earliest weeks of the school year.

“The beginning of the year is really intentional,” explained sixth-grade math teacher Chad Obermark, known as Mr. O, who leads the grade-level team behind not only Wasatch Adventure, but the full sixth-grade experience. “What’s best for students is most important.”

The beginning of the year is really intentional. What’s best for students is most important.—Chad Obermark, sixth-grade math teacher

And what’s best for students moving from elementary school to middle school—one of the most significant rites of passage of childhood—is plenty of guidance as they learn to navigate a new chapter of their educational journeys. After all, this is a time known for big transitions: a different campus, a more complex schedule, class changes, multiple teachers, lockers, even new ways of being graded.

“It can be daunting,” said Mr. O, “but there are ways we set them up for success.”

This starts by establishing a solid foundation of support during the first weeks of the year—roughly the 10 weeks between Hello Day and Halloween. Teachers are mindful of using this time wisely and in ways that help every student feel safe, welcome, and supported so they can succeed academically. Opportunities such as Wasatch Adventure can be particularly useful in building a sense of belonging, as the low-pressure social activities help students feel more connected to the school community and build a more cohesive group. The outcome of the week is especially evident among the students who joined Rowland Hall in sixth grade.

“After Wasatch Adventure week, we come back and you completely muddied the waters of who’s new and who’s not,” said Mr. O.

The team also uses these weeks to build students’ confidence in their new day-to-day routines. A helpful tool for teachers is advisory, which takes place during the last hour of the school day for sixth graders. A component of all Rowland Hall middle schoolers’ schedules, advisory is intended to be students’ home base while at school and is used to foster a healthy middle school community. Each small group, guided by an assigned teacher, is a safe space in which students engage in everything from social-emotional learning to academic advising. Six teachers serve as sixth-grade advisors: the grade’s four MESH teachers—Mr. O (math), Kate (English), Dan Trockman (science), and Susan Phillips (history)—as well as PE teacher Bobby Kennedy (BK) and French and Spanish teacher Sam Thomas.

“Advisory is one of my favorites,” said Warren B., a ski racer who joined both the Middle School and Rowmark Ski Academy this year. A member of BK’s advisory, Warren likes the pause that the period provides between a day of learning and the Rowmark training and homework that await him after school. He appreciates that advisors help their students understand what’s expected of them as sixth graders and coach them to success.

Zoe Y., a member of Kate’s advisory, also called out this support, noting that she likes how time in class is even used to build skills such as filling in planners or finding an assignment in Canvas. This focus on time-management fundamentals—alongside empowering students to grow their independence in other ways—is an important part of the Rowland Hall program, and essential to helping the sixth graders begin to manage their own learning.

“The way that it’s structured, you can ask questions and you can know the teachers will answer and they will help you,” said Zoe.

To further support these freshly minted middle schoolers, Rowland Hall’s program includes a unique feature: time for every student to see their four MESH teachers every day. Not only is this structure helpful for the age group, which only a few months ago saw the same homeroom teacher daily, but it allows this core group of teachers to get to know every sixth grader—and to remain nimble based on what they see. Each week, the MESH team comes together to make advisory plans, and they bring their classroom observations to those discussions.

“We make a plan a week out, to give the kids what they need,” explained Kate. For instance, if students seem low energy, the team can discuss ways to engage them. The group also thinks about how to strengthen the Middle School community by furthering student connections.

“We’re really trying to use advisory to give students common experiences and link them to the community,” said Kate.

As an example, this fall, advisors have built in time for students to reflect on their first all-class novel, Wonder, and discuss topics such as how hard it can be to enter a community and how to make someone new feel welcome. These discussions among students who have recently entered a new division can be quite moving.

“They put a lot of themselves in the characters’ perspectives,” said Mr. O. “These kids, coming from the Lower School, are willing to be vulnerable, share ideas, and make mistakes”—all things that contribute to a healthy, welcoming community.

And day by day, moment by moment, this intentional work around belonging and self-confidence is also helping the sixth graders understand their role in positively impacting the school community. Jacob R., the grade’s first Winged Lion Award recipient, is one student thinking about how he can make his school a better place.

All I want to do is have a positive impact on the community, to be at my fullest every single day.—Sixth grader Jacob R.

“I was really proud,” said Jacob about the recognition, which is given each month to one student from the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades who demonstrates community-valued characteristics, including hard work, collaboration, consideration, friendliness, respect, and honesty. And while Jacob is honored to have been his grade’s September winner, he also shared that making his school a better place is something he’s committed to, no matter what.

“All I want to do is have a positive impact on the community, to be at my fullest every single day,” he said.

It’s an inspiring perspective, and one that teachers, families, and friends of the sixth graders will continue to see in the coming months, as students move away from the settling-in period of the early weeks and, over the remainder of the year, fully become middle schoolers—a transformation that even seasoned teachers like Mr. O continue to be amazed by.

“It’s unreal, the difference,” he said.

Belonging

Students are not the only learners at Rowland Hall. Every day, teachers are finding new ways to practice their craft and make education more impactful and resonant to the children in their classrooms. And this fall, in Tiya Karaus’s second-grade classroom, that meant starting small. As small as a bug.

The study of insects has been part of the second-grade curriculum for decades. The students learn about the anatomy, the biology, and the ecological impact of various bugs. This year, though, Tiya partnered with music teacher Susan Swidnicki to add a creative layer to the lessons.

“Working together allows us to try new methods and get feedback in real time,” Tiya said. “It makes it easier to put ideas into practice and refine and iterate on them through constant check-ins with each other.”
 

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Before starting, the pair came up with a number of ideas of how the unit could be structured and how to make the lessons as cross-curricular as possible through the addition of music, movement, creative writing, and more. “We were looking for ways to put more child-friendly creativity into the day,” Susan said. “We wanted to do something that would engage the children and add meaning for them.”

It started with the basics, as it has in years past. The students learned the biological and anatomical features of insects, worked bugs into their math problems, and read both fiction and non-fiction books on the subject. Then, on Fridays, a new layer was added: they took all of their knowledge and set it to music.

“We usually didn’t have a set plan in place; we wanted to let the kids lead and then help them build upon it,” Tiya said. “That feeling of creation at the moment allowed us and the students to find and learn unexpected things.”

During the Friday sessions, the students would explore their knowledge of insects by creating dances that turned them into honeybees, and by playing instruments that helped turn stories into songs.

The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board.—Tiya Karaus, second-grade teacher

“The music tells us certain points in the story. It’s hard to forget when you are listening to the music,” said second grader Ember H. “It’s really hard at first but it gets easier and easier.”

The kids did more than expand their knowledge of insects. Allowing the children greater freedom to be self-directed required them to use and improve social and collaborative skills. Without a teacher as the central focus, the students had to regulate their own behaviors more closely. Listening and finding compromises became much more important.

“We got to do special things,” said William J. “We acted out The Very Clumsy Click Beetle and we all worked together to make the songs.”

The lessons learned on Friday went beyond the walls of the music room and into everyday classroom activities. “The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board,” said Tiya. “They’re becoming more open to exploring new ideas and finding different ways to express themselves.”

Susan sees it as the children embracing their potential. “The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important,” she said. “By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.”

The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important. By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

The partnership between Tiya and Susan will continue for the rest of the year with an exploration of the Great Salt Lake and a study of native Utah animals. This continued collaboration is a great benefit for the students, and also a benefit for them as both work to improve their pedagogy, even as veteran teachers.

“I’ve brought that musicality back to my classroom,” said Tiya, and it can be used for more than just lessons. “Using rhythms and movement with the kids is so much more comfortable and effective than asking for their attention in more traditionally used ways.”

“I am constantly finding ways to integrate the academic curriculum into music classes,” added Susan. “Whether it’s incorporating a book into a lesson or bringing in other subject matter, there is always a way to find that bridge.”

Teachers at Rowland Hall are preparing students to go out into an ever-changing world. By being lifelong learners, and embracing collaboration, they are teaching not only through instruction but also by example. These are the lessons Tiya hopes her students will carry with them long after they have forgotten which bugs have zero wings and which have four.

“I want them to remember the importance of working together,” she said. “And I want them to look for ways to learn, in any way they can.”

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Watch the second graders perform their original skit, “The Very Impatient Honey Bee”:

Academics

It’s not every day you get to be among a first group of performers who premiere a song, but that’s exactly what happened to this year’s fourth graders.

That song, The Great Salt Lake by local composer, and former principal oboist of the Utah Symphony, Robert Stephenson, was recently shared for the first time with the Rowland Hall community on Thursday, February 27. On that lovely late winter day, families, faculty, staff, and even two classes of beginning schoolers gathered in St. Margaret’s Chapel on the McCarthey Campus. As the afternoon light gently streamed through the stained glass windows, the accompanist began to play and the students’ voices joined together.

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“Once covered by Lake Bonneville, above the waves eleven rise,” they began. “The islands of the Great Salt Lake reaching for the skies.”

As they sang through each movement, the students led the audience on a tour of the famous lake: its islands and the many creatures that call them home, its essential role in bird migration, its conservation needs. It was an honor for those gathered to witness the piece’s first public performance, as well as to learn how this opportunity came to be.

It all started with a trip to the Great Salt Lake.

Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge.—Haas Pectol, fourth-grade teacher

Each September, Rowland Hall’s fourth graders, joined by 10th-grade learning buddies, travel to the Great Salt Lake for a field study of the lake’s ecosystem, history, and impact. This trip, one of many the grade takes during the year as they study Utah’s past and present, is designed to engage students’ senses as they connect their in-class learning to a local landmark.

“Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge,” said fourth-grade teacher Haas Pectol, as these experiential learning opportunities invite students to engage their senses, which helps them more easily grasp concepts, make connections, and care about the subject at hand.

At the lake, teachers encouraged sense engagement by having students make scientific observations through the I see, I think, I wonder lens. As they named what they saw, the students began to notice more in the environment around them. They noted their observations as they walked. We wonder, they wrote, why so many dead brine shrimp are floating around … why the sand has waves … how dead fish got out so far … why it smells so bad. 

“I looked at it with a new perspective because we were learning about it while we were there,” remembered fourth grader Jojo T.

Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact, said sensory learning approaches like I see, I think, I wonder are powerful when it comes to building lifelong learners and critical thinkers because they don’t allow learning to be siloed. As scientific observers at the lake that day, students sparked their own curiosity and wonder as they asked questions and made connections across their knowledge and interests.

“Wonder is a cue,” he said. “There’s a wow there, but you also know you need to go beyond yourself to learn more—do some research, talk to an expert, hear stories.”

These experiences can also help shape people who are empowered to find solutions to the world’s hardest problems by connecting them to a place, person, group, or cause. At the Great Salt Lake, students began to understand that they, too, can advocate for the lake they hear so much about.

“They care more and take more ownership because we’re creating a really meaningful, memorable experience and instilling that this is an awesome place,” said Haas.

So when McCarthey Campus music teacher Susan Swidnicki approached Haas about a multidisciplinary opportunity to link the students’ scientific observations from the lake to an artistic experience that would further their role as its advocates, Haas was excited to help out. Susan explained that her friend Robert Stephenson, who goes by Bob, was writing songs for the school’s children’s choruses. They wanted to include a piece about the Great Salt Lake and hoped fourth graders could contribute to its creation by sharing with the composer what about the lake most inspires them.

Did you know that collaborating with Bob Stephenson wasn’t the only way fourth graders built on their Great Salt Lake field study? The students and their 10th-grade buddies also created brochures for the lake’s 2024 intercoastal cleanup event. And the teachers shared their expertise with FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, which creates fourth-grade curriculum for Utah schools. Their advice? Build in opportunities to engage students’ senses so they feel more connected to their lake studies.

The teachers decided to use picturing writing, a sensory engagement project in which students create a piece of art, then describe elements of that art through poem or prose. Susan led the students through the artistic process, providing photographs of the lake to inspire the class as they created crayon and watercolor paintings. Next, Haas led them through a descriptive writing exercise where they interpreted their paintings through vivid descriptive language. Thanks to their field study, they were well prepared.

“They drew on their own senses,” said Haas. “They’ve been there, saw it, smelled it.”

When the class was done, they had a gallery showcasing a range of subjects, from the lake itself to the landscape that surrounds it. Salty banks. Invasive phragmites grass encroaching on nesting areas. Mountains. Bird nests. The lake’s animals were there, too, from brine shrimp and antelope to the snowy plover. Even Pink Floyd, the legendary Chilean flamingo who wintered at the lake from 1988 to 2005, was represented. Below each image, the students’ words brought the lake to life, waking the reader’s own senses as they described the colors of sunset, the grit of a shoreline, the prickle in your nose as you catch a whiff of the lake’s signature scent.

The class then invited Bob to campus to view the gallery and gather inspiration for the subjects that would shape his songwriting. Bob said it was important to him to incorporate as many aspects of the lake as possible to illustrate its vital, multifaceted role, and its importance to the community and environment. Over time, this took shape as three separate movements: “Above the Waves,” which describes the lake’s landscape through the lens of its 11 islands; “Brine Shrimp, Brine Flies,” which playfully highlights the lake’s role in bird migration; and “Nowhere to Go,” which addresses the crisis of the shrinking lake. The goal, Bob explained, was to inspire listeners to aid in Great Salt Lake’s preservation.

“I hope somebody listening to the piece realizes the lake’s relevance, and that if we put our minds together and we collaborate, and we’re careful, it’ll be something that lasts,” he said.

It’s a perspective that fits beautifully with Rowland Hall’s approach to shaping empathetic, ethical citizens through our curriculum. In music class, this happens through discussions of musical changemaking. “We’ve been trying to teach them that music can sometimes get a message through to people when other things can’t,” explained Susan.

This role as musical changemakers, coupled with their own experiences from the field study, inspired and energized the entire fourth grade, which agreed to perform the song’s world premiere. Over the months they prepared and practiced, Bob visited rehearsals several times to collaborate with the students, gathering feedback and making adjustments in real time. The teachers hoped these experiences were memorable not only because they gave students a peek into how a professional musician works, but also because they proved that others are invested in and available to them as they work to make change.

“We want students to be exposed to all these different people in our community—it makes them feel having access to community partners is normal and within the realm of feasible things that can happen,” said Haas. And the chance to work with Bob, like the chance to visit the lake, more deeply connected them to the learning experience.

“They feel so lucky to have a composer work with them and really honored to be part of the process,” said Haas, “and they really took it seriously,” even and especially as they were challenged to learn three complicated movements, stretch their singing abilities, and master new vocabulary. Fourth grader Noelle B. explained that learning the song could be challenging (like when she was trying to hit the high notes!) but it was fun to be part of the process. It’s clear that the confidence built through the experience helped students like Noelle feel real ownership of the collaboration.

“It’s exciting that we get to have our own song,” she said with a smile.

And the students are excited about the song’s potential impact. After the February premiere, Bob began the process of searching for a publisher, with the goal of making the piece available to more schools so it can, hopefully, inspire greater advocacy.

Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

As for the song’s first, and perhaps most passionate, singers, the teachers hope the multidisciplinary process behind this experience has a long-term impact on how they view themselves. After all, this kind of learning, explained Susan, is one of the best ways to help students see themselves as multifaceted people: scientists and musicians and writers and painters, as well as people who can make a difference, all at the same time.

“Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn,” she said. “We want to grow and encourage the whole person, and help them understand they can come at challenges from many ways to make their lives, and others’ lives, more beautiful, worthwhile, and better.”

Experiential Learning

When determining this year’s dance concert theme, middle and upper schoolers knew one thing for certain: they wanted to focus on community.

The process of choosing a dance concert theme begins in the spring with brainstorming sessions designed to narrow the dancers’ focus. As the group began thinking about the 2025 concert, it quickly became clear that, whatever was chosen, they wanted to break away from the messages of polarization and disagreement that seemed to be all around them. Later, as teachers Sophia Cutrubus ’18 and Grace Riter ’18 reviewed the dancers’ brain maps, they saw such a focus on connectivity that they decided on the theme, Where We Meet.

After students returned to campus in August, Sophia and Grace tasked dancers with choosing topics that fit under the Where We Meet umbrella. Then, before beginning choreography, students were asked to go into the community and conduct interviews that explored the connection between their chosen topics and real people’s lived experiences.

“We wanted them to be curious about their community, and to make an effort to connect with and see someone else’s humanity, perspective, and story, and elevate that, even if it’s not what they expected,” explained Sophia.

These topics led dancers in a variety of directions, producing a concert that will delight viewers as they, too, are invited to explore the many ways our human experiences meet.

Check out the above video for a sneak peek of Where We Meet and to hear from the dancers behind the performance. And please plan to join us for Where We Meet, on Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, at 7 pm in the Larimer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are not required for entry, but a donation of $10 per attendee is suggested.

Arts

Students are not the only learners at Rowland Hall. Every day, teachers are finding new ways to practice their craft and make education more impactful and resonant to the children in their classrooms. And this fall, in Tiya Karaus’s second-grade classroom, that meant starting small. As small as a bug.

The study of insects has been part of the second-grade curriculum for decades. The students learn about the anatomy, the biology, and the ecological impact of various bugs. This year, though, Tiya partnered with music teacher Susan Swidnicki to add a creative layer to the lessons.

“Working together allows us to try new methods and get feedback in real time,” Tiya said. “It makes it easier to put ideas into practice and refine and iterate on them through constant check-ins with each other.”
 

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Before starting, the pair came up with a number of ideas of how the unit could be structured and how to make the lessons as cross-curricular as possible through the addition of music, movement, creative writing, and more. “We were looking for ways to put more child-friendly creativity into the day,” Susan said. “We wanted to do something that would engage the children and add meaning for them.”

It started with the basics, as it has in years past. The students learned the biological and anatomical features of insects, worked bugs into their math problems, and read both fiction and non-fiction books on the subject. Then, on Fridays, a new layer was added: they took all of their knowledge and set it to music.

“We usually didn’t have a set plan in place; we wanted to let the kids lead and then help them build upon it,” Tiya said. “That feeling of creation at the moment allowed us and the students to find and learn unexpected things.”

During the Friday sessions, the students would explore their knowledge of insects by creating dances that turned them into honeybees, and by playing instruments that helped turn stories into songs.

The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board.—Tiya Karaus, second-grade teacher

“The music tells us certain points in the story. It’s hard to forget when you are listening to the music,” said second grader Ember H. “It’s really hard at first but it gets easier and easier.”

The kids did more than expand their knowledge of insects. Allowing the children greater freedom to be self-directed required them to use and improve social and collaborative skills. Without a teacher as the central focus, the students had to regulate their own behaviors more closely. Listening and finding compromises became much more important.

“We got to do special things,” said William J. “We acted out The Very Clumsy Click Beetle and we all worked together to make the songs.”

The lessons learned on Friday went beyond the walls of the music room and into everyday classroom activities. “The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board,” said Tiya. “They’re becoming more open to exploring new ideas and finding different ways to express themselves.”

Susan sees it as the children embracing their potential. “The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important,” she said. “By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.”

The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important. By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

The partnership between Tiya and Susan will continue for the rest of the year with an exploration of the Great Salt Lake and a study of native Utah animals. This continued collaboration is a great benefit for the students, and also a benefit for them as both work to improve their pedagogy, even as veteran teachers.

“I’ve brought that musicality back to my classroom,” said Tiya, and it can be used for more than just lessons. “Using rhythms and movement with the kids is so much more comfortable and effective than asking for their attention in more traditionally used ways.”

“I am constantly finding ways to integrate the academic curriculum into music classes,” added Susan. “Whether it’s incorporating a book into a lesson or bringing in other subject matter, there is always a way to find that bridge.”

Teachers at Rowland Hall are preparing students to go out into an ever-changing world. By being lifelong learners, and embracing collaboration, they are teaching not only through instruction but also by example. These are the lessons Tiya hopes her students will carry with them long after they have forgotten which bugs have zero wings and which have four.

“I want them to remember the importance of working together,” she said. “And I want them to look for ways to learn, in any way they can.”

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Watch the second graders perform their original skit, “The Very Impatient Honey Bee”:

Academics

At the end of every school year, students in the Upper School are given two books that highlight the past year. 

One, their yearbook, is full of pictures of their classmates and recordings of the events of that year. The other, Tesserae, is the school’s national award-winning literary magazine, filled with artistic impressions of life at Rowland Hall. It features poetry, prose, art, and photographs, all produced by students, giving a creative slant to everything that happened in the past 12 months. 

“It’s an emblem of art and expression for the Rowland Hall community,” said senior Gabriella Miranda. “It feels like a very celebratory work. Everyone gets excited when it comes out.” 

It encapsulates the voices of that particular generation of writers.—Joel Long, English, creative writing, and literary magazine teacher

Poet Joel Long teaches the creative writing class that creates the publication every year. The class is made up of a staff of student writers and editors, many of whom have been enrolled for all four of their years in the Upper School. In his tenure, Joel has watched 19 editions of Tesserae go to print and says each one has been unique. 

“It encapsulates the voices of that particular generation of writers,” he said. “It tells the stories that they are dealing with, what sorts of things matter to them at that moment.”

The publication of Tesserae is a major event for the creative writing students, but it is not their only project of the year. They spend the majority of their time working on and refining their own creative writing processes and pieces, and they begin by examining the works of other writers. 

“We read a ton of poetry and get exposed to different poets,” said junior Erika Prasthofer. “Poetry is a way to stop and reflect and understand what a moment meant to us. It’s shaped my high school experience and the way I tell stories and think about the world.” 

Joel also brings in guest speakers who work as writers. He wants the students not only to learn from them about the craft of writing but also the hard work that goes into it. “They answer questions about the writing process, about how they wrote their poems and novels,” he said. “And they show the students they are just humans. They are people who sit down in their chairs with a cup of coffee to write and work away at it.” 

Each student gleans lessons from these experiences that help shape how they create their own art. They discover habits that might hold them back and learn how to finesse a piece to take it from ordinary to extraordinary. “My writing process has evolved because I often used to try to plan what I was going to write before starting,” said Erika. “With time, I have discovered that while a structural border for writing can be important, that border can’t always be a distinct shape because the piece may otherwise feel forced and unnatural.”

And students are encouraged to discover their own voices by examining different types of writing, including poetry, nonfiction prose, and short works of fiction. As they move through the process, each person finds a unique way to express themselves and discovers the reasons why they prefer certain types of communication. 

“We’re really able and encouraged to write in the way we want,” said Gabriella. “I’ve been able to write about any topic that’s important to me and that I found resonance with.” 

“I really like freeform slam poetry,” added ninth grader Aoife Canning. “I find that being able to perform poetry for others is a way in which you can get them involved in it.”

To further develop his young writers, Joel encourages students to share their poetry with various audiences throughout the year, not only by reading aloud but also by submitting to various contests and publications across the country. This year, thanks to her writing, Gabriella was chosen as one of five National Student Poets and traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. In addition, Aoife, Erika, and senior Nadia Scharfstein were all honored at Poetry Ourselves and Poetry Out Loud events sponsored by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and the National Endowment for the Arts. Nadia was also showcased in the young writer’s edition of the Roanoke Review. 

The most rewarding part is the outcome and the ability to read your writing and feel proud of your work.—Nadia Scharfstein, class of 2024

“I am so proud of the students and their outside successes,” Joel said. “They set the bar high, worked really, really hard, and earned it.” 

While the accolades are nice, the students say the work is its own reward. “The most rewarding part is the outcome and the ability to read your writing and feel proud of your work,” said Nadia. “It’s a way for me to express myself through my words. It brings a lot of joy to me.” 

This joy is also felt by showcasing their works, and the works of other students, each year in Tesserae. The entire staff takes the process very seriously, from submission selection to editing individual pieces to the final layout. Every step is done with careful consideration, and the goal is to live up to the responsibility of creating an artifact that accurately represents the artistic pursuits of this year’s student body. 

“Every year I look forward to working on Tesserae. I like being able to contribute to that and be a part of bringing it all together,” said Nadia. “It represents all the creativity that is going on in our school.”

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Banner: Editors Gabriella Miranda and Nadia Scharfstein with the 2023–2024 edition of Tesserae.

Arts

In preparation for this year’s dance concert, Integrated, middle and upper school students researched topics related to technology, AI, and how we as humans relate to these machines in our everyday lives. Students thought critically about their personal experiences with tech and created pieces inspired by their findings and curiosities. Their works explore how we can utilize AI as a resource moving forward, while also giving space to the many moral and existential questions that come along with developing non-human intelligence. Two Upper School students, Hayley Trockman and Mattie Sulivan, reflected on their own processes and interviewed peers to give the audience an inside look into the complex questions underlying this year’s concert.

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Reflecting on Process: Dance Students’ Voices on Integrated

By Hayley Trockman, Class of 2024, and Mattie Sullivan, Class of 2025

During the summer workshop our dance teachers, Sophia Cutrubus ’18 and Grace Riter ’18, presented us with the question: how can we express our thoughts about the advancement of technology through dance? At first, we were unaware of just how many different paths we could take to explore this growing industry. But as we dove deeper, we discovered that this topic left us with endless questions and conversations to have. Both our Intermediate and Advanced Dance Ensembles classes endeavored to answer these questions with open minds and a willingness to delve into our movement explorations.

How can we express our thoughts about the advancement of technology through dance?

Junior Mattie Sullivan decided to ruminate on their individual relationship to transforming technologies, using their piece to uncover a duality that often comes with spending huge amounts of time online.

“When I was presented with the theme of this year's dance concert I felt excited, overwhelmed, and honestly scared,” said Mattie. “Walking into dance class this year, I was full of ideas but really struggling to articulate them. Even a couple of days ago I was reminded of our initial question: can you really express all of these feelings through dance? But in the few weeks leading up to the concert, I feel confident that our relationships with AI and technology have and will continue to be voiced.”

They continued, “The Internet has been my primary form of communication with those I care about and my main source of entertainment. On the flip side, I have observed the detrimental effects an Internet addiction can have on a person. For my piece, I focused on both of these aspects of Internet usage. By manipulating the energy qualities of my movement I was able to portray both loneliness and connection. In our creative processes, we dove into the complexities of using the Internet and AI, and through movement we have been able to tell our unique stories.”

In Mattie’s work with the Iron Lions robotics team captain, junior Evan Weinstein, they discussed how technology has a different kind of intelligence than humans do. Evan highlighted that we don’t need to fear AI; rather, we should focus on how we set boundaries around its use.

He said, “AI is incredibly important because as we learn to harness the power of computing, technological strides become more accessible. When we don’t need to worry about spending time regulating budgets and doing mundane tasks, the future workforce will be able to put our collective energy towards doing new things while AI can maintain what we already know. Additionally, AI will be able to pick up on patterns that humans can’t. This level of pattern recognition can also help us predict and regulate our response to relevant social and environmental issues.”

While neural networks and AI are incredible tools, they are just that—tools. We can learn to use them as innovators and problem solvers, but at the end of the day they can only perform as well as we teach them.

Evan also pointed out, “While neural networks and AI are incredible tools, they are just that—tools. We can learn to use them as innovators and problem solvers, but at the end of the day they can only perform as well as we teach them. AI is an advancement that we need to understand and accept. I urge the support of AI and hope that we can help learn within our communities to set our generation up for success.”

Senior Hayley Trockman gave a look into what her process looked like as she learned about how AI-generated images are created.

“I believe in integrating technology into our lives with human intelligence guiding its role,” said Hayley. “I began the process of choreographing a piece that specifically looked into the ways that AI-produced images are created from our insecurities and unrealistic beauty standards. However, after speaking with Rowland Hall staff member Ashley Atwood, her advice of ‘accepting the new and upcoming’ resonated with me. I realized that we can’t put all of the blame on technology—because we are actually the ones feeding it the ideal body image through our engagement with social media. Whether it be likes and positive reactions, or critical comments, AI recognizes this trend in data and takes that information to generate its own images. My piece is a commentary on that process. The use of mirrors as props represents how AI-generated images become both reflections and distortions of our own insecurities.”

Senior Lauren Bates pivoted the conversation in a new direction, with her inspiration coming from the increase in the use of AI to help process grief.

“My initial idea dealt with how AI does not feel or process grief the same way that we do,” said Lauren. “However, as I did more research, I found a number of articles talking about ‘Grief Tech.’ I learned that there is already technology that allows people to feed information from their loved ones who have passed into AI chatbots. Subsequently, the software can recreate their personality and identity. This has brought up a lot of ethical and psychological concerns, along with questions about if this is a healthy way to process grief. I was initially inspired to create this piece after listening to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘United In Grief’ and applying its meaning to dance. For me, dance has always been a way to express ideas that are too difficult to express with words.”

I hope that our audience will resonate with both our fear and love of technology, and spend a minute thinking about their own relationships, both on and off the screens.

As we have reflected on the past months of choreographing, researching, and critically evaluating our relationship with tech and AI, we hope that the concert encourages our audience to turn inward and think about how they relate to technology in their own lives. As Mattie Sullivan said, “I hope that our audience will resonate with both our fear and love of technology, and spend a minute thinking about their own relationships, both on and off the screens.”  We want this moment in time to allow viewers to take pause and evaluate where we are and how we want to move forward.

Student Voices

“In my darkest nights and brightest days, in times of unbridled joy and unbearable heartbreak, poetry has been a refuge, a soothing companion that gives voice to emotions I can’t always articulate on my own.”

This reflection on the power of poetry was given by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden as she appointed the five 2023 National Student Poets at the White House on Monday, November 13. Rowland Hall senior Gabriella Miranda was among these poets, representing the West Region of the United States. She was joined by Jacqueline Flores of Zolfo Springs, FL (Southeast Region), Miles Hardingwood of Brooklyn, NY (Northeast Region), Shangri-La Hou of Saint Louis, MO (Midwest Region), and Kallan McKinney of Norman, OK (Southwest Region).

Gabby has an instinct for images and rhythm that resonates through the deepest channels of human experience.—Joel Long, Upper School English, creative writing, and literary magazine teacher

In addition to welcoming the poets and their families to the White House, event organizers worked with the honorees’ high schools to arrange live watch parties, which allowed many of Gabby’s classmates, teachers, and well-wishers to gather in support of the celebrated young poet. School representatives were also asked to introduce their students, each of whom shared an original poem. Joel Long, Upper School English, creative writing, and literary magazine teacher, had the honor of introducing Gabby prior to her reading of her poem “Almanac.”

“Gabby showed her gifts as a writer from her first classes with me in ninth grade,” Joel shared. “As a voracious reader and a lover of words, Gabby has an instinct for images and rhythm that resonates through the deepest channels of human experience.”

The 2023 National Student Poets were chosen by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers from a group of high schoolers who collectively submitted more than 24,000 works in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. From a pool of National Medal recipients, 40 semi-finalists were identified as the most gifted young poets in their regions, based on their originality, technical skills, and personal voice, and invited to submit additional poetry and performance videos to distinguished jurors for the final selection of the five National Student Poets, chosen for their exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise. The National Student Poets serve as national poetry ambassadors, sharing their passion for poetry, literacy, and the literary arts with their communities and throughout their regions, and each received a $5,000 academic award.

Congratulations, Gabby!

Arts

Most middle school-aged students aren’t yet driving cars—but at Rowland Hall, some of them are already flying planes.

That’s because aviation is just one of the opportunities available to seventh and eighth graders as part of Rowland Hall’s expansive electives curriculum. And while some may think of electives as classes meant to give students downtime, or pad out schedules, nothing could be further from the truth.

“Electives not only enrich the core subjects students are taking, they also introduce new areas of study and interest,” said Middle School Principal Pam Smith. “Students can dive deeper into subjects they find interesting and discover passions they never knew they had.”

Middle School students use elective classes to look at the world and the skills they are learning in new and different ways. They discover competencies, and how to put them to work to become people the world needs.

Students use these classes to look at the world and the skills they are learning in new and different ways. They discover competencies, and how to put them to work to become people the world needs. Currently, seventh- and eighth-grade students have dozens of options to choose from when it comes to electives. Topics range from guitar to app design, and cover a range of diverse fields of study including fine arts, multimedia production, climate science, and public art and discourse. (Sixth graders, while not eligible for elective classes, are introduced to many of the concepts in their foundation classes with subjects like computer science, music, and debate.)

“Electives give students more of a voice and choice in the curriculum,” said Pam. “When they choose a class, it often leads to a greater investment in what’s being taught, as well as incorporates concepts they are learning in their other classes.”

Some of the electives offered are direct offshoots of core curriculum. Math teacher Jen Schones, for example, decided to start teaching personal finance as a Middle School elective after being told by several people that they wished they had learned about money management in school. Now she is helping students use addition, subtraction, percentages, and other math skills to discuss concepts like budgeting, investing, building credit, and taxes—skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

“The thing I stress to students a lot is that every decision you make with money has a consequence—both good and bad,” Jen said. “We do simulations looking at various choices like career, location, living expenses, and potential financial emergencies, and then students decide if they are willing to live with those choices, or if they would have done something different.”

The class also walks students through financial matters they are currently facing or will face in the near future. Paying for college is a topic of conversation, as is how to set a budget and save for a goal that is weeks, or even months, into the future. Guest speakers come in to talk about investment opportunities students could engage in now, including apps that allow them to buy stocks or money market accounts.

“I actually had one student ask their parents for a custodial IRA for Christmas after hearing about it in class,” said Jen. “Students are really responding well to the course, and not only learning skills for later, but putting some skills into action right now.”

Elective courses not only give students the opportunity to use skills they are learning in different ways, but also awaken them to aptitudes they didn’t know they had.

“There’s this misconception that you are either creative or you are not,” said visual art teacher Anne Wolfer. “I really try to help the kids push through and get to the mindset that we are all creative and that it just takes time, dedication, and a lot of hard work.”

In the public art elective, students unlock their creative minds by learning the many ways that art is created in communities, how a piece goes from an idea to a finished work, and the benefits of art in community spaces. It’s a great way for students to feel further connected to the community around them and to see themselves as contributors to a shared community. If you are walking through Salt Lake City’s 9th and 9th neighborhood, stop to take a look at the large mural that now graces the side of the Tower Theatre. The sweeping mountains, flowers, and a butterfly were all painted by Rowland Hall students. “It feels like we have a bigger connection to 9th and 9th now,” said eighth grader Callie L. “It’s like we are leaving a piece of ourselves there.”

“The kids are really putting themselves out there with this mural,” added Anne. “And in doing so they are gaining confidence in their abilities and preparing themselves to move on to bigger and even more expansive projects.”

Students aren’t the only ones given the opportunity to take on more expansive projects in electives; teachers do as well. Bill Tatomer was teaching math and American studies at Rowland Hall when he decided to put his 20-plus years as a Navy pilot to use for the benefit of the students. He now teaches three different aviation courses in the Middle School, covering everything from basic principles of flight, aerospace science, and aviation design to engineering, careers in aviation, and flight training. During the course of the program, some students even earn their drone TRUST certification, while others take their first steps to getting their private pilot’s license.

“The exposure these classes create, especially as a Middle School student, is truly incredible,” said Bill. “Additionally, when I see students have fun and thrive in the environments created by these classes, whether they continue in aviation or not, my heart is full. I love what I do, and I so love sharing this passion with Rowland Hall students.”

I wanted to be a pilot for as long as I can remember, and the classes I took from Mr. Tatomer really gave me a leg up. I still use the information I learned today, and I utilize some of the lessons in my own teaching as well.—Davis Kahler ’17

The students love it too. Now-ninth grader Alexa Tracey admits she was a bit nervous when she found herself at the controls of a plane at the age of 14, but she knew she was ready for it because of all she had learned in Bill’s class. “It was nice to be able to know that I knew what was going on and that I was somewhat qualified to fly,” she said. “I would love to be a pilot someday, and taking this class made me realize getting my pilot’s license is an attainable goal.”

Alexa wouldn’t be the first Rowland Hall student to have found a career path thanks to the Middle School electives program. Alumnus Davis Kahler ’17 got his pilot’s license and is now working towards his hours as a commercial airline pilot while also teaching flying in Dallas.

“I wanted to be a pilot for as long as I can remember, and the classes I took from Mr. Tatomer really gave me a leg up,” said Davis. “I still use the information I learned today, and I utilize some of the lessons in my own teaching as well.”

The elective courses at Rowland Hall give students the opportunity to differentiate themselves as individuals while deepening their understanding of core subjects through additional knowledge. They allow them to explore and learn new things and develop lifelong interests in subjects they otherwise may have missed out on. They also are a lot of fun.

Electives allow students to take flight.

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Banner: Students in the Middle School's metal arts class, another elective option, working on a project in spring 2023.

Authentic Learning

Can art save the Great Salt Lake?

It’s a question that students have been asking all year at Rowland Hall through dance, visual arts, and other mediums. In May, the question was laid out in black and white with the production of The Great Salt Film, a one-act play commissioned by theatre teacher Matt Sincell and Upper School students that examines the issues of the lake, and how, or even if, the artistic pursuits of teenagers could have an impact on a looming environmental crisis.

I wanted to empower them to have a voice in the creative process ... to see how art can impact people.—Matt Sincell, theatre teacher

“The play centers on a group of teenagers in a short-film competition to bring awareness to saving the Great Salt Lake,” said Matt. “We start to understand what their frustrations are with feeling powerless, and being asked to solve these problems but feeling like they have no voice and no vote.”

These are feelings the young actors in the play related to and were able to work through by helping create a new piece of art. Playwright Rachel Bublitz brought drafts of the play to the students and allowed them to contribute to not only the semantics of the work, but also to its overall structure and theme. “I wanted to empower them to have a voice in the creative process,” said Matt. “This was a way for them to see how art can impact people.”

The impact is already being felt in small ways. More than $500 was raised through the world premiere of the play, all of which went to FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake. This may not seem like much, but that is a key message of the play: every bit matters. The character of Truth, played by ninth grader Anaïs Bray, makes that point by emptying one bucket of water at a time into the dying lake. “It’s all about the small steps,” she said. “Truth’s mindset is: ‘It’s the best I can do and I need to do what I can do.’”

The bigger impact will be putting the play out into the world. Now that it has premiered at Rowland Hall, it is eligible for publication and subsequent production at schools and theaters all over the world. People who have never even heard of the Great Salt Lake will be able to learn more about its shrinking, and the environmental impact. They will also learn the names of the first cast to perform the play, as they will be printed on every future edition. “It’s fun to know that I’m the first person to do this role,” said ninth grader Henry Olsen.

The message is one of hope.—Owen Thomas, class of 2023

The impact is also through the students who participated in the creation of the play and its first production. They now possess a sense of agency to pick up and examine complex dilemmas and not shy away from them, no matter how insurmountable they seem. After all, there is a lake to save.

“I think the message is one of hope,” said twelfth grader Owen Thomas. “This isn’t a battle we’ve lost yet, but we still have a long way to go.”

Theatre

A note on language: While there are multiple ways to identify as Autistic, Rowland Hall has chosen to use the identity-first language that many Autistic adults advocate for. We have also chosen to capitalize Autism and Autistic to affirm this identity.

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Third-grade teacher Hannah Ruske has a passion for inspiring children to make the world a better place for every type of learner.

“I feel very strongly that kids need to be exposed to neurodivergence really early,” said Hannah.

The daughter of a special education teacher, who for years has supported neurodivergent learners herself, Hannah has plenty of experience working with students of all abilities. But she knows these opportunities aren’t available to everyone—and she’s working to change that. That’s because when people, of any age, have chances to learn about neurodivergence, as well as disability, they’re better prepared to be welcoming and inclusive.

When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future.—Hannah Ruske, third-grade teacher

“When you get in early and proactively teach kids to notice differences without othering differences, it sets the groundwork for them to be better community members in the future,” said Hannah.

So Hannah has committed to making her classroom a place where students learn about the many ways brains work and practice skills that help others feel welcome and included. She also looks for real-world opportunities for students to practice these skills in their own communities. At Rowland Hall, this has happened through an exciting new partnership between Hannah’s class and the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, located next door to the McCarthey Campus. 

Thanks to the nature of the independent education model, which leaves space for teachers to pursue learning opportunities around classroom areas of interest, Hannah was able to design a powerful authentic learning experience that connected, and mutually benefited, students at both Rowland Hall and Pingree. After sharing her initial idea with Rowland Hall’s Center for Community Impact team, Hannah met with Rafael Ochoa, clinical director of the Pingree Center, in November to discuss how they could work together. They decided one to two monthly meet-ups, which would allow the Rowland Hall class to work with several grade levels, would most benefit both schools.

To prepare for these visits, Hannah spent two months helping her class understand the best ways to be good friends to Pingree students. They learned about Autism, including viewing Autism as a skill, not a deficit, and began forming an understanding that there are a wide array of Autistic experiences. They talked about the many ways brains work. They discussed disabilities, including how to notice differences without making people feel singled out and uncomfortable. And as they learned, Hannah made sure there was lots of time for questions.

“It’s important to teach how to categorize difference in a safe environment where students can ask questions and make mistakes before they’re out in the world and don’t know how to approach it,” she explained.

To assist with their learning and guide neurodiversity-affirming interactions, the class created a list of tips, from how to engage a friend to how to be respectful of a student’s sensory needs. They identified activities they could enjoy with their friends, including reading, drawing, working on booklets, playing on the playground, and engaging in outdoor games designed for students of all abilities. And after they began their meet-ups in January, they started reflecting on each visit together and in personal writings—an important step in helping the third graders more deeply engage in the experience

“It felt like such a privilege to have this time and freedom,” Hannah said about this space to prepare and reflect. “I think that’s why it’s been so successful.”

It’s been a success for Pingree, too, making space for students in a range of classes to sharpen their social and communication skills within safe, welcoming relationships with other children.

“As an Autism center supporting clients with social communication challenges, our partnership with Rowland Hall’s third-grade classroom has been an incredibly meaningful experience,” said Rafael, Pingree’s clinical director. “These shared moments create natural opportunities for our clients to practice social skills in a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment. Watching friendships form over ‘get to know you’ booklets, playground games, and shared laughter has been a reminder of how powerful connection and kindness can be. Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.”

Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community—one smile, game, and conversation at a time.—Rafael Ochoa, clinical director, Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning

And what’s perhaps most exciting is how this community, fostered among preschool and elementary students from two campuses on Guardsman Way, is growing every day. Drop by Hannah’s classroom and it won’t be long before you’re treated to a variety of stories—like how a class member used these new skills to make a friend at the airport during April break, or how another, a young ballerina, said this knowledge has helped her be a better friend to a fellow dancer.

The third graders are also doing their part to engage others in this work. From teaching their families and friends to sharing their list of tips with the entire Lower School at a recent Roar and Soar assembly, these changemakers are shaping a world of belonging for every type of learner—and they hope you’ll join them. Read on to learn more.

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Tips for Being a Good Friend, by Ms. Ruske’s Third Graders

Below, Hannah’s class share their top takeaways from this year’s partnership with Pingree. (Please note that these tips are based on the class’s experience at one center that serves Autistic children and don’t encompass every Autistic experience. Additionally, while these tips focus on making friends at Pingree, many are helpful for making friends with anyone.)

• Remember that everyone you meet is, first and foremost, a person. One of the top things every class member will tell you is to center an Autistic or disabled person’s humanity in your interactions. “These friends are not different,” said class member Kitty K. “Their brains work differently.” And, added Monroe O., like any other kid, each person has their own likes, dislikes, and preferences. “I think about it as: when you have friends they can sometimes do different things,” she said.
• Ask before you help someone. Just as you wouldn’t want someone to assume you can’t do something based on your age or how you look, don’t assume an Autistic or disabled person needs your help. Show them the same respect you’d want. “Ask before you help someone,” said Jack S. And that goes for any devices a person may use—they’re an extension of that person. “Don’t touch a wheelchair without permission. The user might not want to be moved,” added Jack. (It’s also good practice to always ask permission before you touch someone, even when it’s not to help—such as when they may need a hug. “Ask before you touch,” advised Gracie W.)
• Laugh with your friends, not at them. Everyone knows how much it hurts to be laughed at or left out of a joke, so keep these things out of your friendships. Also, be aware that friends, including Autistic ones, may do things that are out of their control or feel unfamiliar to you, like calling out in class. Never react by laughing. “You don’t want to laugh. It’s kind of rude,” said Cooper C.
• Be aware that loud noises might be upsetting to Autistic people or anyone with over- or under-sensitive sensory systems. “Be really sensitive,” said Rohan C. about supporting these friends. “You should be quiet and calm,” added Calder O. And be aware that sensory needs take lots of shapes, including visual and tactile sensitivities.
• Be respectful of people’s patterns and organization systems. Some Autistic people may rely on patterns, such as repetitive behaviors, as well as organization systems that are integral to their routines. Be respectful of both and never interfere without permission. “Ask to help,” said Cara D.
• Follow your friend’s lead—you don’t always need to be in charge. At each visit, the third graders found it was best to start by letting their Pingree friends take the lead. This not only helped them gauge each friend’s comfort level (“Some kids ran up to you and hugged you; others were nervous and shy,” said Leo A.), but also showed their friends that they were excited to engage in what they wanted to do. “You don't decide for others, and you have to let friends take the wheel, like if they want to talk or play,” said Zoe P.
• Talk with your friends, not at them. Be sure everyone is part of the conversation. Including everyone in the conversation shows they belong, as does respecting everyone by seeing them as a full person. “Don’t use markers that could be hurtful,” said Zoe T., referring to labels that reduce a person to just one part of who they are. And, of course, remember these rules still apply when someone isn’t in the room. “Don’t talk behind backs,” said Leo.

Further Resources

• Autistic Self Advocacy Network
• Have You Been Wondering: What Is Neurodiversity?
• When Should You Use “Neurodiverse”?
• The Autism Spectrum: A Circle, Not a Line

Community

Every time senior Claire Hersh enters Susanna Mellor’s classroom, the first-grade teacher thinks of the sitcom Cheers.

“The kids always call out, ‘Claaaaaaire,’” she laughs, in a way that reminds her of how the character Norm was greeted when he entered a scene on the television program. “They’re always excited to see her and to show her things.”

And this year, Susanna’s first graders have had a lot of chances to greet and interact with Claire, who joins their class several times each week as part of her independent project on elementary education.

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“Since I was little, I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher,” said Claire, and she’s taken every opportunity she can to prepare for this career: she’s an expert babysitter, has worked as a summer camp counselor, and has a part-time job at an after-school program.

But one of Claire’s goals—to intern in a real classroom—felt out of reach. After all, elementary schools are often on break during the summer, the time when most high school internships take place. So you can imagine Claire’s delight when English teacher Dr. Laura Johnson, who also manages the internship program, proposed that Claire instead take on an independent project, an option the Upper School offers to interested juniors and seniors in good academic standing.

Upper School Assistant Principal Stacia McFadden, who approves and oversees independent projects, said the division has offered an informal version of this kind of experience for years, often used to resolve class scheduling conflicts. But as the Upper School has worked to create even more authentic learning opportunities for students who want to follow their interests and build real-world skills, the team has started featuring independent projects more prominently as an option for deep learning, fitting naturally alongside opportunities like internships and Advanced Research classes.

“We want to make sure students don’t just leave here with book knowledge, but also with experiential knowledge—and perhaps find their passion while in high school,” said Stacia. “Allowing students to follow their passions leads to more engaged learning, which helps them succeed.”

And the division has found that students who take on independent projects tend to feel empowered by the experience. Each student-led project, which earns credit toward graduation requirements, includes a proposal, regular check-ins with an advisor, and possibly a presentation at an end-of-year showcase, all of which require full engagement with their subject. Fueled by their own interests or passions, students build confidence as they exercise their agency and find purpose in their chosen work.

It's a very unique opportunity, and I'm very grateful for it. It's something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.—Claire Hersh, class of 2025

The benefits that come from these opportunities are as varied as the projects themselves. For Claire, who’s dreamed of teaching since she was four years old, an independent project has allowed her to try on her dream career, solidifying her confidence in that path.

“I’m actually teaching,” said Claire, who’s led both small- and full-group lessons that have helped her get a feel for the job—a rare opportunity for a high school student, and one that most student teachers only have in their last year of college. And it goes beyond benefiting her today: Claire will continue to tap into the knowledge she’s building as she begins her undergraduate work this fall.

“Claire’s going to be able to connect these experiences with her studies,” said Susanna, who views Claire’s independent project journey as a perfect example of the natural learning cycle that builds meaningful, lasting knowledge. “She can use these concrete experiences to hook theoretical ideas back to. I would have loved to engage in something like this prior to studying educational theory, approaches, and history.”

“It’s a very unique opportunity, and I’m very grateful for it,” added Claire. “It’s something I would not be able to achieve, really, if I went anywhere else for school.”

Junior Catherine Seagrave has a similar perspective, knowing her independent project experience could have only happened at Rowland Hall. Like Claire, Catherine found her passion early in life: a love of all things French, nourished by Fancy Nancy, fashion, and her father’s fondness for romance languages. She planned to take a year of French IV as a junior, but at the start of the year, she spotted a second-semester conflict: the Ornithology class she was interested in was the same period as French. Around the same time, French teacher Effy Bentley, whom students call Madame, approached Catherine about an exciting opportunity: the chance to work as a server in Effy’s friend’s bakery, located in a coastal city in northern France, for the upcoming summer—a dream come true for the young Francophile.

I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students.—Catherine Seagrave, class of 2026

The duo saw a chance to turn the scheduling conflict into a transformative learning experience that would prepare Catherine to live and work in France for eight weeks this summer. After starting in French IV in the fall, Catherine switched to an independent project for the second semester. Building on her first-semester studies, she created a plan that would further the skills she’ll need for her time in France, like a solid knowledge of travel, home, and time vocabulary, opportunities for oral practice, and even creating a French resume. It’s been a purposeful way to deeply engage with her language studies and build her confidence, and Catherine is thankful to be at a school where her passion was recognized and supported in such an unexpected way.

“It’s been so meaningful. It makes me feel very valued as a community member,” she said. “I’m grateful I have access to so many teachers who are invested in their students. I feel personally recognized by my teachers, specifically Madame.”

She’s also grateful that the experience has helped her better understand herself as a learner.

“I like to work independently, so being able to plan my own coursework and learn things on my own, and sometimes work with Madame, is something that I really enjoy doing,” said Catherine.

This ability to take a new kind of ownership of learning has been a game-changer for many of the students conducting independent projects. Senior Ashlyn Lieberman, for one, has enjoyed the chance to determine how and when she wants to take on her studies in wilderness first aid, a subject she felt would be a wise use of her time as someone who spends a lot of time outdoors. With a busy senior-year workload, including four AP classes, it’s been refreshing for Ashlyn to have a project where she’s fully in charge of setting tasks and managing deadlines.

“It’s allowed me to take my time and learn the material I’m interested in,” she said. And it’s let her apply the skills she’s been building at Rowland Hall in new, low-pressure ways that are good practice for college.

“It gave me freedom that I really haven’t had before,” said Ashlyn. “I have a new sense of when things need to get done, and how I can do them to meet my internal standards.” It’s even, she shared, proving to be a smart move as she applies for summer jobs like river guiding, because it shows initiative to employers.

Ashlyn said she’s hopeful more students who enjoy a bit of independence in learning will consider this kind of option. “The type of student who will do well with this doesn’t have to have the best grades of all time or be the most academic,” she said. But if you crave a chance to be more self-reliant and you’re willing to try out a path that may help lead to success, it can be a wonderful way to uncover your personal strengths and build your self-confidence.

And whether a student chooses a project on education, or French, or physics, or finance, the many benefits, and memories, that stem from this type of authentic learning opportunity stay with them long after the work is complete. For Claire, those memories are numerous, though there’s one that rises above all others. When she walked into the first-grade classroom on her 18th birthday, she was greeted by the students as usual, though this time with cries of “Happy birthday!” mixed in. The class then presented Claire with a stack of handmade cards, each of which shared something special: an “I love you” message, a hand-drawn picture of Claire as a cat. As she read through the cards, Claire teared up.

“They reflected the lessons I taught them about punctuation, the impact that our conversations and relationships have had on them,” said Claire. Each was a representation of a child she’s gotten to know, whose life she’s brought joy into, and each is a reminder of the passion that led her to take on this opportunity. She plans to bring the cards to college, where they’ll continue to inspire her as she takes the next step on her journey to bring her teaching dream to life.

“Those will always be treasures to me,” she said.
 

Authentic Learning

Rowland Hall’s vision is to develop people the world needs. This February, a group of students from the Middle School got a formal introduction to that world and discovered just how vast it really is.

“When we entered the United Nations building it was crazy to see all these nameplates of different countries,” said eighth grader Alex P. “I got to meet people from Spain, Italy, West Africa, all sorts of places.”

Alex was one of 16 Rowland Hall students who traveled to New York City for the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Model UN conference. There, they were among more than 1,300 young people from more than 100 schools representing 60-plus nations from around the world. They were also the youngest delegation, being the only middle schoolers invited to attend.

“A lot of the kids who were 15 or 16 were asking me how old I was,” said eighth grader Dean B. “They were like, ‘You’re so brave.’ So my goal was just to talk as much as I could.”

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During the conference, the kids were split up and placed in different committees to examine various dilemmas facing the world today. Some explored climate change, while others talked about criminal justice or issues impacting labor. All were put into situations that would stretch their cultural competency and move them out of their comfort zones. However, what could have been a challenge instead became a highlight of the experience.

"My favorite part was getting to hear everyone's different languages and viewpoints,” said eighth grader Zoe P. “Even seeing how computer keyboards were adapted to write in those different languages."

My favorite part was getting to hear everyone’s different languages and viewpoints.—Zoe P., class of 2029

The students soon found themselves making friends with people from all over the world.

“I got to make some really good friends that were from all sorts of different countries, specifically Jamaica, Italy, and Georgia,” said eighth grader Zoya S. “It was really interesting because they brought a lot of new ideas to the table and made the discussions a lot better.”

Improving cultural competency and practicing soft diplomatic skills were not the only lessons learned. Students stepped up to become leaders and, in the process, gained skills that can’t be taught, but only earned.

“These kids walked in there unsure and not really confident,” said seventh-grade world studies teacher Margot Miller. “They walked out on top of the moon. They became very confident, whether it was because they made a speech or had their language included in a resolution. All of that, whether it was very small or very big, mattered to these kids.”

The presence of an authentic audience played a part in students' transformative experiences. The opportunity to step outside the classroom and interact and receive feedback from a larger community led to the students taking the matter more seriously and dedicating their full attention to what they were doing.

“That immersion was so important. It doesn’t get more authentic than the UN headquarters,” said political science and debate teacher Mike Shackelford. “It's a simulation, but you can't simulate a multicultural, global experience like that. You can't get that reading textbooks, being online, or doing any kind of in-class simulation.”

They also had the opportunity to learn from peer mentors who, not long ago, had been in their shoes. The delegation was led by two ninth graders who had previously taken Model UN in Middle School and now are taking Mike’s Applied Forensics class in the Upper School. Gregory House and Reid Venkatesan not only went to participate but also to serve as guides to their younger classmates.

“They would show me and everyone else the work they were doing, five days, four days, every day before the conference,” said Alex about the older students. “They'd help us by showing us the ropes and what to do, explaining things we didn't understand, and even helping us write speeches.”

“Reid was in my commission, and I was trying to keep up with him,” added Dean. “I would probably not be as brave if he wasn’t there. I saw Reid do all this stuff and I wanted to do it too.”

For their part, Gregory and Reid said they were happy to help their classmates, and hope it means they will continue with Model UN as they progress through school.

“I think if you go to Rowland Hall, you should take that class,” said Reid. “The skills that you gain from it, the public speaking, the research skills, and learning how to incorporate that into the rest of your schoolwork, has been super beneficial for all of the work that I do at school.”

Both Reid and Gregory received diplomacy awards for their work, setting a standard that their Middle School classmates hope to attain at future conferences. And some hope to exceed it.

This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world.—Jena S., class of 2029

“This conference inspired me to change my future. It made me see that I want to make change throughout the world,” said eighth grader Jena S. “I think I want to be an ambassador in the UN because it's a way of making change. This helped me open my mind to that.”

Students like Jena are the future of the UN and may help save it in the face of challenges it is facing from around the world.

“It's a delicate arrangement to pursue peace and put your country's interests aside. And that doesn't come naturally,” said Mike. “To instill in younger generations that the UN is a viable institution means that work can continue.”

Rowland Hall will continue its work with the UN this spring during Interim, when a group from the school travels to attend a leadership lab organized by WFUNA, exploring local solutions to global dilemmas.

It’s another step in a partnership that not only opens up a world of opportunity for these students but also gives the world the people it needs.

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Banner photo courtesy of the World Federation of United Nations Associations

Authentic Learning

It’s not every day you get to be among a first group of performers who premiere a song, but that’s exactly what happened to this year’s fourth graders.

That song, The Great Salt Lake by local composer, and former principal oboist of the Utah Symphony, Robert Stephenson, was recently shared for the first time with the Rowland Hall community on Thursday, February 27. On that lovely late winter day, families, faculty, staff, and even two classes of beginning schoolers gathered in St. Margaret’s Chapel on the McCarthey Campus. As the afternoon light gently streamed through the stained glass windows, the accompanist began to play and the students’ voices joined together.

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“Once covered by Lake Bonneville, above the waves eleven rise,” they began. “The islands of the Great Salt Lake reaching for the skies.”

As they sang through each movement, the students led the audience on a tour of the famous lake: its islands and the many creatures that call them home, its essential role in bird migration, its conservation needs. It was an honor for those gathered to witness the piece’s first public performance, as well as to learn how this opportunity came to be.

It all started with a trip to the Great Salt Lake.

Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge.—Haas Pectol, fourth-grade teacher

Each September, Rowland Hall’s fourth graders, joined by 10th-grade learning buddies, travel to the Great Salt Lake for a field study of the lake’s ecosystem, history, and impact. This trip, one of many the grade takes during the year as they study Utah’s past and present, is designed to engage students’ senses as they connect their in-class learning to a local landmark.

“Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge,” said fourth-grade teacher Haas Pectol, as these experiential learning opportunities invite students to engage their senses, which helps them more easily grasp concepts, make connections, and care about the subject at hand.

At the lake, teachers encouraged sense engagement by having students make scientific observations through the I see, I think, I wonder lens. As they named what they saw, the students began to notice more in the environment around them. They noted their observations as they walked. We wonder, they wrote, why so many dead brine shrimp are floating around … why the sand has waves … how dead fish got out so far … why it smells so bad. 

“I looked at it with a new perspective because we were learning about it while we were there,” remembered fourth grader Jojo T.

Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact, said sensory learning approaches like I see, I think, I wonder are powerful when it comes to building lifelong learners and critical thinkers because they don’t allow learning to be siloed. As scientific observers at the lake that day, students sparked their own curiosity and wonder as they asked questions and made connections across their knowledge and interests.

“Wonder is a cue,” he said. “There’s a wow there, but you also know you need to go beyond yourself to learn more—do some research, talk to an expert, hear stories.”

These experiences can also help shape people who are empowered to find solutions to the world’s hardest problems by connecting them to a place, person, group, or cause. At the Great Salt Lake, students began to understand that they, too, can advocate for the lake they hear so much about.

“They care more and take more ownership because we’re creating a really meaningful, memorable experience and instilling that this is an awesome place,” said Haas.

So when McCarthey Campus music teacher Susan Swidnicki approached Haas about a multidisciplinary opportunity to link the students’ scientific observations from the lake to an artistic experience that would further their role as its advocates, Haas was excited to help out. Susan explained that her friend Robert Stephenson, who goes by Bob, was writing songs for the school’s children’s choruses. They wanted to include a piece about the Great Salt Lake and hoped fourth graders could contribute to its creation by sharing with the composer what about the lake most inspires them.

Did you know that collaborating with Bob Stephenson wasn’t the only way fourth graders built on their Great Salt Lake field study? The students and their 10th-grade buddies also created brochures for the lake’s 2024 intercoastal cleanup event. And the teachers shared their expertise with FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, which creates fourth-grade curriculum for Utah schools. Their advice? Build in opportunities to engage students’ senses so they feel more connected to their lake studies.

The teachers decided to use picturing writing, a sensory engagement project in which students create a piece of art, then describe elements of that art through poem or prose. Susan led the students through the artistic process, providing photographs of the lake to inspire the class as they created crayon and watercolor paintings. Next, Haas led them through a descriptive writing exercise where they interpreted their paintings through vivid descriptive language. Thanks to their field study, they were well prepared.

“They drew on their own senses,” said Haas. “They’ve been there, saw it, smelled it.”

When the class was done, they had a gallery showcasing a range of subjects, from the lake itself to the landscape that surrounds it. Salty banks. Invasive phragmites grass encroaching on nesting areas. Mountains. Bird nests. The lake’s animals were there, too, from brine shrimp and antelope to the snowy plover. Even Pink Floyd, the legendary Chilean flamingo who wintered at the lake from 1988 to 2005, was represented. Below each image, the students’ words brought the lake to life, waking the reader’s own senses as they described the colors of sunset, the grit of a shoreline, the prickle in your nose as you catch a whiff of the lake’s signature scent.

The class then invited Bob to campus to view the gallery and gather inspiration for the subjects that would shape his songwriting. Bob said it was important to him to incorporate as many aspects of the lake as possible to illustrate its vital, multifaceted role, and its importance to the community and environment. Over time, this took shape as three separate movements: “Above the Waves,” which describes the lake’s landscape through the lens of its 11 islands; “Brine Shrimp, Brine Flies,” which playfully highlights the lake’s role in bird migration; and “Nowhere to Go,” which addresses the crisis of the shrinking lake. The goal, Bob explained, was to inspire listeners to aid in Great Salt Lake’s preservation.

“I hope somebody listening to the piece realizes the lake’s relevance, and that if we put our minds together and we collaborate, and we’re careful, it’ll be something that lasts,” he said.

It’s a perspective that fits beautifully with Rowland Hall’s approach to shaping empathetic, ethical citizens through our curriculum. In music class, this happens through discussions of musical changemaking. “We’ve been trying to teach them that music can sometimes get a message through to people when other things can’t,” explained Susan.

This role as musical changemakers, coupled with their own experiences from the field study, inspired and energized the entire fourth grade, which agreed to perform the song’s world premiere. Over the months they prepared and practiced, Bob visited rehearsals several times to collaborate with the students, gathering feedback and making adjustments in real time. The teachers hoped these experiences were memorable not only because they gave students a peek into how a professional musician works, but also because they proved that others are invested in and available to them as they work to make change.

“We want students to be exposed to all these different people in our community—it makes them feel having access to community partners is normal and within the realm of feasible things that can happen,” said Haas. And the chance to work with Bob, like the chance to visit the lake, more deeply connected them to the learning experience.

“They feel so lucky to have a composer work with them and really honored to be part of the process,” said Haas, “and they really took it seriously,” even and especially as they were challenged to learn three complicated movements, stretch their singing abilities, and master new vocabulary. Fourth grader Noelle B. explained that learning the song could be challenging (like when she was trying to hit the high notes!) but it was fun to be part of the process. It’s clear that the confidence built through the experience helped students like Noelle feel real ownership of the collaboration.

“It’s exciting that we get to have our own song,” she said with a smile.

And the students are excited about the song’s potential impact. After the February premiere, Bob began the process of searching for a publisher, with the goal of making the piece available to more schools so it can, hopefully, inspire greater advocacy.

Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

As for the song’s first, and perhaps most passionate, singers, the teachers hope the multidisciplinary process behind this experience has a long-term impact on how they view themselves. After all, this kind of learning, explained Susan, is one of the best ways to help students see themselves as multifaceted people: scientists and musicians and writers and painters, as well as people who can make a difference, all at the same time.

“Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn,” she said. “We want to grow and encourage the whole person, and help them understand they can come at challenges from many ways to make their lives, and others’ lives, more beautiful, worthwhile, and better.”

Experiential Learning

When it comes to learning about wise spending and saving, you can never start too young.

“It’s important to make sure kids are growing up with financial knowledge,” said Samantha Hill, the Upper School’s entrepreneurship and innovation teacher.
 

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It’s also important to start building that financial knowledge early, which is why, in late October, upper schoolers spent two days teaching first and third graders about smart money choices.

Teaching something to someone else—especially to younger kids, because you have to put it in a language they will understand—helped me to reinforce my own knowledge.—Jane Borst, class of 2026

This project—assigned to students in both Samantha’s Business & Finance and Entrepreneurship classes—ties into the Jump$tart Teen Teach-In program, which brings high school students into elementary classrooms to teach personal finance lessons. It’s a win-win opportunity: not only do the older students engage with their class lessons in fresh ways as they prepare to teach, but it also introduces the younger students to important financial concepts.

To prepare for teaching, the students tapped into the knowledge they’ve been building in class this fall, as well as reviewed Jump$tart materials on the topics they’d be presenting: “Needs and Wants” for first graders and “Saving, Spending, Borrowing, and Lending” for third graders. They split into pairs or groups, depending on how many students they’d be working with, and each team chose how they wanted to present the information to the students. It was a valuable exercise.

“Teaching something to someone else—especially to younger kids, because you have to put it in a language they will understand—helped me to reinforce my own knowledge,” said junior Jane Borst. “I also had to be prepared for any questions they would ask, so I had to go more in depth than normal.”

Students chose to present their topics in several ways, from presentations to a variety of games (for example, one group asked first graders to sort pictures of items—such as clothing, a teddy bear, water, and a puppy—into “wants” and “needs” columns). Whatever the approach, the younger students were engaged, active, and thrilled to interact with the big kids.

“They were all so sweet and funny. They seemed to enjoy themselves the whole time too,” said junior Eliana Jansen, who also found the experience beneficial. “It helped me solidify my knowledge by helping others learn, as well as made it more memorable by having a fun experience associated with the information.”

For Samantha and the Lower School teachers, it also served as a reminder of the real benefits of cross-divisional collaborations, including deeper learning, increased student confidence, and even joyful moments. The latter was certainly true for junior Duke O'Neil, who was assigned to a group of Ms. April’s first graders—10 years after being one of her students.

“It was super cool to come full circle and teach some of her class,” said Duke. “My personal favorite part was watching the kids really grasp onto the ideas. We spent a lot of time and effort composing a fun lesson for them, and seeing them really have fun with it and learn something gave the assignment purpose.”

Perhaps most importantly, these opportunities also strengthen bonds between age groups, reminding all students that they’re valued and important to their school community.

“They’re all connected,” said Samantha. “They’re all Winged Lions.”

Experiential Learning

When Kavitha Kasturi walked into her first Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2022, it was the first time she had been in a space in which most people belonged to historically underrepresented groups.

“The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging,” said Kavitha.

The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging.—Kavitha Kasturi, class of 2025

Held every year during the week after Thanksgiving, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference brings together student and adult representatives from independent schools across the US and abroad. Organized by the National Association of Independent Schools, SDLC takes place alongside the organization’s People of Color Conference. Both gatherings provide opportunities to self-reflect, connect with others, and learn how to build inclusive, equitable, and just classrooms and communities.

Because Rowland Hall believes in the importance of these conferences and the benefits they bring to the school community, every year the school pays to send a group of faculty and staff, as well as six Upper School students, to them. Each year, these representatives leave SDLC and PoCC inspired and excited to share what they learned with their community at Rowland Hall.

As in years past, when the 2023 SDLC wrapped, the student representatives—then juniors Kavitha Kasturi, Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Sylvia Rae Twahirwa, and Evan Weinstein, and then 10th grader Gavin Schmidt—were looking forward to sharing their experience back at school. But the group, some of whom were repeat conference attendees, also felt a pull to think bigger.
 

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That’s because the students knew, as of 2023, Rowland Hall was the only Utah independent school that attended SDLC—meaning very few students in the state benefit from the four-day experience. While they’d be sharing what they learned with their Upper School peers, they worried it was too small an impact. They wondered if there was a way to expand their reach. As the Rowland Hall representatives gathered for a debriefing on the last day of the conference, an exciting idea was floated: Could the students create their own SDLC-inspired conference for other Utah high schoolers?

It’s the kind of idea that could easily be shared then forgotten, but in the weeks following their return to campus, the SDLC group—along with then junior Hasan Rahim, who had attended SDLC in 2022, and then ninth grader Aoife Canning—kept the conversation going. Guided by advisors Dr. Kate Taylor, Dr. Chandani Patel, and Harper Lundquist ’16, the students began discussing all that actually goes into planning a conference, as well as what elements of SDLC they wanted to keep and what they thought was missing from the experience. Dr. Taylor wasn’t surprised by what she witnessed.

“This group happens to be very action-oriented, which is something I love about them,” she said. “They’re big visionary thinkers.”

And before they knew it, these visionaries’ questions had transformed into a solid plan. By January, they were working on what would soon be known as Wings of Inclusion: Cultivating Joy in Education, a first-of-its-kind student-led conference scheduled for Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, at the Lincoln Street Campus.

In the months that followed, the students immersed themselves in the complicated world of event planning. Between classes and extracurriculars, and then during summer break, the group tackled a long to-do list: design a logo and marketing plan, craft a schedule, communicate with speakers and performers, extend invitations, identify facilitators, arrange catering, decide on activities, gather discussion questions. In line with priority 2 of Rowland Hall’s strategic vision, advisors were on hand for guidance as needed, but focused on empowering the students to make decisions and take the lead as much as possible.

As summer drew to a close and a new school year ramped up, the group put the finishing touches on their conference and prepared to welcome students from Wasatch Academy, the Waterford School, Copper Hills High School, and Olympus High School to campus.

The Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with a space of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others.

Guided by the theme of Cultivating Joy in Education (which builds on Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 school-wide theme, Joy, and was inspired in part by a presentation the students heard from Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Unearthing Joy), the Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with the kind of space Kavitha remembered walking into for her first SDLC—one of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others. The schedule, thoughtfully crafted by the student organizers, included space for both affinity groups (groups that share identities) and family groups (groups of randomly mixed participants), as well as unstructured social time, meals, and performances by Punjabi Arts Academy, Salt Lake Capoeira, and Best of Africa.

The students also scheduled three guest speakers: Stacy Bernal, a candidate for Utah State Senate; Michelle Mooney, impact manager for the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office; and Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal, vice president for diversity, equity, and student success at American Association of Colleges and Universities, and a Rowland Hall trustee. “Our main goal was to show there are people of color or other diverse identities in positions of power,” said organizer Sylvia Rae. They hoped student attendees would see themselves in these community leaders, and that the speakers’ stories about their personal and professional journeys would help attendees understand that leadership and changemaking were within their reach.

And while the conference’s attendees certainly had an impressive group of adults at the event to look up to (in addition to the speakers, Ryan Hoglund, Robin Hori, Dr. Lydia Jackson, Dr. Nate Kogan, and Stacia McFadden served as conference facilitators, while advisors Dr. Patel and Kaleb Nielsen coordinated the program), the strongest role models of the weekend were the student organizers themselves. In addition to managing the flow of the event, these students all took on the facilitation roles that make breakout spaces safe and provide valuable, joyful experiences for attendees, some of whom may feel unwelcome in other communities.

“There’s definitely a nurturing role, a caretaking role,” said Sylvia Rae about being a facilitator. “You’re bigger than yourself at that moment: ‘I’m facilitating this conversation and it's not about me now; it’s about others.’”

And though the Wings of Inclusion turnout was smaller than the students originally hoped for (30 people attended the inaugural conference), the size turned out to be beneficial. It allowed facilitators to lead deeper conversations and for all attendees to more fully participate. “It was the perfect amount of people,” reflected Sylvia Rae.

Speaker Michelle Mooney, who stayed for a breakout session after addressing the group on Saturday morning, said watching the student facilitators lead their groups was heartwarming, and even reinvigorated her feelings about her own role in the community—particularly when it comes to empowering rising leaders. Though still in her 20s, Michelle said she’s already thinking about the legacy she’ll leave for the next generation to carry on, and she hopes more professionals will recognize the capabilities of students and young adults and help cultivate them as leaders.

“We don’t need to doubt that the youth know what to do, and we really need to empower our youth to feel like they have a place,” said Michelle.

And as Wings of Inclusion showed, when students are empowered, they can do incredible things. As the conference wound down on Saturday evening, a feeling of joy could be felt on campus—an attestation of the small-but-mighty power of this student-created gathering that, only nine months earlier, had been but a question, a dream of a space in which students from across the state could gather to pour strength, love, and inspiration into one another.

To close the event, the organizers gathered the group for an open mic session. Though they knew speaking in front of others is scary, and they were a bit worried the minutes may be filled with silence, they wanted to provide a moment of reflection for attendees. They didn’t wait long before one student stood up. Another followed. Then another. As each student came to the mic, they shared their gratitude for this welcoming conference, for this safe space in which they could share their experiences and be themselves. Some said they had never had this kind of opportunity before. Some called out the guest speakers who made them feel that they, too, can make a difference. They were grateful. They were inspirational. “It was the best moment of the conference for me and my peers,” said Kavitha.

They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power.—Dr. Kate Taylor, Upper School English teacher

For Dr. Taylor, who supported the students’ dream from its earliest days, the positive feedback the students have received is incredibly well-deserved. And, perhaps more importantly, it’s an ongoing reminder to these leaders that they are never too young to make real change.

“They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power,” said Dr. Taylor.

And the organizers can know that the inaugural (and soon to be annual) Wings of Inclusion conference will play an important role in helping more young adults from across the state believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference.

“Little things like this really matter. It made an impact,” said Kavitha. “It’s inspiring, and it made me want to keep going.”

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Banner: Rowland Hall seniors Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Evan Weinstein, Kavitha Kasturi, Hasan Rahim, and Sylvia Rae Twahirwa smile for a photo at the 2024 Wings of Inclusion Conference.

Equity & Inclusion

Excavators. Rocks. Dump trucks. Mud. When it comes to all that’s found on a busy construction site, there may be no group that appreciates it more than preschoolers.

And on one sunny Friday in early September, a group of Rowland Hall beginning schoolers had an experience that’s rarely available to those their age: they got to walk into a real construction site.
 

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Donning hard hats and highlighter-orange vests that hung past their knees—and safely contained within a taped-off section of the Richard R. Steiner Campus—the 4PreK students were hard at work. In between chatting with the crew and enjoying a front-row view of the excavator, water truck, and grader on hand for the day, the students could be seen scooping excavated soil into two wagons. Something exciting was happening.

While it’s never surprising to see Rowland Hall students learning in new spaces, this activity was noteworthy as it marked the first time this year that students were using the construction site—future home of the Middle School and Upper School, as well as a performing arts center and athletic complex—in their learning. And it seems only fitting that 4PreK students, who not only love construction but study it each year, were the first to engage with the rising campus.

“There’s nothing better than a construction project for preschool kids,” said Jennifer Claesgens, Rowland Hall’s early childhood experiential learning and science specialist, who has spent months thinking about how to connect students with the Steiner Campus site. She saw a natural connection with 4PreK, where the study of construction progresses from topics such as learning to identify shapes to studying the building techniques behind strong, stable structures. (A favorite way students put this work into practice each year is by creating block models of the Utah State Capitol.)

This focus on finding ways to connect students with their campus, as well as the wider community, isn’t new for Jennifer. As an experiential learning and science specialist, she focuses on learning by doing and partners with 4PreK through second-grade teachers to build on what’s happening in their classrooms. As part of this work, she’s always keeping an eye out for new spaces in which students can learn. These spaces take many forms, including the Lower School science garden, where she takes students to see the apple trees when their fruit is at its peak, and the McCarthey Campus quad, where students studied shadows during April’s solar eclipse.

Already, the Steiner Campus promises to be a wonderful new resource for student learning. As Jennifer stood among the four- and five-year-olds on that bright late summer day, she could see how engaged they were. During the visit, the students learned from the construction crew, excitedly observed the excavator dig a hole, and took turns adding shovelfuls of dirt to the wagons. It’s clear the site will continue to be a resource for students of all ages between now and the campus’s 2026 opening, thanks to the support of the school and the partnership of Okland Construction, Rowland Hall’s contractor.

“Okland went above and beyond to make this happen,” said Steiner Campus Project Manager Kathryn Pickford of the 4PreK visit, which she coordinated with Okland’s project manager, Scott Thomsen. “They are keen to do this when the opportunity arises and as we move through construction.”

Okland can certainly look forward to continued interaction with the 4PreK students—the classes’ afternoon site visit was only the first step in what will be a yearlong observation of the rising Steiner Campus, which will complement their in-class units and follow students’ interests.

For instance, in Isabelle Buhler and Mara Kushner’s class, students are already at work building their own school on the dirt they wheeled from the Steiner Campus to their play yard. Since their visit, they’ve transferred the dirt to a kiddie pool and started preparing their building’s foundation. Like the construction crew across campus, the preschoolers have been removing materials, such as rocks and wood chips, in order to level the ground so that they can build. In the coming weeks, they’ll be thinking about the materials they’ll need for their school, and will use ongoing observations of what’s happening on the Steiner Campus as their guide.

Best of all? All of this hands-on, deep learning will complement their in-class studies on subjects including 2D and 3D shapes, materials, literacy, math, and even engineering and physics. And along the way, they’ll be continuing to learn how to work together, communicate, observe closely, and take learning risks—all practices that will support their learning for years to come.

It really is exciting.

Experiential Learning

Signs of spring are beginning to show on the McCarthey Campus, which means people are already hard at work preparing for end-of-year festivities. What might be surprising, though, is that not all of these people are grown-ups.

This year, fifth-grade interns have been playing important roles in planning some of Rowland Hall’s most exciting events, including the upcoming Richard R. Steiner Campus groundbreaking and Lower School Spirit Game. But events aren't the only way fifth graders are making a difference. That’s because the 2023–2024 school year is the inaugural year of the 5-I Fifth-Grade Internship Program, a first-of-its-kind optional leadership program that connects fifth graders with McCarthey Campus staff, administrative, and leadership teams for a yearlong authentic learning experience in which students make real impact on campus.
 

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In this first year alone, the program’s 34 interns are supporting 19 departments and teams, making it difficult to find an area of the beginning and lower schools that students aren’t impacting. They’ve helped to plan, execute, and lead Community Sings, Roar and Soar assemblies, Grandparents Day, and Maker Night. They’ve observed teachers and supported younger students with their math, reading, and writing. They’ve welcomed prospective families on campus tours. They’ve surveyed their peers to learn what they want to see on the new campus. And they’ve provided necessary behind-the-scenes support, from sorting the mail to answering technology support tickets.

The in-school 5-I Fifth-Grade Internship Program is designed to help fifth-grade leaders:
• Take initiative
• Individualize learning
• Develop interests
• Impact the community
• Be inspired

“I think it’s cool seeing how the school works,” said fifth grader Anna F., one of three interns who’s helped create Lower School Spirit Nights, new opportunities for lower schoolers to come together to cheer on the Winged Lions. Classmate Bergen S., one of two interns who assisted with Grandparents Day and is now weighing in on the upcoming Steiner Campus groundbreaking festivities, added, “It’s a really good learning experience. It’s nice to know how much people in the offices contribute to our daily lives.”

Beginning School and Lower School Assistant Principal Brittney Hansen ’02, who led the design and rollout of the 5-I program, knows this kind of opportunity is developmentally appropriate for fifth graders, and right in line with the school’s strategic priorities, which emphasize authentic learning that increases student choice and voice. As the oldest students in the division, fifth graders are ready to stretch their leadership skills while also exploring their budding interests. They want to put into practice their talents and knowledge to better their school. And they’re interested in what it’s like to have a job, with many ready to explore the type of right-fit challenges that internships provide—and which can help prepare them for the next stage of their education.

“We’re looking at the trajectory for what they’ll need by middle school,” said Brittney. “What skills do they need to be successful?”

Photos by Charlie P., marketing and communication intern

And because Brittney and the Lower School principals team wanted to emphasize the real-world nature of the program, they kicked it off with an application process that echoes what students may one day see when applying for positions outside of school. Prospective interns were asked to write essays explaining why they wanted to join the program, what they hoped to learn, why they were strong candidates, and any areas of the school in which they’d like to work and why. They also needed a parent or guardian signature, as well as a letter of recommendation from an adult who wasn’t a relative or homeroom teacher because, as Brittney explained, “We wanted to give the kids practice in appropriately asking a grown-up for help in completing an application process.”

Building these kinds of life skills is important to the 5-I experience. “This program builds skills that are hard to learn in a classroom or traditional curriculum, like writing a professional email and responding in a timely way, or writing thank-you notes to express gratitude for someone giving their time to you,” said Brittney. Students also had to take on responsibility for their applications; although plenty of grown-ups were on hand to provide support and guidance, applicants were in charge of ensuring that their essays and other materials were completed and turned in on time. But the fifth graders weren’t deterred.

“I always get my work done and never say no to a little challenge,” read one aspiring intern’s essay. Another shared, “I am a hard worker. I always take my best shot at every challenge that comes my way.”

Thirty-four fifth graders—more than half of the class—submitted applications in which they made clear their excitement for this new opportunity.

And though the idea of the 5-I program had been met with enthusiasm by fifth graders, Brittney didn’t expect a big group for the first year (she originally envisioned a pilot program of 12 participants). However, 34 fifth graders—more than half the class—submitted applications in which they made clear their excitement for this new opportunity. Since October, these interns have been hard at work, connecting with mentors monthly and taking on tasks across campus that both teach them how the school runs and help them learn more about themselves.

For Anna, one of the interns behind Lower School Spirit Nights, a major takeaway from the program (so far) is an understanding of the effort it takes to transform big-picture brainstorming into a real community event. “It’s important because kids see how much work and effort go into major events, from thinking big to making it happen,” said Anna. She also shared how exciting it’s been for students to have a hand in creating school events. “It’s not a little bubble; it’s more real-world scenarios,” she said. “It really improves teamwork, and trying hard, and dedication.”

It also improves connections across grades. Fifth grader Katie P., one of two interns for the Student Support Team, gives mini lessons to kindergartners and third graders every week and is learning that working with kids is one of her passions. “​​It’s fun. We get to have a different experience every time,” she said. And as a longtime Rowland Hall student, Katie can also apply her own experiences to this work. “I remember when I was that young,” she said. “I remember when I was so confused or when I understood things.” By tapping into what helped her, she’s making concepts easier for students and building connections, especially with the third graders. 

Importantly, 5-I also helps interns learn the value of their voices. Bergen, one of the interns who helped plan this year’s Grandparents Day, shared that he helped write the program script in collaboration with intern Zoe Y. and under the guidance of Associate Director of Alumni and Donor Engagement Marc DeCoste, and that being a part of that process was really fun. “They listened to me and asked me to contribute my ideas,” he said. Additionally, using the script to welcome visitors to campus for the event boosted Bergen’s public-speaking confidence. “I never spoke to a group that large before,” he said. “I felt like I knew what I was doing.”

These benefits go both ways. Adult mentors across campus are full of stories about how wonderful it’s been to have the interns’ support. Director of Enrollment Management Shuja Khan, for one, said his intern, Mila P., greatly benefited his team during the admission season, when she helped build the Rowland Hall community by giving time during recess every Tuesday morning for 12 weeks to welcome prospective families to campus. “Every family was surprised and happy to see her,” said Shuja. “Parents have so many interactions with teachers, administrators, and other parents, but it’s harder to have authentic interactions with kids.”

And Mila’s willingness to share her own experiences opened opportunities for Shuja and his team to have deeper discussions with families about curriculum and the school’s strategic vision. The Admission Office is so impressed they're already thinking about how they can expand opportunities for next year’s interns—and they’re not alone. Chief Information Officer Patrick Godfrey, whose team is supporting three interns, also looks forward to the future of 5-I.

Photos by Charlie P., marketing and communication intern

“This is a fantastic program,” said Patrick. “It’s a way for students to connect outside the classroom with people like me that they wouldn’t ordinarily connect with, and see other sides of the school that they would never see otherwise.” As a result, many members of the staff, especially those who don’t regularly interact with students, feel a deeper commitment to Rowland Hall’s vision. “It’s a more direct path to the why behind the work we do each day,” added Brittney.

This internship program is one example of how we're thinking creatively about learning.—Brittney Hansen ’02, Beginning School and Lower School assistant principal

It’s also a rewarding way for staff to see firsthand how authentic learning successfully builds skills and confidence in students, and helps those students actually see themselves as problem solvers and critical thinkers. For Patrick, who’s watched his team’s interns blossom as they’ve taken on tasks such as basic troubleshooting, running a light board, and beta testing software, this is the ultimate end product for a school.

“I have three students now who can troubleshoot classroom tech for teachers,” he said. “Kids are talking about it all the time when they go home; they’re really jazzed about it. There’s no cost but extremely high reward for students who participate. It’s a huge win for the school in my book.”

And it’s already promising to become a top experience for Rowland Hall’s fifth graders (younger students are even asking when it’ll be their turn to intern). Brittney said she could see it turning into a capstone-like project for this grade, marking the end of their Lower School careers—and serving as just one example of the exceptional outcomes of a Rowland Hall education.

“The Lower School team really does take the work of providing authentic learning experiences seriously and in a way that’s appropriate for our young learners,” said Brittney. “This internship program is one example of how we're thinking creatively about learning, in the broad sense, on this campus.”

Authentic Learning

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Banner photo: Interns Zoe Y. and Bergen S. welcome visitors to Grandparents Day.

It’s not every day you get to be among a first group of performers who premiere a song, but that’s exactly what happened to this year’s fourth graders.

That song, The Great Salt Lake by local composer, and former principal oboist of the Utah Symphony, Robert Stephenson, was recently shared for the first time with the Rowland Hall community on Thursday, February 27. On that lovely late winter day, families, faculty, staff, and even two classes of beginning schoolers gathered in St. Margaret’s Chapel on the McCarthey Campus. As the afternoon light gently streamed through the stained glass windows, the accompanist began to play and the students’ voices joined together.

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“Once covered by Lake Bonneville, above the waves eleven rise,” they began. “The islands of the Great Salt Lake reaching for the skies.”

As they sang through each movement, the students led the audience on a tour of the famous lake: its islands and the many creatures that call them home, its essential role in bird migration, its conservation needs. It was an honor for those gathered to witness the piece’s first public performance, as well as to learn how this opportunity came to be.

It all started with a trip to the Great Salt Lake.

Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge.—Haas Pectol, fourth-grade teacher

Each September, Rowland Hall’s fourth graders, joined by 10th-grade learning buddies, travel to the Great Salt Lake for a field study of the lake’s ecosystem, history, and impact. This trip, one of many the grade takes during the year as they study Utah’s past and present, is designed to engage students’ senses as they connect their in-class learning to a local landmark.

“Any time we can get them out in the field, it’s huge,” said fourth-grade teacher Haas Pectol, as these experiential learning opportunities invite students to engage their senses, which helps them more easily grasp concepts, make connections, and care about the subject at hand.

At the lake, teachers encouraged sense engagement by having students make scientific observations through the I see, I think, I wonder lens. As they named what they saw, the students began to notice more in the environment around them. They noted their observations as they walked. We wonder, they wrote, why so many dead brine shrimp are floating around … why the sand has waves … how dead fish got out so far … why it smells so bad. 

“I looked at it with a new perspective because we were learning about it while we were there,” remembered fourth grader Jojo T.

Ryan Hoglund, director of community engagement and impact, said sensory learning approaches like I see, I think, I wonder are powerful when it comes to building lifelong learners and critical thinkers because they don’t allow learning to be siloed. As scientific observers at the lake that day, students sparked their own curiosity and wonder as they asked questions and made connections across their knowledge and interests.

“Wonder is a cue,” he said. “There’s a wow there, but you also know you need to go beyond yourself to learn more—do some research, talk to an expert, hear stories.”

These experiences can also help shape people who are empowered to find solutions to the world’s hardest problems by connecting them to a place, person, group, or cause. At the Great Salt Lake, students began to understand that they, too, can advocate for the lake they hear so much about.

“They care more and take more ownership because we’re creating a really meaningful, memorable experience and instilling that this is an awesome place,” said Haas.

So when McCarthey Campus music teacher Susan Swidnicki approached Haas about a multidisciplinary opportunity to link the students’ scientific observations from the lake to an artistic experience that would further their role as its advocates, Haas was excited to help out. Susan explained that her friend Robert Stephenson, who goes by Bob, was writing songs for the school’s children’s choruses. They wanted to include a piece about the Great Salt Lake and hoped fourth graders could contribute to its creation by sharing with the composer what about the lake most inspires them.

Did you know that collaborating with Bob Stephenson wasn’t the only way fourth graders built on their Great Salt Lake field study? The students and their 10th-grade buddies also created brochures for the lake’s 2024 intercoastal cleanup event. And the teachers shared their expertise with FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, which creates fourth-grade curriculum for Utah schools. Their advice? Build in opportunities to engage students’ senses so they feel more connected to their lake studies.

The teachers decided to use picturing writing, a sensory engagement project in which students create a piece of art, then describe elements of that art through poem or prose. Susan led the students through the artistic process, providing photographs of the lake to inspire the class as they created crayon and watercolor paintings. Next, Haas led them through a descriptive writing exercise where they interpreted their paintings through vivid descriptive language. Thanks to their field study, they were well prepared.

“They drew on their own senses,” said Haas. “They’ve been there, saw it, smelled it.”

When the class was done, they had a gallery showcasing a range of subjects, from the lake itself to the landscape that surrounds it. Salty banks. Invasive phragmites grass encroaching on nesting areas. Mountains. Bird nests. The lake’s animals were there, too, from brine shrimp and antelope to the snowy plover. Even Pink Floyd, the legendary Chilean flamingo who wintered at the lake from 1988 to 2005, was represented. Below each image, the students’ words brought the lake to life, waking the reader’s own senses as they described the colors of sunset, the grit of a shoreline, the prickle in your nose as you catch a whiff of the lake’s signature scent.

The class then invited Bob to campus to view the gallery and gather inspiration for the subjects that would shape his songwriting. Bob said it was important to him to incorporate as many aspects of the lake as possible to illustrate its vital, multifaceted role, and its importance to the community and environment. Over time, this took shape as three separate movements: “Above the Waves,” which describes the lake’s landscape through the lens of its 11 islands; “Brine Shrimp, Brine Flies,” which playfully highlights the lake’s role in bird migration; and “Nowhere to Go,” which addresses the crisis of the shrinking lake. The goal, Bob explained, was to inspire listeners to aid in Great Salt Lake’s preservation.

“I hope somebody listening to the piece realizes the lake’s relevance, and that if we put our minds together and we collaborate, and we’re careful, it’ll be something that lasts,” he said.

It’s a perspective that fits beautifully with Rowland Hall’s approach to shaping empathetic, ethical citizens through our curriculum. In music class, this happens through discussions of musical changemaking. “We’ve been trying to teach them that music can sometimes get a message through to people when other things can’t,” explained Susan.

This role as musical changemakers, coupled with their own experiences from the field study, inspired and energized the entire fourth grade, which agreed to perform the song’s world premiere. Over the months they prepared and practiced, Bob visited rehearsals several times to collaborate with the students, gathering feedback and making adjustments in real time. The teachers hoped these experiences were memorable not only because they gave students a peek into how a professional musician works, but also because they proved that others are invested in and available to them as they work to make change.

“We want students to be exposed to all these different people in our community—it makes them feel having access to community partners is normal and within the realm of feasible things that can happen,” said Haas. And the chance to work with Bob, like the chance to visit the lake, more deeply connected them to the learning experience.

“They feel so lucky to have a composer work with them and really honored to be part of the process,” said Haas, “and they really took it seriously,” even and especially as they were challenged to learn three complicated movements, stretch their singing abilities, and master new vocabulary. Fourth grader Noelle B. explained that learning the song could be challenging (like when she was trying to hit the high notes!) but it was fun to be part of the process. It’s clear that the confidence built through the experience helped students like Noelle feel real ownership of the collaboration.

“It’s exciting that we get to have our own song,” she said with a smile.

And the students are excited about the song’s potential impact. After the February premiere, Bob began the process of searching for a publisher, with the goal of making the piece available to more schools so it can, hopefully, inspire greater advocacy.

Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

As for the song’s first, and perhaps most passionate, singers, the teachers hope the multidisciplinary process behind this experience has a long-term impact on how they view themselves. After all, this kind of learning, explained Susan, is one of the best ways to help students see themselves as multifaceted people: scientists and musicians and writers and painters, as well as people who can make a difference, all at the same time.

“Our goal is for children to awaken all senses and know they can use their whole self to learn,” she said. “We want to grow and encourage the whole person, and help them understand they can come at challenges from many ways to make their lives, and others’ lives, more beautiful, worthwhile, and better.”

Experiential Learning

Students are not the only learners at Rowland Hall. Every day, teachers are finding new ways to practice their craft and make education more impactful and resonant to the children in their classrooms. And this fall, in Tiya Karaus’s second-grade classroom, that meant starting small. As small as a bug.

The study of insects has been part of the second-grade curriculum for decades. The students learn about the anatomy, the biology, and the ecological impact of various bugs. This year, though, Tiya partnered with music teacher Susan Swidnicki to add a creative layer to the lessons.

“Working together allows us to try new methods and get feedback in real time,” Tiya said. “It makes it easier to put ideas into practice and refine and iterate on them through constant check-ins with each other.”
 

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Before starting, the pair came up with a number of ideas of how the unit could be structured and how to make the lessons as cross-curricular as possible through the addition of music, movement, creative writing, and more. “We were looking for ways to put more child-friendly creativity into the day,” Susan said. “We wanted to do something that would engage the children and add meaning for them.”

It started with the basics, as it has in years past. The students learned the biological and anatomical features of insects, worked bugs into their math problems, and read both fiction and non-fiction books on the subject. Then, on Fridays, a new layer was added: they took all of their knowledge and set it to music.

“We usually didn’t have a set plan in place; we wanted to let the kids lead and then help them build upon it,” Tiya said. “That feeling of creation at the moment allowed us and the students to find and learn unexpected things.”

During the Friday sessions, the students would explore their knowledge of insects by creating dances that turned them into honeybees, and by playing instruments that helped turn stories into songs.

The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board.—Tiya Karaus, second-grade teacher

“The music tells us certain points in the story. It’s hard to forget when you are listening to the music,” said second grader Ember H. “It’s really hard at first but it gets easier and easier.”

The kids did more than expand their knowledge of insects. Allowing the children greater freedom to be self-directed required them to use and improve social and collaborative skills. Without a teacher as the central focus, the students had to regulate their own behaviors more closely. Listening and finding compromises became much more important.

“We got to do special things,” said William J. “We acted out The Very Clumsy Click Beetle and we all worked together to make the songs.”

The lessons learned on Friday went beyond the walls of the music room and into everyday classroom activities. “The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board,” said Tiya. “They’re becoming more open to exploring new ideas and finding different ways to express themselves.”

Susan sees it as the children embracing their potential. “The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important,” she said. “By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.”

The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important. By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

The partnership between Tiya and Susan will continue for the rest of the year with an exploration of the Great Salt Lake and a study of native Utah animals. This continued collaboration is a great benefit for the students, and also a benefit for them as both work to improve their pedagogy, even as veteran teachers.

“I’ve brought that musicality back to my classroom,” said Tiya, and it can be used for more than just lessons. “Using rhythms and movement with the kids is so much more comfortable and effective than asking for their attention in more traditionally used ways.”

“I am constantly finding ways to integrate the academic curriculum into music classes,” added Susan. “Whether it’s incorporating a book into a lesson or bringing in other subject matter, there is always a way to find that bridge.”

Teachers at Rowland Hall are preparing students to go out into an ever-changing world. By being lifelong learners, and embracing collaboration, they are teaching not only through instruction but also by example. These are the lessons Tiya hopes her students will carry with them long after they have forgotten which bugs have zero wings and which have four.

“I want them to remember the importance of working together,” she said. “And I want them to look for ways to learn, in any way they can.”

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Watch the second graders perform their original skit, “The Very Impatient Honey Bee”:

Academics

They just graduated in June, but three members of Rowland Hall’s class of 2024 are already published researchers.

As seniors, Sophie Baker, Isabelle Bown, and Adam Saidykhan—the first students enrolled in Advanced Research Biology, now in its second year—took on an impressive yearlong research project.

This week, their work was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cancers.

We’re not the only ones excited about Sophie, Isabelle, and Adam’s accomplishment—this week, local news stations FOX 13 and ABC4 came to campus to film segments highlighting this impactful work and what it could mean for breast cancer research.

Over the 2023–2024 school year, the students focused on identifying novel, actionable treatment targets for androgen receptor-low triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a lethal cancer subtype, by focusing on the role centrosome biology may play in its deadly impact. (Learn more about their research in Fine Print.) Their hope was to enrich the research community's understanding of some of the crucial molecular drivers of this aggressive breast cancer subtype—and hopefully advance the way it’s treated.

This work is important. TNBCs are especially lethal because they test negative for three common actionable cancer biomarkers, leaving patients without approved precision treatments. TNBCs disproportionately affect Black women, are more common in women with dense breasts, have a high tendency to spread rapidly around the body, and have a high chance of recurrence or relapse within five years of diagnosis.

And though the three students were hopeful they could further this work, they also knew their research may not pan out.

“Dr. Rida informed us early on there was a chance this could lead to nothing; we could have nothing published,” said Adam. Still, the students were determined to try, and were excited that, during their early research, they discovered a novel approach they could pursue over the year. “We’re fairly lucky that we managed to find something of note,” Adam continued.

I am thrilled that their findings are now part of the body of scientific knowledge out there, and will form the foundations of many more important studies and explorations in our search for better breast cancer treatments.—Dr. Padmashree Rida, Upper School biology teacher

The group first presented their findings as a poster at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual meeting in San Diego in April during a special session for high school students titled “The Conquest of Cancer and the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers.” They then began collaborating with AR Biology teacher Dr. Padmashree Rida and City of Hope researcher Dr. Nikita Jinna on a manuscript about the topic, which was submitted in August to the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.

On September 11, the young researchers received one of the most exciting emails of their budding careers: they were notified that their work would be published in Cancers as a feature paper in the “Cancer Biomarkers” section.

Dr. Rida, who has dedicated her career to mentoring new generations of researchers, is delighted for her first group of AR Biology students. They fully embraced the topic and worked tirelessly to reach this achievement—one that may make a real difference in the care of patients facing this aggressive cancer subtype.

“I am thrilled that their findings are now part of the body of scientific knowledge out there, and will form the foundations of many more important studies and explorations in our search for better breast cancer treatments,” she said.

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Banner: Adam Saidykhan ’24, one of the AP Biology researchers, chats with FOX 13 reporter Scott McKane on the Lincoln Street Campus on September 19.

Advanced Research

People don’t often associate high school with opportunities to develop an original thesis or conduct research alongside an expert. But at Rowland Hall, we're working to change that.

Rowland Hall has a long and proud history of preparing students to thrive not only in college, but in career and life. As a leader in education, we know this begins with ongoing opportunities to build student confidence, whether that’s by climbing a tree or testing a new invasive insect trap. As a result of our approach, many students enter the Upper School with an understanding of their own interests and passions. They’re ready to grow the knowledge and skills they’ll need after graduation, as well as to embrace new, self-directed learning opportunities that allow them to address real-world questions, including some of the toughest we’re facing today.

To ensure that students are well prepared for what lies ahead, the Upper School offers a wide array of advanced courses that build knowledge as well as provide opportunities to practice skills. These include Advanced Placement classes and faculty-designed Advanced Topics courses, which deeply dive into their subjects and offer more opportunities for lab, hands-on, and project-based work.

I'm not sure many other high schools can or do offer the opportunity to do such in-depth research on a topic of your choice. These classes were incredibly fulfilling for me because they were more independent, and I could dictate what I wanted to research based on my own interests.—Sophie Baker, class of 2024

An increased focus on research-based courses, particularly over the last four years, is further setting apart Rowland Hall’s program. Classes including Research Science, unveiled in fall 2020, and authentic learning opportunities such as collaborating on peer-reviewed journal articles have helped prove that high school students can help find solutions to real-world problems and create impactful knowledge—a key focus of Rowland Hall’s strategic vision. To further this important work, the Upper School recently took steps to formalize and expand research classes. The result? A new class designation, Advanced Research (AR), which was applied to four areas of study—chemistry, biology, humanities, and debate—in its first year, 2023–2024.

“Advanced Research is a program across different disciplines that allows students with significant interest, and some advanced coursework already under their belts, to go deep in an area of study with the goal of a college-level, real-world application to their work,” explained Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. To be designated AR, a class must allow students to develop original theses and/or conduct research under the guidance of an expert, offer some student choice in what is studied, and provide opportunities to present original work or compete for an external audience. And because AR classes are so advanced, they tend to be more intimate (even for a school with an already impressive nine-to-one faculty-to-student ratio), providing more opportunities for one-on-one mentoring and bonding with peers.

“I'm not sure many other high schools can or do offer the opportunity to do such in-depth research on a topic of your choice,” said senior Sophie Baker, who took AR Biology and AR Humanities this year. “These classes were incredibly fulfilling for me because they were more independent, and I could dictate what I wanted to research based on my own interests.”

Below, we provide a glimpse at each of the four AR classes offered in the program’s inaugural year. You can also check out each section individually: AR Chemistry, AR Biology, AR Humanities, and AR Debate.

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AR Chemistry and the Promise of Algae

For most, the word algae calls to mind a carpet of green scum atop a body of water. But for this year’s AR Chemistry students, the word holds the promise of a more sustainable world.

“There are many unique ways algae can be used,” said science teacher Tascha Knowlton—from biofuel to biodegradable plastic to medicine. And because algae also captures large amounts of carbon, it’s becoming an important tool for a greener future.

Algae first captured upper schoolers’ attention last spring, when Tascha asked her students, including those enrolled in her upcoming AR Chemistry class, to research the organism for an end-of-term project. The students were so excited by what they found, they asked if they could make algae the focus of their AR Chemistry research. While Tascha had been planning to continue the graphite research started in Research Chemistry (the original name of AR Chemistry), she was happy to change course to follow the students’ interest.

And though there were several directions the students could take their research, the six seniors in this year’s class decided to focus on two: the use of algae as a wastewater treatment and as a substitute for limestone in cement, both of which contribute to a more sustainable world. As a wastewater treatment, algae provides a more effective alternative to the chemicals and bacteria that remove pollutants in water; the by-products of this process can also be used to create bioproducts. In cement, the calcium carbonate by-product of algae can take the place of limestone, which lessens the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere during limestone mining.

This fall, the students began diving into current research on these subjects, as well as writing their own proposals and abstracts and conducting lab work. One group studied the effect of two types of algae, chlorella and Scenedesmus, in wastewater, and the other focused on the use of Emiliania huxleyi, a special type of algae that produces a calcium carbonate shell, in biocement. They also spoke with experts, including Dr. Ronald Sims from Utah State University—who took them on a tour of the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, which recently piloted an algae wastewater cleaning program—and biocement specialists. These opportunities to immerse themselves in their chosen areas of research made a big impression on the young scientists.

These classes really provide an outlet to explore personal areas of interest and use your education to make an impact that resonates with you and your values.—Gabriella Miranda, class of 2024

“These classes really provide an outlet to explore personal areas of interest and use your education to make an impact that resonates with you and your values,” said Gabriella Miranda, a member of the wastewater group. “Truly, I think the AR program embodies academic freedom and gives students valuable insight.”

By the spring, the class was ready to take their work on the road. In early March, both groups competed at the University of Utah Science & Engineering Fair, where the wastewater team placed third in the Biology & Microbiology category and the biocement team placed second in the Chemistry & Biochemistry category. Later that month, they traveled to New Orleans for the American Chemical Society spring conference, where they confidently shared their work with attendees from around the world.

“Their posters and how they presented themselves was on par or better than any undergraduate posters, and there are hundreds,” said Tascha. And she wasn’t the only one impressed—many attendees shared their amazement that the Rowland Hall group was still in high school; one undergraduate said he wished he’d had this type of experience before college. Tascha hoped moments like these provided the students with perspective about their experience, showed them their capabilities, and gave them the confidence they’ll need to hit the ground running as undergraduates. “They’ll be able to jump in and expand opportunities in college, versus having to get familiar with the work later,” said Tascha.

The experience may even inspire careers.

“Prior to taking AR Chemistry, I wasn’t particularly passionate about any given subject. With the pressure of college majors looming, I often dismissed the decision entirely,” said class member Halle Baughman. “Through this in-depth investigation, I was able to explore my passion for sustainability by integrating it with my interest in the sciences. I found a topic with the promise of success and my personal investment.” As a result, Halle changed her indicated major from undecided to sustainability and design.

“My project excited me in ways I couldn’t imagine,” said Halle. “The process was truly life-changing.”

Learn more about the AR Chemistry class’s time in New Orleans.

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AR Biology Works to Better Understand and Find Treatments for Aggressive Cancer

To Upper School science teacher Dr. Padmashree Rida, providing students with research opportunities is a no-brainer.

“It’s important to invest in mentoring and guiding high schoolers,” she said. “This is how you’re going to build on the next generation of people who can impact big areas.”

With the introduction of the AR designation, Dr. Rida knew she could further expand student research opportunities in an AR Biology class, opening the door for more students to build strong research, critical-reading, and science-writing skills during school hours and under the guidance of a trusted mentor invested in their growth.

That’s why the former university research scientist and breast cancer researcher, who joined the faculty in 2021, has been on a constant lookout for ways to bring students into the process of research science. In addition to sharing her expertise in class, Dr. Rida has even welcomed students to the teams of researchers she collaborates with on peer-reviewed papers. (Two, now-alums Max Smart ’22 and Tianyi Su ’22, have already been published.) And with the introduction of the AR designation, Dr. Rida knew she could further expand these opportunities in an AR Biology class, opening the door for more students to build strong research, critical-reading, and science-writing skills during school hours and under the guidance of a trusted mentor invested in their growth.

And it all begins, she explained, by deciding what to study.

“Defining the scope of the work is itself a big step,” she said, and one she wanted the three seniors enrolled in her first AR Biology class to experience. Though Dr. Rida did provide some parameters (she encouraged students to choose a topic within her area of expertise, and one that can be done on campus—after all, the school has no biosafety clearance to work with cancer cells), she wanted students to have a say in what they studied. She also wanted them to get familiar with identifying research worth pursuing by learning what kind of questions to ask: What is already known about a topic? What are people not yet asking that is of value to the field? What are some of the gaps in our knowledge that we can help fill?

Armed with this guidance, the students kicked off the year by reading papers and brainstorming subjects that were both manageable and could make a contribution to the research field. By early November, they’d chosen their topic: to uncover more about why androgen receptor-low triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is so lethal. By understanding drivers of the disease, they hoped to help identify novel, actionable treatment targets, as this cancer currently has no approved targeted treatments and, as a result, poor outcomes, particularly in Black women.

“Black women are twice as likely as white women to get TNBC, and within this subgroup Black women are disproportionately afflicted with the androgen receptor-low form of TNBC,” said Dr. Rida. “Identification of potential treatment targets for androgen receptor-low TNBC could therefore help us ameliorate the stark racial disparities observed in breast cancer outcomes.”

To further keep research manageable, the students limited their scope to the centrosome biology that may play a role in this cancer subtype’s deadly impact. Centrosomes, miniscule structures in cells that organize the cell’s cytoskeleton, are critical for cell division; however, excessive centrosomes, which are commonly found in cancer cells (and at a higher level in tumors of Black women), are implicated in the aggressive clinical behavior of TNBC. That’s because cancer cells cluster their extra centrosomes during cell division via a process that increases genomic instability and clonal heterogeneity inside tumors, contributing to treatment resistance and disease progression. Although we have known for a few decades that, to survive, cancer cells must dial up their centrosome-clustering mechanisms as they generate extra centrosomes, exactly how this accompanying upregulation is achieved was undefined.

In pursuit of answers, the AR Biology students began analyzing publicly available gene expression data to identify the pathways that are in overdrive in androgen receptor-low TNBCs, while keeping their eyes peeled for crucial links that connect centrosome-amplification mechanisms to centrosome-clustering pathways. The students were fortunate to identify oncogenes (genes with the potential to cause a cell to become cancerous) that connect these two pathways, synchronously upregulating both drivers of aggressive disease, said Dr. Rida. This helped identify potential treatment targets for high-risk patients. And the students did all this alongside learning how to navigate databases and perform in silico analyses, wade through dense primary sources, create publication-quality figures, and collaborate with researchers outside Rowland Hall. It could be tough at times, but it was worth it.

We were working on something that actually had real-world value.—Sophie Baker, class of 2024

“We were working on something that actually had real-world value,” said senior Sophie Baker, as well as something that allowed the group to discover their own capabilities. “The most important thing that I learned about myself this year is that I can actually complete research of this scale,” Sophie continued. “It's impossible to know if you're capable of doing something until you try, so it was nice to be given the opportunity to try in a supportive environment.”

Best of all, the students’ potentially life-changing work didn’t stay in the classroom. In April, they traveled to San Diego to present their findings as a poster at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual meeting. And later this spring, they were part of a group (including City of Hope researchers) that submitted a journal manuscript that’s currently in its first round of peer review. Dr. Rida said both opportunities have brought immense value to the students.

“It helps place work they did in the context of the real world issues—this actually can advance understanding of tumor biology, or guide clinicians or researchers,” she said. And on the flip side, she continued, these opportunities also show clinicians and higher education researchers the benefits of welcoming high school students to the table.

“We’re changing the culture,” said Dr. Rida.

Click the image below to view the poster presented by AR Biology students at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual meeting.

Update September 18, 2024: Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that the AR Biology students’ manuscript was accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cancers on September 11. The article was published on September 18.

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AR Humanities Expands Opportunities for Student Voices

Rowland Hall students are known for their writing. Throughout their time at the school, there is an ongoing emphasis on developing strong writing skills, and faculty members provide expert guidance as students grasp the foundations of language and grammar, then begin to build on their skills, knowledge, and confidence. Year after year, the school graduates exceptional writers, many of whom share their voices, whether that’s through poetry, science, or newspaper op-eds.

With the introduction of AR Humanities, Upper School students can apply and build writing skills on a whole new level: through college-level humanities research.

“Even though I'm a ‘STEM student’ of sorts and really like robotics and whatnot, I was really interested in doing some sort of deep dive into writing and humanities-based research,” said Omar Alsolaiman, one of the six seniors enrolled in AR Humanities in fall 2023. “And I thought the idea of getting to a full paper by the end was super exciting.”

Omar is referring to the 15- to 20-page research paper that is the pinnacle of the AR Humanities experience. Written over the 17 weeks of the fall semester, each student’s paper is the culmination of their time tackling research like professional scholars: by choosing a focused project question, developing unique arguments, and examining primary and secondary sources.

This class is an opportunity for students to craft questions around something that’s meaningful and interesting to them ... and to ultimately make small but meaningful contributions to a larger body of knowledge about whatever topic they want to study.—Dr. Nate Kogan ’00, history teacher

“This class is an opportunity for students to craft questions around something that’s meaningful and interesting to them, and to work to pursue that in the way one would an undergraduate senior thesis,” said history teacher Dr. Nate Kogan ’00. “They’re more independently trying to emulate the methods and practices and scholarship they’ll be more fully immersed in when they go to college, and to ultimately make small but meaningful contributions to a larger body of knowledge about whatever topic they want to study.”

In addition to providing the students with his own support as a historian and academic, Nate uses Wendy Belcher's Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks, a workbook for academic publishing, to guide them through the research process. “I try to give the class a well-scaffolded and accessible entry point to the type of work real scholars in the humanities use,” he said. “This book helps plan the course by setting up a practical and accessible framework of steps you have to go through, which can often be opaque and challenging for students.”

And whatever a student’s inquiry, said Nate, they pursue the same process, meaning that over the semester, each class member became familiar with how college-level research unfolds as they pursued individualized research topics:

• how American media coverage of Haiti employed necropolitical narratives;
• how the medieval kingdom of Al-Andalus fostered social cohesion amongst a multiethnic and religiously diverse community;
• how neoliberal economic and regulatory policies toward pharmaceutical companies exacerbated an opioid crisis in Appalachia;
• how neoliberal economic policies exacerbated the gender wage gap and intensified racially driven critiques of welfare policy;
• how changing attitudes toward migrant players in the US men’s soccer program limited the competitiveness of the team at international competitions; and
• how the community-based ideologies and practices of the original Black Panther Party evolved into a more exclusionary form with the New Black Panther Party in the 1980s and 1990s.

“I learned a lot about what college-level writing would be like, and I definitely learned a ton of great formal writing strategies while also researching something I'm really interested in that I hope to continue learning about,” said Omar, who worked on the Al-Andalus project and credits AR Humanities for building his ability to write efficiently and systematically—a skill he believes will be invaluable in college.

I learned a lot about what college-level writing would be like, and I definitely learned a ton of great formal writing strategies while also researching something I'm really interested in that I hope to continue learning about.—Omar Alsolaiman, class of 2024

And since this is an AR class, the experience also included the chance for the students to share their work. As the semester began to wind down, the group worked to condense their arguments into eight-minute presentations for a mini-conference, held at the Upper School in December. Not only was the conference a chance to share their research with more people, but it also improved their final papers.

“The goal of the presentation is to serve as a testing ground for the clarity of their written arguments: ‘Can I take this stuff I've been mulling over and writing about and communicate it clearly to other people?’” said Nate. “That process of distilling an argument and trying to articulate it in a more condensed format also helps with the final revision stage: ‘Which points landed? Where do I need to play up the evidence more clearly?’”

By the end of the semester, all six students had completed beautifully written research papers that reflected their diverse and wide-ranging interests. (Though it wasn’t required, one student submitted their paper to The Concord Review, a high school history scholarship journal, in addition to Nate.) When asked to reflect on the class experience, Omar said it was valuable in many ways, not least of which was its reminder of the importance of the humanities as well as the ability to write well—areas that can easily be forgotten in the noise of a technology-heavy world.

“This class definitely reminded me how important the humanities are to me, so in college I'm hoping to find some outlet or focus on the humanities, despite my overarching path in engineering and STEM,” he said. “It also recentered my strengths in writing as one of my most important skills for the future.”

Click the video below to listen to this year’s AR Humanities students share their research at their mini-conference.

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AR Debate Soars in First International Debate Research Opportunity

Rowland Hall and debate go hand in hand. For nearly 40 years, the school has offered a top debate program—we’ve been named a Debate School of Excellence by the National Speech and Debate Association, and our debate team has claimed the last four 3A speech and debate state championships (2021–2024).

Needless to say, a lot of exceptional debaters roam the Upper School halls, so when the division’s administrative team was identifying potential areas for AR classes, they knew that a high-level debate-based research class would appeal to and benefit the school’s most advanced debaters. For debate coach Mike Shackelford, AR Debate offered an ideal space for debaters to not only work on ongoing prep for their Policy and Public Forum competition events, but to harness their knowledge and skills in a new way.

“Our kids are really good at research, and it was important to me to give them an opportunity to show off their research skills in a more traditional format,” he said.

And Mike knew just the right outlet: the International Public Policy Forum global essay contest, which he had heard about from some of his national colleagues. Jointly administered by the Brewer Foundation and New York University, this contest “gives high school students around the globe the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.”

To participate in the IPPF contest, teams of at least three students from the same school are invited to submit a qualifying essay of no more than 3,000 words on an annual topic (this year’s was “Resolved: Governments should provide a universal basic income”). Teams can either affirm or negate the topic in qualifying essays. From there, a panel of judges chooses the top 64 schools to advance to a single-elimination, written debate tournament—in other words, teams are invited to engage in a pen pal-style debate competition. During each round, a team receives a competitor school’s latest 3,000-word essay via email, then writes an 1,800-word rebuttal. Judges review both essays and choose the top response from each round. The contest ends with the final eight teams traveling to New York City in early May for IPPF Finals Weekend.

Even with steep odds, the Rowland Hall team stood out. They were selected to move on to the top 64—and called out for their exceptional work on their qualifying essay. "This is a fantastic paper, bordering on brilliant,” one judge wrote. “This paper reflects scholarship rivaling post-graduate work.”

In October, the eight AR Debate students (three seniors, three juniors, and two sophomores) began working on their qualifying round essay. To stand out, the Rowland Hall group decided to write their essay using a critical feminist analysis, affirming universal basic income as a way to reduce domestic violence, reverse the stigma of welfare, and promote a more just concept of work that’s valued in the United States.

"We took this approach because we thought other papers would be written from traditional economic topics, and we didn’t want to silence an important perspective,” said Mike.

The team hoped to qualify to the round of 64, but suspected competition would be stiff. Indeed, this year 311 teams, representing schools in 26 countries, submitted qualifying essays to the IPPF. But even with these steep odds, the Rowland Hall team stood out. They were selected to move on to the top 64—and called out for their exceptional work on their qualifying essay.

"This is a fantastic paper, bordering on brilliant,” one judge wrote. “This paper reflects scholarship rivaling post-graduate work.”

Buoyed by this feedback, the group jumped into the next round of competition, ultimately submitting and defending seven different essays to and against schools from Texas to Canada. With a trip to New York as their new focus, the AR Debate students remained nimble, switching sides in their essays as required and working closely to write their best responses.

“It’s rare, at least in debate, to have that much of a collaborative research opportunity—to have one product with six cooks in the kitchen, writing, collaborating, and thinking,” said Mike of this new opportunity for debaters. “The competitive debate world is so insulated, so this experience was so valuable in translating the skills they’ve been building. They know intuitively they’re great researchers, but I don't think they ever had practice taking their debate cases and translating them into papers.”

The small nature of the AR Debate class created an environment that facilitated targeted, individual growth in addition to improvement as a team. This meant that each of us got more individual attention in terms of feedback and skill improvement than before.—Eli Hatton, class of 2025

Class members also felt the benefits of stretching their skills. “AR Debate has given us the opportunity to use our research and argumentative skills beyond Policy Debate competition. I am glad I took AR Debate mainly because of the dedicated time and space for focusing on improving debate skills, practicing debates, and building arguments and strategy,” said junior Eli Hatton, who plans to continue debating in college and appreciates how the research-based approach of the class challenged class members, helping them become stronger debaters.

“The small nature of the AR Debate class created an environment that facilitated targeted, individual growth in addition to improvement as a team. This meant that each of us got more individual attention in terms of feedback and skill improvement than before,” Eli continued. “I personally learned quite a lot about the areas where I needed to improve and became a much better debater as a result.”

And though the team didn’t make it to New York City (they were defeated in the Sweet 16 round, in a 2-1 decision, in early April), they are proud of what they accomplished and how far they went in their first IPPF contest. Returning debaters are even looking forward to next year’s competition.

“After the close loss, I was expecting students to be hesitant in making the same investment next year," said Mike. "Instead, they unanimously said it was a positive and fun experience and that they would want to do it again.”

Check out the AR Debate students’ work: view one of the team’s negative essays (submitted during the round of 32) and one of their affirmative essays (submitted during the round of 16).

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Editor’s note: In addition to the classes covered in this article, Rowland Hall will expand AR offerings to include AR Computational and Mathematical Sciences in fall 2024. This class will provide a new opportunity for student-driven projects in computer science and math.

Advanced Research

Since its opening in fall 2022, the McCarthey Campus’s TREC Lab—short for ​​Technology, Robotics, Engineering, and Coding Lab—has been an exciting place for students to explore a variety of STEM projects during their specialty classes. This year, the lab expanded its offerings with a new opportunity: Open Lab.

Offered twice a week and available to all McCarthey Campus students, Open Lab allows classes, small groups, and individual students to access the TREC Lab outside designated class time. Students can use the space—and its tools, technology, and materials—to work on projects, as well as exercise choice and voice as they explore the STEM activities and supplies they’re most interested in, including micro:bits, Scratch coding software, 3D printers, LEGOs, and even craft supplies.
 

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“Open Lab can be an adventure of choice,” said TREC teacher Kaelis Sandstrom. “It’s time to use the lab’s tools, figure out a way to put things together, do collaborative work rooted in play, and explore.” 

Open Lab can be an adventure of choice. It’s time to use the lab’s tools, figure out a way to put things together, do collaborative work rooted in play, and explore.—Kaelis Sandstrom, TREC teacher

Whatever a child chooses during Open Lab, they’re engaging in active and beneficial learning, getting familiar with STEM thinking in all its forms. That’s because giving children chances to tinker freely helps them get familiar with materials, experiment and explore, problem solve, get resourceful, and engage in design thinking, among other benefits. Fifth-grade classmates Jules O. and Zoe Y., for example, have enjoyed Open Lab this year because it gives them the chance to experiment and build with the TREC Lab’s wooden domino sets. Both girls say the tactile nature of this activity is important to them.

“I think the most fun things in TREC involve building,” explained Zoe. “A robot can be coded for you, but dominoes are something physical. It’s a lot more fun when you can see something physical happen. You can understand how it’s working.”

Both Zoe and Jules became interested in dominoes during a TREC specialty class where they learned about the domino effect—the cumulative effect that’s produced when one event initiates a succession of similar events (such as when a line of dominoes falls). While in class each group had to build in a four-by-four square, the girls love that in Open Lab they can take their domino experimentation to new lengths … literally. “We use, like, half of the room,” laughed Jules.

And the classmates appreciate that Open Lab gives them a say in what they want to learn about and lets them work through any problems they may encounter on their own. “There’s more freedom,” said Zoe, “and when you can be creative and do whatever you want to, it’s a lot more interesting. When things don’t work, it’s not for adults to fix. It’s nice to have that time.”

Importantly, these types of experiences are open to any student on the McCarthey Campus. While the TREC specialty starts in second grade, students from 3PreK through first grade can also take part in Open Lab. Liz Ellison, one of the Beginning School’s 3PreK lead teachers, has enjoyed this new resource and said it’s super beneficial for early childhood learning.

“Young children are so drawn to building, creating, and making, and this is open space for them to explore and start building the foundation of bigger skills,” she said.

They’re creating that story about themselves: we are coders or creators or builders. It’s ownership and positive labeling. If you tell yourself, ‘I am a mathematician or innovator,’ you become that.—Liz Ellison, 3PreK lead teacher

Liz has signed up her class for Open Lab slots multiple times this year and said students always look forward to walking over to the TREC Lab, where they’ve participated in a variety of activities, including mapping and setting up mazes, creating a market out of cardboard boxes, constructing ice castles with colored cups, and building with a type of block that’s not available in their own classroom. These activities are not only an age-appropriate introduction to the kind of knowledge that will support these students’ future STEM learning, but they’re also helping the students understand their capabilities.

“They’re creating that story about themselves: we are coders or creators or builders,” said Liz. “It’s ownership and positive labeling. If you tell yourself, ‘I am a mathematician or innovator,’ you become that.”

And it’s moments like this that show the magic of Open Lab—a time for pressure-free activities that quietly build students’ self-esteem.

“It’s low-stakes, high-choice exploration,” said Kaelis. “It’s a time where students can build confidence in skills they may not be as confident in, or explore without the pressure of a final outcome. They can take risks and it’s not as scary.”

STEM

If you’ve walked by Robin Hori’s science classroom during periods 2 or 7 this semester, chances are you’ve caught a glimpse of students in the middle of a project build.

From water towers to bridges to trebuchets, students in grades 10 through 12 have been putting science and math to the test this year in the Upper School’s first ever, and student-requested, engineering class. Titled Integrated Engineering I and II (Engineering I and II beginning in 2024–2025), this lab-based course deeply emphasizes the engineering design cycle while exploring a variety of engineering fields: civil, mining, and chemical engineering in the fall, and mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering in the spring.

The Upper School engineering class is a lab-based course that emphasizes the engineering design cycle while exploring a variety of fields: civil, mining, and chemical engineering (fall), and mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering (spring).

“For years, we’ve been getting feedback from students that they want an engineering class,” said Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. By designing a fresh approach to the Upper School’s earliest science courses (taken in 9th and 10th grades), Ingrid and her team made room for more subjects that students are interested in, including engineering. Longtime physics teacher Robin Hori was also game to take on this new opportunity—though he wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming reaction from the student body.

“It’s been more successful than I expected,” laughed Robin, whose fall class was filled with students who wanted to continue the course into spring semester—in addition to an entirely separate group of students who wanted to join the spring class. (Upper School students can take engineering during either fall or spring semester, or they can enroll in both semesters consecutively.) The Upper School had to add a second spring class to meet demand.

“The kids were so excited about it that we were approved to open up another section,” said Ingrid, “and Robin took on the class to give everybody that experience.”

It’s clear that this experience is meaningful to these students, many of whom were excited to share their gratitude, particularly about the hands-on nature of the class. As junior Spencer Brady put it, “Engineering is something you do; it's not something you just learn in theory,” and it was important to Robin to structure the class so students fully experience that doing of science in ways that stretch their brains and build their confidence.

“A lot of students have never built anything before and they’re really impressed they can actually build something that works,” said Robin. “Kids are really making an effort to understand why something works. And I’m trying to give them a sense that they can build things out of almost anything, and as long as they follow the science, they know it’ll work.”

To nurture these skills, Robin has structured the class around projects that support each field of engineering, such as building bridges during the study of civil engineering or building trebuchets during the study of mechanical engineering. Students are placed in small groups to promote real-world collaboration and given plenty of room to lead their own learning. Though Robin decides on assignments and parameters—for example, the first-semester bridge-building final required students’ projects to span 100 centimeters and support a moving load—he gives students plenty of freedom, acting as a coach and guide while they problem solve.

There’s lots of freedom in the class to explore.—Andrew Johnson, class of 2024

“He provides materials and concepts, then it’s up to the students to decide what path they want to take—and they can push outside guidelines,” explained senior Andrew Johnson. “There’s lots of freedom in the class to explore.”

For senior Kelton Ferriter, there’s also very low pressure. “It's kind of a perfect, stress-free, good way to get into engineering and explore various areas,” he said. “There’s so much creative freedom.” And this low-pressure approach is beneficial when it comes to practicing the engineering design cycle, from conducting research to creating a prototype to building a final project—and moving back and forth along that path through trial and error.

“These are big concepts, but being able to put them into a physical project and to really see how that works, and to watch where failures happen and when, it’s just a different dimension for learning,” said Kelton.

It’s also helping students become more comfortable with mistakes. “This semester, kids are more patient with failures because they know failure in engineering helps them become more successful,” said Robin. As a result, he continued, “final products are getting a lot better in terms of design, and students are better at explaining the mechanics of how and why a machine works or doesn’t work.”

To help his students become better at learning from mistakes, Robin requires them to keep professional engineering notebooks in which they record projects, including notes, observations, steps, designs, and corrections. All work is done in ink and students are trained to never tear out pages so that they can refer back to what they’ve done. For Spencer, an aspiring engineer and member of the school’s Monochromats robotics team, this is a key takeaway from the class. As a young builder, Spencer said he’s always been told to write down what he’s working on, but he never quite knew how until this year. “I really like how the class has taught me how exactly you write everything down and what you put in an engineering journal,” he shared.

“It’s nice to be able to go back and see where we made a mistake,” added Kelton, who’s acted as project manager for his group at times, a role that’s also helped him better understand how many ways there are to tackle a problem. “Everyone has a different idea and way to approach it, no matter what the project is,” he said. “The class is so open and creative.”

These are big concepts, but being able to put them into a physical project and to really see how that works, and to watch where failures happen and when, it’s just a different dimension for learning.—Kelton Ferriter, class of 2024

And the class isn’t just for one type of student. Every person brings to the table their individual talents and ideas, strengthening each project and even helping the students better understand where they may want to go next in their education and careers. Senior Rosie Schaefer, for one, said that the engineering class, which she’s taking after a summer 2023 internship with biomechanics professor Dr. Brittany Coats at the Utah Head Trauma Lab, has helped her better identify her career path.

“I realized I want to go into biomechanics—to help people with engineering,” she said. “I really enjoy research and I think that’s what I ultimately want to end up doing.” And, continued Rosie, in-class opportunities to share her evaluations of her group’s projects have helped her identify a talent of conveying science. “Where I’ve excelled is in the explanation of how things work: putting into words why what we’re doing makes sense,” she said.

Whatever their individual takeaways, though, many of the students agree that the class isn’t just for aspiring engineers. It’s for anyone who wants to learn more about the field, to build like a kid again, and to discover more about themselves. And because there are no prerequisites for the class, it makes what can often be thought of as a rarefied subject more accessible, opening doors to students who may not have tried it out otherwise. It’s just one example of how the team is putting Rowland Hall’s vision into action.

“As we evolve new courses, we’re offering new opportunities for students to go really deep,” said Ingrid. “And we’re offering life-changing and skill-building opportunities that are accessible to everyone.”

STEM

Have you ever watched a child play with blocks? 

It’s something that almost every child does. There is something innate in the human brain that makes us want to stack and position items from our earliest age. Building with blocks is such an important skill that it’s tracked as a child development milestone. In the Rowland Hall Beginning School, though, blocks are more than that—they are the foundation of a transformational education. 

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“We have been doing block study and block building for many, many years,” said 4PreK lead teacher Isabelle Buhler. “In the work we are doing you can see all the skills we teach the students at Rowland Hall, no matter what their age. Making a plan, organizing it, sticking with it, learning to fail, learning to make mistakes, listening to others, it’s all there.” 

In the work we are doing you can see all the skills we teach the students at Rowland Hall, no matter what their age. Making a plan, organizing it, sticking with it, learning to fail, learning to make mistakes, listening to others, it’s all there.—Isabelle Buhler, 4PreK lead teacher

Block study starts out with the basics: the names and shapes of blocks, their functions, how to care for them, how to work together to build with them, and how to put them away. It doesn’t stay simple for long, though: by four years old, students in the Beginning School have transformed into miniature architects. 

“We start looking at how to make structures more stable and learn building techniques like plank and pillar, and staggering,” said 4PreK lead teacher Ella Slaker. “We start looking at buildings, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, in books, and talk about how we could make them better. And we look at buildings locally to see where we can identify the building techniques we are learning.” 

This year the 4PreK took advantage of the school’s central location and visited the Utah State Capitol as part of their block study. Accompanied by their fourth-grade buddies, the students walked up and down the grand stairs, counted the beehives that dot the grounds, and marveled at the high domed ceilings covered in beautiful murals. They also noticed how the marble walls are built in a staggered pattern to make them stronger, and how the soaring pillars support the planks of the ceilings and roof. They took in all these details for their next project: building models of the capitol themselves. 

“The idea was to get them thinking about it,” said 4PreK lead teacher Kirsten White. “We wanted to start with inspiring them by seeing the capitol firsthand, the inside and all around.” 

Like any good architects, the students didn’t start building immediately. First, they had to draw up blueprints. Using pictures from books as well as those taken on their field trip, the students drew plans to build their capitols. Then, they decided which blocks and techniques to use to build the levels, the columns, the dome, and other aspects of the structure.

The great thing about this project is that it goes across the curriculum. When we drew the blueprints from memory and photos, it required tracing straight or curvy lines and orienting them correctly. The building process required knowing shapes and counting blocks, which falls under math skills. Building a balanced, stable, and symmetrical building engaged physics skills.—Kirsten White, 4PreK lead teacher

“The great thing about this project is that it goes across the curriculum,” said Kirsten. “When we drew the blueprints from memory and photos, it required tracing straight or curvy lines and orienting them correctly. The building process required knowing shapes and counting blocks, which falls under math skills. Building a balanced, stable, and symmetrical building engaged physics skills.”

Social-emotional learning concepts came into play during the construction of the capitol models. No child built their model alone; they all had to work either in small groups or as a class. That meant using cooperation and letting everyone have a say in how they were going to proceed. It also meant learning to deal with setbacks. 

“The collaboration is huge. It takes a lot of stamina and a lot of coaching,” said Isabelle. “And when it falls down what do you do? You start again and you don’t give up.”

The wide range of skills being explored in this project meant that every child could have a role, no matter their learning style or talents. It’s an excellent example of how voice and choice are promoted in the classroom. Students with an eye for detail helped perfect the plans and guide the builders, while those with more adept motor skills placed blocks so they balanced perfectly in the trickier parts of the structure. 

Of course, when you ask the four-year-olds what their favorite part of the block study was, they won’t mention any of these lessons initially. The first thing they all say is that they had fun. Of course they did—they were playing with blocks. When you dig a little deeper, though, they will start telling you about the ways they built, showing you the blocks they used, and telling you how they solved problems when something went wrong. That’s when it becomes obvious that they are taking away knowledge to help them build a lifetime of learning.

Experiential Learning

Utah has seen an influx of new residents in recent years—and not all of them have been welcomed with open arms.

Balsam woolly adelgids, fox squirrels, field bindweed, quagga mussels, and other invasive species have found comfortable homes in the state, and in some cases have made life difficult for native species by competing with them for limited resources. It’s a real problem, and it recently presented a perfect project-based learning opportunity for students in the seventh grade. Science teacher Lindsay Mackintosh challenged her students to use skills from across the curriculum to find a solution and put it into action—and maybe even impress scientists working in the field.
 

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“The students designed and built traps to capture invasive insect species, and help ecosystems be more biodiverse by limiting their impact,” said Lindsay. “This required them to explore engineering concepts to research, build, and revise their traps.”

Engineering helps students become problem solvers and think critically..—Lindsay Mackintosh, seventh-grade science teacher

Engineering may appear to be an advanced topic for seventh graders, but these kids were up to the challenge. It all comes down to problem solving in a methodical way, while at the same time considering numerous possibilities. That’s why increasing engineering opportunities is expressly mentioned in the school’s strategic priorities.

“In making these traps they had to consider some constraints but also had freedom to be creative,” Lindsay said. “Engineering helps students become problem solvers and think critically.”

Research was the first order of business for the students, as all bugs can’t be caught the same way. “We had to do a lot of research so we could engineer the trap around the bug,” said seventh grader Atticus P., whose group chose the elm seed bug as their target. “We had to figure out, What does it eat? Where does it live?, and other things like that so we could catch it.”

The design and build process came next, with students doing multiple concept sketches and revisions before building their first prototype. There were lots of different factors to consider when coming up with designs. Students only had ten dollars total to spend on materials for their traps, and that wasn’t the only practical concern facing them.

“We had to think about where we would put it,” said seventh grader Ben D. “We had to think about how it would be sustainable so the wind or rain wouldn’t destroy it. We had to think about so many different things when creating a good and effective trap.”

Once the first prototypes were built most students found themselves going back to the drawing board. While that may have been frustrating for some, it was a valuable lesson that engineering is not a linear process. “Some groups had to make drastic changes when they saw their first prototype,” said Lindsay. “It was interesting to see them walk through this process and decide what changes they want to make.”

We took our mistakes, and we turned it into something better.—Harper J., class of 2029

“Our prototype was trash. It was really bad,” said seventh grader Harper J., who was in a group chasing down Japanese beetles. “We used Saran wrap to keep them from getting out, but it was too sticky, so we switched that out to mesh. We took our mistakes, and we turned it into something better.”

Students started their bug studies at the beginning of the school year, perfecting them by mid-November. Then it was time to present their inventions to scientists from the University of Utah who study invasive species. This is when they learned that you can have a great idea, but that might not matter if you don’t know how to communicate it. Presentation preparation built upon lessons the students had already learned as part of their writing curriculum, and seventh-grade English teacher Jill Gerber helped them apply those skills to the science realm.“We talk a lot about task, audience, and purpose in class,” said Jill. “That’s what they had to do here. Identify their key points and have a clear idea and message going into the presentations so their audience would come away understanding their content.”

This shift from focusing on their content to focusing on how the audience received it meant the students had to change the way they viewed the project. While they had a wealth of information about their bugs, the invasive species problem, and their design and construction process, all of that data could now be a hindrance to clearly and succinctly communicating their message.

“Our goal was to tell everyone how the trap worked, and what the purpose of the trap was, and how we would get the bugs to the trap,” said seventh grader Stella O. “We had to take a lot of information about the bugs out because the main purpose of the presentation was talking about the trap.”

In the end the presentations were successful, and the students not only got to show off their work, but also interact with working scientists. Additionally, they got a deeper understanding of how all learning is connected and, when used together, is greater than the sum of its parts: problem-solving skills learned in the science classroom can be applied to other subjects, and communication skills from English can be used to get messages across in any field. It’s a kind of understanding that’s already gone far beyond this fall project, continuing to benefit students in the second half of the year—and will undoubtedly continue to do so beyond seventh grade.

“Layering skills and concepts is something I know we all try to do,” said Lindsay. “That way we are giving students skills that are transferable and can be used across the curriculum and outside the classroom.”

It all adds up to creating people the world needs, whether they are building bug traps to combat invasive species or shaping solutions to the world’s hardest problems.

Authentic Learning

What happens when you combine a deep love of learning, a passion for educating, and a sharp legal mind?

You get Charlotte Larsen.

And as Rowland Hall’s new Lower School principal (she officially started on January 22), Charlotte is tapping into all of these characteristics as she works to build community among all the groups she’s now leading—students, teachers, families, and staff.

“I want people to know they are seen and cared for,” she said. “My goal is to arrive every single day and show people they’re part of a community that truly values them.”

When it comes to showing up for her community, Charlotte’s focus is on building trust and relationships, both of which are necessary at a school that’s dedicated to being a place where everyone thrives. This work opens many doors, she explained, from helping people feel they belong to allowing for honest conversations. And it’s especially important for ensuring that students learn at their very best.

“Children learn, grow, and thrive when they have a sense of belonging in their learning community—when their identities and perspectives are known and valued,” she said.

Happily for Charlotte, Rowland Hall, where she’s worked since 2013, shares her approach to learning and growing as a community.

“I have immense respect for the people and values of our community,” she said. “I’m honored to serve in a learning community with values and members I care so deeply about.”

Children learn, grow, and thrive when they have a sense of belonging in their learning community—when their identities and perspectives are known and valued.—Charlotte Larsen, Lower School principal

A lifelong learner, Charlotte was drawn to education when, as a college sophomore, she traveled to China to teach English to children. It was a life-changing experience that helped her realize she loved teaching—a career path that would also allow her to continuously learn. A few years later, as a student teacher, Charlotte had another impactful experience when she volunteered for a gubernatorial campaign focused on educational policy. Inspired by this route to strengthen education and support teachers, Charlotte applied to law school. Earning her Juris Doctor and being a judicial clerk were valuable experiences that built critical-thinking and communication skills she still uses today, yet her love of teaching and learning eventually brought her back to the classroom.

“I wanted to do something proactive, not reactive, within education and educational policy,” said Charlotte. “I knew intuitively that for me to create and advocate for better educational communities, I needed to increase my experience as a teacher and an educational leader.”

So Charlotte returned to the classroom, and four years later found a home at Rowland Hall, first in the Middle School, then the fifth grade. In 2017, she tried her hand as an administrator when asked to serve as the Middle School’s interim assistant principal, which she saw as a new avenue for learning and growth. (She dropped the “interim” the next year when she became the division’s official assistant principal.) Then late last year, after filling in at the Lower School during Emma Wellman’s maternity leave, and following the school’s decision to return to a dual principal model on the McCarthey Campus, Charlotte applied to lead the division permanently. Throughout the national search, she rose as the top choice, thanks to her experience, background, and knowledge of the Rowland Hall community.

Now, three months into the role and deeply immersed in her community-building goals, Charlotte is excited about what lies ahead. The campus community is excited, too, knowing that the school’s newest Lower School principal has proven, no matter what role she takes on, that she makes Rowland Hall a better place through her unique background as a dedicated learner, teacher, leader, and lawyer (turns out, conflict dispute resolution training is really valuable for an educator!). 

Congratulations, Charlotte on your new position!

People

Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that Per Lundstam has been named the new director of Rowmark Ski Academy.

Per brings over two decades of high-performance sports experience to the role, as well as a strong background in coaching and athlete development, including for high-level athletes as young as eight years old. This diverse background makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead Rowmark Ski Academy in its next chapter.

Per’s impressive coaching background includes serving as men’s assistant World Cup downhill/super-G coach, men’s assistant World Cup slalom/giant slalom coach, and head conditioning coach for US Ski & Snowboard. He also served as men’s assistant World Cup coach and head conditioning coach for the Swedish Ski Federation. Per earned Level 500 coaching certification, the highest level of coaching credential, from US Ski & Snowboard.

We are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future. He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community.—Todd Brickson, outgoing Rowmark Ski Academy director

Per’s career features significant leadership roles within top-tier sports. He’s currently the alpine sport science director for US Ski & Snowboard, where he drives innovative sports science programming. Prior to that role, Per was director of high performance for Red Bull North America, where he managed performance strategies for a wide array of elite athletes.

Throughout his career, Per has demonstrated a strong ability to build meaningful relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Again and again, Per’s references spoke about his deep knowledge, his expertise in skiing and coaching, and his commitment to supporting each skier’s athletic and personal progression. He is known as a collaborative leader who listens deeply and leads with kindness.

“As I pass the torch, we are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future,” said Todd Brickson, current Rowmark Ski Academy director. “He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community, and we look forward to the vision and direction he will bring to the program.”

Welcome, Per! We look forward to Rowmark Ski Academy’s bright future under your direction.

Rowmark

When media arts teacher Danny Schmidt was in high school, he didn’t dream about making films.

“I always appreciated visual arts, and the teachers in those programs—I liked using that part of my brain—but I had a mind for science,” he remembered.

So as an undergraduate, Danny chose to study geography and computer science at the University of Utah, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in earth science. He then began looking into graduate school, starting his search with what he called the “obvious options” tied to his undergraduate field of study. While searching, he discovered Montana State University’s master of fine arts in science and natural history filmmaking, a program that trains students with backgrounds in science, engineering, and technology as creative filmmakers.

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“That sounded really fun,” Danny remembered, and like a great way to combine his love of science with his continued interest in the visual arts. He enrolled in the program and fully jumped into learning the art of filmmaking.

After graduation, Danny began working as a director, producer, and cinematographer on projects across film styles: non-fiction television, web content, and, what he may be most passionate about, documentaries. Looking through Danny’s portfolio, it’s clear his work—which has appeared at film festivals around the world and can be seen on PBS, Disney+, and Netflix—is made up of projects he cares about.

“I’m not making a film about something I don’t have an investment in,” explained Danny. That’s because he works on films for years at a time and knows the vicarious toll that telling human stories can take. By choosing topics that resonate with him, Danny ensures he’ll have the drive he’ll need to move his projects forward—and that he’ll create work that touches audiences.

It’s no surprise, then, that Danny's projects have received numerous accolades over the years. Most recently, Path of the Panther, on which he worked as a cinematographer and consulting producer, won the national Emmy for Outstanding Nature Documentary. (Danny has also won regional Emmys for the PBS films Indian Relay and Finding Traction.)

Path of the Panther follows people dedicated to protecting the endangered Florida panther and its shrinking habitat. As cinematographer, Danny traveled to the Florida Everglades a dozen times to capture the lives of panthers and the essence of their home, which, as more and more people move to the state, is being encroached upon. The goal of the feature-length documentary, one of a series of National Geographic films about native Florida wildlife, was to highlight the biodiversity of swampland through the perspective of panthers. As a result of these films, conservation efforts, including legislation to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor, have become a reality. So while the Emmy recognition is really gratifying, Danny is also proud of the project’s larger impact.

We make these films because we care about the world. ...
By teaching, I multiply my efforts of putting this medium to good use to make change.—Danny Schmidt, Middle School and Upper School media arts teacher

“We make these films because we care about the world,” he said.

And because Danny cares about making an impact on the world through film, he’s chosen to empower the next generation of young filmmakers as a teacher. He’s a firm believer that anyone can make documentaries, and he enjoys helping students push past the art form’s steep learning curve so they can create work they’re proud of and share their voices with a larger audience.

“By teaching, I multiply my efforts of putting this medium to good use to make change,” he said.

At Rowland Hall, which is expanding media arts as part of our strong visual and performing arts program, Danny is putting his expertise to work, aiming to make the school’s program top-notch among independent schools nationally. This year alone, the program is offering classes in media arts, media literacy, and podcasting in the Middle School, and media arts and documentary film production (levels I and II) in the Upper School. It will expand to include classes in advanced post-production and cinematography in 2025–2026.

“Danny's vision for the program and some of the work his students are already doing with his guidance align beautifully with our strategic priority goals,” said Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. She added that, in addition to working with his own students, Danny collaborates with colleagues across disciplines to showcase the power of film as a tool for communication, collaboration, building understanding, and taking action, all of which amplify student voices.

“The medium lends itself well to student-designed projects, creative problem-solving, and documentation of our immediate, as well as wider, community, for the purpose of highlighting timely issues and compelling stories,” Ingrid continued.

Indeed, by investing in media arts, Rowland Hall is benefiting students in numerous ways, beginning by helping them see themselves as storytellers with valuable perspectives. One way Danny builds this understanding is by having students pick the subjects they’re most interested in for their projects. This allows them to discover and tap into their personal passions and become confident in their storytelling abilities.

“It’s empowering for students to take a big cinema camera and tripod, walk confidently down the hall, and start filming a story and capturing reality as they see it, not as someone else does, or as they’re told,” explained Danny.

Filmmaking can help shape empathetic and ethical global citizens. Through the process, students are asked to slow down, to really look at the world around them, to ask questions about what they care about, and to build empathy.

It also democratizes filmmaking, a powerful medium that was once tightly controlled. Today, Danny said, students can flip the script, telling stories about what they want, the way they want. It shows them their voices matter and have influence, while helping them better understand the media they themselves consume and the power that media can have. And it helps shape them as empathetic and ethical global citizens. Through the filmmaking process, students are asked to slow down, to really look at the world around them, to ask questions about what they care about, and to build empathy. “It’s really impactful on students to make films about themselves and others,” said Danny.

Ninth grader Will Weisselberg, who was initially worried about the challenge of making films, said his media arts classes have built his confidence and taught him a lot about himself—particularly when it comes to his commitment to the process and his passion for his work.

“I think this passion comes from the idea of sharing my perspective on things I'm interested in,” he said. “I can put effort and time into things I care about.”

Will’s even considering filmmaking as a career and said he’s grateful he’s had the chance to learn from a teacher who believes students can make a real difference.

“Danny Schmidt is by far one of the best teachers I have ever had,” said Will. “He teaches with such passion and commitment, and truly cares about how we learn and the kinds of films we make.”

And for Danny, who has long been aware of the school just up the street from his house, joining Rowland Hall’s faculty has been a welcome addition to his impressive career, allowing him to make an impact on a learning community whose values align with those that have driven his filmmaking.

“I knew at Rowland Hall I would have not only the resources, but students that would take the medium seriously,” he said, “not to mention the integrity of people who care a lot about making change in the world.”

People

This year, Rowland Hall’s celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. focused on the theme Justice & Joy: Cultivating the Beloved Community. Designed to prompt reflection and foster solidarity towards action, the event allowed the community to imagine a beloved future where everyone can be themselves in multifaceted ways.

The celebration kicked off on Wednesday, January 15, with a community event featuring actor, writer, and singer Carleton Bluford, and a performance by Trash Panda Drum Group. Carleton spoke about how his work connects to this year’s theme, and how joy is the energy that allows justice to emerge, as well as sang a song from Ragtime, his favorite musical.

Dr. King’s articulation of the beloved community emphasizes the necessity of individuals uniting across differences to build a trusting, loving, and better world for all.

On Thursday, January 16, students engaged in activities around storytelling, dance, and music, led by Carleton Bluford and Salt Lake Capoeira. Students deepened their understanding of joy and connection through shared movement and music, and explored how they can envision and shape more inclusive futures.

Faculty workshops were also held on Wednesday and Thursday to deepen learning around the theme.

On Monday, January 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students and families engaged in community-based service projects at Tracy Aviary’s Nature Center at Pia Okwai and Crossroads Urban Center’s downtown food pantry, and joined the University of Utah’s MLK Day March & Rally.

Thanks to all who participated in this important work around Dr. King’s vision of becoming the beloved community through love, understanding, and solidarity. We encourage each person to carry forward the spirit of these gatherings, remembering that our dreams of and for the future necessitate listening to one another’s stories, being in relationship with each other, and working toward a shared future.

Community

Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that shortly before winter break, Director of Operations Ann Burnett was presented with a 2024 Professional Achievement Award from NBOA: Business Leadership for Independent Schools.

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NBOA’s Professional Achievement Award, explained the organization, “honors business and operations staff at independent schools who have made significant and lasting contributions to their schools’ operations or financial health. These staff members distinguish themselves every day and make exceptional contributions to their schools and the independent school community.”

Ann was one of 10 independent school staff members from across the country who received the 2024 honor. And, as anyone who knows this dedicated member of Rowland Hall’s operations team will tell you, her inclusion on the list is very well deserved.

“This award is for staff members who go above and beyond in their contributions to their schools’ operations, and there’s no doubt that Ann meets this requirement,” said Chief Financial and Operations Officer Steve Cross, Ann’s manager. “Ann is dedicated to Rowland Hall and covers so much ground—literally and figuratively. We’re thrilled she was selected for this award and that her outstanding commitment to the school has been recognized by NBOA.”

Ann has been the cornerstone of Rowland Hall’s operations team for 26 years (22 of those years as director). As the person who oversees the physical plant of the school’s two campuses, Ann’s work isn’t often glamorous, but she loves it—and it’s necessary to ensure that students, teachers, and staff have safe spaces for learning and working. Whatever is on Ann’s to-do list (or, honestly, whatever pops up, day or night), she approaches it with dedication and a positive attitude.

“Some might doubt how much I love my job when they hear what I do day to day, but it’s work that I love and I am fortunate enough to be in a place with people that I respect, working alongside a team that supports me in everything I do,” said Ann.

I am fortunate enough to be in a place with people that I respect, working alongside a team that supports me in everything I do.—Ann Burnett

Caring for others is another way Ann has made a significant impact at Rowland Hall. As the manager of a team of 15, she’s proven herself an exceptional leader by consistently advocating for colleagues, championing opportunities for growth and success, providing support during challenging times, and fostering a positive and inclusive environment. And this care and kindness isn’t limited to her own team. Ann’s positive attitude touches all members of the Rowland Hall community, as well as those she works with on behalf of the school, and those who know and work with her are quick to share their deep respect and admiration of her.

And if there was any doubt, the kudos Ann received after the announcement of her Professional Achievement Award made clear this adoration.

“For me, the most amazing part of the award was to receive so many well-wishes from the Rowland Hall community,” Ann shared. “I received letters from former coworkers, as well as well-wishes from current students when they saw me in the hallways.”

Congratulations, Ann, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for everything you do for Rowland Hall.

People

As we kick off a new year, we want to take just a moment to look back on some of the incredible Rowland Hall happenings in 2024.

Below, we’re sharing five of the most exciting stories we published in Fine Print last year—examples of the incredible students, teachers, and moments of learning that exemplify the Rowland Hall experience. Check them out, if you haven’t already, or revisit them for a feel-good reminder of what makes Rowland Hall such an exceptional place.

Advanced Research Classes Immerse Students in Real-World Questions, Further Rowland Hall’s Strategic Vision

Ever since the Upper School rolled out Advanced Research classes, our community has been buzzing. These exciting classes allow students to dive deeply into subjects, develop theses, and conduct research alongside experts. They also prove that students of any age can find solutions to real-world problems. (Bonus: be sure to check out the follow-up to this story, AR Biology Students Published in ‘Cancers’ Scientific Journal, to see how far one class’s work has gone.)

Rowland Hall Debate, One Step Closer to World Domination

For years, Rowland Hall debaters have shined locally (they currently hold their fourth consecutive state title) and nationally. Now, they’re making a name for themselves on the global stage. In October, top teams traveled to Taiwan for their first-ever international tournament, held at the Taipei American School.

Student-Created Wings of Inclusion Conference Brings Together Utah High Schoolers, Inspires Leadership

After being energized at the national Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2023, a group of Upper School students chose to dedicate much of 2024 to organizing their own conference for Utah high schoolers. Held at the Lincoln Street Campus in September, our students’ Wings of Inclusion Conference aimed to create belonging for all Utah students, and to develop tomorrow’s leaders. 

2024 Convocation Speakers Share Joyful Moments, Encourage Community to Create and Spread Joy

Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 theme, Joy, was unveiled to the community at Convocation in August. As part of that annual gathering, three students and one alum shared their own reflections on joy with their peers and the larger Rowland Hall community. They discussed what joy means, the forms joy takes, how to look for joy in your life, and how to create joy for others.

Upper Schoolers Teach Money Smarts to Lower Schoolers

It’s always an exciting day when cross-divisional learning happens! One especially joyful collaboration took place this fall, when students from the Upper School’s Business & Finance and Entrepreneurship classes came to the McCarthey Campus to teach personal finance lessons to first and third graders.

Community

Almost five years after releasing our first-ever podcast, Rowland Hall is excited to announce the newest addition to our audio offerings: Rowland Hall Stories.

Featuring audio versions of the articles published in Fine Print, our digital magazine, Rowland Hall Stories will allow us to share what’s happening at the school with a wider audience.

“We know there are folks who love to read Fine Print on their computers or phones, but we also know that format isn’t for everyone,” said Ashley Atwood, content associate. “By launching Rowland Hall Stories, we’re hoping to make it easier for even more people to keep up with the amazing things our students and teachers are doing.”

Rowland Hall Stories listeners can also look forward to a new tune—the podcast features an original theme song composed by Sam Morse ’24. The young alum said the upbeat, energetic piece symbolizes how he felt when he walked down an Upper School hallway, greeting friends, seeing teachers in their classrooms, and feeling connected to the community.

I hope that people who listen to this podcast take away the fact that people at Rowland Hall are doing exceptional work. This isn’t an ordinary school.—Sam Morse ’24, Rowland Hall Stories theme song composer

“I’m excited and honored to have worked on this project,” said Sam, who has played piano since kindergarten and began writing his own songs four years ago. Sam credits Rowland Hall’s jazz and pop band director, Dr. Bret Jackson, for helping him hone the improvisational skills he’s needed to write music. He also expressed his appreciation for the school’s small band classes, which allow for more individual attention as well as opportunities to play solos.

“That really helps with songwriting because you get used to flowing with your instrument,” said Sam, who, even as a biomedical engineering student at the University of Utah Honors College, finds time every day to play. (He stores his keyboard from under his dorm bed.) “If I don’t go a day without playing the piano at least once, that’s a bad day,” he remarked.

And Sam is thrilled that one of his pieces will play a role in welcoming people to Rowland Hall Stories, where listeners will learn about the extraordinary happenings at Rowland Hall. As a former Advanced Research Chemistry class member himself, Sam knows the opportunities Rowland Hall provides students are unlike what many have seen.

“I hope that people who listen to this podcast take away the fact that people at Rowland Hall are doing exceptional work,” said Sam. “This isn’t an ordinary school.”

Check out Rowland Hall Stories, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update.

Podcast

As a person who’s always wanted to work with kids and mentor other educators, it seems only natural that alumna Harper Lundquist ’16 would end up in a position like director of SummerWorks.

A Rowland Hall Lifer (she attended from 4PreK through 12th grade), Harper got to know the school’s day camp program when she was hired as a counselor for summer 2016. That season, she discovered a fondness for SummerWorks, and she chose to return as a counselor, then a program lead, every summer while attending the University of Utah. She loved the continued connection to her alma mater and, as an elementary education major, that the program allowed her to work with kids and hone her educational and teaching skills under the expertise of the program’s then director, Beth Ott, and assistant director, Alec Baden.

“I learned so much from them that helped me not only as a counselor, but during my time in the classroom as well,” said Harper.
 

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Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support.—Jennifer Blake, associate head of school

After graduating from the U, Harper taught fourth grade at Plymouth Elementary, where she’d done her student teaching. But during her second year at the school, she recognized that kicking off a full-time teaching career during a pandemic was burning her out, so she decided to take a breather from the classroom. She continued to work with children as a part-time tutor and in various roles at Rowland Hall, including equity and inclusion intern. It was while in this role that she learned Rowland Hall was looking for a new SummerWorks director.

While many of Harper’s coworkers, who knew her history with the program, encouraged her to apply, she remembers feeling nervous about pursuing the directorship. She worried she didn’t have enough experience. But after conversations with trusted colleagues, Harper realized that the value of her SummerWorks knowledge could benefit the program, and that she could build other skills as she went. She decided to apply, and when she was named director in January 2024, Harper quickly learned that her experience was indeed the asset the program needed.

“Harper's long history at SummerWorks was invaluable in her approach to planning and iterating for the summer of 2024,” said Associate Head of School Jennifer Blake, who met with Harper weekly to plan for the season and said Harper’s deep knowledge of SummerWorks enabled her to jump into that planning without missing a beat. “She had experience working with the last three directors of the program and had ideas about what was worth keeping, shoring up, or creating, and she did all of that work thoughtfully and inclusively.”

And as a former counselor and program lead herself, Harper can relate to her counselors, allowing her to build a close-knit team. Like her own SummerWorks directors, she focuses on helping her staff grow as teachers and mentors. She’s also pulling from her other experiences as a Rowland Hall team member in shaping the future of SummerWorks. This includes her time as equity and inclusion intern, where—under the guidance of Dr. Chandani Patel, whom Harper called a trusted mentor who models diligent and thorough work—she learned to think about DEI in all aspects of the school, and where her confidence and courage grew. She continuously taps into these qualities and experiences in her new role to further benefit SummerWorks—and is already making an impact.

“Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support,” said Jennifer.

We recently sat down with Harper to chat about her first summer as program director and what she’s looking forward to in summer 2025.

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What appealed to you about becoming SummerWorks director?

I have a lot of fond memories from working at SummerWorks, and I realized that for my career I wanted to work with kids and be able to teach and mentor others to work with kids, so this seemed like an amazing opportunity that combined both of these things.

What are you most proud of from your first summer as director?

I am most proud of the amazing team of folks I got to work with—I couldn’t have done it without them! From the admin team to the counselors, we all worked well together.

What did you learn about yourself this summer?

I learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for (I tend to be my biggest critic). I think we all have moments of imposter syndrome, and I had these feelings come up throughout the summer. I also learned that I can delegate tasks better than I thought I could—I was worried about that initially!

What do you want others to know about making the move to a higher-level position (especially if they, too, may be dealing with imposter syndrome)?

I think we can talk ourselves out of applying for something new when we don’t meet all the requirements. When I was contemplating whether to apply or not, I asked Ryan Hoglund for advice and he helped me understand that meeting 60% to 70% of a job description is totally fine—the employer knows you’ll need to learn some tasks on the job and will grow into the role. My advice is, if you’re interested, go for it! Who knows where it’ll take you? Even if you don’t get it, you’ll have valuable interview experience. It’s a win-win situation.

I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks.—Harper Lundquist ’16

What do you want people to know about SummerWorks that they may not already be aware of?

A question I get asked a lot is if SummerWorks is just for Rowland Hall students, and no, it’s not. We have students from all over! We have even had families join us from out of state and internationally. Our camp welcomes kids from ages four through 13, and we have wonderful counselors who are enthusiastic and excited for each day.

What do you look forward to doing with the program in the future?

I have several ideas that I would love to implement in the program that I didn’t have a chance to do last year. I got lots of helpful feedback and suggestions from campers, families, and staff. I would love to offer a wider range of special activities that special instructors would lead.

Why is summer camp important, and what does it mean to you to bring this kind of experience to kids?

I believe summer camp allows kids to be kids and have fun. Our philosophy at SummerWorks is that kids build curiosity, confidence, and character. SummerWorks is a fast-paced environment that always keeps you busy and guessing, and it always makes my day when I get to check in on age groups and chat with the campers. I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks. 

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 Interested in SummerWorks? Visit the camp website to learn more about the program, and keep an eye out for announcements—registration will open in early 2025.

   Alumni

Rowland Hall Director of Athletics Kendra Tomsic loves sports and wants other people to love them too. 

“I’ve always loved sports. I knew from a very young age that this was what I wanted to do. Not be an athletic director—I didn’t know what that was—but I knew I wanted to be involved in sports in some way,” Kendra said. “I’m a pre-Title IX woman so at that time to even want to go into a profession that was related to sports was a pretty big deal.”

Kendra made it her mission to get as many people involved in sports as possible. She expanded the Athletics Department to include more sports and recruit more kids to play them. She pushed for more inclusion in athletics at the state level. She also worked to make it clear that sports aren’t just about winning and losing, but how they shape you as a person.

In the course of her career, Kendra has made it her mission to get as many people involved in sports as possible, and for them to reap the benefits that come from being an athlete. Over her more than three decades at Rowland Hall, she has expanded the Athletics Department to include more sports and recruit more kids to play them. She pushed for more inclusion in athletics at the state level, working tirelessly to expand options for those who want to play. Kendra has also worked to make it clear that sports aren’t just about winning and losing, but how they shape you as a person. 

“The focus wasn’t on banners and trophies,” she said. “They’re nice and we loved getting them, but the focus was on developing kids that could go out into the world and be contributing adults.”

Unsurprisingly, banners and trophies are not the first thing Kendra’s former players bring up when asked about her either. In fact, they are hardly mentioned at all, though there are plenty of them hanging on the walls of the gym and stacked in cases around the school. Kendra’s former volleyball and softball athletes would rather discuss the life lessons Kendra taught them than the games she helped them win. 

“She cared about you not only as an athlete but also as a person,” said former volleyball player Robyn Jensen ’02.  “She was invested in developing my skills both on and off the court. Above all she wanted me to be a good person.”

Kendra not only built strong players, but strong people as well. “​​She taught me the value of putting in the hard work and celebrating regardless of whether you win, and learning from the times that you don’t,” said volleyball player Becky Webster ’03.

The athletes Kendra coached were better able to overcome limitations and were pushed to levels they didn’t think possible, but always in a way that was never uncomfortable or trying.

“There was something about the way she coached that made me think I could do it even if I knew I couldn’t,” said Chloe Coleman-Houghton ’20, who played both softball and volleyball. “She had a passion behind the way that she coached. It fed the students and made them more passionate about what they were doing.”

She always said when you put on your uniform, when you put on your shoes to come out here, start fresh, wipe your attitude clean, and focus on being present.—Megan Andrews ’03

Chloe’s sister, softball and volleyball player Harper Lundquist ’16, also benefited from Kendra’s encouragement. “She told me I was limiting myself. When she said that, I realized what I was doing,” she said. “That was powerful.”

Developing individual athletes was important to Kendra, but she also worked hard at turning them into teams. It wasn’t just about spending time at practices and games; she encouraged students to spend time at team dinners, outings, and breakfasts at Village Inn. Many of her players said this not only made them teams but also family. 

“She put the responsibility of team building in our hands. We weren’t just players playing for her—we were playing for each other,” said volleyball player Sara Matsumura ’16. “She was there to help us get through the game but allowed us the space to make our own friendships and bond.”

The lessons learned from Kendra made these students better athletes and better teammates, as well as gave them life skills they carry with them today. Volleyball player Megan Andrews ’03 said she learned to be more resilient and not let a single aspect of her life get in the way of other tasks and priorities. 

“She always said when you put on your uniform, when you put on your shoes to come out here, start fresh, wipe your attitude clean, and focus on being present,” Megan said. “I’ve revisited that as an adult. Whatever just happened I can take it, set it aside, and be ready for what’s next.”

Former volleyball team manager Gita Varner ’05 learned about self-acceptance from Kendra. “She wanted us to not only be nice, welcoming people to others, but also to ourselves,” she said. “I think having a role model that was comfortable with who she is was super inspirational.”

Inspirational is a word heard a lot when talking about Kendra, and it comes not only from her players but also from the coaches who have worked alongside her. Zack Alvidrez will take over as director of athletics when Kendra retires and said he plans to build on her legacy of being both a competitive coach and a compassionate one. And he is glad that she will continue to coach volleyball so he can continue to watch and learn. 

“I love watching her on the sidelines when she’s locked in and chomping on her gum,” he said. “But you know that while she’s pushing her team to be competitive they all know they have an ally in her and that she will always be there for them.”

Assistant volleyball coach and health and wellness teacher Lauren Carpenter also enjoys watching Kendra on the sidelines as she balances her competitive drive with her desire to foster skills and build confidence. “Kendra, almost to a fault, will leave kids in because she’s so optimistic they are going to get it right,” she said. “I think the thing that sets her apart from a lot of coaches is that she sets her ego aside. She wants to win; she’s a competitor. But she would never put a win over the kids loving and enjoying the game.“

The love of the game was and is the most important thing for Kendra. If she saw an athlete who wanted to play, she worked to make sure they could. It wasn’t always an easy task, but it was one she was willing to take on. 

Rowland Hall owes a huge debt of gratitude to Kendra. We are lucky to have had her here for 32 years, and we are even luckier to see the impacts of her work for decades to come.—Mick Gee, head of school

“There is no question that female athletes are now treated more equally in the state of Utah because of Kendra,” said former Head of School Alan Sparrow. “She was a real force inside the Utah High School Activities Association, where she was incredibly diplomatic with people who weren’t always open to hearing the need for promoting women’s sports.” 

Now that Kendra is retiring from her role as director of athletics, she plans to spend more time enjoying athletic pursuits instead of organizing and overseeing them. She said she’s looking forward to long hikes, playing golf, going for bike rides, and reading books that have nothing to do with sports or sports psychology. She also will still be on the sidelines coaching volleyball and softball, creating the next generation of not just great athletes, but people the world needs. 

“Rowland Hall owes a huge debt of gratitude to Kendra,” said Head of School Mick Gee. “We are lucky to have had her here for 32 years, and we are even luckier to see the impacts of her work for decades to come.”

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Editor's note: Please review this year's Fond Farewells for a full list of departing faculty and staff.

People

We are pleased to announce that Zack Alvidrez, a leader in high school athletics and former professional athlete, has been named Rowland Hall’s next director of athletics.

Zack is currently the school’s assistant athletic director and varsity boys basketball head coach. He will begin his new role on July 1 and has been tasked with leading an already strong Rowland Hall Athletics program into a new era.

“Our foundation has been established and defined,” said Zack. Indeed, Rowland Hall prides itself on being a leader in 2A and 3A athletics in the state—as of late April 2024, the school holds 71 state and 142 region titles, six of which were added in this school year alone. Rowland Hall also provides a unique experience for student-athletes. Thanks to our size, athletes get far more play time than they might at larger local schools. Rowland Hall students are also more likely to participate in school sports: this year, 79% of middle and upper school students were on school sports teams. Beyond building skills, these athletic opportunities provide social-emotional support for students, further connecting them to their peers and school community. Zack knows it’s important to continue to provide this experience.

“I’ve had a boots-on-the-ground perspective, seen through the lens of student-athletes,” he said, which has helped him understand what students need and how to best support them. “My philosophy is to continue the tradition of athletics that’s been established at Rowland Hall. I’m going to do that by mixing together healthy competition with the skill of problem solving through education-based learning.”

But for Zack, a solid program foundation is just the start. He’s also excited about growth.

“I want to bring athletics to the forefront by showcasing student-athletes, coaches, and our facilities through social media and outreach opportunities,” he said. Additionally, the school’s upcoming move to a larger campus and new athletic facilities will allow for more Upper School students—and as a result, more athletes.

We have exciting teams and programs, phenomenal athletes and coaches. Come out and support them, and meet me if you don’t already know me. Come say hello, let's have a conversation and build relationships.—Zack Alvidrez

Importantly, Zack is the best person to lead this charge. Out of a pool of more than 80 national candidates and four finalists, the longtime Rowland Hall coach was the most prepared for the director of athletics role.

“Zack stood out from a large, deep pool of candidates from across the country,” said Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson. “His approach is all in and kid-first. He shows up to support students and peer coaches, and encourages school spirit in the student body. He has already developed relationships with coaches and admin at member schools and in the greater Utah athletics community. We are confident in his ability to continue Kendra Tomsic's legacy of a competitive and inclusive athletics program, while also finding opportunities to grow our offerings and exposure.”

A former high school varsity athlete himself, Zack joined Rowland Hall as the Middle School girls and boys basketball coach in fall 2016 after playing basketball professionally for seven years in Mexico and then working as a coach. Over the years, he’s taken on additional roles across the Lincoln Street Campus: Upper School boys varsity basketball coach, advisor, health teacher, and assistant director of athletics. He is honored to have been selected for this new opportunity to impact students and the school community he calls home.

“It means everything to me,” said Zack. “The pride I have in this community and this school means so much.” And he hopes he can encourage even more people to catch Winged Lion fever.

“We have exciting teams and programs, phenomenal athletes and coaches,” said Zack. “Come out and support them, and meet me if you don’t already know me. Come say hello, let's have a conversation and build relationships.”

Athletics

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

Since childhood, Jada Crockett has played a lot of sports.

“I've been involved with sports from a very, very young age,” she said. “My parents put me in gymnastics, tennis, swimming, basketball—almost every sport. And that gave me the opportunity to continue the sports that I enjoyed the most.”

For much of her life, Jada found herself most drawn to two sports: soccer, which she started playing as a preschooler, and track, which she first tried in fifth grade. And while over the years she often took long breaks from track to concentrate on soccer, by her sophomore year, Jada decided to fully devote herself to running.

“I wanted to do track at the highest level that I could,” she said.

I wanted to do track at the highest level that I could.—Jada Crockett, class of 2023

And as a member of Rowland Hall’s track and field team, Jada certainly pushed herself to new heights. Some of her top accomplishments as a Winged Lion include taking first place in the 100 meter and second place in the 200 meter at state (as well as setting school records in these events) as a sophomore, completing the 200-meter dash in 25.46 seconds as a junior, and taking first, and setting a new 2A record of 56.74 seconds, in the 400 meter as a senior.

During her time on Rowland Hall’s team, Jada also worked toward a goal to run track at the NCAA Division I level, a hope that recently became a reality when she committed to join the track and field team at California State University, Fresno. Not only will she get to run at Fresno State, she shared, she’ll also enjoy a big school with good academics, diversity, and year-round warm weather. Jada said she knew Fresno State would be a good fit as soon as she set foot on campus, where she was able to get a feel for the team, coaches, and academics.

“I went on an official visit a few months ago and as soon as I got there, I just knew it was the right spot,” she said. “ It was just a great environment. I was very confident in my decision. I'm super excited to go out there and continue to run.”

To celebrate Jada’s decision to run for Fresno State, we asked her to share a bit more about her athletic journey and what she’s looking forward to in college. The following interview has been lightly edited.

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Congratulations on committing to Fresno State! What do you love about running that made you want to continue the sport at the college level?

I enjoy the individual and team aspect of everything, just being able to run for yourself as well as get points for your team. And it's just a time where I can really free my mind of everything, clear my head. It's a good getaway from all the stressors in my life.

What are you looking forward to as a college athlete?

I want to continue to improve my times and get close to all my new teammates. And I'm really excited to figure out what my major will be and to use all the tools that I've been given from all the teachers at Rowland Hall.

Looking back on your time as a Rowland Hall athlete, both in track and field and in soccer, what moment as a Winged Lion are you most proud of?

It's very hard to narrow it down just to one, but I'd say my top two would definitely be winning state soccer my freshman year with my sister, because that was the first time we ever played together, and the last time, so that was an amazing moment. And I'd also say probably last year, my junior year, winning state in the 100 and 200 and breaking some of the school records was exciting.

Rowland Hall has definitely prepared me for this next chapter in my life, and I want to thank the faculty and staff, my peers, and my family for all their support because I wouldn't be where I am today without all the support of my amazing village.—Jada Crockett

Tell us about the skills, both academic and athletic, you built at Rowland Hall that you'll be taking with you to Fresno State.

I'd say the biggest thing is definitely time management because being a student-athlete at Rowland Hall, with the heavy workload and everything, made me manage my time and be very productive whenever I got the chance. I'll definitely bring that to college. 

Is there anything else you want our community to know about your athletic and/or academic journey?

I want to say that Rowland Hall has definitely prepared me for this next chapter in my life, and I want to thank the faculty and staff, my peers, and my family for all their support because I wouldn't be where I am today without all the support of my amazing village.

Congratulations, Jada, and best of luck at Fresno State!

Athletics

For most of her life, Arden Louchheim was a dual-sport athlete in golf and ski racing.

Arden first discovered an interest in golf at just three years old after her family moved to Park City and rented a house on a golf course, which gave the preschooler plenty of chances to hit golf balls, a skill she quickly discovered she was not only good at, but enjoyed. “When you’re a little kid you don’t get to hit stuff very often, so I thought that was fun,” she said.

Ski racing came just a couple years later, in kindergarten, and by the time Arden was in elementary school, she was succeeding in both sports. Thanks to the support of club pros and coaches on the golf course, Rowmark Ski Academy coaches on the mountain, and her parents—whom she credits with a no-pressure approach that drove her interest in both sports—Arden excelled. By the time she was an upper schooler, she was regularly playing in tournaments against the nation’s top young golfers, had joined the Rowland Hall’s girls golf team, and was competing for Rowmark. And though Arden was successfully juggling both sports, alongside her academic responsibilities, over time it started becoming clear that her long-term interest lay in golf. “I knew golf was what I should be doing and what I love the most,” she said. And because Arden wanted to play golf at the college level, she didn’t want to risk a racing injury derailing that goal. “I didn’t want to do anything that could mess up the rest of my golf career,” she said. 

 

Arden has been the player every coach dreams to have on their team. She is dedicated to the game, dedicated to the sport, and inspires everyone else around her.—Brianna Coopman, coach

So Arden made the difficult decision to quit Rowmark after her sophomore year to focus on her golf game, using the time previously spent on the slopes for golf-specific workouts, which target different muscles than ski conditioning does, and golf practices. As she worked, Arden dropped her score significantly—a welcome result as she began contacting schools of interest. With her parents’ help, said Arden, she made a list of schools she’d like to attend, narrowing them down not only based on their women’s golf programs, but also on their size and school pride. Though her family helped her make sure her choices were achievable, said Arden, some of them still felt like a reach, including the NCAA Division I University of Nebraska–Lincoln, which remained in the golfer’s top-three schools during nearly the entire recruiting process. “It felt for a long time that Nebraska was a dream,” she said.

But over time, by highlighting her achievements, determination, and team-positive attitude, Arden built a relationship with Jeanne Sutherland, head coach of Nebraska’s women’s golf team. They first emailed and talked on the phone, then Coach Sutherland came to watch Arden compete in a tournament and ended up offering her a spot on the team. In July, Arden headed to Lincoln for her first visit and immediately felt a connection to the golf team and coaches, and—necessary for the aspiring journalist—Nebraska’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications. At the conclusion of their trip, her parents asked her an important question: Would you want to be here with a broken leg?—meaning, if you couldn’t golf, would you still want to attend the school? For Arden, the answer was an enthusiastic yes. Later that month, she verbally committed to Nebraska, and this week she signed her National Letter of Intent, making her an official Husker.

“Arden has been the player every coach dreams to have on their team,” said Brianna Coopman, head coach of Rowland Hall’s girls golf team. “She is dedicated to the game, dedicated to the sport, and inspires everyone else around her. When I heard the news she was signing with Nebraska and the Big Ten Conference, I could not have been a prouder coach. Nebraska will be lucky to have her, and I have full confidence she will excel at both golf and academics during her time there. Congrats! Go, Cornhuskers!”

To celebrate Arden’s decision to golf for Nebraska, we asked her a few questions about her athletic journey. The following interview has been lightly edited.

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Congratulations on signing with Nebraska! You’ve long wanted to play golf for a large university; in 2020, you even told HER Fairways, “I would love to play for a D1 women’s golf team at a school with a lot of school spirit and a football team.” How does it feel to know you’ll be attending and competing for a Big Ten school next fall?

It still doesn’t totally feel real. If you compare Nebraska to what I said in the HER Fairways article, it literally checks every box that I had for a college and more. Not only does it have a strong golf program, a football team, and school spirit (for all sports, not just football), it also has one of the best journalism schools in the country, which is what I want to major in. I feel so incredibly lucky that I get to go to Nebraska next year because it truly feels like it is the perfect place for me.

There have been so many people who have put in time and effort to help me achieve this goal.—Arden Louchheim

The recruitment process is a long journey. How did you feel when you received the offer from Nebraska?

Overall, I felt so extremely grateful. Grateful to the Nebraska coaches, Coach Sutherland and Coach Zedrick, for their belief in me; grateful to my parents for their undying love and support; grateful to my coach for all of his guidance with my swing; and grateful to everyone else who supported me on this journey. There have been so many people who have put in time and effort to help me achieve this goal, so it was really amazing to see not only my hard work, but also everyone else’s effort, come to fruition. I also definitely felt some relief. I learned and grew so much from the recruiting process, but it was long and stressful, so it was nice knowing that I had finally reached the end of it.

You've had a successful golf career at Rowland Hall, including helping to lead your team to back-to-back 2A state championships, earning top 2A medalist honors for three consecutive seasons, and being named team MVP twice. What moment as a Winged Lion are you most proud of so far?

I am most proud of the team’s back-to-back state wins. It is really fun to win individually, but it is even more rewarding to come together as a team and achieve our goals as a unit. In the 2021 season I believe we only won state by three strokes, so we knew going into the 2022 season that we needed to practice hard to make sure we defended our state title. Watching all of my teammates come to practice motivated me every day, and seeing all of our hard work pay off with a large margin of victory at state in 2022 is a moment I am very proud of.

As previously mentioned, you’ve achieved so much already as a Rowland Hall golfer, but because girls golf is a spring sport for the UHSAA, you still have one more season to play before graduating. What are your hopes and/or goals for your final season as a Winged Lion?

My two main goals for the season are for the team to defend our back-to-back team state titles and for me individually to gain my fourth state title. My goal going into high school was to be a four-time state champion, so it would be really cool to achieve that goal with a win this year. Other goals I have include setting a new personal best for 18 holes, and maybe even trying to set a 2A record. My 67 in state last year was my personal best and set a Rowland Hall record, and I would love to try to lower that even further.

Tell us about the skills—both academic and athletic—you built at Rowland Hall that you'll be taking with you to Nebraska.

Rowland Hall played a massive part in achieving my goal of playing D1 college golf. Academically, Rowland Hall is a very challenging school, and while balancing golf and school was difficult, it taught me to be disciplined and to manage my time well. I learned to budget the time I had each day for practice, homework, workouts, and social events so that I could excel in academics and athletics while still enjoying time with friends and family. Additionally, the discussions that we have in classes like history and English helped me gain comfort expressing myself clearly and concisely. A lot of the recruiting process is emails and phone calls with coaches, and the speaking skills that Rowland Hall taught me benefited me greatly in these conversations with coaches.

Rowland Hall provided me with a place to grow as an athlete.—Arden Louchheim

Athletically, Rowland Hall provided me with a place to grow as an athlete and to experience team golf for one of the first times. Golf is largely an individual sport, and there are only a couple of team tournaments per year, so getting the chance to play with my classmates representing my school every year has been an incredible experience for me. Additionally, our school’s ski academy, Rowmark, is a very competitive program and the athletes are expected to hold themselves to the team’s high standards. These expectations instilled in me at a young age the responsibility, work ethic, and focus needed to be a member of the team. Once I built these habits, I was able to apply them outside of ski racing, and they have served extremely useful in my golf career, and my life as a whole. I have been at Rowland Hall since kindergarten and I take a lot of pride in this school, so getting a chance to use my athletic skills to represent the school is an opportunity I am very thankful for.

What do you think golf has taught you about yourself?

In my opinion, golf is one of the sports that most closely resembles life, so it has taught me so much about myself as an athlete but also just as a person. First and foremost, golf has taught me that I am a competitor. I love the feeling of adrenaline that comes with a must-make putt or a drive on a tight hole where I have to hit the fairway. The opportunity that competition provides to showcase every skill that I have worked so hard on is my favorite part of the sport. Golf has also taught me to be very, very resilient. In golf, progress is not always linear, and learning to fight through a single tough round or a couple weeks of rough play has made me a stronger golfer and person who is more prepared to face adversity.

Is there anything else you want our community to know about your athletic and/or academic journey?

I am so thankful for the support that Rowland Hall has provided me. Golf tournaments, as well as Rowmark events, required me to miss a lot of class, but my teachers were always so understanding and supportive. I have had math teachers take time out of their lunch breaks or free periods to go over material I missed, and history teachers who allowed me to sit in on class periods other than my own to hear lectures that I was not at school for. The faculty and staff’s willingness to be flexible in order to allow every student to achieve their full potential is not something that I take for granted, and my success is a direct result of the support that I have received from Rowland Hall. I am very proud to be a Winged Lion.

Congratulations, Arden!

Athletics

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.

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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

Congratulations to junior Elisabeth Bocock, who this week was nominated to the US Ski Team.

Elisabeth is one of 42 athletes nominated to the US Alpine Ski Team and one of three athletes who will be joining the women’s Development Team (D-Team) for the first time for the 2022–2023 competition season. (Athletes qualify for the team in the spring based on selection criteria, and the official team is announced in the fall once nominees complete physical fitness testing and medical department clearance.) She is the youngest addition to the D-Team and the only new member from the state of Utah.

“It was unreal,” said Elisabeth of the moment she received the call from US Ski Team Coach Chip Knight congratulating her on her season and confirming her place on the team. “It was what I’ve been hoping for basically my whole life.”

She’s not kidding. Thanks to her family’s love of skiing, Elisabeth has been involved with the sport for as long as she can remember: she clipped into her first pair of skis at age two, and some of her earliest memories include traveling with her family to Colorado to watch the World Cup—an experience that inspired her first dreams of joining the US Ski Team. “Seeing people on the team there was super exciting,” she remembered. “It made me want to be a part of that.”

It was unreal. It was what I’ve been hoping for basically my whole life.—Elisabeth Bocock, class of 2023, on being nominated to the US Ski Team

It also didn’t hurt that Elisabeth has three older siblings—brothers Scottie ’18 and Jimmy, and sister Mary—who were early naturals on the slopes and whose ski racing journeys inspired her own competitive drive. Elisabeth began racing for the Snowbird Ski Team at age six, and she joined Rowmark Ski Academy at age 13—a move she credits for preparing her to excel in both racing and academics, and where she’s had an exceptional career. In the 2021–2022 season alone, Elisabeth had five podium finishes in elite-level FIS races and is currently ranked first for her age in the US in slalom, giant slalom, and super-G, and second in the world in giant slalom.

“What is so impressive about Elisabeth objectively earning a spot on the US Ski Team is that her season was filled with setbacks,” said Foreste Peterson, Rowmark Ski Academy’s head women's FIS coach. “Whether it was having to quarantine from COVID exposures, or the many hard crashes she took that left her concussed, bloody, bruised, and banged up, she was knocked down time and time again. Yet, she bounced back every time, better than before, and always with a smile on her face. It was truly a pleasure to work with Elisabeth this year, and I so look forward to seeing what her future holds.”

And while Elisabeth’s riding the high of simply making the US Ski Team, she’s also enjoying an additional perk not available to every athlete in her position: the knowledge that this new experience will include her older sister (and role model), Mary, who was nominated to the US Ski Team last spring. “I’m super excited to work together in a different atmosphere,” said Elisabeth. “Mary’s been a real inspiration to me and has shown me what it takes to get to where I need to go.”

We can’t wait to see where she goes next. Congratulations, Elisabeth—we’ll be cheering you on!

Rowmark

Ever since Briggs Ballard learned he could play lacrosse while also studying finance and business development in college, he focused on turning that goal into a reality.

“From the day I realized I could play college lacrosse, it has been my biggest dream,” he said.

That dream came true on March 4, when Briggs committed to play for Texas Christian University (TCU), a Division 1 school with a lacrosse team that competes in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. It’s an impressive step for the talented young athlete, who has been passionate about lacrosse since the age of three, when a Rowland Hall parent who moved to Utah from the East Coast created a mini lacrosse team for the community as a way to introduce students to the sport.

“I was a little too young to suit up,” Briggs said about the experience. “However, my brother [Boston Ballard ’20] played and I was always there watching and waiting for my turn. As I watched the older kids, I knew I wanted to play, and from that day on lacrosse was my sport. When I got my chance, I hit the ground running.”

And he’s excelled: by third grade, Briggs was playing competitive club lacrosse, and by sixth grade, club box lacrosse, and he was a member of youth teams at both Brighton High School and Corner Canyon High School, where his eighth-grade team won the state championship. In ninth grade, after a family move, Briggs began playing for Highland High School, where, as the only freshman on the varsity team, he led in goals, assists, and total points, earning him Freshman of the Year and Most Valuable Player accolades. When COVID-19 canceled his sophomore season, Briggs decided to use the time to think about how to take the skills he’d been building to the next level. “During quarantine, I decided I needed to push myself and play at the highest level of high school lacrosse,” he said. After making the team at IMG Academy, a prestigious sports training facility and boarding school in Florida, Briggs chose to spend his junior year there, where he practiced seven days a week and traveled the country playing top teams.

“It was a difficult decision to move away from my family and to leave Rowland Hall, but I decided to go for it and spent my junior year at IMG,” said Briggs. “The experience was one I will never forget; I learned so much about lacrosse and myself.”

He also learned just how much he appreciates his family and the Rowland Hall community: Briggs returned to Utah for his senior year, where he’s been enjoying time with friends, wrapping up his studies in the Upper School, playing lacrosse (of course!), and preparing for the next chapter of his story.

To celebrate Briggs’ decision to play lacrosse for TCU, we asked him to share more about his athletic journey. The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

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You're a Rowland Hall student who has pursued the sport you love (but one that's not offered by the school) alongside your studies. How have you juggled both responsibilities?

Juggling the rigor of Rowland Hall and the intensity of my lacrosse schedule has been challenging. I've had to learn to manage my time and plan ahead. I've done a lot of homework and studied on planes while flying home from tournaments. Even though Rowland Hall does not have a lacrosse program, the school and teachers have been very supportive and have always worked with me. Along with the challenges, playing for other schools has also been a blessing in many ways. It has enabled me to meet and socialize with kids outside of Rowland Hall and it's really expanded my social circle.

Can you briefly describe how you connected with the TCU team and how you made your decision to join them?

The lacrosse recruiting experience has been both awesome and stressful. I've had to really consider what level of lacrosse I want to play and balance that with the kind of college experience I want. My options were all over the board, from D1 schools to some smaller D3 schools, and several club options. Ultimately, I was heavily recruited by TCU, which happens to be where my brother goes to school. My brother has several friends currently on the TCU lacrosse team and because he knew I would love TCU, he had them reach out to me and from there the coach reached out. I fell in love with everything TCU has to offer, including their D1 lacrosse program. In addition to the lacrosse program, TCU checks all of the academic boxes for me and I can't wait to be a Horned Frog!

How did you feel when you officially committed to play for TCU?

I felt proud of myself and like all of my hard work paid off. I felt like I had finally done it and was relieved to have made a decision. The feeling of finally committing is a feeling I will never experience again and I am so grateful for how everything worked out.

What are your top memories from your lacrosse career (so far)?

My top memories of my lacrosse career so far are traveling all over the country with my parents and my best friends/teammates. I have played with several of the same kids since we were in the first grade and they have truly become some of my best friends. The summer tournaments are always memories; staying together as a team and playing the sport we love are memories I will never forget. Finally, last year, my IMG team traveled to Indiana, where we played Culver Academy, one of the best teams in the country. While we did not come away with the win, playing in front of so many people, and in a nationally televised game, is a very cool experience and a major memory for me. 

Tell us about the skills you built at Rowland Hall that you'll be taking with you to TCU.

I strongly believe Rowland Hall has set me up to succeed at TCU both academically and socially. Rowland Hall has taught me how to learn, how to be a critical thinker, and how to manage my time. Rowland Hall is a one-of-a-kind school and I cherish my time here and the education I’ve received. I know I will be a strong writer and contribute to the TCU community because of my Rowland Hall experience.

Is there anything else you want our community to know about your athletic and academic journey?

Just that I am beyond grateful for everyone who has supported me and helped me on my journey. My Rowland Hall friends have always been so supportive and encouraged me to keep on with lacrosse. From the teachers and staff to my friends, family, and coaches, I will forever be thankful for all of you. 

Lastly, GO FROGS!

Athletics

As we kick off a new year, we want to take just a moment to look back on some of the incredible Rowland Hall happenings in 2024.

Below, we’re sharing five of the most exciting stories we published in Fine Print last year—examples of the incredible students, teachers, and moments of learning that exemplify the Rowland Hall experience. Check them out, if you haven’t already, or revisit them for a feel-good reminder of what makes Rowland Hall such an exceptional place.

Advanced Research Classes Immerse Students in Real-World Questions, Further Rowland Hall’s Strategic Vision

Ever since the Upper School rolled out Advanced Research classes, our community has been buzzing. These exciting classes allow students to dive deeply into subjects, develop theses, and conduct research alongside experts. They also prove that students of any age can find solutions to real-world problems. (Bonus: be sure to check out the follow-up to this story, AR Biology Students Published in ‘Cancers’ Scientific Journal, to see how far one class’s work has gone.)

Rowland Hall Debate, One Step Closer to World Domination

For years, Rowland Hall debaters have shined locally (they currently hold their fourth consecutive state title) and nationally. Now, they’re making a name for themselves on the global stage. In October, top teams traveled to Taiwan for their first-ever international tournament, held at the Taipei American School.

Student-Created Wings of Inclusion Conference Brings Together Utah High Schoolers, Inspires Leadership

After being energized at the national Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2023, a group of Upper School students chose to dedicate much of 2024 to organizing their own conference for Utah high schoolers. Held at the Lincoln Street Campus in September, our students’ Wings of Inclusion Conference aimed to create belonging for all Utah students, and to develop tomorrow’s leaders. 

2024 Convocation Speakers Share Joyful Moments, Encourage Community to Create and Spread Joy

Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 theme, Joy, was unveiled to the community at Convocation in August. As part of that annual gathering, three students and one alum shared their own reflections on joy with their peers and the larger Rowland Hall community. They discussed what joy means, the forms joy takes, how to look for joy in your life, and how to create joy for others.

Upper Schoolers Teach Money Smarts to Lower Schoolers

It’s always an exciting day when cross-divisional learning happens! One especially joyful collaboration took place this fall, when students from the Upper School’s Business & Finance and Entrepreneurship classes came to the McCarthey Campus to teach personal finance lessons to first and third graders.

Community

When Kavitha Kasturi walked into her first Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2022, it was the first time she had been in a space in which most people belonged to historically underrepresented groups.

“The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging,” said Kavitha.

The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging.—Kavitha Kasturi, class of 2025

Held every year during the week after Thanksgiving, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference brings together student and adult representatives from independent schools across the US and abroad. Organized by the National Association of Independent Schools, SDLC takes place alongside the organization’s People of Color Conference. Both gatherings provide opportunities to self-reflect, connect with others, and learn how to build inclusive, equitable, and just classrooms and communities.

Because Rowland Hall believes in the importance of these conferences and the benefits they bring to the school community, every year the school pays to send a group of faculty and staff, as well as six Upper School students, to them. Each year, these representatives leave SDLC and PoCC inspired and excited to share what they learned with their community at Rowland Hall.

As in years past, when the 2023 SDLC wrapped, the student representatives—then juniors Kavitha Kasturi, Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Sylvia Rae Twahirwa, and Evan Weinstein, and then 10th grader Gavin Schmidt—were looking forward to sharing their experience back at school. But the group, some of whom were repeat conference attendees, also felt a pull to think bigger.
 

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That’s because the students knew, as of 2023, Rowland Hall was the only Utah independent school that attended SDLC—meaning very few students in the state benefit from the four-day experience. While they’d be sharing what they learned with their Upper School peers, they worried it was too small an impact. They wondered if there was a way to expand their reach. As the Rowland Hall representatives gathered for a debriefing on the last day of the conference, an exciting idea was floated: Could the students create their own SDLC-inspired conference for other Utah high schoolers?

It’s the kind of idea that could easily be shared then forgotten, but in the weeks following their return to campus, the SDLC group—along with then junior Hasan Rahim, who had attended SDLC in 2022, and then ninth grader Aoife Canning—kept the conversation going. Guided by advisors Dr. Kate Taylor, Dr. Chandani Patel, and Harper Lundquist ’16, the students began discussing all that actually goes into planning a conference, as well as what elements of SDLC they wanted to keep and what they thought was missing from the experience. Dr. Taylor wasn’t surprised by what she witnessed.

“This group happens to be very action-oriented, which is something I love about them,” she said. “They’re big visionary thinkers.”

And before they knew it, these visionaries’ questions had transformed into a solid plan. By January, they were working on what would soon be known as Wings of Inclusion: Cultivating Joy in Education, a first-of-its-kind student-led conference scheduled for Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, at the Lincoln Street Campus.

In the months that followed, the students immersed themselves in the complicated world of event planning. Between classes and extracurriculars, and then during summer break, the group tackled a long to-do list: design a logo and marketing plan, craft a schedule, communicate with speakers and performers, extend invitations, identify facilitators, arrange catering, decide on activities, gather discussion questions. In line with priority 2 of Rowland Hall’s strategic vision, advisors were on hand for guidance as needed, but focused on empowering the students to make decisions and take the lead as much as possible.

As summer drew to a close and a new school year ramped up, the group put the finishing touches on their conference and prepared to welcome students from Wasatch Academy, the Waterford School, Copper Hills High School, and Olympus High School to campus.

The Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with a space of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others.

Guided by the theme of Cultivating Joy in Education (which builds on Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 school-wide theme, Joy, and was inspired in part by a presentation the students heard from Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Unearthing Joy), the Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with the kind of space Kavitha remembered walking into for her first SDLC—one of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others. The schedule, thoughtfully crafted by the student organizers, included space for both affinity groups (groups that share identities) and family groups (groups of randomly mixed participants), as well as unstructured social time, meals, and performances by Punjabi Arts Academy, Salt Lake Capoeira, and Best of Africa.

The students also scheduled three guest speakers: Stacy Bernal, a candidate for Utah State Senate; Michelle Mooney, impact manager for the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office; and Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal, vice president for diversity, equity, and student success at American Association of Colleges and Universities, and a Rowland Hall trustee. “Our main goal was to show there are people of color or other diverse identities in positions of power,” said organizer Sylvia Rae. They hoped student attendees would see themselves in these community leaders, and that the speakers’ stories about their personal and professional journeys would help attendees understand that leadership and changemaking were within their reach.

And while the conference’s attendees certainly had an impressive group of adults at the event to look up to (in addition to the speakers, Ryan Hoglund, Robin Hori, Dr. Lydia Jackson, Dr. Nate Kogan, and Stacia McFadden served as conference facilitators, while advisors Dr. Patel and Kaleb Nielsen coordinated the program), the strongest role models of the weekend were the student organizers themselves. In addition to managing the flow of the event, these students all took on the facilitation roles that make breakout spaces safe and provide valuable, joyful experiences for attendees, some of whom may feel unwelcome in other communities.

“There’s definitely a nurturing role, a caretaking role,” said Sylvia Rae about being a facilitator. “You’re bigger than yourself at that moment: ‘I’m facilitating this conversation and it's not about me now; it’s about others.’”

And though the Wings of Inclusion turnout was smaller than the students originally hoped for (30 people attended the inaugural conference), the size turned out to be beneficial. It allowed facilitators to lead deeper conversations and for all attendees to more fully participate. “It was the perfect amount of people,” reflected Sylvia Rae.

Speaker Michelle Mooney, who stayed for a breakout session after addressing the group on Saturday morning, said watching the student facilitators lead their groups was heartwarming, and even reinvigorated her feelings about her own role in the community—particularly when it comes to empowering rising leaders. Though still in her 20s, Michelle said she’s already thinking about the legacy she’ll leave for the next generation to carry on, and she hopes more professionals will recognize the capabilities of students and young adults and help cultivate them as leaders.

“We don’t need to doubt that the youth know what to do, and we really need to empower our youth to feel like they have a place,” said Michelle.

And as Wings of Inclusion showed, when students are empowered, they can do incredible things. As the conference wound down on Saturday evening, a feeling of joy could be felt on campus—an attestation of the small-but-mighty power of this student-created gathering that, only nine months earlier, had been but a question, a dream of a space in which students from across the state could gather to pour strength, love, and inspiration into one another.

To close the event, the organizers gathered the group for an open mic session. Though they knew speaking in front of others is scary, and they were a bit worried the minutes may be filled with silence, they wanted to provide a moment of reflection for attendees. They didn’t wait long before one student stood up. Another followed. Then another. As each student came to the mic, they shared their gratitude for this welcoming conference, for this safe space in which they could share their experiences and be themselves. Some said they had never had this kind of opportunity before. Some called out the guest speakers who made them feel that they, too, can make a difference. They were grateful. They were inspirational. “It was the best moment of the conference for me and my peers,” said Kavitha.

They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power.—Dr. Kate Taylor, Upper School English teacher

For Dr. Taylor, who supported the students’ dream from its earliest days, the positive feedback the students have received is incredibly well-deserved. And, perhaps more importantly, it’s an ongoing reminder to these leaders that they are never too young to make real change.

“They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power,” said Dr. Taylor.

And the organizers can know that the inaugural (and soon to be annual) Wings of Inclusion conference will play an important role in helping more young adults from across the state believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference.

“Little things like this really matter. It made an impact,” said Kavitha. “It’s inspiring, and it made me want to keep going.”

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Banner: Rowland Hall seniors Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Evan Weinstein, Kavitha Kasturi, Hasan Rahim, and Sylvia Rae Twahirwa smile for a photo at the 2024 Wings of Inclusion Conference.

Equity & Inclusion

By Dr. Chandani Patel, Director of Equity and Inclusion

In its third year, the Office of Equity and Inclusion continued to implement programs and initiatives towards cultivating a community where each member thrives.

Led by Dr. Chandani Patel, Rowland Hall’s director of equity and inclusion, this year the team included four divisional coordinators across the school and a part-time equity and inclusion intern. Collaborating with other key partners, the Office of Equity and Inclusion built capacity across the school so that more individuals share the responsibility for advancing an equitable and inclusive Rowland Hall community. This year in review highlights programs and initiatives we led this year, with the help of many partners, to foster a sense of belonging for all. 

We want to thank the students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and parents/caregivers who have contributed to this work this year. We look forward to working with many more of you in the years to come.

Ongoing Faculty Support for 2023–2024

During the 2023–2024 school year, divisional equity and inclusion coordinators collaborated with and provided support to faculty colleagues to advance equity and inclusion in classrooms and divisions. Coordinators worked closely with Dr. Patel and division principals to identify key needs, design resources, and facilitate learning opportunities. The coordinators were Quincy Jackson ’16 (Beginning School), Samantha Hemphill (Lower School), Susan Phillips (Middle School), and Dr. Kate Taylor (Upper School).

We again hosted a national Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity seminar, led by fifth-grade teacher Jen Bourque, where participants considered how they can use their classrooms, communities, or workplaces to create a more equitable environment for all.

2023–2024 DEI Learning Communities and Affinity Groups

• Belonging @ Rowland Hall Learning Community: This learning community convened a group of faculty and staff committed to advancing belonging for all community members at Rowland Hall. Organized around a set of topics related to equity and inclusion, the community met once a month and was open to all faculty and staff to come learn together. 
• Student JEDI leaders: This group of Upper School students facilitated learning opportunities for Middle School peers, including on topics such as recognizing and respecting differences, and organized community-building programs, such as luncheons and movie nights, to bring students together across their identities. 
• Inclusion, Outreach, and Equity (IEO) Committee: This committee of board members and administrators worked to identify and support strategic alignment centered on Rowland Hall’s priority to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across the school community. 
• Affinity groups: Twenty-one affinity groups—spaces that bring together people with common identifiers or life experiences—in the lower, middle, and upper schools built relationships and engaged members in shared learning (see list of groups below). A faculty and staff BIPOC affinity group, for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, gathered to recognize cultural heritage months and build community. The White Antiracist Educators group met to discuss key readings related to equity and inclusion and ways to activate allyship. Three parent/caregiver affinity groups (listed below) also met throughout the year to build community and provide mutual support. 

Student Affinity Groups

Twenty-one affinity groups supported lower, middle, and upper schoolers this year:

• Banana Splits, Lower School
• Kids of Color, Lower School
• Neurodivergent Club, Lower School*
• Rainbow Club, Lower School
• Arab and Muslim Affinity Group, Middle School*
• Boys Affinity Group, Middle School*
• Jewish Affinity Group, Middle School*
• Neurodivergent and Allies Affinity Group, Middle School
• Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Middle School
• Students of Color, Middle School
• Asian Affinity Group, Upper School
• Black Student Union, Upper School
• Christian Affinity Group, Upper School*
• Girls of Color, Upper School
• Infinity: Neurodivergent and Allies Affinity Group, Upper School
• Jewish Affinity Group, Upper School
• Latine Affinity Group, Upper School
• Multiracial Affinity Group, Upper School
• Muslim Affinity Group, Upper School
• Queer Straight Alliance, Upper School
• Queer/Trans People of Color, Upper School*

*New in 2023–2024

Affinity groups in the Lower School are requested by families, led by faculty mentors, and provide space to build community and support. Affinity groups in the middle and upper schools are requested by students and are student-led in terms of topics and activities. 

Parent/Caregiver Affinity Groups

• Active Allies*
• Families of Neurodivergent Students*
• Families of Students of Color

*New in 2023–2024

2023–2024 Programming

• MLK Week 2024: Weavers and Dreamers: This year’s MLK week theme, Weavers and Dreamers, invited us to consider—alongside storytellers, artists, and musicians—how our dreams of and for the future necessitate listening to each other’s stories, being in relationship with each other, and working toward a shared future. The program featured guest performers Micah Willis ’14 as well as Mama Charlotte and Ashley Finley from the Nubian Storytellers of Utah Leadership. We also celebrated long-serving board member and trailblazing community member Reverend Pastor France A. Davis as he retires from the Board of Trustees. 
• Second annual STEM Symposium: Led by the Upper School Science Department, this annual program was designed to offer our Upper School students an opportunity to learn from researchers across a variety of STEM disciplines about their work. The program provided students with a lens into a diverse array of career pathways with the hope of igniting their curiosity and showcasing role models in our community. 
• (*NEW*) All Affinity & Alliance Group Celebration: This end-of-the-year celebration was an opportunity for members of all affinity and alliance groups across the school to come together to build community and celebrate each other. Members of student, faculty and staff, and parent/caregiver affinity groups were in attendance. 
• Pride Parade 2024: More than 100 participants from the Rowland Hall community marched in the Utah Pride Parade this year. The group was led by student members of the Upper School’s Queer Straight Alliance, the Middle School’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance, and the Lower School’s Rainbow Club. This year, we hosted a float-decorating party for students and families the evening before the event to help build community and add Rowland Hall pride to our float. 

Community Education & Impact

Educational Programs

• Deliberate Dialogue on Indigenous Perspectives (October) was an opportunity for the community to explore the grounding principles that inform indigenous ways of learning and knowing. Participants learned about indigenous knowledge systems through music and art, resources created by indigenous communities, and discussion about education and indigeneity. The event was presented by Emily Quetone Khan, director of learning services, and her father, Tucker Quetone, who are members of the Kiowa Tribe and citizens of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. 
• Author Talk and Discussion with Kimberlee Williams (April) allowed participants to explore how to racially diversify their friend groups, how to show up for and with colleagues in ways that disrupt historic patterns, and how to intentionally and thoughtfully be in community with one another across racial differences.

Community Impact

• Together with Director of Community Engagement and Impact Ryan Hoglund, Dr. Chandani Patel launched the Center for Community Impact, which the two will be co-directing. The Center is designed to educate, empower, and inspire individuals to become agents of positive change in their communities and beyond and will offer opportunities for Rowland Hall students to establish deep and reciprocal relationships with community partners.

Equity & Inclusion

By Dr. Chandani Patel, Director of Equity and Inclusion

My second year in the inaugural director of equity and inclusion role was an opportunity to build capacity across the school so that more individuals share the responsibility for advancing an equitable and inclusive school community. One key addition this year was the Divisional Equity and Inclusion Coordinators program, through which one faculty member in each division coordinated learning and action centered on equity and inclusion. These coordinators now help make up the Office of Equity and Inclusion, which brings together key partners across the school to collaborate on equity and inclusion initiatives, including the committees listed below. This year in review highlights programs and initiatives we led this year to cultivate a community where each member thrives. 

This year in review highlights programs and initiatives we led this year to cultivate a community where each member thrives.

We want to thank the students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and parents/caregivers who have contributed to this work this year. We look forward to working with many more of you in the years to come.

New Faculty Support for 2022–2023

During the 2022–2023 school year, divisional equity and inclusion coordinators collaborated with and provided support to faculty colleagues to advance equity and inclusion in classrooms and divisions. Coordinators worked closely with Dr. Patel and division principals to identify key needs, design resources, and facilitate learning opportunities. The coordinators were Quincy Jackson (Beginning School), Abigail Bacon (Lower School), Susan Phillips (Middle School), and Dr. Kate Taylor (Upper School).

We also hosted a national Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity seminar, led by fifth-grade teacher Jen Bourque, where participants considered how they can use their classrooms, communities, or workplaces to create a more equitable environment for all.

2022–2023 DEI Committees and Affinity Groups

• JEDI Committee: This faculty and staff committee focused on four main areas this year: community education, inclusive and accessible practices, curriculum, and making our core values actionable.
• Student JEDI leaders: This group of Upper School students developed and facilitated learning opportunities for peers, including on topics like microaggressions and recognizing and respecting differences.
• Affinity groups: Affinity groups—spaces that bring together people with common identifiers or life experiences—in the lower, middle, and upper schools built relationships and engaged in shared learning (see list of groups below). A faculty and staff BIPOC affinity group, for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, gathered to recognize cultural heritage months and build community. The White Antiracist Educators group met to discuss key readings related to equity and inclusion and ways to activate allyship.
• Inclusion, Outreach, and Equity (IEO) Committee: This committee of board members and administrators worked to identify and support strategic alignment centered on Rowland Hall’s priority to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across the school community.

Student Affinity Groups

Sixteen affinity groups supported lower, middle, and upper schoolers this year:

• Banana Splits, Lower School*
• Kids of Color, Lower School*
• Rainbow Club, Lower School*
• Neurodivergent and Allies Affinity Group, Middle School*
• Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Middle School
• Students of Color, Middle School*
• Asian Affinity Group, Upper School
• Black Student Union, Upper School*
• Girls of Color, Upper School
• Infinity: Neurodivergent and Allies Affinity Group, Upper School*
• Jewish Affinity Group, Upper School
• Latine Affinity Group, Upper School
• Multiracial Affinity Group, Upper School*
• Muslim Affinity Group, Upper School
• Pagan Affinity Group, Upper School*
• Queer Straight Alliance, Upper School

*New in 2022–2023

Affinity groups in the Lower School are requested by families, led by faculty mentors, and provide space to build community and support. Affinity groups in the middle and upper schools are requested by students and are student-led in terms of topics and activities. Those interested in forming affinity groups should speak to their principal (Ingrid Gustavson, Upper School, or Pam Smith, Middle School) or Dr. Patel.

2022–2023 Programming

• MLK Week 2023: Afrofuturism: Building a Beloved Future: This year’s MLK week theme, Afrofuturism, invited us to imagine more inclusive futures and featured two prominent guest speakers: New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez and youth climate activist Aniya Butler. Rio Cortez’s community poetry reading, “Afrofuturism, Frontiers, and Pioneers,” drew over 100 audience members from the broader community. The daylong student program featured dance, poetry readings, discussion, and artifact creation, all centered on building a future in which all individuals are celebrated.
• The Future of STEM: A Symposium With Local Innovators: This inaugural program was designed to offer our middle and upper school students an opportunity to learn from innovators in STEM about the state of their fields and about their journeys to their current roles. The program was also a recognition of Women’s History Month, highlighting prominent women leaders in STEM and providing allies with some tools to support underrepresented folks in STEM.
• Pride Parade 2023: More than 100 participants from the Rowland Hall community marched in the Utah Pride Parade this year. The group was led by student members of the Upper School’s Queer Straight Alliance and Middle School’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance. 

Community Education

Deliberate Dialogue Series

• Practice the Unpracticed: A Deliberate Dialogue On Racism (November) was an opportunity for the community to practice unpracticed conversations together around topics of race and racism.
• Making the Invisible Visible: A Deliberate Dialogue on Neurodiversity (March) was a forum for the community to learn about neurodiversity and how it impacts all types of learners, including the challenges and opportunities they encounter in educational settings.
• Celebrating Our Stories: A Deliberate Dialogue on Storytelling (May) allowed participants to explore how different ways of storytelling can help us connect to others' stories as windows or mirrors to our own experiences.

​Have You Been Wondering About… Resource Series

• The Office of Equity and Inclusion continued our series Have You Been Wondering About… as resources to help deepen learning in our community. This year’s topics were “How Racism Affects All of Us,” “Neurodiversity,” and “How to Be an Upstander.”

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Banner photo: Aniya Butler and Rio Cortez join Dr. Chandani Patel for Rowland Hall's Afrofuturism event in January 2023.

Equity & Inclusion

Can art save the Great Salt Lake?

It’s a question that students have been asking all year at Rowland Hall through dance, visual arts, and other mediums. In May, the question was laid out in black and white with the production of The Great Salt Film, a one-act play commissioned by theatre teacher Matt Sincell and Upper School students that examines the issues of the lake, and how, or even if, the artistic pursuits of teenagers could have an impact on a looming environmental crisis.

I wanted to empower them to have a voice in the creative process ... to see how art can impact people.—Matt Sincell, theatre teacher

“The play centers on a group of teenagers in a short-film competition to bring awareness to saving the Great Salt Lake,” said Matt. “We start to understand what their frustrations are with feeling powerless, and being asked to solve these problems but feeling like they have no voice and no vote.”

These are feelings the young actors in the play related to and were able to work through by helping create a new piece of art. Playwright Rachel Bublitz brought drafts of the play to the students and allowed them to contribute to not only the semantics of the work, but also to its overall structure and theme. “I wanted to empower them to have a voice in the creative process,” said Matt. “This was a way for them to see how art can impact people.”

The impact is already being felt in small ways. More than $500 was raised through the world premiere of the play, all of which went to FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake. This may not seem like much, but that is a key message of the play: every bit matters. The character of Truth, played by ninth grader Anaïs Bray, makes that point by emptying one bucket of water at a time into the dying lake. “It’s all about the small steps,” she said. “Truth’s mindset is: ‘It’s the best I can do and I need to do what I can do.’”

The bigger impact will be putting the play out into the world. Now that it has premiered at Rowland Hall, it is eligible for publication and subsequent production at schools and theaters all over the world. People who have never even heard of the Great Salt Lake will be able to learn more about its shrinking, and the environmental impact. They will also learn the names of the first cast to perform the play, as they will be printed on every future edition. “It’s fun to know that I’m the first person to do this role,” said ninth grader Henry Olsen.

The message is one of hope.—Owen Thomas, class of 2023

The impact is also through the students who participated in the creation of the play and its first production. They now possess a sense of agency to pick up and examine complex dilemmas and not shy away from them, no matter how insurmountable they seem. After all, there is a lake to save.

“I think the message is one of hope,” said twelfth grader Owen Thomas. “This isn’t a battle we’ve lost yet, but we still have a long way to go.”

Theatre

What do you get when you ask a class of resourceful fifth graders to take the lead on a community-focused project?

An impressive array of impact-making solutions.

That’s a truth that Rowland Hall’s fifth-grade teaching team discovered this year, thanks to a new project-based learning (PBL) opportunity that kicked off in the fall and, after months of dedicated student work, wrapped earlier this month.

The project, the first of its kind for the grade, began taking shape at a summer PBL workshop attended by two of the fifth-grade teachers, Sam Johnson and Colleen Thompson, who brought an idea to fellow teachers Jen Bourque and Dr. Torry Montes, both of whom had PBL experience from previous schools and were excited to bring a new idea to life in their Rowland Hall classrooms. The team wanted to connect their students’ learning with an understanding of their place within community, as well as—thanks to the nature of PBL, which promotes deep learning through student choice and leadership—empower them to take charge of an opportunity to build connections across the larger Salt Lake community. They decided to identify a shared public space that could use improvement, picturing it as a canvas on which students could lead the charge of finding ways to better serve the community, and they chose Bend in the River, a somewhat neglected park along the Jordan River Parkway, as the space for the project. They planned an October field trip to introduce students to the area.

Their discussion focused not on transforming the space they stood in, but on examining larger societal issues that contributed to unmaintained spaces, pollution, and a lack of housing. And since PBL is designed to follow students’ areas of interest, rather than adults’, it quickly became clear that the project was going to shift in unexpected, and exciting, ways.

But when the teachers took the students to Bend in the River, things didn’t unfold quite as expected. Instead of discussing how they wanted to change the area, the kids instead wanted to discuss the why behind what they were seeing: litter, broken structures, water pollution, and unhoused people. Their conversation focused not on transforming the space they stood in, but on examining larger societal issues that contributed to unmaintained spaces, pollution, and a lack of housing. And since PBL is designed to follow students’ areas of interest, rather than adults’, it quickly became clear that the project was going to shift in unexpected, and exciting, ways.

“We had this idea of proposals to change this park, but that didn’t come from the kids,” said Jen. As a result, the role of Bend in the River changed. “It became the place we used to come back to how that place is related to issues that touch the greater Salt Lake community.”

To better support their students’ burgeoning interests, the fifth-grade team refocused the project, moving away from transforming a specific space to answering an essential question: What do communities need to thrive? In November, they relaunched the project with an in-school field trip composed of rotations that would help students answer that question, determine what they were most passionate about, and identify where they wanted to work toward making an impact. “We were embracing the ever-moving target that is project-based learning,” explained Jen.

As part of the in-school field trip, the teachers brought in community members who could speak about creating connections and working toward solutions that benefit a shared community, a choice that was well-received and led to visits from additional representatives who generously shared their knowledge over the coming weeks: Britney Helmers and Josh Schuerman from Little City; Will Wright from the Salt Lake City Office of Economic Development; Tyler Fonarow, recreational trails manager for Salt Lake City Corporation; Ann Wigham (parent), Stan Stensrud, and Kimo Pokini from Ruff Haven; David Garbett (parent) from O₂ Utah; Greta Hamilton, stormwater program supervisor for Salt Lake County Public Works & Municipal Services; Brian Tonetti from Seven Canyons Trust; Mat Jones, District 2 supervisor for the Utah Department of Public Lands; and foothill rangers Haley Long and Eric Creel.

As the students learned about and discussed what communities need to thrive, four areas of interest naturally rose to the surface: environment, unhoused community, arts and community spaces, and trails and parks. It was decided that, in place of the original Bend in the River idea, students would find solutions to community problems within the four areas, each of which would be led by a teacher who could provide coaching, feedback, and support. And as an added benefit, the teachers structured the project so that students could work with their peers in other fifth-grade classes, a helpful experience for this group of rising middle schoolers.

The three A's allow students to be young changemakers in their own communities and prepare them for the challenges of the world they are going to inherit.—Dr. Torry Montes, fifth-grade teacher

The teachers also wanted to use the experience to help students better understand the many ways people can make real-world impact, which they did by introducing them to the three A’s: awareness, action, and advocacy. They explained that each A stood for a way people can make change: generate awareness by bringing attention to a problem, take action by moving forward on a solution, or act as advocates for policies that help people. The three A's, explained Dr. Torry, are often considered the goal of high-quality PBL.

“Educator Tony Wagner states that project-based learning is one of the best ways to meet all of the 21st-century learning goals,” she said. “The three A's allow students to be young changemakers in their own communities and prepare them for the challenges of the world they are going to inherit.”

Inspired by the ways they could make communities better, the students set to work researching causes and solutions, reaching out to groups and organizations, and creating a variety of projects that impressively showcased each of the three A’s, including proposals, petitions, posters, websites, flyers, and even a poem. By early March, when the students shared their final solutions at an open house, they had truly illustrated how young learners, when empowered to lead their learning, can take action, build awareness, and advocate for what they believe in. And as parents and caregivers wandered the fifth-grade wing, examining the projects, they were amazed by what they saw, recognizing how this work would benefit community organizations—including Salt Lake City Corporation, Tiny Village, Family Promise, Crossroads Urban Center, and Rowland Hall, not to mention the community members whose lives would be enhanced through the students’ ideas around clean water, safe shelters, and environmental protections—as well as the students themselves. Through this experience, the students learned life skills that will benefit them long after they leave their fifth-grade classrooms—including leaning on their own thinking to approach real-world problems. It’s a skill that’s essential, and one they’ll be encouraged to build on as they move on to middle school, and beyond.

“This is preparing them for their futures,” said Jen.

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Project Galleries

As part of their community project, Rowland Hall’s fifth graders were asked to not only choose the areas of change they wanted to pursue, but also to decide how they wanted to creatively share their work with others. We’re proud to include in this story the students’ choices for the Rowland Hall community’s enjoyment, and have provided examples of the students’ work in the galleries below. We also invite readers to read the students’ reflection essays on the experience, written to be published here in Fine Print.

Awareness

Students learned that generating awareness is essential to bringing attention to a problem, what needs to be done, and who should be involved. Click below to view the gallery.

Action

Students learned that action means moving forward on solving a problem they have identified. Click below to view the gallery.

Advocacy

Students learned that advocacy is designed to influence policy, helping to mobilize community members toward improvements. Click below to view the gallery.

Authentic Learning

Change may be slow, but it’s worth the wait.

This life truth was recently made clear to Jodi Spiro’s third graders, a group of students passionate about doing their part to save the earth—particularly when it comes to limiting the amount of garbage that’s dumped into the environment, a topic they’ve discussed often this year.

“We knew there was a problem, then we watched this video of how much trash ends up in rivers and oceans, and we thought it was really sad,” said class member Helena A. “We saw this island made out of trash—it’s bigger than Texas.”

“It feels like people don’t really care about what they’re throwing out,” added classmate Declan M.

And it really bothered the third graders to imagine Rowland Hall contributing to the problem—especially in one specific way: even though the school had returned to a traditional serving line at lunch (during the pandemic, individually packaged meals were delivered to classrooms), the dining hall hadn’t shifted back to using metal cutlery. The students knew the use of plastic utensils had to be creating a lot of waste, so in October they visited the dining hall to get an idea of just how much. The third graders began by counting the number of plastic utensils that fit into the dining hall’s cutlery dispenser, then determined how many times that dispenser was filled. They were shocked to learn that the McCarthey Campus was tossing around 900 plastic forks, knives, and spoons each week.

We realized how much we were throwing away and we wanted to know why, and we wanted to change it.—Third grader Declan M.

“We realized how much we were throwing away, and we wanted to know why, and we wanted to change it,” said Declan.

And though the students were anxious to make those changes right away, Jodi knew they would need the support of campus partners, including SAGE Dining Services, Rowland Hall’s lunch provider, which she knew was probably using plastic cutlery for a reason. Jodi saw the moment as an opportunity for her class to not only understand the reasoning behind that decision, but to learn how to respectfully present their request to reverse it.

“The way you go about something is the way you’ll get lasting change,” she told the class. “You’re going to get better buy-in from everybody if you’re respectful.”

So the class began by writing persuasive letters to explain their concerns and to propose their solution, which they sent to Julia Simonsen, food service director for SAGE, in November. They received a prompt response explaining that there was indeed a reason behind the use of plastic cutlery: students had been throwing away the dining hall’s metal cutlery, as well as reusable cups and even lunch trays. This was its own problem—the dining hall simply couldn’t afford to keep replacing these items. The third graders realized that, in order to address their cutlery concerns, they would first have to tackle another waste issue. So they made Julia an offer: they would teach lower schoolers how to properly use lunchroom materials if SAGE agreed to bring them back. Julia agreed.

With their end goal in mind, the third graders jumped into making plans for educating fellow students both on the proper use of cafeteria materials and on limiting what they sent to the landfill. They knew they would have to talk to every Lower School class, so they divided into teams, with each team choosing the grades they wanted to present to and the approach they thought best for that age group, such as a slideshow, a game of Kahoot!, or a Book Creator story. They also teamed up with staff and faculty members Emily Clawson, Mary Anne Wetzel, and Collin Wolfe to create a TikTok video demonstrating these skills, which they played for every class.

@rowlandhall1867

Jodi Spiro's third-grade class is on a crusade to make our school more environmentally friendly, and their first stop is the dining hall. After seeing how many plastic utensils were being thrown away, the students knew they had to take action. They urged the school to bring back metal cutlery, reusable cups, and compost buckets. Even at such a young age, these students are authentically learning and making a difference not only for our school, but for the world. Great job, third graders!

♬ original sound - Rowland Hall

Rowland Hall third graders demonstrate where to discard leftover milk, how to separate trash from compostable materials (which are then used by the Lower School’s Garden Club), and where to return utensils, cups, and trays.

These class presentations were another chance for the third graders to tap into their respectful dialogue skills: they had to present their material in ways that didn’t place blame on anyone and inspired students to want to help. “We wanted to make sure everyone understood the problem,” explained Helena. “We showed them what’s been happening and what they can do.”

And the presentations made an impact. From first to fifth grade, students expressed a desire to help fix the dining hall’s dual waste problems through their daily actions. “I didn’t really know that I could actually convince people this well of what's been happening in the cafeteria,” said Declan. “It felt really good.” Fellow third graders in Matthew Collins’ and Katie Schwab’s classes even created posters to help remind students to pay attention when disposing of items on their lunch trays, which are helpful resources as students continue to build these habits.

From her perspective, Jodi was thrilled to see not only how other classes responded to her students’ hard work, but how the experience also built the students’ confidence. She said her class loved being seen as experts on a subject and answering their peers’ questions; after each presentation, they returned to the classroom beaming and asking to talk to more people. “I think it brought out parts of themselves that they probably didn’t even expect,” she said.

They learned change is slow, but change is possible, and to be persistent: just because you want something to change doesn’t mean it’s going to follow your timeline.—Jodi Spiro, third-grade teacher

It also showed them that hard work on a cause you believe in is worth it. When the reusable cutlery and cups returned to the dining hall after April break, the moment was more than just the culmination of a nearly school-year-long goal; it was a strong reminder of how young learners can help address problems that seem insurmountable—such as waste in the environment—and truly make a difference.

“It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with the bigness of it,” said Jodi, “but the students learned you can start with something small and in your control, like what’s happening in our school. They learned change is slow, but change is possible, and to be persistent. Just because you want something to change doesn’t mean it’s going to follow your timeline.”

They also learned that making good choices add up and that, often, being the change you wish to see in the world starts by simply making a small decision to do something.

“Don’t be a problem starter,” summarized Jodi. “Be a problem solver.”

Ethical Education

Disagreement is everywhere. At times it feels like it has overtaken discourse and that a civil exchange of ideas is near impossible. How are young people supposed to navigate this world?

When faced with disagreement the natural reaction is to pull back. But it is in those moments when leadership is needed most.—Ryan Hoglund, director of ethical education

At Rowland Hall, it is with the help of their teachers, administrators, and a bevy of special guests who are part of the recently revived Upper School Speaker Series.

The theme of this year’s series is “Leading with Impact While Navigating Disagreement.” The aim is to help students understand the importance of listening to diverse perspectives when forming opinions and to teach them to become leaders even in the face of contentious arguments.

“When faced with disagreement the natural reaction is to pull back,” said Ryan Hoglund, director of ethical education. “But it is in those moments when leadership is needed most. The speakers are helping our students learn how to lead in those moments.”

English teacher Kody Partridge began the speakers series more than a decade ago as part of her 11th-grade rhetorical research project. (As was the case with many programs, the series was shelved last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Series speakers are all considered changemakers—people who recognize when positive change is needed and take action to make a difference—in their respective fields. In their presentations, they lay out for students how they have dealt with disagreements in their professions and how those disagreements have helped them grow their skill sets and reach important goals.

The series kicked off in October with Brittney Cummins, educational advisor to Utah Governor Spencer Cox. Since then, Salt Lake Tribune Executive Editor Lauren Gustus, Millcreek City Council Representative Silvia Catten, alumna and activist Dulce Horn ’20, First District Congressional Representative Blake Moore, Senate Candidate Becky Edwards, Flourish Bakery and Flourish Ventures Executive Director Rev. Aimee Altizer, and Utah Senator Derek L. Kitchen have spoken to students.

I have really enjoyed how the speakers have helped us understand the importance of implementing these dialogue tactics in our day-to-day lives.—Kaitlyn Bates, class of 2022

“Millcreek City Councilwoman Silvia Catten discussed navigating billboard controversies,” said Dr. Carolyn Hickman, English department chair, when asked to share an example of a message from this year’s series that stood out to her. “She vividly illustrated the importance of active listening and empathy building as she spoke to the challenges of building compromise at the local level.”

“She explained how she worked around conflicts to help benefit her own community; I found her tactics about how to approach the more tense situations to be super informative and engaging.” added senior Kaitlyn Bates. “I have really enjoyed how the speakers have helped us understand the importance of implementing these dialogue tactics in our day-to-day lives.”

The speaker series is a companion piece to the Deliberate Dialogue skill set taught throughout the Upper School curriculum. These skills, defined early in the year so that students can develop an awareness of when to use them, include:

• Open-Mindedness: I am open to learning about the lives, values, and beliefs of others.

• Listening: I can reflect what the other person is saying.

• Speaking: I can speak for myself and not on the behalf of others.

• Responding: I am able to respond empathetically to others.

• Reflecting: I can find differences as well as similarities between my life, values, and beliefs, and those of others.


“Collaboration is messy. We want students to know that conflict can be productive and when that mess is managed you get the best outcomes,” said Ryan. “This not only helps prepare them for college, but for the world at large.”

Ethical Education

It’s been an incredible season for five Rowmark alums competing at the international level.

Four of those alums—Breezy Johnson ’13, Katie Hensien ’18, Mary Bocock ’22, and Elisabeth Bocock ’23—are members of the US Ski Team, and one, Madi Hoffman ’18, is a member of the Australian National Team.

“It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season,” said Rowmark Ski Academy Program Director Todd Brickson.

It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season.—Todd Brickson, Rowmark Ski Academy program director

The fun kicked off early at the World Cup in Solden, Austria, where, on October 26, Katie Hensien took fourth place in the opening giant slalom event, then won her second run. Less than two months later, at the first NorAm Cup races of the season at Panorama Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Madi Hoffman won first place in giant slalom and second and third in slalom, and Mary Bocock placed third in giant slalom.

The Rowmark community saw gold in February when Breezy Johnson made history by winning the World Championships downhill in Saalbach, Austria. Breezy is only the third American woman to win gold in downhill at worlds. Just three days later, Breezy and teammate Mikaela Shiffrin took gold in the team combined event by 0.4 seconds. Katie Hensien also competed in the team combined event, skiing to 10th place out of 26 teams with partner Jackie Wiles.

Later that month, Elizabeth Bocock raced at the World Junior Championships in Tarvisio, Italy, where she took the bronze in the team parallel event and the giant slalom race. And in March, sister Mary Bocock put a bow on the season by winning both a NorAm downhill and NorAm super-G at Sugarloaf, Maine. What a year!

Congratulations to all on a banner season—it’s been an honor to cheer you on and watch you represent Rowmark on the international stage.

Alumni

Rowland Hall is pleased to announce that Per Lundstam has been named the new director of Rowmark Ski Academy.

Per brings over two decades of high-performance sports experience to the role, as well as a strong background in coaching and athlete development, including for high-level athletes as young as eight years old. This diverse background makes him exceptionally well-suited to lead Rowmark Ski Academy in its next chapter.

Per’s impressive coaching background includes serving as men’s assistant World Cup downhill/super-G coach, men’s assistant World Cup slalom/giant slalom coach, and head conditioning coach for US Ski & Snowboard. He also served as men’s assistant World Cup coach and head conditioning coach for the Swedish Ski Federation. Per earned Level 500 coaching certification, the highest level of coaching credential, from US Ski & Snowboard.

We are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future. He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community.—Todd Brickson, outgoing Rowmark Ski Academy director

Per’s career features significant leadership roles within top-tier sports. He’s currently the alpine sport science director for US Ski & Snowboard, where he drives innovative sports science programming. Prior to that role, Per was director of high performance for Red Bull North America, where he managed performance strategies for a wide array of elite athletes.

Throughout his career, Per has demonstrated a strong ability to build meaningful relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Again and again, Per’s references spoke about his deep knowledge, his expertise in skiing and coaching, and his commitment to supporting each skier’s athletic and personal progression. He is known as a collaborative leader who listens deeply and leads with kindness.

“As I pass the torch, we are thrilled to have Per guiding Rowmark into the future,” said Todd Brickson, current Rowmark Ski Academy director. “He is a highly respected, exceptionally knowledgeable, and innovative leader in the alpine ski-racing community, and we look forward to the vision and direction he will bring to the program.”

Welcome, Per! We look forward to Rowmark Ski Academy’s bright future under your direction.

Rowmark

Breezy Johnson ’13 is on fire!

The Rowland Hall/Rowmark Ski Academy alum etched her name into ski-racing history on February 8 when she took gold in a stunning downhill performance at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria.

Listen to this story | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Despite stiff competition, as well as a demanding downhill track, Breezy blazed to victory, clocking 1:41.29—a mere 0.15 seconds faster than the next competitor—to secure her first downhill world champion title.

“This victory means everything to me,” Breezy said in a post-race interview with Eurosport. “I’ve been working toward this moment my entire life, and to achieve it on this stage, with my family and teammates here, is a dream come true.”

Raised in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Breezy, who specializes in the downhill and super-G speed disciplines, refined her skills at Rowmark before joining the US Ski Team in 2014. Since then, she’s represented the United States in multiple World Cup seasons (in addition to this year’s victories, she has seven World Cup podiums to her name) and was a member of Team USA at the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Games.

And even after being crowned a world champion, Breezy wasn’t done. On Tuesday, February 11, she teamed up with fellow US Ski Team member Mikaela Shiffrin for the women’s team combined event, where Breezy had a strong downhill performance, finishing in third. Mikaela then followed with a slalom run time that allowed the duo to secure gold for the US. What a week!

“All of us at Rowmark are so proud of Breezy,” said Todd Brickson, program director, who has for years watched this former Rowmark athlete inspire others with her dedication, persistence, and passion for alpine ski racing.

“Ever since she was at U16 at Rowmark, she had a dream to be a world champion,” Todd continued. “After many years of commitment, injury, blood, sweat, and tears, she has reached this huge milestone. Her perseverance and work ethic are second to none, and now that she has broken through on the highest stage, this likely is the tip of the iceberg for her.”

Congratulations, Breezy! We can’t wait to see what you’ll do next.

Alumni

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

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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.

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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

Congratulations to junior Elisabeth Bocock, who this week was nominated to the US Ski Team.

Elisabeth is one of 42 athletes nominated to the US Alpine Ski Team and one of three athletes who will be joining the women’s Development Team (D-Team) for the first time for the 2022–2023 competition season. (Athletes qualify for the team in the spring based on selection criteria, and the official team is announced in the fall once nominees complete physical fitness testing and medical department clearance.) She is the youngest addition to the D-Team and the only new member from the state of Utah.

“It was unreal,” said Elisabeth of the moment she received the call from US Ski Team Coach Chip Knight congratulating her on her season and confirming her place on the team. “It was what I’ve been hoping for basically my whole life.”

She’s not kidding. Thanks to her family’s love of skiing, Elisabeth has been involved with the sport for as long as she can remember: she clipped into her first pair of skis at age two, and some of her earliest memories include traveling with her family to Colorado to watch the World Cup—an experience that inspired her first dreams of joining the US Ski Team. “Seeing people on the team there was super exciting,” she remembered. “It made me want to be a part of that.”

It was unreal. It was what I’ve been hoping for basically my whole life.—Elisabeth Bocock, class of 2023, on being nominated to the US Ski Team

It also didn’t hurt that Elisabeth has three older siblings—brothers Scottie ’18 and Jimmy, and sister Mary—who were early naturals on the slopes and whose ski racing journeys inspired her own competitive drive. Elisabeth began racing for the Snowbird Ski Team at age six, and she joined Rowmark Ski Academy at age 13—a move she credits for preparing her to excel in both racing and academics, and where she’s had an exceptional career. In the 2021–2022 season alone, Elisabeth had five podium finishes in elite-level FIS races and is currently ranked first for her age in the US in slalom, giant slalom, and super-G, and second in the world in giant slalom.

“What is so impressive about Elisabeth objectively earning a spot on the US Ski Team is that her season was filled with setbacks,” said Foreste Peterson, Rowmark Ski Academy’s head women's FIS coach. “Whether it was having to quarantine from COVID exposures, or the many hard crashes she took that left her concussed, bloody, bruised, and banged up, she was knocked down time and time again. Yet, she bounced back every time, better than before, and always with a smile on her face. It was truly a pleasure to work with Elisabeth this year, and I so look forward to seeing what her future holds.”

And while Elisabeth’s riding the high of simply making the US Ski Team, she’s also enjoying an additional perk not available to every athlete in her position: the knowledge that this new experience will include her older sister (and role model), Mary, who was nominated to the US Ski Team last spring. “I’m super excited to work together in a different atmosphere,” said Elisabeth. “Mary’s been a real inspiration to me and has shown me what it takes to get to where I need to go.”

We can’t wait to see where she goes next. Congratulations, Elisabeth—we’ll be cheering you on!

Rowmark

We are proud of the Olympians representing Rowmark Ski Academy and Rowland Hall at this month's Olympic Games, which kick off February 4.

Since their earliest days on the mountain, these skiers have been on a journey toward athletic excellence. Being named to their countries’ alpine ski teams is one of the highest honors of their careers, and represents hours of sacrifice and a steady commitment to intense training and competition.

While four of our former athletes qualified for the 2022 Olympics, two will be competing in Beijing this month.

“Unfortunately, Breezy Johnson and Madi Hoffman both sustained season-ending knee injuries while training for the Games and will not be able to compete,” said Todd Brickson, Rowmark Ski Academy program director. “Nevertheless, they qualified for the Olympics and we could not be more proud of Breezy and Madi. Injury is a common reality in our sport and the timing is devastating, but they will be back stronger than ever. Katie Hensien and Katie Vesterstein will carry the Rowmark Ski Academy and Rowland Hall torch, and we will be watching!”

To help the Rowland Hall community prepare to cheer on our former Rowmarkers at the Games, we have provided brief overviews of the Olympians below (as well as a throwback photo for each!).

Team USA: Katie Hensien ’18

Katie Hensien graduated from Rowmark and Rowland Hall in 2018. She is a five-year member of the US Ski Team, and also currently skis for and attends the University of Denver. Katie is originally from Redmond, Washington, and will make her Olympic debut in Beijing. She is the 2020 national champion in giant slalom and was a part of the Junior World Championships team that won the silver medal in the team event in Val di Fassa, Italy.

“Katie is an incredible talent and hard worker, and is someone who always has a huge smile on her face,” said Todd. “She brings incredible energy and positive vibes into every room.”

Update February 9, 2022: Katie placed 26th in slalom.

Team Estonia: Kaitlyn (Katie) Vesterstein ’17

Katie Vesterstein graduated from Rowmark and Rowland Hall in 2017. A native of Duluth, Minnesota, Katie is currently a senior at the University of Utah and an All-American member of the university’s national champion ski team. Katie is a dual citizen of the US and Estonia and will be representing Estonia at the Beijing Games.

“Katie is a fierce competitor and incredibly kind teammate who grew up ski racing on the small hills of Minnesota before joining Rowmark and Rowland Hall for two years and propelling herself onto the prestigious University of Utah ski team,” said Todd.

Update February 7, 2022: Katie placed 35th in giant slalom.

Update February 9, 2022: Due to a crash, Katie received a DNF in slalom.

Team Australia: Madison (Madi) Hoffman ’18 (Injured)

Madi Hoffman graduated from Rowmark and Rowland Hall in 2018. She has been a member of the Australian National Team for several years and is also a two-year member of the national champion University of Utah ski team. Madi is a three-time Australian National Champion in slalom and giant slalom, and was one of only two Aussie women to qualify for the 2022 Olympics in alpine skiing. She had been preparing for this moment with her coach (and former Rowmark head coach) Jim Tschabrun for four years.

“Madi is one of the hardest working and thoughtful young women I have ever had the pleasure to coach,” said Todd. “Her unfortunate knee injury will keep her from competing in this Olympics, but she is a very determined, talented ski racer, and I have no doubt that she will be back stronger than ever."

Team USA: Breezy Johnson ’13 (Injured)

Breezy Johnson graduated from Rowmark and Rowland Hall in 2013. Originally from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Breezy joined the US Ski Team in 2014 and qualified for her first Olympic Games in 2018, where she placed seventh in downhill and 14th in super-G. Prior to her knee injury, Breezy was a clear medal contender after reeling off seven podium finishes and nine top-fives in her last 10 World Cup downhill races.

“In Breezy's time at Rowland Hall and Rowmark, she was incredibly determined and hardworking, both on the hill and in the classroom. At a young age Breezy had a very strong belief in herself and what was possible for her to achieve,” said Todd. “All I can say is that she is one of the world's best and she will be back with a vengeance.”

Schedule

Women’s alpine skiing events begin on Monday, February 7. Check out the full Alpine skiing schedule for event information.

Help Us Cheer on the Athletes!

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates.

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Banner: Katie Hensien competing for Rowmark Ski Academy.

Alumni

Since the age of six, Rowland Hall junior—and passionate ski racer—Mary Bocock has had a big goal: to join the US Ski Team. That dream just came true.

I’ve wanted to be on the team ever since I started racing, so getting the call felt like I was achieving a goal I’d had for over 10 years.—Mary Bocock, class of 2022

On May 3, US Ski & Snowboard announced that 44 top national athletes, including Mary, have been nominated to the US Alpine Ski Team for the 2021–2022 competition season (athletes qualify based on published selection criteria in the prior season). Mary is one of only three new members of the women’s Development Team, also known as the D-Team; she’s also the youngest addition to that team and the only new member hailing from the state of Utah.

“When I got the call from [US Ski Team Coach] Chip Knight congratulating me on my nomination to the D-Team, I was overwhelmed with excitement,” said Mary. “I’ve wanted to be on the team ever since I started racing, so getting the call felt like I was achieving a goal I’d had for over 10 years. I am looking forward to skiing with a group of girls who push me and who know what it takes to be the best.”

Mary had a sensational 2020–2021 race season, which included a November 2020 US Nationals performance with Rowmark Ski Academy that earned her an invitation to compete with the US Ski Team in Europe. After placing in several races in Cortina, Italy, and Garmisch, Germany, in early 2021, Mary returned to the United States to finish the season: at the FIS Elite Races at Sugar Bowl Resort and Squaw Valley, California, she took 10th place overall (second for U19s) in giant slalom, and 11th place overall (fourth for U19s) in slalom. At the FIS Spring Series in Breckenridge, Colorado, she won the giant slalom race—a win that currently ranks her second in the nation and sixth in the world in giant slalom for her age, as well as first and ninth in the world in super-G. Finally, she ended the season with a 12th-place finish in super-G at the US National Championships in Aspen, Colorado.

Mary's fierce competitive nature is among the best in the world and I'm confident that she will take advantage of this opportunity.—Graham Flinn, head FIS coach

“Mary has worked incredibly hard day in, day out, not only this season but for many years in order to put herself in a position to accomplish the goal of being named to the US Ski Team,” said Graham Flinn, head FIS coach for Rowmark Ski Academy. “I'm very proud of the way she carried herself throughout this past year's successes and challenges. She continues to impress with her drive and ability to be a student of the sport. Her fierce competitive nature is among the best in the world and I'm confident that she will take advantage of this opportunity.”

The US Ski Team’s alpine athletes have already kicked off pre-season camps, and the official team will be announced this fall once nominees complete required physical fitness testing and US Ski & Snowboard medical department clearance. We will continue to update the Rowland Hall community on Mary’s progress in this exciting new chapter in her ski-racing career—which she’ll balance alongside her senior year at Rowland Hall—through the fall and winter.

Congratulations, Mary!

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The below video, first shared with the Rowland Hall community in April 2021, features Mary's reflections on competing in Europe earlier this year.

Rowmark

It’s been an incredible season for five Rowmark alums competing at the international level.

Four of those alums—Breezy Johnson ’13, Katie Hensien ’18, Mary Bocock ’22, and Elisabeth Bocock ’23—are members of the US Ski Team, and one, Madi Hoffman ’18, is a member of the Australian National Team.

“It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season,” said Rowmark Ski Academy Program Director Todd Brickson.

It’s exciting to have this many alums performing at such a high level at one time, and it’s been wonderful to watch our athletes excel this season.—Todd Brickson, Rowmark Ski Academy program director

The fun kicked off early at the World Cup in Solden, Austria, where, on October 26, Katie Hensien took fourth place in the opening giant slalom event, then won her second run. Less than two months later, at the first NorAm Cup races of the season at Panorama Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Madi Hoffman won first place in giant slalom and second and third in slalom, and Mary Bocock placed third in giant slalom.

The Rowmark community saw gold in February when Breezy Johnson made history by winning the World Championships downhill in Saalbach, Austria. Breezy is only the third American woman to win gold in downhill at worlds. Just three days later, Breezy and teammate Mikaela Shiffrin took gold in the team combined event by 0.4 seconds. Katie Hensien also competed in the team combined event, skiing to 10th place out of 26 teams with partner Jackie Wiles.

Later that month, Elizabeth Bocock raced at the World Junior Championships in Tarvisio, Italy, where she took the bronze in the team parallel event and the giant slalom race. And in March, sister Mary Bocock put a bow on the season by winning both a NorAm downhill and NorAm super-G at Sugarloaf, Maine. What a year!

Congratulations to all on a banner season—it’s been an honor to cheer you on and watch you represent Rowmark on the international stage.

Alumni

When Rowland Hall alum Parker Bushnell ’12 began collecting sports jerseys as a teenager, he never imagined it would be the start of a successful career, but he’s certainly happy it turned out that way.

As the senior director of retail for Rank + Rally, Parker oversees the creation, distribution, and sales of merchandise for the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club. Every decision he makes influences the next generation of fans.

Listen to this story | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

“In the modern world of sports there’s not a better way to engage with your fan base,” he said. “Tickets are digital now, you can’t take your food home, so merch is how memories are collected and kept.”

Parker oversees the creation, distribution, and sales of merchandise for the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club. Every decision he makes influences the next generation of fans.

It isn’t easy creating the perfect merchandise. It isn’t just about slapping a logo on a shirt and putting it up for sale. As a graduate of economics from the University of Utah and a 13-season veteran of sales, Parker has learned that getting fans to buy is part art and part science.

“You have to make items unique so there is an obligation for fans to come purchase at our store or on our website and support the teams,” he said. “At the same time, you have to go over every piece of data to learn everything you can about the sizes that sell and whether people prefer V-necks or crew necks.”

There are also unexpected factors that sometimes come into play—like the purchase of a hockey franchise. In April of 2024, coming off an already busy Jazz season, Parker and his team had just eight days to prepare for the announcement that Utah was getting a professional hockey team. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, there were the added issues—no one knew what the hockey team would be called, what the colors would be, and what logo would be used. They knew one thing, though: there are no sports fans like those in Utah, so they readily embraced it as a challenge.

“I remember sitting down with Chris Barney, Smith Entertainment Group president of revenue and commercial strategy, and saying we need to have merch for this. I don’t care if it’s an NHL shield, we need to commemorate this moment so that people can remember exactly where they were for this announcement,” Parker said. “We worked pretty long nights, but within two or three days we got the product in for the party.”

The breakneck speed for building the retail offerings for the Utah Hockey Club slowed between the initial announcement and the first home game, but not by much. Parker’s team had two weeks to prepare for the draft party, and then only a handful of months to design, order, and stock all the merchandise needed, from shirts and hats to hockey pucks and everything in between. On October 8, 2024, as the club took to the Delta Center ice for the first time, fans showed their appreciation for all the hard work by buying and proudly wearing the new merchandise—symbols of the state's newest fandom, and a way for attendees to hold onto the memories and camaraderie of the historic moment.

“We broke the Delta Center record for sports revenue, and frankly we almost doubled it,” he said. “And the exciting thing is we get to do it all again next year when we change the name again.”

The hours are long, and the challenges are many, but Parker loves what he does—and he’s well suited to it, due partly to skills he gained at Rowland Hall.

The hours are long, and the challenges are many, but Parker loves what he does—and he’s well suited to it, due partly to skills he gained at Rowland Hall more than a decade ago. “The ability to understand the intensity that’s required to be successful is probably the thing I took away the most from Rowland Hall,” he said. “That’s something I use now in every application of life.”

And it’s something he passes on to others now that he is in a senior management position and beginning to mentor people on his team, as well as those who want to get into the sports field but aren’t sure where to start.

“You cannot be picky in the sports world about your entry-level position. You need to get into it and then from there you can define your path,” he said. “You need to make a lasting impression on those you meet so they want to give you opportunities to grow.”

Parker has already made a lasting impression on the world of sports retail and will continue to do so for years to come. And it all started with a love of jerseys.

Alumni

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Banner photo: Parker Bushnell ’12, center (in blue suit), and team at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.

Breezy Johnson ’13 is on fire!

The Rowland Hall/Rowmark Ski Academy alum etched her name into ski-racing history on February 8 when she took gold in a stunning downhill performance at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria.

Listen to this story | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Despite stiff competition, as well as a demanding downhill track, Breezy blazed to victory, clocking 1:41.29—a mere 0.15 seconds faster than the next competitor—to secure her first downhill world champion title.

“This victory means everything to me,” Breezy said in a post-race interview with Eurosport. “I’ve been working toward this moment my entire life, and to achieve it on this stage, with my family and teammates here, is a dream come true.”

Raised in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Breezy, who specializes in the downhill and super-G speed disciplines, refined her skills at Rowmark before joining the US Ski Team in 2014. Since then, she’s represented the United States in multiple World Cup seasons (in addition to this year’s victories, she has seven World Cup podiums to her name) and was a member of Team USA at the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Games.

And even after being crowned a world champion, Breezy wasn’t done. On Tuesday, February 11, she teamed up with fellow US Ski Team member Mikaela Shiffrin for the women’s team combined event, where Breezy had a strong downhill performance, finishing in third. Mikaela then followed with a slalom run time that allowed the duo to secure gold for the US. What a week!

“All of us at Rowmark are so proud of Breezy,” said Todd Brickson, program director, who has for years watched this former Rowmark athlete inspire others with her dedication, persistence, and passion for alpine ski racing.

“Ever since she was at U16 at Rowmark, she had a dream to be a world champion,” Todd continued. “After many years of commitment, injury, blood, sweat, and tears, she has reached this huge milestone. Her perseverance and work ethic are second to none, and now that she has broken through on the highest stage, this likely is the tip of the iceberg for her.”

Congratulations, Breezy! We can’t wait to see what you’ll do next.

Alumni

Almost five years after releasing our first-ever podcast, Rowland Hall is excited to announce the newest addition to our audio offerings: Rowland Hall Stories.

Featuring audio versions of the articles published in Fine Print, our digital magazine, Rowland Hall Stories will allow us to share what’s happening at the school with a wider audience.

“We know there are folks who love to read Fine Print on their computers or phones, but we also know that format isn’t for everyone,” said Ashley Atwood, content associate. “By launching Rowland Hall Stories, we’re hoping to make it easier for even more people to keep up with the amazing things our students and teachers are doing.”

Rowland Hall Stories listeners can also look forward to a new tune—the podcast features an original theme song composed by Sam Morse ’24. The young alum said the upbeat, energetic piece symbolizes how he felt when he walked down an Upper School hallway, greeting friends, seeing teachers in their classrooms, and feeling connected to the community.

I hope that people who listen to this podcast take away the fact that people at Rowland Hall are doing exceptional work. This isn’t an ordinary school.—Sam Morse ’24, Rowland Hall Stories theme song composer

“I’m excited and honored to have worked on this project,” said Sam, who has played piano since kindergarten and began writing his own songs four years ago. Sam credits Rowland Hall’s jazz and pop band director, Dr. Bret Jackson, for helping him hone the improvisational skills he’s needed to write music. He also expressed his appreciation for the school’s small band classes, which allow for more individual attention as well as opportunities to play solos.

“That really helps with songwriting because you get used to flowing with your instrument,” said Sam, who, even as a biomedical engineering student at the University of Utah Honors College, finds time every day to play. (He stores his keyboard from under his dorm bed.) “If I don’t go a day without playing the piano at least once, that’s a bad day,” he remarked.

And Sam is thrilled that one of his pieces will play a role in welcoming people to Rowland Hall Stories, where listeners will learn about the extraordinary happenings at Rowland Hall. As a former Advanced Research Chemistry class member himself, Sam knows the opportunities Rowland Hall provides students are unlike what many have seen.

“I hope that people who listen to this podcast take away the fact that people at Rowland Hall are doing exceptional work,” said Sam. “This isn’t an ordinary school.”

Check out Rowland Hall Stories, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update.

Podcast

As a person who’s always wanted to work with kids and mentor other educators, it seems only natural that alumna Harper Lundquist ’16 would end up in a position like director of SummerWorks.

A Rowland Hall Lifer (she attended from 4PreK through 12th grade), Harper got to know the school’s day camp program when she was hired as a counselor for summer 2016. That season, she discovered a fondness for SummerWorks, and she chose to return as a counselor, then a program lead, every summer while attending the University of Utah. She loved the continued connection to her alma mater and, as an elementary education major, that the program allowed her to work with kids and hone her educational and teaching skills under the expertise of the program’s then director, Beth Ott, and assistant director, Alec Baden.

“I learned so much from them that helped me not only as a counselor, but during my time in the classroom as well,” said Harper.
 

Listen to this story | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support.—Jennifer Blake, associate head of school

After graduating from the U, Harper taught fourth grade at Plymouth Elementary, where she’d done her student teaching. But during her second year at the school, she recognized that kicking off a full-time teaching career during a pandemic was burning her out, so she decided to take a breather from the classroom. She continued to work with children as a part-time tutor and in various roles at Rowland Hall, including equity and inclusion intern. It was while in this role that she learned Rowland Hall was looking for a new SummerWorks director.

While many of Harper’s coworkers, who knew her history with the program, encouraged her to apply, she remembers feeling nervous about pursuing the directorship. She worried she didn’t have enough experience. But after conversations with trusted colleagues, Harper realized that the value of her SummerWorks knowledge could benefit the program, and that she could build other skills as she went. She decided to apply, and when she was named director in January 2024, Harper quickly learned that her experience was indeed the asset the program needed.

“Harper's long history at SummerWorks was invaluable in her approach to planning and iterating for the summer of 2024,” said Associate Head of School Jennifer Blake, who met with Harper weekly to plan for the season and said Harper’s deep knowledge of SummerWorks enabled her to jump into that planning without missing a beat. “She had experience working with the last three directors of the program and had ideas about what was worth keeping, shoring up, or creating, and she did all of that work thoughtfully and inclusively.”

And as a former counselor and program lead herself, Harper can relate to her counselors, allowing her to build a close-knit team. Like her own SummerWorks directors, she focuses on helping her staff grow as teachers and mentors. She’s also pulling from her other experiences as a Rowland Hall team member in shaping the future of SummerWorks. This includes her time as equity and inclusion intern, where—under the guidance of Dr. Chandani Patel, whom Harper called a trusted mentor who models diligent and thorough work—she learned to think about DEI in all aspects of the school, and where her confidence and courage grew. She continuously taps into these qualities and experiences in her new role to further benefit SummerWorks—and is already making an impact.

“Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support,” said Jennifer.

We recently sat down with Harper to chat about her first summer as program director and what she’s looking forward to in summer 2025.

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What appealed to you about becoming SummerWorks director?

I have a lot of fond memories from working at SummerWorks, and I realized that for my career I wanted to work with kids and be able to teach and mentor others to work with kids, so this seemed like an amazing opportunity that combined both of these things.

What are you most proud of from your first summer as director?

I am most proud of the amazing team of folks I got to work with—I couldn’t have done it without them! From the admin team to the counselors, we all worked well together.

What did you learn about yourself this summer?

I learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for (I tend to be my biggest critic). I think we all have moments of imposter syndrome, and I had these feelings come up throughout the summer. I also learned that I can delegate tasks better than I thought I could—I was worried about that initially!

What do you want others to know about making the move to a higher-level position (especially if they, too, may be dealing with imposter syndrome)?

I think we can talk ourselves out of applying for something new when we don’t meet all the requirements. When I was contemplating whether to apply or not, I asked Ryan Hoglund for advice and he helped me understand that meeting 60% to 70% of a job description is totally fine—the employer knows you’ll need to learn some tasks on the job and will grow into the role. My advice is, if you’re interested, go for it! Who knows where it’ll take you? Even if you don’t get it, you’ll have valuable interview experience. It’s a win-win situation.

I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks.—Harper Lundquist ’16

What do you want people to know about SummerWorks that they may not already be aware of?

A question I get asked a lot is if SummerWorks is just for Rowland Hall students, and no, it’s not. We have students from all over! We have even had families join us from out of state and internationally. Our camp welcomes kids from ages four through 13, and we have wonderful counselors who are enthusiastic and excited for each day.

What do you look forward to doing with the program in the future?

I have several ideas that I would love to implement in the program that I didn’t have a chance to do last year. I got lots of helpful feedback and suggestions from campers, families, and staff. I would love to offer a wider range of special activities that special instructors would lead.

Why is summer camp important, and what does it mean to you to bring this kind of experience to kids?

I believe summer camp allows kids to be kids and have fun. Our philosophy at SummerWorks is that kids build curiosity, confidence, and character. SummerWorks is a fast-paced environment that always keeps you busy and guessing, and it always makes my day when I get to check in on age groups and chat with the campers. I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks. 

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 Interested in SummerWorks? Visit the camp website to learn more about the program, and keep an eye out for announcements—registration will open in early 2025.

   Alumni

Our condolences to the loved ones of the following alumni and friends of Rowland Hall who passed away during the 2023–2024 school year.

Peter Billings ’63, alumnus, parent, grandparent, and former board member and board chair, passed away on June 29, 2024.

Susan Tanner Wood Chapman ’62 passed away on June 5, 2024.

Mary Anne Chesarek ’62 passed away on March 25, 2024.

Carol Dumke ’45 passed away on December 10, 2023.

Joyce Orlob Evans, former student, passed away on January 27, 2024.

Marvin Jones ’66 passed away on May 31, 2024.

Oscar Wood Moyle IV ’90, alumnus, parent, and board member, passed away on May 19, 2024.

Anne Hilgard Tittmann Widerstrom ’53 passed away on September 25, 2023.

Cynthia Muirhead Worthington ’51 passed away on December 26, 2023.

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If you know of a Rowland Hall community member who should be acknowledged in this way, please contact Robyn Jensen, director of institutional advancement.

In Memoriam

Author's note: Daisy's pronouns are she/they and have been used interchangeably throughout this article. Learn more.

Staring at her phone, Daisy Innis ’23 almost couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

It was a June morning, and Daisy was busy at her summer job as a camp counselor. Just moments before, while preparing to wrangle a group of children and their gear onto a bus for that day’s field trip, Daisy had seen a notification from The New York Times Learning Network in their inbox. The winners of the 2023 Student Editorial Contest, to which Daisy had entered an original essay (shared at the end of this story), had been announced.

This year, students from around the world submitted 12,592 essays to the New York Times Learning Network’s annual competition, and only 151 were chosen for recognition.

Part of Daisy’s mind remained on their inbox as she got campers seated and ready for the drive. When that task was accomplished, Daisy settled into a seat, clicked the announcement, and began scrolling. Suddenly, their heart gave a leap of recognition: her own name was among the contest’s 33 honorable mentions. She almost couldn’t believe it. “I was a little bit in shock,” she remembered.

That emotion was understandable. This year, students from around the world submitted 12,592 essays to the New York Times Learning Network’s annual competition, and only 151 were chosen for recognition: 11 top winners, 12 runners-up, 33 honorable mentions, and 95 round-four finalists. Daisy was also the only student from Utah to be recognized in this year’s contest.

For Daisy, the recognition was huge, not only because so few entries could be honored, but because the moment marked an important milestone in a months-long process of reflection and healing.

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Daisy’s journey to New York Times recognition kicked off in a somewhat unexpected way: with a trip to Utah’s Capitol Hill.

On January 24, 2023, Daisy attended a House Health and Human Services Standing Committee meeting for House Bill 132 (later Senate Bill 16) during the Utah State Legislature’s 2023 General Session. As an experienced peer educator for Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, a lobbyist during this year’s session, and a devoted community advocate, Daisy had a clear understanding of the impact that this bill, designed to prevent all gender-affirming care for minors, would have on young Utahns.

“This sort of legislature affects so many people in the state of Utah, in a way that is overall life-changing,” she explained.

As she sat in the meeting, Daisy watched, frustrated, as the bill’s sponsor introduced witnesses who argued against gender-affirming care but were unable to provide evidence of their claims. This was a high-stakes legislative session, Daisy thought, and would affect people’s lives. How could it be that students like her were held to far higher standards in the classroom than legislative witnesses were in committee meetings? “I have been taught that you need to have sources, evidence—you need to back it up, you need to list your sources,” said Daisy.

This lack of sources made the passage of the bill three days later especially upsetting for Daisy. “I was so angry,” they remembered, and that anger, as well as the fear Daisy felt for those affected by the bill, stayed with them. Come spring, said Daisy, they still found themself reflecting on the experience. The anger hadn’t dimmed.

It was at this time that Daisy’s AP Literature teacher, Dr. Carolyn Hickman, introduced a unit titled What Makes Us Human?, an opportunity for students to read works such as Ted Chiang’s Exhalation, Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Existentialism Is a Humanism,” and Megan Garber’s “We’re Already Living in the Metaverse” while collectively trying to process broader hot-topic conversations around generative AI and ChatGPT, which had been picking up in earnest since OpenAI launched their chatbot in November 2022. Dr. Hickman asked students to reflect on these in-class conversations, then find ways to share their own commentary with real-world audiences. As she reflected, Daisy kept thinking back to the misinformation leading states, including Utah, to pass bills limiting or blocking transgender youth health care—and realized she wasn't as worried about AI and ChatGPT as others. What she was actually afraid of were politicians who share propaganda and misinformation that impact human lives.

“What I was afraid of was the legislation being passed. To me, it feels more tangible,” Daisy explained. “At least if you use ChatGPT you can ask it to give you sources.”

Daisy decided to tackle this topic, choosing for their real-world audience The New York Times Learning Network, which had recently opened its 2023 Student Editorial Contest, an annual opportunity for middle and high school students between the ages of 13 and 19 to share original opinion pieces on the issues that matter to them. Student writers are asked to use at least one source published in the Times and at least one source from outside the Times, and to limit arguments to 450 words, with winners chosen from those who “not only ground their claims in strong evidence, but also engage [the judges] with voice and style.”

Once she had picked her topic, Daisy remembers sitting down in English class, putting on her headphones, and letting the words flow onto the page. It was as though all she had been ruminating on had been ready to come out, and she remembers the writing process as cathartic and healing. “It was an honest expression of what I’d been reflecting on for months, and probably a good exercise in writing for me,” Daisy remembered. The process also helped Daisy feel renewed passion for the often exhausting work of community advocacy, as well as helped her better understand, learn from, and harness the anger she’d been feeling.

Daisy's opinion piece asked readers to focus not on how the writing is produced, but instead on all the ways we fail to hold others accountable for the information they disseminate.—Dr. Carolyn Hickman, AP English teacher and Upper School English Department chair

“This was a reminder of the passion piece of advocacy—I was so angry, and being able to channel that anger into this piece helped me to think through it and reflect on it, and also to sort of share that anger, because it can be hard to be angry by yourself,” said Daisy.

Importantly, sharing that anger also helped Daisy realize she wasn’t alone. The New York Times recognition showed her that her perspective had struck a chord, providing a necessary perspective in ongoing conversations about not only AI but human-generated misinformation.

“Daisy's opinion piece asked readers to focus not on how the writing is produced, but instead on all the ways we fail to hold others accountable for the information they disseminate,” said Dr. Hickman. “It doesn't matter if it's generated by AI or simply fabricated out of thin air, she challenged, if we don't insist on careful sourcing of facts, data, and opinions as others wield information in ways that affect us all.”

Daisy said their New York Times recognition has given them more confidence in their writing—and that being recognized by a national paper of record isn’t too shabby, either. “It’s pretty cool to be picked out of 12,000 entries, and it’s also really cool that my name is in the New York Times, especially as an avid New York Times reader and crossword-doer,” she said.

Daisy is currently attending the University of Puget Sound, where she’s planning to pursue a degree in the school’s Science, Technology, Health & Society program, with a minor in bioethics, and is contemplating later earning a master of public health. As a Matelich Scholar, Daisy is also working to build community on the Puget Sound campus and said they’ll continue to draw on this experience to stay passionate about this important work.

“I intend to continue working in the same vein that I have been doing,” said Daisy, “and it’s really important to me to remember my values, and my anger, because that is really going to fuel me, that passion and anger and desire, but also the joy that I feel doing work in the community. Finding that balance, but also remembering the fact that I feel emotions about it, whether good or bad, is the best motivator.”

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We invite the Rowland Hall community to enjoy Daisy’s essay, shared below.

When It Comes to Secondary Education, Are We Fearing the Right Things?

By Daisy Innis, Class of 2023

In the wake of ChatGPT’s release, I cannot quite find it in myself to care as much as my parents and teachers. My mother says I’m a fatalist, and my teachers want to know why. But my question is: is generative AI and ChatGPT the right thing to fear?

Much like Mr. Aumann, a professor interviewed for the New York Times’ reflection on ChatGPT and education, my teachers are considering methods to discourage use of this technology. They’ve considered hand-written assessments and detection programs. They have, like many, spent a significant amount of time trying to outwit AI. For them, the possibility of AI-generated student writing is one of their biggest educational concerns.

But it isn’t mine. It is difficult for me to be concerned about the possibility of academic dishonesty in classrooms when I see much more pressing issues within the (mis)use of information. As a student in Utah, I have watched state legislators—in my state and others—be held to a lower academic standard and pass legislation with disastrous consequences.

As a high school student, had I submitted a paper without sources, or even used an AI tool, I would have been failed, and further disciplined in the case of the latter. That disciplinary action would likely follow me for the rest of my education.

During this year’s legislative session, S.B. 16, a bill preventing all gender-affirming care for minors, became law. I attended the committee meeting of a prior iteration of the bill, H.B. 132. I watched Representative Shipp introduce witnesses who spoke without regard for the desires of trans kids and without clear evidence for their claims. Most memorably, when asked for his sources, Dr. David Boettger replied that he didn’t remember, and that he didn’t have them with him.

As a high school student, had I submitted a paper without sources, or even used an AI tool, I would have been failed, and further disciplined in the case of the latter. That disciplinary action would likely follow me for the rest of my education. Dr. Boettger’s testimony was accepted without consideration of his sources, and used to later pass S.B. 16. His choices won’t follow him. This bill, backed by unnamed sources, endangers the lives of trans kids across the entire state of Utah—a state which already boasts a consistently higher suicide rate among the LGBTQ+ community than the national rate. This bill, which has been held to a lower standard of research than a high school English paper, deprives people I love of care crucial to their livelihood and survival.

So no, I am not terrified about the use of generative AI in classrooms. I am no more afraid of plagiarism than before. I am terrified of the world we live in, where I have been held to a higher standard of academic honesty than my legislators. I am terrified for those who are going to die because of the choices they have made.

Works Cited

Huang, Kalley. “Alarmed by A.I. Chatbots, Universities Start Revamping How They Teach.” New York Times. January 16, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/16/technology/chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-universities.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare.

“LDS Church and Suicide Prevention.” PFLAG. https://pflag.org/resource/lds-church-and-suicide-prevention/.

“Minutes of the House Health and Human Services Committee.” Utah Legislature. January 24, 2023. https://le.utah.gov/interim/2023/html/00000887.htm.

Schott, Brian. “Blocking Gender-Affirming Care in Utah Could Be Found Unconstitutional, a Legal Review Found.” Salt Lake Tribune. January 26, 2023. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/01/26/breaking-bill-blocking-gender/.

Wen, Anne. “ChatGPT and Plagiarism: Student Cheating Concerns May Be Overblown.” Teen Vogue. February 13, 2023. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/chatgpt-plagiarism-cheating-students.

Student Voices

Our condolences to the loved ones of the following alumni and friends of Rowland Hall who passed away during the 2022–2023 school year.

Carolyn Bone, former staff member, passed away on June 22, 2023.

Susan VanVoorhis Burdett, former student, passed away on April 28, 2023.

Jackson Byck ’17 passed away on August 7, 2022.

David Clegg ’62 passed away on February 8, 2023.

Mitzi Conover, parent, passed away on January 23, 2023.

Frances Pearson Crossier ’56 passed away on January 30, 2023.

Nathaniel Goodman ’64 passed away on September 5, 2023.

Judith Caldwell Hardy ’59 passed away on December 24, 2022.

Mackay Hare ’15 passed away on August 15, 2022.

Roxanne Christensen Lazzara ’65 passed away in November 2022.

Ed Macner, Upper School chemistry teacher from 1981 to 2003, passed away on March 16, 2023.

Ray Melia ’96 passed away in June 2023.

Tatiana Miller ’02 passed away in February 2023.

Nancy Payne Paxton ’43 passed away on October 5, 2022.

Grant Sibley ’83 passed away on September 11, 2023.

Gregory Soter ’63 passed away on August 15, 2023.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Totten ’58 passed away on November 5, 2022.

John Waldo ’63 passed away on September 17, 2023.

Sara Spade Warren ’98, alumna and parent, passed away on October 26, 2022.

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If you know of a Rowland Hall community member who should be acknowledged in this way, please contact Robyn Jensen, director of institutional advancement.

In Memoriam