The MICDS Upper School Bridge program welcomes new students into Upper School, and the Bridge Mentors club plays a big role in that effort. This year, given the pandemic, the mentors were challenged to think outside the box to help new students learn about life in the Upper School and successfully join and engage in the community.
One Bridge mentor, Aanya Tiwari ’23, compiled a video featuring 17 Upper School students answering three important questions:
- How did you maintain a good balance of extracurriculars and academics?
- What is your best memory of Upper School so far?
- Do you have any advice or tips for the new students coming into Upper School?
The video served as a helpful resource for new students and aimed to welcome them and advise them on Upper School life while also providing some familiar faces before the first day of school. Tiwari provided a video introduction, « Here’s some useful advice that hopefully gives you clarity as you come into the new school year. What better way than to learn from those who were in the same shoes as you are. »
Students shared much wisdom in the video. Many agreed that it’s important to prioritize academics over extracurriculars, and at the same time, they also stressed that it’s important to manage your time well so that you can make it to that club meeting or sports practice. Participating in extracurriculars is a great way to get the most out of the MICDS experience. Students shared memories of Homecoming events, dances, and even small yet unexpected classroom moments. They also gave sage advice, much of which centered on the theme of trying new things: « branch out », « meet new people », « go out of your comfort zone. » Others advised new students to ask your teachers questions and meet with them during Collaborative time. And most importantly—get to lunch early for the good ice cream! Enjoy the full video below.
Thank you Aanya for leading this project, and thank you to the students featured in the video: Estephanie Estrada ’21, Ally Kalishman ’21, Cate Cody ’22, Ashley Benoist ’23, Mason Boon ’23, Jackson Chou ’23, Jane Cohen ’23, Peter Grace ’23, Ishaan Handa ’23, Noah Macam ’23, Winston Moore ’23, Ali Oak ’23, Keely O’Connell ’23, Skye Patton ’23, Happy Phatak ’23, Will Seemiller ’23, and Sanchi Vishwakarma ’23. Thank you to Vicki Thurman, Director of Student Support Services, and David Hotaling, Upper School Counselor, who organize and lead this annual program.