Zebra Tales
2021-22
Maddie '23
Hometown: Concord, Massachusetts
Groton activities: Varsity soccer, varsity basketball, Lit Club
Most surprising when you first arrived at Groton: Coming from public school, I was shocked at how ready, not to mention excited, my teachers were to meet with me outside of class, discuss extra material, and even help with other subjects. I came to Groton as a student who had never truly been challenged in the classroom. Needless to say, I have now been challenged and continue to be—in schoolwork, sports, and in most other facets of life at Groton. This is the kind of place where you grow—you are pushed, hard. Groton is able to combine rigorous academics with brilliant teachers who make teaching their first priority. The connections I have made with my teachers are extraordinary. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to experience what it is like to enjoy learning, to enjoy being challenged, and even to enjoy failure.
Favorite class: I am torn between Third Form biology with Mr. Belsky and honors chemistry with LV (Dr. Lamarre-Vincent). Both classes were amazing for me (obviously a science person), and I was absolutely captivated by the discussions we had in LV's class as well as the labs with Mr. Belsky, most notably the pig practical, in which we dissected fetal pigs. If this sounds absolutely terrifying and disgusting, have no fear—you are definitely not alone. But I promise that once you get in there and really start exploring it will be one of the best experiences of your (school) life!
Most memorable Groton moment: It may sound cliché, but beating St. Mark's in our last soccer game of my Third Form fall is a memory that I don't think I will ever forget. Almost two years later, I can still clearly recall the anxious anticipation of the long bus ride, the pre-game nerves, the exhilaration when we scored at the end of the second half, and the shouts and laughter when the final whistle was blown. I remember the joy of running to hug my teammates as a horde of fans rushed onto the field screaming their congratulations. I also remember the sadness that hit me. Standing there with my teammates, many of whom would never set foot on this pitch again, I wondered what the team would look like without them. I think that the reason these moments have been etched so deeply into my memory is that they elicit emotions on many different levels. I was overjoyed to have beaten our rivals on their home turf with a hundred or so fans cheering us on, but there are also elements of grief associated with this day: the seniors crying all the way back to campus, the speeches and posters. It was their last hurrah, and lasts always seem to stick with a person.
Favorite Dining Hall food: Chicken tikka masala or tacos
Favorite place to study: Room 244, Mr. Martinez’s classroom
Favorite place to study: Room 244, Mr. Martinez’s classroom
List of 15 news stories.
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Who's Here to Celebrate My Success
Some might make the assumption that going away to boarding school is an isolating experience. But living away from your friends and family does not mean you lose the sense of love and support you feel at home. At Groton, I found students and faculty with whom I developed meaningful connections, just as deep and just as strong as those I have at home. These people are not only here for me while I’m on campus. They show their support in all walks of my life, from academics to athletics.Read More -
Playing Club Sports While Living at School
One of the most common questions I get while attending boarding school as an athlete is, "How do you continue to play club sports?"Read More -
I Spy
Challenge: how many dogs can you find in each picture?Read More -
Puppies Make the World Go Round
What's the best thing in the whole wide world? Puppies.Read More -
The Most Exciting Game I Never Played
Groton girls varsity basketball beats AA team the second game of the season!Read More -
Letters for Rose
The community service organization that I joined almost a year ago, Letters for Rose, was founded by two girls in high school whose goal was to connect with senior citizens in a fun and COVID-friendly way. Since its establishment, Letters for Rose has started chapters in almost every state and even in other countries. Volunteers like me write letters and create artwork that we send out every two weeks. One week this summer I received an email thanking me for my contributions and telling me that I had been selected as volunteer of the month!Read More -
Starting Something New
In the last month of school I sprained my ankle pretty badly. It is a long and gruesome story that involves multiple bears, a couple tigers, and a bloodthirsty landshark. However, that tale is (sadly) not the focus of today’s post. Due to my ankle injury, I have been slow in my return to club basketball. As I transition into my Fifth Form (junior) year, the beginnings of the recruiting process have been set in motion. This is generally a stressful time even without injuries that are preventing me from playing and getting in front of coaches.Read More -
True Genius?
I have recently received the title of genius (albeit a four- out of five-star genius)…Read More -
Best Term at Groton?
A combination of COVID protocols and a bad ankle sprain that left me on crutches for three weeks made for an interesting spring term. I never thought I would see the day when I complained about the sprawling Groton campus. However, the mantra that I have been repeating for the past few months, “see the best in every situation,” has paid off. In fact, this may have been my best and happiest term at Groton!Read More -
Thank You, Dad
“MADISON GET IN HERE!” My dad shouts from the other end of the house. I almost drop my computer in my haste to get from my secluded office to the living room, where he was watching the final game of March Madness: Stanford versus Arizona. Arizona had just upset UConn, who had been favorites to win this year, and Stanford had only scrapped its way into the final game. This was going to be fun (and fun it was).Read More -
Home Again
Coming back to campus was accompanied with a rush of emotions. Most of them are gleefully cheerful, as I am finally able to see my friends and classmates face to face, without staring at a screen for hours on end. While it is frustrating at times to wear masks for several hours straight or to eat lunch in separate spaces, these frustrations come with a high reward. I continuously find myself sitting in the “bubbles,” the allotted Fourth Form study space, doing homework and talking with friends (sometimes a little too much of the latter, but in difficult times it is necessary to indulge ourselves). When I think back to just a few weeks ago, all I wanted was to be back on campus, and now here I am, home again.Read More -
Silver Linings
Needless to say, the pandemic has been extremely hard on everyone. I myself have struggled to find ways to return to normalcy and get into a routine that doesn’t drive me crazy. I think we are all searching for an escape, a way to forget about what is going on in the greater world.Read More -
Return to Campus
I have to admit, it was a struggle to watch boarders return to school a week before classes while I sat at home, locked away in my quarantine cave.Read More -
A Camping Misadventure
When I was little my family went camping all the time but, as I got older, weekends became devoted to sports. So this summer my mom decided we should go to Vermont for a quick camping trip, just us and my dad, my younger sister, and our two dogs.Read More -
Vintage Trip
A couple days ago, my mom and I were able to escape our house and go to an amazing vintage shop in Somerville. I had been waiting, rather impatiently, to go to this store for so long (but hey, quarantine). I was excited to finally get the chance to browse its selection of clothes, shoes, vinyls, cassettes, and other odd tidbits, dating back to the 1960s. Walking into the store was like walking through a whirlwind of the past. The blur of odd items was a bit overwhelming for me, but so fun for my mom, who was thoroughly engrossed in the records the moment we entered.Read More
