Zebra Tales
2018-19
Grace '21
Hometown: Plymouth, NH
Most surprising when you first arrived at Groton: I was shocked at the close relationships the students developed with the teachers over such a short period of time. I found out that not only were these bonds fostered in the classroom, but on the athletic fields and in the dorm as well. Having such a strong connection with the adults on campus enhanced my time in the classroom and allowed me to approach my teachers for extra help with ease.
Favorite classes: Ecology with Dr. Black and Algebra 2 Honors with Ms. Leggat are by far my favorite classes. Both are taught by incredibly dedicated teachers whose passion for their topic spreads to their students. I am fascinated by ecology for its relevance in the world today and how the the environmental issues we learn about in class can be seen as soon as you step outside. Ms. Leggat has a rare way of connecting with her students that I’ve never seen anywhere else. She immediately is aware of what you do or don’t understand, and with the help of her teaching I’ve fallen in love with math once again.
Groton activities: Varsity soccer, theater, varsity lacrosse, Groton Feminists, Groton Evening Softball League, Student Activities Committee, chamber choir
Most memorable Groton moment: During my Third Form year, lacrosse season: we had lost too many games by only a few points and the entire team was disheartened, exhausted, and ready for a win. However, we turned things around when playing against BB&N on perhaps one of the more gorgeous days of the entire spring. We were tied 17–17 with one minute left in the second half and had just had an unsuccessful shot on net. Within moments, my teammate Angelina had blocked a pass from the opposing goalie and put in the winning goal with only 30 seconds left on the clock. We won the final draw and the game as a result. I’ll never forget the feeling of utter satisfaction and joy that swept over the team as we all ran to hug our goalie in a celebration of well-deserved success.
Favorite Dining Hall food: Salmon with couscous. Although I love the variety of food provided by our incredible Dining Hall staff, whenever I see salmon is on the menu, I make sure to get to dinner as soon as I can.
Favorite Surprise Holiday: Our last spring Surprise Holiday truly caught everyone by surprise. Absolutely no one expected to have a day off, but we all walked out of Chapel on a Tuesday morning to be greeted by green flags covering the windows of the Schoolhouse. Since it was a cloudy, chilly day, two of my friends and I decided to stay on campus instead of going into Cambridge. We played games, blasted music, had a dance party in the dorm, and competed in basketball against some other friends who had also chosen to stay behind. Although we didn’t leave campus, we managed to have an incredibly fun time with the school all to ourselves. It was a day well spent with friends, relaxation, and a little bit of competition.
List of 7 news stories.
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Lacrosse Trip to Florida!
This past spring break, the girls lacrosse team traveled to Clearwater, Florida for preseason. While some teams stayed on campus to train, we were lucky enough to stay at a hotel near a beach, with beautiful weather guaranteed almost every day. The trip is always a blast; regardless of skill level, anyone is invited, which makes for a fun and diverse group of girls. In addition to our regular coaching staff, we had a 2013 Groton graduate joining us who played at Harvard and USC. She helped us tremendously with our skills and understanding of the game, and it was a great opportunity to have her with us.Read More -
Chapel: A Time to Reflect
Here at Groton, we attend Chapel four times a week in the morning before classes. Unlike regular religious services, this time consists of a prayer, a speech typically written by members of the community, and a hymn. Although some students resent having to wake up for a commitment before class, I love time spent in the Chapel; I can gather my thoughts and hear an insightful speech given by a friend or teacher before beginning a full day of classes and sports. Each week, I look forward to seeing a new face in the pulpit and listening to their stories and opinions.Read More -
First Snow of the Year!
It was a Thursday night during exam week. I had faced a long day of studying, and yet, as I walked out of the Schoolhouse to head back to my dorm, my roommate and I were greeted by the only thing a person wishes for in winter– snow!!! The flakes were tiny, but of course, our first reaction was to blast “Let it Snow” and sporadically dance around the Circle while singing at the top of our lungs. After standing outside our dorm for about five minutes in absolute awe (still singing “Let it Snow”), we reluctantly headed inside to finish our studying. I wasn’t expecting a lot of snow; as I previously mentioned, the flakes were minuscule, but I was pleasantly surprised an hour and a half later at the end of study hall…Read More -
A Fascinating Family History
Last week in Latin 2 class, we took a break from translating and instead had the opportunity to hear Mr. O’Donnell talk about his recent trip to France. While abroad, he commemorated the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s plane crash during WWII.Read More -
Life on Upper School Side
The first two weeks back at school have been both chaotic and very exciting. So far, I’m thoroughly enjoying all my new classes and teachers, although I have particularly fallen in love with my World and the West class, taught by Mrs. Spring. In addition to grappling with new content and the additional work as a Fourth Former, I’ve had to navigate my way as a newcomer to Upper School. Third and Second Formers are quite isolated from their older peers on campus, as Upper Schoolers live in completely different dorms and, for the most part, take separate classes. Although most Third Formers at one point or another venture onto the Upper School side of campus, where most of the dorms are located, living in one has been a completely new experience. My roommate and I now enjoy the luxury of full walls rather than three-quarter walls, and we can manage our own time rather than having a 10:30 lights-out deadline. However, these aspects of life on Upper School have their downsides; for one, locating friends is much harder (since you can’t just call over the wall to see where everyone is), and I lose track of time much more easily. Nevertheless, I like living in Upper School with its gained independence much more than living in Lower School.Read More -
A Summer of Lacrosse
As many of you may agree, summer has flown by at an incredible pace and fall is quickly approaching once again. Back in May, I was dreading the end of the school year when I had to say goodbye to my friends, but I had long anticipated the moment when I stepped outside the doors of Schoolhouse into the open arms of summer. However, instead of jumping into the passenger seat and heading north up to Plymouth, NH, my dad and I took the highway west to Amherst, MA for my first lacrosse tournament of the summer. I was exhausted from exams, but ready to begin the marathon of summer lacrosse.Read More -
Four Days, Forty Miles
I recently found myself crouching at the foot of a foreboding trail, lacing up my hiking boots and trying to avoid looking at the steep incline of rock stooping above my head. My mom and I had decided to challenge ourselves by partially circumnavigating a trail around the Pemigewasset Wilderness, a stretch of the land in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire with little human development. Over the course of four days, if all went as planned, we were to stand on the top of sixteen summits while putting forty miles under our belts. If one thing was for sure, it was going to be a wild adventure—hopefully one that included clear skies, new faces, and the quiet beauty of the woods.Read More
