Rory
When I was in eighth grade, I wanted to go to the public high school with my friends. It took a big push from my parents to get me to look at Putney. It was hard for me, at that age, to move into a private school setting while all my friends went together to public school.
When I arrived, I had little idea about what my true interests were. Though I played sports, played sax, and I did have a hobby that was important to me; I made stop-motion animations. Three years later, I am still on the lacrosse team, which I joined as a freshman. I've played in the jazz ensemble. And the video teacher has given me access to the video lab and cameras, so I've really had fun on that front, and that may be what I'm most known for on campus.
But I've learned at Putney that I'm very interested in science. So maybe it's not surprising that the first stop-motion video I produced here was about the element Cobalt, and was for my Chemistry class. I like it that, even though both animations and science require a lot of focus and time, I haven't felt any pressure to make a choice between art and science.
As a junior, I've been working with the College Counselor about where to apply. Haverford and Swarthmore are both high on my list. I know I may feel under some pressure when making the applications; most seniors do. This will happen next fall.
Still, I plan to take a little more than a full-time schedule. I've asked to enroll in Astronomy, Molecular Genetics, Food and Society, Comparative Religions, Creative Writing, The Modern Novel, Calculus, and Spanish 4. As second choices I've listed Philosophy, Short Fiction, Conservation Ecology, Anatomy, Economics, Printmaking, and Photography. We'll see which ones end up on my schedule.
Also, in the spring semester of senior year, I'm hoping to make a fully-plotted stop-motion animation of perhaps a half-hour's length. Seniors are allowed extraordinary opportunities for independent learning. I'm even exploring the possibility of doing an internship with an internationally-known film production company based nearby in New Hampshire.
Remembering my hesitation to consider Putney when I was in eighth grade, I'm really glad that I made this choice. Putney is an amazing place that has changed my life. At the same time that it's rigorous and courses can be difficult, it's not "serious". We have fun. It was part of the founder's philosophy that people should play together every day. We do, and sometimes in amazing ways. I am hoping I'll remember to play every day for the rest of my life.
(Rory graduated in June 2011 and is currently a freshman at Vassar College.)
