It has been two months since ninth graders started attending Pingree. School life has been more difficult due to the coronavirus, but I think everyone has been good at adapting to the new environment. I interviewed three ninth graders – Alexa Nova Vargas, Abby Torres and Nathaniel Pynchon – to learn more about why they decided to come to our school, and what they think about our community. 

The first question that I asked was, “What are your favorite parts of our community?” All three had similar answers. They remarked on the kindness of students and faculty, and noted how everyone gets along so well. They agreed that Pingree School is very inclusive and represents all students. Alexa says, “Kindness throughout the school is really refreshing to see because it takes a lot of the stress off of feeling like you have to be a certain way to fit in or for people to want to talk to you. All faculty and students welcome everyone no matter who they are.” I definitely agree with her. Last year, when I was a freshman, I was really worried that people would treat me as an invisible person. However, surprisingly, more teachers and students spoke to me than I thought, so it was much easier to be part of our community. 

The next question was: “Why did you choose to apply and decide to come to Pingree?” Each of my interviewees has their own story, so it was really interesting to hear. First, Alexa’s thoughts are very similar to mine in that we both felt like Pingree would be a great place for us to accomplish our goals and to branch out. She also mentioned that education is really important to her, and one of her most important criteria when choosing a school was finding one that could help her prepare for college. After she visited Pingree, she realized how engaged the teachers were and how they were really dedicated to each and every student and their education. She looks forward to seeing what kind of journey she will have at this school.  

Abby’s reason for coming to Pingree was simple. One of her family friends attended Pingree and so she applied. She decided to come here because of the welcoming atmosphere and friendliness she got from the school. Finally, Nathaniel’s story was really intriguing because he had never heard of Pingree before he applied. I could easily relate to him because I had a similar experience, and, like him, I didn’t have any family members who could tell me about the school. He mentioned that he was skeptical before his tour, but his skepticism vanished when he met the teachers and students. The reason why he felt this way was because he had the best admissions process. He had an amazing tour guide, and he really enjoyed his time having an interview with our faculty. He says, “Pingree checked all the boxes I could possibly imagine, and I knew that Pingree was where I wanted to go.”

The last question was: “What has surprised you most about Pingree now that you are here?” Surprisingly, they all had the same answer. They have been surprised by how focused everyone is during their classes, and how passionate Pingree students are about education. Both Nathaniel and Abby said they came from a middle school where most of their classmates didn’t care too much about homework or grades and spent a lot of time on their phones. When they visited Pingree, they couldn’t believe how everyone came to class ready to learn.

As Abby, Alexa, and Nathaniel have said, Pingree is an inclusive school, with hardworking students, dedicated teachers, respectable education programs, and that makes freshmen want to come here. I had similar impressions last year that Pingree really cares about every student, and that is why I decided to attend the school.