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Alumni Spotlight: Amaya Varma

Alumni Spotlight: Amaya Varma

Dec 8, 2021 | Alumni Spotlight, Hershey Alumni, School Blog | 0 comments

In this month’s Alumni Spotlight we are recognizing Amaya Varma. Amaya spent three years at Hershey Montessori School, completing 7th, 8th and 9th grade at our Huntsburg campus. Amaya attended Montessori schools her entire life, and it seemed like the natural next step to come to Hershey after completing 6th grade at her Montessori elementary school. She has had many family members attend or teach at boarding schools in India, so she was familiar with Montessori and boarding school education while attending school.

Amaya is from the Pacific Northwest and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. She is in her final year at Portland State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. Amaya is writing her undergraduate thesis on Montessori Pedagogy and the concept of culture in the classroom. She has begun applying to master’s programs as well.

She is a huge foodie who loves to travel and plans on traveling everywhere she possibly can.

Below is our full interview with Amaya:

 

What did you like most about your Montessori education?

I love that it has allowed me to be the person I am today. Montessori education cultivates individual and community growth in ways that complement each other.

 

What is your favorite Hershey memory?

I don’t think I can just pick one! Although I loved the academic/daytime parts of Hershey, my fondest memories are BY FAR within the boarding community and the family that was built there.

  • I am quite fond of my memories of roommates in 8th grade–we would laugh and not be able to stop.
  • I loved when I got the rare opportunity to wake up the boys boarding floor in the mornings by ringing this obnoxiously loud cowbell and then try and dodge them the rest of the day.
  • I loved when the school play was being put on and David McNees’ contagious and slightly overwhelming energy about the way somebody said a certain word sent us all into giggles. He couldn’t help but hop around onstage “projecting” in a grandiose demonstration.
  • I loved the coolness of the morning air as we walked to morning barn chores and the peace you got at night after evening barn chores.
  • I loved the satisfaction and the community I built as one of the consistent barn-cleaning volunteers for Friday community service. The consistency in who showed up always ensured work would get done quickly but properly so we could spend the remainder of the afternoon/evening enjoying each other’s company.
  • I loved watching the students who had never seen snow before running out of bed first thing in the morning to jump outside in just shorts, no shoes, no shirt. It reminded us seasoned snow students that it was a blessing! They would quickly change their minds after a week, but their childlike excitement was not lost on onlookers.
  • I loved packing and cleaning times in the boarding house. It was a time where you could bond with each other and with the houseparents specifically.
  • I loved our hug lines at night where every boarder would line up to give each other a goodnight hug before heading to their respective dorms.
  • There was one evening where our German students were preparing a traditional meal and I remember it was taking a while to make and all of us hungry boarding students stepped in to help.
  • I enjoyed waking up in the mornings for breakfast and being met with our overly energetic yet begrudging breakfast chef Laura who if you weren’t a morning person let you know (we were all quite fond of her).
  • Elizabeth Seney would take me to yoga classes occasionally when she noticed my mental health was low and honestly it helped tremendously. Some students in the boarding community are lucky enough to feel seen by staff.
  • I loved our midnight feasts; we were always so loud but thought we were being so sneaky.

 

What is one thing about Hershey you would like others to know?

Boarding is worth it. Every experience at Hershey will be unique. There are no guarantees and boarding can be difficult at times but in my opinion, so so worth it. I cannot emphasize that more based off of my individual experience. The boarding community is small and good houseparents build an individual relationship with each student which allows you to feel part of a family. The connections formed in one year in boarding school are equivalent to years’ worth somewhere else. These connections stay with you — I still speak to my graduating class somewhat regularly in a group chat and have even visited some since becoming an alumnus. Although I chose to leave Hershey after the middle school program, I didn’t feel like it was big enough for what I needed as an individual at that time, I can confidently say it set me up to be a good person and citizen. I care about my environment and people — which is a Montessori trait that is lost on no one.

 

What is your favorite place to go?

Back home to my family’s farm or Barcelona, Spain.

 

What is your favorite thing to do?

Eat good food and be around good people.

 

What is your favorite book?

I don’t have just one! The last one I read and enjoyed was “Crying in H-Mart.” I am currently reading “Caste.”

 

Do you have a life lesson you would like to share with others?

Not a life lesson, but just an idea: It is okay to not be okay. You must treat yourself with grace and show yourself forgiveness. The power you have within yourself that comes from humble self-love is what drives your energy out into the rest of the world. If you show yourself compassion, it is inevitable that you will treat others with the truest form of compassion as well.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share or let others know?

Thank you to all the boarders and community members who were there during my years and are seeing this. I have so much love and gratitude for every one of you. We persevered through some eventful times, and I wish you all nothing but abundance and peace.

 

We are extremely proud of Amaya and will continue to support her in all of her growing accomplishments. Thank you for being a part of our Hershey family and good luck as you finish your final year of undergrad!

From Hershey Alumna to Hershey Guide – Spotlight on Saren Peetz

From Hershey Alumna to Hershey Guide – Spotlight on Saren Peetz

Nov 11, 2021 | Alumni Spotlight, Hershey Alumni, School Blog | 2 comments

This month’s Spotlight is unique. We had the honor to interview Saren Peetz. Saren is a Hershey Montessori School alumna-turned-staff member. She is a Hershey Montessori Early Elementary Guide and Co-Chair of Hershey’s ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) Steering Committee. Saren attended Hudson Montessori School since she was three years of age and came to Hershey to study as a 9th grade student (Hershey did not yet have a high school in those years). She volunteered multiple times a week on the farm through high school and during her summers in college. Then, she came back two years ago as a guide. “I just couldn’t stay away!” says Saren.

Saren grew up in Hudson, Ohio, and she is currently waiting to close on her first house in Novelty. Before returning to Hershey as a guide, Saren moved to Bar Harbor, Maine, to attend College of the Atlantic for four years. After that, she moved to Maryland to attend Montessori training outside of Baltimore. Her first teaching position involved the starting of the first elementary classroom at a tiny rural Montessori school in Virginia, about an hour outside of Washington, D.C.

Saren loves watching the children she works with grow into their potential. When they first arrive in the elementary, it is as if she can look over their heads and see who they can become. To watch as little flickers of that future person become a more constant light is what she loves the most. She and her partner, Ian, have two bunnies, a blind kitty, a California king snake, and about 360,000 honeybees in six colonies! She also frequently visits her childhood horse and dog at her family’s home nearby.

Enjoy our full interview with Saren below:

 

What brought you to Hershey?

The community. The feeling that you not only know everyone in the school but care deeply for them. Also, the commitment to authentic Montessori pedagogy and continuous learning on behalf of the adults. There is no other place like it!

What drew you to Montessori?

I have been “in Montessori” for most of my life, but I think what keeps me so excited about it is the potential it has to be both life changing and world changing. Dr. Montessori lived in a time of much turmoil and saw the child, and the education of the child, as the solution. If the child can be both knowledgeable and at peace with themselves, then they have the power to change the world around them in those ways as well. We are once again living in a time of so many challenges, and this education affirms and supports children’s power to make a difference, now and in the future.

Favorite Hershey memory?

Another tough one! My favorite memory from a long time ago would be early mornings in the Farmhouse as an adolescent, talking with friends, reading the newspaper, and listening to guitar music before morning meeting. More recently, my favorite memory would be reading my children poetry and realizing how deep they are already able to think at eight years old.

Describe the work you do and how it is performed in your classroom:

Aside from giving key lessons, my two favorite ways of engaging with the children in my community are to do handwork with them and tell stories, particularly about history or biology. This year, a family donated a fleece of raw sheep’s wool and the children and I have been working on skirting, washing, carding, and spinning it in preparation for using it in their crochet, knitting, and weaving work. I have LOVED moving through this process with them! I also try to tell at least three stories to the class each week, and their most recent favorites have been about modern-day Native American heroes, the life cycle of honeybees, and how illuminated books were made during the Middle Ages. It always makes my day when a story really sparks their imaginations and motivates them to do some great follow up work.

What did you take away from Hershey as a student? How has that experience shaped what you are doing now as a Hershey guide?

I was an “official” Hershey student for just one year, when I was in 9th grade. However, I have to say that one year perhaps made more of an impact on my life than any other in my education. At the Huntsburg campus, I felt what it meant to have a community, a home base, while also learning so much about the world beyond the farm as many of my friends were from different backgrounds and cultures. The experience inspired me to be curious about the world – to want to travel, live away from Ohio for a time, and get to know different ways of life. I did a lot of that in college as I went to school in Maine, travelled around Europe, and later lived in an Appalachian community outside of Washington, D.C. I feel all these experiences are now what feed my lessons with the children. I always think, what interesting personal story can I bring to this concept? And looking back, I feel that is much of what my guides at the Middle School did for me – engaged me on a personal level and challenged me to apply my knowledge whenever possible.

Where is your favorite place to go?

The Maine coast, the mountains of North Carolina, or British Columbia, Canada.

Can you tell us your favorite thing to do?

Get kisses from my horse.

What is a little known fact about you?

If I wasn’t a guide, I would have been an architect!

Who has made the biggest impact in your life and what does that impact look like?

Definitely my middle school guide, Pat Ludick. She taught me how to push myself and that I was capable of more than I thought. I use so many of her strategies in my own classroom.

Favorite book?

It’s impossible to choose a favorite!

Favorite quote?

“…what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

Favorite movie?

Spirited Away

How would your friends and family describe you?

Workaholic for sure! Mothering and sensitive with a good sense of humor.

How would you describe yourself?

Probably same as my friends!

Happiest moment?

Graduating from college, and then again graduating from Montessori training.

Biggest life lesson you would like to share with others?

All hard things get easier.

 

Thank you, Saren. The Hershey community is grateful for you and your service to our school and students. Your positive energy and wisdom bring joy to our campus!

Hershey Launches Emerging Leaders Program

Hershey Launches Emerging Leaders Program

Nov 9, 2021 | School News | 0 comments

Hershey Montessori School is always reaching for new ways to advance the learning and interests of its adolescent community. Students in a Montessori education are encouraged to follow their interests, engage in deep intellectual inquiry, and expand self-assessment toward self- perfection within or beyond the national academic standards.

In an effort to continue guiding our students toward their goals and passions, Hershey is excited to announce the successful launch of our new Emerging Leaders Program. The Emerging Leaders program promotes dialogue and interactions with professionals, community and social leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs for the purpose of equipping students with the tools to become effective, impactful leaders of the future.

Middle School Director Tania Bertolone, who was instrumental in building the program said, “As Montessori students, these adolescents are primed for this kind of work. They already know how to follow their passions and independently engage in their work. The Emerging Leaders program allows them to expand on that knowledge and know-how and apply it to projects outside their regular academic classes and lessons. As an educator, the response and outcomes we are already seeing from our students is exciting – it’s truly rewarding.”

The Microeconomy, a long-standing essential commerce component of Hershey’s Adolescent Program, teaches students about production and exchange. Emerging Leaders takes those learned skills and experiences and brings them to the next level. The Emerging Leaders course allows students to explore an innovative mindset and gives them the opportunity, time, and space to explore their creativity. Students are encouraged to think as entrepreneurs and innovators. This allows them to generate ideas for creative problem-solving and business endeavors that will promote well-being and economic prosperity in our local communities and on our school’s campus.

The Emerging Leaders Program serves as a Business credit for Upper School students.

If you would like more information on Hershey’s Emerging Leaders program, please contact Tania Bertolone at tbertolone@hershey-montessori.org.

Hershey Adolescents Enjoy Wide Range of Extracurricular Options

Hershey Adolescents Enjoy Wide Range of Extracurricular Options

Nov 4, 2021 | School News | 0 comments

This year, Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Community is excited to offer additional programming and experiences for its students through extracurricular activities. By offering a wide variety of clubs and activities to the campus community, Hershey aims to provide additional opportunities for adolescents to gain and strengthen skills, build relationships, and take on leadership roles.

Hershey’s adolescent guides were busy over the summer planning the following opportunities: Chess Club, Mural Creation, Outdoor Club, Theater, Sci-Fi, Horror and Mystery, Envirothon, Golf, Martial Arts, Math Counts, Bee Club, and Trivial Pursuit that will be offered throughout the year. In addition to personal growth and skill development, involvement in these new extracurricular activities can reflect positively on the character and type of leader and learner a student may be in their next community after high school.

According to Valerie Raines, Hershey’s College Guidance Counselor, colleges in the United States typically prioritize the selection of students who will likely make an academic contribution and be active on campus or in the surrounding area. Raines said, “It is more important for a student to engage in activities that they might continue after high school or where they can play a meaningful role. A handful of authentic pursuits will help our students build skills for adulthood and be more likely to land on a college campus with valuable abilities, interests, and talents to succeed on-campus and beyond.”

Hershey guides are enjoying working alongside students as they explore these activities together. Their hope is to see these initial offerings spark student-initiated clubs and activities that will continue to develop and grow over the years. This will continue to foster exploration in each individual student’s true passions.

“It is exciting to see the students’ eagerness to participate, especially in our younger students,” says Director of Advancement Wesley Wilson. “It shows they have a curiosity and passion to expand their learning, engagement, and social interactions beyond the classroom. Additionally, we are already seeing new after school activities beginning to be formed organically from students. This is certainly a part of the program that the students have been asking for and I am happy to see it come to fruition for them; I am confident it will continue to grow and shape over the years as the students lead the way.”

If you have questions or would like to request more information, please contact Wesley Wilson at wwilson@hershey-montessori.org.

A Season of Thanks and GivingTuesday

A Season of Thanks and GivingTuesday

Nov 1, 2021 | School News | 0 comments

November ushers in a season of thanksgiving and gratitude. The staff, students, and administration of Hershey Montessori School are so grateful for our community and all who support it in all the various ways – whether it is through contribution of time, talent, finances, or voice, everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts.

This month, we have the opportunity to participate in GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday is a global movement meant to unleash the power of radical generosity. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

If you love Montessori as much as we do, and it aligns with your values, we invite you to support Hershey Montessori School in our mission and approach to nurture the whole child. You can unleash the power of radical generosity and help grow our Montessori community this GivingTuesday. Join others across our community and across the globe by spreading the spirit of gratitude through your own personal action and generosity. You can make a direct impact by opening the Montessori door to exploration and learning for more children and adolescents.

Children and adolescents who attend Hershey Montessori School gain experience in self-discipline, deep focus, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and the development of advanced executive functioning skills, which builds autonomy throughout life. The Montessori Method has been proven to assist lifelong learning from as early as infancy and is even successfully used to aid the elderly by creating prepared environments, stimulating brain function and memory association that enables them to care for themselves, others, and their community. Montessori methods foster confidence and engagement at an individual pace, empowering creativity and independence to flourish.

At Hershey, we value each student’s journey through academic and personal growth. We invite you to help our mission reach across the globe and give the gift of more Montessori for more children with a donation to Hershey Montessori School today. Just click the GIVINGTUESDAY graphic below!