Noble

St. Hilary’s is a place I am so grateful for. I learned how to teach myself the lessons learned in school because a select few of teachers could not do their jobs. I learned how to ignore comments made from the principal, who was and is still an ignorant, controlling, condescending, and overall incompetent person. The principal does not share any empathy, which is ironic because that is what she asks of students. She belittles students for absolutely no reason when all that was needed was simple discipline. She has been a principal for far too long, and she seems to be stuck in the past. I am grateful for the few good teachers, who showed me how to be a kind person, and who made me the person I am today. They don’t deserve so many of the things they deal with throughout the school year. I am grateful for the friendships I made. Because of them, I was able to come to school everyday, despite the negatives thoughts in my mind. They showed me how to laugh through the ridiculous events we had to deal with. When my mental health was at an all-time low, they made me smile. I am so grateful for the experiences I had at SHS, but I wish those experiences could have been better. Parents, please send your child somewhere else. Somewhere they are not judged for being a little bit different by someone they’re supposed to trust.

Words cannot describe how much of a positive impact Ancillae has had on my life. The first thing that comes to mind when i think of Ancillae is family, I am a recent alumnae and I cannot express how much I wish I could go back. Everyone was so welcoming, I built strong relationships with my teachers and my friends. Not only did it prepare me for high school, but it also gave me amazing memories to look back on. On a daily, me and my friends talk about how much we want to go back. I miss my teachers and friends. I still look back at all of my years and would seriously do ANYTHING to relive it. As a rising sophomore, it has been so hard to go highschool because it just dose not and will never compare to Ancillae. Whenever I go back and walk into the lobby, I am overflowed by warm and fuzzies and want to cry thinking about how much i miss it. Both of my parents think that it was the best decision of their lives sending me and my sister to Ancillae. The connections that they installed in the classes was amazing, when I left I not only had to say goodbye to my small group of friends, but the friendships of my entire class and the relationships I built with my teachers.

As a "Lifer" alum of Abington Friends, I'm proud to say that AFS is an exceptional school, both for the quality of education provided and the individual integrity the school fosters. AFS is Quaker. Every student is approached as a unique person bearing "that of God" in them. In my life, there has been nothing more formative, nothing more powerful than having been taught by teachers for whom that belief is foundational- that I bear God's image and should be accorded respect to provide answers, not just be given them. From my first day at AFS, learning and critical thinking were always present in instruction. Instruction was always presented in the most vibrant and engaging ways to elicit response. The campus itself was a giant place to safely explore and be. Is AFS perfect? No. But, I loved going there. I always felt loved and safe and engaged. Even as an adult when I go back, I still feel loved and safe and engaged. What I learned and experienced there is lasting me a lifetime. Bonus- my teachers and classmates stay connected via social media.