When Ivy walked into her kindergarten classroom at Nederland Elementary she was starting her time as a Panther for the next several years. She is now part of Nederland High School’s Class of 2022.

While in elementary school Ivy fondly remembers recess time and outdoor education. Like so many others Ivy remembers the dream house project from 5th grade. It was a hands-on, multi-disciplinary project that allowed the students to be very creative.

In high school Ivy has participated in many activities. She was on the cross country team all four years in high school. She was on the track and field team her freshman and senior years. Ivy was on the Nordic ski team her freshman, sophomore, and senior years. She participated in student council all four years in high school. She was part of the theater department all four years and was in the National Honor Society as a senior.

Ivy says, “In Nederland schools, you can do as many things as you want, from sports to theater. Nowhere else do you get the chance to achieve leadership roles in extracurriculars across disciplines and being in a small community means that you really get to make your mark. Not to mention the amazing teachers and small class sizes which really help with succeeding academically.”

At Nederland High School Ivy said that she loved most of the classes that she took. However, her favorite class was the biotechnology class that she took her sophomore year.

When asked if she has any advice for younger students Ivy encourages students to take advantage of the unique opportunities at Nederland Middle-Senior High School. She also says, “Don’t get caught up in what people are saying, or what ‘better opportunities’ you might find elsewhere. Nederland offers so much, and you’ll have a blast if you explore it all!”

Outside of school to earn some money and gain work experience Ivy has worked at the New Moon Bakery over the summer. She also works at the Mountain Coalition for Youth in Nederland. She says that this is an incredible way to get involved in the community and fight for issues she cares about. Ivy is passionate about making meaningful connections in her school and in her town. She also really cares about the bigger issues including climate change and access to education. Ivy takes every chance she can to try something new. That will certainly serve her well in her future.

After graduating from Nederland High School Ivy will be attending Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and majoring in computational neuroscience. Ivy is a National Merit Finalist- this is an impressive scholarly achievement.

Congratulations Ivy on your graduation from Nederland High School and best of luck in all you do in the future!