NEIRAD Asks:
Where Are They Now?
More by Jessica DeMaio
NEIRAD enilno edition
It seems that as the growing number of freshman make their way into DHS, an increasing number of upperclassmen have left to pursue another academic adventure. Neirad digs deep to find out where these students are now, why they left, and what they miss the most about the Blue Wave.
Robin Bone –Oakridge Secondary School, junior
Robin is now at Oakridge Secondary School in London, Ontario, Canada (secondary school is high school in Canada). “The reason I left Darien High School is because my family and I have moved back to Canada,” said Robin. At Oakridge, students only take four classes per semester. Each class is an hour each day, but students also get a one hour lunch break. Oakridge allows students of any grade to park and drive to school because it is an open campus. Robin said that both schools have a great student population and staff and are filled with school pride. Robin has adjusted well to her new surroundings and her family friends and long-time friends have been extremely welcoming to her. When asked if she add anything else to add, Robin said, “Go Blue Wave!”.
Kate Pesa - St. George's School, junior
Kate left DHS after sophomore year to attend boarding school in Rhode Island. When asked why, Kate said, “I’m not exactly sure why I decided to leave DHS. I guess for the experience boarding school offers (i.e. academics, extracurriculars, dorms).” A major difference between DHS and St. George’s School is the size—St. George’s only has 366 students in the whole. Along with living at school, another difference is having more work. St. George’s requires students to do a sport or after school activity during every season; Kate plans to do field hockey in the fall, stage crew in the winter, and tennis in the spring. Kate now has classes weekends, however, Wednesday and Saturday classes are only half days because the school is required to attend sports games on those days. Kate says she still looks forward to going home on her frequent open weekends and long holiday breaks.
Will Ropp—The Bolles School, junior
For his junior year Will decided to go to The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bolles School has an open campus which Will likes, but he said, “DHS definitely has more quality lax bros.”
Olivia May Taylor—Greenwich Education and Prep, senior
After three years at DHS, Olivia decided to transfer to Greenwich Education and Prep, a somewhat new private school in Greenwich. “I left DHS not because I did not like it, but because I had heard about this new private school, visited it, and really loved it. Greenwich Education and Prep gives me the chance to do an internship every single day, and my passion is special education. So I actually every day get to work as part of my schedule in the special education department,” Olivia said. At Greenwich Education and Prep there are only 40 kids in the entire school and only four other people in her grade. Olivia misses DHS and playing volleyball (since her school does not have sports) as well as her friends. Olivia loves the experience of her internship and meeting new people. “I loved Darien High School, but I feel going out of my comfort zone and going to this new school is really going to help me in the long run, especially when it comes to pursuing a career in the field of special education,” Olivia said.
Caroline Carmichael—Dulwich College,senior
Caroline not only left DHS, but left the entire Western hemisphere! After her junior year at DHS, her family relocated to China when her dad took a new job. She now attends Dulwich College, a British school, in Shanghai, China. At Dulwich students have set schedules every week day, unlike the eight-day rotation schedule at DHS. Caroline also said that the teachers at Dulwich have exotic accents. Although Caroline misses her friends and dropping classes at DHS, she loves the experience of meeting people from around the world. “It’s exciting experiencing China, and being able to go around China with friends that can speak Chinese and know all the local hotspots,” Caroline said. Caroline is also looking forward to her upcoming weeklong field trip to rebuild a local Chinese school.
Others:
Eric Walsh - Green Farms Academy, junior
Eric now attends Greens Farms Academy in Westport as a junior. Greens Farms is a private school to which Eric takes the train back and forth every day. Eric left DHS because he thought focusing in a smaller class environment would be easier. There are only 70 kids in the grade at Greens Farms, and instead of desks in every classroom there are round tables. Each student brings a laptop to school, and instead of carrying backpacks around they use a big locker. Eric enjoys using his laptop in school and meeting new people, however, he said, “I miss seeing my friends in classes and playing dodge ball.”
Lacey Perticone—Proctor Academy, junior
After her junior year at DHS, Lacey decided to go to Proctor Academy in Andover, N.H. “I wanted to repeat my junior to improve my grades,” Lacey said. At Proctor, Lacey finds the teachers more understanding and helpful than she found them to be at DHS. Lacey misses ceramic teachers Michelle Currier and Dorine Bosler the most, along with her friends, especially senior Lauren Perkins and freshman Jackie Brokaw. She also misses seeing her sisters Hollis, Isabelle, and Lexie every day. “I miss Lexie yelling at me saying we are going to be late for school,” said Lacey. However, Lacey loves the new opportunities Proctor has to offer. Proctor’s extracurriculars range from regular after school activities and sports to spending a tri-semester overseas in Spain or France.
Lizzy Epps—King and Low-Heywood Thomas School, sophomore
After her freshman year at DHS, Lizzy began her next year of high school at the private King and Low-Heywood Thomas School in Stamford. Lizzy said she left because her parents wanted her in a smaller environment. A major difference in King, Lizzy said, “The student population and diversity is different.” Although Lizzy misses seeing her friends in the halls, classes, and lunch shifts of DHS, she also enjoys meeting new people and making new friends.
Zoe Burge—St. Paul’s School, sophomore
After her sophomore year at DHS, Zoe decided to begin a new adventure at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. St. Paul’s is a co-ed boarding school with 550 students. All students live on campus. Zoe wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps after hearing of his great experiences at a Tennessee boarding school. After attending summer camp for seven years in Virginia, Zoe said, “The close community and feeling of living and constantly being around some of my best friends was amazing and I believe boarding school will feel similar.” Zoe also desired smaller classes and student to teacher ratios, which St. Paul’s has. A big difference at St. Paul’s is that all students live on campus.“Instead of going to our own homes every day, students are together through the day, sports, meals, and even through the night,” Zoe said.
Another difference is that instead of years (freshman year, sophomore year, etc.) at St. Paul’s the grades are referred to as forms—freshman year is 3rd form, sophomore year is 4th form, etc. Zoe loves her new sense of independence, community, and opportunity in which St. Paul’s provides. She also loves the competition of academics at St. Paul’s, which she feels will help keep her focused on schoolwork. At St. Paul’s there is encouragement to try new sports and activities—there are no cuts on any team. Instead of being a junior at St. Paul’s, Zoe is a repeat sophomore. Zoe is young for her grade, and at St. Paul’s many students repeat a grade when transferring because more maturity is expected with the new independence and rigorous academic schedule. Zoe added it would have been much more difficult to be accepted if she applied as a junior.
Jack Kauffman—Green Farms Academy, junior
Jack, who left DHS after his sophomore year, now attends Green Farms Academy, a private school in Westport. Jack chose GFA for its smaller, more focused atmosphere of academics. The junior grade is only 60 students, compared to DHS’s size of more than 300.” In classes there are 12 to 16 students, which sets class up as more of discussion. A new privilege for Jack is being able to drive to school as a junior without worrying about paying any fee. He also likes how students come from varied towns to attend GFA, so he gets to meet a lot of new people. “DHS is a great school and I certainly miss it but GFA is something new and I feel it will better aid my academic studies,” Jack said.
Kelly McCarthy –Mira Costa High School, junior
Kelly left Darien High School to attend Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Cali. The McCarthys moved after Kelly’s father took a new job. At her new public high school, students have to walk outside to get to every class. One huge advantage is that surf classes are offered! One disadvantage is classes meet at the same time every day. Along with missing her friends, Kelly also misses the change in schedule that DHS offers. However, another difference between California and here are the people. “I love how I am right on the beach here and it is basically always warm. The people are very different and very laid back,” Kelly said.
Lauren Ioli—Convent of the Sacred Heart, sophomore
After freshman and sophomore year here at DHS, Lauren decided to attend Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich. Lauren is repeating her sophomore year because of her November birthday at her new private all-girls school. Lauren says it was a combination of factors that led to her departure. “I left Darien High School to experience a Catholic education, and start a new adventure.” A major difference at Covent of the Sacred Heart -- besides the fact that it is an all-girls school -- is that everyone is required to wear a uniform that consists of a black and green skirt, a polo shirt, and sneakers. Lauren enjoys the experience of “meeting new people, learning about what town they come from, how long they have been going to Sacred Heart, and what they like/don’t like about the school” Lauren said. Along with her friends at DHS, Lauren also misses the short commute from her house to school every morning, compared to the new 25-minute drive.
Maggie Annecchino—Covent of the Sacred Heart, junior
Greta Baresich, Purnell School, Far Hills, NJ, junior
Mackenzie Hollis—Kent School, sophomore
Kari Kolderup—Pomfret School, sophomore
Anjali Krishnamachar—Phillips Academy Andover, Massachusetts sophomore
Taylor Holcomb — attending School Year Abroad program in Viterbo, Italy, senior
Karoline Lozier—Pomfret School, junior
Christian Papic—Green Farms Academy, junior
Allison Roberto—King Low-Heywood Thomas School, sophomore
Charlie Salmins—Greens Farms Academy, sophomore
