Nina ’26
College/School Attending This Fall: Wellesley College
Major/Area of Interest: Biological Sciences
Years at Shipley: 13
Activities and Positions Held:
Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track & Field (Co-Captain), Science Olympiad (Co-Captain), The Compass (Co-Editor-in-Chief), Math Team, Quiz Bowl, and Politics Club
Who was your most influential teacher and why?
My most influential teacher was Dr. Gillin, whom I was lucky to have for Modern World History in 9th grade and American History in 10th grade. Going into high school, I was completely uninterested in history, as I think many young people are. Despite this, through Dr. Gillin's enthusiasm for the material and constant pushing for us to become better, I really grew as a student. Not only did my analytical writing and critical thinking skills improve significantly, but I also began to have an appreciation for history that I did not think was possible. I am incredibly grateful for that and excited to learn more about history throughout my life.
What was your favorite class and why?
My favorite class at Shipley was Pre-Calculus, taught by Dr. Rebholz. I feel like this class really stretched my critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a way that I never experienced before. Every unit, we had "special assignments" to do outside of class, which always had a challenge problem or two at the end. While it was usually a little bit frustrating to spend a day or two pondering the answers to a question, it was unbelievably rewarding to finally figure out the answer. I really appreciated how the material in this class felt relevant, and Doc always taught it engagingly. I enjoyed the challenge problems in this class so much that I decided to join the Math Team this year, so I could continue facing difficult but fun math problems!
What was your most memorable experience at Shipley?
My most memorable experience at Shipley was winning the FSL cross-country championships last season. Despite winning in 11th grade as well, we still had quite an "underdog" mentality, so I was extremely nervous going into the race. As I crossed the line, I knew my teammate had won the individual race, which was super exciting, but I had no idea how the team event would shake out. Everyone ran incredibly, and after it ended, one of my coaches came over to our group and told us that she thought we won by one point. I think I will remember that moment forever. To make it even better, the boys' varsity and JV teams also won! My coach always said, "one team, one dream," which I always thought was a bit of a funny phrase, but it really felt like that day we achieved a dream together.
What does Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing mean to you?
To me, the motto Courage for the Deed; Grace for the Doing is a reminder to always continue to push myself out of my comfort zone, but to do it thoughtfully and (whatever it is) to the best of my abilities.
How has Shipley encouraged you to take risks?
Shipley encouraged me to take risks by cultivating an environment where I felt encouraged by everyone around me. Whether it was my always-supportive teachers or my incredibly enthusiastic friends, I was always made to feel like I could achieve what I wanted and that taking a risk may actually pay off.
Please write a short reflection on your time at Shipley and what it meant to you.
Having been at Shipley for 13 years, I can genuinely count on two hands the number of memories I have from before Shipley. In that way, Shipley has been everything to me. There are so many things that feel central to my life that I would not have without Shipley. I joined the cross-country team by chance in 6th grade, despite not knowing anything about the sport, and now running is one of the most important things to me. I don't think that would have happened if not for my amazing teammates and coaches. Additionally, I think my love of learning was developed as I did homework enthusiastically with my friends in Later Gator in the Lower School. I grew to enjoy difficult coursework and learned that every struggle is better with friends. I have no idea what my experience would have been like at another school, but I am so glad that things worked out the way they did.