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14 / June 15th 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
Mount Madonna School’s Top Students M ount Madonna School announces Kira Kaplan as the 2021 valedictorian, Sara Bautista as salutatorian and this year’s high school graduation ceremony to be held in person at the upper campus, for the graduates and their families at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 17. “I am proud of both Kira and Sara for earning this distinction,” said Mount Madonna Director of Upper School Shannon Kelly. “They have worked hard throughout their time in high school, but more importantly, they are curious and engaged learners.” Kaplan will attend Smith College. “I am very excited to attend Smith, an all-women’s school in Northampton, Massachusetts,” said Kaplan. “There are many things drawing me to this school, and one of the most important is its supportive environment. Our society has a tendency to diminish the qualities and intelligence of women, and is more focused on the cultivation of the white male; Smith presents an environment specifically dedicated to crafting rounded, welleducated women. The lack of male Kira Kaplan presence at Smith creates a more collaborative and comfortable environment of women supporting women. She added, “Unlike at other schools where males might be given first priority for research, classes, opportunities, etc, at Smith you are the first priority. I was accepted into the STRIDE program, which guarantees paid research with a faculty member for my first two years — pretty incredible! Currently I’m looking at a pre-med track with a major in biology or math. Nothing is set in stone, and I’d like to dive deeper into my interests before I make any concrete decisions.” As for her teachers at Mount Madonna School, Kaplan said, “I’ve been impacted by every single teacher I’ve had the privilege to be taught by…SN Mailliard has an incredible and thoughtful mind and is
truly an amazing Values teacher. I learned so much from him and was amazed at the depth of conversation we partook in his class. His wisdom inspires me. Nicole Silva is incredibly passionate about science, and astounds me with her depth of knowledge and hard work towards her career. I get excited about biology just by being around her. Her energy inspires me. Sara Bautista Haley Campbell is incredibly kind and caring towards her students. “She takes the time to reach out and ensure that each and every one of us knows we are loved and valued. Her heart inspires me. Sampad Kachuck is a teacher among teachers. His style and flair for teaching is one of a kind and I find myself enraptured with whatever subject he’s teaching. His performance inspires me. Shannon Kelly is like a worker bee, constantly busy and constantly buzzing. She seems to know the answer to everything and is always helping us find solutions to our problems. Her dedication inspires me. Lastly, PK McDonald always brightens my day and makes me laugh. He is fascinated by the subjects he teaches and truly brings enjoyment and cheer to whichever classroom he enters. His attitude inspires me.” Bautista, who plans to attend Occidental College, a smaller liberal arts school because of its location in Los Angeles and program offerings. “I like that Occidental has a larger art department than a lot of the other liberal arts schools I looked at,” said Bautista. “I also like the way the school culture is described and how I experienced it.” She said all of her Mount Madonna teachers are “really intelligent and caring. They have all put so much effort into adapting to this year’s COVID challenges. I admire them all.” Mount Madonna School’s Class of 2021 includes nine other students: “Top Students” page 19
