Piper H. ’25

I absolutely love the outdoor education trips offered at Poly. The best memories and friendships I’ve made have been on the various trips I’ve taken through Poly. From Joshua Tree to Escalante, Utah, to Santa Cruz Island, I’ve seen things I never would have experienced if it weren’t for the opportunities Poly has given me. Not only that, but being able to backpack for a week at 13 years old is an incredible experience, and I am so grateful for it. Every year, I look forward to the Outdoor Education trip I’ll be going on, and I am so, so sad that I only have one trip left.

The patios. In the upper school, each grade is assigned a patio to hang out during breaks. Even though the patios switch every year, the sense of community they foster doesn’t. Honestly, I think it’s a blessing to be assigned to a specific area because it encourages me to talk to people I wouldn’t normally interact with. I feel like the patios make my grade feel like one singular, unified group.

I discovered my love for journalism and newspaper writing in high school. Growing up—and even now—I’ve always identified as a "STEM girl." But during my freshman year, while exploring the clubs available in the upper school, I randomly signed up for the school newspaper, The Paw Print. That decision opened up a whole new world of writing to me, and I fell in love with it. Now, as the Life Section Editor for The Paw Print, I enjoy having an outlet where my strengths in humanities can shine, even as I focus on STEM-related academics.