What is life like as a Beaver student? We interviewed several students across all grades—from middle school to senior year—to get a peek into the Beaver student experience. Below you’ll hear from Rylee Barnwell—a rising senior. Rylee shares how she’s grown as a leader, how an English class inspired her love of writing, and how she’s made the most of her five years at Beaver.
You’re a senior next year, congrats! What does your upcoming year look like?
My upcoming year is going to be extremely busy!! It will look like studying, taking the SATs, and applying to colleges. But it will also look like leading affinity groups and captaining sports teams. But most importantly, it will be me trying to make the best memories in and outside of school during my final year in high school.
How do you feel you’ve grown during your time at Beaver? Also, when did you start?
I came to Beaver in 7th grade. During my time at Beaver, I have grown into someone who is curious and eager to understand why things are the way they are and learn to change them rather than just accepting that things need to stay the same.
What’s a class you took or a project you worked on that you really enjoyed?
A class I really enjoyed was The View Within with Dr. Fash. This is the required English class for juniors, as it requires a lot of personal and reflective writing. I have always been someone who preferred creative writing rather than analytical, so when I heard that we would be writing creative nonfiction about ourselves, I was honestly perplexed. I wasn’t sure what it meant to tell my story in this way. But once I started, I couldn’t stop—I found myself consumed by new ideas and a deeper understanding of my own experiences. What made this class especially meaningful was the honors book that we had to read, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. At the time, I had just returned from a leadership retreat focused on identity, so reading about another multiracial person’s experiences hit especially close to home. It motivated me to think more critically about my role in my community, and I couldn’t stop talking about this book. (Truly a great read, I’d highly recommend it.) I enjoyed that class so much because it triggered a lot of personal growth, which I didn’t know I needed to do, and I will always be grateful for that.
The best part of Beaver is the community. . . The students are so welcoming and eager to make connections and friends, and the teachers are always trying to push you to do bigger and better things. They encourage you to learn things on a deeper level and understand how things can impact you and others, even if they don’t pertain to you. They want you to search for the deeper meaning and share it with the larger community.
Rylee Barnwell '26
Could you share a bit about a teacher who has made an impact on your experience?
A teacher who has had an extremely positive impact on me and my experience at Beaver is Mr. Egwatu. Mr. Egwatu has encouraged me to push boundaries in and outside of the Beaver community, always encouraging me to never settle. He’s allowed me to go on student leadership retreats and trips like the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado (SDLC)—an experience that deeply shaped how I understand my own identity and helped me see the value in the community around me. Mr. Egwatu has consistently supported my ideas for strengthening connections within the Beaver community. Whether it was proposing events, initiatives, or conversations, he not only listened but helped bring those ideas to life. Because of his support, I’ve been able to help create spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, and grounded in celebrating our differences. His mentorship has played a huge role in helping me grow as a leader and as a person, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.
Beaver students have the opportunity to make decisions on their classes, afternoon activities, SDPs, and more. Can you share more about this and point to some of the decisions you’ve made that have impacted your experience most?
Some of the most impactful decisions I’ve made at Beaver have come from the flexibility I’ve had to pursue what genuinely excites me; especially through SDPs and summer opportunities. For example, I chose to design two SDPs that reflected my passions: one on epigenetics and plant cell trauma, where I ran a self-directed lab and explored how trauma can be biologically passed down in plants, and another with Sarina Nahata ’26, where we merged calculus and environmental science to model the impact of microplastics. These projects taught me how to connect disciplines and think independently.
Outside of SDPs, I’ve taken advantage of the Hiatt Summer Fellowship by choosing opportunities like becoming a certified lifeguard at Beaver Summer Camp, attending Harvard MEDscience, and interning at the Lown Cardiology Group. These were decisions I actively pursued because of Beaver’s encouragement to explore real-world learning. Together, they helped me realize what I want to pursue in a future career. Ultimately, the freedom to choose what I study, who I collaborate with, and how I spend my time—both during the school year and over the summer—has shaped not just my academic path, but also how I define meaningful learning.
Time for some rapid-fire questions!
Favorite class? English: Great books
Favorite lunch? Chicken tikka masala or Sandwich day
Favorite spot on campus? R-level
Favorite afternoon activity? Volleyball or Lacrosse
Favorite Upper School event? Dam Jam or the teacher vs. student pep rallies
Favorite free block activity? Hanging out with my friends on the R-level
Meet more Beaver students!
