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 Emma Shub—a rising Beaver senior and student council president. Emma shares her thoughts going into senior year, how she merged art and business for an SDP, and more!
You’re a senior this year, congrats! What does your upcoming year look like?
As I am preparing for my senior year at Beaver Country Day School, I am excited about the plethora of opportunities ahead of me: engaging classes, student council events, club meetings, and sports games. While I will spend the majority of my time fulfilling graduation requirements and preparing for future endeavors, I will also have the chance to embrace my community and try new things. In my final year at Beaver, I plan on taking the new coding elective and dedicating my time to curating new experiences sponsored by the student council. My year will be extremely busy, however, in true Beaver fashion, it will be full of experimentation and community engagement.
How do you feel you’ve grown during your time at Beaver? (Also, when did you start?)
I entered the Beaver community in 9th grade at the height of the pandemic. Since my first day on Hammond Street with a mask secured tightly around my face and bottles of hand sanitizer in my backpack, I have best learned the mantra “to whom much is given, much is expected”. The gift of a Beaver education is invaluable, and since entering the community, I have learned that Beaver is busting at the seams with niche opportunities and I must find a way to absorb them all. On top of learning how to solve a derivative and speak Arabic, I have learned how to pursue personalized educational experiences. I have learned how to collaborate with my surroundings and develop skills that will serve me well in experiences beyond the school classroom.
What’s a class you took or a project you worked on that you really enjoyed? Why?
In the fall of 10th grade, I completed a Student Directed Project entitled “Art & Business”. With this project, I created a small business in which I sold art commissions. After identifying my affinity for spray painting skateboard decks in a visual arts class, I created a profitable business. With the help of my art teacher, I learned the intricacies of scaling and budgeting a business while also continuing to create art. This interdisciplinary work was enriching as I was able to call upon the knowledge acquired in all of my classes and take my work beyond the confines of a classroom.
What would you say is the BEST part of Beaver? Could you share a bit about a teacher who has made an impact on your experience?
The teachers at Beaver are phenomenal; the teachers make the Beaver experience so pleasant and enriching.
In every academic department, there is a team of teachers who serve as leaders, mentors, and companions on an academic journey. Not only are the Beaver teachers highly knowledgeable, but they are deeply committed to the success of their students. The teachers are eager to collaborate with their students and create meaningful experiences; they transcend the confinements of a traditional classroom. A Beaver teacher is highly respected because they want to help their students create work that reflects their entire learning journey. The Beaver teachers are always ready to start a new initiative while also perfecting the last.
Describe what it’s like to be a Beaver student.
It is a great privilege to be a Beaver student. Being a Beaver student means that you are learning in an intimate environment; it means that you are learning in an engaged and driven community. Beaver is a launchpad for phenomenal work. Beaver is an institution with varied experiences for all students and it is a breeding ground for complex and analytical thinking. Beaver students are engrossed in meaningful academic work and social justice experiences. Beaver students are interesting.
Meet Beaver Students…