Yang

 Yang is an international student and senior at the Denver Waldorf School in Denver, Colorado.

Waldork Status: 1 year.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Yang: I just think the morning verse is nice. It is also a good way to start a day. When I was in China, we used to sing songs or read Chinese poems every morning. The morning verse actually reminds me of that.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

I wrote about how I became interested in Computer Science and my journey from a life without computer to exploring more and more of computers.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

I was in China when I was in ninth grade. I was under the pressure of High School Entrance Exam. When I was in Canada and the US, I found more kinds of challenges for me and I went through them very well. If I could give my ninth grade self an advice, I would say that just working hard and concentrating on one challenge every time, and then you would find yourself did everything fine.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Maybe Fall/Harvest/Winter fair.

Foreign exchange? Where?

No.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

 I felt the most pride each time I completed a art project, such as stone carving project.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

I felt the senior project was the most challenging part for me. Choosing and working on a project for myself was a new experience for me. Also, my senior project was teaching myself how to play the Chinese flute. Of course I did not have a teacher. It was very difficult to learn by myself.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

Do not decide whether a place is good or not too early, because everything happened has its own reason. When I first came to Denver, I did not really like Colorado because I was not used to the weather here. However, I got used to it and started to like here. Finally, I chose CU Boulder for university studying. Also, to be honest, I did not really like Waldorf School when I first came here, because it is so different than my previous schools. However, what interested me was meeting people. I got to know more about Waldorf teachers and students and their way of thinking. I felt good to have this experience of knowing more people and their opinions on certain things. Therefore, I think I should not judge things too early, because life has its own reason every time it gives me something.

John

John is a senior at Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne, Vermont.

Waldork status: 3 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

John: Being someone formerly in the public school system, the morning verse was a very interesting thing to discover upon joining Waldorf school. In public school we were forced to say the “pledge of allegiance” every morning which basically feels like drab conformity/forced thinking. The morning verse, on the other hand, is a lovely statement in which we simply ponder the world in relation to ourselves and how we shall apply ourselves to the day mentally. This sort of resonates as a verbal meditation for me throughout the day, or a kickstart like a cup of coffee to help me acknowledge my being and prepare to put that to work.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

In my main common app essay I wrote about the topic of questioning the art of seeing, as well as perception in relation to scale and to one another. This was a topic that was first introduced to me through our Botany main lesson in which we read many articles and excerpts on this idea. It is actually a topic that I was/am still so interested in that I decided to base my senior project around it. This is something that plays heavily into my thoughts now, and I have found that to be the case with many of the things we explore through main lessons. I also was required to write a second essay for the college that I wanted to/am now going to which I ended up writing about Waldorf and essentially how it changed my life/ whole mentality.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

Ninth grade was a strange time frame for me, as it was when I was still in public school but still starting to find myself more as an individual. I guess what I would tell myself is probably to keep distancing myself from the general populous, think deeper and stay curious, and also just to let things happen as life is completely open-ended and this is only a minuscule fraction of it.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

I guess since I missed out on grade school it’s hard for me to say but I believe (at least in our high school) we have more emphasis on the winter fair. We all participate in some way or another so I would say that is more significant personally, in my little experience.

Foreign exchange? Where?

Nah (sadly), I came too late for that but I find it to be really wonderful that such opportunities are offered.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

I’d say there have been quite a few prideful moments. If I had to choose I think the most significant are re-learning to knit, doing some surprisingly just-above-mediocre calligraphy, and hand-writing a little poetry book that was all botany inspired and written in the midst of nature during the block.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

I think the most difficult part was adapting from my public school experience in which I was taught that everything was to be done a certain way so it looks good and gets me good grades which makes the school look good. When I got to Waldorf, people actually cared genuinely about quality of work and thought, which was new to me. In one of my first writing classes, our teacher told me “I’m going to teach you how to write.” And that she did (or so I hope) after many, many drafts and papers handed back to me covered in red ink. Now, looking in to studying writing as a career, I don’t know where I would be without that help.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

I think what will stick with me most is the idea of letting free thought guide me. I need to listen as much as I speak and let the environment around me help me to discover myself.

Anna

Anna is a senior at the Monadnock Waldorf High School in Keene, New Hampshire.

Waldork Status: 12 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Anna: I like to think about how my saying the verse connects me to every other Waldorf high schooler. In such a small school, it’s easy to feel alone and isolated, but saying the same words as my friends from other schools, kids in other countries, students from other times- it grounds me and connects me. I feel comforted.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

I wrote about my grandmother. She lived with me for my whole life and she passed away this past summer. I wrote about growing up with her taking care of me and the transition as we both aged, to me being her caretaker.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

I would turn to that awkward 9th grader and tell her that life was about to get hard and tricky and a lot of things wouldn’t go her way, and the things she didn’t know would scare her. But when the last trimester of senior year comes around she will have two best friends, her first choice college and bright blue hair. I’d then tell her just to keep working and smile more because she’s almost there.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Fall. Easy.

Foreign exchange? Where?

Nope.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

Winter Instrumental Concert of senior year when our little, six instrument orchestra got a standing ovation after we crushed Bohemian Rhapsody.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

Differential calculus. Without a doubt.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

For the past twelve years we have been taught in every class, each day, that we can be our own people, and that we are better because of it.

Ani

Ani is a senior at the Honolulu Waldorf School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Waldork Status: 16 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Ani: I think the morning verse symbolizes how aware the Waldorf philosophy is of the world around us. We are taught in the younger grades to ask the plant before picking a flower or to also save that little beetle from being stomped on by some clumsy second grader. Not many people are this appreciative of mother nature and all that she does for us. I did an exchange to the Kimberton Waldorf School in Pennsylvania and I found it interesting how the verses were so different, yet so alike, there were different words, yet the meaning behind them were exactly the same.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

For the Common App, I wrote about what a struggle losing my grandmother was, and what I did to get out of the rut her death had left me in. For my personal statement, I definitely talked a lot about the benefits of Waldorf education. I also talked about my involvement in sports and other extra curricular activities, such as leadership seminars and community service. I also talked about how growing up in Hawaii with a half Japanese family shaped me into who I am today.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

I would definitely tell myself to not change myself just to fit in or impress other people. I would also tell myself to find out who my real friends are to save myself the heartache. I’d also advise myself to not procrastinate with school work… haha.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

That’s a hard one, but I think Spring festival definitely has more involvement with all the grades and is just a lot more fun and exciting.

Foreign exchange? Where?

I did my exchange to the Kimberton Waldorf School in Kimberton, Pennsylvania. Many people ask why I chose such an odd place and whether or not it is even considered a ‘foreign’ exchange since it is in the same country, but I was met with so many new experiences that it almost felt as if I was in a different country. Going to Pennsylvania was one of the best choices I have ever made.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

I remember the day as if it were yesterday. It was my second year in high school and I was in my upper math class; we were studying geometry. All of a sudden over the loud speaker Mrs. Dwyer summoned the whole school down to the auditorium. We all sauntered single file out of the class room and down the stairs, still confused as to what was important enough to interrupt math class.  When we arrived in the auditorium and were met with a bunch of the teachers. They proceeded to explain that there was a beached whale just down the road from our school. And as we walked down the street I saw the excitement in each of the students eyes. Even the so called ‘cool’ kids, who appeared as if they didn’t care about anything, cared about this dying whale on the sand. This just proved that Waldorf can bring out loving, caring child in everyone.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

I definitely felt challenged during the whole college application process. I felt very unprepared and frightened about the future. I feel like Waldorf has a tendency to shelter the students. So I‘m still pretty freaked out.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

I think I have to choose two for this one. I definitely learned to appreciate everything around me, no matter how little something may seem, it plays a role in my life somehow. I also learned how important community is. I have been with the people in my class for over half of my life. They are my family and always will be. And that is something that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Nora

Nora Weber is at Senior at The Hartsbrook School in Hadley, Massachusetts.

Waldork Status: 10 years… but a lifer through her family.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Nora: The sunshine.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

My disability, Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

Always make time to do what you love, say yes to every opportunity that comes your way and be kind.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Fall and winter festivities are infinitely better mostly because the high school doesn’t participate in the May fair at my school. The Holiday Fair while admittedly lost much of its charm once I passed sixth grade still reminds me of my childhood so I still love it.

Foreign exchange? Where?

Yes, Germany for three months. Had a fantastic time.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

I take pride in the people around me…I feel pride when I see my friends getting up on stage to play their original music, or watching them dive into their characters in plays or even graduate. Academically I felt proud this year when I received an A+ on a paper that I had worked really hard on in Biology and when I completed and presented my Lyceum Lecture at the end of our Transcendentalist block.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

I think the most challenging part of Waldorf High School is being held at a constant accountability. When there are only 60 kids in your high school every person is seen and heard. Sometimes I wished I could disappear even just for an hour into a massive crowd of people just so I had a tiny break from feeling like I was in a fish bowl, constantly being watched.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

 

A strong community is key to a happy life.

Lara

 

Lara is a senior at the Kimberton Waldorf School in Kimberton, Pennsylvaina.

Waldork Status: 14 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Lara: The line that stands out to me is “I look into the world and see the shining sun” the rest I tend to say on auto pilot. However, this line makes me think about always looking at things from the bright side.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about?

I wrote about my experience in 4th grade moving from Chemnitz, Germany to Kimberton, Pennsylvania, and how it was for me to learn a second language etc.I also wrote about my experience on exchange at Colegio Waldorf Lima, in Lima, Peru and how it was for me to learn a third language. I basically wrote about me learning languages and then later being able to translate between German and English and Spanish.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

I have absolutely no idea, maybe to not procrastinate, and to not freak out about grades, to much work load etc. Actually I would tell my 9th grade self not to stress and to have fun, because if I stress then that is where problems arise.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Fall/harvest/winter fair is better because we have Michaelmas day. On Michaelmas day there is a whole ceremony where grades 2-12 presents something and the 6th grade despised as the dragon comes out. Michael, often on a horse, then comes from the top of the hill and slays the dragon its awesome. I was St Michael twice and it was really awesome and fun!!!

Also for Advent we have advent assembly’s which are beautiful. As a whole school, we gather every Monday after each advent Sunday and sing People Look east as well as Light the advent candle. There are musical sharing and a fairy tale is told by the seniors. At this time we also celebrate honuka.

Foreign exchange? Where?

Colegio Waldorf Lima, in Lima Peru.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

I feel like that will happen once I stand on stage at graduation.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

Really every year of high school I felt very challenged and as I went up the grades that challenge grew according to my age. So I would say that this year as a senior I have felt challenged the most because we are seen more as adults and many classes are geared to prepare us for college (I think), but they are still Waldorf with lots of presentations, art projects, main lesson books, etc.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

Be creative and don’t be afraid to fail. Use your imagination!

Meg

Meg is a senior at Monadnock Waldorf High School in Keene, New Hampshire.

Waldork Status: 16 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Meg: The morning verse is so much a habit that sometimes I forget to
think about it but when I do it makes me think about all the good in the
world and, that no matter how bad my day is, the sub and stars are
sparkling somewhere. Basically life keeps going, the world is beautiful,
and I will keep living.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

I wrote about the Contra dancing camp I have
attended for 10 years and the love of community it helped to foster in me.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

Don’t worry as much and try to have fun with everything. Also, don’t
procrastinate.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Tough choice but I think fall and the harvest season/fair.

Foreign exchange? Where?

No foreign exchange but hosted an exchange from Paris.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

No specific time but when my school came together and pulled something off as a whole.
Or just had a lot of fun being ridiculous (dressing up for spirit week or
other fun things). Also- hermit island and singing around a camp fire with
so many Waldorf kids, knowing that we all had a connecting thread.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

During blocks that I was resistant to or that were out of my comfort zone.
When I rejected them I struggled a lot but if I could accept the difficulty
they became easier.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

That there is not just one definitive answer to a
question; questions can be thought about from all different perspectives.

Silvia

 Silvia is a senior at the Chicago Waldorf School in Chicago, Illinois.

Waldork Status: 4 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Silvia: Normally I just say it without much thought ( it is 7:55 in the morning after all). But I guess when I do think about the morning verse it gives me a sense of community.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

I applied to a few colleges this year (none on the common app) a few essays I wrote were about what I wanted to major in and what I enjoyed doing… etc.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

To not stress out about getting into college, if you work hard it will turn out okay.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Spring/May/Medieval fair is way better because it is marking the beginning of the end of school and warm weather.

Foreign exchange? Where? 

I went on exchange to Colombia summer between 10th and 11th grade.

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

On our all school camping trips or during the winter festival.

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

I felt the most challenged when I had to face the ACT.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

This is a very hard question… I guess that showing your work in a visually pleasing way is important, that and Eurythmy is great.

Lee

Lee is a senior at Kimberton Waldorf School in Kimberton, Pennsylvania.

Waldork Status: 10 years.

Words of Waldorks: What does the morning verse make you think about?

Lee: It makes me ponder how the human is connected to the world and the universe not only scientifically, but spiritually as well.

If you applied to college this year, what did you write your personal/ Common App essay about? 

I described my self-taught passion for landscape photography.

Looking back, what advice would you tell your ninth grade self?

 Truly try to live in the moment. Enjoy spending time with your classmates and never take your Waldorf education for granted. Always be thankful.

Fall/harvest/winter fair vs. Spring/May/Medieval fair… which is better?

Fall and winter are my favorite times of the year. The cold seems to bring people together.

Foreign exchange? Where?

Nope. But wish I had…

When did you feel the most pride during Waldorf High School?

Whenever I talk to public school kids…

When did you feel the most challenged during Waldorf High School?

At the moment we are working on senior projects which seem quite daunting. I’m sure once it’s done and over with it will be one of my best experiences of my Waldorf high school career.

What is one truth about life that you will hold as an adult that you were given or discovered at Waldorf school?

One truth I will always hold with me because of Waldorf is that learning needs to be fun. I have found from my experience that when I am force-fed material that is not presented in a way that challenges my mind, body, and soul and that does not instill an excitement within me for said material, I have a very hard time comprehending what it is I “should be” learning. Waldorf has successfully taught me that it isn’t just your brain that does the learning, it truly is your whole body.