As leaves begin to change to brown and the weather becomes chillier, it’s important to reminisce about summer experiences. Maggie Walker students had a blast this summer. They participated in a variety of activities, from jobs to exploring the world. Students got to experience new places and cultures through class trips, perfect their college essays, and appreciate the break–taking time to relax. This summer was one to be remembered. 

Relaxation wasn’t the only priority; many students had jobs to get some extra cash flow before the school year. One senior worked at the Sports Center of Richmond over the summer and helped children learn valuable skills and embrace their love of soccer. Another student, Kate Lindely (‘24), helped out at a camp to “teach kids to not be embarrassed.” She said that she had lots of fun and said, “There was archery, arts and crafts, and a lot of yelling.” Additionally, some ambitious students worked on helping their community. For example, senior Prisha Shah (‘24) worked on her Girl Scouts Gold Award. She was able to help her community and have a good time doing it. Shah stated, “I met so many new people from my community and learned the importance of collaboration and connection as I conducted diaper donation drives.” This summer was incredibly productive and beneficial towards the good of the community for many students. 

 The break wasn’t all work and no play, however. Numerous students took local and international trips. Annie Bosher (‘26) traveled to Montana with her family for ten days. She went to Glacier National Park where she “saw some amazing views and some cool animals, such as big horned sheep, mountain goats, Columbian ground squirrels, and some very chubby chipmunks!” 

In addition to recreational and family trips, students also vacationed on school-sponsored trips. Leah Winder (‘24) and Grace Crislip (‘24) went to Italy, and they both expressed that they had a wonderful experience. Crislip described how she enjoyed “spending time with classmates” and “making pasta on the mountain side.” Winder discussed how they got to “try so many foods,” and exclaimed, “The lemon gelato was so good!” Germany was another destination for Maggie Walker students such as Lucy Holmstrom (‘24). Holmstrom participated in a two and a half week exchange program in Germany and reflected, “It was the best part of my summer.” The highlight of her trip was “getting to see [her] exchange partner Ramona again as [she] hadn’t gotten to see her since March 2022.”

Though these trips are exciting, students had plenty of fun at home as well. Prisha Shah (‘24) said the highlight of her vacations was seeing Barbie and Oppenheimer with her friends. She remarked, “We dressed up, made a themed cake, and had a blast watching the two movies.” Students were also able to spend time with friends and play games this summer. One senior shared that they “caught a lot of Pokemon.” However, many students still had mountains of  academic work, and our seniors had many college essays to write. 

But as we complete our assignments, walk the familiar halls, and study for quizzes, we look back on our sun-kissed memories with love, looking forward to another amazing summer next year.