CLASS OF 2014

Hey, I’m David, and I’m a senior here at Woodlawn. I came to Woodlawn in the eighth grade, and I can say without a doubt that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Since coming to the school I have had countless opportunities to pursue new interests and hobbies. In my first year at Woodlawn I was introduced to cross country. At that point I had never run before, and wasn’t too keen on the idea of running to the point of exhaustion for fun. However, I gave it a try, ended up loving it, and I stuck with it all four years of high school. Because I was given the opportunity to try a new sport, I found a new passion, and I wound up signing with UNC Asheville to run in college! I can confidently say that without Woodlawn, I would have never had the same opportunities.

On the academic side, Woodlawn has helped me out in a lot of ways. The small environment and tight-knit community at Woodlawn gives every student the ability to develop close relationships with classmates and teachers. I love the fact that every teacher knows me as a person, not just as another student. Because of the smaller class sizes, you never feel nervous about asking questions, and you are able to learn the material well.

I am incredibly thankful to have been able to attend Woodlawn. The school has changed my life, and I will carry the memories I’ve made here for the rest of my life. I feel ready for college, and I am definitely going enjoy the remainder of my time here at Woodlawn!

David is a recent graduate of UNC Asheville.

Hey guys! I’m Michael Kaczmarczyk. I've attended Woodlawn School for the past four years, and I can honestly say that it has been an unreal experience. It's become my second home. I actually enjoy spending time at school as opposed to dragging myself here every morning. There is no sugar coating the rigorous course work that Woodlawn provides, but you do not face any of the academic challenges without a helping hand and a desire to succeed. The teachers are some of the most insightful people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and they have provided me with opportunities that have enriched both my academic career and personal life.

As an aspiring actor, Woodlawn has provided me with countless opportunities to perform. I even had the honor of writing, directing, and performing in a Red Barn Players (Woodlawn’s Theatre Troupe) original production. Because of my experience on Woodlawn’s stage, I have colleges reaching out to me, asking me to visit campuses and meet their theater professors. Due in part to the helpful recommendations and selfless support of Woodlawn’s faculty, I am also attending an intensive acting course at Oxford University in England this summer. Woodlawn is an unbelievable place with extraordinary people where minds are pushed to the limit and learning does not become a task but a lifestyle. As a rising senior, I look forward to the surprises in my final year, and discovering where my academic journey will take me.

Michael is a current graduate of Pace University.

Hi, everybody! My name’s Jules Winkle and I’m a Junior here at Woodlawn. If you’re considering coming to school here, I know exactly how you feel because I just transferred to Woodlawn this past year. After visiting Woodlawn’s beautiful campus and meeting a few of the students and teachers, I knew it was the right school for me.

Before coming to Woodlawn, I spent most of my free time dreading the next time I had to go to school. Now that I’m at Woodlawn, that feeling has completely disappeared. Everybody, (students, teachers, and staff), is excited and happy to be here! Most importantly, the teachers love their subjects and their enthusiasm rubs off on the students. The opportunities and experiences at Woodlawn are truly rare and unique.

In just a few short months at Woodlawn I have had the most exciting volleyball experience of my life, scaled a mountain during our annual Upper School hike, hosted a Romanian orphan to speak at our school, and am currently hosting a Guatemalan exchange student. I have also learned how to square dance and have met some truly unique and wonderful people. I highly recommend you take a look at Woodlawn School; It’s one of the best choices I ever made!

Jules is a recent graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, TN.

Hello. I’m JP Shaw, a senior here at Woodlawn. This is my 10th and final year at Woodlawn and I can say with true conviction that I could not have spent those ten years at a better institution. There’s absolutely no denying that Woodlawn has played a huge role in making me the person I am today (and I would totally hang out with me, so they must have done a good job.)

People are always shocked when I tell them how long I’ve been at Woodlawn, but it really is a pleasure coming to school each day. The teachers are incredible people, passionate about their subjects and eager to help you learn. The campus is beauty incarnate, and my fellow students ceased to be my classmates a long time ago. They’re my second family, and I’ll miss them dearly as I move into college.

I love the discussion-based learning that takes place, and with a class of 13, there’s no chance you’ll fall through the cracks.

My favorite part of the Woodlawn experience though, has got to be publications. I’ve been a co-editor of the Woodlawn Lamplighter for two years now and have been a contributing author for three. Through the newspaper and the blog I’ve really expanded as a writer, broadening my horizons to include all genres. I think I can best sum up the Woodlawn experience through a statement, a simple statement that I’ve always told people when asked why I like Woodlawn so much. “I know everyone’s name.”

I don’t yet know where I’m headed after I graduate, but whatever college I end up at, they’re going to have a hard time living up to Woodlawn.

JP, University of Pennsylvania '18, currently lives in NYC and is employed at Ropes & Gray LLP.

Hey, everyone! I’m Mary Rood Cunningham, and this is my sixth and final year at Woodlawn. That’s right, I’m a senior! I don’t know where I want to go to college yet, but I am so excited to make the most of my senior year at Woodlawn. One of the best parts of Woodlawn is all of the fun things we do here. I mean, where else would you square dance to celebrate the school’s history or have your class pet be a komodo dragon?

Of course, there are many other advantages of going to Woodlawn – too many to count - but one in particular is the faculty. The relationships that students are able to build with their teachers are remarkable. I remember comparing my favorite Greek yogurt flavors with my history teacher and participating in the Gatsby dance contest against my teachers, while in 1920s costume. I know that if I am ever confused about anything, I can go to any of the faculty with a question and get immediate help.

Whether running up and down the soccer field, singing in the a cappella group or digging deeply into a novel for English, Woodlawn has really made me who I am. I know I am going to be so sad to leave my second family here at Woodlawn in the spring, but I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Mary Rood is a recent graduate of Davidson College.

Hi Everyone! Sydney here—self-proclaimed original Trailblazer! I'm proud to say I'm one of three that has been here the longest of any Woodlawn student so far. I've spent a decade of my life on this campus, and you get to know a place pretty well after 10 years. One thing’s for sure: Woodlawn’s never boring! I’ve seen a lot of interesting things go down on our 61-acre campus through the years. But without a doubt, Woodlawn Day always registers at the top of my favorite traditions. The rumors are true—it involves square dancing. Each fall we pair up with a new partner and re-learn all of the steps to the do-si-do along with the entire school community! Looking back it’s easy to point out our stages of maturity. We loved it as grade school children, were embarrassed by it as middle school students, and now?

Now it’s an important day. We dance to honor our historic plantation campus, and as seniors, we dance for other reasons too. More than a school tradition, Woodlawn Day has become a rite of passage.  We are no longer the timid kids who wonder what they have just signed onto by going to a small school with traditions that date back to the 1800’s. Woodlawn has empowered us to dance the Virginia Reel with our calculus teacher, who always dresses the part with a straw hat and overalls. What teen would voluntarily do such a thing? And yet, we understand now that letting your guard down, having fun in silly ways, is what has enriched our lives the most at Woodlawn.

Woodlawn encouraged us to experiment, evolve, and grow into the people we were meant to be. We are artists, scholars, athletes, and so much more. My years here have changed me in ways I never thought they would.

Sydney, Occidental College '18, recently completed a year in Madrid, Spain on a Fulbright Scholarship and is now employed at Lyft in San Francisco, CA.