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Kathleen Elkins
Class of 2010

Kathleen Elkins

Williams College '14 · Senior Reporter at CNBC

AP Scholar with DistinctionSumma Cum LaudeTrailblazer Award

I graduated from Woodlawn in 2010 with one other classmate. Yes, you read that correctly - there were just two of us. (photo above, 2010)

We were the first graduating class and a bit of an experiment. Woodlawn essentially built new curriculums for us as we progressed through 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. The school took a chance on us - and we, in a way, took a chance on it - and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Here are a few reasons why:

  1. You can’t beat the academics. As a student at Woodlawn, I always had a feeling that the school work was tough: We were held to a very high standard and expected to be prepared, thorough and analytical in whatever assignment we were working on. But it wasn’t until I went to college at one of the most competitive liberal arts schools in the nation when I truly appreciated Woodlawn’s academic rigor. Woodlawn not only helped me get into Williams College, but it prepared me for the fast-paced and challenging academic setting I would face during my four years at Williams.
  2. I genuinely loved going to school every day. I am an anomaly among my college friends in that I actually enjoyed high school. Woodlawn was a place that I wanted to go to every day. That’s a testament to the teachers, who care about the students and find ways to make learning fun, and to the students, who not only are your closest friends, but those who push you to be the best person you can be.
  3. I am a strong, independent woman and comfortable in my own skin because of Woodlawn. While I didn’t fully realize it as a high schooler, Woodlawn was teaching me so much more than how to solve for “x” and analyze Dickinson: Woodlawn taught me how to treat and better serve my community, how to speak up and find my voice, and perhaps most impactful to me, how to be comfortable in my own skin.

At Woodlawn, you’re encouraged to be yourself. At Woodlawn, being different and unique is actually cool. And growing up in that type of environment instilled in me a level of confidence that has been crucial to my success beyond the classroom. Woodlawn shaped who I am today: a confident woman living independently in New York City and pursuing a career I feel passionately about.

Kathleen is currently a reporter for CNBC in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from Williams College in 2014 with a BA in Spanish and three Division III National Tennis Team Titles.

Published October 2018

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Forrest Daugherty
Class of 2013

Forrest Daugherty

Princeton University '17 · Credit Suisse Bank · San Francisco, CA

Achievement in the Humanities AP Scholar with Distinction Lifelong Learning Award Magna Cum Laude

Hey, I’m Forrest Daugherty, a senior at Woodlawn. I’ve been at Woodlawn since the 4th grade, so I’d say I know a thing or two about it! My favorite part about Woodlawn is definitely the opportunities. I know that sounds boring, but believe me, it’s not! At Woodlawn I’ve traveled the world—I’ve been to Greece and Colombia, where I stayed with my Spanish teacher’s family. Only one person spoke any English! The teachers at Woodlawn will work with you and do whatever they can to help you out, even if it’s giving you access to the kitchen every Monday morning to make breakfast. Thanks Breakfast Club!

More personally, Woodlawn has given me the opportunity to pursue my passion. About a year ago I was introduced to rowing and have been working hard at it ever since. The school gave me space to keep my rowing machine and has been nothing but supportive ever since. Now I’m being recruited to row in college, largely due to the training I was able to do at Woodlawn.

While I can’t wait to row in college, I’ll definitely be making the most of my senior year here at Woodlawn!

Forrest, Princeton University ’17, currently lives in San Francisco, CA and is employed at Credit Suisse Bank.

Published September 2012

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John Patrick Shaw
Class of 2014

John Patrick Shaw

University of Pennsylvania '18 · Paralegal at Ropes & Gray LLP in New York City, NY

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.

Published January 2014

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Zach Lingle
Class of 2012

Zach Lingle

UNC Chapel Hill '19 · Cardinal Health working in Nuclear Pharmacy

Hey, I’m Zach. I’m a senior and this is my 8th and final year at Woodlawn. My favorite part of Woodlawn is by far the athletics; Woodlawn games are always exciting! Whether it’s being on a team or just watching a game with my classmates, Woodlawn games are always exciting. It’s truly amazing how the Woodlawn coaches are able to put such competitive teams together year after year from a small student body.

For me, Woodlawn has changed how I look at school. I’m really interested in the sciences, especially pharmacy. Woodlawn’s advanced science classes have really helped to further my interest in this area. In my AP Chem class, for instance, I learned the reasoning behind the formulas and was able to see how they worked first hand though the many experiments we conducted. What I leaned at Woodlawn made my summer volunteer work at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center that much more beneficial. In my free time I play soccer with my friends or work on the slow process of applying to colleges. I’m looking forward to the rest of my time at Woodlawn and hope that this will be the best year yet!

Zach recently received his Pharm. D at the School of Pharmacy at UNC Chapel Hill. He is currently employed at Cardinal Health working in Nuclear Pharmacy.

Published September 2011

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Jules Winkle
Class of 2014

Jules Winkle

Belmont University · Transformation Associate at Getir, New York, NY

AP ScholarCreative Arts AwardCum Laude

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.

Published November 2012

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Sophia Spach
Class of 2011

Sophia Spach

Elon University, BA · Grader at CGC Trading Cards, Sarasota, FL

Service Learning Award

Sophia is currently living in London, where she caught up with Woodlawn art teacher Jackie Royce and reflected fondly on her Woodlawn School experiences. "I still think about Woodlawn and how being a part of that community helped me develop and grow as a person," Sophia says. "I will always remember and cherish all the friendships and memories I made while at Woodlawn." Sophia explains that Woodlawn inspired her to be a creative thinker, to think outside the box, to get involved in new opportunities, to enjoy the outdoors, to be true to herself, and to explore the world in a critical way -- so much so, that she was well prepared for college and beyond. She also remembers her Woodlawn teachers and classmates as a family, saying that whenever they reconnect, it feels as if they've never been apart. "I am definitely a better person because of the time I spent learning at Woodlawn in such a positive and engaging environment," Sophia says. "It’s hard to express in words the impact those four years made on me, but know they were some of the best years of my life. Woodlawn is such a unique and remarkable place -- such a positive, community-based environment -- and I couldn’t have imagined a better place for me. Go Trailblazers!"

Sophia is currently employed with L'Arche (England) as a care assistant.

Published August 2015

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Will Hedrick
Class of 2018

Will Hedrick

Trailblazer Award

My name is Will Hedrick. I am the Founder & CEO of Speek and a Junior studying Entrepreneurship and Social Media Marketing at High Point University. I graduated from Woodlawn in 2018 after having spent 11 years there. While 11 years might sound like a lengthy amount of time, it sure did fly by quickly. I am grateful for various things, but Woodlawn’s ability to shape me into who I am today is what I am most thankful for. Woodlawn grew right alongside me for all of those years. In second grade, I was taking my math class in Stinson. When I graduated, I was finishing the 100m dash across our brand new track facility. The growth from both of us seemed so small at the time. When looking back, the evolution is outstanding.

Having been separated from the school for almost three years, it may be difficult to see how it has affected the creation of Speek; however, the impression is larger than I expected. Many months ago, when I knew that I wanted to start my real estate brokerage, there was never a second thought as to whether I could or could not. My view was primarily due to my entrepreneurial past – which started as a senior project at Woodlawn. Capstone is a year-long investigative project based around a question the senior develops. Mine was “What Creates a Successful Entrepreneur?”. After a few weeks of research, there was one common theme that stuck out to me, the ability to start. Realizing that starting is what set the successful apart from the rest, I decided to give it a shot. A few months later, I started my first company with my brother, Drew Hedrick (’16). Hedrick Custom Designs was a custom furniture business surrounding the themes of rustic and live edge furniture. We even created a few installments around campus you use today. I used all of the experience from Hedrick Custom Designs to weed out 2.5 years of mistakes. This irreplaceable experience helped me profoundly with the launch and creation of Speek.

Published January 2021

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