Ask a Student

Here is your chance to learn more about Westover Students. Check out what these students have to say about their experiences, and email them with questions of your own!

Lindsey Holder, senior boarder from Atlanta, Georgia

NaHae Kim, senior boarder from Paramus, New Jersey and Seoul, South Korea

Siiri Rikala, junior boarder for New York City

Anna Davies, junior day student from Roxbury, CT

Emily Jackson, sophomore boarder from Virginia Beach, Virginia

Eliana Wasser, sophomore boarder from New Milford, CT

Lindsey Holder, Class of 2010

Hi! My name is Lindsey Holder, and I am a senior boarder from Atlanta, Georgia. I have been at Westover since I was a sophomore. While at Westover, I have loved playing Soccer, Rock Climbing, and Tennis. I also went on exchange to Perth, Western Australia in my junior year. I am head of the Animal Rights Club and Head tour guide. My favorite subject is math.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?
Being a Westover boarder has enabled me to become more independent, learn more about myself, and develop study habits that will help me in college. The best part of living at school is that you can form some of the closest friendships that you will hold onto for the rest of my life.

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
For ninth grade, I went to a coed day school in Atlanta, but I soon realized that there was so much out there that I could be exposed to. After visiting seven different schools, I realized that Westover was the only boarding school that fit my personality. I felt at home the second I stepped on campus.

What courses are you taking this year?
This year, I am taking AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP Calculus, English IV, and a electives.

What was your favorite course last year and why?
Last year, my favorite course was Pre-Calculus because my teacher was amazing. She always believed in me and pushed me to do better, even when I thought I was doing the best I could. I also loved the course because it was challenging.

What activities are you involved in?
At Westover, I am one of the heads of the Animal Rights Club, where we hold bake sales and other events to raise money. I am also one of the head tour guides. I love giving tours to prospective students to help them see my point of view. I also play JV Soccer and JV Tennis, and rock climb. back to top

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NaHae Kim, Class of 2010

Hi my name is Nahae Kim, and I'm from Paramus, New Jersey and also from Seoul, South Korea. I am a four-year-senior at Westover.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?
Being a boarder at Westover is very comforting and exciting. Westover is a community where every student and faculty member is always willing to help new students to adjust easily. And also by living with other students, boarders not only get to make lots of friends but also learn to share and to cooperate with their peers. Therefore, my 4-year-boarding experiences have been very happy and effective.

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
First of all, I wanted to improve my English skills more effectively and also live in an environment where I can explore my abilities’ through Westover School’s activities and academics.

What courses are you taking this year?
I am taking English IV, Spanish III, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Studio Art and some English and history electives.

What was your favorite course last year and why?
I loved Spanish II class. Since English is my second language, I thought taking Spanish was a big challenge for me; however, I could learn the language effectively and therefore had an enthusiasm in continuing in learning Spanish.

What activities are you involved in?
Since my freshmen year at Westover, I have been involved in many activities. I was 3rd head of Overs my junior year, am Proctor my senior year and also work as head of Amnesty International Club, Asian Culture Club and Head Tour guide. Also, I am on the Varsity Squash team, in Glee and in Chamber Choir. back to top

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Siiri Rikala, Class of 2011

My name is Siiri Rikala and I am a junior boarder from New York City. Westover offers so many athletic and social opportunities. While I have been at Westover, I have participated in field hockey, softball, yoga, and Westover's Outdoor Program. My favorite subjects are, hands down, history and photography.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?
I have absolutely loved every minute on corridor at Westover. Being a boarder definitely helps me keep myself in check, whether it's my homework or making sure my room stays clean. Good company, delicious snacks, and movie marathons are just some of the perks of being a boarder here. The dorm parents and proctors do an amazing job at helping the girls feel as comfortable as possible by opening their homes to us. Being a boarder has increased my confidence and independence tremendously

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
I first heard about Westover from a really close family friend. I applied to one other boarding school which was co-ed and a few other private day schools in New York. I saw such a difference between the students' priorities at the other schools and what I thought my priorities were. However, when I visited Westover, I was extremely impressed in the confidence and dedication Westover girls showed towards their academics. Westover's academics are outstanding, but nonetheless there is such a great feeling of acceptance and sisterhood that is apparent even while rushing to and from classes.

What courses are you taking this year?
In my junior year, I am taking Physics, Algebra II, French III and English III, which are year-long courses. In addition, I am taking an English elective studying the work of Joseph Conrad, and an Alternative Photography course in the fall; Digital/ Panoramic Photography and Early 20th Century Arts in the winter; and Women in Visual Arts, and a history elective, Boom and Bust, in the spring. In addition, I am taking art history courses for the first time here, and I absolutely cannot wait!

What was your favorite course last year and why?
My favorite course last year was a tie between a history elective on World War II and my Color Photography class. The teachers of both classes are fantastic; they make it easy for students to feel just as passionate about the topics as they are. In both classes the work load was tough but completely rewarding. In my Color Photography class we were held up to Mr. G's highest standards, which motivated students to put their best work forward.

What activities are you involved in?
This year I am a member of Asian Culture Club, Christian Fellowship, and Gospel Choir. I am also head of WALSA, Westover's African American and Latina Student Association. WALSA hosts Westover's COLORES Festival every fall and this year we are discussing plans for Black History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and a community service project with the help of Jew Crew. In addition, I am 1st Head of Overs, one of Westover's two spirit teams. As a head, I welcomed the new girls this September which followed with many traditions such as New Girl Camp, Rallying, and Dirge. The other heads and I keep the school morale up and let the good times roll. back to top

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Anna Davies, Class of 2011

Hi! My name is Anna Davies, I am a junior day student from Roxbury, Connecticut. While at Westover, I have played field hockey, basketball, tennis, and lacrosse. This term I am doing Community Service, which means I help the local community three times a week along with other Westover girls. Also, while I have been at Westover, I studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, and I loved it! My favorite subject is history.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?
I am a day student. It is a great experience for me. I spend so many hours at Westover doing homework, playing sports, or even hanging out with friends that sometimes I feel like a boarder. As a day student, I feel welcomed by the boarding community, and I often stay for dinner or sleep over. I sleep over when there is bad weather, a late night meeting or a test that I have to study for.

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
At first going to an all-girls school was not appealing to me, but when I stepped into Westover, I felt a sense of community, and I wanted to be a part of that community that is very accepting and welcoming of diversity. Also, I wanted to get a better education, and the classes at Westover are interesting with great teachers that keep us on our toes and students who actually participate in class.

What courses are you taking this year?
I am taking Latin III, English III, AP US History, Honors Pre-Calculus, Photography, AP Environmental Science as well as two English electives: the Iliad and Virginia Woolf.

What was your favorite course last year and why?
Wow, this is a hard question. It was either European History or Honors Chemistry. I loved both because of the fascinating topics and because of the excellent but challenging teachers.

What activities are you involved in?
I am in many fun clubs such as Model UN, Amnesty, Origami Club, Environmental Action Committee, Animal Rights Club, and Italian Club. I am a part of the Community Service Team, and I plan to do swimming in the winter. back to top

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Emily Jackson, Class of 2011

Hi! My name is Emily Jackson, and I'm from Virginia Beach, Virginia. This is my second year at Westover. So far I have played field hockey, volleyball, and softball but I am thinking about starting squash in the winter. My favorite subjects are math and history.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?

Being a boarder at Westover is a lot of fun. It’s pretty much like a second home because I am here for over half the year. I also feel that the people that I live with here are like a second family. Most of the time I forget that I am really at school on nights and weekends because it just feels like you are hanging out with friends. Most nights I hang out in the dorm parents apartments and watch “Gossip Girl” and “Grey's Anatomy” and there is always a good snack as well. Being a boarder does not always mean that you are confined to Westover though. A lot of Saturday nights I will go over to a day student’s house and sleep over. Its fun to get away from school sometimes and hang out at someone’s house; being a boarder is a lot of fun and I really love it.

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
My grandmother and most everyone on my dad’s side of the family went to boarding school so when I got to high school my grandmother encouraged me to look into a couple boarding schools to see if maybe I would want to go to one. The two schools I looked at were a coed boarding school in Massachusetts and Westover. On my first visit to Westover I knew that I would love it here. Everyone was so nice and welcoming and I thought the campus was beautiful but I could also really picture myself attending school here. When I visited the coed school I liked it there as well but it didn't have the same welcoming, sort of homey feel that Westover did. I am really glad I made the choice to come to Westover.

What courses are you taking this year?
This year I am taking English II, Honors Chemistry, Pre-Calculus, Spanish II, Basic Photography, and European History. Sometimes I feel like it is a lot to handle but I love all my classes and they are a lot of fun. Basic photo is one of my favorite classes because it is a really hands-on class that lets you be really creative as well. We have just finished learning all about the camera and we are about to start working on a photo assignment that I am very excited about. I also really love Euro because I love learning about the past. We just watched a move about WWI called “All Quiet on the Western Front.” It was a great movie that showed what the war was really like in the trenches. After we watched it we had a discussion and it was interesting to see what other students thought about it as well. The classes at Westover may be tough sometimes but they are a lot of fun. The teachers are all nice, and you really learn a lot.

What activities are you involved in?
The only activities I am really involved in outside of classes are sports. I love playing sports because I feel like it is a huge stress relief and it really lets me forget about whatever happened during the day and all the homework I have yet to complete. It is also a great way to meet some of the other students you wouldn't normally hang out with. Going to other schools to play them is a lot of fun as well. back to top

Email Emily

Eliana Wasser, Class of 2011

Hey! My name is Eliana Wasser, and I am a sophomore boarder from New Milford, Connecticut. While at Westover, I have played field hockey, volleyball, and tennis, and been involved in a variety of clubs. My favorite subjects are English and Spanish.

What is it like to be a boarding/day student at Westover?
Being a boarder at Westover is a wonderful experience! I am never bored or alone, because I have all of my friends living right next door. I feel being a boarder is an advantage because I have all of my belongings here with me. Also, I have more time to schedule conferences with teachers. Although when I first arrived at Westover I was homesick, the dorm parents were so nice and comforting that the homesickness soon went away. Another huge advantage to being a boarder is being able to stay later into the night for various activities, and sleep in later the next morning, as you do not have to drive to school.

Why did you choose Westover as your high school?
I chose Westover for a variety of reasons, but mainly because on my visit day I was welcomed by everyone and saw how close friends students were to each other. Another reason I came to Westover was that it was a single sex school. Although that may surprise you, I saw that going to an all girls school would give me advantages that going to a co-ed school would not. I never have to worry about how I look when going to class, or whether or not I say the wrong answer. Overall, going to an all girls’ school is a more relaxing and enjoyable experience.

What courses are you taking this year?
This year I am taking English II, Honors Spanish III, Honors Algebra II, European History, Honors Chemistry, Women In the Visual Arts (an art history elective), and ceramics I and II.

What was your favorite course last year and why?
My favorite course last year was English I because I loved learning grammar and reading The Odyssey. The teacher of this course, Shamus, was a wonderful teacher and helped me to go from knowing only what a noun was to knowing more grammar than my parents do. I am sure that you will love this course just as much as I did!

What activities are you involved in?
The activities I am involved in are peer support, Spanish club, Model United Nations, women's rights, animal rights, Dialtones, gospel choir, piano lessons, varsity volleyball, JV tennis, fitness and weight training, ceramics, and the Jewish association. I am also Head Old Girl. back to top

Email Eliana