Meet our Upper School students: Gowri and Jacob

Name: Gowri

Grade: Senior

Been at Keystone since: Kinder

What is your favorite Keystone memory? I love nature and working outside. Often during my free period I have an opportunity to sit in the sun and study, but frequently teachers stop by to ask how I am doing or what I am reading these days. Moments like these signify the community I feel at Keystone and how student/teacher relationships are developed over your childhood.

Hidden Talent: I sing, dance, practice taekwondo, play piano and violin and am an avid Crossfitter; all when I am not continuing Indian dance at my mother’s urging. Most of these aren’t secrets, but are a testament to my short attention span and how I feel I must always be doing something.

What do you hope your legacy will be at Keystone? I hope that my participation with my friends in Talk (a 5-member high school rock band) helped to strengthen the music program and brought more music to the Upper School.

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Short reflections on what I appreciate about Gowri: Gowri is so multi-faceted and talented and like her brother before her, a friend to all animals. While I am sure there are times the frenetic pace of her life might stress her out, she has a stoicism and keeps plugging away at her full to-do list. She achieves at a high level in all of her activities but is kind to others along the way.

Name: Jacob

Grade: Senior

Been at Keystone since:Kinder

What is your favorite Keystone memory? Senior year West Texas trip. I am usually gone the entire summer working at Chautauqua children’s school in Western New York, so it is great to see all of my friends again after a few months away. There are lots of great hikes, but also a good amount of time to hang-out and bond as an entire class.

Hidden Talent:I could join the circus at any time. I can juggle, I can make 6 different balloon animals (dog, snake, dinosaur, giraffe, cat, mouse); I can even do the trapeze. I have tried to train my cats — can that count as lion taming?

What do you hope your legacy will be at Keystone? I try to be very social with my teachers, so they get to really know me and me, them. I have played a big role in Model UN and am very proud of our Best Delegation awards. I also helped create our own MUNKey conference for other schools here at Keystone and hope I have set the foundation for even more growth and accomplishment for the program down the road.

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Short reflections on what I appreciate about Jacob: Jacob is super high energy. With his classmates, with his questions, with his humor- Jacob is always set at 110% and you never know how he is going to make you laugh next. All that said, he is very studious, thoughtful to his classmates and is always looking to boost their spirits.