Kathleen, Class of 2020: Advocate for others

We’re so proud of students in the MSS Class of 2020. They had a very different final year at MSS than previous classes, thanks to COVID-19.  We’re inspired by their perseverance and flexibility. We’re sharing a few of their stories so you can get to know them.

Next fall Kathleen will attend Dominican Academy as a Friedsam Scholar. She’s looking forward to all the new things that a new school will offer: making new friends, taking new classes, having a new commute, and joining new clubs and sports. One thing Kathleen is especially excited about is attending a school in New York City. She hopes to take advantage of all the city has to offer.

Looking back over her time at Mustard Seed, Kathleen’s very grateful to all of her teachers, but especially to Ms. Kuperus and Mr. Lawrence. They sparked her love of math and solving puzzles. Kathleen was first introduced to I Love Math Day problems in third grade when Ms. Kuperus challenged her class to think about a problem that the older students were working on. Now Kathleen loves solving her own I Love Math Day problems every February. They’re one of the things she’ll miss most about MSS.

After Dominican Academy, Kathleen plans to attend college and double major in math and English. When she grows up, she hopes to be a change maker by becoming an immigration, environmental, or criminal attorney. She’s always been a leader and a strong advocate for herself and others, but at MSS she learned that listening to others’ contributions is just as important as having her own ideas heard. Kathleen believes that these skills will help her no matter what career path she takes in the future.

Mustard Seed has been like a second home for Kathleen for the last 11 years. She’d like to thank all the teachers and staff at MSS for making it such a special place. The MSS community is unparalleled and Kathleen considers herself lucky to have experienced it.