CLASS OF 2020

Trishul Pal

Santa Clara, California

I came here as a confused, dishonest, and lost little boy. I did not have the greatest relationship with my family. It was not good.

I was cheating my way through the program because I thought that was the only way I could get through it. Then, I made the greatest decision in my life. I realized my dishonesty needed to end. Once the truth was out I felt very sad at first.

I then had a talk with Paula. I told her everything, she gave me nothing but love. I was put on an academic repair program. It was a struggle at first; but I was able to bootstrap myself up to a point where I could read great works of literature like Sea-Wolf, Atlas Shrugged, and The Agony and the Ecstasy. I read beautiful poetry and read great books like Democracy In America and Dr. Zhivago. I learned about the great philosophies of Socrates and Confucianism. Lastly I learned about beautiful religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

I’m now a man with knowledge, ethics, leadership, and integrity. I’m a man with great power and great responsibility. Most importantly, I’m a man who loves his family and only gives undying love to them.

Trishul Pal

Daniella Porras-Sholes

Worcester, Massachusetts

Before Delphian, I never saw myself as anything other than a mechanism going through the basic automations that were supposed to increase my intellect. This system was cramming me into one type, never to be broken. Delphi took the shackles holding my brain and obliterated them. It taught me what courage is, how to become organic instead of mechanical. It rewired my brain to instill that I know what I know, and no one can take that away from me.

Delphian has made me re-imagine beauty and what it means to exist. I was never confident before, always negative and extremely hard on myself. But Delphian challenged me to seek discomfort and learn to be vulnerable. This newfound ability to feel all of my emotions and challenge myself, evolved me into a being that will stop at nothing to create something magical, no matter the circumstances.

This confidence has turned me from a machine into an evergreen tree, one that is mighty and shoots up towards the sun. Every task I did at Delphian has helped me to reach farther up to try and touch the sky.

The staff here have been my nourishment, and my growth has been exponential. The roots of my wisdom run deep in these furry green hills, interconnecting with the rest of the world’s wisdom. Becoming my own teacher, I am able to take flight. From this height, the light now hits everything below me differently, and a new type of beauty has been born.

Daniella Porras-Sholes

Claudia Prado

Clearwater, Florida

I’ve always been a workaholic deep inside. Everyone around me would constantly tell me to enjoy the little moments and to have a good time. There was always something in me that rebelled against this. I could not do nothing.

During my senior year, I had a few intense periods where all I’d do was study —nothing else really, besides eating, sleeping and exercising. I considered this the happiest I’ve been. Everything I did was meaningful and productive. I wasn’t wasting away my time. Instead, I was studying and creating my future.

Delphian helped me realize my true potential and what makes me happiest, which is production. It has ingrained this work ethic into me and has helped me realize capabilities which I never knew I had. I’ve learned what actual productivity is, which is doing things that help your future, things which have a purpose. I’ve learned to hone my abilities to best use them for the greatest good and for the greatest happiness for myself and others.

Finnley Giffin

McMinnville, Oregon

My parents took a huge risk by uprooting their entire lives so that I could go to school here.

When I first arrived at Delphain, I knew I had made the right choice because it just felt right. I felt right at home.

As my time here progressed, I slowly began to discover that there are actually two practical programs. There are the projects that you do and the student council that you become a part of, but then there’s just the life that you live separate from everything else. Your life. I came to find the beauty in the program through doing the courses and then just living my life.

I remember at one of the more difficult times in my life on Form 7. I was talking to my dad about this, and I said “I wish everybody could just see things the way I see them and then maybe life wouldn’t be so difficult right now.” He said to me, “No, son, that’s not it, everybody wishes everybody else could see things the way they do and that doesn’t get anybody anywhere.” He told me that instead of trying to get everybody to understand you, you should listen to try and understand everybody. Once you can think on both sides of the pistol, then you can do anything.

If you were to ask me does being a graduate require that you get everything possible that there is to get out the Delphian program, I would say no. Being a graduate requires that you get everything that you NEED out of the Delphian program, and I can now surely say that I have gotten everything that I need. Thank you, Delphian.

Finnley Giffin

Jessica Sun

Jessica SunShanghai, China

The way to study is unique here. Each student has a program to use in order to achieve their goals. At Delphian, I did many practical experiments and I learned how to apply data in my life. Delphian gave me the courage to be myself.

Everyone was close to each other, and the staff members love you genuinely. There were thousands of times that I was exhausted, but I overcame it.

At Delphian, we have more practical experiences rather than exams. It is very important to apply knowledge in real life. The projects help you improve your communication skills and leadership. For example, you need to run a weekend activity by yourself, and you have to communicate with your helpers and staff members in order to run it successfully. There is also a summer internship project where you work in the school to help run the whole summer. The internship was especially meaningful to me. I didn’t know how to deal with young kids before, as I don’t have any siblings. After I did my summer internship, I learned that young kids are genuine and honest, and they will love you more than you love them.

Education is very important, and teachers are really important to students. A good teacher will give a child a sweet childhood, and a bad teacher will give a child unmovable scars. I had the best memories at Delphian because every piece of Delphian helped to create me.

Jessica Sun

Simon Yen

Taipei, Taiwan

Graduating With Honors

“It is better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a mighty ocean.” This was what my supervisor Jocelyn told me when I was in the Middle School.

From four years of ups and downs, I realized that whenever I felt frustrated or whenever I felt that I couldn’t take it anymore, that was when Delphian threw me into a bigger pond for me to grow. Whenever I got comfortable, Delphian would throw me into a bigger pond again. Everything that happened in the past four years has shaped me into who I am today.

There are definitely regrets in the past four years, but some things are meant to happen. Delphian has the resources and the tools to make you a better individual, but you’re the person who makes that decision. No one can force you to do it. Right now, I’m in the biggest pond that Delphian has and I’m ready to be in the mighty ocean.

Simon Yen

The class of 2020

Back Row L-R: Claudia Prado, Lindsey Carberry, Finnley Giffin, Daniella Porras-Sholes, Simon Yen, Roni Akilov, Bryce McCole, Quinn Bennett, Alexia Lorenzini, Emiliano Posselt, Jessica Sun Front Row L-R: Trishul Pal, Kenji Sanchis Not Pictured Emma Aaron and Hadar Ezra

Emma Aaron

Toronto, Canada

Graduating With Honors

I arrived at Delphian thinking I would just try it for one year. I didn’t expect it would soon become my favorite place on Earth. I saw the level of competence, confidence and integrity that each student demonstrated, and I knew that I wanted to achieve that for myself.

Every single part of the program was beautiful. The books gave me an appreciation of Man’s achievements and struggles throughout history. The projects proved to me that theory is only as valuable as it can be applied. The courses taught me that I can learn anything I want to. And Student Council made me into a leader who can solve problems using my knowledge, creativity and reason.

I arrived here not knowing who I was or who I wanted to be. I can now say that I am someone with integrity and someone who can get a product despite any challenge. I have the tools to be fully responsible for my condition in life as well as for those around me, and even mankind.

Coming to Delphian was the best decision of my life and I will forever be grateful.

Emma Aaron

Lindsey Carberry

Atlanta, Georgia

Graduating With Honors

Before coming to Delphian, I struggled with seeing the beauty in the world around me. I am not talking about beauty in art or the written word. No, I am talking about beauty in people. Through most of my life I saw nothing too extraordinary about people. They were simply a part of life that I had to coexist with. Making friends was something I was never good at, and social gatherings were things I dreaded. This was how I was when I came to Delphian.

I remember talking to my mom about society after I had read a book on Form 6 called Fahrenheit 451, specifically the society that was formed from all of the passive individuals in that book. I was talking about how loud people could be and how the news was always riddled with disagreements people were having. I turned to my mom and said something very different from how I had felt much of my life. I said that despite the “noise” society created, I was much happier to live with a society who cared too much than one that didn’t care at all.

This was the first time I ever appreciated people for simply being themselves. I began to see the power in the “noise” they created. I began to see the beauty in their passionate fights and desperate calls for justice. It didn’t even matter if I shared the same passion as them. The thing that mattered to me was that they cared.

With this new ability to see the beauty in humanity, I venture into the next steps of life. I am excited for what comes and all of the wonderful people I am yet to meet.

Lindsey Carberry

L-R: Alexia Lorenzini, Emma Aaron, Rosemary Didear, Roni Akilov, Trevor Ott, Claudia Prado, Bryce McCole

Bryce McCole

New York, New York

Medford was the place, Saturday the time, A war was on the brink, Soccer was on my mind, I didn’t care about the trees, the bus, the windows on the bus and or the time when I was going to write this line and make it rhyme. The pitch was calling me, It was time to give it all, The whistle blew and the brisk air of fall kissed my cheek, All of a sudden I felt my legs go weak. I wasn’t ready, I was scared, I truly wasn’t prepared for this, I couldn’t find the air in my lungs to breathe, or the words to speak. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw you, The green, the mass, the beautiful view, I didn’t understand, there was no way, How could they have possibly travelled 5 hours just to see us play, I thought in my head that we were on our own in this war, It turned out that this was what my body was waiting for, for you, for your voice, For your love and support there that always shows, I knew in my heart that I’d always remember this day, The day that I discovered that I love you, And there’s nothing I wouldn’t do, For each and every one of you.

I looked at myself when in the mirror the other day and I was completely unrecognizable. I had become an honest leader, I gained new memories, I had countless friends, I found Bryce Cameron McCole, born in Manhattan, NY, 19 years old, a loving and strong person that is ready to take everything on.

Bryce McCole and his mom

Roni Akilov

Jerusalem, Israel

Before Delphian, I was a shy girl who didn’t have integrity and who let others control her. I started off here making a lot of mistakes, and I never thought I would reach the point of graduation, and thought I was going to get expelled. The staff members believed in me and were my guardian angels throughout my time at Delphian, and with their help, I was able to get to where I am now: a strong woman who has the four points of the logo.

The practical program helped me a lot with becoming a powerful person; at first, I only wanted to be on student council to get off student services, and later I wanted to become an officer for the status only. One day, a friend said, “Roni is the definition of a changed man.” That’s when it clicked in my head, and I realized that I had changed and wanted to change even more. I started asking for higher positionsv, so I could learn from them and improve more areas around the school.

There are people around the world who look for magic or wait for it to mysteriously happen, but here at Delphian, we learn to make our own magic.

L-R: Roni Akilov, Class of 2020, Mati Akilov, and Tal Akilov, Class of 2021

Hadar Ezra

Cape Town, South Africa

When I first came, I really thought flying under the radar was the best way to go about life. Doing what I had to do well enough to not draw attention was my ideal scene. I shied away from challenges and couldn’t hold an opinion of my own. I had no self confidence so I’d constantly doubt myself. I was a put-together mess, but I couldn’t see it.

Throughout my time on the program, I was changing. It wasn’t an all-at-once change like some might think, but more like the constant movement of a river which imperceptibly smooths and shapes the rocks it runs over, making them what they are.

That water is made up of what you learn on each course, the changes in perception that you get from the books, the challenges you face on student council, the apprehension that comes with your first project and the feeling of accomplishment when you complete it successfully. It’s made up of those rich, life-changing talks with your supervisor and the other staff, but most of all it is made up of you changing your own mind on what you think you can do.

Now at the end of this program, I’ve made friends that I know I’ll have for the rest of my life. I try to do the best that I can in everything that I do. I take on challenges with determination and a smile, and I have the integrity to hold onto what I believe is true and I have the confidence to say it. I’ve learned to think bigger than ever before. I’ve found that the world was always there, it was just my eyes that were closed.

Hadar Ezra

Kenji Sanchis

Elda, Spain

The Form 8 program was a truly magical experience. I learned about philosophy with Plato, I learned about totalitarianism with 1984, and I learned about my love for this school when I put the entire Form 8 program together. Thanks to this beautiful program, I now feel truly ready to start going on my way through the path of life.

Kenji Sanchis

Emiliano Posselt

Mexico City, Mexico

I wanted to write about the greatest gift I have been given by Delphian, my family and myself. This gift is the gift to dream, to have a goal that makes your body tremble and your will to make it happen no matter what.

Everyone thinks about when they were a little kid and what their dreams in life were. At that point we had the imagination for our craziest dreams and no walls to stop us. I wanted to fly, go to other planets and to help save the world.

Then for 14 years, I didn’t really think about what I wanted to do until I was sitting beside my supervisor’s desk and she asked me, “Why are you here?” This reminded me of my dreams and made me know that the people here wanted to help me achieve them. I also noticed that the graduates were actually working in their dreams.

I started living again for my dreams, studying for them, wanting to grow for them. I am now ready to go into the world to help solve the greatest problems, push myself to live to the fullest, and at some point go to other planets.

This is me, but this world is lived by millions of more people, including every one of you. You have probably heard my quote, “Emi, BE GREAT.” Being great sounds like at some point or in the future “BE GREAT,” but greatness in reality is being happy and enjoying every moment. Mr. Hubbard said, “Happiness, then, could be defined as the overcoming of obstacles toward a desirable goal. . .” I want to help solve the world’s hardest problems, help people achieve their dreams and make a civilization in the stars.

I challenge everybody including myself to find out what our goals are, keep improving them, working towards them, and to not let anybody, not even yourself make you give up on them.

This is the greatest gift I have received. Thank you!

Emiliano Posselt

Alexia Lorenzini

Agno, Switzerland

I want you to picture this. You are hidden in the dark for years. Then one day, a streak of light seeps into your dark hideaway. You try to cover your eyes and resist, but the light is too strong. Eventually you grow curious so you take a peek outside. Suddenly your eyes are hit by a sparkling ray of sun. You look to the sky and discover a beauty you have never seen before.

This is the best way for me to describe Delphian. This school was the sparkling ray of sun that I desperately needed to light up my life. Just when I thought it was too late, Delphian reached out its hand to me and inspired me. It gave me back my love for art, but this time it was a thousand times stronger. It gave me back my interests and my passions, and most importantly it gave me back my love and excitement for life.

Alexia Lorenzini