Limelight l Student Profiles

Limelight | Student Profiles

Cici Curran

LOWER SCHOOL

Imagine you are 10 years old, and Head of School Dr. Wendy Hill has just invited you to stand in front of more than 800 people and welcome them back to school. Your teachers, school administrators, your parents, and the entire student body, seated on bleachers in the Upper School gymnasium, are staring back at you, waiting to hear what you have to say. Fourth grader Cici Curran had that experience in September at the school year’s opening assembly. Standing on a footstool so she could reach the microphone, Cici spoke to the audience with poise and confidence. “To make this year great,” she told those gathered, “my advice would be to work hard, always try your best, believe in yourself, show kindness to others by respecting their ideas, include everyone and always wear a smile.” She stepped down to applause, striding surely back to her seat. But — that’s not the whole story, Cici says.

“My legs were shaking the whole time I was up there,” she later admitted with a giggle.

Cici, who has attended Agnes Irwin since kindergarten, models the advice she gave her fellow students in the opening assembly, according to her fourth grade teacher, Julie Haines. “She is dedicated, interested, sweet and kind.”

Cici’s favorite subject is art, and so far, fourth grade is treating her pretty well. As fourth graders, Lower Schoolers take on a variety of new responsibilities, including serving as PreK helpers, teaching others how to recycle in the lunchroom, and raising the American and school flags. “The teachers are way different (in fourth grade). We get a lot more homework, and it’s a little hard — but I can handle it,” she said good-naturedly. An avid sports fan, Cici plays soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, squash and tennis in her free time. She particularly loves playing goalie on her township soccer team. “They make me feel like I’m family,” she said. That same closeness is true of her relationships at Agnes Irwin. “Everyone here feels like my sisters, and we treat each other like sisters,” Cici said. “My friends and I feel really loved.” — Amanda Mahnke

Jeanette Breck MIDDLE SCHOOL

Eighth grader Jeanette Breck learned how to knit six years ago, here at Agnes Irwin. She didn’t know it at the time, but the skills she learned in the Lower School Knitting Club would help inspire a family service project that has provided more than 800 homemade items to families at area hospitals.

The 13-year-old — who loves tennis, horseback riding, crafts and softball — helped launch Butterfly Blessings with her mom, Sarah, two years ago. Looking for a way to show their gratitude for the care Jeanette’s younger sister Katherine has received over the years, the family decided to assemble a team of volunteers to create homemade gifts for children facing physical or developmental challenges in hospitals.

The gifts that the family takes to five area hospitals include knitted, crocheted or knotted fleece blankets, sweaters, hats, booties, and even handmade stuffed animals. Jeanette has helped out by knitting baby hats for families in NICU, encouraging Butterfly Blessings to become a service ministry at her family’s church, organizing and tagging items, and collecting donations from members of the AIS community, who are a huge boon to the project. Some AIS volunteers have even organized their own set of designated knitters, Jeanette said.

That enthusiasm is one of the things that makes AIS so special, according to Jeanette. “It’s a real community. I know all the people in my grade; people smile at each other when walking down the hall; teachers ask how you’re doing — my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Hagin, always told us that this is like my second family.”

That dynamic especially emerges on overnight trips, like eighth grade’s recent excursion to New York City. “If someone is feeling homesick, everybody comes over to cheer you up — even if you’re not best friends with her. That’s one really great thing about our grade.”

Little acts of kindness like these are one way of helping others. Jeanette shared how every Christmas season, her family puts out an Advent calendar, with a new, small act of service to complete each day: saying hi to someone you don’t know, paying a toll for the person behind you, spending an hour listening to some- one who needs an ear.

“Little things can make a big difference,” she said. — Amanda Mahnke

Jaakirah Reid UPPER SCHOOL

Senior Jaakirah Reid’s Agnes Irwin story began when, as a seventh grader at Young Scholars Charter School, she attended The Real Deal, a week-long Center for the Advancement of Girls summer program for middle school girls interested in leadership. During a scavenger hunt the first day, as she was running down the hallway with her new friends, she remembers looking around and thinking, “I definitely want to come here! I belong here!” She describes it as an immediate sense of home. She applied to AIS during her eighth grade year and enrolled in ninth grade.

Jaakirah started giving school tours for the Admission Office her freshman year, and this year she was selected by the office to serve as co-head of the tour guide program. From her very first tour, she loved walking around and sharing her Agnes Irwin pride with visitors.

So far, Jaakirah said, “the coolest part of this year was giving Jane Goodall the tour. After reading the story of her life and learning about how she overcame such incredible obstacles to do the work that she did, it was a huge inspiration to meet her! She made me more of an activ- ist and leader. Dr. Goodall made me want to advocate for what I love even more because she went against the odds and still fights for (the environment) through her Roots & Shoots program.”

From being a founding member of the Acceptance and Awareness of Diversity Conference to leading the student tour guides and spending her free time volunteering for a mentoring program she established at her previous middle school, Jaakirah exemplifies quiet, behind-the-scenes leadership in service to others. She says her philosophy is: “If it helps me grow, then maybe it can help others — and it is fun to give back.”

“The thing about Jaakirah that is so amazing is that she has an enduring commitment to the causes she believes in,” said Assistant Head of School and CAG Director Mariandl Hufford. “She sticks with it and has a quiet way of doing it. I have known her for five years, and what she does is not about getting brownie points. She truly embodies and represents living a legacy.” — Corin Breña

Student Council MIDDLE SCHOOL

Middle school years might be known for mood swings and rebellion, impulsivity and touchiness, but that seems far from reality with the girls of Middle School Student Council.

Confident, composed and clear about their purpose, they take seriously their roles as the student leadership of their division — and these young leaders have no shortage of ideas about the positive impact they can have on Middle School life.

“A key role that Student Council plays … is encouraging and inspiring everyone to be innovative and to work to take steps into a positive future,” said Council President Katherine Glaser. “I think the Student Council must always aspire to be the essence of Agnes Irwin and its values, and be the role models for those around us.”

To give students a voice, create a sense of community, support service, ensure equity — these were a few of the thoughts that the girls expressed when they were asked what they hoped to accomplish.

Community Service Representative Cheney Williams said the council “gives girls the chance to try something new. For example, my position gives girls a chance to help out people in need. Many girls most likely wouldn’t have visited the Upper Darby Food Pantry without becoming involved at AIS.”

“My position as Equity and Justice representative is to let everyone know it is okay to be different,” said Taylor Carter, adding that her responsibility is to help create and promote opportunities for students to talk freely about their differences.

Five other positions round out the council: Vice President (Alex Conway), Arts Representative (Lia Della Porta), Athletics Representative (Natalie Pancini), Environmental Representative (Parker King) and Correspondent (Fiona Moser).

Middle School Deans Cathy Lynch and Katie Cooper have helped better define the depth and scope of the Student Council, expanding its elected representation and rooting its efforts in stewardship of the Middle School Values Statement. There is even a handbook that outlines member responsibilities, provides exercises for training and reflection and teaches essential leadership skills such as teamwork, goal setting and communication.

The girls affirm that they are learning a great deal about leadership, being open to all ideas, being helpful, confident and respectful, taking the time to listen and setting a good example.

“Listening is very important in understanding everyone’s ideas,” said Natalie, adding that she is also learning the art of compromise. “Everything is not always going to go your way, and compromise is important to finding a good outcome.” — Wanda Odom

Shown from left: Taylor Carter, Parker King, Alex Conway, Katherine Glaser, Cheney Williams, Lia Della Porta, Natalie Pancini. Not pictured: Fiona Moser