Boarding in Baltimore: For the right student, boarding is the perfect fit K ADENCE E A R LY HAD NEVER CO N S I D E R E D G O I N G TO B OA R D I N G SC H O O L B E F O R E H E R G U I DA N C E CO U N S E LO R S U G G E S T E D T H E I D E A . WH E N H E R COU N SE LO R E N COU R AGE D H E R TO A PPLY TO GA R R I SO N F O R E S T SC H O O L I N OW I N G S M I L L S BAC K I N H E R E I G H T H G R A D E Y E A R, K A D E N C E TO O K H E R A DV I C E . BY LAURA STEWART Kadence, now a rising eleventh grader, applied before even visiting the school. “I kind of did everything backward,” she said. But when she visited Garrison Forest, she felt right at home. “Once I was on campus, I felt very comfortable there,” she said. “It was just the community, and everyone was beyond welcoming.” At the time, Kadence’s parents lived in Bowie, Md. and commuted to Alexandria, Va. for work every day. Her younger sister Anaya attended day school in Annapolis, around a 40-minute drive from Bowie. If Kadence wanted to attend Garrison Forest, boarding was the only option. In addition to easing logistical issues, Kadence saw boarding school as an opportunity to gain independence.
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