Student Voices

FUTURE DOCTOR SAYS HE WAS ALMOST A FIRST-GRADE DROPOUT

[Niles Riding, a proud member of the Class of 2022 and a member of the McDonogh Family since first grade, was the student speaker at the annual scholarship event in April. Peppering his remarks with humor and what he considers his “astoundingly astute” vocabulary, he expressed his gratitude to his teachers who helped him grow and achieve, as well as to the donors and mentors who support the students receiving scholarship. Niles began his remarks by recalling his McDonogh moment that he defines as “the specific time in your McDonogh tenure when you truly realize the type of place you’re in.” His took place in Lower School.]

I had such a great time in the first grade. Picture this: I was half this size, double my hair, and triple the excitement. My favorites were lunch, PE, and recess. Back then, we had a concrete slab with chipping paint outlining our foursquare boxes, an overgrown gaga pit, and a dirt field with a wall that marked either the end zone or a safe haven from the other kids that were “it” in tag. And we ate lunch in a modest one-story cafeteria, filled with ecstatic kids and wobbly chairs. I loved all of it—except reading. Getting through the text always took me longer than everyone else. Reading was my archnemesis. I would choose the book with the most pictures and go into the corner and twiddle my thumbs. And then there were tests; it was all so frustrating to the point where I just wanted to quit. Niles Riding: Grade 1 dropout.

[Niles described how first- and second-grade teachers Tammy Rice and Nancy Lewis saw his struggle and quickly stepped in.]

Before that made headlines, Ms. Rice realized my impeccably impressive vocabulary did not align with my struggles. Her actions from there, all unbeknownst to me, resulted in a diagnosis of a learning difference, a granted accommodation, a showering of support, and strategies I still use today. One strategy is utilizing my resources.

The next year, in a purposeful handoff from Ms. Rice, Ms. Lewis pushed me right off the bat. The summer reading and math problems were much more taxing to complete, and she immediately made me sit in the seat closest to her desk for every single activity.

“This is positively preposterous,” I’m sure I said. Again, my reading skills were eh, but my vocabulary was astoundingly astute. After winter break, Ms. Lewis gave us a project: write a nonfiction book about any story from our little lives. Finally, I was able to apply the strategies I learned and create something I could be proud of. After a modest extension, my book consisted of about three pages, including the table of contents. It had a bright blue cover that read, ‘Nonfiction book about Jamaica by Niles Riding.’ While there were a plethora of eraser marks and an abundance of spelling errors including the misspelling of both Jamaica and nonfiction, handing it in sparked a change in how I approached school and learning. I had done it. I had achieved a thing.

[Niles explained that during reading period he worked with Reading Specialist Jill Alperstein. Ms. Alperstein’s help with reading comprehension throughout the rest of that year, plus Ms. Lewis’s ability to take me out of my comfort zone conveyed in the most loving and comforting way that I had all the time I needed to complete whatever we did together. I then showed up to class with the utmost confidence because I knew that they had my back.]

Despite all that I have accomplished since second grade, this short, blue book remains one of my most significant academic achievements because it set a precedent for me. I learned to take pride in my work and to give it my all, no matter how long it takes me to do so. McDonogh helped me feel more than comfortable with my learning difference.

[Niles then compared his growth and improvement to that of the School and its programs.]

As I developed into a more confident person, the School developed around me, too. The old field we played tag on during recess blossomed into a beautiful green playground, and magnificent buildings took the place of the previous ones. All these physical and architectural changes galvanize our academic performance and push us closer to our goals and successes.

McDonogh and I have seen so many versions of each other. Since I’ve been here there has been a development of an accepting fluid social environment. McDonogh in recent years has improved its inclusiveness by adding more classes to focus on minority issues, more clubs that appreciate people for who they are, and more opportunities for discourse on current events. All these additions have propelled the School and its students toward a stronger understanding of the surrounding world. If I could give any advice to younger students in this room, I would say push further than simply embracing the change—be the change. Evaluate the current state of the way things are and never stop asking questions. Being part of the scholarship program tells me that I am special and that someone wanted me to join this community—a community of passionate people over a span of almost 150 years that creates an outreach of opportunities and resources which we have access to thanks to everyone in this room.

[Before concluding, Niles thanked his family and the people in the McDonogh community who shaped him.]

When composing this speech, I had to narrow it down to a few memories. As I was thinking about them, I realized just how many evocative experiences I have had here. I then thought, why is it that I can remember so many things so vividly? Why can I remember the face of our campus tour guide back in 2009? Then I realized, it’s just McDonogh—what we have here is just different.

The people here are the reason I have come back with the same level of excitement each of the last 12 years. Everything about this place has been special. I could have never imagined something more than this. Thank you for your contributions and for giving me this opportunity to enjoy myself and enjoy learning. Building on my experience, I commit to you on this day that I will return as Dr. Niles Riding and pay it forward as a mentor or donor.

[In the fall, Niles will attend Amherst College where he plans to major in Biology on the premed track and play football.]