English Department

Grayson is Portledge’s “Boy Wonder” and has evolved extensively through both his education and his self-discovery. He is resilient in his studies, making sure each assignment is completed to the high standards that he sets for himself. Grayson is unafraid to confront the shadows of human complexities through challenging works in his classes. He showcases a genuine enthusiasm towards learning and appreciation for all things creative, including the bizarre and peculiar. A fantastic writer with an imagination that pushes past all expectations, Grayson is eager to take part in all forms of writing. The samples he has produced this year are a testament to that hard work and dedication. He always welcomes the opportunity to work harder, receive feedback, and achieve greater things. He has experienced growth in this regard, and we know that the growth will continue beyond Portledge. We hope that college will become a space for him to continue exploring works that are as imaginative, complex, and as spirited as he is.

Sydney possesses all the qualities that mark a top-flight student writer: a precise and unfailing ear for language; a true mastery of mechanics and structures; original, insightful, and incisive analysis; fierce independence in the writing process; and a desire to seek out additional feedback to nourish her craft further. To Sydney, excellence is not a simple and sporadic act - it is a hard-won habit honed through her unwavering dedication and insatiable curiosity.

At a young age, Sydney already recognizes that truly excellent writing is honest and genuine - it has little patience for flashy tricks. She also realizes that potent analysis opens up the interpretive possibilities of a text - it invites others to join the scholarly conversation rather than simply congratulating the writer on her own cleverness.

Most of all, Sydney’s writing has an ingenuous veracity, as well as a confidence that her natural modesty sometimes belies. Jazz great Miles Davis famously remarked, “It took me years to learn how to play like myself.” Syd already understands that the ultimate goal is to write like herself. And she is well on her way to doing just that.