I hope everyone takes a moment to read what some of our recent alumni have been up to. Their stories are very impressive, and I am hopeful they will inspire you. They certainly make me proud to be a part of The New School and to have been able to work alongside TNSM’s amazing staff in supporting these students who are undoubtedly becoming amazing adults. Congratulations everyone! ~ Eric Dustman
The Walnut Hills Alumni Foundation gave ten merit-based financial scholarships.
Four of those ten scholarships were awarded to TNSM alumni. Congratulations!
- Nathan Katkin
- Andrew Moore
- Garret Oester
- Isaac Shapiro
Mason Berger
Mason’s senior year at Mariemont High School kept her busy; she won a part in the fall play and later a singing part in the spring musical. Mason was nominated for a Cappies Award (regional high school Tony Award) for best-featured actor in Beauty and the Beast and won a number of prizes as a vocal performer. Mason was chosen to sing a solo at baccalaureate in addition to singing a duet with her best friend. Mason was elected to both the homecoming court and the prom court and was voted prom queen. She will be studying at Aveda Fredic’s Institute this fall. Mason thinks about her experience at TNSM frequently and especially appreciates the friendships she made there.
Amy Burte
Amy will be attending Ohio University and plans to major in animation. She attended high school at Summit Country Day, where she participated in book club and the high school literary magazine, Ellipsis. She took AP literature, AP human geography and completed an independent study in animation. Amy values her experience at TNSM saying, “Being at The New School taught me about different ways of learning things and that sometimes it is better to try something with my own hands.”
Nathan Katkin
Nathan attended Walnut Hills where he fenced on the high school team. He was also very involved with music, having two albums produced and working on others with two different groups as a writer, singer and guitarist. Nathan was a National Merit Finalist, was in the Cum Laude Society and was part of the Modern Abolitionist Movement, helping with fair trade events. He took 13 AP classes, received the Ida J Cornelison Scholarship and plans to major in the classics at Columbia University in New York. Nathan was named as a John Jay Scholar which is Columbia’s highest academic scholarship and is in the top 25 of 700 in Columbia’s freshman class. Nathan appreciates his New School education saying, “Our teachers always gave us a lot of books to read and helped me move far ahead in math.”
Andrew Moore
Andrew attended Walnut Hills and played soccer all six years in both high school and club leagues. He was voted captain of the soccer team and took seven AP classes including the Ohio State engineering class. Andrew plans to attend the Ohio State Fisher School of Business where he will study to become a lawyer. Andrew received several athletic and academic awards including the National Achievement Outstanding Participant Award and the President’s Education Silver Award. Andrew appreciates the friendships, the solid academic and social foundation, and the sense of community he gained and felt at The New School.
Garret Oester
Garret will be attending Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio this fall and plans to study economics and chemistry. He earned a perfect score on his ACT and was a National Merit Finalist. At Walnut Hills High School, Garret was President of Student Congress, worked on the school newspaper, and was an actor, stage manager, and student director in many productions. Of his experience at TNSM, Garret says, “I am thankful to have grown up under the ginkgo tree because TNSM is a tremendous community which helps its students to become not only lifelong learners but vibrant citizens.”
Max Radin
Max played varsity soccer for three years at Walnut Hills and was on the bowling team his senior year. He was involved in cycling and backpacking clubs, and took six AP classes. Max held an intern position at the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District. He first developed an interest in protecting the environment from trips to national parks. Max will be attending the University of California Berkeley to work toward earning an environmental science degree and plans to go on to become an environmental lawyer. Some of the things Max most appreciates about The New School are the friendships he’s maintained with TNSM students, the hands-on-learning opportunities provided and the communication skills that have helped him at Walnut. Max says, “TNSM is the best Montessori education around!”
Isaac Shapiro
Isaac graduated with honors from Walnut Hills in the Cum Laude Society, is a National Merit Finalist and was awarded a Walnut Hills Alumni Foundation Scholarship. He competed for several years on the varsity track team and academic quiz team. Isaac held major acting and singing roles in drama and musical productions and received the 2014 Cappies (regional high school Tony Award) for best supporting actor for his role as Jud Fry in Oklahoma! Isaac was a member of Walnut Hills premier choral groups, including Senior Ensemble, Men’s Ensemble, and Chamber Choir. Isaac co-founded and led the Walnut Hills Ping-Pong Club and established and directed the local St. Baldrick’s head-shaving fundraiser against childhood cancer. Isaac plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (his original hometown) where he is considering majoring in philosophy or computer science.