Student of the Week - Emilie-Kate Robinson-Leith

Congratulations to Emilie-Kate Robinson-Leith, who was named Student of the Week at Wednesday's all-school meeting. EK is a 12th grade Snowboard athlete who comes to KMS from Killington, VT.

EK was nominated for this award by math/science faculty member Allison Resnick who said, "I would like to nominate EK. As we all know, Emilie is a very strong student. She is so eager to participate in both of my classes and always gets a head start on her homework. She is not afraid to ask questions when she does not understand something, and she is also happy to help other students in the class who may not understand the material as well as she. She is such a pleasure to have in class and she has done a great job setting the tone for the year."

Science Department Chair Terri Isidro agreed, "I second the nomination for Emilie. She models strong participation, is the first to help other students in class, and always comes to class prepared! She is very kind and just exemplifies RILER in every way."

Humanities instructor Ian Groezinger added his thoughts, "I agree with the nomination for EK. She was very prepared for, and did a fantastic job in the presidential debate. In addition, she has been doing very well in my elective. She constantly turns in good work where she takes her thoughts a step further, always seeking to answer the "why?" and "so what?" EK consistently contributes to class discussion and speaks in a way that also sparks the curiosity of her classmates. I am also in agreement with Terri, she embodies all aspects of RILER on a daily basis (and frankly has done for years)."

English Department Chair Shayna Miller commented, "I fully agree with the nomination of EK. This is my second year teaching her, and she is consistently a model student and classmate. She holds all her work to a high standard, shows talent in writing, embodies natural curiosity and—as if there needed to be more—is just a really enjoyable person to know. Congratulations, EK!"

Art teacher Eric Kuntz also supported the nomination, "I do not have EK. But she is always a pleasure to have in the art room. She will come in, and hang out, and maybe do some drawing/sketching. She is very helpful to other students in the room who might need some confidence in their projects. She is just great."

World Languages Co-Chair Claudia Revenko-Bowen reflected, "John Dewey, the prominent educational thinker and reformer once said that 'the most important attitude that can be found is the desire to go on learning.' EK clearly comes to mind when I think of this quote. Her love for learning is evident on a daily basis. As if being fluent in French were not enough, she has taken on the challenge of learning Spanish and Latin American Cultural Studies. It takes courage to venture beyond comfort zones, and yet EK does so with determination and purpose. I am so excited to have her in class. She is an outstanding leader and role-model, a compassionate friend, a calm and attentive listener, and a mentor to our younger students. The world is waiting for you EK, and I know for sure that you will make a difference wherever you decide to go."

Social Studies Department Chair Courtney O'Keefe said, "I would also like to add to the Student of the Week nominations for Ms. Robinson-Leith. Much like Eric, I do not have Emilie this year as a student. This is a fact which has made me sad as it is her senior year. I also willingly admit that some of the sadness is also tied to fact that she is no longer in my Cultural Anthropology course. She really rocked that course last year with her ability to explore the diverse cultures of the world with an open-mindedness and cultural sensitivity that most adults today find themselves lacking. She has always been someone I have looked forward to having in my classes. However, as unlucky as it is to not have her in any of my Social Studies classes this year, I now get the unique opportunity to see her from outside the classroom. It is obvious that Emilie loves KMS and our community. She has embraced everything KMS is and stands for as well as shown deep appreciation for all the opportunities she has received during her time here. She talked often about this love and appreciation for our community and school during our recent Student Council Presidential debate. It was obvious that, no matter the outcome of that debate was going to be, we would find Emilie this year continuing to focus her energy and drive towards growing and strengthening our community even more, having the confidence to know that she has the ability to contribute towards making it even better. And what is great about this is that she will definitely leave a lasting mark on all of us and has started to do so in these past three weeks."

Congratulations, EK on a job incredibly well done!