Student of the Week - Ryan Bianchi

Congratulations to Ryan Bianchi who was named Student of the Week at Wednesday's all-school meeting. Ryan is an 11th grade Alpine athlete who comes to KMS from Hingham, MA. Ryan was nominated for this award by World Languages Department co-chair Claudia Revenko-Bowen.

Claudia shared the following nomination for Ryan, "Learning a language and becoming proficient is much like riding a roller coaster. There are continual ups and downs with many moments of awe and other instances of frustration, especially when learning happens in the midst of so many other important life events and commitments. Throughout my years of teaching and mentoring, I have found that success comes with persistence, a kind of staying power which cannot be measured by how fast we go, but by taking the necessary steps to evolve. This year, Ryan has progressively taken this path of academic growth. It has been so awesome to see him moving outside of his comfort zone, taking responsibility for his own learning, working independently, taking risks, and challenging himself linguistically. I have many wishes for Ryan, among which I hope that he sees the greatness we all see in him. I also hope that he continues to aim for the stars because, undoubtedly, they are all within his reach. ¡Excelente Ryan!"

Academic Dean Amy Allen seconded the nomination, "Yes! I would love to nominate Ryan as well. There has been a distinct shift in Ryan over the past several weeks. He's increasingly engaged in his academic work and self-motivated. He comes into the admin office all the time now to do work in a quiet space. I have witnessed true dedication to and engagement in his school work; it's very impressive."

Science Department Chair Terri Isidro concurred, "Ryan has shown tremendous growth in the past year. Ryan's attitude in class has changed so much. He has really taken responsibility for his learning. On a typical class you will not see Ryan fooling around or unfocused. He works very hard and very independently to complete assignments. He also asks for help and tracks me down to ask questions, he's become so proactive! If he continues this excellent attitude toward his studies, he will be very successful in his classes next year and in college!"

Director of Athlete Care Anna Terry chimed in as well, "Ryan has also been more engaged with me as of late. He's been wanting to learn more about what he needs to do to keep his body healthy, and in general, very focused when I present info, and I’ve even caught him practicing some stretches/rolling when nobody else is around!"

Finally, English teacher Nate Clifford added, "On many occasions, Ryan has challenged my perception of what it means to be a student. Although he willingly questions the value of deadlines and homework, his insight and intelligence are invaluable to any classroom. He is always present and always engaged; his incredible brain often takes us on journeys that I could never predict. Above all, he raises the bar for our understanding of literature, communication and discussion. Ryan brings his own confidence in his intelligence and marries it to a humble curiosity that makes others want to contribute in an honest and provocative search for the truth."

Well done, Ryan! Way to end the year strong!