By Ian Cho’26
Believe it or not, seven weeks have passed since the start of the school year. These past few weeks have been a major transition for many, especially the students who are new to the school. For many new students, this was their first time living independently, away from home. This was also their first time as a member of the St. Mark’s community. So, what do new students think of St. Mark’s so far?
Many students highlighted the community aspect of St. Mark’s, describing the school as close, welcoming, and home-like.
Sebastian Debonet, a Third former, shared, “I love the community… I’ve made a lot of good friends, and St. Mark’s feels like my home.”
Seoyeon Kim, another third former, shared, “I was able to truly experience and understand the school [statement], ‘Intentionally Small, Thinking Big.’ The whole St. Mark’s community is very close—all students are related to one another in some way.”
There were similar views coming from the other forms. Taras Yaitskyi, a new fifth former, shared, “I like the sports here. For academics, some classes are hard, some are easy… it depends… but I like the people here.”
This positive impression of the community seemed to continue among the returning students. Peterson Valcourt, a returning Fourth former, shared, “It’s a good experience. Everybody is pretty nice … [this is a] tight community … [and it is] easy to make friends.”
Daniel Song, another returning Fourth former, added, “I really like that … [St. Mark’s] is a smaller school … you don’t get the same experience in bigger schools. For example, if there are a thousand people in a school, you don’t know everyone. But here, you have personal connections with everyone and know them pretty well … this is something you can’t do in larger schools. I think it’s really nice that we have a smaller community.”
Other new students talked about the diverse and numerous opportunities offered at St. Mark’s. Third former Anouk Shin shared, “I got to perform my violin piece during morning chapel. I also got to be the co-head of a club. Two different experiences, but I enjoy it. St. Mark’s definitely provides many opportunities for students.”
Some new students also highlighted the passionate faculty of St. Mark’s. Stephen Hodi, a third former, shared, “[The teachers] are devoted to what they do. I have sent multiple emails regarding homework and they all respond really quickly. If I don’t understand something, they guide me through it patiently.”
Even within these first couple weeks of school, students have made heartfelt friendships were formed and long-lasting memories. Throughout each student’s transition into St. Mark’s, they all had different experiences. But from what we heard so far, their experiences are positive and filled with highlights.
As the new students continue to transition into St. Mark’s, they will each go onto their unique paths, opportunities, and new experiences. I know that the St. Mark’s community will work together to ensure that this positive experience sustains throughout their journey here.