Humans of St. Marks — The St. Marker

Ivy Song ‘26

In the past week, I had the chance to interview the monitors for the 2024-2025 academic year. The eight monitors are the student leaders who help connect the students to the faculty and represent the school to the world outside of St. Mark’s. I asked them questions about themselves and their hopes for the year ahead.

The following interviews have been edited and excerpted for length and clarity.

Karry Kim

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

My favorite tradition is the dinner before Groton Night. I remember my freshman year, when everyone chanted so loud that the windows and the ground were shaking. I could really feel how enthusiastic and proud everyone was to be a part of the school.

What inspired you to become a student monitor?

This past year, I worked as a co-head of ASEA, where I planned lots of celebrations for Southeast and East Asian students. I had so much fun planning these events, but I also felt so happy, knowing that I contributed to creating happy memories for all the students who participated. I wanted to do this not only for the Southeast and East Asian students but also for everyone at this school.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice I ever received was: Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs? I learned to accept whatever.

Divi Bhaireddy

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

Going to the quads after dinner in the springtime

Who was a monitor in your St. Mark’s career that greatly impacted you?

Jackie Zatsiorsky was such a well-rounded student, she had a lot on her plate and responsibilities and she handled them really well.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

If you're doing something that feels right to you and makes you happy at that moment, then its the right thing to do.

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of next school year?

I hope I make friends and be a friendly face to all grades.

Ife Lawore

What are you most excited about in the year ahead?

The monitor group as a whole has a lot of good ideas to work together as a group and everyone is very involved.

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

Songfest, a time for everyone to connect with their dorms. A chance to get to know the people in the dorm more.

If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?

There's no time in the schedule to do anything. A lack of motivation to do things because everyone is too tired after their commitments.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

If something doesn't happen, it is God's plan for you. If something doesn't work out, know that something better will come, and it will all work out.

Meredith Dane

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

The Southborough Tea at the end of the school year has always been my favorite school tradition. I love hearing from the seniors and it is always such a wholesome and fun time. I also love all the pastries and chocolate-covered strawberries!!!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Everyone else is too busy worrying about what others think of them, just like I am. Therefore, no one is actually judging or even looking at you because everyone else is just as self-conscious. So there is no need to get preoccupied with how you look or act because no one cares!

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of next school year?

Leaving a positive and memorable mark on St. Mark's while helping the adjustment between Dr. Hills and the school community run smoothly.

Drew Carr

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

My favorite school event is the coffee house. It’s one of the only events where the atmosphere feels like a lively community. It’s also an event where everyone feels comfortable performing in front of a group of people.

If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?

Make driving rules more lenient for boarders and day students.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Everything you want is on the other side of hard - Coach Corazzinni

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of next school year?

I want all students to have more freedom in their lives. We need to trust our students more and not force them to do things such as study hall every night.

Diego Bass

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

My favorite school event is probably the student-faculty basketball game because it brings the whole school community together.

Who was a monitor in your st mark’s career that has had a big impact on you?

Calvin Beard has made a big impact on me. We connected during my freshman year, and I have turned to him for guidance over the years.

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of next school year?

I hope to not miss opportunities and leave without regrets.

Charlie Shifrin

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

There will never be anything here that trumps Groton night, but on a smaller scale, I think coffee house/open mic is one of the best events on campus as it brings us all together and allows everyone to showcase their hidden talents.

If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?

I would like to see the school come together and work hard to succeed as a group. I think so much of our community right now is divided into many small groups, so it will be fun to work toward militating the walls between groups.

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of next school year?

I hope to leave this place leaving an impact on as many people as possible and fostering the desired togetherness throughout the entire community.

Jared Brown

What's your favorite school event or tradition, and what makes it special to you?

I enjoy the staff vs. student basketball game because it causes absolute mayhem in MFAC in the best way possible, and everyone enjoys playing or watching.

Who was a monitor in your st mark’s career that has had a big impact on you?

Darius Wagner for the effort he put in while he was a monitor. I respected him for never showing signs of fatigue. He gave it all he had.

What’s a hidden talent or interesting fact about yourself that most people don’t know?

I am an avid anime watcher.

Anouk Shin ‘26

News that Mr. Warren, Head of School, and Dr. Warren, head of the Global Office are departing has kept our hearts heavy for much of the school year. To honor the Warrens as they depart, the St. Marker team decided to steer from the usual “farewell interview” and publish a “My Five” feature (inspired by the New York Times “My Ten”), in which Mr. and Dr. Warren name five objects that encapsulate the impact St. Mark’s School has had on their lives and careers.

Without further ado—Mr. and Dr. Warren’s “My Five”!

Mr. Warren

1. Scale Model of the Lion in the Library Quad

“This [scale model] is very meaningful to me because it was given to me by a member of the family who commissioned the lion [in the library quad]. I love it. I know that every year at Prize Day, many, many families have their pictures taken by the lion—and then we get Christmas cards of these pictures every year, of kids who have graduated the year before. And there they are. In front of the lion.”

2. Ceremonial Key (theoretically the key to St. Mark’s)

“[The key] is meaningful to me because it was given to me when I was installed as head of school [...] and because Dr. Hills will receive it when he gets installed.”

3. A Bottle of Vanilla Extract

“Joseph Burnett, who founded St. Mark’s, invented vanilla extract. He made a lot of money through this invention, and he used that money to found St. Mark’s school. So it’s meaningful to me: A, because I admire Joseph Burnett as a very entrepreneurial, forward-looking person, and B, because many St. Markers think Joseph Burnett is cool!”

4. A St. Mark’s Pysanky Egg

“This egg was given to me by Mr. Dolesh. When Mr. Dolesh was on sabbatical, he spent time learning how to paint eggs in a Ukrainian methodology and tradition called Pysanky. When he was a kid he saw his grandfather paint these eggs. So when he was on sabbatical he learned that skill, and he gave the egg to me. The reason this egg is important to me is because it’s an example of the professional development and growth our faculty do. Sometimes it's on sabbatical, sometimes it's a degree program, and sometimes it's traveling. But [the egg] is just an example of how our teachers are constantly growing at St. Mark’s. And that makes me so happy to hear experiences of faculty growth.”

5. Framed Photograph of Mr. Warren and Mr. Maqubela (Head of Groton)

“This photo is meaningful to me because it symbolizes the rivalry between St. Mark’s and Groton—and even though we say “let’s eat zebra meat” (which is a little bit violent)—the bottom line is that St. Mark’s and Groton have a very respectful rivalry that’s a lot of fun and goes back a hundred years. Mr. Maqubela and I have become very close friends with a high regard for each other during our times as head, and when that picture was taken, I sent a copy of it to Mr. Maqubela, and he has it in his office too. Again, this relationship and the rivalry [between St. Mark’s and Groton] is important to me and the school.”

Dr. Warren

1. A Little Owl Carved in Stone

“This owl was given to me by Jasmine Williams who graduated in…I think either 2013 or 2014. Jasmine went to Greece, and she was one of the first students that went to Greece after I took over as Global Director. We finally had the finances to grant Global Citizenship grants and [the owl] was her “thank you” to me. It was a very meaningful gift not only because I love owls, but also because that was the beginning of the Global Program taking off.”

2. Mother of Pearl In-Laid Box

“This box was given to us by Korean families [...] and it’s meaningful because it was given to us with so much fondness by the families we had worked with in the South Korea Parents Association. We’ve also had so many wonderful students from South Korea—another reason why it’s meaningful.”

3. Cloth with Writing in Swahili

“[This cloth] was given to me by Edna Kilusu who graduated five years ago, who was a young woman who came to us from Tanzania. She was amazing, and I love that connection we have with Africa and Tanzania.”

4. Two Vases

“[These vases were] given to the Global Office by Taylor Zhou, who graduated last year. Taylor was in my III Form TGS class that year we left for spring break…and didn’t ever come back. That was hard [for Taylor] because she didn’t get to go home. So she and I had a very fun back and forth every day on email to keep our spirits up. I see those vases and I’m reminded of Taylor and all of our other students from China.”

5. A Set of Four Plates Depicting Scenes on St. Mark’s Campus

“I love [these plates] because they embody the history of the school—and how much the school has stayed the same, even though it’s changed a lot. These plates will go with us, reminding me of the long history of this school.”