GA Leader Board

With every new school year, there is a new Forum to get to know. In order to learn more about our Upper School leaders, we asked them a few questions about themselves and their goals for this year! These interviews have been edited and condensed.

Zoe Tulchinsky, President
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
I really want to make school this year feel more laid-back and fun. I hope that we, as a school, can all get a lot closer to each other and start new traditions.

Do you have any advice for underclassmen?
If I could talk to my younger self, I’d definitely tell her to put herself “out there” a little more, even if she doesn’t feel 100% confident in who she is yet. I would tell underclassmen to stay true to themselves and not worry about following the “unspoken rules.”

What is a fun fact about yourself?
My favorite movie is Ponyo. 

Caroline Blouin, Vice President
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
I want to work closely with Zoe to ensure that everyone has a really happy and positive school year. I also want the Honor Board to play a more active role in the Upper School!

Advice for underclassmen?
I really encourage everyone to run for a leadership position even if they are the slightest bit hesitant. It gives you the opportunity to become involved in ways you wouldn’t otherwise be.

Fun fact about yourself?
This year will be my fourth year taking film in the Upper School! 

Madeline Oh, President of the Arts Board
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
I hope to make the arts more appreciated and accessible to all rather than just being an ’easy class’ or just to fulfill a requirement. I hope to also build more excitement for arts-related events happening throughout the school year.

Any advice for underclassmen?
Make sure to take classes that you are truly interested in. Never feel bad or nervous! Every class has so much to offer!

Fun fact about you?
I’m weirdly obsessed with cleaning and Marie Kondo-ing my room. A clean space = a clear mind.

Piper Giovine, President of the Athletics Board
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
I would love to help boost both GA and Brunswick spirit for GA athletics and to help bring the school communities together through our shared love for sports.

Advice for underclassmen?
Meet with your teachers as much as possible. Even just checking in with your teachers every once in a while can be extremely helpful, as it helps you establish a relationship with them and shows them that you care about their class.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?
My favorite food is tacos.

Cam Butz, President of the Community Engagement Board
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
My main goal this year is to inspire and encourage as much involvement as possible in our entire GA community. I look forward to organizing group community service opportunities, whether that be a group of friends, an advisory, or a whole grade. Similarly, I look forward to working with the other members of Forum and each board to help achieve all of our goals together.

Do you have any advice for underclassmen?
Value interactions with other people. Whether it’s an old friend or a new one, try your best to be outgoing and interested in the lives of others.

Fun fact?
I speak Polish!

Kay-D Ferjuste, President of the DEI Board
What do you hope to achieve/accomplish this year?
As DEI President, I really hope to change the way people think about the board. I feel like at GA there’s a very fixed group of people that are involved in diversity work, and those who need to be in the conversation are never present. The DEI board should be more than just roundtables once a month and the one-off guest speaker. It can host mixers and civvies days, collaborate with other boards, create different learning and volunteer opportunities, and most importantly, give space for members of the GA community to be vulnerable and grow. It can and it will!

Advice for underclassmen?
Something I’ve learned during high school so far is that it’s okay to slow down and take things one day at a time. I find that it’s better to chop up the difficult bits into bite-size, less difficult bits and deal with them one by one. That way, you not only end up less mentally and emotionally drained, but you’re also able to recognize and engage in the parts of high school that are worth remembering.

Fun fact?
I’m sorry, but I really don’t like dogs with human names. Why would I want to pet Gertrude?