In August, Julia Kolenda wrapped up her 14 months in SEEDS’ Scholars Program. Earlier this month, she began ninth grade at Westover School, a private boarding school in Connecticut, where she joins three other SEEDS graduates.
What were you hoping to get out of the Scholars Program when you applied to SEEDS?
I was hoping to get a better education, along with new opportunities and experiences. I wanted to get out of a bad environment and feel more intellectually challenged.
How has SEEDS helped advance your education?
SEEDS has opened up so many new doors for me. It’s crazy when I look back to last year and see how different I am now and how much I’ve grown and developed. SEEDS will continue to stay by my side on my path to success.
How did you grow during your time with SEEDS?
I’ve grown tremendously. I place a lot more effort and thought into the work that I do. SEEDS helped to train my brain to look at things from different perspectives.
What are you most looking forward to at Westover?
I’m looking forward to meeting new people and having experiences that I never could have dreamed of.
What does SEEDS mean to you?
SEEDS helped me realize what I am truly capable of (which turned out to be much more than I ever thought possible). I’ve learned a lot about myself over the past year with SEEDS. Through its academic rigor and challenging classes, SEEDS has helped me achieve my goal of getting accepted into a private independent school. New Jersey SEEDS has helped me realize my true potential.