The Middle School Experience
– Alumni Interview with Addie Allen ’18
Pine Point’s Middle School intentionally builds on many core experiences of our Lower School and creates a powerful cornerstone for students’ success in high school and beyond. As we often hear from young alumni, the achievements they attain in some of the most competitive high school and college programs in the country can be traced to some of their foundational Middle School experiences.
We reached out to a group of young alumni to delve deeper into their Middle School experiences. The following response came to us from Addie Allen ‘18, who recently graduated from Brown University, Class of 2025, Health and Human Biology BA (Honors, Pre-Medical Track) with a specialization in the social determinants of health. Addie attended Pine Point Grades 4-9. Addie excelled at Pint Point academically, athletically, and in the arts. For many students, she is remembered for her performance in the middle school musical as Lumière in Beauty and the Beast. After Pine Point, she matriculated to Phillips Andover Academy before attending Brown.
(Addie’s responses are lightly edited for clarity and length)
Addie’s Education
Pine Point School, 4th – 9th Grade, Class of 2018
Phillips Academy Andover, Class of 2021
Brown University, Class of 2025, Health and Human Biology BA (Honors, Pre-Medical
Track) with a specialization in the social determinants of health
Q: In your academic or professional career, please describe an aspect that was inspired by, or connected to, a Pine Point class, project, or teacher.
A: Much of my academic career was inspired by moments of my Pine Point experience. I knew I wanted to pursue medicine when I spent hours practicing folding paper cranes with forceps ahead of a dissection in 9th grade biology. I also knew that I wanted to volunteer in my community at college after participating in the Biography Project. I would not have even known about boarding school at all had it not been for Pine Point; I learned about the opportunities available at boarding schools through the boarding school fair. It was individuals such as Doc Smith (David Smith ’69) and Diana Owen who gave me the confidence and resources to pursue that academic path, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunities I was able to pursue with their guidance.
Q: Excellence is one of Pine Point’s core values. What does that mean to you in terms of your experience?
A: At Pine Point, I learned that excellence is not only found by pursuing academic or professional accomplishment but also in strengthening one’s character. While Pine Point certainly provides a strong academic foundation, the lessons I am most grateful for are those that emphasized the importance of respect, integrity, and compassion. For example, I loved playing lacrosse with Coach Raft (Mary Raftery), and we always went to an end of year tournament; whether we won first place or not, we always won Best Sportsmanship, and we were just as proud to have won that as we would’ve been the tournament itself. I learned how to be a well-rounded, empathetic human being and that excellence of character is now a core value in my life.
Q: Describe an academic highlight from your middle school experience.
A: A consistent highlight for me throughout my middle school experience was singing in Teal, the singing group led by Doc Smith. I loved our jovial practices and sharing our music with the community.
Q: In what ways did Pine Point help prepare you for high school?
A: Pine Point most helped prepare me for high school by helping me build self-confidence. In consistently exposing me to public speaking opportunities, whether in class projects, morning meeting announcements, arts performances, or my 9th grade speech, Pine Point helped me build a comfort expressing myself in front of others that was indispensable in my boarding school experience. I was comfortable adapting to a new environment, introducing myself to peers, and advocating for myself because of that foundation. When I wanted to join the JV football team at my school, I received pushback because of my gender. But I reflected on my experiences at Pine Point, where I learned to speak up and assert myself, and I was confident enough to continue pushing to join the team and play through the season. It is absolutely true that Pine Point prepared me academically for boarding school; I was on-par with my peers when entering Andover as a second-year student, but I am also grateful for the ways that Pine Point fostered my character and confidence.
Q: In what ways did Pine Point help prepare you for your college?
A: In what ways did Pine Point help prepare you for your college experience? College can seem a daunting task; you are expected to choose a course of study that will define your future career plans, excel academically, and build strong social connections as an adult. I credit my ability to successfully navigate college to my true love of learning, which was fostered during my time at Pine Point. Although it has certainly been challenging, I have persevered because I am passionate about learning, and that all started from the learning environment I was in as a middle schooler. I also appreciate the PPS network– there is another member of my Pine Point class at Brown currently, and I’ve often reached out to classmates and faculty for advice well past 9th grade graduation.
Q: Explain a funny, interesting, or unusual anecdote from your time in middle school.
A: For my 9th grade arts project one semester, I worked with a classmate and performed a song from the Addams Family Musical; if you are familiar with the musical, I’m sure you know that it is quite unusual!
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