Toad Blogs: Student stories from The Thacher School

• Acting Out
• Drama Bonanza
• A Whole Lotta Tennis
• On the Horizon
• Ski and Rock Climbing Trips
• Back in the RIGHT Saddle!
• Gymkhana has begun: GO GREEN!
• The Complete Winter Trimester....ABRIDGED!
• Off to Spain Next Year!
• Mockumentary: Creativity and English

I’m Kaja, and I live in Orange County, only about an hour and half from Ojai. I came to Thacher as a freshman, but now I am finally a senior. I found out about Thacher through the A Better Chance program that started at my junior high my 8th grade year. My college counselor got a group of minority students, myself included, to apply to the program and compete for scholarships to boarding schools in the country. Thacher and I were a match!

Like best about Thacher:
the size of the student body, because everyone knows everyone else, and you’re so much closer to the faculty. Everything seems like a home away from home.

Favorite class:
Right now, it’s Electronic Music. We play around with state-of-the-art programs; the hardest assignment is composing, but that’s the best part! I love that it lets my creative juices flow.

People at Thacher who’ve influenced me:
Everyone I know. The people at Thacher are like extended family. They take the time to listen and talk with you if they’re concerned about you. I have a relationship with each of my teachers. Also, living here with your friends makes you so much closer to them.

Advice for kids considering boarding school or Thacher:
Take a chance. Boarding school may seems like a scary idea, but when you get here it is so much fun, being independent and with your friends all the time. And Thacher goes through a careful process of accepting students – so if you get in, you obviously have something to add to this community, and at the same time, get much from it.

My experience at Thacher has been…
so much fun. And being here in such a comfortable place has made me feel comfortable just being me. At Thacher, materialism and shallow values aren’t what it’s about. Everyone is accepted for who they are.