Sixth grade entrant and current senior Eddie Zuckerbrot recently sat down with me to reflect and muse on his seven years at Friends Academy. Captain of the trivia team, varsity tennis player, natural helper, and thespian in the school plays, Eddie has truly immersed himself in all aspects of Friends Academy.

Zuckerbrot told stories of his challenges, beginning with Chinese class. Anyone who is friends with Eddie knows he is always working hard on his Chinese homework, studying the characters and practicing his speaking. “My goal is to be able to speak Chinese fluently and [I will] continue it in college.”

Speaking of college, Edward will be joining the Washington University of St. Louis Class of 2023 in the fall, where he plans to study history. This love for history all started in eighth grade with his teacher Danny Seymour. “[My favorite teacher was] Mr. Seymour because he really taught me how to enjoy history– and I’ve kept that with me all through high school.”

Not only did Zuckerbrot connect with Mr. Seymour, but he feels as though he has a close connection with many of his teachers. In fact, when asked about what he will miss the most about Friends Academy, he immediately responded by raving about the teachers and explaining how important and influential they have been to him.

One of the things I love about interviewing seniors is how close a look you get at into the student’s personality. Zuckerbrot’s interview did not disappoint, with his truest quirk shining through. As we spoke, Zuckerbrot diligently folded a pink starburst wrapper into a paper crane, something he is known for, and one of the ways he will leave his mark on the community.