3 Seniors Share Experience As New TBS Students

Three recent graduates had the harrowing experience of starting their senior year of high school at a brand new school. Hailing from across the country, these three young women shared their experiences with fellow graduates and members of Benjamin’s eighth grade class. 

And, it turns out, those experiences were exceedingly positive and broadly transformational.  

Addie Bounds ‘22, a varsity athlete, said that while her time at Benjamin was short, it was “near perfect.”

“I walked into Benjamin on my first day of senior year not knowing a single person in the whole school,” said Bounds. “However, I will walk out [following graduation] with an amazing group of close friends, and a tremendous community of support,” she said. 

Bounds assured the incoming Freshman class that they would be in good hands at the upper school. 

“You will have your challenges, but no one will let you fall through the cracks here,” she said. 

Duke University Freshman Andie Smith ‘22, said coming to Benjamin was one of the best decisions she ever made. 

“It gifted me new opportunities, a golf team with incredible teammates, and friends to last a lifetime,” she said.

Smith encouraged the audience to find “their people” and surround themselves with those people. 

Abby Swank ‘22 said the prospect of leaving her home and lifelong friends in Portland, Oregon was terrifying. 

“What I didn’t expect was how quickly I was made to feel at home here,” Swank said of her experience integrating into the Benjamin community. 

That tight-knit community was a “lifeline in a sea of chaos,” which she said she felt fortunate to be a part of.

“Embrace the journey as a chance to better yourself, and use moving on as an opportunity to take all of those Benjamin values and work ethic and put them into practice wherever you end up,” she said.