In 2008, GreenMount contacted a few of our alumni to see what they were up to. Here are bios of a few of the students we spoke to:

Nicki, Class of 1995 - Nicki was the first graduate of The GreenMount School in 1995. When she started at GreenMount, there were just fourteen students in total - her parents were founders of the school. Despite the school's small size, Nicki says it prepared her well for high school, particularly in the areas of writing, critical thinking and analysis—three of the hallmarks of GreenMount's theme-based curriculum. She has fond memories of one particular theme, on ancient civilizations, in which the students worked in groups to learn about different civilizations and created games, foods and visual displays representing these ancient cultures.

After graduating from GreenMount, Nicki attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied music. From there she went to the College of Wooster, where she received her undergraduate degree in anthropology, followed by a Masters degree in sociology and anthropology from the University of Texas. Nicki is currently studying for her Ph.D. in anthropology at American University and working for the National Park Service as an archivist at the National Archives for Black Women's History. While GreenMount can't take credit for all of Nicki's academic successes, it clearly provided her with a solid foundation for learning. Nicki remains friends with many of the students who attended GreenMount with her. It is these lifelong friendships that Nicki appreciates most from her time at GreenMount.

Brennan, Class of 1998 - Brennan attended fifth through eighth grades at GMS.He has fond memories of GreenMount, especially the overnight trips that are part of the school's Explorations curriculum, including one particularly memorable trip that was organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. In addition to the trips, one of Brennan's favorite educational experiences during his years at GreenMount was an archeological dig on the Potts & Callahan site adjacent to the school, where students discovered artifacts from the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904.

After graduating from GreenMount, Brennan went on to Loyola Blakefield High School. Brennan felt that GreenMount prepared him well for Loyola's rigorous academic program, and he credits GreenMount with teaching him to be an independent thinker. After graduating from Loyola he went to Washington University in St. Louis where he received his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. Brennan is now a middle school teacher in Boston. He teaches at an innovative Episcopal school that provides a rigorous education free of charge to students from low income families. In 2008, Brendan entered the Masters in Education program at Boston College.

Nathan, Class of 2000 - Nathan graduated from GreenMount in 2000. As he prepares to embark on a career as an artist, Nathan remembers GreenMount as a school that nurtured his artistic and creative talents, encouraged open discussion and debate, and taught him how to work in a group. He also credits GreenMount's theme studies program with helping him develop a lasting interest in history. Two of his favorite themes during his years at GreenMount were studies of the Chesapeake Bay and the Harlem Renaissance. Like our recent "Greening of GreenMount" theme, Nathan recalls that the Cheseapeake Bay theme "put us in touch with our surroundings and made us realize the impact of our actions while also informing us creatively and actively."

After graduating from GreenMount, Nathan went on to study visual arts at the Baltimore School for the Arts, which he described as "the perfect artistic follow up to GreenMount." Nathan is currently a student at the Tyler School for the Arts at Temple University, where he is completing the fourth year in a five year program that will result in a BFA degree in the Craft of Glass along with a second degree from Temple. He has studied in Rome and has plans to return to Baltimore where he intends to set up a glass casting and lamp working studio for the summer, before returning to Philadelphia in the fall. In reflecting on the GreenMount educational experience, Nathan described it as "a source for creativity and conscious thought to flourish with education and awareness."