About
Hello, I’m Rachel
The record: school, leadership, activities, experience and honors.
Leadership
Elected, then trained
Getting elected is one thing. Learning to do the job is another, so the last two summers I went looking for people who could teach me: two weeks at the University of Chicago on public policy, journalism and how to argue for something constructively; a week at Rotary’s leadership camp as Kirby’s representative; economics and leadership at Rice; and a Stanford program where my team built and pitched a start-up. Before any of that, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference sent me home with cross-cultural communication tools I still use at Kirby. This year I gave the keynote at the middle school’s step-up graduation.
- LEAD: Leadership, Engagement, and Discourse, University of Chicago Two weeks in residence on public policy analysis, journalism and constructive advocacy, alongside public-service practitioners.July 2026
- Rotary Youth Leadership Award camp Kirby’s representative at the week-long regional leadership camp: debate, speeches, skits and athletics.June 2026
- Economics for Leaders, Rice University Economic theory and current policy, taught as a way to work with and lead teams.June 2025
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes Customer insight, marketing and business models; my team built and pitched a complete start-up.July 2025
- Student Diversity Leadership Conference, St. Louis Selected to represent Kirby; brought the conference’s cross-cultural communication tools back to school.2023
In detail
The record, in full
School, roles, work and honors. The programs are above.
Education
Kirby School, Santa Cruz, California · Class of 2027
2022–presentCumulative weighted GPA 4.81. Science and Technology / Humanities Intensive Path, a custom combination of the two; final project: Her Health, Her Voice. Petitioned into the high-school Art I course as an 8th grader on the strength of a portfolio.
Cabrillo College, dual enrollment
2024–2027Digital Photography (2024); Computer Science 1 and Macroeconomics (2025); Sociology 9: Globalization & Society (2026); Health & Social Justice (2027).
Leadership and activities
Advisor and co-creator, Middle School Student Leadership Council
2026–2027Student body president, elected
2025–2026Vice President of the Student Council, 2024–2025; elected Student Representative, 2023–2024.
Founder, captain and coach, girls’ varsity tennis
2023–presentCoaches twice-weekly practices for the girls’ fall and co-ed spring seasons. Year-round competitive player, training 10+ hours a week; ranked as high as 51st in California by the USTA.
Girl Scouts
2015–presentGold Award in progress: Her Health, Her Voice. Leads the annual Father–Daughter Dance, from the venue and permissions to the flyers, and works it as greeter and DJ. Runs the cookie-sale fundraiser with donor matching, a third of revenue to Kirby’s endowment. Bronze and Silver Awards; CPR and lifesaving certified.
Entrepreneurship Club, co-founder; president
2023–presentPresident 2025–2027. Started a school-wide recycling program that redeems bottle deposits to build an endowment for the art program. Interviews entrepreneurs in healthcare and technology.
Economics Club; president
2024–presentPresident 2026–2027. Runs the annual financial-literacy event for all Kirby students.
Media and Marketing Club, founder and president
2024–presentPresident 2024–2025, member since. Promoting Kirby, interviewing alumni, web design for the school’s page.
Kirby Chronicle, creator and author
2024–presentA quarterly magazine on the experiences available at Kirby for students and staff.
Acorn nonfiction literary magazine, editor and three-time published author
2023–presentKirby Kindness Committee, co-founder
2024Recognizing students’ actions in service of the school’s mission.
Kirby Ambassador
2023–presentSelected student representative at recruiting events; information panels for parents and peers; tours for prospective families.
Ethics Bowl, Math Club, and the American Mathematics Competition
2023–presentAMC qualifier each year since 2024.
Costume team, Kirby’s production of Legally Blonde; Homeless Garden Project volunteer
2023
Experience
Math and English tutor, Kirby Math Scholar Program
2024–presentSelected as a math tutor; twice-weekly one-on-one tutoring in Geometry and Algebra 2.
Intern, Kirby Media and Ambassador Program
2024–presentWorks with the marketing team; interviews and writes for the school website; leads tours for prospective families; designed the posters for Mamma Mia (2025) and The Game’s Afoot (fall 2025) and distributed them to businesses across the county; written and visual content for the website and social media; studying digital art design.
Honors and awards
Athlete of the Year, Kirby School
2026Top varsity athlete across all sports.
Service to Kirby Award
2026Top student volunteer, 100+ hours organizing campus events and community outreach.
English and History Department Recognition Awards
2026Top student in research, analysis, writing and oral articulation.
Keynote speaker, Middle School Step-Up Graduation
2026Santa Cruz Art League county-wide high school exhibition
2024–2026Artwork selected to represent Kirby three years running, at the 66th, 67th and 68th annual shows.
PCAL Division Champions, girls’ varsity tennis
2025Undefeated season, Pacific Coast Athletic League.
Most Valuable Player, girls’ varsity tennis
2023–2025Undefeated in league matches.
Kirby Athlete Scholar Program
2023–20264.0+ GPA while competing in varsity sports, three consecutive years.
Math Scholar; National Latin Exam, magna cum laude
2023–2026Math Scholar 2024–2026; National Latin Exam 2023.
Girl Scout Silver Award
2023Created, filmed and edited a promotional video for the SPCA.
Girl Scout Bronze Award
2020