FEATURE
There is no such thing as a map through Menlo, and no two students’ journeys look alike. As seven recent graduates—Ariya, Bodie, Cindy, Lily, Maverick, Oliver, and Raj—reflect on their high school years, it’s clear that each of their unique paths was shaped by agency, courage, support, and curiosity. “I always tell people, Menlo is like a choose-your-own-adventure,” said Raj.
Their routes were distinct, yet overlapping. Focused, yet meandering. Unpredictable, yet intentional. Challenging, yet joyful. Now, in the rearview mirror, these newly minted Menlo alumni can see that every twist and turn—even the unexpected detours—helped lead them exactly where they are meant to be.
“The people here are very open and inviting, so it was really easy to find good friends.”
—Cindy ’26
Taking the Scenic Route
Our most treasured experiences often unfold on paths we never planned to take.
As a shy freshman in a sea of new faces, Cindy’s teachers encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone as a way to find community. She remembers wandering around the Club Fair that fall when a friendly junior suggested she try theater. Cindy was skeptical, typically opting for more behind-the-scenes activities. When she learned that tech crew was a way to get involved without the pressure of the spotlight, though, Cindy seized the moment. She went all in, and was even promoted to stage manager the following year. “I think theater’s been the center of my high school experience,” she said. “It’s a great connecting space where I learned how to manage a large group of people and work toward something together.”
Theater also proved to be an instrumental, if unexpected, catalyst for Oliver. He chose Page to Stage as his arts elective freshman year, as a chance to get creative and work with his hands. He loved it, and ended up being a stagehand throughout his time at Menlo. Little did he know this decision would later inform his professional pursuits. While he had long dreamed of becoming a doctor, Oliver discovered in junior-year biology that pre-med wasn’t his passion, and was inspired by his set-building skills to register for a course in Whitaker Lab. “When I started taking Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, I realized, ‘This is what I want to do,’” he said, smiling.
Both students also found their way to track and field as a way to meet people and try new things. Oliver enjoyed the physical release of throwing heavy weights in shot put and discus. Cindy started as a sprinter before finding her stride in the strength training and technique of shot put. While she enjoyed it, her heart was really on the soccer field—she just hadn’t had the courage to try out. “I doubted myself in terms of entering social spaces, especially in athletics,” she shared of herself as a freshman. Now, she would tell her younger self to “be confident in your abilities. You’re growing, and it’s not the end of the world if you don’t make the team.”
Raj’s route to the track was equally unplanned. He had his heart set on playing freshman football with his friends—even going so far as to put on 20 pounds and train all summer. But the dream ended abruptly. “I think it was the week we started to wear pads and do double practice days,” he laughed. But the running redirect feels right in retrospect: “Sitting with my team after a hard workout—taking a deep breath, taking it all in—those are some of my happiest Menlo moments,” reflected Raj.
Illustration by Lya Slater ’26
“It represented a big lesson I’ve learned at Menlo—the value of taking risks.”
—Ariya ’26
Navigating New Experiences
Your path begins the minute you take the first step.
Illustration by Lya Slater ’26
Raj’s twin sister Ariya describes herself as “risk-averse” and “routine-oriented,” so the decision to perform with the South Asian Affinity Group (SAAG) at the sold-out Menlo dance concert was not made lightly. “It represented a big lesson I’ve learned at Menlo—the value of taking risks,” she said. Though it was daunting to immerse herself in the unfamiliar, Ariya put in the work, gradually emerging from the side curtain to the front row. “There’s so much I haven’t learned yet, so much I still don’t know,” she discovered—a prospect that, once terrifying, now feels full of possibility.
Lily was as surprised as anyone when she became Sea of Gold captain and joined Knight Singers senior year, having never taken a voice lesson in her life. “In my first two years at Menlo, I was really scared of standing out. I didn’t want to take up space,” she admits. But as her public speaking skills grew through Model UN and debates in Argumentation & Communications class, so did her confidence. “No one is going to look down on you for having ambitions and goals,” she said.
For fellow Sea of Gold captain Maverick, Menlo unlocked something that he hadn’t found at his previous two high schools—a sense of community. He learned to cherish each moment and try new things, even—especially—when it’s uncomfortable. Like when Coach Kim convinced him to try out for lacrosse without ever having picked up a stick, and he ended up winning the Coaches’ Award at the end-of-season banquet. “The coaches here always want you to succeed in life, in sport, or whatever you’re doing,” he said.
When a new Rhetoric class was added to the junior course catalog, Bodie decided he was up for the challenge of taking honors. Or at least he thought so. “It was really hard. I cried the first two weeks,” he recalled. But in earning Cs for the first time, Bodie finally understood what his parents meant when they encouraged “process over progress.” He ended up loving the class, wishing it were a year long instead of just a semester. Afterwards, his teacher Mr. King encouraged him to revise and submit one of his essays for a Scholastic Art and Writing Award, where it won a prize. To turn something painful into a source of pride was, said Bodie, “super transformative.”
“Sitting with my team after a hard workout—taking a deep breath, taking it all in—those are some of my happiest Menlo moments.”
—Raj ’26
Exceeding Limits
Some of the most life-changing journeys begin when we leave our expectations at the door.
“I’m a second-semester senior, I don’t have a free period, and I’m taking drama,” laughed Raj as he explained how Menlo has broadened his sense of self. While he was able to spend plenty of time pursuing his passion for financial literacy, “Menlo requires you to exercise other parts of your brain,” Raj reflected, “which I think is really special.” Classes like Poetry, Philosophy, and Probability have changed the way he looks at the world, and “the interdisciplinary nature of Menlo has given me more confidence in what I can do.”
His sister Ariya, meanwhile, was always insecure about her pace and accommodations and never considered herself a “math person.” But Menlo’s differentiated approach meant that there were several students with similar learning profiles in her class, and Mrs. Jensen’s passionate teaching was contagious. “I think I’ve really learned to love math at Menlo,” shared Ariya.
Oliver came to Menlo believing he wasn’t good at English. “I struggled a lot,” he said. His life changed the day his freshman English teacher Mrs. Newton told him he had potential. “I just needed that little push,” he reflected. “She believed in me, supported me, and always helped me out.” Senior year brought Oliver full circle when he found himself back in Mrs. Newton’s class—this time at an honors level. “I used to think, ‘If I’m not good at this, I’ll never be good at it,’ but now I know it’s all about trying and having someone in your corner.”
Illustration by Lya Slater ’26
“In my first two years at Menlo, I was really scared of standing out. I didn’t want to take up space.”
—Lily ’26 (right), on finding her voice
Lighting the Way
The best guides don’t choose our direction, but help us chart our own course.
Bodie chose jazz band as his freshman arts elective because it “sounded fun,” and he was right, but it evolved into something so much more. He re-enrolled all four years. “It ended up being one of the best decisions I could have ever made, shifting not just my course schedule but also who I became at Menlo,” he said, reflecting on the mentorship of Mr. Kitajma-Geefay (Mr. K.). “He is such an intellectual, philosophical person…a huge role model. He’s just the coolest.” Performing alongside his students, Mr. K. reminded them that, while it’s fun to dress up and put on a big show, concerts represent just a small part of who they are as musicians. What really matters are the unscripted classroom moments, deciphering pieces note by note, and the patient discipline of practicing at home. This emphasis on the non-performative aspects of music helped Bodie resist the overachievement pressures in a place like the Bay Area. “It was like permission to slow down,” he said.
Before he transferred to Menlo junior year, Maverick’s English teacher Mrs. Plamondon emailed him to welcome him into her class and let him know she was there if he needed anything. “She is the greatest teacher I’ve ever had in my life,” Maverick said. “Just the way she was engaged with all of us in the class—I realized this was the standard here at Menlo. And I loved it.”
When asked about his Menlo mentors, Oliver laughed. “If I named everyone, we’d be here all night.” He formed an instant bond with Academic Support Coordinator Mr. Norris when they met at Kickstart (now Knights Academy), a summer academic enrichment program for incoming freshmen. “I can talk to him about anything,” said Oliver. And in Assistant Director of Student Belonging Ms. Tyler’s office, Oliver found “an adult who really cares for me, someone who doesn’t tell me what to do but allows me to get to my own decisions.”
“Once I arrived here, I totally just broke free. I felt like I could be myself.”
—Maverick ’26, on transferring to Menlo junior year
RIDESharing
The people alongside us on the journey often matter more than the destination.
Cindy assumed that entering an environment so different from what she was used to would be socially challenging, especially for someone on the quieter side. But the students she met on visit days “were just so warm and kind, and I could really see myself here,” she remembered. “The people here are very open and inviting, so it was really easy to find good friends.”
Having attended two high schools before Menlo, Maverick truly understands the power of campus culture. “Menlo was literally the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said. “Once I arrived here, I totally just broke free. I felt like I could be myself…I have a lot of good people around me. I felt like I could thrive. I felt amazing. And I’m just forever grateful.”
Oliver assumed he would attend the local college-prep school in his hometown of East Palo Alto. “If it wasn’t for my mom pushing me to dream bigger, I wouldn’t have come here. And that’s sad to think about because I love Menlo,” he said. His one regret is not stepping outside his social comfort zone sooner. At first, he gravitated toward familiarity, but as his circle expanded, friendships and opportunities multiplied, and Oliver experienced “the overall sense of community that Menlo is all about.”
“It ended up...shifting not just my course schedule but also who I became at Menlo.”
—Bodie ’26, on joining jazz band
Illustration by Lya Slater ’26
Finding Your Place
Sometimes the most important destinations are the ones where we feel right at home.
From preparing the payload for a space-bound weather balloon in Applied Science Research to engineering a feedback loop for his electric guitar, Bodie spent most days designing, building, and tinkering in Whitaker. “It’s almost like I live in the lab,” he laughed. His supervisor, Mr. Jaimez, joked that “if I spent any more time there, I’d have to start paying rent.”
Between classes, Cindy would often head to Director of Family Support Ms. Magaña’s office, for a snack, a comfy couch, and a listening ear. If she craved a more community feel, she’d stop by the Learning Center, where students with different learning styles and academic challenges connect and collaborate. “It’s another place where I felt safe and watched over, where I could really bond and have one-on-one time with my teachers,” she said.
“This campus is literally the best,” said Maverick, as he described walking from class to class, hanging out on the Quad, and playing in the lunchtime basketball league his class created sophomore year. “Just the sense of happiness in the whole school.”
Ariya agreed, from her favorite spot on the senior Quad, playing Spikeball, studying, and eating snacks. “It’s a communal space, and it just feels so open,” she said. “Everyone feels like they belong.”
Oliver’s home away from home is the weight room, where he has built a tight-knit community since freshman year. “We all lift each other up. It’s a team-building space where we help each other grow.”
“No one is going to look down on you for having ambitions and goals.”
—Lily ’26
Leaving a Trace
The roads that take us furthest lead somewhere beyond ourselves.
As Captain of the varsity volleyball team, Lily was well-versed in facing uncertainty and pushing through discomfort. That mindset—along with a propensity for history and international relations—propelled her to say “yes” when a friend asked if she’d want to apply for the Menlo HAND grant to travel to Cambodia and research the impacts of genocide on the education system. The two set off on an adventure across the world to a country where neither spoke the language, filming a documentary about the Khmer Rouge while building resilience and a sense of purpose.
Cindy’s trip to Costa Rica proved just as transformational. An only child, she was nervous about being so far from home for so long, but she and her mom knew the Menlo Abroad experience was too meaningful to pass up. While being apart for three weeks—with only an online travel blog to stay connected—was hard, it was also the first time Cindy felt like she was on her own journey, living in the moment and navigating her own path. She learned about monocropping, ecotourism, and “pura vida,” a philosophy rooted in gratitude, presence, optimism, and connection. By helping a classmate who didn’t speak the language adjust to living in a homestay, she also gained confidence (and a new friendship) that lasted well beyond the trip.
Raj always loved learning about finance and was President of the Menlo Investing Club freshman year. But he realized quickly that the majority of his peers—along with 81 percent of Gen Z—lacked basic financial literacy. So he decided to launch OneUp, a free student-led summer camp for kids to learn practical money skills. It started with a handful of Menlo Middle Schoolers as campers and classmates as counselors. Now, they have chapters around the Bay Area, on the East Coast, and a few in the works overseas. “But the first one started here at Menlo,” said Raj, “and I’m super fulfilled by that.”
Ariya’s journey reflects a deep commitment to science and impact. What began as volunteering with Menlo’s Curieus Club—teaching hands-on STEM to underserved youth—grew into a seat on the nonprofit’s executive board, where she helped design a more accessible curriculum. Junior year, she and a friend were awarded Menlo’s Social Entrepreneurship in Action grant to develop an online cognitive behavioral therapy tool for youth with disabilities, sharing their work at the Stanford Adult Autism Conference and Menlo TEDx. And in her Global Issues for Global Citizens class, she earned a grant for CureCervicalCancer in honor of her mom, who has the disease. She learned firsthand “how much impact young people can have and the importance of staying engaged with the world around us.”
“Now I know it’s all about trying, and having someone in your corner.”
—Oliver ’26, on reframing failure
Taking it With You
Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.
Oliver isn’t sure which Menlo moments he’ll remember most, but he knows he’ll never forget his transition from a reserved underclassman toiling in Whitaker Lab to an accomplished engineer proudly presenting his homemade turntable at Makerpalooza. More than any project or achievement, it’s the School’s inclusive culture that shaped him, one he intends to carry forward into his life beyond Menlo. “If I see anyone struggling outside, I’ll invite them into whatever I’m doing.”
The feeling of being welcomed with open arms from the moment he arrived on campus is something Maverick also hopes to reciprocate as he embarks on his next chapter. “I can’t even imagine the person I’d be without Menlo,” he said. “I think about how kind everyone is here, and it’s been kind of ingrained in my heart. I will forever have that sense of belonging.”
PLAYLIST
As these seven seniors prepared to cross the Commencement stage—their final destination at Menlo—we asked them: “Considering all the inflection points that led you to this moment, what would your walk-up song be, and why?”
Bodie
“Edge of Desire” by Jonas Blue and Malive
Although I have a lot of interests and what occupies my free time is always changing, each day stays grounded in spending time appreciating something or someone I love—sort of like how the groove of the song is always full but with different elements at different times.
Maverick
“Let Me Love You” by Justin Bieber
This was my favorite song growing up, and every time I hear it now, I get this wave of nostalgia that's hard to describe. Graduation is this weird in-between moment where you’re looking back and forward at the same time, and I think that’s exactly why this song fits. I want something that reminds me of where I started.
Lily
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra
Not only do I love listening to this song—whether it be before a volleyball game, writing an essay, or driving home from school on a good or bad day—I also think it represents my independence and perseverance throughout my life and time at Menlo.
Ariya
“Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson
The song is based on the idea that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger—a quote from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It’s about coming out of a hard situation better than before. I feel like my experience at Menlo really encapsulates that. I have faced fears, taken risks, experienced challenges—and come out stronger on the other side!
Raj
“Return of the Mack” by Mark Morrison
It’s my ultimate feel-good song. Sometimes during second semester, I let out the “ooooooooo” lyric as I walked onto the senior Quad on a hot afternoon. It’s impossible to listen to with sadness. On my graduation day, I’d walk up the steps to that same lyric, looking back on my Menlo journey with no regrets!
Cindy
“Baile Inolvidable” by Bad Bunny
This song is about a love you can’t forget, even after it’s over. Menlo has been an integral part of my life and has taught me so much about who I am as both a learner and a person. This song also represents my Hispanic culture—something I take a lot of pride in being a part of.
Oliver
“Canción del Mariachi” by Antonio Banderas
This song represents my heritage. Both of my parents emigrated from Mexico so I really wanted to have a song that reflected that, because my graduation is not only a reflection of my journey but theirs, as well. The song also celebrates free spirit and journeys.
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