I attend GMS events because it’s always fun to see old familiar faces and to hear what amazing things they are up to, which are usually so different from my day-to-day life as a high school teacher. I speak to two girls from [GMS] on a weekly basis and love that we share a history that stretches back to sixth grade. I don’t know that many other people who still talk to their middle school best friends.

I have always been proud to be a part of the GMS community. GMS events are a great source of insight into what GMS has been up to since my own graduation. They also offer me the opportunity to take time out of a busy Silicon Valley lifestyle and reconnect with the people who are a part of that beloved community.

These three years—in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades—are a crucial time to invest in a child’s education and to build fundamental skills. At GMS, students find their people, they learn to self-advocate, and they gain the confidence to raise their hands.

The academic rigor at GMS is purposeful and meaningful. The program is designed to help students continue growing through high school and college. We want our daughter to love learning all her life, and not get burned out, as is happening with so many children these days.

Our students learn through seeing that everybody does things differently and understanding that there are a lot of right ways to do something. It’s about respecting those differences, learning from them, and learning from each other. That way, we build community as well as self-confidence.

The Entrepreneurial Program in seventh grade was a big factor in our decision to come here. Letting girls be leaders and change makers is very important to us.