Alumna Interview: 2010 Winchester Star Leadership Award Winner Madeline McKelway ’06
It’s always gratifying to meet a Powhatan graduate. It’s even more affirming to meet with a Powhatan graduate who has truly excelled. Powhatan alumna Madeline McKelway ’06 stopped by the Powhatan campus to say hello in mid-August, before heading off to Duke University this fall. It has been a whirlwind senior year for Madeline, having been named the recipient of the Winchester Star Leadership Award for 2010, as well as Valedictorian for Clarke County High School’s class of 2010, among numerous additional awards and honors. She sat down with us for an afternoon to talk about her Powhatan experience:
PS: Thank you for joining us today, Madeline. As you drive onto campus you see the motto, “We learn not for school, but for life.” What does that mean to you?
MM: It means that Powhatan emphasizes that learning is a life-long process It’s not just the reason you go to school. It’s about embracing education throughout life, and it means you can always continue learning.
PS: It is obvious you continued to embrace that motto through your studies at Clarke County High School. How did Powhatan prepare you for high hchool?
MM: Powhatan really helped me with my self-confidence. It’s a little oasis out here. It gave me a great academic foundation in a wonderful setting. When I went on to high school, it was a change of pace. My first year was slow, then I entered the IB (International Baccalaureate) program my sophomore year at CCHS and it really began to click for me. I finished the IB Diploma a year early in 11th Grade. I just felt confident.
PS: I understand you were very involved outside of the classroom. What were you involved in?
MM: I’ve played piano since I was 4 years old. Does that count?
PS: Yes, of course! What else?
MM: I got involved with DECA in high school, and that was great because DECA allowed me to become a leader. We were always working on projects like interview skills and things that. It was a little out of my normal comfort zone. By my senior year I was the DECA president. I was also a volunteer for United Way – as the Clarke County Public Schools United Way Coordinator, and as a class officer my junior and senior years. I also became a Math Tutor.
PS: How about athletics?
MM: Yes, I loved running cross country! We were state champions at CCHS in 9th and 10th grade and runners up in 11th. I ran my personal best time as a senior and placed 5th overall as an individual. It was a great experience!
PS: Back to the classroom. What are your strengths as a student?
MM: Powhatan really helped me with my writing. I know that became a strong point for me. I ended up placing into advanced classes and it really was a good foundation for the IB program.
PS: Did you have a favorite teacher at Powhatan?
MM: (Grinning) There were so many, it’s hard to choose! I went here for all nine years, so it makes it hard. I remember Mrs. Chapman, my second grade teacher, who made us love to read. She called it DEAR: “Drop Everything And Read” – I still remember that ten years later! But one teacher that really made a difference was Mrs. Sirbaugh. She pushed me to excel. I remember having problems in math in 4th grade and not wanting ever to take math again! By the time I got to Algebra, I it was very difficult. But the way she taught it, you couldn’t help but to love it. Mr. Holloway was the same way for Geometry. I bet they would be surprised that I just finished Calculus this year.
PS: What skills do you think you left here with that helped you in high school?
MM: Strong communication skills. You’re taught from day one to respect others, to talk openly and confidently. We were always being thrust into speaking situations, from Chapel Talk to class plays and everything in between. They really taught us to define the issues and communicate those ideas to others. Plus, Powhatan is such a small community that you feel comfortable speaking in front of others, including adults. It was very good for me. Add the small classes, and it was just natural to participate in discussions. I felt I got stronger and stronger each year.
PS: Was there anything different that you remember about the philosophy of the teaching at Powhatan?
MM: The drive to question things – to ask questions. I remember Mrs. Laura Robb saying, “I want you to know the why of the why!” What she meant by that was that she wanted us to continue to ask why things work, to continue to go after the truth, not to just memorize things, and to learn the concepts behind the problem. Understanding the scaffolding, and not just the façade.
PS: What are the memorable traditions for you at Powhatan?
MM: Everything was just so fun at Powhatan! Shakespeare Play, Field Day, Carol Sing, Graduation, Winter Tuesdays…they are all so vivid. I remember our Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I played the role of Titania, the queen. Of course, there’s also Posts and Rails! There are just so many traditions!
PS: I noticed each classroom in the Lower School has a job board for the students, do you remember having a job in school?
MM: Yes, I remember being line leader. Trash duty wasn’t fun… and the job with the chalk boards – I used to have to go outside and hit the erasers together to clean them after class! Then there was recycling, which was the coolest job. At the end of the day, all the classes from 1st grade to 5th grade would take out the recycling and I remember being so scared as a 1st grader because the big kids were there, but then it was the coolest job – recycling.
PS: What does it mean to be a Powhatan graduate?
MM: It’s a privilege to take advantage of all the wonderful things at Powhatan. It is such a tightly-knit community that makes it a special place. Part of working hard in high school was a way of thanking all those at Powhatan for all they have done for me.
PS: Final question: Post or Rail?
MM: Rail! I was Rail captain in 8th grade!
