There are 97 students in the senior class at St. Luke’s, and about 20 of these students have been here since 5th grade. However, only one of those 20 can also say that their entire family is either a student or faculty member here at the hilltop – Anna Yavenditti.
For the past eight years, Anna has begrudgingly come to school at 7:45 every morning with her parents – Mr. Yavenditti, Director of Studies, and Mrs. Yavenditti, Director of Global Education and Leadership Studies Department Chair – so they could begin their work days. Anna has even had her father as a teacher for both semesters of senior year, and runs into her mother often throughout the day. Not to mention, her younger brother is a St. Luke’s student who also started here in 5th grade.
With her parents around and teachers who report back to them, Anna feels as if someone is always watching; this has certainly encouraged her to stay engaged as a student and avoid rebellious behavior. While Anna recognizes her unique school experience as memorable and comforting, she certainly speaks with excitement about a future at college in her own space.
Although she may be ready for change, Anna has certainly maximized what she describes as her “long journey” at St. Luke’s. Anna has played both squash and soccer during her time here, which she characterizes as positive experiences mainly because of the people she met. Anna was able to bond with her teammates, some of whom were pre-existing friends and others new from the sport. Playing at the varsity level has also helped her mentality, as she learns to persevere through challenging situations and focus on her successes.
After her freshman year trying lacrosse for the spring season, Anna pivoted and joined the school newspaper, The Sentinel, her sophomore year to follow a passion for writing. She also is a member of clubs including women in STEM and philosophy club, explaining that she “is notorious for signing up for like 20 billion clubs.” On the trend of following her interests, Anna became a Literary Scholar this year and is exploring Greek mythology. Her project includes “looking at Greek mythology heroes and comparing male ones to female ones, and then showing how male heroes are looked at in a certain way and how that shapes society’s standards today of what heroes are and how that’s based in misogyny.” She enjoyed reading The Odyssey in freshman year English, sparking a curiosity for Greek mythology that she has carried throughout high school into this impressive project.
Clearly, Anna has been able to act independently on her interests at the hilltop regardless of her family ties. Her advisor, Mr. Martin, speaks to this by saying, “Anna has grown up as a part of the SLS community, even before she officially joined the student body in 5th grade. Her parents are SLS long-serving members of the faculty, so she knows — and is known by — everyone, and yet what strikes me most about Anna is her independence. She has charted her own course, academically and socially, following her evolving interests and forging her own connections with classmates and faculty alike. Far from depending upon her status as a ‘Yav’ to open doors or carry her along, Anna has turned her lack of anonymity into equal parts maturity and authenticity.”
As Mr. Martin points out, Anna has thrived independently of her parents not only in an academic setting, but also in terms of her relationships. She has created meaningful friendships since her start at SLS, building on those throughout her time here. She explains, “a lot of my friends here are a mix of people I met in middle school and high school… I get to see more perspectives that way.”
Moreover, her teacher relationships have been a meaningful part of her St. Luke’s experience. Specifically, former English teacher and advisor for The Sentinel Mrs. Sproule has been a positive mentor for Anna. Mrs. Sproule expresses, “I’m so glad I had the chance to teach Anna for two years and work with her on The Sentinel! She’s not just a great student—insightful, curious, and creative—but also a kind person who embodies the best of quiet leadership. I love that she always brought authentic parts of herself into the classroom.” Anna feels that Mrs. Sproule has served as almost an outlet from her parents in the school setting.
With an abundance of familial, academic, social, and athletic experience at the hilltop, Anna definitely has mixed feelings about her future. She acknowledges that the adjustment from constant family time to none at all will be strange and difficult. However, she is ready for her own space to expand on the independence she has gained at SLS, and to use her freedom to try new experiences.
This May, Anna will receive her St. Luke’s diploma with the chance to hug both of her parents on stage – a moment no other senior will have. This special experience will mark the end of a family-oriented chapter which she has handled with grace and autonomy, and symbolize the beginning of an exciting college experience for her continued growth. Seeing how Anna has been able to develop and learn at SLS gives me full confidence that her future will be equally free and bright.
