We are spotlighting each of our Eighth graders and asking them to reflect on their Middle School experiences and share some of the highlights and what they are most proud of.
Meet Brooke Baskin
What is one of your favorite highlights from your time in Middle School?
One of my favorite highlights from my time in middle school was earning my first 8 in Design class. I have always been a creative person, and this class allows me to express that creativity while working on projects that solve real-life problems. When I started middle school as a 6th grader, my goal was to achieve the highest grades possible, and I assumed I would earn 8s right away, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the case. A perfect score is not something that just happens; it is something you earn through time, effort, and perseverance.
One of our projects was to create a poster explaining how a tool works, and I chose scissors. I spent hours refining my work and doing my best to make it as strong as possible. I was incredibly proud when I received all 8s. That experience taught me that with dedication and effort, I can achieve my goals. When I got home, I hung the graded project on my wall, and it remains there to this day as a reminder of what I can accomplish.
What skill(s) did you develop thanks to your Montessori/IB education that you are most proud of?
I believe one of the most valuable skills I have developed through my Montessori/IB education is time management. Before entering middle school, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very good at managing my time. I would often get sidetracked, telling myself “just two more minutes,” which would easily turn into two hours.
The IB approach truly pushes you to develop strong time management skills. Instead of small daily assignments, many tasks are larger, long-term projects that require you to plan ahead, create your own schedule, and break the work into manageable parts over days or weeks.
I know this is a skill that will support me not only during my high school journey at Pennington, but throughout my life.
What advice would you give to someone about to enter Middle School at PMonts?
A piece of advice I would give to a student entering the Middle School community at PMonts is: don’t underestimate your potential. Although middle school can feel stressful and new, there are always people there to support you, teachers, and the friends you will make along the way will help make the experience much easier.
At first, the work may seem challenging or even overwhelming at times, but it’s important to take a deep breath, manage your time, and remind yourself that you can handle it. If you overthink and stress about everything, it becomes harder to enjoy the experience.
There are so many opportunities available at PMonts and beyond. Push yourself, explore new things, and keep striving for what you want. You are capable of more than you think.
