In just over four months, Quest will be graduating it’s thirteenth 8th grade class. All of our previous graduates can be found either in the midst of their high school and college careers, or out in the world as successful young adults. Quest alumni have attended private, public and boarding high schools and have studied at colleges and universities all over the country, including several ivy-league schools.
I mention all this because, ironically, the most common concerns families express to me are how well their child will transition, and if they will be “prepared” for high school. The answer to this is clearly in our track record, as outlined above. When it comes to transitioning to 9th grade, I strongly feel that high school is a transition for everyone, no matter where you spent your middle school years. When it comes to preparedness, the more important question is: “How does Quest prepare your child, not only for high school, but also for life, in a way that other schools do not?”
As with all good, accredited schools, our students are prepared academically. They are taught the same core fundamentals as students elsewhere. The Quest difference is what we teach our students about themselves and how to be successful in the world. Every year of our program builds upon and consolidates the experiences and skills of the year before. Topics of study are carried up through the years, along with practical life preparation such as research and organization. When our students are approaching graduation from Quest they have had a steady trickle of repeated experiences that position them far ahead of their peers. They are naturally curious about new topics of study, they can independently plan and organize their work load, they can facilitate meetings between both peers and adults, and they exhibit a unique confidence that comes from their ability to put these years of training to work. Quest students like learning and they like school (read any Middle School newsletter for further proof), and that cannot often be said of a fourteen year old.
Because of this, area high schools love our students. An administrator from a private school in Providence has referred to Quest as a hidden gem. She expressed that the Quest students are unique in their academic preparation, as well as their ability to interact with adults and other students, to organize their time, and to solve problems.
This weekend, we have an Open House to showcase our programs. We will have alumni and their parents in attendance to share their experiences and speak to this common concern about preparedness. I invite current and prospective families to visit us on Sunday and ask further questions about the transition from Quest.