Kaitie recently graduated from Grinnell College where she studied Anthropology and Global Development Studies, as well as design thinking and social innovation. She brings to Hill-Freedman World Academy not only her plethora of knowledge, but also a strong passion for empowering youth, and we’re excited for what this Fellowship year holds for her!

When we began decorating the Plus Center, Francesca, our Site Director, told us, “This is your space.” Liz and I modeled the Center very similarly to how it looked last year, but we definitely put our own spin on Center staples like the senior wall, our whiteboards, and little decorative touches like plants. The item with which we have been having the most fun is definitely a piece of college swag that was gifted to us - an interactive poster that says “GO BEARS!”

Even though Hill-Freedman celebrates its mascot, the hawk, at sports games, spirit days, and field day events, we at the Plus Center have embraced the Go Bears! sign as something entirely different. 

“Go Bears! has become a cheer I use for my students as they begin their college application process.”

At first, we did not know who actually gave us the sign, as there is no further promotional print on the gold and maroon material. Students from 9th to 12th grade would enter the Center and notice the scroll sitting on our center table. They'd open it, see Go Bears!, laugh, and ask who it was from. We'd respond, "We're not sure," and then go on to cheer "Go Bears!" Sometimes, students would tell us about their day while they continued to mindlessly play with it as they would with a beloved toy. Other times, we would have students come in right after they performed well on a quiz or game from class just to open the scroll, exclaim “Go Bears!” and head back to class. 

“Go Bears!” has become a cheer I use for my students as they begin their college application process. The 2020 senior class at Hill-Freedman has been especially active in their college applications, and some students have already been accepted to college. Not only have we been using senior wall stickers and a semi-broken cowbell to celebrate these milestones, but we have extended our Go Bears! cheer to celebrate these important moments for our students as well. 

Last week, we realized Go Bears! was a gift from Kutztown University. After school, Liz, Francesca, and I were working on college applications, FAFSA, and personal statements with a group of students. After one student finished her personal statement, we let out a “Go Bears!” and opened the scroll to reveal the sign. She immediately asked, “Isn’t that from Kutztown?” While we were relieved to have the mystery of Go Bears! solved, there was a mutual agreement between us that this sign was now also a part of Hill-Freedman World Academy and our Plus Center.