Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to Insightful Questions, the podcast where we dive deep into the big ideas shaping Eastside Prep's community and beyond.
I'm your host, Sam Uswick.
Each episode, I'll be sitting down with different members of our EPS community.
Join us as we ask the insightful questions that help us lead with compassion and listen with intention.
Let's get started.
To close out our series on leading compassionately empathetic dialogue, we've invited four students to join us as special guests, each bringing a unique perspective from their experiences at EPS.
First up, we're joined by Solana, an eighth grader and member of the class of 2029 who's been part of the EPS community since fifth grade. Solana is involved in Green Club and Leadership Lab and has taken part in middle school tennis, 10 debate, and the fall play. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, skiing, and spending time with friends and family. Hey, Selena.
[00:01:02] Speaker B: Hi, Mr. Gisbak. Thank you for having me.
[00:01:04] Speaker A: Thank you for being here. So, hey, tell us a little bit about Leadership Lab.
[00:01:07] Speaker B: So in Leadership Lab, we have the opportunity to organize middle school events, assemblies, and get input from middle schoolers about how we can improve the experience.
[00:01:18] Speaker A: Wonderful. Thank you. Thanks for being here.
Also from the class of 2029, we're happy to welcome Axel. An eighth grader in his third year at EPS, Axel is active in Leadership Lab, the environmental club, and the middle school tennis team. When he's not on campus, you might find him speeding down a ski slope or powering through swim practice. He's a competitive skier and swimmer. Hey, Axel.
[00:01:40] Speaker C: Hello, Ms. Usak.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: Why don't you tell us a little bit about the environmental club?
[00:01:46] Speaker C: We run lots of little initiatives around the middle school, things like trying to reduce waste or managing our consumption.
[00:01:53] Speaker A: Wonderful. Thanks for helping us out with that.
Joining us from the class of 2025 is Anvika. A senior in her eighth year at EPS, Anvika is captain of the rowing team and a student leader on the electric vehicle project, helping drive sustainability efforts on campus. She's also a fan of all winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding, and enjoys baking and exploring Seattle. Hey, Anvika.
[00:02:17] Speaker D: Hi, Mr. Uzwak.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: What's your favorite thing to bake?
[00:02:20] Speaker D: Oh, that's a good question.
I have spent a lot of time perfecting my macaron recipe. It's taken a lot of trial and error, but I finally have one that I really like.
[00:02:31] Speaker A: Rounding out our student panel is Addie, a senior who started at EPS in fifth grade. Addie's passions span ultimate frisbee Marine science and independent projects. With a love for outdoor expeditions like kayaking, backpacking and mountaineering, she brings a thoughtful perspective on how EPS has evolved over time. Perfect for a reflective year end conversation.
Hi Addie.
[00:02:55] Speaker E: Hi Mr. Usuach.
[00:02:56] Speaker A: So I gotta ask, talk to me a little bit about the mountaineering.
[00:03:00] Speaker E: I spent a month with Knowles exploring the North Cascades and we got a summit, Mount Baker, El Dorado and spent a lot of time exploring the glaciers around Mount Jackson.
[00:03:10] Speaker A: Well done.
[00:03:10] Speaker E: Thank you.
[00:03:11] Speaker A: Okay, so here's our opening question.
When you think about the phrase leading compassionately, what does that mean to you as a student?
[00:03:19] Speaker E: What I think stands out to me about leading compassionately is really listening compassionately. I think the best part about being a leader is your role in not pushing forward your own agenda, but making sure you're taking care of the needs of the group as a whole. So for me, the best way to lead compassionately is to listen compassionately.
[00:03:41] Speaker B: For me, leading compassionately as a student means having opportunities to participate widely in the community and getting the chance to lead both inside and outside of the classroom. And I think that it requires open mindedness and the willingness to hear others perspectives.
[00:03:56] Speaker C: I agree with Addie. That's actually what I had prepped. Listening to people and hearing their ideas and incorporating them into the way you lead. I also wanted to include respect. I think respecting everyone's ideas, listening to them and always presenting respectfully is a great way to make sure everyone feels heard.
[00:04:18] Speaker D: A lot of time leading the rowing team, we run into a lot of challenges like every single day there's something we don't know how to do. And a big part of leading compassionate for me is that I don't have to know all the answers and I never do.
I can help people find answers to their own questions, learn from each other. Like facilitating a space where we're all learning together rather than being like the end all be all in any group.
[00:04:46] Speaker A: You know, something I hear throughout all those responses is that part of leadership is a little bit of humility. You don't have to know all the answers. You have a team to work with. To our middle schoolers, was there a moment this year when someone's empathy, either a peer or a teacher, really made a difference for you?
[00:05:03] Speaker B: So for me recently I was transferring classes for one of my math classes and what really stood out to me is one of my teachers actually reached directly out to me because I was having a class with a lot of high schoolers in it that I hadn't had a class like that before. And so they reached out to me and just kind of let me know that they were always available if I needed any extra help or the chance to collaborate outside of class to make sure that I had all the information.
[00:05:30] Speaker C: My study hall is guided study hall, so I get to work with a teacher who supports me in different aspects of my learning. And they're always so kind and engaging, and I just feel supported every step and moment in that program. And even if you're a little more timid or if someone's a little more outgoing, they'll do their best to engage with you and meet them at the level that they're at.
[00:05:53] Speaker A: Thank you so much. So, Addie and Invika, how has your understanding of empathy and leadership changed as you've moved through the upper school?
[00:06:02] Speaker D: One of the biggest things for me is that I've found that in everything I do and all the people I meet, everyone is good at so many different things that I might know absolutely nothing about. So it was a really big thing for me to realize if I need help making something happen and I don't have all the tools for it, there are people around me that I can draw on to build something better together than what I would do on my own. Being empathetic toward where other people are coming from and the experiences they have and how those can contribute to any given situation.
[00:06:37] Speaker E: I completely agree with what Anvika said, and I'd like to add on that when I started here in fifth grade, I can't say I was the loudest of students. I think that as I've grown in this environment, I've been able to learn that leadership isn't about being loud. And I think when you're a young kid, it's just the loudest voice in the room gets heard. And so as I have moved through high school, I've had a lot more opportunities to explore different environments, like the Marine Science club, which is a lot smaller, and we're all just collaborating and sharing ideas.
And I was able to get a lot of support through aquaponics and lead a lot of students in aquaponics that way, as well as the ultimate Frisbee team. I sort of act as a spirit captain and I'm not the loudest, but I just bring my best self and I bringing energy to support others is one way to be a leader.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: Growing up, that was a huge learning for me because I am one of those loud ones and sort of viewed leadership as being first or being loudest. And so having to understand when that was a helpful tool, but also being able to give space to everyone else, frankly, I'm still working on it. To have that realization is so important, you know, as we're moving forward.
Anvika, you had another thought?
[00:07:51] Speaker D: Yeah. Addie and I were actually talking earlier today about this idea of not only leading compassionately, but leading collaboratively as well. Taking away that idea, a leader has to be benevolent or the loudest, but instead, like, a leader is someone who brings together a group of people.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: Can you think of a time, this is for everyone this year when you had to listen to someone else's perspective, even if you didn't agree with it?
[00:08:15] Speaker D: I'm taking advanced physics right now. It's a very challenging class, one of the hardest I've taken. And we spend a lot of time outside of that class, sitting on the third floor of Talley in like a little circle with our homework, like, going around and comparing answers and saying, okay, who has what? Where did we go wrong? I've spent a lot of time sitting there listening to someone who has a completely different answer to me explain how they got there.
This is a little silly, but we found a really big exercise in patience and listening. Go through all the steps and find where that little seed of misunderstanding might be, where that little bit of difference pops up. And it can take time and patience to find it, but when you find it, that's when you can start a conversation about where are we misunderstanding? Where are you coming from? Where am I coming from? And that's when you find exactly where it it.
[00:09:06] Speaker E: I completely agree with Anvika. And to add on to that, I'm in organic chemistry, so it's a similar situation. Right now we're attempting to build molecules, and there are so many ways to do that, and there are multiple correct ways. So we all have to discuss and understand other people's ideas the fullest extent and really listen to what they have to say and what their knowledge is to be able to apply that and figure out the best solution. In advisories. This year we're having a lot of talks and trying to focus on empathetic dialogue. Our advisors, Dr. Seeley, he does a very good job of keeping us all calm in that class when conflicts arise, making sure that we are sharing and listening in a respectful manner. And I think he's done a wonderful.
[00:09:54] Speaker B: Job of that in theater that I've been participating in for a few years now. There's definitely a lot of space for collaboration when putting shows together. We do rehearsals for several weeks. There's Always different opinions that people put in about blocking or how you should be delivering your lines or even what a character is trying to convey based on just the script. And so I think there's a lot of opportunity there to listen. And that's an example of one where I've had to listen to a lot of different perspectives about how characters should deliver their line or the message behind the story.
[00:10:35] Speaker C: I think those are all great insights going kind of to a different. I know both of you guys had talked about kind of more of a science class where there's set answers or something similar to that in history. This year we've been learning about religion, and there's so many different perspectives and ideas and beliefs and faiths around religion and spirituality. And everyone's been sharing so many different ideas that might contrast someone else's or. Or compliment someone else's. And it's just been really interesting to hear people's perspectives that I might not agree with, but listen to them and understand them and learn about the meaning behind them and why they think that.
[00:11:17] Speaker A: So what's one way you all want to lead more compassionately next year?
[00:11:22] Speaker D: This one's kind of tricky because I'm going to be leaving EPS next year and going to a new school with a very different environment. And I'm not going to be like the one who knows the most or is the most experienced or even the most comfortable. Something that I want to really internalize going to this next year is that being a leader can just be being a leader within my community, no matter how small that community might be, promoting inclusion or making sure people's voices are heard or just the little things, rather than I'm an important part of a community.
[00:11:53] Speaker E: I completely support what Anvika just said. I will be in a completely new environment.
There are a few people going to my school. For the majority, I will not know the people I'm with. I will be a freshman now, a senior, so that's going to be flipped on its head. And I think what I want to prioritize, which I've learned from high school, is reaching out to as many people as possible. Even the transition from middle school to high school, I stayed at ups. I had much of the same friend group, and I did get to know more people, but I still sort of stayed in that comfortable spot. And so next year I want to not let friends fear stop me. And I want to push myself to reach out to a lot more people and be a leader in connecting people. If it's like me connecting with Someone else and then that someone can connect with someone else I met. Like, I just want to help foster that community on campus because I know everyone is nervous and everyone is looking for that and really just be as bubbly and friendly and talk to as many people as possible possible is how I want to be a compassionate leader.
[00:13:05] Speaker B: So for me, I'd like to help some more leadership opportunities as I've had a few this year in 8th grade leadership lab or green club. But I'd like to help organize some more drives and also continue with student ambassadors.
So I like to tour incoming students and kind of show them around the school. I think that's a really interesting opportunity.
[00:13:26] Speaker C: I'm also going to be making a transition to upper school next year. Not as drastic as a transition as you guys transferring to college, but there'll definitely be some differences in the classes, teachers, and the curriculum. And our grade as well will receive a large group of new students. So I think something to always remember, make sure you're incorporating is your willingness to change and be flexible and evolve as a learner and as a friend and as a participant in the community and just not being set in your ways and always being willing to listen and to work differently with different groups of people. That might be something that I could work on.
[00:14:06] Speaker A: So I've been really looking forward to this next part. We asked all of you to think of a question you wanted to ask me. Selena, you're up first.
[00:14:15] Speaker B: So what are some of your goals for EPS going into the next year?
[00:14:18] Speaker A: The first is we're always working on ensuring the that every member of our community feels a real strong sense of belonging. And that is hard work. And it means being honest with oneself about how things are going. It means reaching out and listening a ton. We're doing a lot of work in the background. We're doing something called a belonging audit in which we're interviewing different groups of people and different constituencies within the school to really understand what their experience is like. And. And it's my job to ensure that we're doing it the right way. So I'm excited about continuing that work. Another continuation will be civil discourse. This is a skill that if we can equip people.
And first of all, it's not something you ever stop working on. When you talk about moments of disagreement, you might have someone disagreeing with one of your most cherished ideals, and that can be really, really hard and be really, really personal. But there are skills and we can practice together and understand that intellectual conflict can bring with it new Ideas I'm really excited about a couple new spaces we're able to use. We are going to set up a sustainability center not only to house what we're already doing, but try to promote forward looking, innovative, really critical thinking about sustainability issues and help tease out all the complexities that go into those conversations.
And we also have a startup in residence, colleague AI, who has moved into one of the buildings because as the they're developing their tools for educators and students. They don't want to be doing that locked away in some cubicle. They want to be in the ecosystem you will, and we're that ecosystem. So those are just a few things I am really excited about. Axel's up next.
[00:16:06] Speaker C: How do you kind of shape the values and morals in the EPS community?
[00:16:10] Speaker A: The most important thing to do is to model them. If I'm promoting integrity, if I'm promoting listening, I better act with integrity and I better listen right? So part of it is modeling and interactions with students, with parents and guardians, with faculty and staff, with outside community members. But I also have to communicate what those values are. And when we're making decisions about different kinds of program ideas, our values have to inform those decisions so that our values are integrated and consistent throughout the place as opposed to them sort of showing up sporadically here and there.
[00:16:47] Speaker D: Anvika My question was, what is the most inspiring thing you've seen around campus this year?
[00:16:52] Speaker A: Honestly, every year when the seniors welcome the fifth graders to their fall orientation, I am massively inspired. I know that some of the posters y' all made for the fifth graders with their names on them are on their walls in their homes. Yes, that is a true statement. And so seeing our older, more experienced students reach out and welcome and care for and start to teach our younger students about EPS is always so inspiring. And then when y' all got to go plant down by the restoration project with them, you know they're gonna watch their tree grow up over the years and hopefully you'll come back. And as alums get some free food and go check that out too. I'm inspired on a daily basis by the care every single adult here pours into their work. Faculty and staff alike are always thinking about, how can I do this better in service of the student experience, how do we all work together?
My job is basically to set up the very best conditions for when y' all are in a classroom or a lab or a field or on a field trip or on the stage that those conditions are ripe for creativity, for growth, for challenge, for support. And that's kind of my mission. It's about what's happening not in my office, but in the day to day of the school. The commitment everyone has to wanting to learn and to setting up the experience for y' all makes my job amazing.
[00:18:19] Speaker E: I would like to ask how have you seen EPS change or remain the same over the years?
[00:18:24] Speaker A: The core of who we are and the core of how we're trying to do school has remained really consistent over the 22 years. The school was founded to bring together a diverse array of learners to work together to solve novel problems. We didn't want to chase educational fad, but we wanted to be informed by research and new practices and new opportunities.
And I hope, as I'm saying, that that resonates with your experience because I think those core principles that learning starts with relationship, that the stronger the relationship between you and your teachers and coaches and directors, the stronger the relationship between the home and the school. All of that leads to a stronger experience, which means more achievement, growth, learning whatever word you want to use.
So I think that's remained the same.
What's changed? Look around at the buildings from when y' all were fifth graders, right? We've added beautiful facilities. We've tried to add some specialized spaces to really support the program.
We've grown. We've added new clubs, we've revised our curriculum. But I believe all of those changes are really in service of what hasn't changed. Creating that experience for y' all, letting you be free, feel free to learn as a student.
[00:19:46] Speaker E: Thank you so much.
[00:19:47] Speaker A: Thank you all.
Thank you for supporting insightful questions and joining us for these conversations throughout the year. We look forward to reconnecting in the new year. Until then, take care and enjoy the summer.
[00:20:21] Speaker D: SA.
