Our Class of 2014 graduates are off to some incredible places this fall! After graduating as a three-year dance major from Walnut Hill, Rosie Silverstein ’14 will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy. She took time to share her thoughts on her Walnut Hill experience and her upcoming training and education.

1) What made you want to study at Walnut Hill?
I really wanted to study at a school with a balance between arts and academics, and I knew that the students at Walnut Hill would be motivated and dedicated to something they found important.

2) What do you love most about dance?
I love that there is always something to work on, and that no two people dance the same. Individuality is equally as important as working as a team.

3) How did you make the decision to pursue training at the U.S. Naval Academy?
I never thought about the idea of a service academy until I got a pamphlet to West Point in the mail. Before my senior year I took a tour at the Naval Academy and really fell in love with all the opportunities it had to offer. To my surprise, it was a great fit to what I wanted after my high school career.

4) What are you most excited about? Most nervous about?
I actually find a lot of similarities between Walnut Hill and the Naval Academy. I am most excited to be going to another school with an equally as motivated student body. Though the long-term goals may be different, I think the way that students strive for excellence is similar at both schools. I am most nervous about transitioning from a place where I was given so much freedom and encouragement to be myself, to a place where uniformity is key. I think ballet will help me a lot with this though.

5) How has Walnut Hill prepared you for this next big adventure?
Walnut Hill has definitely prepared me with some great time management skills. Balancing dance, leadership roles, and academics was tough but I feel ready and excited to involve myself in all areas at the Naval Academy.

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