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Hana Sparks-Woodford ’20

Yardley, PennsylvaniaSkidmore College
Whether researching on her own or singing with friends, Hana has enjoyed plenty of memorable George School experiences.

Is there a class that made a big impact on you?

In Rebecca Missonis’s Women’s History Seminar, we studied an enormous part of history that is often left out of the history books and learned about inequalities that persist worldwide due to systematic patriarchy. I became interested in how sex education in the United States neglects female sexuality and body autonomy, and in the third term, I researched the topic and created my own sex ed curriculum. It was an eye-opening and empowering experience.

Describe a memorable activity in a course.

Last year, I took IB SL Calculus, which is actually a combination of calculus, statistics, and probability. Since it is an IB course, we had to do a project where we discovered and shared how mathematics can be applied to the real world. It was the first time I had ever needed to write a paper in a math class, and I can now tell you how derivatives relate to volleyball.

What lessons have you learned on a team?

Volleyball has been a big part of my identity as a George School student, whether I am playing on the team during the season or with friends at Volleyball Club. When I arrived, I had never played the sport competitively and was nervous about trying out for the team. I made JV and quickly made friends with other players. On the bus ride home from our first away game, I felt a real sense of belonging when we sang (well, mostly just screamed) the Cougar winning song. I went on to play varsity the next three years and became captain as a senior. I love playing volleyball at George School because I am constantly supported and encouraged to push myself.

More about Hana:

Hana keeps very busy. In terms when she’s not playing volleyball after school, she is generally in a theater production—both plays and musicals. She is a day student prefect, member of the Inclusion Committee and Class of 2020 Executive Committee, and a leader of Art for Relief and the Social Justice Club.