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Jackson Swartz ’21

Doylestown, PennsylvaniaUniversity of Chicago
In his ensemble conductor, Jackson found more than a teacher; he found a musical mentor.

Is there a teacher who made a big impact on you?

Steve Heitzer, the conductor for Wind Ensemble, has an incredible passion for music and our band, and his passion is infectious. Not only is he a teacher, but he is a professional performer as well. Steve regularly plays for the Philadelphia Orchestra and played with The Who last year. His personality and musical prowess have helped shape me into a better musician.

Describe an interesting science class you took.

Last year I took Intensive Physics with Walter Stephenson. The pace of the class was fast, as we learned the mathematics behind motion, energy, and electricity, but we always took the one 75-minute period each week to do experiments. These labs demonstrated in real life the theorems and formulas we were taught in class.

Has anything surprised you about George School?

I was surprised by the integration of Quakerism throughout the school. Freshman year I was shocked to find my teachers did not go by Mr. or Mrs. Instead, they go by their first name to represent the equality between teacher and students. And teachers and students really are equals; in fact, we’re friends.

More about Jackson:

Music and running are just two of Jackson’s interests. A tenor saxophone and guitar player, Jackson takes part in several ensembles (Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Arts Block Ensemble, and the Straight Ahead Big Band) and teams (cross-country, winter and spring track) in addition to volunteering with the weekly Healthy Kids Running Series on campus. He also founded and leads the Ski & Snowboard Club.