Two Storm King School seniors applied their leadership skills when they traveled to meet Head of School Jonathan Lamb at the 2022 NYSAIS (New York Association of Independent Schools) Conference for Heads of School. The event was held at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, on November 9- 11, 2022.

Student Council President Thomas C. ’23 and Senior Class President Nina G. ’23 represented SKS at the Student Leader “Fishbowl”– a morning during the conference where students from some of New York State’s most prestigious independent schools participated in a roundtable discussion focused on student well-being and their experiences over the past 2.5+ years at school.

The student fishbowl was moderated by Jennifer Bryan, Ph.D. – a psychologist, consultant, coach, speaker, and author with 40 years of experience working in educational and clinical settings. Dr. Bryan founded Team Finch Consultants in 2000, specializing in helping schools and organizations create inclusive communities through the understanding of gender and sexuality diversity.

“At the meeting, we shared our high school experiences and how they relate to our mental well-being. For example, nearly all students said that they felt it was a struggle to dive deep into their own interests with all the requirements of school. A key point I brought up was that, as students, it can be hard to get invested in an activity or interest because of the thought it may not be useful on a college resume. Through the discussions, I learned a lot about other students’ high school experiences. It helped me to see the advantages of attending a small school like Storm King where teachers can be more invested in our interests outside of the classroom and who we are as people. Overall, it was a great experience.”

Thomas C. ’23, Student Council President
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“I had a great time! It was so pleasant to visit Mohonk for a day. Among the beautiful wooden architecture, I introduced myself to students from different schools, and got a better understanding of how they cope with stress, competition, and relationships. I took note of interesting activities other schools offered, such as ‘democracy day’ and ‘therapy dog inclusivity.’ During the fishbowl, it was relieving to express anxieties about school life and have it resonate with students my age. I felt listened to by students and adults alike, and I was thrilled to hear about possible solutions to create a better student life at SKS.”

Nina G. ’23, Senior Class President

Upon their return to campus, Head of School Lamb commended Nina and Thomas for their participation in the conference: “Both Thomas and Nina represented Storm King in the best possible way, shared interesting ideas and commentary with the students and Heads from the other schools, and received a lot of helpful feedback they can apply here at SKS. It was a great experience for all involved.”