While watching her sister Grace ’22 thrive at Oakcrest, Maddie ’26 was eager to follow in her sister’s footsteps when she entered the school in sixth grade. Four years later, Maddie says she’s still discovering all that being an Oakie encompasses.

“I think being an Oakie is so many things,” Maddie explains. “It is having a curiosity to learn more, it is taking on a new sport or running club you did not think you could, it is making new friends that share the same values as you do, and it is knowing that even if you fail you have so many people who are there to cheer you on and pick you back up again.” 

One of Maddie’s favorite parts of the school day is spending time with her peers in the morning before homeroom.

“I love the sound of the school slowly coming to life as more and more students and teachers arrive,” Maddie says. “I love getting the opportunity to talk to people whom I may not have talked to for a while, as well as hang out with old friends without rushing to class or going to a sports practice.” 

Throughout her years at Oakcrest, Maddie says that each one of the classes she has taken has been formative in their own way: “No matter how challenging the class or if it was on a subject I did not particularly favor, the teachers and my classmates always made it interesting and enjoyable.” 

Maddie remembers biology with Master Science Teacher Mrs. Heather DeLisle as one of her favorite classes so far. 

“I have always loved science, biology especially, and Mrs. DeLisle is always so organized which really helped the class move so smoothly,” she says. “I thoroughly enjoyed dissecting the fetal pig at the end of the year, which I know many people did not enjoy quite as much, but it brought together all of the different things we had learned about that year so well and it was really interesting to see how it all came together.” 

School traditions such as spirit week cheers as a class remain a highlight for Maddie, especially remembering her sixth grade year. Another special Oakcrest memory, she says, was having the opportunity to play lacrosse and swim on the team with her sister while her sister was a senior. 

“It was really fun to learn and grow doing a sport we both love together,” she says. “It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.”

Outside the classroom, Maddie enjoys doing backstage work for the school theatre productions which includes helping with set design and painting, running the crew and the hair and makeup team, and designing the show shirts. She is a Student Ambassador executive with the student group which welcomes prospective students and visitors to the school, and she is a member of the Science Olympiad team. She also plays sports year-round at Oakcrest - lacrosse, swimming, and volleyball. 

“All these things have really helped me meet other students, both older and younger, and have given me the opportunity to give back to a community I love so much,” Maddie says. “Having been a part of all these opportunities Oakcrest offers has also given me the ability to lead with confidence and serve others whenever I can. I love Oakcrest and am so grateful to share all that I have learned here with others, as well as learn even more along the way.” 

When reflecting on her Oakcrest experience thus far, Maddie says that it is programs such as mentoring that take the Oakcrest education to the next level. 

“I think everything about Oakcrest is so carefully thought and prayed over to make each girl's experience the best it can be, but I particularly love the mentoring program,” she says. “All of the teachers and staff at Oakcrest truly care and are invested in each of their mentees and it is so great to gain their wisdom and reset for the month. It is also a great way to get comfortable with talking to adults and teachers so that you can ask others when the time comes.” 

Outside of Oakcrest, Maddie is a member of the leadership team for her church’s youth group.