Curious, tenacious, hard-working. These are all words you could use to describe Carol Li ‘21. 

Carol loves to read and write book reviews. She’s a hard worker and always puts in the extra effort. Carol is not afraid to make new friends. Carol has been at Montrose since the middle of her 9th grade year. She is an avid reader and her favorite articles to write for the Looking Glass are book reviews. She is also the Sports Editor for the Looking Glass and loves to cover Montrose and professional sports teams. 

Carol has spent her Montrose journey as a kind and compassionate community member. She attained many leadership roles and offered her generosity of spirit to other members of our community. We recently sat down with Carol to learn more about her experiences and accomplishments at Montrose.

What were you most worried about when coming to Montrose?

When Carol first came to Montrose, her biggest worry was to make new friends and get comfortable in the new school environment. She soon overcame this fear and she told us why: 

“The first day I arrived, everyone stood in front of Mrs. Whitlock’s room and said “Hi” and asked me how my day was going and it made my day! After that I felt like I belonged here.” 

Carol relates how a small gesture, such as the friendly greetings of her classmates, made her feel welcome. Even though she faced the challenge of starting in second semester with the added pressure of doing all her schoolwork in a different language, she loved it because of all the warm interactions she had from the start. 

Can you tell us about your favorite clubs and activities at Montrose?

When talking about what is going to make it hardest to leave, Carol always brings up, not only the people, but also her favorite activities and classes that she has been involved in at Montrose. Carol said: “Montrose gave me a bunch of opportunities, and it helped me to explore more.” Carol’s fearless nature is exemplified in the wide range of activities that she has done at Montrose. She participated in in softball, field hockey, the Looking Glass, Thomas Upham House, and AP Computer Science as her elective. 

What teachers have been most influential in your academic pursuits?

Carol mentioned the support of her teachers that proved to be invaluable to her success in high school. They made her feel welcome and supported. Carol shared that on one of her first days at Montrose, Mrs. Murphy made a point to introduce herself to her, and Mrs. Whitlock gave her a high-five in the hallway. “It made me feel so welcome.” 

Carol also discussed the mentoring she received from teachers such as Mrs. Rinaldi and Mrs. Foley. “Mrs. Rinaldi gave me so much advice about my college major and my future career, and in my junior year she introduced me to an organization outside of school that taught students about building robots which was really cool.” She also shared something that Mrs. Foley said to her that really stuck with her. Mrs. Foley said: “I want you to thrive, but also to challenge yourself.” Carol really took this advice to heart when applying to colleges.

What are you planning to study in college?

Carol described how her relationship with Mrs. Rindali set her on a path to pursue computer science, one of her passions. She said “My sophomore year I took computer science as my elective and I ended up loving it.” When we asked Mrs. Rinaldi about having Carol in her class, she said: “From the beginning she was very dedicated. I admire her work ethic because computer science is hard enough without having to learn a second language. And I was so excited that she liked it because computer science is not for everybody.” Mrs. Rinaldi also mentioned that Carol just finished her capstone on unethical data further exemplifying her deep interest in the subject. 

Carol has contributed so much to the Montrose community by providing an example of a fearless leader in all the things she does. A fellow senior, Grace Gulbunkian ‘21, said: “She is very outgoing and caring about the community and I love her cheerfulness and dedication.” As Sports Editor of the newspaper, a teammate, friend, and classmate, Carol shared her spirit and willingness to connect. She spreads joy to others around her and will be greatly missed next year.  Good luck Carol, we love you! 

Be sure to check out some of Carol’s articles! 

The Kite Runner: Lessons of Courage and Forgiveness

Corned Beef and Cabbage: Reflecting On A Covid-Era St. Patrick’s Day

The Queen Gambit: Lessons on Resilience and Triumph from a Board Game

Covid-19 Adjustments and Protocols in National Sports – The Looking Glass 

Alanna Hyatt ‘22 and Bella Convery ‘22, Politics Editor and Staff Writer

22ahyatt@montroseschool.org, 22iconvery@montroseschool.org