Eight Decembers ago, Ava Russo visited Montrose as a prospective student and first experienced her favorite Montrose tradition – the Christmas cookie decorating competition, which her group won with their allegedly fantastic snowman cookie. In her words, “I thought it was really cool.” Now, Ava’s about to graduate from Montrose and move on to Northeastern University to major in Biology and Math. Although she says she’ll miss the small and tight-knit Montrose community at her larger college, Ava is looking forward to the research opportunities that a university can offer as well as the social diversity of a big school. 

During her time at Montrose, Ava has soared in her academic environment, enjoying and excelling in both STEM and humanities classes. As a senior, she loved AP Biology, which she is going on to study, as well as AP Lit and especially reading Dorian Gray (although her favorite book in the Montrose curriculum was Little Women). According to her, “I feel like my grade had a lot of fun kind of playing around with what we were reading like writing weird songs about them but also just having fun with it.” Ava is glad that she’ll be able to continue taking core English classes in college alongside her Bio and Math majors. 

Ava has always been hugely involved at school. Just this year she’s been an active member of the Red Key Club, Bake a Change, Model UN, SADD, Math Club, Treblemakers, and the Looking Glass. In the Red Key Club, Ava has helped the school to welcome record numbers of prospective students. In Bake-a-Change, Ava used her amazing culinary skills to raise money for charity. Ava bought the Treblemakers fantastic snacks and Capri Suns each week and organized their gigs and practices as the acapella group’s Business Manager. Of course, as the Looking Glass photography editor, she has brought countless articles to life with her incredible pictures. Her favorite photos in the Looking Glass are the ones she took at field day this year and of middle schoolers having fun at homecoming. Her own favorite Montrose memory was in middle school – playing games with her friends and upper schoolers at her very first field day. 

Ava hopes that Montrose will remember how much she loves and cares about the school and, given how much she has done for us all, I think there is no doubt that we will.

By Lucy DeMeo ’24, Arts and Entertainment Editor

24ldemeo@montroseschool.org