You might not know who Juliette Earley is. However, you most certainly would know Betty! I have had the privilege of getting to know Betty for the past three years through our Computer Science Class and then managing Varsity Lacrosse together. And although many know Betty as a sweetheart with a killer sense of humor, those descriptions only just scrape the surface of who she is.

Juliette came to Montrose sophomore year, and eventually, the name “Juliette” was shortened to “Letty” which then brings us to “Betty.” Coincidentally, Betty was also the name of the horse she was riding at the time. Hold up? Horse riding? Yes. Betty has been a competitive equestrian since she was eight years old but began riding as early as four since her mom was also a rider. She competes heavily during the winter in Florida and in the summer on the East Coast. During the school year, she has coached practices four times a week and travels to her main coach in Connecticut on the weekends for double-session practices on Saturdays and Sundays. Throughout the school week, she also practices on Wednesday and Friday, and on the days with no official practices, Betty rides for one to two hours after school. When asked what her advice would be for other girls who compete outside of school would be, she said, “As competitive and intense as the sport is, try to keep it fun and stay focused in school.”

After hearing about how hard she works and witnessing first hand her dedication to the sport, it is no surprise that Betty was recruited to ride for the D1 Baylor University Equestrian Team. While her recruiting process was stressful, as she wanted to ensure she was making the best decision for herself, Betty said that she had a great support team and coaches that made the process fairly seamless. Her recruitment at the Division One level is certainly well-deserved, and
we cannot wait to see all that she does!

Although Betty has a great future ahead of her, she reflected on the aspect of Montrose she will miss the most. She stated, “I will probably miss the small class size at Montrose. Baylor has around 14,000 undergrads and although I have the team, I definitely will feel a little lost sometimes my first year and will miss Montrose’s small community where I know everybody.” 

Montrose will certainly miss Betty as well. Her bright attitude and ability to liven up any conversation will be missed. The quick wit comments and kindness she exudes to everyone around her is just one of the many ways Betty will be remembered. She is a friendly face to all, and I consider myself lucky to have gotten to know her over the years. Betty, we wish you all the best at Baylor, and sorry for forgetting your real name is Juliette! 

By Helen Olohan ’24, News Editor

24holohan@montroseschool.org