At Watershed, we know that preparing for college is about more than just academic success—it's about nurturing students' passions and helping them build a strong foundation for their future careers. As our upper school students near graduation, the experiences and skills they've gained at Watershed are setting them up to tackle real-world challenges and pursue their professional dreams. By offering students the freedom and resources to explore their interests, we foster a diverse range of goals and aspirations. In this blog, we’re highlighting three inspiring stories: two recent graduates of the Class of 2025 preparing to step into the next chapter of her collegiate and professional life, and three dedicated rising seniors who are already demonstrating how far hard work can take them.
Opening Doors for College Choice - Sam ‘26
This past spring, Sam '26 achieved the remarkable feat of earning a perfect Composite score of 36 on the ACT, a distinction shared by less than 0.25% of students who take the test. Among the 1.37 million students in the U.S. high school graduating class of 2024, only 3,041 earned this top score. The ACT is a curriculum-based exam that measures students' readiness for college by assessing their knowledge in core subjects. A perfect score indicates mastery of the skills needed for success in first-year college courses. ACT test scores are accepted by major four-year colleges and universities across the U.S., and they are one of the many criteria that inform admissions, scholarship award, and course placement decisions.
Sam hopes this achievement will help open doors as she begins her college search. "I am aiming high for college and hoping to attend an Ivy League school to study cybersecurity," she says. “I’m also considering pursuing computer science at Colorado School of Mines. I love how every course at Watershed offers opportunities for deeper research into topics that interest me."
Independent Study Music Portfolio & Belmont University - Marina ‘25
Recent Watershed graduate Marina has leveraged Watershed's Independent Study program to build and refine her music portfolio, preparing both for college admission to Belmont University as well as her future as a professional musician. The program has given Marina the time and mentorship from educators to craft a full album from start to finish, while documenting her creative process and the building blocks that helped her reach this milestone. To close out her Watershed career, Marina performed samples of her accumulated work for the Independent Study panel and plans to continue performing live around town as much as possible before leaving for college in the fall. Naturally, the next step in her journey is Nashville, where she’ll continue her music studies at Belmont University, a city renowned for its musical legacy. We have no doubt that Marina's drive and talent will allow her to thrive there!
Optimist Clothing Co. & Entrepreneurship - Leo ‘26 and Harrison ‘25
Leo '26 channeled his passion for dynamic clothing and his belief in spreading optimism into creating his own clothing brand,Optimist, alongside fellow Watershed student Harrison '25. The duo shares a strong interest in both business and using their platform to promote positivity. So, Optimist clothing was born. They define their company as "an indie clothing brand dedicated to creating quality clothing that both shines light on the bright, colorful parts of life alongside the dark - highlighting the pendulum that is life's struggles and successes." Leo credits their skills in design (for both the clothing itself and for their website) to the skills they learned in Watershed's Digital Design Skills course, led by Joie Le, Ph.D., where they became proficient in tools like InDesign and Photoshop. Additionally, Leo chose to do his Independent Study on developing the business from its early stages - launching the website and brand as a whole. With help from a Watershed community mentor, local entrepreneur and marketing expert Stathis ,Leo delved into the psychology of marketing, learning techniques like heat maps to understand consumer behavior and product placement. This insight continues to influence their ad campaigns on social media. Leo continues to use what he learned about targeting marketing through his Independent Study by working on ad campaigns for social media. The duo has also fostered strong relationships with their clothing suppliers and shippers in California while expanding locally. Most recently, they partnered with The Campus, a local climbing gym, to design custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other merchandise. Looking ahead, Leo hopes to see Optimist grow and says of their ultimate goal for the business, "We want it to be at a point where we’re doubling revenue each year and on top of that, to get it to a point where it’s creating a positive effect on people. It would be awesome for Optimist to be a sponsor for sports films or specific athletes."
Check out the clothing line here!
