At Grace Montessori School, we emphasize the importance of creativity, discovery, and exploration in discovering a student’s full potential. Ethan Silver, a Parkland High School senior and Grace Montessori School alumni, exemplifies this aspect of the Montessori method. He attended GMS from ages 3 to 6 and has allowed Montessori pillars, like independence, collaboration, and curiosity, to guide the rest of his educational career.
“My experience at Grace Montessori helped me grow as a student,” Ethan said. “It fostered my love of learning and taught me how to break down difficult concepts into more easily digestible pieces of information. There was always something at school that could satisfy my curiosity.”
While in high school, Ethan has added a series of impressive academic and extra-curricular accomplishments to his resume, such as being the two-time captain of Parkland’s debate team. He is the executive producer of Parkland TV & Film, where he has worked on multiple award-winning pieces. Ethan won 1st Place Weather Report at the 2023 Student Television Network National Convention in Long Beach, CA.
Not only has Ethan excelled academically, but he has also showcased his talents in the performing arts as a member of Parkland’s Chorale Ensemble and the International Thespian Society. His participation in the prestigious 2024 Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association District, Region, and All-State Chorus Festivals is a testament to his musical talent.
He remembers GMS as a community that fosters compassion, imagination, and tolerance. He has fond memories of Heritage Day when he had the opportunity to celebrate the cultures of his classmates and teachers through food, clothing, and songs. Ethan also values his smaller, day-to-day memories as a GMS student, like reading the Magic Treehouse series and crafting with popsicle sticks outside on warm days.
While Ethan is unsure of his specific career goals, he says he will always strive to make an impact on the people in his community. He has a passion for mentorship, which he also says he found at GMS. He keeps this passion alive by serving as a peer tutor at his high school and volunteering for elementary-aged children at his religious school every Sunday.
Ethan plans to study political science and communications at Northwestern University this fall. We are proud to see how he still uses what he learned at GMS more than ten years later.
