Alexandra Sidun, a La Pietra graduate from the Class of 2012, realized the value of her La Pietra experience early on.

"La Pietra prepared me for college through its rigorous academic challenges, attentive teachers, creative learning environment, and by encouraging me to be more than a student," said Sidun. "Extracurricular activities were always a big part of my life, and that seemed to be a trend among my peers while were attending La Pietra."

Sidun went on to graduate school, studying Environmental Science, with a focus in Renewable and Sustainable Energy at the University of Colorado – Boulder. Prior to these studies, she graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Policy and a minor in nutrition.

"The extracurricular activities didn't just help our college applications," said Sidun. "The also helped to foster thinking skills that pushed my friends and me to grow into well-rounded young adults.

The academic rigor La Pietra students experience is an essential part of preparing them for challenges thy face in institutions of higher learning. Alexandra Sidun is no exception. Not only was she inspired to contribute to the betterment of humanity, but she was not intimidated by the trials of a degree in the sciences.

"I decided to pursue [Environmental Science and Policy] halfway through my freshman year at Chapman University," said Sidun. "I entered Chapman knowing I'd like to pursue something in a field of natural science, but couldn't quire find the program that appealed to me until I saw the course catalog for the Environmental Science and Policy major."

Alexandra drew heavily upon the academic experiences she had at La Pietra while earning her undergraduate degree.

"My independent research was conducted in the Marine Invertebrate Biology Laboratory on campus," said Sidun. "It allowed me to search (and sometimes struggle) for answers, ask critical questions, seek explanations, and thoroughly analyze what was in front of me."

As at La Pietra, Alexandra Sidun's hard work paid dividends. "[My independent research] was a challenging experience, and it's actually something I continue to work on," Said Sidun. "I presented my research at the 100th meeting of the Western Society of Naturalists in November 2016, and am writing my manuscript for what will hopefully become a publication."

Alexandra Sidun's college career in indicative of her passion for using earth science to develop solutions to humanity's energy needs. It should be the aim of every school to expose its student body to a broad array of academic disciplines in the hopes that each student finds a discourse community that fascinates her/him and makes the student want to learn more about it.

La Pietra alumna, Bianca Batten '13, graduated from New York University's Class of 2017. Batten originally pursued Chemical and Bio Molecular Engineering, but switched to Business Technology and Finance. She stated, "I was in a lab coat every day and I missed wearing business suits. Technology and finance matched my personality and interests so much better."

Batten shares that she is very grateful for her teachers at La Pietra, "I'd say all of my teachers were very adamant that I find a major that I really enjoy. I thought in high school I would be happy in the lab, but two weeks of non-stop lab work made my interest in finance and technology so much stronger."

After living and studying in New York for over four years, she has been working full time as a Project Manager for Global Markets Technology. "I love my job. I work with such talented teammates from all over the world. My industry is constantly changing, and it is exciting and I'm always learning something new," she recites.

Crediting La Pietra for providing the confidence she needed for college, Batten insists, "I was taught at La Pietra to never hold back a question. There was always class discussion and most everyone felt confident to contribute. That confidence really makes a difference in any college major or career field."

Batten adds, "The best part of college is living in New York City. The opportunity here and diverse cultures and interests make it the least boring place ever. Although I miss going to Sandy's beach after school, I know when I visit home, I will cherish the moments."

It is the vision of La Pietra to see that students are exposed to a wide variety of academic subjects and extracurricular activities to educate them to lead a life of purpose.. Each year, La Pietra graduates young women who lead positive change in local, national, and international communities.