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Sonali S. '24 Finds Her Home at a New School After Time in India
Many students get butterflies when starting a new school. Imagine the added complexities of doing it in a new country. Before seventh grade, Sonali S. '24 moved from India back to the United States and enrolled at High Meadows School, where she immediately felt at home. The joyful culture, caring and supportive teachers, and 42-acre campus complete with a stunning barnyard, helped her become the person she is today. She went from disliking school in India to loving her experience at High Meadows.
When Sonali returned to the United States, she recalls being anxious before enrolling at HMS. “I was nervous, but when I came to High Meadows, I found my best friends. Even though I am in high school, they’re still my best friends.”
Sonali’s friends helped her become acclimated to the culture, especially academically. In India, students take 12 subjects, and it is extremely competitive, even for an “A” honor roll student like Sonali. “High Meadows was the right fit for me,” she noted. “I could go on and on about the teachers. They are caring, kind, and one of the main reasons I thrived at High Meadows.”
When she toured High Meadows, she knew she had found her school home the moment she saw the quaint barnyard as the sun glistened off the Lower Meadow on a summer morning. Chickens wandered outside the barn entrance, sheep grazed contentedly on the grass, and students giggled gleefully during pony rides. Later, as a Middle Years student, Sonali enrolled in six-week mini-courses that deepened her love for animals. She participated in embryology, clicker training, and animal care. “I saw the barn and the animals, and I knew I had to be at High Meadows,” she said with a smile. “I have fond memories of my time in the barn.”
Inside the classroom, Sonali formed close bonds with Ms. Hillestad, an English teacher, and Ms. Spinola, the Middle Years Spanish teacher. Spanish was a new subject for her, and she was already a year behind her HMS peers, having never been exposed to the language. She quickly found out that learning at High Meadows is joyful, and with hard work and Ms. Spinola’s encouragement, Spanish became not only Sonali’s strongest subject but also her favorite.
Sonali gives her presentation to Ms. Spinola's class
Sonali graduated from HMS in 2024 and enrolled at Walton High School. She took Advanced Spanish and enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — an immersion trip to Peru and the famed Lake Titicaca, a body of water she had first learned about in Ms. Spinola’s class. Things came full circle when she returned to HMS to give a presentation about her trip to the Class of 2026.
“In just three years of learning Spanish, she is confident in the language,” her mother, Smita, said. “Ms. Spinola was keen for her to present to the class so they could be inspired to learn, and Sonali enjoyed reconnecting with the school and giving back in a small way.”
Sonali earned an Academic Letter for maintaining a 4.0 GPA and received recognition for leading the varsity air rifle squad to the state finals. High Meadows encourages students to take risks and try new things, and Sonali took that message to heart when she enrolled at Walton. The youngest shooter at the state tournament, she helped the Raiders capture the Cobb County sectional championship and reach the state finals. Of 126 teams in Georgia, Walton placed 15th overall.
HMS friends support Sonali at an air rifle contest.
As Sonali continues to pursue her academic and athletic goals as a sophomore, she has a message for families considering High Meadows School for their child: “If you want your kid to become a better version of themselves, send them to HMS,” she said. “It changed me in so many ways. I learned to take risks, loved school, and became a better person.”
Stories like Sonali’s begin with a visit to High Meadows School — a place where curiosity thrives and learning is an adventure. Come see what school should be. Group tours are offered most Mondays and Fridays at 10:00 a.m. We can’t wait to meet you!
The High Meadows community celebrates and perpetuates each individual’s quest for knowledge and skill, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural environment. We empower each to be a compassionate, responsible, and active global citizen.
Age 3 through Grade 8 | Authorized IB PYP World School
1055 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 | (770) 993-2940 | info@highmeadows.org
1055 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 | (770) 993-2940 | info@highmeadows.org
