Story: Kimberly Herrmann ’12
New York City—Stuyvesant High School
For the first eighteen years of my life, I lived in the same house, on the same street, in a quiet, residential neighborhood of the Northeast Bronx of New York City. I hail from a working class family, with dedicated and caring parents who stress the virtues of learning and education to both me and my two younger sisters.
I attended local public schools from K-8, and then a private Catholic preparatory school for grades 9-12. My time in both public and private education offered an array of compassionate teachers, a variety of creative academic programs, and a wealth of challenging learning opportunities, fostering my desire to learn more. Despite the stability of my surroundings, I was always intrigued by the diversity of my community, inspired by the many strands of culture and class coexisting within the city. When working for local political leaders during high school, I became increasingly interested in the connection between policy and community—eager to explore these issues through higher education.