How Did Montclair Shape You?

As part of our 2025-26 Annual Appeal, the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence is asking members of our community to reflect on how the Montclair Public Schools helped shape the people they've become. We asked them to complete this sentence: "Montclair makes us ____.” Check out the below spotlights, and donate to ensure that ALL Montclair students have a strong foundation from which to grow.

As part of our 2025-26 Annual Appeal, the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence is asking members of our community to reflect on how the Montclair Public Schools helped shape the people they've become. We asked them to complete this sentence: "Montclair makes us ____.”

Montclair Makes Us Community Builders

"Montclair shaped how I view the world, growing up here taught me how to connect with so many different types of people and established the values I uphold: teamwork, open-mindedness and acceptance. Montclair gave me the opportunity to participate in a wide range of programs and activities, all within such a diverse and dynamic community. From Peer Leadership and the Civics and Government Institute, to Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse for MHS (Go Mounties), I always had access to quality programming. Montclair had so many opportunities to offer, but it was really the community- who made it so special."

"The guidance counselor who helped me survive middle school, the coaches who taught me what hard work looks like, the security guards who would catch me trying to leave the building and send me right back to class, and of course the friends and neighbors who always showed up–-and have never stopped showing up to this day! This community guided me into a long career of working for a community-based organization in the Bronx. Now, I’m proud to be back in Montclair, continuing to help build and shape our community, from my role as President of the PTA, to youth soccer coach, to general master of community whatsapping. I’m proud to see so many others that have made their way back and are committed to the same goals! I feel lucky that I get to bring my children up in such a special and unique place." — Risa Whipple, MHS graduate and President of the PTA at Charles H. Bullock Elementary School

Montclair Makes Us Feel Seen

"I found teachers who deeply cared about me as a student, and made me feel seen as a person. One of my favorites was my freshman biology teacher, who still texts me on my birthday. Despite not finding my path in science, he supported my pursuit of music. I found community through Montclair High School’s Passing Notes and in SVPA. I met some of my closest friends and found my voice."

"Sammy Mellman’s Choir classroom was a safe haven for me at lunch time- many days I spent sat down learning from his experience, and many days I spent playing songs during lunch time in a community of kids who shared my love for music. My education through Montclair was a big reason I got a full-tuition scholarship to The University of Miami,... So much of who I am—and the artist I’m becoming—comes from the experiences, relationships, and sense of belonging I found in Montclair’s public schools." — Joe Colwell, MHS graduate and musician

Montclair Makes Us Inclusive "In Montclair, even though it's a diverse and affluent town, there are children who grow up in all different types of households. Fortunately, I grew up here... and I felt a big sense of inclusivity with me being a part of a town that even if I didn't have the same house, the same upbringing, the same access to wealth immediately in my family, there was a resource network of amazing families and friends within the public schools I went to where I felt as though I had one of the best educations growing up. And I hope that continues in Montclair." — Zane Keyes, MPS graduate and owner of KeyCuts Barbershop in Montclair

Montclair Makes Us Ready to Act!

"From a really young age, Montclair schools gave me space to figure out who I was. I found the arts early at Hillside, performing on stage and discovering that I could tell stories, take risks, build community, and really express myself. As I got older, being around people with different backgrounds pushed me to see beyond my own experience. Montclair High's Center for Social Justice taught me that learning isn’t just about grades — it’s about using your voice, standing up for others, and actually doing something when it matters. Between the arts, the friendships, and teachers who challenged me to think differently, Montclair shaped how I move through the world — curious, aware, and ready to act. It’s the kind of place that sticks with you, in ways you don’t always notice until years later." — Justin Comini, MPS graduate and student at the University of Michigan

Montclair Makes Us Think!

"Montclair helped shape how I see the world. As a student, I was encouraged to question, see multiple perspectives, and engage in the world beyond the classroom. Whether I was studying whales and the anti-whaling movement in the early 1980s when I was at Watchung School, or organizing a symposium while at Montclair High on U.S.–Soviet relations at the end of the Cold War, we did not shy away from studying real issues or finding our own voice. Now, as a teacher here, my goal is to give my students that same gift: to learn to think critically and grow into thoughtful contributors to their community." — Drury Thorp, MPS graduate, now Watchung Elementary STEM teacher and MPS parent

Montclair Makes Us Connected—For Life

"Soccer is where I found my people—teammates from every background who became lifelong friends. Some of those bonds formed in high school; others grew even stronger years later. That shared Montclair experience created a connection that never faded. My coaches and teachers saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself, and their belief helped shape who I became," Coach Weaver says. "Now, decades later as a Montclair coach, I’m still surrounded by that same community—classmates who show up for my players and a school system that continues to nurture the next generation. Montclair didn’t just shape my teenage years. It gave me a community that grows with me, long after graduation.” —Touré Weaver, MHS grad and Boys' Varsity Soccer Coach

Montclair Makes Us Explorers

"As a high school student, I had the opportunity to explore a wide range of interests—from AP Calculus and studying the economy to playing field hockey and learning French. Those experiences shaped far more than my college choices; they gave me confidence and an awareness of what was possible. I built a career in finance and economics after discovering the field through Fed Challenge. I gained self esteem and resilience through field hockey. Most importantly, I was able to explore in a supportive, low-stakes environment that helped me learn who I was. Now, as a Montclair parent, I hope these same opportunities continue to be available for my daughters and for future generations of students. — Dara Blume Clewey, Montclair High School graduate and current MPS parent

Montclair Makes Us Empathetic Leaders

"You learn from kindergarten that speaking up, showing compassion and being a good steward in-community is vital to a thriving town. Our teachers and parents modeled it first! Montclair is special for recognizing different learning styles, different cultures and celebrations, and many ways to give back! Sometimes it’s cleaning up your own parks, maybe it’s helping those who have less than you do, but most importantly, it’s being kind and helpful to neighbors, family, and strangers alike. Those lessons are so needed today, and I’m glad Montclair taught them to me and my children!" — Ghana Hylton, Montclair High School graduate and longtime MFEE volunteer