Emily Mirza (MWS Class of 2004) shares what she and brother, Joseph (2006) are up to in Colorado. She remembers the most valuable lessons she learned at Meadowbrook. The human connection and empathy she experienced each day as a student continue to inform her work with adolescents today.
A big hello from Colorado! The mountains were calling and the Mirza’s had to go. Joseph and I call Crested Butte home. We live in a ski town at 9,000 ft in south-central Colorado. We have unlimited access to acres of public lands to ski, mountain bike, snowmobile, dirt bike, kayak, and raft all of which fill our souls. Although, we do live together in less than 1000sqft which is quite comical we take full advantage of the outdoors as recreational enthusiasts.
Post high school graduation, both of us spent time working at the Ecole d’Humanite, an international boarding school in Switzerland. Having his sights on CO, Joseph landed a job as ski lift operator at Crested Butte Mountain Resort and headed west to the Rockies. He has been here 10 years and has not looked back. Jospeh currently manages a local restaurant and is a volunteer firefighter.
I moved to Bellingham, WA to attend Western Washington University and graduated with a degree in Community Health. After graduation, with the promise from Joseph of a place to live, a bartending job, snow, and adventure in my backyard, 8 years later I too am fortunate to call this tiny mountain town home. Currently, I work for the local county government doing prevention work with youth and families around substance use, suicide, mental health, bullying, and sexuality. Much of my time is spent with middle and high school students. Little did I think I would enjoy spending time with adolescents but here I am five years into a job working with teens and no intentions of leaving soon. They teach and challenge me daily. In addition, I am close to finishing my graduate degree in Public Health through the University of Colorado. My concentration is in maternal and child health.
I was asked to pick one of my favorite memories from my time at Meadowbrook – well that is hard to do! I sat reflecting on many joyful times with dear ones. One memory that always brings a smile to my face happened in Eurythmy class. I clearly remember having a contest with my peers to see who could keep beeswax in their armpit the longest through class. As you can imagine, it made for some interesting Eurythmy movements and lots of giggling!
When I reflect on my years at Meadowbrook the memories are rich, and the lessons learned continue to teach me as an adult. Most adults I know cannot say they learned to knit in first grade and can still knit today, can recite Shakespeare monologues, can sing all fifty states in alphabetical order to a catchy tune, make “Besto Pesto” by heart, and so much more. Though all those skills still bring joy, the most valuable lessons learned that I carry with me daily are the importance of human connection and empathy. Both were modeled daily for me as a student at Meadowbrook, with a handshake to welcome me at the start of the day to having a constant, caring, trusted, and empathetic adult move through the grades with the me. In my work with youth today, it is the relational skills, understanding the importance of letting young people feel heard and valued, and to be an empathic person that are the most valued lessons learned at Meadowbrook.
I often reflect on a Robert Frost poem my class learned some point during the middle school years, The Road Not Taken. My time at Meadowbrook gave me the foundation, strength, and confidence to take the road less traveled and it truly has made all the difference. I hope for all the students at Meadowbrook they chose to take the road less traveled because I am fully confident it will bring challenges and foster personal growth along with joy, gratitude, and fulfillment.
