Although Zetta G. is only a fifth grader, so far, her Westridge experience has been everything she has imagined. It’s hard to miss her beaming confidence and enthusiasm as you pass by her on campus. When she first came to Westridge in fourth grade, she was nervous to be a part of the community, especially since her previous school was a much different environment than Westridge. When asked about the differences between her old school and Westridge, she said, “Definitely the size of the library. And we didn’t have strings (Lower School orchestra) at my old school, and that’s a class that I really enjoy.” Zetta is an avid cellist and loves the class because she can play with her friends while also improving her skills. While she is still deciding whether she will play in the future, for now, it is her favorite class at Westridge.
When asked about her favorite teachers, she responded quickly: “All the teachers, there are no bad ones, they’re all exceptional. They’re all really nice and whenever I am having trouble with something, they always help.” Having a strong support system is important to Zetta and she is happy that Westridge has provided that for her. After only one year at Westridge, Zetta has expressed her love for her teachers, her classmates, and the connections that she has fostered. She said, “Oh I love it [Westridge]. The food is so good!”
While there are often differing perspectives on the food provided at Westridge, Zetta spoke very highly of the selection. “There is something different each day. It’s never like the same main meal in a row.”
Fifth grade is filled with new and fun experiences, but also with drama that can affect friendships greatly. “Yeah I have a lot of friends. Not all of them are the nicest, some of them are kind of toxic.” When asked if there was a lot of drama, she just smiled and laughed. According to Zetta, there is drama amongst the fifth graders almost every day, maybe every other day. “It kind of hinders it [the Westridge experience]. But my dad says it’s a good experience to learn from.”
“I have two really strong friendships. Even though we don’t call after school every night, we just love hanging out with each other. And they know literally all of my darkest secrets.” – Zetta G. ‘31
Apart from being a hard working student and musician, Zetta is also a committed softball player. She has been playing for four years and she is a part of a summer team for a little league team in the Pasadena area. In fact, she spends most of her time playing softball and working on the infamous Think Care, Act Project (TCAP), a year-long commitment to service that all Westridge fifth graders must complete. “It’s a hassle!” Zetta exclaimed. Her project is about clothing waste, specifically the throwing away or burning of clothing. Zetta’s TCAP was inspired by her dad, who is a fashion designer and coincidentally has a garage full of clothes that he is planning to throw away or donate.
When asked about how she prefers people get rid of clothes, she said, “it depends on the company because Goodwill and Salvation Army each throw away like 17 million tons of clothing each year.” After completing her TCAP, she urges people to do their own research on where to dispose of their old clothing in order to create a more environmentally conscious community at Westridge.
Although Zetta’s journey at Westridge is far from over, she has already developed many strong friendships and cultivated special relationships with her teachers. Even though it is only her second year at Westridge, she has learned to adapt to the Westridge community and take advantage of all the opportunities offered to her.
