Meet HANNAH
Boarding or Day Student: Boarding Student
Hometown while attending FVS: Anchorage, Alaska
Current City: Anchorage, Alaska
Dorm: Gannett | Ballantine | South Perry <3
Name(s)/grade(s) of siblings who attended FVS: Samantha '16
Graduation Year: 2014
College(s) attended and major/minor(s): California College of the Arts, Film
Occupation: Filmmaker (cinematographer, editor, colorist, etc.) at Frostline Studios
Activities (inside and outside of school) while at FVS: Theater, Swimming, Residential Assistant, Photography, Board Games, Baking, Matchwits, Film Club
Like the other members of her family, Hannah was drawn to Fountain Valley School of Colorado's close-knit community. A boarding student from Alaska, she quickly found her voice in the FVS theater, made lifelong friends while swimming, and discovered a newfound confidence through various leadership opportunities. Armed with the independence, persistence and creativity needed to pursue her dreams, Hannah went on to attend arts school in California, and has since made her mark as an award-winning filmmaker in Anchorage.
HOW HAS FOUNTAIN VALLEY SCHOOL PREPARED YOU FOR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS?
I wasn’t the best student with the best grades, but I was hard-working and full of questions, and I began to realize that I could do anything I truly set my mind to. After graduating from FVS in 2014, I headed to film school at California College of the Arts (CCA) knowing that – while probably not the most lucrative career choice, it was what I wanted to do. I graduated CCA in the spring of 2018 and returned home to Anchorage, Alaska, to intern at a small video production company. Quickly, I became a full-time hire and have worked at Frostline Studios ever since, helping to build the company into what it is today. I’ve won an award for writing (editing) my first feature-length documentary, and last spring a film that I color-graded, “Granted: A Wish Story,” won two Emmys. My accomplishments are, in large part, the result of my persistence and the trust in the abilities I built throughout my time at FVS.
which outstanding qualities drew you most to Colorado and Fountain Valley School?
My grandparents, Jim P ’82, ’83, ’88, GP ’16, ’14 (Former FVS Science Faculty) and Anne Mariner P ’82, ’83, ’88, GP ’16, ’14 (Former FVS Science Faculty and Assistant Librarian), worked at FVS for 30-plus years. In addition, my mother (’83) and uncles (’82 and ’88) grew up on campus and are Fountain Valley School alumni. I had wonderful family ties to the school; joined my mom for a lot of reunions, stayed with my grandparents in their house between the Perry and Penrose complexes, and always dreamt of attending FVS as a student. I went to a local public school in Anchorage for my freshmen year of high school, but after touring FVS and experiencing the small class sizes and tight-knit community it offered, I knew that’s where I belonged. Even as a prospective student, I vividly remember feeling included, welcomed, and at home.
Did your relationship with faculty and staff positively affect your experience? If so, how?
Having small classes and staff on duty in the evenings and on weekends, we really got to know our teachers and they got to know us. At a boarding school, it is important to have adults you trust and who trust you. FVS gave us the freedom to be ourselves in a safe place built on trust. You’re growing and learning so much while being away from your family; I rarely struggled with homesickness at FVS because I (and my parents) knew I was in good hands.
Which class, activity or Interim expedition impacted you the most? explain.
Some of my most cherished memories come from my after-school activities. I spent a lot of time in FVS’s black box theater with the director and all the other theater nerds. I participated in six shows in the three years I attended FVS and made some wonderful friends. When I visit FVS, I always find my way into that theater, the one place where my confidence greatly developed. Its familiarity hits me like a strong hug.
Why do you feel that attending a boarding school was the right decision for you?
The independence I gained living away from home at such an early age made me stronger and prepared me for life after high school. I learned how to live away from my parents, make time for my homework, stand up for what I know is right, and ask for help when needed. I became confident in my values and beliefs and was given the space to become someone I am proud to be today. So much of developing my me-ness can be attributed to FVS.
When it comes to learning beyond four walls, how did FVS expand your horizons?
At Fountain Valley School, you meet people from all over the world with wildly different life experiences than you. You travel. You take classes most schools don’t offer. Your perspective on the world changes. You learn to be open to being proven wrong, trying new things, and embracing other people’s differences.
What is your favorite FVS tradition? How did this event make being a part of the FVS community even more rewarding?
I loved the tradition of the first snow. Witnessing the new students experience it for the first time made it all the more special. I guess you’ll just have to experience it for yourself.
