The New-Jun Trifecta

For the 2024-2025 school year, only three new students joined a junior class of 119. You might ask, who are these new juniors? Well, the News has the answer: Kellen Lettinga, Charles Iliff, and Barret Emerson. 

Happily, all three noted that it has been easy to integrate into our community. Kellen, of Mount St. Joseph, said, “I think I knew a decent amount of kids coming in, and I think it was also good for me to kind of see around and meet a bunch of new guys…honestly, after the first couple of days, I met a lot of good guys around here so it’s been a great experience so far.” Charles agreed with Kellen’s claims, saying, “I’ve found that most people are ready to talk to me, and they’ve facilitated a smooth transition into Gilman.”

Kellen’s switch was motivated by Gilman’s academic rigor and his prior relationship with Coach Bartz, stemming from basketball. Kellen feels there is more freedom at Gilman than MSJ, claiming, “I would say it’s a little more like college. The schedule gives a lot more freedom, but also a lot more responsibility.” Kellen believes that he is pretty responsible, so he thrives in environments such as this. He also noted his appreciation for the schedule of Gilman, with classes being over by 12:40 PM. Kellen’s particularly excited for the basketball season this year and said that he expects the team to be “better than last year.” 

Charles Iliff came to Gilman from the Key School in Annapolis. He thought that Gilman had both a wider range of class options and superior academics and thus made the move. What Charles, who ran cross-country in the fall, enjoys the most about Gilman is students’ ability to be serious about their sports while also having fun with them at the same time. He said, “At my old school, you were either serious about sports or were just there to have fun. At Gilman, there’s really an atmosphere where both are possible. There’s a large group of students who are both serious about their sports and also know how to have a good time.” Charles looks forward to getting involved in more club activities and hopes to broaden his friendships here. He mentioned Young Democrats was his favorite club, citing the atmosphere and camaraderie. (He must’ve forgotten that he is also a member of the News.) Finally, Charles mentioned that a challenge he has experienced is learning everybody’s names, especially in large groups. 

Barret Emerson previously attended McDonogh before transferring to Gilman this year. (It’s good to see that he got his priorities straight.) He moved to Gilman because of the wider range of academic opportunities. So far, Barret has enjoyed the social culture, as well as the convenient schedule. He is especially looking forward to swimming in the winter. Like Kellen and Charles, Barret has not found it hard to fit into his new grade, saying, “I’ve known kids at Gilman for years. Being a new kid wasn’t as challenging as I expected.” 

When asked how he feels walking through the doors every day, Kellen responded, “It’s starting to feel like home.” Charles also feels good when he arrives, but was not as positive in his response as Kellen, claiming, “For me, there’s a lot of fatigue because I drive an hour to school every morning. But still, I am often excited for the day and to see my new friends.” Join the News in welcoming this new junior trifecta to our school, and let’s continue to keep Gilman a welcoming community.