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Meet Our Students

Our students are prepared for more than High School. Meet our students.

meet Eve Kroencke

Presbyterian School '18
St. John's School '22

My favorite memory at Presbyterian? How can I choose a favorite when there are too many to choose from?

There’s the time in first grade when we made pancakes, and I figured out that I was going to get a puppy. And the time in fourth grade when I put on a long, red skirt and danced to the Yellow Rose of Texas. I couldn’t stop smiling.

There’s the memory of fifth grade, when I created a study guide for history, sent it to a few people, and walked into the hallway where everyone was studying, and they all had copies. They smiled and thanked me, and I felt like I wasn’t just another fifth grader, and we weren’t just another fifth grade class.

One time in sixth grade, I couldn’t stop laughing at a luncheon because of the seventh and eighth graders at my table. I may have spilled hot chocolate absolutely everywhere, but it was completely worth it. The first soccer tournament in sixth grade when we did PKs (penalty kicks), I was goalie, and we won. That’s when I convinced my mom to let me continue to play goalie.

The first seventh grade dance was a special memory. Everyone was running up to everyone and telling them how beautiful they were because that’s just how our class was.

Then eighth grade, I have so many eighth grade memories. Mr. Sanchez’s Professor Snape Speech, the reveal of the musical, amazing advice from Mrs. Leever, and walking into any classroom and having teachers smile and hug me and ask how I am—because they care.

And last but not least, the eighth grade dance. When a slow song came on, the eighth graders got into a circle, and we just put our arms around each other and swayed to the music. It was because we had all gone through everything, and we weren't just another class at that point, we were dreamers. We all had memories, and we all had plans for the future. But at that point, we were a family.

Failing doesn't mean giving up at Presbyterian School.

Eve Kroencke '18

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meet Audrey Beathard

Presbyterian School '08
St. Agnes Academy '12
Clemson University '16

I began Presbyterian School in seventh grade and received incredible support from the faculty. All of my teachers pushed for collaboration and excellence in their classroom. I always felt challenged, which allowed me to be a great student in high school and college. One of my best friends in the whole world is a girl I met in middle school at PS. She was my maid of honor at my wedding, and we would do anything for each other. 

The relationships I cultivated with faculty and friends in middle school set the stage for a greater relationship I found in high school. I began to get more involved in my church youth program at Bellaire United Methodist Church and I was able to ask questions and learn more about God. I knew things about God but did not have an actual relationship with Him until my senior year of high school. 

After graduation from Clemson University, I returned to Houston and became involved in a bigger church. I enjoyed attending there, but I felt like it was hard to be known with so many people. My life group at the church was amazing, and I loved the other couples my husband and I got to do life with. When our life group talked about starting a church, my husband and I jumped on board and went to help plant the Sandbox Church and serve as deacons.

Relationships are key to life. My top three priorities are to be the best child of God, best wife, and best friend and support to others. 

Looking back from where I stand now, I can offer this advice. Take all the opportunities presented to you and allow yourself to grow and experience the world. Start to understand that you are here for a bigger purpose than yourself and your current circumstances. Cherish your time at Presbyterian School. Cultivate friendships with the people in your class now—some of them will be your lifelong friends (or even be your maid of honor in your wedding, and you may not even know it yet!)

 Start to understand that you are here for a bigger purpose than yourself.

Audrey Beathard '08

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meet Jackson Williams

Presbyterian School ’15
Episcopal High School ’19


Find out what you are interested in as early as possible ...[because it] lets you create a very solid foundation at a young age that will set you apart from your peers.

I got into programming when I was 11 years old. My dad bought me an iPod Touch, and when I started downloading apps on it, I was very interested in how it worked. When I asked my dad how to make apps, he explained that I had to learn to program. The Christmas of my sixth grade year at Presbyterian School, I asked for a laptop and started teaching myself how to program. I read programming books after school and on class trips to learn how to make simple websites and games.

PS provided the foundation for my programming, and I’m grateful I was in an environment where my programming was appreciated and inspiring to everyone who interacted with my interest. During my eighth grade year, I made a game website that younger kids could play in the STEAM Museum. The younger kids’ interest made me feel that I had really accomplished something by making a website others could enjoy so much. The feeling of friends and teachers wanting me to succeed in what I was doing and helping me along the way is a great memory and affirmation of confidence from Presbyterian School.

After PS, I chose to attend Episcopal High School because I felt I would have the ability to achieve the most there. I enjoy the balance EHS offers between schoolwork and free time, because my free time is when I do the majority of my programming and investing. I do both every day and by doing so have gained a substantial understanding of both subjects. I believe that by doing what you are interested in for at least 30 minutes a day, you can truly become fluent in the subject, and over the years, this strategy has helped me.

When my first game app, Fast Feathers, was put on the App store, I was extremely happy to see everyone download it. I made three major game apps when I started high school. The summer before my sophomore year, a friend’s dad asked me to make a utility app for their life insurance company, Goheen Companies. I was ecstatic and started working on it right away. I finished the app a year later, with lots of learning taking place about how to work with a business. I still make modifications and updates on the app to this day.

This year Aston Martin hired me. I created an app that allows clients to customize an Aston Martin inside the dealership. The app helps to determine which options are available and compatible for customization. I have completed an app for the Aston Martin DB11 model and am discussing making a second app.

Programming has had a great number of ups for me, including job opportunities and the ability to fix everyday problems through technology, make use of my time efficiently, and express myself through the software I write. Bugs in code are frustrating when it feels like I’ve tried everything, but I always end up with a solution.

I have accepted jobs where professional results are expected while I am not currently a “professional.” This has pushed me to work harder and dedicate a lot of time to learning how to program more professionally. I’ve enjoyed these jobs, but some have more stress because I have to meet deadlines while balancing schoolwork. Stress is easily mitigated though creating a clear and organized schedule for the week and month to outline the programming work I have to complete. I’ve gained priceless insight into how a real job works and am very excited for what the future holds.

Find out what you're interested in as early as possible.

Jackson Williams '15

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meet Amanda Leavell

Presbyterian School ’09
St. John’s School ’13 
Princeton University ’17 

Spend less time on your phones and on social media and more time having face-to-face conversations developing deep, meaningful relationships with your classmates.
I grew up playing so many sports—soccer, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, softball, swimming, field hockey—name it, and I’ve likely dabbled in it. Although I loved and was involved in many sports, I never wanted my identity to be linked to any of them. In college, I never told people I played lacrosse because in the classroom I wanted to be seen as a student rather than a student-athlete. It wasn’t until I started interviewing for jobs recently that I realized the profound impact athletics have had on my life. Not only have I become used to the physical demands of athletics—waking up at four in the morning for grueling workouts, two-a-days, constant conditioning and lifts—but sports have played a crucial role in developing my character, my ability to work with a team, and my inclination toward self-sacrifice.

The first time I picked up a lacrosse stick, I was in fifth grade at Presbyterian School. I had never heard of the sport before, but my science teacher suggested I come learn (she was also the lacrosse coach). I couldn’t afford a stick, so the athletic director allowed me to borrow one from the School. We began practices at the playground on Presbyterian’s campus, but when we needed more space, we moved to a small field off of Highway 59 across the street from Shipley’s Donuts (this was a few years before the OEC was built). I really enjoyed learning to throw and catch that year, but in sixth grade, I was forced to choose between lacrosse and track and field.

I decided to run track but got the experience of playing with a team in my fall and winter sports: field hockey and basketball. When I committed to play lacrosse at Princeton my junior year in high school, I came to understand that my experiences at Presbyterian School shaped me in ways I didn’t realize. I was recruited largely because of my speed and athleticism, both of which I developed during my time running track at PS. My middle school basketball coach also taught me deep lessons on humility along with respecting my teammates, coaches, opponents, and the game itself. The multi-sport background I came from at Presbyterian also encouraged me to continue playing all the sports I loved, which enabled me to thrive without getting burned out.

The teachers at Presbyterian played the most significant part in my adolescent development. They instilled a genuine love for learning in me. They made going to class enjoyable and gave me a rock-solid foundation that later eased my transition into higher education. Teachers encouraged me by teaching me to see the world in a different light and to develop a deep joy for learning and a longing for truth. The Bible classes (and later my involvement with First Presbyterian Church) that embedded the seeds of a deep love for Jesus in my heart impacted me most deeply. During my time at PS, I also began to gravitate toward human rights issues and became a mini human rights activist in a blue and green plaid jumper.

Additionally, walking through life with men and women who love Jesus intensely has enabled me to let go of our society’s standards of success and to chase after a different kingdom. Growing up, I was always a huge perfectionist. I measured my levels of achievement by my performance in the classroom, my social status outside the classroom, and my athletic execution on the field. In the moments of learning to let go of all these things and to simply chase after Christ, I found true freedom and what I would argue to be true success.

Face-to-face conversations develop deep, meaningful relationships.

Amanda Leavell '09

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Graduates of Presbyterian School have a carefully developed foundation of core values when they leave us. Respect, perseverance, courage, compassion, integrity, and gratitude characterize their shared journey through a challenging curriculum that enriches their minds, an eclectic fine arts program that captivates their spirits, comprehensive athletic and wellness programs that nurture their bodies, and service projects at every grade level that nourish their souls. Presbyterian School students emerge ready for so much more than just high school; they are ready for life!

  • Seek through prayer, study, and reflection to discern the guidance of their Creator in all their real-life situations.

  • Embody a positive sense of self-confidence, self-worth, and security so that they believe deeply and take appropriate risks throughout their lives.

  • Display a growth mindset, focusing on dedication and hard work, which create a lifelong love of learning and a resilience that is at the heart of great accomplishment.

  • Read and write critically, actively synthesizing information and making sense of it for themselves and others.

  • Identify and solve problems creatively by analyzing disparate sets of data and then drawing novel conclusions.

  • Engage themselves comfortably in communities and their many forms.

MEET MORE ALUMNI

Alumni continue their education...

Presbyterian School graduates have been accepted to the following high schools and are continuing their education at the following colleges and universities.

High Schools

Alexander Smith Academy
Archbishop Riordan High School (CA)
Awty International School
Barbara Jordan High School
Bellaire High School
Carnegie Vanguard
Booker T. Washington High School
Carnegie Vanguard High School
Cristo Ray Jesuit College Preparatory
DeBakey High School for Health Professions
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Early College High School
The Emery/Weiner School
Energy Institute High School
Episcopal High School
George Bush High School
George Ranch High School
Heights High School
High School for Law and Justice
High School for Performing and Visual Arts
Houston Christian High School
Incarnate Word Academy
Kashmere High School
The Kinkaid School
Lamar High School
Memorial High School
The Post Oak School
Reagan High School
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (CA)
Second Baptist School
St. Agnes Academy
St. Andrews Episcopal School (Austin, TX)
St. John’s School
St. Pius X High School
St. Stephen’s School
St. Thomas’ Episcopal High School
St. Thomas High School
Stafford High School
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Westbury Christian School
Westside High School
Wheatley High School
Tampa Preparatory School (FL)
The Woodlands High School
Yates High School
YES College Preparatory School

Boarding Schools

Asheville School (NC)
Cate School (CA)
Chinquapin School (TX)
Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
Deerfield Academy (MA)
George School (PA)
The Governor’s Academy (MA)
Groton School (MA)
The Hill School (PA)
The Hotchkiss School (CT)
Kent School (CT)
The Landmark School (MA)
Lawrenceville School (NJ)
The Loomis Chaffee School (CT)
Middlesex Academy (MA)
Milton Academy (MA)
Oldfields School (MD)
Peddie School (NJ)
Phillips Exeter Academy (NH)
Portsmouth Abbey (RI)
Principia School (MO)
Proctor Academy (NH)
Salisbury School (CT)
St. Albans School (DC)
St. Andrew’s School (DE)
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School (TX)
Tabor Academy (MA)
Tilton School (NH)
The Thacher School (CA)
Virginia Episcopal School (VA)
The Webb Schools (CA)
Westminster School (CT)
Woodberry Forest School (VA)

Colleges

Abilene Christian University
Academy of Art in San Francisco
American University in Washington D.C.
Amherst College
Arizona State University
Auburn University
Austin College
Austin Community College
Bates College
Baylor University
Belmont University
Beloit College
Bennington College
Berry College
Birmingham-Southern College
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Bucknell University
California Polytechnic State University
Case Western Reserve University
Chapman University
Clark University
Clemson University
Colby College
Colgate University
Colorado Christian College
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado Timberline Academy
Dalhousie University
Dartmouth College
Denison University
DePaul University
DePauw University
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Duke University
East Carolina University
Eckerd College
Elon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Emory University
Fairfield University
Furman University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Tech
Grambling State University
Grinnell College
Hampshire College
Harvard University
Haverford College
Hendrix College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Houston Baptist University
Houston Community College
Howard University
Indiana University
Johns Hopkins University
Kansas State University
Kenyon College
King's College (London)
Knox College
Louisiana State University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University New Orleans
Lynn University
Marquette University
Maryville University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Menlo College
Mercer College
Middlebury College
Midwestern State University
Millsaps University
Mount Holyoke College
Nebraska Weslayan University
New York University
Northwestern University
Occidental College
Ohio State University
Oral Roberts University
Pennsylvania State University
Philadelphia University
Point Loma Nazarene University
Pomona College
Princeton University
Purchase College, SUNY
Purdue University
 



Reed College
Rhodes College
Rice University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Rollins College
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Sam Houston State University
Samford University
Santa Clara University
Santa Monica College
Savannah College of Art and Design
Scripps College
Seattle University
Sewanee: The University of the South
Skidmore College
Southern Methodist University
Southwestern University
St. Edward’s University
St. John’s University
St. Mary’s College
Stanford University
Stephen F. Austin State University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Texas A&M Galveston University
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian Academy
Texas Christian University
Texas Military Institute
Texas Southern University
Texas Tech University
Texas Weslayan
The New School
Trinity University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Alabama
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
University of California at Santa Cruz
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Denver
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Houston
University of Houston - Downtown
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Kansas
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Miami
University of Mississippi
University of Missouri
University of Nebraska
University of North Caolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of North Texas
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Redlands
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida St. Petersburg
University of Southern California
University of St. Andrews (Scotland)
University of St. Thomas
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
University of the Incarnate Word
University of Tulsa
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Virginia Military Institute
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
West Texas A&M University
Westmont College
Wittenberg University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University