Butler Outcomes, Alumni Stories, and a Fairhaven First

When families ask, “What does a full Butler Montessori education lead to?” we think about more than transcripts and acceptance letters. We think about who students become along the way: young people who can manage their time, speak up when they need help, contribute to a community, and follow their curiosity with real effort.

This month, we’re sharing a few examples of those outcomes in action, including an exciting milestone for our Upper School (ages 12-18).

What we mean when we say “outcomes.”

At Butler Montessori, outcomes show up in everyday moments. Students learn how to:

• solve problems (and stay with them when they get hard)
• make decisions and explain their thinking
• work independently and manage their time
• collaborate, lead, and contribute to the group
• self-advocate with adults and peers
• stay curious, creative, and comfortable being themselves

Our First 12th-Grade Graduating Class

This year marks a big “full circle” moment for our school community: our first High School 12th-grade class. For years, families have asked what it looks like when students continue through Butler’s full Montessori continuum. This class is a powerful answer.

We’re especially proud of how strong and steady the college process has been for our seniors. Max and Sofia have been accepted to nearly every school they’ve applied to so far, including their first-choice schools.

12th-year Faihaven Students, Sofia and Max, are pictured on the far right.

Max has been accepted to:

• University of Maryland (Baltimore County)
• University of Pittsburgh
• Northeastern University
• University of Maryland (College Park)
• Drexel University

Sofia has been accepted to:

• Stevenson University
• Goucher College
• Catholic University
• University of Maryland (College Park)

Sofia describes her next chapter (and how Fairhaven High School has supported her growth as a writer) like this:

“When I graduate, I plan to become an author. I'm going to go to college for writing, and I will publish many books! Fairhaven has helped me advance my writing skills and learn new techniques to strengthen my writing.”

The High School Experience

One of the things we love most about Fairhaven High School is how intentionally students learn to plan, communicate, and advocate for themselves, because those are real-life skills, not “school skills.”

Phrog, a Fairhaven student, shares:

“I want to go to art school after I graduate because I've always loved art and I'm passionate about it and I want to spend my life creating things. Fairhaven has helped me learn how to plan out my time more efficiently to get all my work done. It has also helped me learn how to communicate with my teachers about problems I'm having or deadlines I need extensions for and in general how to advocate for myself.”

And Emma, another Fairhaven student adds:

“At Butler, we are actively engaged in all our classes, which is apparently lacking at other schools. It's especially special that we get to do activities outside of the regular curriculum, such as going on trips and doing experiments, that deepen our understanding and experience of the world around us, and that we can connect back to what we learn in school.”

Hear straight from our current Fairhaven students...What is your favorite part of the Fairhaven Program?

Real-World Skills

Emma Rodwin, our Upper School Director, often talks about Fairhaven as a place where students practice “real work” in real settings, with real responsibility.

As Emma explains:

“The Fairhaven high school students participate in a Work-Study program with community partners. These organizations work with our students to understand the ins and outs of working in an organization, including activities such as planning an event, preparing for community workshops, budgeting, and working with local history. In exchange, the students have the opportunity to participate in the classes and events they support, and have hands-on experiences in a professional environment.”

That mindset starts well before high school. Emma also shares how Intermediate students learn entrepreneurship and practical decision-making through the farm:

“As our Intermediate students work on the farm, they learn all about entrepreneurship and financial literacy. They understand how to run a small business, how to budget accordingly, how to implement surveys for market research, and how to work together in community to sustain a farm with many responsibilities.”

Alumni Voices

We love seeing alumni reflect back on their time at Butler Montessori. One especially meaningful example is Victoria Chazin, a Butler alum who is now a current staff member. She’s enjoying her first year as an Intermediate Guide, which feels like a true full-circle moment for our community.

In her speech at Commencement last year, Victoria put into words what many Butler students experience:

“Butler gives us space to hatch, to grow, to stumble, and to figure things out. The adults here don’t treat you like machines to program. They treat you like whole people, with your own timing, your own brilliance, your own challenges and gifts.”

Landon Fiery: “Use your voice.”

Another alum voice we love comes from Landon Fiery, who graduated from Butler Montessori’s Intermediate Program in 2019 and returned as a Commencement speaker in 2023.

Landon shared that at his high school’s senior awards ceremony, he received an award for excellence in debate, not because he was on the debate team, but because he consistently showed up as someone who asked good questions, spoke up, and stayed engaged across classes. He connected that directly back to Butler, naming how discussions, presentations, and experiences like MMUN helped those skills feel “second nature” by the time he entered high school.

His advice to students was simple (and very Butler): Don’t forget how to advocate for yourself, ask for help, and say yes to new experiences. And he reminded graduates that Butler’s trips and “go out in the world” learning are experiences that truly set students apart.

Find Landons Commencement Clip along with a few other Alumni clips on the Community page of the website ​www.butlerschool.org/community

Alumni spotlight: Sahara Shrestha

Sahara attended Butler’s Elementary program and shared how Butler shaped her confidence, leadership, and sense of belonging.

She remembers Fridays hiking to the “Waterfalls,” running in rain boots past the beaver dam, finding salamanders and crawfish, singing songs, playing kickball, and being surrounded by adults who showed up with care in small but lasting ways. Sahara wrote that these moments helped her grow into someone who tries to carry “the same level of kindness and joy” into the world.

Since leaving Butler, Sahara graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech (double major in Environmental Policy and Planning and Philosophy), took on service leadership roles, and attended George Mason University Law School.

You can find more in-depth Alumni Updates at the end of our Annual Reports. ​Here is a link to last year's​ highlighting Marina Kamezawa '17, Zach Manack '18, Declan O'Brien '19, and Jordan Su '19. 

Where do Butler Montessori alumni go next?

Families often ask where alumni land after Butler. Here’s a sampling of where Butler alumni have gone on to study:

• University of Maryland, College Park
• Catholic University
• Georgetown University
• UC Berkeley
• UC San Diego
• St. Mary’s College of Maryland
• University of Missouri
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Virginia Tech
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Tour the Upper School (grades 7-12)

Interested in learning more about the Intermediate (ages 12-15) and Fairhaven (ages 15-18) programs? Schedule a tour and hear from our students, faculty, and staff, and see our campus in action.