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An Independent, private PreK-9th Grade school in downtown Boise, Idaho. 

Alum Profiles

Alum Interview with Dartmouth College Student Simon Richardson (‘20)

 

We caught up with Simon Richardson, who attended Boise High School after graduating from Foothills. An outdoors enthusiast, he began his college career in the city of Providence at Brown University (RI) and has transferred to Dartmouth College (NH) in Hanover to be in the heart of the mountains along the Connecticut River, home of the pre-eminent medical facility in New England, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.


 

Will: What is your most enduring memory from Foothills that had a lasting impact on you?
Simon: My fondest memories are definitely from being taught by Robbie and Kevin in 5th and 6th grade, and those years had the biggest impact on me. Their teaching style, and just who they are as people, really made me a curious and confident student. I became someone who isn't afraid to ask questions and dive deep into subjects. I truly developed a love for learning in their classes, and that has stayed with me ever since.

Will: Our focus at Foothills is on inquiry. How do you think that influenced the path you've taken through high school and now in college?
Simon: The learning philosophy at Foothills really encouraged me to explore. Thanks to that, I took a wide variety of subjects in both high school and college that I might not have felt confident enough to try otherwise. I learned that it's okay to not know much about a subject and that we're all constantly learning. The collaborative approach at Foothills has been particularly helpful here at Dartmouth. I'm surrounded by people from different backgrounds with a variety of perspectives and opinions. Sometimes I agree with them, sometimes I don't. But I think Foothills taught me how to find common ground and collaborate with anyone.

Will: What did you initially plan to major in, and have you changed it?
Simon: I went into college planning to major in economics and political science, but I've since shifted my focus more toward the pre-med track. I'm still technically undeclared, though.

Will: Do you have a personal accomplishment you're especially proud of?
Simon: This past summer, I interned with the Idaho Policy Institute through Boise State. We conducted policy research and analysis for various organizations, including local governments and nonprofits. It was really rewarding to contribute to improving our community. I worked on two separate projects, and it felt great to be making a tangible difference. Foothills always emphasized the importance of being a contributing member of your community, so it was fulfilling to do an internship that was both challenging and impactful.

Will: How has your perspective on education changed since your time at Foothills?
Simon: Foothills instilled in me a deep love for learning, which has continued at Boise High and now at Dartmouth. The teachers at Foothills were incredibly supportive and made everything we learned fascinating. I’ve experienced that same support and passion for teaching in high school and college. I think I became more curious, confident, and a better leader at Foothills. We were always encouraged to share our perspectives and ask questions—even if no one else was. I’m never afraid to raise my hand and ask about something I don’t understand.

Will: What are your goals during your college career?
Simon: My main goals are to leave Dartmouth with lifelong connections with my peers and professors. I want to become not just a more educated person, but someone who continues learning long after graduation—a lifelong learner.

Will: What is your favorite or most memorable outdoor experience, both from Foothills and since?
Simon: One of the best experiences was a trip to the Oregon Coast with my class. It was an incredible bonding experience, and the scenery was beautiful. We spent a lot of time learning about marine life, which was fascinating. That was probably the highlight of my time at Foothills. Since graduating, I’ve really enjoyed backpacking in the Sawtooths.

Will: Do you have any advice for current Foothills students as they look ahead to high school and college?
Simon: Take unfamiliar classes and try new things. It's okay not to know anything about a subject or experience—dive into it anyway. That's how we grow as people and as learners. Being uncomfortable with new classes and experiences helped me the most.

 

Alumnae Interview with Film Producer Lily Yasuda (‘11)

 

We caught up with Lily Yasuda (‘11), who, after graduating from Foothills, attended Boise High School before going on to study playwriting and screen-writing at Chapman University’s (CA) Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. She co-wrote, produced, and acted in an independent film “Like Love” that was completed and screened in 2020 at the Egyptian Theater, and is currently available for streaming on Amazon Video. She resides in Chicago with her partner and is currently the Program Manager at The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness.

Will: Tell us about your film “Like Love.” 
Lily: We shot in Boise in the summer of 2018 and that was a really amazing experience. We crowdfunded $30,000 in thirty days and then we got over the finish line with an all-female investor panel. And then that film was finished and showcased in Boise in February of 2020, right at the last moment before the world shut down (with the pandemic). 

Will: What do you think of Chicago? 
Lily: We've been here for not quite a year. It's amazing! We love it. New city, new friend group, new job , but (I’m) still definitely still a theater kid at heart. 

Will: Do you have a seminal Foothills memory? 
Lily: There are many, but I'm going to take it to a personal place I met my best friend at Foothills, my still lifelong adult best friend of almost twenty years, Naomi Savan. We were introduced by Katy Young in the front office as Naomi was moving to Boise from Seattle. I'm going to visit her this weekend in Detroit.  

Will: What stands out to you from Foothills as having had an influence on your direction? 
Lily: There's lunch out, there's spring and fall trip. There's all of these great, really specific things that are wonderful. But when I reflect back on my time at Foothills, I think it was a great sense of freedom and respect. Foothills really helped foster in me a sense of independence, that school isn't just a place that you go and you're told what to do, but that it's really cultivating creativity and individualism. I think that really maintains excitement around school and academia even for kids who maybe otherwise wouldn't enjoy more traditional school environments. We were very busy. We were high achievers. But we didn't require constant needling or supervision to make good choices. And I think that's an invaluable quality even as an adult. 

Will: How did Foothills influence your confidence to forge your own path and create something new in creating a film? 
Lily: I think I was always a pretty, perhaps irritatingly, confident young person. For some kids, it gave you an environment to be more confident in who you are. I would also say I'm fortunate enough to have had really supportive parents. I mean, the best money, hands down, my parents spent or invested in (me) was (sending me) to Foothills. I can't even think of a second thing that would come close.  

Will: Do you have advice for kids if they want to either pursue their own vision or to pursue? What would you tell them? 
Lily: Don’t wait for someone to give you permission. If you want to write a screenplay, you should go write a screenplay. If you think that you could do a reading at your local coffee shop, you should go to the coffee shop and ask them about something you could do. If you want to get into acting, you should go audition for something. Finding the right people who get you or inspire you or want to do the same kind of wacky stuff you want to do, it's really important. Sometimes, you just need to start somewhere. 

Will: What is your vision for the future? 
Lily: I’d like to be in the writers room for TV for a season or two. I'd really like to have that opportunity. I think back to sitting around the seminar table at Foothills, talking about books, talking about characters, getting excited about new material. That's important to me, but I've also done a lot of work decentering work or career as the focal point of my life. Being somewhere new, where there's a lot going on, (such as) a lot of art and culture and food and just being surrounded by new textures and experiences all the time, is really energizing. 

Will: Any advice for Foothills families looking ahead towards high school and college? 
Lily: If your child is happy and excited to get up in the morning, go to school, and they're excited to learn about new things, that is the evidence that it is working. I wish that all the parents could get to come to school and see all of the great things that kids are doing because I think it would make you want to be a student again.

 
Alumnae Interview with Future Teacher (or Firefighter) Georgia Roope (‘23)

 

Georgia Roope (‘23) enrolled in Boise High School after graduating from Foothills. She arrived in high school having completed almost half of her core graduation requirements from her time at Foothills, is busy taking a number of electives, and plays on the Girls Lacrosse Team. We caught up with Georgia to hear about her reflections about life in high school. 

Will: You have three girls in your family who attend three different high schools. What’s everyone doing? 
Georgia: Simone goes to a boarding school in Oregon for skiing and snowboarding, Parker (‘24) just started at Bishop Kelly, and I am at Boise High School. We all went to Montessori school before I came here.  

Will: What is your seminal Foothills experience? 
Georgia: We did a murder mystery play with Shawna. That was probably like my favorite thing because it was a class with all the grades together, all hanging out together, which I loved. It was a super cool group of kids. There weren’t cliques and we had good conversations. Even though we were older than the 7th graders, there weren’t any barriers or intimidation, which I think was very cool. 

Will: You went from a Montessori to here. How did the Foothills environment focus on creativity, curiosity, and collaborating with people? How did that shape your experience as a student? 
Georgia: It helped me figure out who I was, what I enjoyed, what I wanted to learn, and what I cared about. We were able to talk about current events and bills that were being passed, things that you can't necessarily discuss in public school classes. It was a great setting to be able to talk about real life problems, real life things, and be able to look at both sides of an issue. We're learning about this because it has value and it's going to add to our life because it's something that's important to know. You can form your own opinion on it and then do something about it, which I think was really cool. 

Will: Do you remember any specific projects that you got to do that you were proud of? 
Georgia: The National History Day project both years I did it. It was probably the biggest and most memorable project I did at Foothills because there was so much that went into it. There were competitions that definitely took up most of my time. My project was on the 1911 and 1912 Carlisle Indian Industrial School football teams. Parker and I chose that because we felt like it didn't really get enough attention. We competed locally, made it to state, and then we were selected to compete at nationals in Washington, DC. 

Will: Tell me about your preparation for high school. 
Georgia: I think probably the biggest thing is creating relationships with your teachers and being able to advocate for yourself. I like the way that Foothills does things in smaller classes. Being able to talk to a teacher as someone who can help you when you are struggling or don't understand. When you have a closer relationship with a teacher, then it's easier for them to help you and it's easier to ask. I think going into high school knowing how to build a relationship with my teacher or my counselor is important in case you need help later on. In the Foothills environment, it's easy to figure out how to talk to adults. I would say that has helped me a lot. I’ve been really prepared in English and Spanish and had a lot of credits already completed. I know myself and I'm comfortable in my own skin. Even when you are in a huge situation like high school, being able to be OK with who I am. 

Will: Tell me what advice you might give to current Foothills students who are looking down the road towards high school. 
Georgia: I was kind of under the impression that there were certain classes I had to take or certain classes I should take or certain things I should do and certain things I should not do. Because you're on a different path than somebody else you can do whatever you want to do. The opportunities are pretty much unlimited. Understand that you don't have to do this or that because your friends are doing it. Do your own thing. Figure out what you want to do. Figure out how you can make high school enjoyable for you. Work to understand who do you enjoy spending time with and what you do enjoy doing? Foothills can help you be very aware of yourself and know what's going on. I think that carries over really well. 

Will: Tell me about your vision for your future. 
Georgia: Right now, I'm looking to go to college to become a teacher or go into firefighting. Being a teacher is what I wanted to do for a long time, but I think Foothills helped me figure that out because there were really good examples of teachers here. A lot of teachers that made a very big difference in my life. A lot of that made me want to be able to do that for somebody else. High school and junior high are not an easy time. But I'm in U.S. History, Economics, which I love, English, and Statistics. And then probably my favorite is my Essentials of Firefighting class that I have the last two periods of the day. It's at the Technical Education Center by the airport.