Courage to jump: How Cecilia Tooley got into the high school of her dreams
This homeschooled ninth-grader dreamed big—and it paid off. Find out her top secret to surviving and thriving during freshman year.
Cecilia Tooley conquered a mountain—and her first semester at boarding school.
Cecilia Tooley might be just fourteen, but she’s already pushing herself to reach creative heights.
At Interlochen Arts Academy, this freshman interdisciplinary arts student has found community, creative growth, exciting projects to work on, and new direction for the future. After visiting campus in the summer of 2024 for Arts Camp, she immediately fell in love with the people and environment of Interlochen.
“ I just fell in love with how much life was packed into the campus,” she said. “I loved being with other people who were as driven as I am. I could really imagine staying there.”
As a homeschooled student, Cecilia was familiar with blazing her own trail.
“The thing with being homeschooled is that when you've tried to be in a traditional school, it can feel like a waste of time. You realize that you could learn this same thing more quickly on your own,” she says. “I knew that a big shift like coming to Interlochen would be incredibly beneficial to my life. We have amazing arts faculty, and academics faculty.”
Cecilia says she’s found “independence” at Interlochen. At the same time, part of what made her feel ready to take the leap was her parents’ support.
“ We knew we could have that distance between us and still be close and be in a good relationship,” she says. “That was really big.”
Being homeschooled also helped her decide on her major, interdisciplinary arts.
“I’ve had to rely on those self-motivation skills, because it's a choose-your-own-adventure situation,” she says. “ But I think that kind of environment is where people like me can shine.”
Cecilia has been focusing on piano and creative writing lately. Her favorite class so far has been Elements of Fiction with Mika Perrine.
“ I had never really read short fiction before and it changed my perception of the kind of writer that I am and the kind of work that is out there. Mika is amazing,” she says.
In terms of academics, Cecilia had always been a good student—but wasn’t used to traditional grading systems. She’s thriving at Interlochen, where she says there’s no “busy work” and she has all the support she needs.
“ I had a lot of anxiety and thought everything needed to be perfect,” she says. “But all of my teachers are really amazing. Go to office hours. If you're confused with anything, they're always there for you and they will make time for you.”
Making friends in a new place can take time, but Cecilia has been finding her way.
“ Everyone is really talented, curious, and kind. I've been able to find people here who I really like, and that I’d like to collaborate with artistically.”
Something that helped me a lot in this first semester was just not really judging myself too much. Don't judge yourself with where you're at. Just take things slowly, take some breaths, and experience it.
Between winning the student animation pitch competition alongside her team, stage managing for the Dance department’s production of The Nutcracker, and much more, Cecilia’s been busy this year. Her greatest strength right now is the ability to stay in balance.
“ Interlochen is just such an amazing place and I think everyone who’s interested in it should be able to experience it,” she says. “But I think something that helped me a lot in this first semester was just not really judging myself too much. Don't judge yourself with where you're at. Just take things slowly, take some breaths, and experience it. Don't be afraid of hard work. Don't be afraid of rest. Take things where they're at.”
Coming from someone with a bright future ahead of her, those words ring true.
Interview lightly edited for clarity. Author: Mary Caroline Whims
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