Freshman, Vivian Szymanowicz moved to Victor in December of last year (2022). Within a year of being part of the Victor community she has accomplished a lot. Namely, starring in the musical adaption of Matilda as the crude mother Zinnia. However, transitioning to a new school has not been all smooth sailing. Though many people were helpful to her in this experience, the hallways of the Victor High School were still as hostile and frightening as she feared.
Before her introduction to Victor, the Szymanowiczs had lived in Wilton, Connecticut since she was born. An area as far away socially as it is geographically. Given, this switch would be a hard one, and Vivian prepared for the worst.
The first day of Junior High School Vivian began her academics in December of 2022 as ‘the new kid’ in eighth grade. “Yes, it was hard” she states, “You see so many new faces and people stare at you. It can be very intimidating”.
She misses her old life in Connecticut: the familiar friends, houses, and streets. But, there were a couple students, she said, that were happy to introduce themselves and help her out. “I was very grateful for those people who invited me to sit with them the first day. That made me very happy with at least someone to talk and ask questions to.”
Reassured by these kind girls and now familiar faces, Viv felt a little more comfortable in her new school. But, she was still missing something to attach her to the school, like a club or sport. Back in Wilton, she was a player on the girls Field Hockey team, although, because Victor Schools does not have any active Field Hockey teams, she had to adapt. So, she reinstated her love for theater.
In first grade, she first discovered theater through the inspiring eyes of her teacher, Mary Jo. “There are so many things I could say about her and how much she means to me” she says nostalgically, “but I thank her daily for the impact she had on my life.”
With Mary Jo’s knowledge of theater, an impressive voice, and a lot of nerves, she auditioned for Matilda. Everyone in theater was very nice and inclusive to her, and it made her much more confident about herself through the process. “No matter what, people are supporting you in theater, cheering you on after everything, good and bad, and making you feel so loved.”
After her audition and stepping entirely out of her comfort zone, all of her friends cheered her on so well in the audience. Blissfully, Vivian achieved the role of the rude mother, Zinnia in the play. Addtionally, getting this role was just as beneficial in the long run as she tells about how exciting rehearsals were as she danced, sang, and acted with her friends through this fun learning experience.
Now, Viv has fully set in to Victor after a year with many best friends, engaging teachers, and plans to perform in the next Senior High Musical: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. “Overall, I think it was all worth it. The stress, sadness, and confusion of moving was really hard at first, but it did get better, and I have a lot of new friends here at Victor now.”
Viv’s story is common for many new students at Victor High School, but many never reach the reassuring comfort of Victor like Viv did. So next time someone is sitting alone in class or at lunch, offer them a seat and get to know them. They might just need the reassurance in a new environment that Viv was gratefully given when she moved.
