Green Valley Project Spotlight: Alula Alderson’s Stanford Bound!
Former Green Valley Project member, Alula Alderson, was accepted and has committed to Stanford University for this coming Fall!
Alula was part of the Design Team, where she completed educational garden signage, and an illustrative children’s book about ecological restoration.
We want to congratulate, and celebrate Alula’s success by highlighting her for this month’s GVP Spotlight with an interview!
Learn more about Alula’s path from Green Valley Project to Stanford University below!
Congratulations Alula!
INTERVIEW WITH ALULA ALDERSON
Interviewer: Melissa
Interviewee: Alula
M: Tell me a bit about yourself.
A: Hi! My name is Alula Alderson, I'm 17 years old, and I recently graduated from Ojai Valley School. In the fall I will be attending Stanford University. I'm undecided on a major but interested in communication, earth systems, psychology, and political science. I'm not sure yet what career I'll pursue after college, but I hope it will be one that allows me to make a positive impact on the world. For fun, I love to read, write, get outdoors, spend time with friends, and travel.
M: What program did you join in Green Valley Project (GVP)? Why?
A: I participated in the Green Valley Project Communications Internship twice because I thought it would be the perfect way to combine my passion for communications (specifically, journalism) with that of environmental sustainability.
M: What did you enjoy most about the Green Valley Project?
A: What I enjoyed most about GVP was having the opportunity to create educational resources for Ojai's youth, including a picture book about wildlife restoration and signage for a school pollinator garden.
M: How many colleges did you apply to? How many did you get accepted into?
A: I applied to a total of 16 colleges, was waitlisted by 2, and was accepted by 11.
M: Was Stanford your first choice? How did it feel when you got the acceptance letter?
A: I didn't really have a dream school – I loved all the colleges I applied to and was thrilled to be accepted by any.
Stanford was the very last school I heard back from and I was convinced I wasn't going to get in. When I opened my online decision letter and saw the red confetti, it felt so surreal. After the shock wore off, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. My hard work throughout high school had paid off.
I considered attending Northwestern or UC Berkeley, but after attending Stanford's Admit Weekend, I fell in love with the school and enthusiastically accepted their offer of admission.
M: What do you think helped you get into Stanford?
A: I maintained high grades in school, engaged in a wide range of extracurriculars, and put a lot of time into perfecting my application essays, but I think it was my lifelong involvement in journalism and environmentalism that really made me stand out as an applicant.
M: Do you think GVP aided in your acceptance to Stanford?
A: I believe my involvement in GVP contributed to my acceptance to Stanford because I was able to show the board of admissions my dedication towards protecting the environment and serving my community.
M: What skill or skills did you gain the most from GVP? How have you applied these skills to get you where you are today?
A: I don't consider myself naturally gifted at art, but I gave it my best shot in the GVP communications internship. Through this, I developed digital design and painting skills that I was able to apply in my school's Yearbook and Ceramics classes respectively. But more importantly, GVP taught me to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things, especially those that challenge me – a valuable life lesson that will serve me in my future endeavors.
M: What advice would you have to other students to help them get into their dream schools?
A: Here are my top three pieces of advice for students beginning the college application process: Firstly, deciding where to apply is the most important part. Conduct thorough research, create a balanced list, and visit college campuses! When it comes to writing your application essays, just be yourself. Don't put on a different voice to "impress" readers – they want to get to know the real you. And lastly, try to be as original as possible and write something your admissions officers will not have read before and that they will be sure to remember.
M: Any last thoughts or words of advice?
A: Thank you to the GVP team for an amazing two years!
