Cyrus Guo ’18 was a day student at Church Farm School, living nearby to the school with his mother in Exton. “I looked at many schools but just didn’t feel like everyone connected. At many, there was too much of a prep school feel. In high school, everyone wants stuff. Here, it felt different. It felt as though everyone was sharing an experience. It’s a feeling—not a statistic. “I also believe that education should prepare you for the real world, so the level of diversity here made sense to me. I am half Chinese, and I identify more with the Asian part. Why? Something as basic as eating dinner! I’m well-versed in both cultures, but I just feel more comfortable in a Chinese setting. My three closest friends are from the Philippines, Korea and India. I might never have met them at another school with less diversity. When I enter the workforce, I have to know how to interact with people from around the world. You can’t teach diversity. You have to experience it.

“It’s about respect. Respect and love are intertwined. In hard times, we know what to do. Sometimes, you need space. Sometimes you need to talk. We respect each other’s boundaries. We help each other through tough times. “We also respect the way our fellow students learn. Everyone learns differently. CFS does a good job providing different levels, pacing for different learning styles. I’m a fast learner, but it can be hard to get motivated. I’ve come to understand the way I learn. This school has really prepared me for self-study.”

Cyrus is currently attending NYU-Shanghai and studying digital technology.