Josh

I've had a lot of classes here that I wouldn't have imagined taking had I stayed home.

Josh

Josh took a bit of a gamble when he decided to come to NMH four years ago: Because of COVID-19 precautions in place at the time, he wasn’t able to visit campus until his first day of orientation. But he had a good feeling about the school. “NMH seemed like a very inclusive community that I wanted to be a part of,” he says.

Over his time at NMH, Josh has distinguished himself as an honors student, a versatile athlete, and a campus leader. One of the first places he found connection was the Black Student Union, “being in a group of kids who I related to and could talk and laugh and have fun with,” he says. “Having that friend group helped me settle in and feel comfortable.” 

Josh went on to join the Student Diversity Committee, which develops activities focused on equity and social justice. “Having a student voice in the discussion has been great for fostering an inclusive community.”

He also became a leader of Breakaway, an independent Christian group open to all students. “We get together on Friday and sing and have food and be in each other's company. That’s something I've looked forward to at the end of every week for the last four years.”

Another place Josh has found his home at NMH is athletics. Basketball is his main sport, but he’s enjoyed trying others. “I really like how NMH has a team for every level,” he says. “It's really welcoming for anyone who wants to try out a sport.” In the fall of his senior year, Josh joined the cross-country team, mostly to get into condition after missing basketball season due to an injury. “But I ended up loving it,” he says. His cross-country teammates elected him a team captain, and at the end of the season, he won the team’s Coaches Award.

Josh’s favorite subjects are math and computer science, which he plans to study in college. He’s also enjoyed trying new subjects, like theater design. “I've had a lot of classes here that I wouldn't have imagined taking had I stayed home,” he says. 

In the Spanish IV service-learning class. Josh and his classmates developed lesson plans and then traveled each week to nearby Gill Elementary School to teach younger students the language through songs and games. “They're very energetic, to say the least,” he says with a laugh. “Working with them has been fun — just to see their faces as they're learning a new language.” 

Josh appreciates NMH’s focus on creating a supportive environment for students. “It's really important for me to feel safe to ask for help. And the teachers here definitely helped me be comfortable with that,” he says. “NMH creates this network, starting with your advisor and even your dorm parents and down to your RLs,” student resident leaders who serve as mentors and liaisons between other students and faculty.

The support Josh received from the RLs in his 9th-grade dorm inspired him to apply to become one himself, serving two years as an RL in Hayden Hall. “Creating that [positive] dorm atmosphere is a big part of shaping your experience here,” he says. “I wanted to have that influence on someone else coming in as a new student — being a part of making someone feel comfortable and welcome.” 

The job isn’t always easy. “The hardest part is having to make those tough decisions, like when you see residents doing something that doesn't necessarily align with school rules and have to navigate that situation and do what's best for them and what's best for the school,” Josh says. He also grapples with big issues as a member of the Judicial Council, a group of students and teachers who assist the office of the dean of students on issues regarding discipline and student conduct. While the work can be challenging, he says, “It really has helped me connect more with NMH’s values and the importance of them.”

As he looks ahead to life after NMH, Josh feels well prepared by what he learned here, from leadership abilities to stress management to communication skills. “I'm really excited to take the values that I have learned here and apply them in my college journey,” he says.