Author Spotlight
Lyda Cosgrove
Junior Willa Battey and her teammates read the scavenger hunt task: “Ask the National Guard what their favorite Weeknd song is.” They hesitantly approached the guard in full uniform, who promptly answered “Blinding Lights” and snapped a selfie with the team, proving to be not so intimidating.
Between lunches in an alleyway directly behind the Supreme Court Building, games of “Capture the Flag” on the lawn of the National Mall and messing around with the National Guard, Battey is making the most of her second semester of junior year spent in Washington D.C.
Battey is one of 24 students at The School for Ethics and Global Leadership, a political science-based program that focuses on emphasizing ethical thinking skills, leadership development and international affairs.
The semester-long program was formed by educator Noah Bopp after 9/11 with the goal of raising the next generation of leaders in America. Similar to a boarding school, juniors from all over the country attend every semester in an advanced academic curriculum consisting of the four core subjects and language class, all revolving around the program’s main class — ethics and leadership.
“We’re really just really trying to provide some resources because fundamentally, one of the main differences is that everybody wants to be there,” SEGL’s Founder and Head of School Noah Bopp said. “All of these students have applied because this is something that they want and that creates a different kind of energy where you don’t need to convince students to care about important issues all over the world.”
Battey first heard about SEGL from her friend junior Maya Flynn, who was involved in a similar program, and knew this was something she wanted to do without even having to give it a second-thought. Battey’s love for the world around her began at a young age, obsessing over geography in elementary school and always curious to learn more, and that passion has grown with her and into the program.
“It was just a perfect fit for her,” Willa’s mom Marilyn Battey said. “There are just sometimes things that resonate with you as a parent for your children. We were very clear with her — she really needed to do this.”
Battey spent the majority of her sophomore year working on the application process, which required a total of four essays focusing on various topics such as global issues and challenges faced in the past. She received her acceptance letter over the summer of 2020.
“I was so excited and I was like, ‘Mom, what if COVID is still there when I go there?’ and she’s like, ‘There’s no way COVID is going to be there. It’s going to be gone by the end of fall.’ And boy, here we are,” Battey said.
Between a semester full of COVID-scares and always having “go-bags” packed with essentials in case of another Capitol insurrection, Battey and her classmates have adapted to every new challenge the semester has brought, growing closer through it all.
Although Battey was never worried about leaving home and being away from her family, she spent a lot of time doubting her own abilities and if she had the work ethic to succeed in the rigorous program, as well as the unknown factors of the school’s social dynamic.
“There are times when I’m still worried about that because these people are like overachievers, big time,” Battey said. “I’ve never really been the type to go for that extra credit, go for that 100% in the class. When you’re at SEGL, you have to have that mentality to stay afloat.”
Her concerns proved to be easily subsided after realizing that many of her fellow classmates were just the same as her — procrastinators. Battey explains that the encouraging environment keeps everyone going to complete the lengthy essays and assignments every night.
Battey’s first few days at SEGL were dedicated to bonding activities like four square and pictionary. The students were also required to give up their phones for the first month of the program to further connect with one another without screens getting in the way. The group grew close very quickly, creating inside jokes and traditions like celebrating each day with dance parties on the front lawn of the school.
“The sense of community has really taught me so much and it’s something that you couldn’t learn at East,” Battey said. “SEGL in general has taught me more to value the social aspects that academics can actually bring you. I used to think that social life and academic life were completely divorced, really it goes hand in hand at SEGL, which I love.”
The small student-to-teacher ratios have made for a much closer and comfortable bond, according to Battey. She feels that despite the intense structure and rigorous classes, SEGL’s reverse classroom set up has made for a more beneficial learning experience. Their homework at night is to watch lectures, take notes and prepare for the next day, which leaves class time for discussion-based and collaborative learning.
“I think that really helped my understanding of math, and I really want to implement some of those things here at East because I just know so many people that are struggling with math, and this is the first time I’ve actually understood math,” Battey said.
SEGL’s Ethics and Leadership class also features guest speakers each week, such as Hilary Clinton’s speech writer Lissa Muscatine and the head of Obama’s Climate Council Gina McCarthy, all focusing on various geopolitical topics and issues.
Even though the program has provided some of the most fulfilling experiences of Battey’s school career, she’s still disappointed to have missed out on the program’s usual excursions in non-COVID years like visiting Think Tanks around the city, iconic historical monuments and what Battey was looking forward to the most — studying in the Library of Congress.
“[The library] is just across the street from us, and that was what I was so excited for,” Battey said. “I’m like, ‘I get to like sit in the Library of Congress and do my homework. How cool is that?’ I am going to push very hard for when I get [back from spring break] for double-masking and studying in the Library of Congress.”
Battey’s time at SEGL will come to an end in mid-May, but the short semester has already taught her many life lessons and she feels that the boarding school structure of SEGL has better prepared her for college. No matter what path she chooses for the future, Battey is sure that she’ll take the experiences she’s learned at SEGL along with her — both academically and socially.
“I’m genuinely not too sure what I’m going to do with my future, but I’m not really too worried about it,” Battey said. “I’ve been always kind of a person to kind of go with the flow — wherever the wind will take you.”
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