Spotlight On: Izzy Gibson ’14
Izzy attended Miquon from nursery through sixth grade, then went on to Friends Central with classmates Sophia Diaz and Jacob Bower. They are all still great friends. Currently in his junior year at Bennington College, he joined us over his winter break as an aide in the nursery before heading off for a semester at Bath Spa in England where he’ll focus on creative writing.
What’s it been like to be back at Miquon these past few weeks? There’s no better way to spend my free time. My roots are here, and there is something very centering about this land, the energy that emanates out of the ground among the people.
Tell us about your writing. Is there a particular genre you’re interested in? Ursula Leguin is one of my favorite authors and it would be great to write fantasies. I’d love to do a graphic novel or some combination of music and writing. I tell a lot of stories through songwriting and sampling – chopping up older songs and rearranging them to create different and new sounds.
What’s taken you by surprise about your work in the nursery? How smart these kids are. I had a conversation with one who was telling me how the earth is warmer at its middle because it’s closer to the sun there. It’s incredible to me that they can absorb that kind of information at such a young age. I’ve also realized how much you can shape their perspectives, and that’s a huge responsibility. Like when they say their backpack is too heavy to carry, but you do a little “tough love” and encourage them so they learn that they really can do it. That kind of independence and belief in yourself is a gift.
Favorite memory? Too many to mention. Everyday was special. My parents say that I would come home each day with the biggest smile on my face and tell them every detail of every minute. Long breaks were rough. I’d miss it so much that I would make them drive me back just to be here.
What makes Miquon special? It’s such a difficult question and I’m not sure I will ever put my finger on it. I recently read Miquon’s Ten Tenets and thought “every one of these is true.” I can see every one of them at work on campus. They are a hopeful approach to education.
Biggest lesson learned at Miquon? Again, too many to list: a passion for learning; how to listen to other people’s perspectives; to believe in and trust myself. It also made me deeply optimistic, which can be stomped on in the real world but I’ve held on to my optimism because of my Miquon roots.
