Student Life
The Bentley Buzz
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List of 17 news stories.
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Middle-Schoolers Bond in the Great Outdoors
As part of Bentley’s outdoor education program, the Middle School grades each embark on an end-of-year camping trip to celebrate another year together and to bond as a class. This year, our three Middle School grades did beautiful jobs of living together as cohesive units, cooperating to set up and care for their camps together, prepare meals together, and enjoy memorable adventures in together.Read More
Click on the headline above to read more about our Middle School students' outdoor education experiences this month... -
Bentley Student Develops an App to Help De-Stress
Read MoreNoah J. ‘26 first got the idea for the BrainFlow academic aid app after grappling with his own school-related test anxiety. BrainFlow, which he began working on in earnest in the summer of 2023, uses data Noah collected at Bentley from student surveys to help other teens optimize their cognitive function and reduce academic stress by customizing study schedules and wellness tools for users of the app.
Click on the headline above to read more about the story behind BrainFlow... -
Mini-term 2025 Brings Students on Adventures Close to Home and Around the World
Mini-term is one of the hallmarks of every Bentley student’s year, K–12, with each grade embarking on deep dives into learning and adventure that are thoughtfully crafted and painstakingly planned by our wonderful faculty.Read More
This year, during the 9th grade’s Mini-term week, the class focused on service, connection, and class bonding throughout the Bay Area, with urban hiking in San Francisco, volunteering with the Alameda Food Bank and City Team of Oakland, mastering the ropes courses and trails of Strawberry Canyon, and embarking on a kayaking adventure on Friday.
Click on the headline above to read more about our students' myriad Mini-term adventures... -
Bentley Teacher and Students Present Gatsby Theory in Academic Journal
Read MoreIt has been exactly a century since The Great Gatsby, the classic American novel, was published, sparking countless debates about class and society ever since. But some scholars—including a class of Bentley seniors and their teacher, Dr. Richard Gabri—have also started to push questions about Gatsby's race, arguing that Jay Gatsby is actually a Black man passing as white. Dr. Gabri and his students have garnered considerable attention for their research and subsequent writings, which will be published in English Literary History, an academic journal, next year.
Click on the headline above to read more... -
Bentley Students Organize Women in Leadership Panel
On Friday, March 21, three of our Upper School student-leaders (Liz '25, Asha '26, and Emma '25) organized an inspiring panel during Town Hall in honor of Women's History Month, entitled "Women in Leadership" and featuring four of the most influential women we know—who also happen to be Bentley parents. The presenters—Dean Jennifer Chatman P'25, Interim Dean and Paul J. Cortese Distinguished Professor of Management at the Haas School of Business; Ms. Celessa Baker P'31 & '36, Senior Director of Brand Marketing, Color (Makeup) at Sephora; Ms. Esi Minta-Jacobs P'26 & '26, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Asset Management firm Assetmark; and Professor Amanda Tyler P'25 & '27, Thomas David & Judith Swope Clark Professor of Constitutional Law at UC Berkeley School of Law—came to speak about the trajectory of their educations and careers, tough choices they've made along the way, and how they've overcome obstacles as they pursued their goals. This was a fascinating talk, and our guests were generous enough to spend additional time with students in a small group discussion after the panel. We are so thankful to these four women for coming in to spend time with us; it's a privilege to have leaders like these among us!Read More -
Lower School Students Test Their Ideas at the Try It Truck
The sun came out and shone down on the Hiller campus on Tuesday morning when our Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade friends enjoyed a visit from the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s Try It Truck! This mobile maker space set up shop on the blacktop to give students the opportunity to imagine and create at stations outfitted with materials to build race cars and parachutes and test their cars and parachutes on ramps and in Vornado fan-powered wind tunnels, respectively.Read More
Our students proudly showed off their designs to one another and their teachers and went back to tinkering with their models when they didn't work as expected. In addition to all of the creativity on display, it was wonderful to witness the collaboration and mutual support students showed to one another as a friend’s car made an epic run down the ramp or a classmate’s parachute reached new heights. We hope you have the chance to test out your student’s models with them this weekend or perhaps design some new creations together! -
Ideas and Creativity Take Center Stage at the Bentley Maker Faire!
February can be a dreary month, but at Bentley, it features one of our most energizing events of the year: the annual Maker Faire, in which all Upper School math students showcase an impressive array of conceptual, engineering, and design-focused projects that this year explored everything from predicting the spread of a contagious illness to creating and precisely measuring a 3D print-out of a phoenix to calculating how to build stronger, more sustainable bridges. The Faire allows our students to take a deep dive into a concept or study of their choice, and they RUN with it, resulting in a gymnasium positively buzzing with innovation, problem-solving, and creativity.Read More -
Esteemed College Deans Panel Speaks at Bentley
Earlier this week, our College Counseling Office hosted a cohort of highly respected college admissions deans and officers for a special panel for all of our current and prospective families. Moderated by Bentley’s Director of College Counseling Sonia Ryan, the panel dispelled numerous college admissions myths, talked about what they look for in applications (in short: kids being their authentic selves!), and why a college education still matters. It was an engaging and insightful conversation, and we are so grateful to our visiting deans from UCLA, Santa Clara University, Emory, the University of Utah, and USC for spending this time with our community!Read More -
Bentley Celebrates the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Annual Dream Symposium
Last week's fifth annual Dream Symposium, entitled, "The Power of Language," presented an opportunity for our Upper and Middle School students to consider the deep impact that words have—on ourselves, on the community around us, and on the world at large. To help students dive into this work, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Yancie Davis P'27 & '31 invited his friend Prentice Powell—Oakland native, renowned poet and writer, and Grammy-nominated spoken word artist—to lead our students in a powerful workshop examining how words have been used to both empower them and make them feel less than. Students engaged in personal writing exercises, with some brave students then sharing their reflections and poems with the group (Prentice told the students that for decades, survey results have shown that the majority of Americans fear public speaking more than death, so major kudos to all who faced this fear head-on!).Read More -
A Season for Celebrating the Arts at Bentley
We have celebrated the season this winter with our annual arts events at Bentley, beginning with the Upper School production of Macbeth and Middle School Arts Night last month, and continuing on in December with our Upper School Winter Art Show in the Commons, the Upper School Choral & Chamber Orchestra Concert and Instrument Lab & Jazz Ensemble Concert, and most recently, our annual and much-beloved Lower School Concert at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church. These events provide meaningful showcases for our students to share their artistic talents and inspiration, and we love seeing them shine! Please be on the lookout for our springtime shows, including a special Hiller campus visual art show; two more productions in the Upper School's ongoing 2024–25 series, "Hearts in Darkness"; and more!Read More -
Bentley 9th Grader Collects Soccer Gear to Spread Love for The Beautiful Game
Bentley 9th grader Mitchell was born in South Africa and returns often to visit his mom’s family, who still live near the Balule Nature Reserve in the northeastern part of the country. Mitchell, his friend Winston, and his family are now partnering with the Balule Outreach Trust on Boots 4 Balule, an initiative they started to collect gently used soccer gear, including cleats, shin guards, and jerseys, to share with children in this rural area who love the Beautiful Game but don’t have access to many of these items. Mitchell will pass out the gear to local kids when he returns to South Africa with his family over Winter Break. He says his love of soccer and the people of South Africa inspired him to start the drive: “Soccer can bring together the community and is a way to escape from the stresses of life. For me, going to play soccer lets my mind be free and makes me happy.” Together with Winston and the Balule Outreach Trust, Mitchell is hoping to spread this joy to others. If you have cleats or other gear you can donate, please bring them to the Lafayette campus and drop them off in the red bins outside the Bentley Upper School Commons.Read More -
Bentley Alum Exhibits Photography at the Upper School
Bentley’s Commons on our Lafayette campus is currently showcasing recent work by photographer and Bentley alum Emily Laroche ‘15. This fall, Emily traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, to photograph polar bears before their migration north as the ice freezes over. After studying photography and environmental studies at Seattle University, she developed a multidisciplinary art practice focused on educating and inspiring others to reduce overconsumption and waste. As the owner of Double Vision Thrift in San Francisco, Emily has created a unique space where visitors can view art, purchase clothing, and connect with like-minded creatives dedicated to environmental protection. We love to see our alumni pursuing their passions and coming back to Bentley to share them with us. Please be sure to check out her photographs, and many thanks to Photography teacher Aram Muksian for bringing Emily’s work to Bentley!Read More -
8th-Graders Scale the Cliffs and Explore the Caves of Pinnacles
Read MoreOur Bentley 8th-graders spent much of this week at Pinnacles National Park, about an hour east of Monterey. It was a week full of bonding, hiking, sightseeing, and being able to take a pause and connect with their surroundings. Students enjoyed special excursions, including cave exploration (Pinnacles is particularly known for its rock formations and caves), rock climbing, and night hikes.
Outdoor education is an essential part of our Middle School curriculum at Bentley, allowing students the opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and forge new individual friendships, while also developing stronger camaraderie and connection as a class. Many thanks to Assistant Director of Middle School Gretchen Thompson, 8th Grade Dean and Science Teacher Jason Scott, Middle School French Teacher Dr. Veronica Dean, and 8th Grade English Teacher Rick Niese for accompanying our students on this pivotal part of their Bentley journey. -
Announcing Bentley's National Merit Semi-Finalists and Commended Scholars
Read MoreWe are thrilled to announce that seven seniors from Bentley have been named semifinalists in the prestigious 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. This remarkable achievement places these students among the top 1% of high school seniors in the nation, opening doors to scholarship opportunities and distinguished academic recognition. Each year, around 1.3 million juniors from approximately 21,000 high schools enter the National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the PSAT/NMSQT. From this pool, only 16,000 students achieve semifinalist status, and we are proud to recognize our Bentley students among this elite group. Bentley’s 2025 National Merit Semifinalists are: Clifton C., Olivia F., Robert P., Ash R., Wilson T., Joey W., and Theo W. These students now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Finalist status, which includes submitting a detailed scholarship application and meeting rigorous academic standards. We are incredibly proud of these seven students and wish them the best as they advance in the competition. -
Making History in Math and ROV Club
Read MoreBentley's Upper School currently has the largest advanced math calculus-based course in our school's history, with 15 students enrolled in Honors Differential Equations. Out of these 15 students, five have already taken Multivariable Calculus. We also have record enrollments in two other math departmental electives, with 32 students taking AP Statistics with Mr. Krasner and with 11 students taking Honors Data Structures & Algorithms with Mr. Currin. The Math Department is very excited for the future in STEAM and the future is bright for our Bentley mathematicians!Meanwhile, the Upper School's Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Club held its first meeting of the year this week, welcoming back returning members and many new faces, and energy in the room was high as students discussed plans for the club's upcoming events and future projects. ROV began some years ago, but went on hiatus during COVID. The club was then resurrected in 2021 by current club leaders when they were 9th-Graders. Since then, the club's goal has been to improve their own robotics skills, increase the generational knowledge between grades for future club members, and compete. The ROV season culminates in a single underwater robotics competition at the end of the year, and has gone from being disqualified at safety check in 2021 to placing 1st in engineering and 3rd overall in the navigator class at the Monterey Regional last year. Club Supervisor and US Computer Science teacher Giles Currin says he is excited to see our seniors use their experience to shape the next cohort of robotics experts: "I want them to push their knowledge in implementing new digital control systems alongside other system improvements while advancing to the ranger level." -
The New Mulberry Playground Opens at the Hiller Campus
Read MoreThis summer, our campus received a fantastic addition—the brand-new Mulberry Playground! On a sunny Tuesday morning, the playground debuted with a magical ribbon-cutting ceremony. Both Kindergarten classes gathered excitedly, joined by Mrs. Moncharmont, our Head of School, Jacquie Escher, Director of K-8, and Lindsey Sykes, Assistant Director of Lower School.Cheers erupted with the snip of the ribbon as the children raced to explore their new play space and the joy was contagious. Older students, who fondly remembered the previous wooden playground but had outgrown it, are also thrilled to know that they will be able to join in the fun on the new Mulberry structure.The Mulberry Playground isn’t just a place to play—it’s also where memories will be made, friendships will blossom, and imaginations will soar. Here’s to countless adventures on our new playground! -
Bentley Theater Performs at Edinburgh's Famed Fringe Festival
Bentley's Theater Department recently traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, to perform their original production, On the Flip Side, a collection of different theatrical scenes and styles all based on stories from fictional postcards. The show is an engaging experience that allows audience members to participate by spontaneously choosing the next postcard vignette that will be performed, ensuring that no show of On the Flip Side is ever quite the same! OTFS first premiered at the Little Theater on the Bentley Upper School campus this past spring before departing for the famed performing arts festival.Read More
