When Ari Sinert first came to check out NuVu High School three years ago, he was skeptical. Although he was looking for a different type of school, at first he thought NuVu was just a little too different.

Having come from a more traditional school model—with hour-long class blocks in stern buildings designed to contain rather than inspire—the first thing Ari remembers seeing on his initial tour was the NuVu branded pink on the walls. Thinking that this was not a normal school, he started out his tour skeptical. Yet the students he met that day were warm and welcoming. For the first time, he felt a sense of connection—like he had finally found his tribe.

“I never found it easy to feel connected to a group of students before, and it really stood out for me as the tour went on. I remember Karen [Sutton, Director of Admissions] asking me what I was interested in and I went on a five minute tangent about thorium nuclear reactors, and lo and behold, here I am now” he says with a smile.

“Initially, I thought it was just going to be all tech here, but I found students interested in the arts and industrial design and all of these incredibly varied interests and that really drew me to the school.”

Coming in with a preoccupation with programming, Ari explains that being exposed to so many different experiences over the years at NuVu has truly expanded his interests. “I've always been interested in engineering and have been woodworking my whole life, so I'm a very hands-on person. NuVu really allowed me to explore all of that—and so much more.” he says. “Here I've learned all about industrial design and product design, and now I'm going to college for biomedical engineering at the University of Vermont.”

When asked what has been the biggest impact of a NuVu education on his learning, Ari immediately offers up a surprising answer: his communication skills.

“After three years at NuVu, I feel I can talk about anything,” he explains. “So whether that's during a family gathering and my grandmother comes over and asks me a question, or I need a 30-second pitch of my project, I've just learned to communicate my ideas so much better. I think it's a really important skill.”

As for surprises, Ari says that he enjoyed the liberal arts studios more than anticipated, which he credits to Media Maven and Coach Heide Solbrig. “There were a few of Heide’s projects I thought were really cool,” he recalls. “In one, I wrote a paper on the history of eminent domain and how it has expanded. That paper was published in The Young Scholars, which I thought was so neat.”

Not only has Ari found success in academics at NuVu, but also saw an investment into his future career.  “I applied to over a hundred internships last summer. I heard back from four—with rejection letters. The rest ghosted me," he says. Then the CEO of Cherish Health came to NuVu to talk about his company. A few students, including Ari, were invited for a tour. During the visit, Ari connected with the CEO and was offered a summer internship. “It was a really professional work experience and I would not have gotten it if not for NuVu. I'm working there this summer too.”

As his Capstone project heads into its final phase, and he begins to put his senior year in his back pocket, Ari waxes philosophical. “For anyone thinking of coming to NuVu, I would say to trust the process,” he shares. “When I first came to NuVu, I felt overwhelmed by everything—but I quickly learned that everyone has their own unique journey. In the end, it’s simply great.”