Alumni In Action
Upon graduating from Quest Academy, our students find themselves among esteemed alumni who continue their academic pursuits with excellence and quality of character.
Many Quest graduates attend their local public high schools, regularly securing placement in Honors and Advanced Placement classes. Quest students who choose to continue in independent schools earn admission into the most selective high schools, including The Latin School of Chicago, Francis W. Parker, Illinois Math and Science Academy, Lake Forest Academy, Loyola Academy, Woodlands Academy, Elgin Academy, Benet Academy, Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago Lab School and such selective boarding schools as Phillips Academy Andover.
Colleges and universities enrolling Quest Academy graduates for undergraduate, graduate studies, and doctoral studies include: Princeton University, Yale University, Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University, Brown University, Duke University, University of Chicago, Georgetown University, Cornell University, University of Illinois, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, Grinnell College, Boston College, Washington University, Purdue University, USC and Dartmouth College.
Click on the image at the right to see a more complete listing of high schools and colleges. With each passing year, our alumni add new schools to this list. Wondering about a specific school? Just ask!
Our students are exceptionally prepared with the foundation necessary to seek opportunities in fields that include engineering, math, sciences, performing arts, medicine, law, small business ownership, media, education, and entrepreneurship.
What school did you attend after Quest?
St. Ignatius College Prep, Class of 2014
What activities did you participate in High School?
While at high school I competed on the Rowing team traveling throughout the Midwest as well as on the national level. I also participated on the Student Council, Forensic Team, and Scholastic Bowl.
Where did you attend college?
Villanova University, Class of 2018
What was your area of study?
Environmental Studies and Communication, specializing in Media Production
What are you up to now that you have been named a Fulbright Scholar?
For a year I will depart my current position working as a production assistant on commercials and documentaries and teach English in the southern region of Taiwan to elementary school children as part of the exclusive Fulbright Scholarship Program. I will help develop class lessons, tutor children as needed outside of class, and teach American culture to the students. As part of my program I am also required to complete a service project while in Taiwan. My proposed service project is to utilize my background in documentary and commercial film making to create small videos depicting the culture in the primarily aboriginal population of my region. I am excited to bring my enthusiasm for film to Taiwan and embark on this cultural exchange.
What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Quest Academy?
Looking back on my ten years at Quest, my favorite memories are of history class. The lessons were brought to life. We didn’t just read textbooks, we took on the role of historical figures. Learning about Ellis Island and the immigration that made the country what it is today not only let me understand the struggle and fear many faced as they traveled across the world, but it gave me the opportunity to learn about my own family. I took on the role of Enrico Scacia, my great grandfather who traveled through Ellis Island from Sicily. Through questioning my older relatives I was given the chance to learn about my roots all the while having fun going through the made up stations representing the doctor exams and paperwork that was present at Ellis Island. I will forever remember the excitement I had when I was one of a few that made it to the end of the process having passed the exams and random checks the teachers held to provide an authentic experience.
How has Quest prepared you for where you are today?
Quest thoroughly prepared me for high school and university. I never felt overwhelmed by my studies and was able to manage my time wisely, even as a Division 1 athlete in college. Quest fosters a way of thinking and a enthusiasm for learning. Having experienced other teaching methods in high school and college I found that Quest better encouraged creativity to problem solve and bring a different perspective to essays. It is the focus that Quest placed on creativity when addressing a problem that allowed me to flourish in the classroom. I was able to not only graduate high school as part of the National Honor Society, but also graduate Summa Cum Laude from Villanova University as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a member of Gamma Theta Epsilon (the honor society for Geography and the Environment), and award recipient of the Edward R Murrow Medallion for Academic Success in Communication. I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without the supportive community at Quest Academy.
Follow Briggs throughout her Fulbright adventures: https://briggsmroz.wixsite.com/mysite