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Writer's pictureBridget Flaherty

Future NCSSM Students Reflect on Their Time at Watauga

Updated: Apr 23, 2023


North Carolina School of Math and Science (NCSSM) is a school that increases students' knowledge in work forces involving math and science while also giving better chances on going to a competitive college. Applying to this school is a long complicated process.


“I started the application process in October, in the process I had to write four essays," said Willa Rupp, sophomore, and recently accepted applicant. "I needed teachers recommendations and a recommendation from my counselor. While also having to go take a math test on campus.”


The school is prestigious. They have a 24% acceptance rate and get many applications every year, so only students who show a strong aptitude for mathematics and science are accepted.


Some of our very own Watauga High School students have gotten the wonderful opportunity to attend NCSSM. Willa Rupp, Lauren Yu, Ananda Verling, Sarrah Kitchell, Hadley Woods, Caspian Miller, Annie Fowler, Maggie Barnes, Paul Gamiel, and Matias Relyea were accepted into either the Morganton or Durham Campus.


Here are a few of the students who were accepted, what they will miss about Watauga, and what they hope to experience.


Lauren Yu


"I will miss the people I have met at Watauga the most. I have met and become friends with so many amazing people during my time here. I will also miss my teachers who have allowed me to learn so much, and the clubs/sports I have been a part of at Watauga. At NCSSM, I hope to meet people across the state who have similar interests as me. I'm also excited about the great opportunities/classes NCSSM has to offer and living on the residential campus at Morganton."



Willa Rupp


“I am going to miss Watauga a lot, but I am really excited to attend NCSSM for my junior and senior year! I'm going to miss my friends and my teachers, and I'm going to miss dancing with the Pacers every day after school. Although I will really miss Watauga, I am really excited about this opportunity to be able to go to NCSSM."


"I hope that I will be able to further my knowledge in the STEM field. I'm going to be able to take really cool classes that I'm super excited about, and I'm going to be in classes with people who have the same common goal as me. I really want to pursue a career in the STEM field and NCSSM can help me do that!”







Ananda Verling





“I am going to miss the relationships I have with my friends, teachers, and coaches the most. But I am excited to have the chance to take more in-depth and challenging classes and have more freedom with my schedule.”















Hadley Woods



“I will miss my friends the most for sure. I have an amazing group of friends that I can't imagine not seeing as much as I do. I hope that I am able to focus my studies on my interests more. I have wanted to be an engineer since I was in elementary school. I am very hopeful that this will be something I can achieve in the near future.”












Sarrah Kitchell



“I have been involved in the school musical for two years now. Watauga High School’s drama program is unrivaled and I feel so lucky that I was able to be a part of it for a time. Additionally at Watauga, I am quite involved in Mountain Alliance, an outdoor leadership program that holds adventure and service trips for Watauga and Avery County students. This summer, I am going on Mountain Alliance‘s two week summer trip called Rolling Academy, which will be my last hurrah with the program. I found a community within Mountain Alliance that I am going to miss dearly."


Among many things, Watauga has helped me discover a love and passion for chemistry. As a direct result of that, I have taken all of the chemistry classes available to me and have no more for my last 2 years of high school. At NCSSM, I’m looking forward to being able to further my studies of science beyond what I could at Watauga, while challenging myself in a new physical environment.”


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