Student Spotlight: Sydney Spence ‘26 on Thriving Through Challenge Success
As a senior in Gulliver’s International Baccalaureate Programme, varsity cheer captain, student leader, and founder of her own nonprofit, Sydney Spence ‘26 balances a schedule full of academics, service, and extracurriculars. This fall, Sydney joined Gulliver’s Challenge Success team, a national initiative that helps schools expand how they define and support student success. Sydney recently spoke to our faculty about the pressures students feel and the importance of creating environments where well-being, engagement, and learning all matter. This work reflects our Thriving Students strategic pillar, which prioritizes balance, belonging, and overall wellness so every learner feels supported and inspired to grow at Gulliver and beyond.
Sydney shared that one of the biggest lessons she learned through Challenge Success is that students need to be healthy in order to succeed and that success looks different for everyone. Too often, students can feel defined only by grades or how much they can get done in a day. Through the program, she learned how stress, limited sleep, and heavy workloads can impact students’ motivation to learn. She also saw how schools across the country are making meaningful shifts such as adjusting homework loads, strengthening student-teacher relationships, and creating healthier daily rhythms.
In her own words:
“Challenge Success has helped me feel supported by shifting the focus away from only test scores and grades to growth, balance, and well-being. As both a student and a part of the Challenge Success team, I want to help my peers and show them that these aspects are just as important too.”
For Sydney, thriving at Gulliver means being curious, engaged in the school community, and motivated to grow while valuing personal well-being. She shared that one of the most helpful habits she learned through Challenge Success is knowing when to pause, take a step back, and lean on her support system.
“Balancing many activities and classwork can get difficult, but relying more on a support system has helped me manage work in a healthier way,” she reflected.
Sydney believes Challenge Success is helping our school look more closely at the experiences of our students and better understand what they need to learn and thrive. Gulliver is proud to partner with Challenge Success and the Stanford Graduate School of Education to elevate student voices in ways that foster well-being, engaged learning, and connection alongside academic achievement. Aligned with our belief that success is more than accomplishments, we are taking the temperature of our students and making supportive changes so they can be at their best. This work is also a key focus of Thriving Students within The Next 100: The Centennial Campaign, which centers on enhancing student wellness, mental health supports, and belonging across the K-12 experience. Click here to invest in Thriving Students and strengthen the well-being and success of every Gulliver learner.
