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Henry Smith ’14 is our new Assistant to the Head of the Upper School. As a student, Henry was a superior violin player, always involved with anything music related at the school, with a boisterous, infectious laugh that could compete with John Dolan (Psychology, 1994-present). We are so excited to have him back at Harley!

Q: You started at Harley as a student in Grade 11, where had you been, and what brought you here?

Henry: I had never really heard of Harley, though one of my friends, Daphne Kanack-Pickens ’14, went here. Although I was looking for a new high school, Harley just wasn’t on my radar. I hadn’t considered it until the late Lou Battaglia, my science teacher sophomore year, told me about this private school that would “push me a little harder.” I looked into Aquinas, McQuaid, and West Irondequoit High School, but in the end, chose Harley. Being the new guy can be overwhelming, but it turned out to be a bit of a “soft landing” because I had friends from the Rochester Youth Philharmonic Orchestra who were my classmates at Harley. On top of that, half-way through Grade 11, Lou subbed for science teacher, Mary Anne Evans (Science, 2011-2017). Lou was happy to see my sister, Brighid ’16, and myself were doing well, just as he predicted.

Q: As a student at Harley, I remember you with a violin in your hand. When did you start playing?

Henry: I’ve been playing the violin since age 8. I took music lessons at the Kanack School of Music over on South Clinton Avenue for years. I now teach private lessons at Kanack for both violin and viola. This job is the perfect compliment to my work at Harley because it is after school and I love teaching one-on-one lessons.

Q: After Harley, you went on to Ithaca College. Tell me about that.

Henry: I actually took a gap year before deciding on Ithaca. I just wasn’t sure what to do. I struggled with anxiety about whether to go to music school or not. Over the gap year I practiced and played with the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra.

In my mind, I pictured this fork in the road and said to myself, “At some point you have to pick an option and once you pick that option, other options will come.” I eventually learned to accept that I didn’t need to prove anything to be a legitimate musician. I decided to go Ithaca College and major in music. I had some cool opportunities like conducting the hand bell choir for four years and participating in the Gamer Symphony Club (a club that plays music from video games). I even got the chance to perform solo for 5,000 people at the College’s 125th anniversary celebration. That was my senior year. I graduated in 2019.

Q: What did you do after graduation?

Henry: While a student at Ithaca, I did work with computers on the side, enough that I got a temp position at Cornell University as a desktop support technician. After a year, I decided I did want to go to graduate school and then the pandemic hit. I chose to get an MBA like many other people who tried to use the “world freeze” wisely. Not sure it’s my smartest decision ever, but I certainly learned a lot. After I finished my masters, I moved back to Rochester to teach music lessons at the Kanack School of Musical Artistry. My studio there is now over 20 students in just a year, so I’m pretty pleased.

Q: Any advice to give to current Harley students?

Henry: If you have a difficult choice, you can wait. If you still can’t decide, just pick one and things will work themselves out while you pursue it. Oh, and get a fish tank. Fish tanks are cool.

Students may create independent studies with supervising teachers throughout their Upper School experience or, during Grade 12, they can design Capstone projects—intensive collaborations with Harley faculty and off-campus mentors—involving rigorous academic study and culminating in public presentations. They are empowered to create their own curriculum, set goals, and work on time management skills in order to accomplish their objectives.

Independent Studies run the gamut from The Psychology of Sports to Furniture Design to The Neuroimaging of Alzheimer’s Disease. Capstones, meanwhile, are as diverse as the students who pursue them: Fictional Rochester, Autobiographical Art, Biomimicry Education, Organic Fuel, and Rochester Refugees. 

Indicative of Upper School curiosity and creativity, pursuits such as these distinguish our graduates in college. Through deep dives of this sort, Harley students master more than speaking, writing, and computing: they learn to communicate, advocate, collaborate, organize, listen, and empathize. 

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Letter from the Head of School

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Central Work that Matters: DEI

Harley Black Alumni Network

Climate Crisis Curriculum

Citizen Scientists

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In Every Issue

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Diane Donniger Award

By the Numbers

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What’s (Who’s) New at Harley

Divisional Highlights

Alumni Profile: Vandebroek

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HAC Athletics

2021 Lives of Great Purpose Awards

1000 Words

Commencement 2022

Reunion 2022

In Memoriam

Retirements and Fond Farewells

Letter from the Head of School

Letter from the Editor

Features

Central Work that Matters

Affinity Group Forms

Climate Crisis Curriculum

Citizen Scientists

Joy Moss: Storytelling Roots

In Every Issue

Class Notes

Diane Donniger Award

By the Numbers

From the Archives

What’s (Who’s) New at Harley

Divisional Highlights

Alumni Profile: Vandebroek

Alumni Profiles: Keller

HAC Athletics

2021 Lives of Great Purpose Awards

1000 Words

Commencement 2022

Reunion 2022

In Memoriam

Retirements and Fond Farewells