Santa Barbara Middle School

I don't think it's random that to this day (I'm 27 as of posting this) that 4 of my closest friends are from SBMS. Moreover, those 4 friends are 4 of the most awesome, accomplished human beings I know, and I think a big part of our lasting friendship and our success in life comes from our experiences in middle school. SBMS gave me my first real taste of responsibility and taught me how to seize the day with preparation, positivity and creativity; all while giving me a lifetime of stories to laugh about when I get together with my SBMS buddies.

Reducing the SBMS experience to words is difficult at best. The bonds developed between the SBMS staff and the students, especially during the expeditions, help the students to achieve higher levels of academic achievement and personal development. The staff considers the students to be their partners in an educational and life adventure - everyone learns and grows together. While attending SBMS our son developed a deeper curiosity about matters academic, social, and environmental. This, as well as a love outdoor activities and strong friendships formed there have served him well to this day as he begins his first year at university. The SBMS experience has had a positive and long-lasting impact not only on the student, but on our entire family.

SBMS provided a platform to critically explore the world around us and examples of how to explore and learn with joy. I am so grateful for my time at SBMS as a student and the community that continues to support me today!

I was a troubled youth, SBMS took me in and pulled me out of my shell. Their art, music and athletic programs are exceptional. The teachers enforced a positive environment with problem solving and accountability tools that I still use to this day. I cannot recommend SBMS enough to prospective students, they are not just a school, they are family and they will stick with you until the ends of the earth!

My two sons attended SBMS. They were different. One was very academically focused, the other was more of a "live in the moment" kind of guy. They both came to SBMS in 6th grade and found a place that nurtured their strengths and inspired their minds to be open to ideas and experiences they had never known. The teachers loved them, shared their love of learning, lived with them and believed in them for who they were, at the same time stretched them to become brave, open, confident and proud of who they are. I can't imagine a better place for them to have been in their junior high school years. To this day they still harken back to how SBMS fed their curiosity and gave them the confidence to take on challenges and know how to dig deep when they need to. Thank you.

If you are considering Santa Barbara Middle School for your child, you may have already heard about the three outdoor expeditions they take every year (such as Channel Islands, Monterey, or Grand Canyon, depending on the year) or the amazing selections of electives they offer (rock band, surfing, robotics, filmmaking, bike mechanics, journalism, etc. etc.) and the passionate teachers (many of whom are alumni) who populate the classrooms. And while it`s true they are incredible, the real testament to the school`s power are the kids themselves. For a lot of people, the middle school years are among the hardest of their education--you're not yet an adult but also no longer a child, and you can struggle to create your identity amid a challenging landscape of peer pressure and increased responsibility. But for many of the kids at SBMS, these years mark some of the most cherished moments of their youth, creating incredibly powerful friendships that in many cases (as they have for me), last a lifetime. It isn`t easy and it will cause your child to take calculated risks and step up to the plate to face many challenges in and out of the classrooms. And many times they will fail but when they do, they will have a friend or a teacher or both there to guide them towards that next step. The end result is that they are more resilient, confident and compassionate kids that go on to make a difference in their community and the world. I was lucky enough to attend SBMS back in the late 80s and now I`m grateful to have my son enrolled in his first year. It might sound like a bit much, I know, but it`s the real deal.

It is hard to overstate the positive impact that SBMS and its faculty has had on me, but this school was a transformative experience for myself and so many of my peers.In short, the faculty at this school goes above and beyond for their students -- they empower them, educate them, lead them, follow them, cry with them and laugh with them.The academic education teaches students to think critically and be daring -- while the school's trip program teaches students to care for one another and push far beyond what they know.

Santa Barbara Middle School creates a context for its students which we've observed first hand helps them for the rest of their lives, and makes the content they learn in Middle School all the more meaningful. The faculty and administration share a strong sense of mission--that our lives and journeys matter. The academic and other skills SBMS imparts are valuable beyond measure for families who believe that a life well lived is a goal as worthy as straight As and a perfect SAT score. Activities, challenges, and comeraderie abound, and most kids feel at home, not matter what their style or interests. Fun, engaging, and challenging, this is an amazing school.

This school is a blessed place for those who seek an individualistic view of how to teach, learn and grow. I had two daughters go through this program. They are now 27 and 25. They are mighty independent strong women. I attribute much of their gifts and who they are in this world to the moulding of SBMS. There is a strong heart perseverance, focus and acceptance here.

My three years at Santa Barbara Middle School were hands down the most essential and formative years of my formal education (from pre-k to grad school). I am the person I am today because of the Middle School. The academic education more than prepared me for Honors and AP classes in high school. I had the right combination of academics, arts (especially music and theater) and sports with teachers who made classes and electives totally enjoyable and often funny. But more importantly, it was a spiritual, historical and communal education that transformed a period of life that is usually painful and awkward to one that was deeply enriching and empowering. We all learned what it means to be a friend and an upstanding member of our community -- indebted to those who came before us, and responsible to those who will come after.

Santa Barbara Middle School had the biggest impact on who I am today.Before I went to SBMS, I was incredibly shy, and preferred reading indoor to most things. SBMS allowed me to grow out of that shell, and pushed me in ways I didn't know I needed. I made some of the best friends (who I am still very close with), accomplished physical feats that still boggle my mind, and travelled all over the world on bike and foot.I am so grateful to my parents for discovering SBMS, and for sending me there. SBMS shapes the whole person and supports every kind of kid.I couldn't have asked, nor hoped, for a better middle school experience. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, and should I have children and live in Santa Barbara, I can only dream that they would be able to attend and have the same formative experiences that I had.

My three daughters attended SBMS and it was a life changing experience for all of them. SBMS challenged them mentally and physically, showed them that if they stretched themselves they were capable of great things, and taught them the importance of community and service. Perhaps the greatest endorsement is that when they come back to town (one is in NYC and one is in Boulder now) they still visit the school, and one has even returned to serve as alumni staff on bike trips.

Though I am only 18 years old, the three years I spent at Santa Barbara Middle School were the most transformative and influential years of my life. The knowledge I gained at this school stretched far beyond the classroom: not only did I grow academically, but my personal growth, specifically, is what I look most fondly upon. I learned the true value of hard work, dedication, and service - principles which have shaped me into the woman I am today. The teachers at SBMS guided me every step of the way, inspiring me to thrive and take every opportunity life throws at me. Each day I am reminded of this school and am so beyond grateful for my time there, for the place I now call home, for the teachers and friends I now call family, and most importantly, grateful that this institution can continue to stimulate and motivate the young minds of our future as they did me and those who came before me.

Santa Barbara Middle School was unquestionably the most positively formative educational chapter of our children's lives. The strong academic foundation set them up for success through high school and two Ivy League universities. But the character and values development they received at SBMS set them up to be strong, independent women who care about their communities and now actively contribute to them. I cannot recommend SBMS highly enough.