High school sophomore heads to college

Aug. 20, 2012


Corina Stenning-Barnes Reminder Publications submitted photo

By Katelyn Gendron

katelyn@thereminder.com

WILBRAHAM —Corina Stenning-Barnes has the same interests and hobbies of any other 16-year-old but her stellar aptitude in the world of academia has propelled her light years ahead of her peers.

Stenning-Barnes would've entered into her junior year at Minnechaug Regional High School this fall but instead she left on Aug. 18 to seek her bachelor's degree at Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.

"I've always been really focused on what I want to do and how to get me there. I've been really focused on school since sixth grade. You've got to focus on what's important," she said, adding with a laugh, "I'm really bad at math but everything else is good."

Steven Coleman, director of admissions at Bard College praised Stenning-Barnes for her achievements. "We only enroll students after 10th or 11th grade so these are very motivated students to begin with. They have to demonstrate that they are ready for the intellectual challenge of college and the responsibility of living on campus. They are creatively intellectual and far more mature than those of their same-aged peers. Corina is very much an example of that," he said.

Stenning-Barnes explained she had no plans to enter higher education early until the college contacted her directly during the middle of her sophomore year at Minnechaug. "It really wasn't on my radar," she added.

"It just seemed like a great opportunity and a great school and I really just clicked with it," Stenning-Barnes recalled of her visit to Bard. "I sat in on a class and it made me think a lot more than I had to think in my other classes [at Minnechaug]. I want to have an informed discussion with people and learn from it."

She did have reservations about leaving high school early, however. "I really wasn't sure about leaving people behind . I'm definitely a bit nervous but I know I have a great support system," she said.

Her support system includes many friends from Minnechaug and mother, Maria Stenning, and her grandmother, Jane Stenning, who both agreed that Stenning-Barnes has exceeded their wildest expectations.

"Ever since she was a kid she was voraciously reading. I read to her from infancy. I would read my textbooks for my bachelor's [degree] to her," Maria Stenning recalled, noting that she gave birth to her daughter at age 18 and began her four-year bachelor's degree program six months later.

"We're amazingly proud of her. She's going to do great things with her life," she added.

Stenning-Barnes said she hopes to pursue a degree in Mandarin Chinese, while also exploring cultural anthropology before studying abroad and later obtaining a master's degree. "It's something that I'm really passionate about!" she added.

Comments From Our Readers:

Virgomom 8/21/2012 8:17:51 AM	Our 18 year old daughter is starting her junior year at Simon's Rock next week. After frustrating experiences with local private and public high schools, Simon's Rock was a godsend. It's been especially great for her to be with other bright and motivated students who are interested in excelling academically and exploring the world. We wish Corina much good luck!