Claudia Teti ’16, Christina Chambers ’16: While most students of the Class of 2016 are finishing summer reading, tailoring their uniforms, and buying school supplies, one member is stepping outside of the norm by lacing up her skates and pursuing a once in a lifetime opportunity. Instead of starting classes this September as a junior, Shreya Dalal ‘17 is taking a gap year in order to follow her dream of representing India in national and international skating competitions. This time off will be spent training on the ice and traveling to different countries, both of which will push Dalal towards her end goal: the Junior Grand Prix in August. “Ever since I started skating, I have wanted to go to Junior Grand Prix’s,” said Dalal. While she does not know where her country will assign her for the Junior Grand Prix, Dalal does know she will be making trips to Europe and Asia and will compete at Nationals in India this upcoming January.
Dalal will be leaving for a few weeks at a time to compete, but will be training in Ardmore at the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society. “My friends that have competed internationally before will probably help me out and tell me how to go about training,” she explained. However, Dalal’s intense level of training means more time at the rink and less time hitting the books.
Photo Courtesy of Shreya Dalal ’17
“I knew that I wanted to train for it, but I was nervous because of the school side. I would have to be graduating with the year below and I’d miss a whole year of school,” Dalal revealed. However, her apprehensiveness towards the situation was short lived as Episcopal got on board with the idea. Mike Letts, V Form Dean, commented that “Episcopal would always want students to take advantage of great opportunities like this that allow them to follow their passions and interests.” Dalal agreed that EA was supportive of her decision and helped her figure out the logistics of her gap year. “I won’t be missing out on our grade because I’ll still be in the same math and AP courses; the only thing that I’ll be with the juniors that year for is history and English.” Despite this, Dalal expressed that, “I’m definitely going to miss all of friends and my class.”
Dalal’s family readily encouraged her difficult decision as well, which she assured was her own. “They just really liked the idea of me chasing my dreams.” Reflecting her parents’ enthusiasm for the venture, she concluded, “I’m so excited to be travelling, competing, and doing what I have always wanted to do since I started skating.”