Who knew seventh grade would mark a pivotal moment of purpose for Hailey Litzsey? Entering middle school at the intersection of the rest of her life, she begged the question internally “what am I gonna do now?”
Not because Hailey was fearful of entering middle school, meeting new people, or wondering if she would be accepted. But because she was occupying her next chapter of growth and development—from grade school to finding her life-long purpose. From her tender years to tween-ager at New Hope Christian Academy in Memphis, Hailey was already being equipped to offer the world something good: kindness, integrity, encouragement to others, among many other attributes.
Now an 18-year-old senior at Hutchison School in Memphis—counting down the days ‘til graduation—Hailey feels very accomplished with her journey thus far. “I’ve done a lot that I’ve wanted to do,” she says. “The journey has been very interesting. I’ve discovered a lot more about myself and what I’m passionate about.”
And what an incredible journey it has been.
Photos courtesy of Hailey Litzsey/ Hutchison School
If you were given the power to reach your full potential, what would that look like? For Hailey, it is an oath to commit to a life of responsible citizenship. While she can attest to her elementary experience being nothing short of equipping her for life, it would be her middle and high school years at Hutchison that help seal the deal—of course, with some admirable parental guidance at the core.
But Hailey is a rock star in her own right. Encouraging herself to take the lead in inspiring and making a positive impact to help others succeed. “I think being in an all-girls school has really helped me to develop my love for truly encouraging and inspiring other people,” says Hailey. “I’ve discovered that’s something that I truly enjoy, just being able to be around people and play a big part in who they’re becoming and what they’re doing in their lives.”
Hutchison has an extensive history of empowering young women to be leaders and critical thinkers who are enthusiastic about leading lives of purpose. With the belief of inspiring intellectual curiosity in its students, Hutchison has created a community of thought leaders passionate about dedicating themselves to a lifelong path of service en route to anywhere she can imagine. So much so, the school has built in a service-learning program, Institute for Responsible Citizenship, where girls experience civic engagement, compassionate leadership, and ethical decision-making through various opportunities: mentorships, internships, global travel, grade-specific seminars, and a college level research project. The Institute is comprised of multi-tiered programming: Hutchison Invests — an exploration of entrepreneurship, philanthropic giving, and personal financial management; Hutchison Serves — engaging girls in meaningful service work and volunteer experiences; Hutchison Leads — pursuing opportunities in leadership roles; and myExperience — the Institute’s flagship program and multi-year opportunity for girls to study an area of interest.
“The Institute houses several programs that are all designed to help girls better understand themselves and the complex world around them,” says Dr. Kristen Ring,
Hutchison’s head of school. “From career exposure to interest exploration, the program is designed to open a girl’s mind to possibilities beyond what she might learn in a traditional academic course. By better understanding our community, our state, our country, and our world, a girl realizes that there are a myriad of career paths available, and she can courageously and confidently pursue any dream if she puts in the work and is willing to learn.”
The director of the Institute, Nick Simpson, is charged with ensuring teaching and learning opportunities lead to the success of students utilizing academic and service opportunities to gain knowledge and acquired skills for their future. “High school graduates now need so much more than just a good GPA in order to be accepted to top college programs, and in order to find wide-ranging employment opportunities,” says Simpson. “Hutchison’s excellent academics provide a sound foundation, but I am passionate about providing a holistic education to our girls that includes the executive functioning skills and soft skills that they will need now and in the future. I want every single one of our girls to feel comfortable walking into any boardroom, business meeting, or college class, confident that they deserve a seat at the table and are in possession of a skillset that will allow them to thrive.”
Hutchison has an array of curriculum and project-based programming, as well as campus experiences offered to girls. While Hailey has participated in a multitude of offerings, she has been heavily impacted through the three-year myExperience program. Through myExperience, students are placed in one of four cohorts that operate as their ideation and working group. Cohorts are managed by faculty who serve as mentors, guiding students through their projects and overall experience. Additionally, students work with mentors in different professions, complete summer internships, and plan a domestic trip to explore their cohort’s area of focus. “I have had the privilege of witnessing Hailey’s remarkable development, increased confidence, and deeper engagement with her peers, teachers, and community,” says Helen Guyton, Hutchison Serves director and cohort lead. “I have no doubt that she will continue to thrive and excel in any endeavor she pursues.”
Hailey Litzsey speaks to students at New Hope Christian Academy
Hailey’s experience has led her to extend what she’s learned to other young people, including launching Her Image (now in its second year), a passion project she created as a conference for teen girls to teach them how to thrive in different spaces and build self-esteem. “I look back on who I was as a little girl and someone that I would want to look up to, and I want to become that person for somebody else,” says Hailey. She also visited her former elementary school—where it all began—to share insight and her curated curriculum (designed for fifth- and sixth-grade girls) focused on beauty (how God defines it) and confidence. Moreover, she shares with them how to thrive as they enter middle school and maintain a sense of morale while encountering others who may be experiencing similar feelings.
“She consistently seeks opportunities to contribute to her community,” says Guyton. “Hailey’s commitment to civic engagement and her desire to uplift and empower others exemplify her servant-minded nature and her unwavering dedication to making a difference.”
Confidence and healthy self-esteem is important to Hailey. “To me, it means that no matter who you’re surrounded by or where you are, you still know who you are, and that doesn’t change depending on where you are and where you’re going,” she shares.
The college-bound senior hopes to study either health sciences or public health, minoring in African-American history or a social justice-related field. “I want to pursue medicine as a profession one day,” says Hailey. “Incorporating medicine and health inequity is something that I’m very interested in and hope to pursue as a future doctor.”
Hutchison has helped Hailey cultivate that interest through opportunities to study health inequities across Memphis, learning about local nonprofits such as Church Health and their mission to help make adequate healthcare accessible. “There’s a huge issue, especially in Memphis, and that’s something that I really do care about,” says Hailey. “Hutchison has really helped to educate me about the things that are going on in my Memphis community and also educating me on how to take action as I grow older.”
Hailey can attest to her overall experience at Hutchison with helping her thrive and grow. “I’m very excited to see what the future holds for not only me, but my classmates as well,” she says.
So, what does the end goal look like for a journey to anywhere she can imagine at Hutchison?
“Leadership isn’t innate,” says Dr. Ring. “While certain characteristics are often found in the majority of leaders, the skills and competencies that truly make leaders exceptional are learned. The ultimate ‘end goal’ is different for every girl, but the program is designed so that she has built a foundation of strengths and capabilities that she will continue to refine and hone, but that truly give her a competitive advantage in life.”
To learn more about Hutchison School and the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, visit hutchisonschool.org/programs/institute-for-responsible-citizenship.