What are you doing now?
Currently, I am attending the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, M.D. Class of 2024. I have no idea what specialty I want to go into, I’m open to them all. However, my interests (so far) lie with Emergency Medicine, OB/GYN, and Geriatrics– but things may change. It’s my first year as a medical student so I’m undergoing a huge life transition. Now more than ever we need physicians, but COVID has made learning very interesting to say the least. I also work per diem as a Licensed Nurse Assistant at the UVM Medical Center on the Cardiothoracic and Specialty Surgery Unit. I have been an LNA since I was 18– four years! In addition, I work on the weekends in a retail pharmacy in Burlington. I am a nationally certified pharmacy technician (CPhT). I also became a CPhT when I was 18. I went to the University of Vermont as a Green and Gold Scholar and earned a Community Service Scholarship due to all of the volunteer work I did throughout high school and college. I graduated with a 3.87 GPA, majored in Biochemistry, and minored in Pharmacology and Nutrition and Food Sciences. In addition, I have a blog in my spare time where I write about all things pre-med, med school, fitness, nutrition, and motivation. Check out amandanattress.com if you feel like it!
How did WSD prepare you for your current success?
Winooski prepared me for success in a few unique ways. First of all, Winooski is unlike any other school in Vermont, a small gem full of diversity. WSD really opened my eyes up to the people in the world, the turmoils humans face in/outside the U.S., and really just made me learn how to respect everyone and love them for their diversity. Yes, there is one human race, but our individuality and identities shape us– ground us. Therefore our uniqueness should be celebrated, never ignored or reformed. The second way WSD shaped me was its size. Being a graduating class of 29 students really let me get the best out of all aspects of high school. I was an athlete, participated in school plays, marching band, etc. You really can do it all in Winooski. In addition, the small size means that you matter. Your teachers do NOT work at WSD for the paycheck, believe me. They come to work day in and day out for you, they are passionate about delivering you an education. They want you to succeed. The educational staff at WSD values you for you, and that just made my learning that much more enjoyable. I felt valued, so I took going to school seriously and felt appreciated there. I wasn’t just a number, I was Amanda Nattress. On top of that WSD offers a plethora of resources when it comes to self-directed learning. They allowed me to explore my interests. I was able to attend both virtual high school and take “semester” long one-credit high school classes in a variety of topics that weren’t offered at WSD such as Exploring the Holocaust, Biochemistry, Meteorology, Poetry, and many more. Finally, Winooski prepared me for success because they had the resources to push me. For example, we didn’t have more than one AP class, and I wanted to get college credit so they helped me secure the funding I needed to go to UVM in 2013. They also helped navigate me to other funding so I could take a total of 19 college credits for a very small fee by the time I graduated.
Advice for current students?
My advice to current students is to never ever doubt yourself and let someone tell you that you can’t. Growing up, a lot of people made fun of me for being from Winooski, saying that I would never amount to anything because it is a “bad school” and/or “too small to be competitive.” Well let me tell you, I graduated UVM with a 3.87 GPA, majored in Biochemistry, minored in Pharmacology and Nutrition. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. You are the only person who sits down to take the exam at the end of the day. You are the only person who gets to define what your life is. So take control of it. Hold yourself accountable. Push yourself, you know you’re capable of it. And if you fall down, get up and try again. Failure only occurs when you accept it. Until then, it is a mere lesson.
Fondest memory of WSD?
I have a lot of fond memories from WSD. I think my fondest memory is when my basketball team won the Vermont Division III Women’s Basketball championship. My time on the court and with the team is something I will never forget. I am still friends with a lot of my teammates today.
Why do you heart WSD?
“Winooski my town,” -A2VT. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine growing up any other place than Winooski. I have been so lucky to see people from all walks of life, something that many people in VT don’t have the luxury of. I learned the meaning of cultural humility, and how to appreciate our uniqueness. I learned that small is not bad, it allows for a true connection. Winooski is and forever will be my home at heart.