OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO ATTEND ONE OF THE TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES, COMPETE ON A NATIONAL STAGE, AND INNOVATE ONTO "SHARK TANK" AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS
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The parallels between Stanford and Winchendon have become very evident to me since I’ve been on campus. Embracing exploration, and in your own terms “crushing it”, is something that every student here at Stanford possesses. Success here does not strictly mean getting A’s, but it’s a broader, more powerful thing than that. It’s diving into what you are interested in and putting 110% of your effort into that passion. ColLABs at Winchendon epitomize this characteristic...learning from failure is normal and encouraged, and this is true at both Winchendon and Stanford.
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Bryan has always done things a bit differently, and his three years at Winchendon were no exception. After attending the Carroll School outside Boston, Bryan arrived at Winchendon a determined and disciplined but not always confident student. He flourished at Winchendon and blazed a trail to Stanford U.
- At Winchendon Bryan achieved Varsity Academics and graduated Summa Cum Laude while also independently becoming a nationally top ranked gymnast. He became much more confident and a great self-advocate.
- Bryan used the first ColLAB period in his junior year to pursue his interest in consumer product design. In the fall, he created a compelling device for the gift wrap segment using engineering and 3-D printing skills. Bryan then developed an independent study project for the spring ColLAB session during which he pursued commercialization strategies and the securing of a provisional patent for his design. He spent his senior year figuring out how to take his LittleELF device to market.
- Bryan had a wide range of acceptances from many top schools, but ultimately picked Stanford University, where he graduated in 2022. While at Stanford, he has not only been an honors student, but he has competed on a national championship gymnastics team while very successfully launching LittleELF. This included a very oversubscribed initial Kickstarter campaign, a subsequent licensing deal with a major retailer, and most recently getting a great deal on the TV series “Shark Tank”.
