ISSUE 1
ENSWORTH ENSIDER
ENSWORTH FEATURES
Alumni Perspectives: Ryan Crants, Class of 2020. by Samantha Massad, Class of 2027
The connections you make here will stick with you.” Looking back on his time at Ensworth, Ryan sees his years at Ensworth as more than just a high school education. He looks back on his years as the foundation for the way he approaches everyday challenges and new opportunities.
Ryan Crants performs in The Addams Family production, 2020. Photo by Mike Strasinger.
When students graduate from Ensworth, they will always be a part of the Ensworth community. For alumni, their time at Ensworth is remembered as a meaningful experience that shaped their habits, values, and continues to shape life in college and beyond. Ryan Crants is an Ensworth alum that attended from kindergarten to 12th grade, and he graduated from Ensworth in 2020 and furthered his education at Williams College. He graduated from Williams College in 2024 where he majored in theatre and statistics. During college, Ryan Crants directed and acted in productions including a 24 hour play while balancing his academic courses. When reflecting back on his academic course load he said, “Ensworth’s workload was actually heavier than what I had in college,”He also added,“Ensworth's academic coursework made the transition a lot easier.” Crants also gives credit to Ensworth for his organization and time management skills, specifically saying, “I still use calendars and schedules the way I learned back then.” During his time at Ensworth, Crants was active in a wide range of activities: theater productions, student government, chamber singers, trout club, gardening club, tennis, peer support group, spirit house captain, and class speaker. Specifically in the Peer Support Group, Ryan among other members were trained to provide confidential support for classmates. When speaking on his peer support group experience Ryan said, “That training still helps me in my day to day life, it taught me how to listen without judgement, and I still to this day carry that skill with me.” Ryan encourages all current Ensworth students to take full advantage of all Ensworth has to offer. “Join clubs, talk to teachers, and build friendships,”he said.
Ryan Crants and Carrie Elcan, House of Truth Captains. Photo by Mike Strasinger.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVES
2025-2026
Although it would be nice for Ensworth students to always have autonomy over what they wear to school on any day, it makes sense that we have a uniform. Our uniform is a symbol of our school. Most private schools in the Nashville area require students to wear uniforms in order to foster equality, enhance safety, reduce peer pressure/bullying, and improve the learning environment by minimizing distractions. However, we need to examine the line between having a uniform and having a dress code that feels unnecessarily restrictive. So, this leads us to the question: Is the dress code logical? To begin with examining the whole school handbook, it states, “Ensworth has a student dress code that embraces student choice within specific guidelines.” While we are all well aware of those specific guidelines, I am still left wondering where the student choice can be found in our most recently updated dress code. However, in that specific statement it is clear that Ensworth has made a promise to us that we have some choice in what we wear to school, even if we may feel at times that it has been overshadowed by various limitations.
Is the Dress Code Logical?
by Allie Bernstein, Class of 2027
At the beginning of each school year, someone from the Ensworth faculty will explain any new changes to the dress code at a grade specific assembly during orientation. In the 2024-2025 school year the Ensworth girls were shocked by the announcement that they would now be required to tuck their shirts into their skirts. That specific addition to the dress code has led to a significant increase in female citations, and therefore an increase in restrictions. Many Ensworth boys felt unaffected by this, due to the fact that they already were required to tuck in their shirts and wear belts. However, in the beginning of this school year, every Ensworth student was blindsided by the worst dress code change by far: No more casual dress. This meant that the once highly anticipated Fridays, when students could ditch their uniforms for shorts and a hoodie, suddenly disappeared. What had once been a small weekly freedom, a chance for students to feel like themselves, was now gone. The announcement was met with groans, whispered complaints, and even a few eye-rolls, but ultimately there was nothing students could do except comply.
Ensworth Students Walking the Halls, 2025. Photo by Adeline Courtney.
Moving forward to the high school specific dress code, the very first section is on footwear. It says “Shoes that enclose the entire foot with less than a two-inch heel; visible socks must be black or white or from an Ensworth source. Continued on Page 9