A Girl Who Started Standing Up: Nora Muwonge

BY JESLYN CHOI

“I remember that when I was eleven, I called “mom” at least ten times every day.”

Noora Muwonge, a student at The Hotchkiss School, is only fifteen, and this is her fifth year as a boarding student. She has been boarding since sixth grade, when she attended Rectory School in Connecticut. 

A photo of Noora with her friends painting their legs.

Noora Muwonge recalls her first year as a boarding student, which began four years ago. She remembers that it was “really, really tough” because boarding life meant that she was learning to be independent. For the first time, she had to stand on her own without relying on her parents– a realization that made her aware of how much she had relied on them before.

Still, her favorite memory from middle school also comes from that first year. It was during the winter season, where a snowstorm came. The snow storm gave her and her friends a chance to spend extra time together, where they would strengthen their strong bonds that lasted throughout their time at Rectory. It was one of those moments where she would forget about her challenges and fill herself with laughter.

Looking back, Noora does definitely say that her middle school years were more than worth it. They not only gave her valuable boarding experiences and developed her with study habits that made her more organized and productive at Hotchkiss, but also shaped a strong mindset. Because she knows that she has already overcome huge challenges, she now is ready for new challenges with confidence.

Noora’s journey is one that not everyone could go through. She mentions that it was filled with difficulties but also unforgettable moments. Just as she has done before, for whatever blizzard that is waiting for her, Noora is ready to make her way through it— and once again arrive in the sunlight.