Free Thought, Fortitude, and Friendship Garrett Reynolds ’16

Garrett Reynolds’ 16 joined his older brother and sister at McLean School, but that’s one of the last times he followed in anyone’s footsteps. “One of the things I took away from my education was how important it is to think independently,” he says.

“I really enjoyed having teachers who pushed on you, and encouraged you to look through different lenses,” says Garrett. Teachers like John Neal in AP Government, he says, who helped him tap into his own beliefs and principles. “In school, and high school in particular, it’s very easy to adopt the viewpoints of your parents or peers, but at McLean there was an emphasis on forming your own ways of thinking while at the same time being open to others,” Garrett says. “We were taught that it was okay to disagree and still have a respectful and productive conversation.”

It’s a value that has served him well in school and in life, and paved the way for authentic and rich friendships, many dating back to his early years at McLean that he maintains to this day.

Unlike his siblings before him, Garrett did not have any diagnosed learning challenges; but McLean still proved a perfect fit from kindergarten through graduation-a Lifer! He cites the small size and emphasis on relationships as two of many reasons for his positive experience. “McLean teachers really know you and know what motivates you,” he says. “I have a thousand anecdotes related to how teachers would tailor their approach depending on who a kid is and what they can handle.”

One such example relates to a lesson in Frank Booth’s English class involving the distinction between “amount” and “number” and when to use which term. “I messed this up right after we’d had the lesson,” Garrett says with a laugh, “and he called me out in class in a way that showed that he really knew me and how I’d react. It was a great learning experience and a fond memory I have.”

“It’s a way of teaching that only works when you have a small number of kids you really know,” he adds wryly.

Another benefit of McLean’s size, says Garrett, is the opportunity to get involved in a variety of activities, which builds experience as well as confidence. “Even though I’m not amazing at basketball, I had the opportunity to play on the team in addition to other sports like cross country in the fall and lacrosse in the spring,” he says. He also involved himself with student government, clubs including improv, and participated in the spring theater performance, both on stage and behind the scenes.

Garrett’s senior yearbook quote is one from Thomas Jefferson: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” Fitting, perhaps, that Garrett went on to pursue political science and economics, graduating with a degree in both from Boston College in 2020. While he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to do post-grad, he ended up drawn to the area of data privacy and ethics. “It’s a field that combines a lot of my interests in law, politics, business, and technology,” says Garrett, who recently started a new job in New York City as a product manager for a company specializing in consumer privacy and data ethics.

Much like while at McLean, Garrett keeps busy with lots of things: spending time outdoors running, golfing, hiking, and skiing, as well as exploring museums and restaurants with his fiancée, Anna, who he met at Boston College. He recently joined a kickball league as well as a philosophy group, and if the size of his city apartment would allow, he’d be brewing beer, a hobby he took up during the pandemic.

Garrett credits being at a school that makes subjects interesting and encourages a variety of pursuits with helping him become who he is today. “In a world that gets very specialized, having the ability to follow your interests without fear of failure is what helps you become a well-rounded person.”