Spotlight on Eliza Duff-Wender (I)
It would be a great injustice to not write a spotlight about our favorite Ms. Cojohn-loving, cat-owning, earthy-crunchy, beautiful, gorgtastic senior: Eliza Duff-Wender. So, here goes.
From Joanna:
When Ms. LA put me behind Eliza Duff-Wender in Precalculus, my life changed forever.
I’m not being dramatic; I’m being factual. Precalculus was once a class I lugged my sixie-sized backpack to (sorry, Ms. LA), but following that fateful first day of Term 3, I was skipping to class at the pace of a sixie to see Eliza.
My dearest, Eliza (with a comma after “dearest”), your ability to crack a witty joke or to make a goofy gesture to match mine was enough to make sophomore year bearable. I’m not sure how I found you, but I am so glad I did. Your warm presence and kindness is something that everyone who comes into contact with you comes to appreciate — I hope you never lose that.
To be frank, you were probably my soulmate in another life. Down in 016 during Argo Production Weeks, many of my favorite memories include you! From our Lady and the Tramp pizza crust moments and creating cringey videos together to just being a shoulder to lean on after a tiring day of school and editing, thanks for always being there for me.
Thanks for hugging me every time we see each other in the hallway.Thanks for listening to my rants and basically being the big sister I never had. Thanks for making me skip parts of Italian class to pick up cake from your AP Lit parties.
And finally, thanks for sending me pictures of your painted nails that far outshine the ones I send you. I’m going to miss you so very much. See you soon baefy!
From Andrew:
Eliza, the most enthusiastic JV track senior I know and my Advanced Geometry prodigy. In the silence that permeated through our geometry breakout room, you were always there asking some…interesting…questions, but I was thankful you broke the silence. I think you were the one friend I actually made over quarantine, and I was ecstatic to have a new connection, even if we only ever interacted in that breakout room with three other muted lurkers.
Then, in Chemistry the following year, we didn’t really talk until Term 3, but you, me and Priya were the dream trio. That R5 section was filled with nothing but tomfoolery, and I’ll never forget us yelling at each other about the Precalc final as Ms. Holtz gleefully remarked on how calculus made her drop her Physics major. Even though your taste in people is questionable at best, I know that you can always brighten anyone’s day. You are genuinely one of the purest souls I have ever had the honor to meet, and I wish you nothing but the best at Bryn Mawr. (you better visit though)
From Mari:
Dear Eliza, you have a unique power to make anybody feel like they are protected and supported whenever they are around you, and I guess nine-year-old me recognized that when I read your “welcome to fourth grade” letter that Ms. Baldi left on my desk. Ever since then, I have always looked up to you, which might seem strange because I didn’t even talk to you until 15-year-old me joined the Argo. Now that I know you, I can firmly say I look up to you even more than before. I’m so thankful to have such an amazing friend, and I’ll miss running to catch the train with you, or playing stupid mobile games to pass time at Park Street. Thank you for being Layout’s Red Line buddy! We all love you so much!
To the most genuine and beautiful person I know, THANK YOU!! You’ll forever be my role model, and I hope to someday impact many people in so many good ways, just like you.
