Giving

Holler Back: From Jazz Band to Mock Trial, Madeliene Holler Is Hitting All the Right Notes

Eighth-grader Madeliene Holler ’29 doesn’t just attend Prep -- she makes the most of it. 

Whether she’s competing in Mock Trial, swimming varsity laps, or playing in Jazz Band with her best friend, Madeliene is diving headfirst into everything Prep has to offer.

These wide-ranging experiences have helped her not only settle in but thrive. “I believe being involved with the community made me feel connected to people I wouldn’t normally interact with,” she said.

A familiar face on campus even before middle school, Madeliene first arrived at Prep as a kindergartener through SummerPrep, where she explored everything from robotics and web design to Minecraft and graphic design. 

Now, she names French and Algebra 1 as academic highlights. “I enjoy my classmates and the challenging courses,” she said. 

Among her favorite memories so far? Jazz Band. “I’ve had so many fun moments at Prep -- it’s hard to choose just one,” she added

Her Prep journey has shaped her in lasting ways. “It’s made me a more well-rounded human being,” she said.

She describes herself as “intelligent, honest, and a bit of a procrastinator” -- something she’s learning to balance as homework and extracurriculars pile up. It can be hard to find time for herself, she admitted. Her advice to incoming sixth graders: “Don’t overstress like I did; it leads to a more enjoyable time.”

Looking ahead, Madeliene dreams big. She’s drawn to science -- especially nuclear physics, thanks to an inspiring engineering class -- but she’s also considering law because her grandmother is a lawyer, and she loves Mock Trial.

When she’s not studying or performing, this Albuquerque native and proud Unicorn spends her time reading, writing, playing video games, and making music with friends. At home, she shares space with her mom (a realtor), her stepdad (who rents lights to the film industry), and three dogs -- two Great Danes and a bloodhound. Her dad works converting cooking oil to biofuel.

As she heads into upper school, Madeliene Holler is ready to keep expanding her world -- one bold new step at a time.