Quinn Loose ’27 Earns National Academic Honors

Senior Quinn Loose has earned two significant academic honors this fall, but what stands out about Quinn is not simply what she has accomplished; it is the way she continually seeks out new opportunities to learn, explore her interests, and discover where those interests might lead.

Quinn has been named a 2027 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist, an honor recognizing approximately the top one percent of more than 1.3 million high school seniors nationwide. In Vermont, Quinn is one of just 26 students to earn this distinction. Her achievement places her among the nation’s top scholars while representing an extraordinary accomplishment within Long Trail’s tight-knit school community.

Quinn has also been awarded the University of Vermont’s Green and Gold Scholarship, a highly selective award that covers full tuition for four years at UVM and recognizes high-performing students among the university’s top scholars.

While these honors reflect Quinn’s academic excellence, they tell only part of her story.

Quinn is consistently looking for ways to learn beyond the classroom. During the summer of 2026, she traveled to England to participate in an international teen leadership summer program to explore topics including business leadership and entrepreneurship.

The summer before, thanks to Long Trail School’s unique partnership with Tufts University, Quinn attended Tufts University’s Early College Summer Program.  At Tufts, she took part in the Engineering of Music program. The experience opened her eyes to career possibilities that combine two of her longstanding interests: mathematics and music.

That curiosity has continued into the school year. Quinn is currently completing her second year of an internship focused on guitar building, where she is designing her own guitar specifically designed to fit women’s body frames. In addition to her internship and busy school work she volunteers at a senior living community.

At Long Trail, Quinn has also taken advantage of opportunities to pursue advanced coursework, and is in her third semester of dual enrollment for college-level mathematics. Outside the classroom, she serves as president of Long Trail’s National Honor Society and captain of the varsity track team, where she competes as a thrower.

For Quinn, exploring different interests is part of what makes learning meaningful.

“I love Long Trail for its small community. Everyone knows you by your name, and you feel very seen and known,” Quinn said. “Long Trail gave me the opportunity to have flexibility and encouragement to try other courses, endeavors, and constantly push myself. My teachers know who I am and support me. They are engaged in my success and my future.”

That combination of challenge, flexibility, and personal support that she has received at LTS has allowed Quinn to pursue questions wherever they lead—from mathematics and music to engineering, business, leadership, and design. 

Quinn’s accomplishments have earned her recognition among some of the top scholars in Vermont and across the country. But perhaps the most defining part of her Long Trail experience is not any single award or achievement. It is her willingness to keep asking, What else can I explore?