Edlin Novogratz: Creativity Runs in the Family
Edlin Novogratz, 17, was tired of the unrelenting pace of New York City. And her pet rabbit was, too, so she packed up her bags and moved to a boarding school in southern Vermont.
Having just completed another year at the Putney School in Vermont, she traveled to Paris for one month this summer to pursue her interests in film and photography. She focused on creative writing and taking pictures for her portfolio.
The blend of visual and written storytelling is central to her next pursuit: journalism. Edlin plans to study it in college, drawn to the way she can incorporate photography with writing.
Her creative drive is something she shares with her family. As the second youngest of five siblings, Edlin particularly admires her 20-year-old sister, Madden. With larger age gaps between her and her other siblings, the two were inseparable. “We grew up attached at the hip,” she says. Edlin likens her siblings to a big friend group; while there are clashing personalities, they have always regrouped and remained close. She loves having so many imaginative and talented siblings to look up to.
Along with her bond to her siblings, she shared a fond memory with her roommate at boarding school. It was a snowy, winter night this past school year when she returned to her dormitory, sleep-deprived after a draining day of school. She and her roommate lay on their beds in silence, contemplating the hours of work left in store for them. They turned to look at each other and decided to abandon their work, turn on the lights, and eat an entire apple pie. For one night, laughter and a flaky crust beat the stress and deadlines.