Zoe Lester and Avery Leppo

[00:00] AVERY LEPPO: Okay, here we go.

[00:08] ZOE LESTER: My name is Avery. I'm 18 years old. It's April 17 in 2024. We are right outside the Dalton school, and I am interviewing my friend, Zoe.

[00:20] AVERY LEPPO: I am Zoe. I am 18 years old. Today is April 17, 2024. We are, as Avery said, right outside the Dalton school, and I am interviewing my friend Avery. Okay, so, what does the Dalton school motto, go forth, unafraid, mean to you?

[00:38] ZOE LESTER: I think that my perception of this motto has changed over the years. When I was younger, I kind of. As you know, I was the type of person to, like, not leave my house, and I was scared of sleepovers. And so when I was younger and really in, like, little Dalton, I think it just meant try to take small steps. Like, don't be afraid to push yourself a little bit. But as I've gotten older, I also think. I still agree with that, but I also think it means to do it more for yourself than for following the rules of the motto and, like, being at Dalton and having to follow the motto. I think I do it more for myself in the sense that I want to advocate more so that I'm able to kind of have my needs, whatever they are, medical, personal, be met. And I think it's more something that I want to follow on my own. Whereas younger, I kind of felt like I had to because I went to the school, and it just felt like everyone was telling me to do it, so I was like, okay, I'll try. Yeah. What does the Dalton school motto, go forth, unafraid, mean to you?

[01:47] AVERY LEPPO: I think it means just go forth and don't be afraid to make mistakes, because that is, you know, how you learn. It's part of life. I think that's really been ingrained in me for the last 13 years, that, you know, you don't have to be afraid of messing up, because you will. It's inevitable. And that's how, you know, you learn. You grow, so, you know, go forth. Don't be afraid to make the mistakes and just see what happens.

[02:14] ZOE LESTER: Yeah, I feel like it's. I feel like we've been living it so long, it's like I'm so used to just saying it. Like, now we're actually, like, leaving and, like, going forth, like, actively leaving.

[02:25] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah. I never thought about it until someone asked me when I was giving a tour.

[02:29] ZOE LESTER: Yeah.

[02:29] AVERY LEPPO: And then I caught you. I just grabbed it a little bit, but it made this easier.

[02:34] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. I. We've known each other since kindergarten.

[02:39] AVERY LEPPO: This is true.

[02:40] ZOE LESTER: Well, technically, right before. I don't even. You don't you have terrible memory.

[02:43] AVERY LEPPO: But remember that you've said this? Yeah, I don't remember the actual.

[02:46] ZOE LESTER: But our parents got us together before we even got to the first day of school. Do you know that?

[02:51] AVERY LEPPO: No.

[02:51] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. Did you know that?

[02:52] AVERY LEPPO: When did that happen?

[02:53] ZOE LESTER: Like, before the first day of kindergarten. We went to your house. And when you lived across the street from me, and then you ditched me.

[03:00] AVERY LEPPO: That's fair a little bit.

[03:02] ZOE LESTER: But really through everything. Like, that's crazy, awkward middle school phases, kind of everything. That's weird.

[03:07] AVERY LEPPO: Remember super soccer star?

[03:08] ZOE LESTER: Oh, yes. With what's his name? Eddie Spaghetti.

[03:11] AVERY LEPPO: Oh, my God. I would not have remembered.

[03:13] ZOE LESTER: Yeah.

[03:15] AVERY LEPPO: Oh, I forgot we moved to the crowd. Cause it used to be in my backyard.

[03:17] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. And then they picked us out. Yeah.

[03:19] AVERY LEPPO: Cause there were too many people. That's okay.

[03:21] ZOE LESTER: Yeah.

[03:22] AVERY LEPPO: I remember that crunch drink. What is super soccer stars? It was just like a little soccer program for tiny kids. We didn't do that much soccer, I don't think.

[03:33] ZOE LESTER: But we did it in middle school. Then you and I were on the same team in 7th grade.

[03:35] AVERY LEPPO: That's true.

[03:36] ZOE LESTER: We played pretty well.

[03:38] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah, we played.

[03:39] ZOE LESTER: Yeah, definitely. Yeah.

[03:40] AVERY LEPPO: And in Sherman.

[03:41] ZOE LESTER: And in Sherman. Yes. Oh, my God, you guys always.

[03:46] AVERY LEPPO: But that's.

[03:47] ZOE LESTER: Always, always. Terrible team.

[03:48] AVERY LEPPO: That's a cool.

[03:48] ZOE LESTER: And all my friends know you as the girl with the red hair because I was like, oh, my God, that's my friend, the redhead one.

[03:53] AVERY LEPPO: That's her. That's my biggest identifier.

[03:56] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. But, yeah, soccer. That was funny. And now neither of us play soccer, too, which is actually kind of the funniest part.

[04:05] AVERY LEPPO: We weren't meant for the sport, but it's okay.

[04:07] ZOE LESTER: It was fun, though. Fun while last.

[04:08] AVERY LEPPO: Well lasted. Yeah.

[04:09] ZOE LESTER: Did you ever play at camp?

[04:11] AVERY LEPPO: Like, barely.

[04:12] ZOE LESTER: I did. But I was more fun with, like, Sherman and Triplog in Connecticut.

[04:16] AVERY LEPPO: Sports camp.

[04:16] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. That was funny. Yeah.

[04:22] AVERY LEPPO: Do you guys know what's, like, in store for you in the next few months and years? And are you gonna be.

[04:28] ZOE LESTER: That's a good question.

[04:29] AVERY LEPPO: What's it gonna feel like to not be at the same school anymore?

[04:32] ZOE LESTER: So much time together.

[04:34] AVERY LEPPO: It's gonna be crazy. I don't know. I'm going to Missouri, so that's going to be a little bit of a trek to get back home.

[04:43] ZOE LESTER: I don't know.

[04:44] AVERY LEPPO: I'm sure I'll visit you wherever you decide you will end up either way. That's okay.

[04:51] ZOE LESTER: I'll make my way to Missouri.

[04:52] AVERY LEPPO: Why not?

[04:53] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. But I have faith that we'll stay connected.

[04:56] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah.

[04:56] ZOE LESTER: Like, I know we've lost. Yeah, for sure.

[04:58] AVERY LEPPO: I feel like that's the. Yeah.

[05:01] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. I'm really good at, like, you want people and keeping those friendships alive, even if they don't, like. You know what I mean?

[05:08] AVERY LEPPO: I'm pretty good at it. Definitely better at it.

[05:10] ZOE LESTER: No, but you're good at it. Your sky friends, like.

[05:13] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah.

[05:13] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. You haven't been to camp in a while, and, like, totally.

[05:15] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah. At least Skye.

[05:17] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. I love Skye.

[05:18] AVERY LEPPO: Never met, have you?

[05:19] ZOE LESTER: Yeah.

[05:20] AVERY LEPPO: When?

[05:20] ZOE LESTER: At soccer in 7th grade.

[05:22] AVERY LEPPO: Oh, right. Okay.

[05:25] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. Maybe we could do a road trip out to Missouri. I'll meet.

[05:29] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah.

[05:30] ZOE LESTER: Yeah.

[05:30] AVERY LEPPO: I won't.

[05:31] ZOE LESTER: No, you're not allowed to drive.

[05:32] AVERY LEPPO: That's okay. Yeah, I might need to, though.

[05:35] ZOE LESTER: That's true.

[05:35] AVERY LEPPO: In the next couple years, probably not.

[05:38] ZOE LESTER: I'm praying for you.

[05:39] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah, I believe then you would have to drive back by yourself. Should be less fun.

[05:46] ZOE LESTER: Maybe I could, like, take you home for Thanksgiving.

[05:47] AVERY LEPPO: You can drive my car.

[05:49] ZOE LESTER: Oh, that's a good idea. That, and then I can fly home. That's a good idea.

[05:53] AVERY LEPPO: That feels like a great idea, actually, my brother said he was gonna do that at some point.

[05:58] ZOE LESTER: I don't even trust him. How old is. Yeah. Okay, that makes sense.

[06:01] AVERY LEPPO: He's 15.

[06:02] ZOE LESTER: Okay.

[06:02] AVERY LEPPO: He doesn't have his permit. He was convinced that he would do it, though.

[06:05] ZOE LESTER: That's cute. He wants to visit you.

[06:07] AVERY LEPPO: He doesn't even want to drop me off.

[06:09] ZOE LESTER: Oh, no. Because he's emotional.

[06:11] AVERY LEPPO: Yeah, I'm sure.

[06:11] ZOE LESTER: I wouldn't want to drop you off. And you feel like a sister already, so that's like, when is your.

[06:16] AVERY LEPPO: Well, you don't know.

[06:18] ZOE LESTER: I don't know anything tbil. Okay.

[06:28] AVERY LEPPO: I don't know. I feel like that's basically.

[06:31] ZOE LESTER: That's kind of what else? I'm just trying to run through Dalton memories.

[06:36] AVERY LEPPO: I'm going blank on everything.

[06:38] ZOE LESTER: I gave you a mannequin. My dad gave you a mannequin for the mummy, huh?

[06:42] AVERY LEPPO: Mm hmm. I would not have remembered that.

[06:44] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. And you got your red nail polish.

[06:49] AVERY LEPPO: Get it on walls, books. I just see little red scratches. It was a mummy.

[06:55] ZOE LESTER: It was a mummy for, like. I don't even know what it was for.

[06:57] AVERY LEPPO: I think it was fifth grade, but.

[06:59] ZOE LESTER: What was I doing? I wasn't in your group.

[07:01] AVERY LEPPO: Were you? Yeah, you were in my house. Sorry.

[07:04] ZOE LESTER: Sorry.

[07:06] AVERY LEPPO: No, I think it was just. You were being. You just gave us a mannequin.

[07:09] ZOE LESTER: Yeah, but what was my group?

[07:10] AVERY LEPPO: I don't know.

[07:11] ZOE LESTER: I actually can't even remember.

[07:12] AVERY LEPPO: It was, like, a presentation about ancient Egypt.

[07:14] ZOE LESTER: Oh, my God. Wait. It was the one I think I built like a canal system.

[07:18] AVERY LEPPO: No, that was a different one.

[07:19] ZOE LESTER: Never mind.

[07:20] AVERY LEPPO: Right, because that was. Yeah, because I did that too.

[07:22] ZOE LESTER: Okay, so never mind.

[07:22] AVERY LEPPO: Okay.

[07:23] ZOE LESTER: That's okay. I don't remember them. That's funny that I remember yours and not mine.

[07:26] AVERY LEPPO: It was a giant mummy.

[07:29] ZOE LESTER: Yeah, you loved that.

[07:30] AVERY LEPPO: It was great.

[07:32] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. Um.

[07:34] AVERY LEPPO: Okay.

[07:34] ZOE LESTER: Yeah. And the k girls.

[07:36] AVERY LEPPO: And the k. Exactly.

[07:38] ZOE LESTER: Mm hmm.

[07:39] AVERY LEPPO: Okay.

[07:40] ZOE LESTER: That's cute. Yeah.

[07:41] AVERY LEPPO: I don't know where we get.

[07:42] ZOE LESTER: Yeah, I don't know. Yeah.

[07:44] AVERY LEPPO: Sounds good. Okay.