Librarian Tansy Matthews has a long history with Green Hedges, and an understanding of the School’s philosophy that has been formative in her own life’s path. She became a Green Hedges student before she was three years old, during the late 1970s, and attended until her Grade 8 graduation. In her case, the self-described family atmosphere at Green Hedges is literal: her two sisters and a brother-in-law also attended. “It is so wonderful to be back on campus and realize that although all the people have changed, and so much of the campus has changed, the core values have been maintained. I still feel at home here,” she says.

Ms. Matthews Earned her B.F.A. in Art History at Savannah College of Art and Design, her Master of Library and Information Science from Drexel University, and a Post Graduate Certificate in School Library and Media Studies at Catholic University. She has served as Program Coordinator for the Urban Libraries Council, as Librarian at the Corcoran, and Associate Director of the Virtual Library of Virginia. More recently, she was appointed as Long-Term Substitute Teacher in Fairfax County, and spent time volunteering in the Green Hedges Library. Explaining the focus of her work, she says, “As a college librarian, I saw that students entering college were not prepared in expressive or research skills. I wanted to step back and start to provide those skills to younger students.” Reflecting on the benefits younger students derive from what she calls “a solid grounding,” Ms. Matthews says, “People with a broader world view become more competent adults, and have a chance to appreciate more about the world around them while contributing in a greater variety of ways.”