What started as a simple suggestion became a meaningful experience for her high school career. Encouraged by her ceramic teacher, Blair Porter, to apply for the Sterling Scholar in Visual Arts, Highland senior Rachel Eisenberg decided to take the chance.
“I just thought it would be fun if I won,” Eisenberg said.
What was believed to be low pressure quickly became a chance to reflect on past years of creativity, commitment, and growth.
Eisenberg stands out not just for her art, but for everything she balances alongside it.
“Rachel is so hardworking,” Porter said. “She juggles so much academically and with her extracurriculars.”
With being a multi-sport athlete comes a lot of determination. Eisenberg has competed in lacrosse, swimming, and mountain biking, serving as a team captain this year while also coaching ski racing and earning her second-degree black belt in martial arts. Along with AP classes and leadership roles, her schedule is challenging, but she manages it with focus and grit.
With that mindset, the Sterling Scholar process became a new experience where she included a detailed application alongside essays and an interview. While she expected something simple, one part stood out as complex: writing about her own work.
“I’m in ceramics, just sitting there with clay, and I’m kind of messing around, and then all of a sudden, I have a piece,” Eisenberg said. “But writing about the meaning behind that was kind of daunting.”
Still, she embraced the process, presenting her portfolio through a slideshow, reflecting on how her art had evolved over time.
Ceramics has played an important role in her success. After four years in ceramics classes, including AP ceramics, Eisenberg developed technical skills and is always looking for ways to enhance her art.
“She has great craftsmanship and follows through on all projects,” Porter said. “She makes adjustments when she feels necessary to improve.”
That resilience was tested when one of Eisenberg’s most important pieces exploded in the kiln. Instead of giving up, she started over.
“It was a real heartbreaker,” Porter said. “But she made an exact replica, and now it’s part of her AP portfolio.”
This piece, which Eisenberg calls “lipstick on a pig” became one of her proudest accomplishments.
“It made me confident that I could do it again,” Eisenberg said.
In the classroom, Eisenberg found a sense of freedom that kept her motivated. AP ceramics allowed her to fully express herself through her art.
“You’re making whatever you want,” she said. “That creative freedom has been really fun.”
Eisenberg’s growth as an artist has also been meaningful to those around her.
“Watching her find something she is really passionate about, and developing her skills has been the most rewarding part,” her mom, Margaret, said.
While Eisenberg has always enjoyed art, her passion deepened in high school.
“When she came to Highland with the great visual arts program, and discovered how much she loved ceramics, she really developed into the artist she is today,” Margaret said.
Outside of art, Eisenberg is involved in the National Honors Society, serves as vice president of the Kindness Counts Club, and enjoys spending time with friends and family. Balancing so much requires discipline and efficiency, something her mom has seen firsthand.
“She does a great job of anticipating what needs to be done, and finding time to do schoolwork, spend time with friends and do extracurricular activities,” says Margaret. “She is very organized.”
For Porter, Eisenberg’s success is about more than just her talent.
“She has the confidence to put herself out there but is still humble,” Porter said. “Students like her really make it all worth it.”
Part of what sets Eisenberg apart is her approach to difficult challenges.
According to her mom, it comes down to her creativity, her persistence and her patience. Those qualities have shaped her journey and have helped her during tough times.
Eisenberg’s hard work paid off when she was announced the Sterling Scholar for Visual Arts, an achievement that reflects her dedication. As she prepares to attend the University of Vermont and study elementary education, she plans to continue her hobbies while carrying forward the lessons she has learned.
Her journey emphasizes the impact of art on education beyond the classroom.
“Art isn’t just about learning to draw, paint, or do ceramics,” Porter said. “It plays a deeper role in how students think, express themselves, and engage with the world around them.”
If her mom, Margaret, could describe her in one word, it would be fulfillment, a word that captures not just what Eisenberg has accomplished but how she has grown. From early experiments, to becoming a leader in the studio, Eisenberg has built something long-lasting, something bigger than a piece of art.
In the end, her story isn’t about honors or recognition, it’s about her creativity, resilience, and finding her purpose in the process.
