Puja Clements (Class of '20) had an unconventional senior year. "My senior year, we didn’t have a graduation because COVID hit right around that time," she remembers. So her cohort did not get a prom, they did not get to do their senior prank, and they were unable to complete a time-honored tradition: "We did not get to walk and get our diplomas the way you normally would."
But one thing becomes apparent about Clements immediately - her irrepressible joy and can-do attitude. She continues, "It was still nice, though, because some of the parents set up a drive-through graduation just for us. We drove to parking lot, and got to walk one at a time and pick up our diploma - six feet apart with masks. And we watched a long video of graduation speeches and performances."
And then she adds with a grin, "So we technically did get to walk - it was just unusual."
Since then, she has been a regular presence on campus, giving back in one of the best ways possible. "I have been teaching for the Summer Program ever since I graduated," she says. "I asked Leilani Nussman (the Summer Camp Director) if I could teach, and I asked to do pottery." She pauses and adds with a smile, "I fell in love with pottery here at Northwest. Randy Silver taught me everything I know. And now I even have my own setup at home."
I enjoyed my time here, learning all the different art forms, enjoying the community, and I loved my teachers. At Northwest, you get knowledge, and also learn to treat others with respect and understanding.
"Puja is an amazing artist, teacher, and coach," says Leilani Nussman, NWS Summer Program Director. "It has been remarkable to watch her grow from a CIT to an experienced teacher today. The skills that she learned as a student at Northwest - art, self-advocacy, inclusive communication, and kindness - I see her putting these into practice every single day in her classes."
Clements completed both Middle and Upper School at Northwest, and made the most of her time on campus.
"One thing I really loved about Northwest is how the faculty prepared me and really got me into art," she says. "I got to learn ceramics and stained glass during Summer Camp." Eventually, this passion turned into a career path for Clements. "I went into college interested in studying art, and graduated with an Art degree from Bard College."
While on campus, Clements also discovered and honed other talents.
"I also got interested in volleyball here at Northwest," she states, adding that she went on to play club volleyball and later played volleyball in college, too.
She has coached volleyball for ages 15-16 at a local club in 2025. And Clements has also coached volleyball for middle schoolers transitioning into high school at Northwest from 2020-23, and again in 2024 for Middle School students with Richard Ha.
Northwest's Modern Languages and Global Programs introduced her to Mandarin and a love for travel. "The experience of learning Mandarin really helped me later when I visited Taipei and afterwards studied Japanese in college," she says.
As a Northwest Summer Camp instructor, Clements also maximizes her Mandarin skills to form connections with international campers. "I am also now able to communicate with international students a bit because of this – it’s awesome!
Northwest set me up for success in college! I already knew how to write long essays, and I learned time management and communication skills that served me well.
Clements and both her siblings are all Northwest alumni. They have all moved on to different parts of the country since graduating. "I am the oldest," she shares. "My brother also graduated in 2020 and is now in California, and my sister graduated in 2021 and is now in New York."
She enjoys that she is able to continue pursuing her hobbies while interacting with and teaching students.
"I don’t have a fixed plan for what lies ahead," she says. "I just want to keep exploring. If I don’t know something, I will put the effort to learn and understand it and keep growing."
She pauses and then adds with a big smile, "And especially in the arts!"