Stellar Sam
Whether he’s running an MIT Launch meeting or playing theater games with kids, senior Sam Noyes pursues a wide variety of interests on campus.
Noyes’s advisor, biology instructor Richard Aaronian, admires how Noyes’s commitment to academics has grown over his four years at the Academy. “He can write papers very quickly, and he’s also very good in math and science,” Aaronian said. “He’s matured. His desire to improve in all aspects of his life was always there, and through time he figured how to do that more efficiently.”
Noyes’s excellent academic performance allows him to help others. Upper Jamie Demopoulos attributes some of his academic achievements to Noyes. “He’s very supportive and energetic: whenever I need homework help, I would just text him, and he would help me with it,” Demopoulos said. “Last year, I was struggling a lot with physics, and he helped me for a couple of hours per week.” The two also have fun outside the academic setting; Demopoulos and Noyes surf together. Demopoulos recounted with admiration how Noyes battled against inclement December wind and freezing water for an hour at a time. “Last time, it was very cold, but he [Noyes] tried for an hour, which was very admirable,” said Demopoulos.
“One thing that strikes me about Sam’s character is his ability to put himself out there. He is never afraid to ask questions. I know a lot of friends come and go, but Sam has always been there.”
One of Noyes’s main interests is coding. He fell in love with coding in seventh grade, and he has continued that passion at Exeter. “I started programming in seventh grade at summer camp, and I ended up enjoying it because I like the logic behind it,” he said. Noyes’s friend and fellow senior, Lucas Webb, remarked on Noyes’s coding talent. “He is very good at computer science and has been a very good partner to work with on projects,” said Webb. “He creates really cool stuff in computer science and has even made a couple of iOS apps.”
While Noyes’s main priority is academics, he also plays multiple sports and has been a member of Exeter’s junior varsity baseball team since his lower year. Aaronian, who used to be Noyes’s baseball coach, emphasized his coachability and attentiveness. “In baseball, he worked as hard as anyone on the team to get better, and he really improved in all parts of his game,” Aaronian said. “He was seen as a leader on the team.” In addition, Noyes currently heads the skiing club alongside Webb, with whom he also enjoys hiking.
Noyes’s non-sibi attitude shines through during his time spent with children. As a co-head of ESSO Theatre Games with Kids, he teaches drama and improvisation to young children. “I’ve always loved comedy, that type of thing. I have a bunch of Robin Williams and Jerry Seinfeld CDs in my house,” he said. “Also, working with the kids is great because there are a lot of kids who come back. I feel like they come a long way.”
Most recently, Noyes founded the MIT Launch Club. With teaching materials obtained directly from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Noyes and other club heads explain to members the concept of entrepreneurship and help them polish business plans. “I’ve always wanted to start my own business,” said Noyes, a loyal fan of the entrepreneurship-centered TV show Shark Tank. Although MIT Launch Club was just established at the start of this school year, it boasts an email list with more than one hundred members. Last November, five teams from the club submitted their business pitches to MIT Launch and received counsel from personal mentors. Members of the club have complemented Noyes’s caring and organized leadership. According to prep John Han, a member of the club, Noyes always “goes the extra mile to make sure that everybody in the club is taken care of.”
Not only does Noyes have a caring side, but his fearlessness is something that inspires others, like Webb. “One thing that strikes me about Sam’s character is his ability to put himself out there. He is never afraid to ask questions,” Webb said. Webb also describes Noyes as a close and reliable friend. “I know a lot of friends come and go, but Sam has always been there.”
Many who know Noyes also respect his well-developed sense of humor. Aaronian complemented Noyes as having a good balance of work-ethic and wit. “He’s got that strong inner drive, and he’s serious about his work but can also laugh about things,” Aaronian said. However, Noyes never lets his desire to do well get in the way of his inquisitive nature and love of learning. “I think Exeter has helped me put everything in perspective,” Noyes said. “At first I would kind of beat up myself if I didn’t do as well as I wanted, but now I focus more on the learning aspect of it and being interested in what I’m doing, rather than just the grade.”