It’s safe to say that Sacha Jarrell, class of 1989, is a true New Yorker through and through. Having grown up in SoHo, now residing five blocks from her childhood home, she first attended The Washington Market School in 1987 when its location was on Greenwich Street. Sacha was a part of the first class to attend WMS where it now resides, on Hudson Street; she spent her last two years at Hudson. After The Washington Market School, Sacha attended UNIS and then NYU and Columbia for college, not straying far from her New York roots. Sacha is a writer, producer, director, and film editor as well as a certified Infant & Toddler Sleep Specialist.

Sacha’s daughter attended WMS and was taught by Jan (Classroom A) – whose first year as a teacher was during Sacha’s last year at Hudson Street, creating a full circle moment for the mom of two. Many of Sacha’s core memories and love of the outdoors and adventure were formed by her experience at WMS. She recalled her time spent in Washington Market Park where she now brings her son and daughter. Each spring, she and her classmates would hatch butterflies and learn about the beauty that is in nature all around us. Living in New York City, we often feel as though nature is not nearby, but Sacha’s experiences at WMS shaped her world view to be that nature is surrounding us at all times, even in the middle of TriBeCa. From the stoop, to the playground, and wandering the TriBeCa streets, Sacha recalls feeling a strong sense of connection to her community through attending WMS. Running into Ronnie and her classmates on the weekends and on the way home from school was a unique experience that many children don’t get to experience.

It’s no coincidence that Sacha has a life full of discovery, an appetite for adventure and a lifelong love of learning. She credits her time here at The Washington Market School to being a transformative experience that shaped her into the creative, loving, caring, mom, writer, and friend that she is today. In Sacha’s words, she is so grateful that WMS gives students “their first taste of learning and freedom to jump, skip, paint, play and move to the beat.”