For Charlotte Thies ’25, rowing is more than a sport—it’s a source of strength, discipline and direction. A National Letter of Intent (NLI) recipient bound for Georgetown University, Charlotte has balanced the demands of a two-sport athletic career, the depth of Pine Crest academics and a three-year focus on business and social impact through the Social Entrepreneurship Program.
Charlotte’s athletic journey began on the soccer field at age two, coached by her father. “I did every sport Pine Crest offered,” she said, listing soccer, tennis, golf, basketball, volleyball and track and field. Track seemed destined to be her main focus until her mom, who was a coxswain at Rollins College, encouraged her to give rowing a try. “The second I got on the water, I knew. I loved it. I still did track through high school, but rowing became my passion.”
As captain of the rowing team since her sophomore year, Charlotte has trained under Olympic medalists and coaches, competed nationwide and taken on the challenge of mastering both sides of the boat—and even sculling, which she pursued independently in Palm Beach. “College athletics have always been my dream,” she said. “To make it to this point is surreal.”
Her experience balancing rowing, track, academics and entrepreneurship has taught her discipline and flexibility. “At Pine Crest, a lot of us are perfectionists. But I had to learn how to manage my time and not put all my eggs in one basket. Using a planner, setting reminders and starting things early, those habits really helped me.”
Though Charlotte’s Pine Crest experience is uniquely her own, it carries a special family connection. Her mother, Melissa (Roder) Thies ’89, also walked these halls. “It was really special, because we had very different experiences here,” Charlotte said. “But the core values were the same: becoming your best self, always doing your best and doing good for others. My mom instilled all of that in me before I even got here.”
That foundation found further expression through Pine Crest’s social entrepreneurship program, a three-year course that Charlotte credits as one of the most valuable parts of her high school experience. “I always knew I was interested in business,” she said. “But it wasn’t until I talked to Mrs. [Keri] Kolettis, Vice President of Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and went through the extensive application process that I realized how much I wanted business to be part of my everyday life. Social taught me hard skills like resume building and public speaking and gave me confidence I didn’t know I had.”
As a junior, Charlotte co-founded “GRIEF Lift,” a peer support organization created in partnership with classmate Jake Weidenfeld ’25, who reached out to her following the loss of her father. “I’m an only child and I felt so alone,” Charlotte said. “Therapy helped, but nothing compared to having someone like Jake who truly understood. I wanted to create that for other students who had suffered the loss of a parent.”
GRIEF Lift now spans the Lower School and both Pine Crest campuses with plans to expand to the MIddle School in the fall of 2025. Even as she heads to college, Charlotte and Jake plan to continue mentoring students and working with faculty advisors to ensure the program’s legacy. “Pine Crest was so integral in helping me through my grief,” she said. “I want to give back.”
At Georgetown, Charlotte plans to study business on a pre-law track, merging her interests in law and enterprise. “I don’t see myself starting a business, but I love the structure and strategy of business,” she said. “I want to go into corporate law—something where I can bring both worlds together.”
Reflecting on her time at Pine Crest, Charlotte finds it hard to name just one defining moment. “Every teacher, every coach, every experience shaped me in different ways,” she said. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all of it.”
As she looks ahead to college and beyond, Charlotte carries with her a strong sense of purpose, forged through adversity and nurtured by a community that believes in the power of potential—on the water, in the classroom and far beyond.
