Seventeen-year-old Acadia Bost ’24 covers everything they eat in sauce. Not just any sauces though — creative mixtures that the faint of heart would never attempt to try, including an egg yolk mixture. When we discussed condiments, Acadia made it very clear that their preferences were out of the ordinary. They said, “When I say sauce, I do not mean ketchup, mustard, mayo, Franks, Red Hot sauce, Tabasco, or bottled BBQ,” and then proudly proclaimed, “I am a sauce snob, and those sauces are boring.” Acadia lives the opposite of a monotonous life, guided by their ambitions and values. Their unique outlook on life is what makes them a wonderful person and friend.
Acadia’s parents, Doug and Carolyn Bost, instilled an early sense of compassion and creativity in them. Doug and Carolyn met as first years at New York University while pursuing degrees in the arts and were married at Acadia National Park, Acadia’s namesake.
Doug and Carolyn make a cinematic duo — Doug is a screenwriter, and Carolyn is an actress. Acadia grew up in a home infused with art, from the ’80s music her father would play around the house to the lines they often heard their mother recite in preparation for an audition. Acadia credits their interest in writing, their personal art form, to the support of their parents. They said, “My dad has always been the biggest supporter of my writing. He sends all my articles around to his friends and family.”
Acadia treasures love and kindness, which was clearly born out of their parents’ love for each other. Acadia said, “My dad makes my mom playlists all the time, and he writes little notes on post-its and leaves them around the house. My mom goes to comic-book stores to find him old editions even though she couldn’t care less about comics.” Acadia frequently collects little trinkets for their friends from second-hand stores and loves making playlists for those they care about. Acadia is quite simply a caring person, and they take that loving outlook into every aspect of their life.
Acadia has been interested in activism ever since they can remember. When I asked Acadia what first got them excited about activism, they couldn’t give me a concrete answer. This just solidified to me that activism has simply always been a part of them. They told me “I think anyone who can afford to be active has a responsibility to be.” Acadia believes it is possible to change people’s minds, and therefore change our country, through methods like grassroots organizing and restorative justice. Their activist nature likely comes from their strong tie to their moral compass. Even in debate, an activity about arguing for ideas you don’t personally agree with, Acadia explained to me that they would always look for ways to present ideas they resonated with. They said “I don’t like saying things I don’t truly believe. When we have topics where I have the opportunity to discuss issues I genuinely care about, I’ll take that, every time.”
Acadia is also an avid environmentalist. They compost at home, shop almost completely from second-hand and from thrift stores, and enjoy upcycling. Acadia has always been a crafter, and frequently goes through different phases of what they enjoy crafting. In the last year they have gone from ring-making, to sewing, to crocheting, to interior decorating, to carpentry, to jewelry making, and for the moment, now candle-making. In each phase, they have used repurposed materials from second-hand stores and from home. Acadia’s room is decorated with their projects, including vases of old bottles filled with flowers, old cabinets repurposed to hold trinkets, and a collage of photos and relics from special moments throughout their life.
They are always reflecting on their beliefs, political and otherwise, and considering new information and other perspectives. Dinnertime at the Bost household often includes a lively discussion on the latest news. Though Acadia aspires to be even more of an advocate than they currently are, social justice is a part of everything in their life, especially through their work as an Editor-in-Chief of our school newspaper, The Science Survey.
While Acadia acknowledges that their articles may not be changing the world or people’s minds just yet, they still hope their journalism informs those in their community. Last year, Acadia wrote a fascinating article about the 2023 Indian Child Welfare Act Supreme Court Case. Acadia also attends protests, has gone to pride since they were an elementary schooler, and volunteers at soup kitchens whenever they can.
Acadia hopes to one day become a journalist. Acadia says they love that a career in journalism would allow them to spread knowledge of important issues to a wider audience. Their dream is to build their career in New York City and work for The New York Times. But, their future work as a journalist is not where their activism would stop. They said, “I want to be doing as much activist work as I can, whether that’s community organizing or helping out at a shelter for queer youth or working for local representatives.”
Journalism also appeals to Acadia because they would get to explore many ideas and issues throughout their career. Acadia said, “It’s tough for me to find things that I can stick with. Journalism solves that problem — I never have to stick with an interest longer than I want to, because my next article could cover something else.” They also simply love every aspect of the journalistic process. They told me “I like writing, I like educating people, and I like learning from researchers and interviewing every-day people.”
Acadia has loved working on The Science Survey for the past three years because it has encouraged them to make connections with younger journalism students. Acadia is an exceptional editor because they don’t just work with articles, but they also work with the journalists themselves. Acadia said, “I try to work with edit-ees throughout their writing process, helping them manage their time, find sources, and write engaging pieces. It would be a much harder job if the writers at The Science Survey weren’t so amazing, but they are, so it’s really just fun.”
When Acadia isn’t working on their latest article, crafting, or commuting to Bronx Science, they love watching T.V. shows, especially ones that represent queer relationships. Some of their favorites are Hannibal, Supernatural, and Our Flag Means Death. They also love to read and listen to their favorite band, Dazey and The Scouts. Acadia also adores the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just like their father.
On an average weekend, you can find Acadia running late to meet up with one of their friends, bubble tea in hand, and petting a stray cat. They love spending time with their friends, whether it is walking around New York City with them, sitting on the beanbag in their room talking, cooking with them, or just hanging out on the 4 train heading home from school.
Acadia Bost cannot be described in one word. Their existence is a mix of innumerable influences, values, interests, and goals. All in all, Acadia’s positive outlook is the secret sauce that ties them together.
Acadia Bost ’24 said, “When I say sauce, I do not mean ketchup, mustard, mayo, Franks, Red Hot sauce, Tabasco, or bottled BBQ,” and then proudly proclaimed, “I am a sauce snob, and those sauces are boring.”