Nikita Zinovyev ‘19, a boarding student from Russia, talks about his Farragut Experience

Nikita Zinovyev is a freshman boarding student who is in his second year attending Farragut. He is originally from Moscow, Russia and is the son of Igor, an economist, and Maria, a lawyer. Nikita has two younger brothers — aged 10 and 7 — who live with their parents back in Moscow but Nikita believes they will both attend high school in America like him one day.

Here is a question-and-answer interview with Nikita:

How did you find out about Farragut? My mom and I went to the agency because I really wanted to come to school in America. I knew the schools are better here in America and I could receive a better education here than in Russia.

How many schools did you research? Quite a few. Farragut was the best one, though.

What did you like the most about Farragut when you saw it online? They had a lot of sports to choose from. I also liked the waterfront because I love to sail.

Had you visited Florida before coming to school here? Yes, we come to Sarasota every summer, so I knew what this area was like. (Sarasota is 45 miles south of St. Petersburg.)

What were your thoughts about going to school abroad? I thought it was going to be hard to get adjusted, to get used to the system, but it was a lot easier than I thought. The people here at Farragut, the teachers, coaches, other students made the transition a lot easier. It was easy to gain friends because of the great type of people here.

What is your favorite part about living at Farragut? You get some different liberties than you would at home. It makes you mature faster and you learn about how to take care of yourself. I also like that I’ve been able to make friends from all over the world.

What has the “Farragut Experience” been like for you? The school gives you a great opportunity to get into college because of the education you receive here. The teachers are great and are always there to help you after school, if you need any help. I also like the different types of sports to choose from and the drill team. The waterfront is great, too. I go sailing a lot with my friends or paddleboarding or kayaking. I’ve also met and become friends with a lot of people from different countries — China, Mexico, Spain, Russia and America.

What sports or extracurricular activities do you do? Soccer, tennis, drill, sailing.

What is your favorite part of campus? The waterfront.

What do you like to do in your free time? Go sailing. Go to the beach.

For those considering going to school at Farragut, what would you like them to know? If you want to study in America and eventually go to college in America, you can get a great education here in America at an incredible place like Farragut. I know I will be able to do certain things once I graduate that I wouldn’t have been able to do had I stayed in Russia. Being around so many other students who are driven to succeed like I am has helped me get better in school.