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At Cornell University, Deming plans to pursue both interests, double majoring in biological sciences and performing arts

On stage this spring, Deming Gantz ’26 perfected the art of being mean.

As Regina George in “Mean Girls,” she delivered cutting lines and icy stares with confidence. Offstage, she made a point of doing the opposite.

“I’d go out of my way to talk to people, especially younger students,” Deming said. “If you had never met me before and all you see is me glaring at people onstage and yelling, you might think that’s what I’m really like. But it was not real — I promise. I am not mean.”

That contrast — stepping fully into a role while staying grounded in who she is — reflects the kind of leader Deming has become at North Shore Country Day: self-aware, intentional and deeply considerate of others.

“I think it taught me a lot about leadership and kindness,” she said. “Being able to flip that switch, and then flip it back.”

That same balance defines her experience beyond the stage. At a school where she values the close-knit community — “I know every single person in the high school,” she said — Deming has pushed herself both academically and independently.

One of her earliest turning points came in sophomore year AP Physics.

“It was the first advanced AP class I took,” she said. “It’s so different — fast-paced, the tests are hard, and you have to be really independent. Learning how to navigate that was a big moment.”

That independence led her to seek out opportunities beyond the classroom. Interested in science, Deming began cold-emailing professors in search of hands-on research experience. One message led to a summer in the lab of Heather Pinkett at Northwestern University. Deming didn’t know it at the time, but Heather’s daughter, Piper Held ’33, was also an NSCD student, and Heather is on the board of trustees.

“I was just emailing a lot of professors because I wanted to actually be in a lab,” she said. “Not just a program, but helping with real research.”

In the Pinkett Lab, which studies how molecules move in and out of cells, Deming immersed herself in the detailed, methodical work of research — preparing materials, pipetting protein samples and tracking crystal formation well by well.

“I’d never been in a lab before, so it was really cool to see how it actually works,” she said.

The experience expanded her under-standing of what a future in science might look like.

“A lot of people think science just means becoming a doctor,” she said. “But there are so many different paths.”

Back on campus, Deming has explored those interests across disciplines. Through North Shore’s science sequence, she built a foundation in physics, chemistry and biology — an approach that helped her see how fields intersect.

At the same time, theater remained a constant. A four-year participant in upper school productions, she credits her time on stage with shaping both her confidence and her approach to learning.

“When you’re memorizing that many lines, you have to have a system,” she said. “I realized I use that same process when I study now.”

She also points to teachers like Joan Ryder, who modeled the importance of balance.

“She’s serious about the work, but also fun,” Deming said. “I think that’s really important.”

At Cornell University, Deming plans to pursue both sides of her interests, double majoring in biological sciences and performing arts.

“I love theater, and I want to keep doing it,” she said. “But academics are really important to me too. Being able to do both is exciting.”