We are counting down to the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and it is a particularly bittersweet time for our 8th grade students as they prepare to graduate under very unusual circumstances. To help celebrate and recognize our ILS Class of 2020, we are again launching our “Meet Us Monday” blog series to introduce you to the members of this year’s graduating class.
Each week, we will be sharing interviews that we have done with each of our 8th grade students, in which they share more about their favorite ILS memories and traditions, words of wisdom they’ve received over the years, and other reflections from their years here with us at ILS. We hope that you will enjoy these reflections, and join with us in congratulating and celebrating these students!
Meet Us Monday: Darryl A., ILS Class of 2020
1. How long have you attended ILS? I’ve been at ILS since 6th grade. It was my middle school experience. I’ve met amazing people and I have amazing teachers, and I’ve learned a lot about myself too. Each year had its own vibe. 6th grade was really just learning the ropes and adapting to my new surroundings. 7th grade was taking everything from 6th grade and learning to apply myself more in work, and be a better communicator, turn my work in on time, and all of that. 8th grade has combined everything I learned in 6th and 7th grade and added jazz to it, and I’m earning to just enjoy middle school and being at ILS. I’m still having fun but learning to be a good student!
2. To what house do you belong, and how have you developed as a person by being involved in it? I am in the House of Augustine with the amazing captains Tyler Reese, Ione and Newman. Something that has developed in me as a person is hearing other people's perspectives and to be a better listener. When you have three captains from 6th, 7th, and 8th it kind of forces you to think outside the box. Our captains have different perspectives – Newman is so smart, Tyler Reese is so organized, and Ione is so encouraging – it’s been great for our house. It’s helped me learn when to agree to disagree but still respect and support each other, and do it without drama. It’s helped us feel the value of respecting each other.
3. What was your favorite House competition? All the ones that we won, of course! The Bible Bowl is fun because our house is so good at it. Everyone is on edge during the competition. We’re counting points constantly in the Bible bowl and desperately trying to help each other find the right references and so on before any other house. It’s full of panic, but my teammates put together different things they know to race to the answer first. Last year the spelling bee was so great also – our house member Jonah led us to victory and we were all so proud of him! Actually, now I’m not sure that we won those but it was definitely close if we didn’t.
4. What is your favorite ILS memory? (Or, which ILS tradition will you remember the most?)
I would say my favorite memory is – ugh! There’s a lot. It’s a tie between all my favorite inside jokes and any funny moment in class. History produces a lot of funny moments – Mr. Barnett gets so passionate and sometimes uses voices, like accents, to impersonate figures from history. Sometimes he’ll pace around which just adds to it all, and sometimes he’ll give the whole class reminders but looks directly at one of us, which we all know is his way of nicely correcting one of us without losing his sense of humor!
A tradition I’ll always remember are our evening services. A few times a year we have an evening chapel service (Advent, Easter or Lent, Graduation) where we just give thanks to God and acknowledge the season of the Christian calendar. Students sing in the service and play handbells, or do other special musical things. There’s a chamber choir, sometimes the teachers sing, sometimes people play instruments. Knowing you’re in one of those groups is awesome, especially when we can sing with the adult singers. You just feel special! And obviously handbells are so fun – I don’t even know why. It’s HANDBELLS, Ms. Kramer. There’s just so fun, and it’s the instruments we get to play. Afterwards, we go down to a reception and everyone talks and our parents all talk forever.
5. Which event did you most look forward to during your 8th grade year? Oh, this is painful. I was really looking forward to Adventure Camp and
our Graduation party. Oh no. Now my eyes are getting watery. I’ve just gotten so close to everyone over the years. I’ve learned so much more about myself and how to communicate with others well. I’ve learned to listen and not just be so blunt. Soon I’m going to another environment and it will be a completely different ballgame. I’m going to take everything I’ve learned at Immanuel about people skills and work ethic and apply it.
6. What was your favorite class at ILS, and why? I’ll have to go with …. Oh this is hard. Can I say three subjects? Math is a winner; I’ve had two different math teachers here but they both helped me immensely and especially pushed me to be able to produce good work on my own, and learn when to stay inside to ask for guidance rather than just turning something in that I wasn’t confident about. Science this year has been so fun – we’ve done so many experiments! And logic, of course! We’ve learned a bit about formal logic and have been learning how to have arguments and debates on anything with good reasoning and without using fallacies. It’s pretty hard and sometimes I just find myself sitting there thinking “Okay, well, at some point this will all make sense!” but know it’s always going to make sense eventually if I hang in there.
7. What was your favorite ILS field trip? Camp, obviously. It’s three days of learning and being out in nature,but it’s insanely fun and you get to do it with your classmates. You grow closer. You sleep in bunks. There are a lot of team building exercises. There’s so much drama surrounding camp each year, but it’s pretty great.
8. Where are you attending High School? I’m not sure where yet! We’ve talked about Wittenberg Academy, Oakcrest, more – there are a lot of options!
9. What will you miss the most about ILS? Barging into your office, Ms. Kramer! I’ll miss bothering you. I’ll also miss the privileges of 8th grade – we get to go outside between classes, go anywhere on campus during breaks, you don’t have to ask permission to visit other floors in the school, etc. That comes with responsibility too – we’re being trusted to make sure we’re on time and make sure we’re not leaving campus or doing something wild. It’s all about accountability. It’s great to have those freedoms and none of us want to lose those privileges so we really have to stay on the ball. It’s about knowing what you need to do, when you need to do it, how you need to do it, and where you need to do it.
10. What is something a teacher told you that you will never forget? Stay on top of your work, always ask questions, and don’t doubt yourself. Everyone has told me that. It’s been a pretty consistent message from my teachers! After your mom passed away, Ms. Kramer, it meant a lot that me and Tyler Reese could talk to you about it and that you told us you were sad. Anytime we have a heart to heart in your office it sticks with me. It also really sticks with me whenever Miss Davis helps us sort out friendship issues – all of that means a lot. I can’t forget those things.