It’s our final countdown to the end of the 2021-2022 school year! It is a particularly bittersweet time for our 8th grade students as they prepare to graduate. To help celebrate and recognize our ILS Class of 2022, we have again launched our “Meet Us Monday” blog series to introduce you to the members of this year’s graduating class.
Each week, we are 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: Erika, ILS Class of 2022
1. How long have you attended ILS?
“I’ve attended ILS since Jr. Kindergarten, so that would be 10 yrs, and I’ve loved every year.”
2. To what house do you belong, and how have you developed as a person by being involved in it?
“I’ve belonged to House Athanasius, and I’ve developed by working better in a team and getting to know everyone else in the Upper School better. As captain, I’ve learned how to be better leader. You have to listen to everyone’s ideas and opinions and try to incorporate them better.”
3. What was your favorite House competition?
“My favorite House competition is Field Day. Everyone is so encouraging, and there is so much House spirit. You are always doing something, whether it is setting up or participating in an event. It is really just so much fun.”
4. What is your favorite ILS memory? (Or, which ILS tradition will you remember the most?)
“It’s very hard to pick one memory since been here so long, so if had to pick one (or two!), it would probably be from science camp.
This year, one of my favorite memories was at science camp when all of the 8th graders played a game volleyball on the sand courts. It was a great bonding time.
Then another great memory was on the way back from science camp, when Miss C. Davis took Ava, Emelyn, Ingrid and me to McDonald’s to get ice cream. It was just a lot of fun.”
5. What subject have you studied that has most inspired you, and how? What subject have you studied that most challenged you to grow or change?
“The subject that has most inspired me has been English. It has inspired me to think deeper – to not just think about what is happening in the book as I read but to really look at deeper meanings in the book. It even helps me at home when I read to think about and better understand the books I’m reading.
The subject that has most challenged has been math. It was easy at first when you didn’t have all the variables and equations, but it has gotten more challenging to understand all the ways to solve problems. But Miss D Davis has done a good job of explaining and helping us learn.”
6. Where will you attend High School?
“I will attend high school at Bishop Ireton. I’m excited to have one year with my sister, Abigail, who will be a senior next year. I am sad, though, to leave ILS, and I know I probably won’t see Ingrid as often.
”
7. What will you miss the most about ILS?
“I will miss most the teachers, friends, pastors - basically the community. There is always someone to talk to, especially teachers. They talk to you not just about school but about your life and give you advice about what you’re going through. I know you probably don’t get that at most other schools, so I know that is something I will miss.”
8. How has a teacher impacted your life personally in a way you will never forget?
“Miss Malcolm has impacted my life. In 5th grade she began to teach me volleyball (which I know must have been tough because I wasn’t very good at first) but she kept with it, and really helped me to improve.
Also, Miss C. Davis and Miss Malcolm are both always very comforting and there for me when I’m sad. They’ve always been there to cheer me up and give me hugs, and I don’t know how I could have gone through ILS without them.”