It’s May, so we are counting down 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 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: Ingrid, ILS Class of 2022
1. How long have you attended ILS?
“I’ve been at Immanuel since Jr. Kindergarten, so 10 years. Overall, I’ve loved it.”
2. To what house do you belong, and how have you developed as a person by being involved in it?
“I belong to House Athanasius. I have developed as a person by becoming better able to work in a team. Houses are not independent places, you work together, and you have to hear the ideas of other people. Houses are also fun, and it helps you learn not to let the spirit of competition get to you. ”
3. What was your favorite House competition?
“My favorite competition is Field Day. It’s all day long, everyone is super enthusiastic and encouraging. You bond with everyone and have a great time. We do a water balloon toss and there’s a dunk tank. The soccer games are really fun even though soccer isn’t my sport and I loved getting called to play for the game. Many of my memories are with my twin sister Erika, because we often team up in events. ”
4. What is your favorite ILS memory? (Or, which ILS tradition will you remember the most?)
“Oh, I was dreading this question. I definitely have individual memories, but to me, being at school here is more than just all of these moments in time – it’s just what I’ve known my whole life. Also, it’s still going on! The year isn’t done yet. I do have a ton of great memories, but it’s so hard to choose one special thing.
One of the traditions I’ll miss the most would be our evening services, like the Advent Service and Graduation Vespers. Getting to be a part of the worship, like playing handbells or singing, is really satisfying. After every service, the parents usually talk for a long time and we can go run around outside. It just feels special.
I basically couldn’t possibly just pick one memory!
”
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?
“In 5th grade, we studied Anatomy and Physiology. It has inspired me so much, and now I want to be a doctor, maybe a pediatrician. The body is so complex! Our teacher, Miss Malcolm, was so into it that it made all of us love it even more. It helped us learn how amazing and complex it is that God put so much care into forming us. Our bodies are made to function in the same way even though we’re all different, which is cool. You might think someone else is completely different from you, but the same processes are happening in their body that happen in yours.
Most challenging for me is math. Math got a lot more challenging when we hit algebra. Part of the issue is that I’m very curious and I’m trying to understand WHY the formulas work that we study. I ask a lot of questions. On the upside, it is one of my favorite subjects. When you solve a problem, it just works so beautifully, and it’s useful too. It’s satisfying. ”
6. Where will you attend High School?
“I will be attending high school at Bishop Ireton. My older sister Abigail is a Junior there right now so I’m excited to be in the same school with her once again. I’ll be sad to leave ILS however, and know I won’t have as many classes as I do now with my sister Erika (twin). ”
7. What will you miss the most about ILS?
“Everyone says the community, but I’m not sure I’d say it that way. I think it’s the teachers and the friends and the pastors. At no other school can you find a headmaster like Ms. Habrecht. At other schools you might not ever approach your headmaster, but I can just go talk with Ms. Habrecht. Teachers can help you with your life and support you, and so do our friends. My whole class is amazing. ”
8. How has a teacher impacted your life personally in a way you will never forget?
“In 7th grade, I started thinking more about my faith in God. Like, why do I believe in God? Is it because my parents do or just because I was taught to? I talked to Miss C. Davis and Pastor Esget about it almost every day last year. Both of them were so comforting to me and didn’t judge me. They both told me over and over that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. So they helped my faith in Jesus, and that’s the most important thing I could hope for. ”