Good
Evening,
My name is Emily Atkinson and I am the music teacher at Trinity. I am also a Trinity alum. I started in kindergarten with my twin brother Colin in 1983 and graduated 8th grade in 1992. I have a younger brother, Evan, who graduated in 1997. I wanted to take a few minutes of your time this evening to talk with you about why I believe (and know!) Trinity is such an amazing and special place for children and their families. It’s easy for me to do. I love to talk about Trinity and explain to people why it’s so special to me. We all have some kind of connection to Trinity and obviously feel strongly about this school and all that it stands for. It truly is a place where children learn to love learning. I was one of those children. I loved my time here as a student. I made many good friends whom I remain close to, I respected my teachers, and I loved the campus and school environment. I knew, even at that young age, that I was somewhere special. I remember all of my teachers, from Ms. Bee in kindergarten to Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Carey, who were the 8th grade homeroom teachers. I was a happy child and my Trinity memories are full of happy moments. Just a few include making my first communion banner in second grade, navigating the campus on crutches in first grade after running into my friend Willy on the playground and spraining my ankle, dances in the music room, of course looking forward to the Fall Festival every year, playing in the handbell choir, singing “On My Own” in the talent show in 7th grade…I could go on and on.
Growing up,
Sr. Catherine Phelps was my principal, as well as hand writing and 8th
grade religion teacher. When I started
teaching she became my role model and friend as well. Her devout dedication to Trinity’s mission
guided her decisions and actions. She
would say every day on the announcements “you only get this day once so make it
a great one”. She lived every day doing
her best and with so much joy, compassion and kindness. Sr. Catherine helped shape the kind of
teacher and person I am. She is a HUGE
reason that I came to work at Trinity and I try to honor her through my words
and actions.
My parents, like many other Trinity families, were committed to helping where needed and being involved. My father was on the Board for many years and served as the Chair during part of that time. My mother was involved with the HSA, and we all remember the year she was in charge of the wrapping paper fundraiser. My brothers played on the basketball team and I accompanied the choir on the piano during concerts for my music teacher, Mrs. Bridges. When you come to Trinity you become part of the Trinity family. The relationships you make with your friends, other families, and teachers don’t end when you graduate. They stay with you. My brothers and I still keep in touch with our friends from Trinity. When I moved home after college, I lived with a Trinity friend (Becky vanSwol). When I got married, she was one of my bridesmaids. Sr. Catherine was at my wedding along with a former teacher and now my friend (Kathy Hobart), as well as my brother’s best friends who, you guessed it, went to Trinity and are considered like family to us (Carolyn Cosentino,Jeff Newman, John Paul Chase, Ernest Wagner, Betsy vanSwol).
A huge part of my childhood memories at Trinity involve the campus. When I was a student, it’s true that the landscape did look different. This was before Grovemont community was built, and the convent and a smaller building to the right of St. Lidwines were still here. Of course things change, the nuns sold some of the land, but you know what? It’s still just as beautiful. I am so lucky to drive through the front gates and down the driveway every day. The trees. The buildings. The chapel. The playground – wow, the playground. I remember playing family around the roots of the big trees. Enjoying the swings and the seesaws. Burning my legs on the steep, metal slide that luckily was replaced years ago. There’s a sense of peace and happiness I feel when I drive into campus, when I’m walking with my classes during the day, and when I’m outside for recess duty. It sounds corny, but being on campus feels good for my soul. It resets me if I’m having a bad day. And of course, I have to mention my classroom. If you have never been to the music room, you have an open invitation to visit anytime. It is the envy of my music teacher friends at other schools. The large, open space, the stage, the fireplace… I am so grateful to spend my days on this campus.
After sharing a few childhood memories with you and expressing my love for this school, I’m sure it’s no surprise that once I decided to become a music teacher, my thoughts quickly turned to how wonderful it would be to teach at Trinity. At the end of college, my 8th grade teacher Mrs. Lewis had moved into the middle school principal role and I kept in touch with my music teacher who was still there, Mrs. Bridges. They took a trip one fall day to Fredericksburg, VA to observe me at the school where I was student teaching, and a few months later, I started teaching at Trinity. That was January 2001, and now it’s 2019 and I still feel like I have my dream job. And why have I stayed? For the same reasons I loved Trinity so much as a child. The children, no longer my classmates (?), but my students. Their happiness, joy and enthusiasm are infectious. The teachers, now my colleagues, are a group of kind, dedicated, professional men and women who bring their best every day. The campus and surrounding nature that lifts my spirit. And the families, who show their support and commitment to the values of our school in so many ways.
Thank you
for letting me share these reflections with you, and thank you for your
continued support for Trinity School and all it represents!
