Tricia Haslinger

Although I don’t remember my first day of Stage II, it’s a story my mom loves to tell. As we walked into the Domes, hand in hand, she was prepping for a dramatic departure. After all, it was my first day of kindergarten and that can be a scary thing. Instead, as we got to Annette and Laura’s classroom, I turned around, blocked her from coming in, and said, “You can go home now.”

From Day 1, Roeper created an environment where I was both comfortable and confident…clearly! But also one that fostered growth, individuality, responsibility, and independence – as a member of the community, as a student and, down the line, as a self-assured person in the real world.

When I reflect upon my Roeper education, from age four through graduation, there are plenty of highlights that come to mind, both in and out of the classroom – playing capture the flag on the Big Field during P.E. with Ed; playing Black Magic in Emery’s Stage IV science class; band concerts in the Birmingham campus gym; Middle School dances in the Hill House; earning off-campus privileges in 8th grade; going to State Finals for Volleyball, and so many more. But what I value even more and my true takeaways include the humbling experience of being nominated for the Bretzlaff Scholarship by my Stage III teacher, Mary Windram; learning to be an independent and critical thinker; and meeting my lifelong friends.

A lot of my best friends from Roeper are still my close friends today – I’m lucky to be surrounded by genuinely good people who just “get it.” We’ve been with each other through it all – from climbing the Trojan Horse; to Empty Bowls in Jarie’s art class; to Gloria’s Stage IV homeroom; to the ice cube insulator challenge in 6th grade science; to dissecting frogs in Intro to Bio with Laura; to playing basketball for Ernie; to being on the newspaper or yearbook staff with Linda; to celebrating getting into college; to attending different universities; and to sticking with each other through it all and beyond.

The Roeper bond is a special thing that I am always thankful for. I could walk through the Lower School campus or the hallways of Middle & Upper School today and still feel like I’m a part of something and that I’m in a place where I belong. It’s comforting to know that the administration may change, the teachers may come and go, the buildings will get renovated, but Roeper will always be a place that I can call home.

Tricia Haslinger, Class of 2009