Every day I come to work, I’m flooded with memories from the time I was a student at Villa. I feel so lucky to have attended this school. I met some of my closest friends here when I was just five years old. I was a timid kindergartner at first, always crying when my mom dropped me off in the mornings and then rushing up to hug her when she worked in the lunchroom. But after a few weeks with my fellow classmates, my parents had to pry me away from school in the afternoons.

Mrs. Rector was my first teacher here, and she has long since left the school. I still have vivid memories of her turning the lights down for nap time and asking each of us to grab a carpet square. Instead of sleeping, many of us would put our carpets together in a small circle and whisper about who had the coolest eighth grade buddy or the best Playmobil set.

I remember reaching lofty milestones, like learning left from right, finally being able to somewhat tie my own shoes and tell the time, struggling through reading a Berenstain Bear book, and drawing a Christmas tree. I remember racing out to the playground- back when it was the old cement and metal play ground composed of massive tunnels pushed together with secret hideouts above and in between them- to be the first one to reach the wood chips, and playing Cat and Mouse and Lava Monster with my pals. Funny enough, those are games that we played through eighth grade. Back as a tiny kindergartner, even the first graders seemed so big to me. I was so scared of them when they would chant the “Kindergarten Baby” song out on the playground.

My sister, Galen, started Kindergarten here when I was just a year old. I can’t remember that far back, but I know Villa has been another family for me almost since I was born. Ages one through fourteen are pivotal years in an individual’s life. My Villa peers and I experienced our fair share of trials and tribulations both personally and scholastically during our elementary and middle school years. However, because of Villa’s community, not once did I feel like I was alone. My teachers at Villa are some of the best ones I’ve had. I derived my passion for the French language from Villa, where Madame Joulain would create engaging games with prizes, songs, and dances to help stimulate our learning. I started writing my first novel at Villa. Although I never finished the book, as lengthy as it was, I remember my seventh grade Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Taylor,  being so encouraging and patiently leafing through and editing the superfluous writing. Even later on, when I was in high school and college, I felt that Villa was a second home for me and I frequently came back to visit. Mrs. Smith, my eighth grade science teacher, always welcomed me back like I was an old family friend. Being more artistically minded, I didn’t pursue math or science in college, but some of my Villa classmates and friends attribute their success in medical school to Mrs. Smith instilling in them a love for the sciences.

Villa has a special magnetism that constantly draws people back. Since I started working here in September, there have been neighbors, alumni of all ages, and alumni family members and friends who pop in to tour the building and share their stories. It’s not every day that one has such a strong attachment to their Kindergarten through 8th grade school. I think it’s a combination of Villa’s history, scholastics, and general community that make it so special to people of all ages.

-Claire Smith ’03