A letter to new students

By Clara Moffitt

Dear New Students,

On behalf of the Class of 2021, I would like to congratulate you on completing your first semester at TPA! As seniors, this wraps up our 13th semester, and I can definitely say that your class of 2021 has seen it all. We recall with painful remembrance a time when the lockers were green, and we look fondly on the days where backpacks were allowed on top of lockers. As the campus experiences many changes this year, each of you will be able to remember a time where you had to walk through the rowdy Senior drama class or sit at the tables in the math room that dare not surpass 6 inches in width. During your time at TPA, you will write your own history, creating legends for generations to come.

The class of 2021 is one of the most historical classes of this century. In our short sojourn throughout high school, we’ve experienced the Red for Ed movement, March for Our Lives, an unparalleled movement for racial equality, and literally a global pandemic. Each of these have drastically altered history and our lives. With our experiences in mind, I hope you read the following carefully, for you too will one day bear both the great power, knowledge, and responsibility that comes with a red polo shirt.

My first piece of advice relates specifically to 6th graders: take time to stop and smell the roses. You don’t need to carry your materials for all 6 periods to every class. There is something beautiful about congregating at the lockers, reflecting on the previous period or catching up with friends. I promise, it is a beauty you won’t want to miss. As you walk (I repeat: walk, not run) to class, take some time to watch what is going on around you. You may see Dr. Evans sitting in the garden analyzing American literature with a student or Mr. Lambros telling a football player to cut his hair.

Even though Disney’s “High School Musical” is the greatest movie of all time, my favorite thing about TPA is that it isn’t like High School Musical. These short 6-7 years of your life may be the only time where you can seriously do anything you want. At Tempe Prep, the star football players are in Choir, the school’s best singers are captains of the Cross Country team, and the Speech and Debaters… well, maybe they stick to the status quo. Sure TPA has cliques and friend groups, but there are no boundaries here. Join the basketball team! Try out for the school play! Middle/High School is the perfect time to find out what you are passionate about. Make sure that when you leave high school, you leave feeling fulfilled.

This brings me to my final advice for success at Tempe Prep: enjoy the ride. While you are here, don’t just do your HL readings, enjoy them! Cherish the pursuit of truth, beauty and goodness. At TPA, I’ve written about goodness and virtue, discussed justice, and so much more with the help of the most phenomenal teachers. My teachers are former professors, PhD holders, and passionate about learning. They are true experts and care about you! Our teachers sacrifice so much time to support their students in any endeavor (I’m looking at you Dr. Wallington and all of the amazing teachers writing letters of recommendations!). The education we receive at Tempe Prep is unlike anywhere else–I know that I will be leaving TPA morally edified and academically rounded.

Being at Tempe Prep for 7 years can be a long haul. There are times when it is hard and grueling and, trust me, we’ve all wanted to quit at one point. But what I have come to learn is that the reward comes from the struggle. Don’t get me wrong, we have dances, field day, no homework weekends–TPA is fun. But in discouraging moments, remember why you are here: is it to sit in the piazza rehashing an exciting humane letters argument? Is it excitedly volunteering to say the answer to a math problem that took you so long to solve? Is it sitting across the table from your teacher working to articulate answers to difficult moral questions?

These are some of the moments that reminded me why I am at TPA. These are moments that have defined who I am and what education means to me. If you find yourself in 6th grade, wondering if these crazy seniors even know what they are talking about, remember: at one point, we were all in your shoes. We made it, and you can too. So, if you ever need, find someone on campus with a red polo on, because class of 2021 is here for you.

Sincerely,

TPA Class of 2021