Abby Stewart

As an 8^th grader, Junior Abby Stewart was tempted to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and attend a different high school. Despite being her top choice at the time, she also knew she wanted to play high school soccer, and her sister’s school didn’t have a girls team. So she took a chance on a shadow day at Roger Bacon, a chance that would change everything.

“Roger Bacon was just so different. I loved my shadow day, and my host. I expected that being an 8^th grader, no high school kids would want anything to do with me, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I got to meet the soccer team, and I couldn’t believe how supportive and friendly they were. I knew I wanted to go to Roger Bacon,” says Abby.

A well-rounded student, Abby is an Assisi Scholar, a member of the girls soccer and bowling teams, on student senate, the academic team, is a school ambassador, and volunteers for St. Vincent De Paul and Trash OTR. “I love the community of the school, and how everyone is accepted for who they are. No one is just one thing here. That is just the best thing to me. You can be all of these different things, from soccer, to being in a musical, to taking photography, you can do all of the things you want to do here, and you are always accepted and supported. No one has to be pretend to be something they are not, and no one ever acts like they are better than anyone else,” shares Abby.

Because of the unique Roger Bacon culture, Abby often wonders what her life would have been like at another school, and if she would have made such great friendships with such a unique mix of peers. “I love that you can have all of these different friends. My main group of friends is so different, from all of these different backgrounds, with all different interests and activities, but it is like we have known each other forever. I feel like sometimes they know me better than I do. Then I have all of these other friends all over the school, because, really, everyone is friends here. It is just so much fun to know that we will be friends the rest of our lives. I don’t know that I could have made these types of connections at a bigger school, or a school that didn’t work so hard to make every student feel important.”

Like most Roger Bacon juniors, Abby has begun thinking about college. She says she would like to continue study photography, as her teachers at RB have inspired her to think creatively, and she has enjoyed the spark they have lit to “think outside the box.” Yet, she is also interested in forensic science and a potential career in crime scene investigation. Whatever she chooses to study, despite temptation to head west, she has a suspicion her heartstrings may keep her closer to home. “I want to go far away, like to California. I think that would be great, but I could also see myself wanting to be close to where my Roger Bacon friends are. I just don’t know what it would be like if I didn’t have them around,” says Abby.

Thinking back to her own shadow day as an 8^th grader, and those 8^th graders she has hosted as an ambassador this year, Abby has the following to share, “There is no place like Roger Bacon. I am a positive person, but even on days when I don’t feel like I want to be, you can’t come here and not smile every single day. This is just a place where you can find yourself, and figure out who you are, and what want to be. You don’t have to worry about ‘fitting in’ because everyone is celebrated for who they are. It might sound corny to say at this age, but Roger Bacon is the best decision I have ever made, not just for high school, but in my life so far.”