Patrick Godfrey
What is your first memory of Trinity?
My first memory of Trinity was my shadow day as an incoming seventh grader. I specifically remember standing at morning prayer, almost awestruck, watching as every boy in the school joined to say the Lord's Prayer. It was a bizarre moment for me, because it was almost my first glimpse into a school that centered around community through God. And seeing everyone gathered there, I didn't feel like I was at a school full of separate grades and classes, but rather as one, huge, unified organism.
What classes have you particularly enjoyed?
I enjoyed MATLAB and studio art the most, because they both give me the ability to be independent in what I choose to do, and how to approach it. Another reason I loved these classes was how I could clearly see my improvements happening in real time, with the iterative nature of programming allowing me to watch my code develop over several attempts, and art allowing me to see my piece look more and more like an accurate rendering of my reference.
What do you think makes Trinity Academy distinctive?
The size of the school definitely sets it apart from many others. With such a small number of students, you really get much better relationships with fellow students across grades. You really do know everyone at the school. The smaller class sizes also mean that no matter how much I am struggling with a topic, the teachers can always have time to help clarify any questions I might have.
Do you have a favorite Trinity Academy tradition? Why do you like it?
Spirit Week is definitely my favorite Trinity tradition. It really shows how creative a lot of our community at Trinity is, and it also gives me a glimpse into the interests of other people that I may not have known about.
What is one class or subject you would not have taken on your own initiative? What was that experience like?
I would not have taken choir if I was at another school. I have never really thought of myself as a good singer, but taking choir I learned that I can improve on things that I either don't have an affinity for or do not enjoy.
What have your extracurricular experiences added to your life?
I actually started cross country because I knew that I hated running, but I wanted to give it a good effort before I made a complete judgement on the sport. While my personal opinion was not swayed, I could find some respite in the fact that suffering with my team allowed me to feel a different sort of community in bonding over a difficult experience. I have done tennis for many years, and loved that sport for how technical it is. Each mechanical movement has so many small pieces to be perfected and adapted that gives an easy breakdown of how to improve your gameplay.
What was your favorite book in Humane Letters?
My favorite was The Brothers Karamazov. It does an excellent job of exploring human nature and shows how to grow even out of bad situations – not to mention, it is simply a fun book to read.
What advice would you give to an incoming student (one very much like yourself) about how to get the most out of Trinity?
The Trinity community is always ready to support you no matter what. Whether you need help studying flash cards at lunch or need extra math help after school, Trinity has created a net of people always willing and ready to help, so use any opportunity for support you can.
What’s next for you? What do you hope it will be like?
I am taking a gap year, working a job, doing independent study, and volunteering. I will be exploring possible career paths in tech related fields like cybersecurity, but mostly trying to find a direction before I enter college.
