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Erika Trapp ’12 Speaks at Veterans Day Assembly
On Monday, November 10, alumna and U.S. Army veteran Erika Trapp ’12 returned to the Hill to speak at Assembly in honor of Veterans Day.
Trapp spoke to the community about her military career path—from the ROTC program to her service as a Field Artillery Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. She served as a Second Lieutenant during a combat deployment to Afghanistan and is a veteran of the Global War on Terror.
Trapp’s speech focused on three key lessons she learned during her time in the service: the importance of learning from everyone you meet, the necessity of making mistakes and moving on, and the value of making a positive contribution while one can. She closed her speech by challenging the Hopkins community to use their privilege to serve others in their own way.
"I believe that the world doesn't become a better place by only large and public acts. I believe that everyday Americans choose to serve their community, our nation, and our world through simple, small, quiet acts,” Trapp said. “And if your version of service looks like putting on a uniform and raising your right hand, I'll tell you it's the best job I ever had."
Following Assembly, Trapp visited several classes, including Tim Phipps’ Military History class, as well as Scott Wich’s, John Roberts’, and Zoe Resch’s 21st Century Democracy classes.
Hopkins is a private middle school and high school for grades 7-12. Located on a campus overlooking New Haven, CT, the School takes pride in its intellectually curious students as well as its dedicated faculty and staff.
Hopkins School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.