Trinity’s House System is made up of four Houses each with its own faculty dean, student captain, and four more student coordinators. Seton House, named after Elizabeth Ann Seton, this school year is led by Elizabeth Howard, although many of her friends just call her Lizzy. When Lizzy started her freshman year at Trinity she came from a public school. So, unlike many of her fellow students, she did not have friends going into high school. But, through the House System and its ability to keep the student body interconnected she felt much more comfortable and welcomed.

Lizzy felt that mentor group was something of a second family to her, so being able to have a community of people that she could rely on and trust became one of  Lizzy’s favorite parts of the House System. Lizzy, as an only child, was glad to have someone kind and caring to lead her through this new experience. Lizzy was grateful for the mentors she had at the time, and she was determined to recreate this experience for others so that they could feel just as welcomed into the Trinity family and house system as she had been.

As a House Captain, Lizzy expected that the loudest voices after events would be those that did not enjoy the activities, however, she was pleasantly surprised. “The kindness and respect of the Trinity Community shines bright,” she said. During mentor group, Lizzy is often told by at least three different people what they enjoyed, both students and teachers alike. Lizzy has found the kindness of the students flows very easily to her, however, she has found that something that hasn’t come so easy is being able to think of activities that everyone will enjoy. Lizzy said that “as Captains, we strive to have diverse activities that are tailored to all students’ interests.”

When asked if she would recommend underclassmen apply for this role (or any role in the house system), Lizzy said “Absolutely!” She recommends those who apply for this position are filled with integrity, flexibility, and grit. She was the first sophomore to ever be a coordinator in the house system, so it warms her heart to see others follow in her footsteps and take the initiative. So far, she has made a great impact on Seton House and plans to continue to positively impact others by creating opportunities to empower others to lead. Lizzy notes that, “You get as much out of the house system as you put into it. Embrace it and you will have a great time being part of this welcoming community!”