Faculty Tribute - Summar Ellis

Ever since arriving at Lawrenceville, Ms. Ellis has been a role model for me, other teachers, and students alike. Ms. Ellis was one of my first teachers at Lawrenceville and I distinctly remember the welcoming environment of her classes. My Winter Term Math 2 class during my II Form year was hosted entirely on Zoom. Yet, despite sitting behind a screen all day, Ms. Ellis still managed to make each class feel connected, vibrant, and enjoyable.

Throughout all of our classes, I treasured the energy and enthusiasm Ms. Ellis brought to each lesson while helping me adapt to life at Lawrenceville. This past year I had the pleasure of having Ms. Ellis again as my math teacher. At the beginning of Fall Term, I did not know many of the other students in my math class, since we had a wide range of IV, III, and II Formers. Nonetheless, I can confidently say that throughout this year Ms. Ellis has taught our class not only precalculus, but also how to work together in a cohesive group, collaborate with new peers, and most of all, have a good time. While I have had many interesting classes and teachers here at Lawrenceville, I have never laughed harder than I did this year in Ms. Ellis’s precalculus class.

Even on long days, I am always eager to get to math class because of Ms. Ellis’ contagious smile and energy. Each day, Ms. Ellis starts her class with a breathing exercise. We inhale and exhale together, before jumping into the lesson for the day, and I believe this meditation exercise has allowed for our class to get to know each other better. Throughout my time with Ms. Ellis, I have noticed how much she cares about her students. She always wants the best for others, and will work tirelessly to ensure that she can help her students reach their full potential both in and beyond the classroom. I am very sad to see Ms. Ellis leave Lawrenceville, and I will miss her positive presence here on campus. Nonetheless, I know that Ms. Ellis will achieve many other wonderful things in the future. Ms. Ellis, thank you for being a true inspiration to me and to the many other students on campus. We will truly miss you so much!