Roxboro Community School (RCS) Class of 2015 member Alexandra Robinson chose to return to her hometown after college and says she is honored to work as activities coordinator at the Person County Senior Center.
“To care for those that once cared for us is one of the highest honors,” Robinson said. She added that she is even more honored to serve the elders in her own town. “I love that I get to serve the seniors of Person County every day, and am able to provide meaningful leisure opportunities for them,” she said.
After graduating from RCS, Robinson earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation and parks management, with a concentration in therapeutic recreation, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She completed an internship in Burlington, working with seniors with different abilities and dementia. She said that internship convinced her that working with and advocating for seniors would be her “dream job.
“I want seniors who live in a nursing home or independently in their own community to have a reason to get out of bed each day and look forward to what’s to come,” said Robinson. “It’s hard to put memories into words,” she said, “but I have so much joy remembering all of the magical moments I have spent with the residents and participants I have served over the past few years.”
Robinson said she remembers, as a youngster, “passing by the Person County Senior Center and knowing I would have a chapter there in my life.” While working at another center, she saw a job posting pop up on her phone, and, she said, “I listened to my intuition and immediately applied.” Now, she said, “Here I am, knowing well in my soul that I made the right decision.”
When asked how RCS influenced her, Robinson said, “The teachers I had at RCS poured an abundance of encouragement, motivation and endless support into my heart. I was given opportunities that shaped me into who I am today.” She cited her high school journalism class, saying, through the class, she was able to publish book reviews in the local newspaper.
“I still have my review of The Perks of Being A Wallflower in a scrapbook with other memories I adore,” she said.
Her theater class at RCS was also an important part of Robinson’s high school years. She said it “pushed and gave [her] confidence,” and one of her favorite memories is of “those long nights at the Kirby, perfecting munchkin scenes in The Wizard of Oz and building friendships with [people] that I still have today.” She added, “There were many teachers, classes and opportunities that helped me grow through those years and I am thankful for them.”
Robinson concluded, “I look at my 2015 class now, and am super proud of us. We each have our own colorful threads that weave together to make a beautiful tapestry that tells a story about how impactful RCS was to each of us.”