“At High Point I made friends that I keep in touch with to this day, so for that I will forever be grateful.”
By Norma Richman
My Brief Bio—
I grew up in Pasadena and came to HPA in 5th grade. After graduating from High Point, I went to Mayfield Senior School, then on to UC Berkeley. Following my undergrad years, and after a two-year break from school, I attended graduate school at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly “UC Hastings”). After law school, I moved back down to Southern California.
I am the mother of a current High Point Eagle—Meera Hudson (2nd grade), and I work as an attorney in Pasadena. I primarily represent school districts, community college districts, and special districts, providing general counsel advice and advising and assisting them with respect to their facilities, construction, and property matters.
My High Point Experience—
High Point is so special to me because it was instrumental in my academic and social development as a young child and preteen/teenager. It was a challenging four years for sure, but High Point prepared me well for high school and beyond. Also, at High Point I made friends that I keep in touch with to this day, so for that I will forever be grateful.
I attended High Point from 5th to 8th grades. Remarkably, I started the same year as Mr. John Higgins (Head of School at the time). To this day I am so grateful and appreciative of how welcoming my classmates and their families were when I first started at High Point. Being new to a school where many children have been at the same place and have known each other since kindergarten was nerve-wracking and difficult, but everyone was so kind, down to earth, and welcoming. It made the new transition a bit easier.
My Personal Observations and Reflections—
I will always remember my first teacher at High Point, Mrs. May. She was so warm and creative. I am forever indebted to Mrs. Teets and Mrs. Schwartz, my 7th and 8th grade homeroom teachers, for their support and confidence in my abilities. It meant the world to me as an insecure teen.
As for special events at High Point, I fondly recall our 6th grade Greek Olympics. Some of my fondest memories are the simplest ones—like how we would get orange or apple juice and graham crackers at the first recess and how on birthdays, everyone would usually bring a box of glazed donuts to share with the class. That is one tradition that has changed!
It’s been amazing to see how High Point has developed and improved its facilities since I graduated in 1997. While most of the faces are different now (with the exception of a notable few), it’s clear that High Point continues to foster and develop a community that is committed to ensuring the school thrives and flourishes.
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