Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1993 TAG: 9306160325
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KEN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
There was Mr. Pauli in 11th-grade biology class, Mrs. Argabrite in 12th-grade AP government class. . . .
And, of course, there was Mom.
"She's a natural teacher," Robin said.
Although many parents like to take an interest in their children's education, Robin's mother, Karen Slikker, went a bit further. She spent six years teaching Robin at home as part of a home schooling program before enrolling Robin in Christiansburg High School in 1991 as an 11th-grader.
"I was really nervous when she first went to school," Karen said. "There was plenty of evidence on other fronts that we were doing a good job, but you just don't know for sure. Robin was going into a totally different environment."
But Robin lived up to her mother's expectations. She will graduate tonight ranked 14 in a class of 161, with a 3.65 grade-point average and enough honors and awards to earn her a full scholarship to Berea (Ky.) College, a four-year Christian school.
Not bad for someone who only spent two years in high school.
"I really enjoyed high school," Robin said, politely steering the topic of conversation away from her accomplishments. "I don't know if I learned as much as I did at home, though."
Robin said even though she believed public school offered her a good education, it wasn't as much of a course of concentrated study as what she had at home.
"I think that's what high school is for, though," she said. "It gives you the opportunity to do different things."
But the soft-spoken, reserved honor graduate doesn't like to talk about the different activities she was involved in, the awards she won, the academic honors she received. She is more content praising the abilities of her mother and high school teachers.
Her mother, however, doesn't mind talking about Robin.
"I'm very proud of her," she said, looking over at her daughter. "I certainly don't take the credit myself."
Karen said academics weren't the only reason she and her husband decided in 1982 to teach their four children at home.
"Part of our intention was to provide our family with a good environment," she said.
The family unit has grown to five and Karen said she is still teaching her two youngest children at home. She said the family has been very fortunate to work with a school like Christiansburg High.
"Everyone has been wonderful," Karen said. "We've been really happy with the teachers and the administration."
Robin said she, too, will miss the friends she made at Christiansburg, both within the teaching staff and the student body. But as she looks forward to studying French and political science in the fall, she shows the all-too familiar signs of senioritis.
"I'm going to miss everyone, but I'm glad I'm graduating," she said with an exasperated laugh. "I don't want to go on anymore."
\ CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH CLASS OF '93\ \ NUMBER OF GRADUATES: 161\ \ NUMBER OF HONOR GRADUATES: 27\ \ VALEDICTORIAN: Jill Teresa Johnson\ \ SALUTATORIAN: Kevin John Bennett\ \ NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS: 38\ \ VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIPS: $50,000\ \ COMMENCEMENT TIME & LOCATION: Tonight at 8 in the Christiansburg High School\ auditorium\ \ COLLEGE-BOUND GRADUATES: 95\ \ MILITARY-BOUND GRADUATES: 9
by CNB