If you’ve visited Roycemore recently, chances are that you’ve come face to face with this week’s Faculty Friday feature: Erin Kelly Gaines.

Ms. Erin is Roycemore’s receptionist and most people’s first impression of the school, and we’re so grateful to have such a friendly presence gracing our front desk!

No two days are the same at Roycemore, something that Ms. Erin knows better than anyone! Her work spans across all of Roycemore’s divisions and she interacts with every person on campus, whether it’s offering them a smile as they come in, ensuring everyone gets where they’re going, or offering support to our student body. Ms. Erin’s goal is to make the front entrance of Roycemore a welcoming place, and she takes great pride in the fact that visitors and community members alike get to experience Roycemore’s caring energy from the moment they walk in the building.

Ms. Erin is also a faculty co-sponsor of the Upper School Teen Empowerment Club, and works with the students to put on the Mental Health Con. Her passion for mental health education is something she endeavors to share with all Roycemore students. However, what brings Ms. Erin the most joy about the mental health con is the fact that it is a student-driven project. Students working on bringing mental health education events to Roycemore don’t do it for class credit, they devote hours to planning, research intensely, and present to their peers because they share a passion for destigmatizing mental health and creating conversations among their classmates. For Ms. Erin, it’s a joy to be a mentor to them as they explore that passion and provide them the support they need to execute these events.

When she’s not behind the front desk, you can probably find Ms. Erin pursuing her passion for one of three things: New Kids On The Block, the Chicago Bears, or Broadway musicals. She’s been a season ticket holder for the Bears since 2002, during which time she’s only missed four games, she’s got an impressive Broadway playbill and window card collection, and any Roycemore community member would be able to tell you about all of her cool experiences with the New Kids. We’re grateful that Ms. Erin shares her passion for mental health education, her warm personality, and her love