The Art of the Matter
based on a Zoom conversation between the MennoExpressions editors and Auddie Roe
Congratulations to Auddie Roe, who graduated in December 2025!
The editors had the opportunity to visit with Auddie in Zoom, and this article emerged from that conversation.
Initially school was a challenge for Auddie, who has been diagnosed with ADHD & autism. Auddie described how they struggled at school because “kids didn’t like me, and the teachers didn’t know what to do with me.” After school, Auddie’s mom would ask, “What did you learn in school today?” All too often, Auddie would shrug their shoulders and say, “Nothing.”
Before long, the family decided that public school was not working well for Auddie and opted to give home schooling a try. That seems to have been the perfect choice for Auddie. It gave them the opportunity to learn without distraction and to work at their own pace.
They used home school cooperatives, including Roots & Wings Indy, which meets at FMC. These cooperatives gave Auddie a chance to take courses in specialized subjects such as American Sign Language and Ceramics and to engage in collaborative activities such as Improv. Auddie even was able to be part of the swim team at the public school in Brownsburg.
Throughout their schooling, art and history emerged as Auddie’s favorite subjects, while math and physics were not as much to their liking. In fact, art has become one of Auddie’s passions, and they plan to pursue a degree in Fine Arts. Auddie would like to study at an art school in Canada or Europe and is planning to take the next year to decide which schools to apply to. Auddie’s preferred artistic medium is ink, particularly using pixelation. You can enjoy some samples of their artwork below.
We ended our conversation by asking Auddie what message they would like to send to MennoExpressions readers. After considering the question for a bit, Auddie responded by encouraging people to “try new things. Don’t be afraid; be willing to take chances and explore new opportunities.”
That sounds like sage advice for us as individuals as well as for us as a congregation.
