School news
Equitable climate action partnership at VINS
Middle school and high school students presented at the third annual ECAP\(Equitable Climate Action Partnership) at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science on May 8. Students got to experience some activities, check out the birds and trails, learn about birds and climate change and present their projects.
Middle school students Reese Fenity, Isa Contarino and Annabelle Park presented about their food system project from wellness. The girls gathered local foods from Annabelle’s garden, cooked over 80 healthy meals and served them to people in need in Rutland.
Middle achool atudents Reese Fenity, Isa Contarino and Annabelle Park presented about their food system project from wellness. The girls gathered local foods from Annabelle’s garden, cooked over 80 healthy meals and served them to people in need in Rutland.
High schoolers Pea Richardson, Bethany Thorburn, Sadie Boulbol, Owen Whalen and Brody Allen shared about their immersive semester work at the King Farm this past fall where they created a permaculture design for future use of the land and made and planted air pruning beads with native trees.
From Woodstock to the streets of Madrid
Just before spring break, eighteen students, accompanied by Mr. Villanueva and Mrs. Leibly, swapped our rural countryside for the bustling streets of Madrid, Spain. It was the second half of our exchange program; after hosting our Spanish correspondents in October, it was our turn to see where they live.
For a group from a small town, the commute was just as much of an adventure as the landmarks! Students navigated the metro (subway) and public bus systems. They also took a sightseeing bus tour and hit the Gran Vía — Madrid's version of Broadway — to go shopping and people watch. We also spent an evening at a flamenco show, watching both dancers and musicians perform. The energy and rhythm were incredible to see in person, especially since we have nothing similar here at home. To round out the city fun, we spent an afternoon at an amusement park.
We packed a lot of history into a few days, including:
The Royal Palace and the armory where we discovered that medieval armor is Mrs. Leibly-sized. Sadly, the king and queen were not there to greet us.
The Prado Museum, where we turned art history into a scavenger hunt.
The Plaza Mayor, the Main Square which served as the city's central marketplace in the 9th century (and for many centuries after that). Not far from the plaza we saw the world's oldest restaurant, which is even older than our country!
Retiro Park, where we took a break from walking to row boats in the park's famous pond and saw the Puerta de Toledo and the Puerta de Alcalá, massive gates that served as entrances to the walled city.
Segovia: We spent a day in Segovia, a small city about an hour north of Madrid. The students stood beneath a 2,000 year old Roman aqueduct and toured a 13th century palace-fortress called an alcázar. This was the place where Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to fund Columbus' famous voyage.
Tapas and tortillas: you can't go to Spain without eating! Our students were brave foodies, trying everything from jamón (Spanish ham) to calamares (fried squid rings), to croquetas. We also learned that in Spain, a tortilla is a potato omelet (with or without onions), but is definitely not a corn chip! In Segovia, we tried a variety of dishes from the city's Christian, Moslem, and Jewish history.
Staying with host families gave our students a true 'day-in-the-life' experience that they'll never forget. A huge thank you to everyone (mostly Mr. V) who made this trip possible.
Nick Cellini competes at the Presidential 1776 Award for Civics
On May 2, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston served as the backdrop for an intense competition and powerful celebration of civic engagement and leadership. At the regional finals for the Presidential 1776 Awards was Woodstock’s own Nick Cellini, standing as one of three representatives for the Green Mountain State, selected in the basis of their scores in the “impossible civics test” earlier in the year. Nick was competing against students from 9 other states and showcasing his commitment to excellence in Civics as part of the nation’s birthday celebration.
The competition involved answering a series of rapid fire open response history and government questions on stage by a panel of judges, spelling bee style. Nick equipped himself admirably, and scored the highest number of points from Vermont.
The Presidential 1776 Award is a 2026 national civics competition for U.S. high school students (grades 9-12) celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Organized by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, it tests knowledge of the American Revolution, founding documents, and early history to promote civic literacy and award significant scholarships.
Eco artists create baskets with Sue Lenfest
The EcoArt class recently had the opportunity to work with visiting local artist and basketmaker Sue Lenfest in a hands-on basketry workshop. With many years of experience, including learning from Indigenous artists, she guided students through the process of traditional basketmaking.
Sue harvested black ash trees herself, prepared the splints used for weaving, and incorporated natural dyes to add color. Through this experience, students connected directly with the materials, techniques, and traditions of basketry, gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between land, craft, and culture.
Black ash trees are central to Abenaki culture. Their unique growth rings allow logs to be pounded into usable strips that are strong, flexible, and long-lasting. For the Abenaki, ash trees are deeply connected to identity, place, and origin stories, and each basket reflects the story of its maker.
Students also learned about the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that is threatening ash tree populations. Scientists, Indigenous basketmakers, and local communities are working together to monitor and slow its spread, harvest affected trees, treat healthy ones, support Indigenous forest stewardship, and preserve seeds for future forests.
Pippa Shaw presents at New England STEM Symposium
Woodstock Union High School junior Pippa Shaw took her research beyond the classroom last month, presenting her original scientific poster at the 4th Annual New England STEM Symposium in New Hampshire.
Pippa's poster, "The Effects of Handwashing Methods on Bacterial Diversity," explored how different handwashing techniques affect the variety of bacteria present — research with genuine public health relevance. She was among 32 students from 10 schools across New Hampshire and Vermont who gathered on April 25th to share their work and engage with professional scientists.
The symposium, hosted by the New Hampshire Academy of Science, gives secondary school students the opportunity to present original research, attend talks by STEM professionals, and sit down with working scientists over lunch to ask questions about their careers and what different paths in science actually look like. This year's event featured 15 posters spanning engineering, botany, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and ecology.
Congratulations, Pippa, on representing Woodstock Union so well!