School news

Katie 2/20/26 Katie 2/20/26

Interact Club returns after multi-year hiatus

By Kaitlyn Burres
Interact Club President

This year the Interact Club run by Lori Adams and Kim Carey was able to re-form after a multi-year hiatus. Interact has been a club dedicated to giving to our community and our world. We are a club made up of freshmen through seniors with a strong connection to the Rotary. After a quick start up at the beginning of the year Interact jumped quickly into how we could give back to our community. We have been fortunate enough to be supported by the Rotary throughout this year as well as connect with an Interact Club in Thailand. As Interact gains more funds and strength we hope to give to those in need in Thailand and organize trips there as well. Interact is committed to selfless acts of kindness to all those who need it and will continue to carry this commitment out.

Interact Club chose to kick off our first year back by organizing a canned food drive for those affected by the removal of snap benefits. Interact did a one day drive and gained over $100 worth of donations as well as multiple bags full of canned goods.

Above is a photo of Kaitlyn Burres Speaking at the Rotarian’s Night of Giving as well as the letter sent from the Rotary Club inviting students to accept their generous donation

Although Interact has not been running for long Interact was able to accept a generous donation from Max Comins. Interact was invited to speak at the Rotarian’s Night of Giving and Kaitlyn Burres and Mimi Kanda-Olmstead said words to give their immense thanks to the Rotarians.

Interact members also went to the Reading Elementary School to decorate food donation boxes with the 1st through 4th graders. A large aspect of Interact is building up the community and ensuring kindness and selflessness throughout the younger generations. This was executed perfectly throughout a two hour window organized by Kim Carey. Both Interact members and the Reading Elementary school enjoyed this special event.

Currently, Interact is running a winter clothing drive. In the main lobby every day Interact members collect old winter items that students donate. Many people in the community are not able to afford the necessary items to keep warm this chilly winter. Interact plans to hand these articles of clothing out to those who need them the most.

Katie 12/26/25 Katie 12/26/25

Art students observe and take landscape photographs at the Hall Art Foundation

Students with *Back of a Snowman*, 2001 by Gary Hume

On December 1, art students took a field trip to the Hall Art Foundation in Reading, Vermont to see exhibits of Joel Sternfeld's photography and Gladys Nilsson's paintings. This trip was inspired by a lesson on the Hudson River School that Ms. Piccoli taught to Ms. Jimerson's painting classes, which led us to the exhibit of American photographer Joel Sternfeld's photos from his American Prospects and Highline series.

Sternfeld was influenced by Hudson River School painters like Thomas Cole. As Molly Fielder ‘29 pointed out, his photograph The Abandoned Uranium Refinery, 1982 on Navajo lands is very similar to Cole's painting The Oxbow, 1836 in how he captures dark storm clouds moving in on one side and the sun breaking through on the other, creating a contrast between dark and light in the sky. Adelle Danilchick ‘27 described the paintings of the Hudson River School and this photograph by Sternfeld as "sublime."

Addison Blanchard ‘28 is doing an independent study in art and she works as a gallery attendant at the Hall Art Foundation on the weekends. After Ms. Piccoli engaged the students in a Visual Thinking Strategies exercise with Sternfeld’s photo titled McLean Virginia, 1978, Addison did the debrief with the students explaining the “artist is like an author” and the photographer “frames the image you are seeing.”

While students were going through the exhibits, the AP Photography class was also working on a photography assignment. Max van der Schoot ‘26 stated about her landscape photograph taken on the grounds of the Hall Art Foundation that, “These footsteps show that winter (the season) makes the natural world change. I remember that Sternfeld wanted to show the seasons and that he felt he was sometimes “chasing” them. I wanted to capture the season, winter, in one of mine and show how the footsteps are chasing after it.”

Thank you very much to the Hall Art Foundation for making this trip possible through their free educational programming and their generous bus transportation reimbursement program.

Molly Fielder ‘29 holds Thomas Cole's *The Oxbow* (1836) in front of Joel Sternfeld's photograph *Abandoned Uranium Refinery*, 1982

Addison Blanchard ‘28 doing the debrief of *McLean, Virginia*, December 1978 by Joel Sternfeld.

*Following in Someone’s Footsteps*, December 2025 by Max van der Schoot ‘26

Katie 12/26/25 Katie 12/26/25

Local legislators visit 8th grade American Studies classes

Before Thanksgiving break, 8th Grade American Studies classes invited some of our local legislators—both Democrat and Republican—to visit. Students developed many of their questions ahead of time and shared them with the legislators before their visits. The focus was "taxes in, public services out," the economics and government model we'll continue to build on as we study both capitalism and communism.

Students are shown here with Killington Representative Jim Harrison. Other classes welcomed Senator Alison Clarkson and Representative Charlie Kimbell, both of Woodstock. Student questions touched on a wide variety of topics but especially focused on the Governor's school redistricting plans and the possibility of a new building for WUHSMS.

We also learned last week that Jim Harrison is moving out of state in January and resigning his office. Killington and the other towns he represents will soon have a new governor-appointed State Representative until the next election.

Katie 12/20/25 Katie 12/20/25

Therapy Dog Baxter comes to WUHSMS!

Stress in December? Therapy Dog Baxter came the past two weeks to meet with students. His handlers are Dr. Murrell and Ms. Judy Hills. Baxter comes from the Therapy Dogs of Vermont program, and he also sees children at Dartmouth's CHAD program plus a lot more. This opportunity was offered during ARE time. Students did not need to sign up in advance, it was open to all. Baxter had about 50 students, staff, and faculty each week!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Annie Luke for her thoughtful coordination of this wonderful opportunity and for bringing Baxter the therapy dog into our school community.

Katie 12/13/25 Katie 12/13/25

Art students visit the Clark Art Institute

On Thursday, November 20, the Art Department took a field trip to The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA.

Students in AP Art History, AP Photography, AP Art and Advanced Art took a tour that explored the theme of Disruption and Emergence in works from the permanent collection. While in the galleries students took a close look at four different works of art, wrote poems and letters in response to those pieces and then made collages in the art studio inspired by the paintings and the themes.

About the trip, Ruth Stallard, a tenth grade student in Dr. Gravel’s AP Art History class said, “I loved going to The Clark Art Institute. Their collection was beautiful and fascinating, and the whole class was very focused and asked thoughtful questions about the art. This was one of my favorite field trips I’ve ever been on and I loved going with my class. It was a wonderful experience.”

Addison Blanchard, also in tenth grade studying Art History, commented about a specific painting. She stated, “I really liked the Women of Amphissa by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. I had seen the piece before online and had no idea it was at The Clark. I love how the artist painted the clothing and the hair of the women, and how the light was captured. It’s a big piece and there is a lot to look at and discover.”

Addison Blanchard, Nyna Lewallen and Jay Allen in the galleries

Matilda and Priscilla Richardson in the studio with their collages.

After lunch, students had time to explore The Clark’s collection. Nyna Lewallen, a tenth grade Art History student, described the work that caught her eye when she stated, “I was most drawn to Little Dancer of Thirteen Years, by Edgar Degas. As a dancer I’ve heard so much about Degas in general, but specifically about this sculpture. The girl sculpted has a feeling of calmness and relaxation, which is a stark contrast to how intense ballet can be, and it was great to see one of the renditions of this sculpture close up.”

Marlena Farinas, a senior in Ms. Jimerson’s AP Drawing class, summed up her experience by writing, “My reaction to the Clark Art Institute’s collection was wonder. It was so beautiful and had so many different and unique pieces of art. I loved so many of the different kinds of painting and textures that were in many of the artworks.” That sentiment was echoed by Zara Paczkowski, an 11 th grade student in Ms. Piana’s Advanced Studio Art, who wrote, “I felt my experience with walking through the galleries was relaxing and provided me with the opportunity to look at a variety of historical pieces. Throughout this experience, my favorite part was looking at the statues, as I loved seeing the detail and effort they put into making such realistic art works.”

Thank you so much to The Clark Art Institute for their excellent educational programming, the bus reimbursement program and to everyone who helped make this trip possible.