School news
Patriots vs. Loyalists debate
AP U.S. History students participated in a Patriots vs. Loyalists debate this week in class.
AP U.S. History students participated in a Patriots vs. Loyalists debate this week in class. Students researched key leaders, politicians, and writers from the time leading up to the Declaration of Independence and played those roles in their class debates. They discussed enlightenment ideas, taxation without representation, and reasons to stay loyal to the crown.
SAP students gleaning apples with Willing Hands
SAP students went to Whitman Brook Orchard in Quechee, VT to glean apples for the nonprofit Willing Hands. Willing Hands recovers fresh food in order to reduce waste, improve health and provide reliable access to nutritious food for neighbors in need.
The collected apples were divided into 2 bins, one for cold storage to be distributed to food shelves throughout the year and the other bin was for Ben Kilham and his black bear research center. The bears eat up to 25 lbs of apples a day!
Through the gleaning process, food that would other wise be completely wasted and left to rot is now feeding people (and bears in need). Willing Hands has 1,000 + individual volunteers, 64 food donors, 82 delivery sites and have delivered 796,202 pounds of food to people in need in the upper valley. The USDA estimated that 30-40% of all food in the US is wasted. People in need go hungry, the energy and resources to grow the food is wasted and we are producing carbon emissions for no reason.
In SAP we are learning how to reduce the many sources of climate change and how to make those sources more sustainable to help our community now and in the future. According to Willing Hands, Dartmouth College Environmental Studies Department found that the work of Willing Hands prevents a million pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year, the equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road. If you have an opportunity, reach out to Willing Hands and volunteer to glean for your community!
8th grade Hike Up Mt. Tom
On Wednesday, October 4th, the eighth grade class spent a beautiful day on Mt. Tom.
On Wednesday, October 4th, the eighth grade class spent a beautiful day on Mt. Tom. Students hiked enthusiastically (despite the heat), vied for bragging rights in advisory-based challenges, ate lunch at the top by the star, and ended the day enjoying popsicles and shade on the school grounds. It was a great fall day!
Club Fair was a success
Student Council recently coordinated a Club Fair to encourage students to explore new opportunities this school year.
Student Council recently coordinated a Club Fair where fifteen clubs were represented by student members and advisors, including but not limited to: French and Spanish, Chess, QSA, Social Action, Future Farmers of America, Scholars Bowl, Outing Club, VTLSP, Creativity Club, and more!
Art at the Clark!
On Friday, September 29th the Art Department took a field trip to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA.
On Friday, September 29th the Art Department took a field trip to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA to see the exhibit “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth”.
Ms. Gravel’s AP Art History, Ms. Jimerson’s AP Art and Ms. Piana’s Advanced Art classes went on this trip to see an exhibit of Munch’s landscape and nature inspired paintings. Prior to the trip, Ms. Piccoli gave presentations on Edvard Munch, his work and the exhibit to prepare students for their docent-led tours while at the museum.
A real highlight of the visit was seeing students make connections between what they learned in class and what they were observing in person. Of the experience, Joey Sluka said, “The trip was awesome because students don’t actually get the opportunity to apply their learning in museums. It was amazing to see Munch’s lesser known work. It was super helpful to expand my knowledge of Munch, his art and his techniques.”
One of Munch’s paintings that made an impression on Sadie Boulbol was The Yellow Log, 1912. It shows felled trees highlighted in yellow in a Norwegian forest. Sadie explained that it “represents what’s happening today environmentally.” And she said, “Munch was ahead of his time.”
After the tour, students had free time to explore the permanent collection. Ms. Gravel’s AP Art History class visited “Printed Renaissance” for a special presentation by Sophia Nisimblat ‘24, Teaching Assistant, on an Italian Renaissance woodcut on paper by Niccolo Vicentino which she compared to a German Renaissance engraving by Albrecht Durer. Then, AP Art History students visited the Manton Collection of British Art to see a wonderful collection of Turner and Constable paintings.
Thanks so much to the Clark Art Institute for their free educational programming. “Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth” is at the Clark until October, 15. This is the only US venue before it travels to Germany and then back to Norway.