School news
French students serve as interpreters
In an annual tradition that began more than twelve years ago, students taking Advanced French at Woodstock High School served as French interpreters at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park this past Wednesday, October 25.
The students, seniors Leah Kuhnert, Chloe Masillo, Amelie Fabre, Phoebe Anderson, Clara Shortle, Griffin Picconi, Delia Morgan, Andrea Journet, Tess Belisle and junior Levi Halley, gave the tour to four French speakers, two of whom are Quebecoise.
The tour lasted for over an hour, with each student leading their part of the tour in tandem with the others. The presentations were knitted together by clearly thought out transitions designed to make the audience feel that the tour was a whole, and not separate presentations. The students moved seamlessly from outside of the mansion where the first three students talked about the park as a starting point in the land and conservation movement to a history of the trails and how these trails are enjoyed today by locals and tourists alike. From there, the group entered the mansion and learned about how the entryway changed over time, to how the Rockefellers, who enjoyed entertaining, were hosts to many luminaries, including Lady Bird Johnson.
Moving from the living room to the library, the audience was introduced to the importance of books to each of the proprietors of the mansion, including Frederick Billings. The student presenter talked about the books her grandfather had in common with Billings, revealing the many links local inhabitants have to the park. From the library, the group entered the kitchen to learn about the employment of servants, what their lives were like and from where they originated (many were young Irish immigrants). The tour ended where it began, outside of the house where three students shared the passion of the Billings family for the natural world in general and this property in particular. Once again, for the twelfth year, the students excelled at a task that at first seemed indomitable to them, receiving rave reviews from their audience.
Learning in C.R.A.F.T.
CRAFT classes have been busy! MS students in Gardens and Greenhouses chose a local fruit or veggie to learn about for their final project and then they made a dish with that ingredient to share with the class. In a picture above, Nolan Alberty is proudly displaying his homemade apple pie.
Students in Stewardship Action Project recently worked with Sustainable Woodstock to make window inserts for homeowners. Our SAP students were essential in stretching the plastic over the wooden frame to create the insulating layer that will help the community stay warm this winter and reduce their heating costs.
Students in Foundations of Agriculture are finishing up our fall garden preparation by planting garlic. They have been learning about the value of seeds as an investment in our future. We purchased $100.00 worth of garlic and if each clove turns into 10 cloves, we now have $1000.00 worth of garlic to eat, share and replant!
Students in Food and Forest Systems went to Marsh Billings Rockefeller NHP to learn about the more sustainable tradition of horse logging and the forest management practices employed by the natural resources team at the park. Students got to watch at a safe distance while an ash tree was felled as a precaution to the emerald ash borer which has begun to show its presence in our forests. This foreign pest will have a devastating effect on our ash trees in the coming years and the park wants to be proactive by removing the ones that could pose a danger along the hiking trails.
Art trip to Hall Art Foundation
On Tuesday, three art classes visited the Hall Art Foundation in Reading, Vermont to see the exhibits Andy Warhol: small is beautiful and Susan Rothenberg: In New Mexico. Ms. Gravel’s AP Art History class, Ms. Jimerson’s AP Art class and Ms. Piana’s Drawing class toured the exhibits, saw the outdoor sculpture installations and participated in Visual Thinking Strategies with Ms. Piccoli when looking at Warhol’s Flowers.
Charlotte Nunan, a senior in AP Art and a gallery attendant at the Hall Art Foundation gave a special presentation on Warhol’s The American Man (Portrait of Watson Powell), 1964. During her presentation, she explained the commission, the silkscreen painting process and how the paintings are hung in a grid.
On working at the Hall Art Foundation, Charlotte said, “I’ve really enjoyed working at the Hall Art Foundation these last three years. I think it’s a great opportunity to be close to art and get a feel for the contemporary and business side of the art world. I always love seeing the new exhibits that come in each year, exposing me to new artists and artistic styles! As I’ve worked at the Hall Art Foundation, I’ve met lots of interesting people and connected with them about the art around us.”
AP Government students visit the Kennedy Institute for the Senate
“My esteemed colleague from Wisconsin is not representing the will of the people!” said Ada Mahood during a mock Senate activity at the Kennedy Institute for the Senate in Boston, Massachusetts on October 19. Mahood was one of 29 juniors in AP Government & Politics to immerse themselves in the role of our nation’s Senators in the experience sponsored by the Office of Senator Bernie Sanders.
The day included committee work, robust debate, and ultimately a vote on a practical law to address climate change. Students were assigned different political parties and regions of the country to represent.
Prior to the activity, students met with James Paradissis, outreach representative for Senator Sanders. Paradissis listened to student comments and questions about issues such as inflation, climate change, income inequality, abortion access, and the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine.
Students present at the Rowland Conference at UVM
Seven educators, 3 students and 1 school board member attended the Rowland Conference at UVM this week. Students Josie Cross, Edwin Lynds, and Eleanor Williams spoke eloquently about their experience in the CRAFT program, shared microgreens from their CSA with their 50 person audience, and encouraged other schools to imagine how they might create a focused pathway of courses and experiences using their local resources and interests. We also thoroughly enjoyed listening to the keynote speaker Ross Gay, and engaging with other educators on topics ranging from rethinking the five paragraph essay to reimagining advisory programming to infusing more joy into school.