School news
9th graders engage in stewardship & service learning
Last Thursday, the 9th grade students completed the final phase of preparing about 16,000 square feet of underused campus land to become a vibrant pollinator habitat. Working with community partner David Hammond, founder and director of Creating Habitat for Pollinators, students helped with the final tilling, then mixed, spread, and rolled native and annual seed mixes that will bloom next academic year. Students also cleaned up the pollinator hedgerow, labeled shrubs and trees, and learned how to harvest native seeds.
This collaborative, student-led project is part of WUHSMS’s CRAFT program and provides an authentic experience in service learning and environmental stewardship.
After the experience, students reflected on something they enjoyed, something they found challenging, and something they thought next year’s students might benefit from. Below are a few quotes that capture the reflection of students:
I really like getting seeds from the flowers and seeing all the different shapes and sizes. One thing that was challenging was separating the seeds from the other parts of the flowers. It was fun. - Sawyer
I enjoyed putting the tags on the plants. I had fun learning the types of plants in the hedgerow. Next year’s students benefit from the amount of pollinators that visit next year. - Heidi
I spread seeds, moved equipment with the wheel barrel, and ended with thatching the hillside. Moving things with the wheel barrel was really fun. I also enjoyed spreading seeds. - Benny
Next year’s students may have the pleasure of enjoying the presence of a higher biodiversity of butterflies. - Vitus
I found tilling to be the most fun because it was with my friends. I found raking the hill next to the football field challenging as it felt like little progress was being made. Next year’s students will benefit by having nice flower beds and a lot more pollinators on our school campus. - Bray
I enjoyed chilling outside and measuring a bit. It was a little hard to set the precise length of the rows [when calculating total square footage]. Next year’s students will have the plants, which will help them study pollinators easier. - Gray
Acknowledgements
This learning opportunity was made possible by David Hammond, Abbie Castriotta, Nick Wolfe, Lauren Sullivan-Justice, Jason Tarleton, Kat Robbins, Janis Boulbol, Kevin Nunan, Keith Brayton, Karen Ganey and Orion Binney, along with the many teachers who contribute their energy to prioritize wellness on our campus. Special thanks to our photographer, Monica Darling!
VTLSP/OVX attend the Youth Leadership Summit in Burlington
This event provided an exciting opportunity for students to learn about mental health and nicotine use prevention while actively engaging in the process of becoming educators and leaders within their schools. Through engaging workshops, students discovered how to use social media for good with support from the Stanford REACH Lab. Students explored creative ways to share important nicotine prevention lessons, all while connecting with a supportive network of like-minded youth from across Vermont.
Allison Lanoza named HATCH student of the month
Congratulations to Allison Lanoza who was named student of the month at the Hartford Area Career & Technology Center.
CRAFT grows with Pre-K students
By Sophia Rosenbach ‘26
Sometimes the most meaningful lessons do not happen in a classroom at all. This fall, CRAFT Immersive Semester students took learning outside by teaming up with Jacquelyn Thomason's pre-k class at Woodstock Elementary School to help restore Mt. Peg’s trails. Together, they worked to protect the trails of Mt. Peg by researching and planting native plants that can help reduce erosion, are deer-resistant, and can withstand harsh weather conditions. The project began in class, where CRAFT students investigated a variety of local plant species that could help address concerns such as reducing erosion and protecting habitats. With support from teachers and local environmental resources, students identified which plants would thrive on the steep terrain while strengthening the trail’s long-term health.
Next came the teamwork. As a next step, CRAFT students visited the Pre-K classroom to introduce the young learners to these plants by explaining what native plants are, how they differ, and why they are crucial to an ecosystem. These concerns and concepts were then applied to rotating learning stations. Each station included a slide with images and simple bullets about each plant, designed to inform preschoolers and help them understand how native plants support the environment. The goal was simple: make this experience engaging, fun, and accessible for everyone.
A week later, both groups met again; this time, outdoors on Mt. Peg. Students worked together in small teams to plant the species they had studied, transforming their research into real-world action. The Pre-K kids dug, planted, and learned right alongside their older student mentors, proudly contributing to the trails they love to explore. This collaboration showcased what can happen when education goes beyond the classroom: students of all ages gaining confidence, forming community connections, and making a positive environmental impact. The CRAFT students hope the plants they installed will grow strong and help keep the trail safe and sustainable for years to come.
* This project is also supported by the Equitable Climate Action Project program of the Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative.
Photo by Max Grudzinski
VTLSP'S Red Ribbon Week comes to a close for another year!
Woodstock Union High School's Vermont Teen Leadership Safety Program or VTLSP had their Red Ribbon Week this week: October 27-31. This campaign is devoted to the well-being of our students. We put the spotlight on nutrition, self-care, empowerment, and healthy choices.
Our leadership for our VTLSP Club of 23 members are Co-Presidents: seniors Aleks Cirovic and Eleanor Williams, and Vice President senior Mimi Kanda-Olmstead.
Special thanks to the Woodstock Farmers' Market for their generous donation of four cases of Red Empire Apples! To learn about Red Ribbon Week's national campaign go to: https://www.redribbon.org/