School news
Junior Amelia Hill a finalist in Bernie Sanders’ essay contest
Congratulations to Amelia Hill, one of this year's 14 finalists in Senator Bernie Sanders 16th Annual State of the Union Essay Contest.
"I assigned the project to about 55 students in AP Government & Politics,” wrote Steve Smith, social studies teacher. “We brainstormed what students considered the most pressing issues in the United States, and then they chose topics, which included Artificial Intelligence data centers and the environment, a lack of civility in government, and immigration and Immigrations Customs and Enforcement (ICE). The most common topic was affordability as it relates to health, housing, and food. The parameters of the project were that students needed to connect the issue to a government concept and include evidence. I'm pleased Amelia chose a topic - access to menstrual health products - that is not typically discussed in the national media, and she deserves credit for pursuing the issue and choosing to submit it to the contest."
Amelia joined other finalists from around Vermont for a virtual conversation with Senator Sanders at the State House in Montpelier. Learn more: ‘These Young Vermonters Bring Me Hope’
Students received a framed copy of their essays, which was placed in the Congressional Record — the official archive of the United States Congress.
Read the essays of the winners and finalists here.
Pictured above: Photo of the 14 finalists from the 16th Annual State of the Union Essay Contest. Photo compliments of Senator Bernie Sanders Office.
Hatching curiosity: Our classroom duckling adventure
This spring, our classroom is buzzing with excitement—literally! We welcomed a group of ducklings by incubating and hatching eggs right here at school. This hands-on project is more than just adorable—it’s a unique learning experience that brings science to life in a way textbooks simply can’t.
What’s happening?
Students observed fertilized duck eggs as they developed in a carefully controlled incubator. Over the course of about 28 days, we tracked the growth of the embryos, learning how temperature, humidity, and time all play a role in the development of living things.
Watching ducklings hatch helps students understand life cycles, animal behavior, and responsibility. It also encourages curiosity and patience—after all, nature works on its own schedule!
The Big Hatch Day
The most exciting moment was “hatch day,” when students saw ducklings break out of their shells. It’s an unforgettable experience that often inspires awe and lots of questions about how life begins.
WUHS student earns honorable mention at AVA High School Exhibition
Congratulations to WUHS student Mimi Kanda-Olmstead ‘26 for earning Honorable Mention in AVA Gallery and Art Center’s 18th Annual High School Exhibition.
This annual regional exhibition highlights outstanding artwork from high school students across Vermont and New Hampshire. Art teachers nominate students whose work demonstrates creativity, strong technical skill, and a unique artistic voice. Mimi’s work stood out among many impressive submissions and was recognized by the exhibition judges.
Mimi is a student in the Advanced Digital Photo and Design class taught by Dr. Susannah Gravel, where she continues to develop her artistic voice through photography and digital design.
We are incredibly proud to see Mimi’s work recognized and exhibited in a professional gallery.
Eco Art students launch ice books
The Ottauquechee River thawed just in time and lived up to its Abenaki name meaning 'swift mountain stream' for Eco Art students to launch ice books into the current this week.
Inspired by artist Basia Irland, students froze water into book shapes, then used Dremel tools to carve symbols and letters into the ice. Garden manager Abbie Castriotta guided them through the role of native riparian plants in biodiversity and erosion control, and students carefully embedded seeds — harvested by Regenerative Agriculture classmates — into the carvings before sending them downstream.
As Irland describes it, the project emphasizes "communal effort and scientific knowledge" in addressing climate disruption and watershed restoration. As the ice melts and seeds take root, the river does the rest.
It's a project that's equal parts art, ecology, and hope.
VT Supreme Court Justice visits 8th grade class
VT Supreme Court Justice Harold Eaton and his intern, Camille, visited with the 8th grade class as part of our study of the Bill of Rights & the US Constitution. Students are reading the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson as part of their study of the judicial branch of government. Justice Eaton answered student questions about his work and the role of the judiciary in our state and national governments.
Justice Eaton is very much a homegrown Woodstocker. His parents both graduated from WUHS, as he himself did in 1973, and then also his son, Matt. He went on to attend UVM and Vermont Law School and he was appointed to Vermont's highest court in 2014. We were able to dig out his yearbook from our archives!