In this week's From the Library Newsletter, learn about a great opportunity for our students to help Vermont Humanities review several environmentally themed books, read about what's on several teachers' reading lists for this summer and get some ideas for your own summer reads! Please click here for more information and photos.
Please be sure to return your overdue library books, renew those you need more time to read and make your summer reading selections. Have a great summer!
Artistree AP & High School Student Art Show 2024
Students FEAST on new Opportunities at Shelburne Farms
By Ada Mahood
Last week Mrs B and Kat Robbins brought six CRAFT students up to Shelburne Farms in Burlington. The CRAFT students were participating in the student led summit FEAST, Food Education And Sustainable Thinking. Upon arriving, students listened to a sustainable leader, Grace Oedel. Grace Oedel is the Executive Director of NOFA Vermont (Northeast Organic Farming Association) She said some really thoughtful and meaningful things about sustainability and farming. She herself actually grew up away from farm life in Georgia. “Once we get food and farming right, we can get so much more right.” After the students heard from Grace Oedel, they went onto their first morning workshop for 55 minutes. Some students made tortillas and crafted their own tacos, others learned how to mend clothing and Woodstock students Chelsea McDermott and Sadie Boulbol led a workshop on how to grow microgreens and make microgreen pesto! Then the students transitioned to another workshop based off of sustainability. Some of the afternoon activities were, Food Cultures around the world, foraging for wild foods and many others! Lastly, we shared a delicious lunch and talked amongst ourselves throughout the different schools and listened to a closing message by one of our amazing Woodstok students who was a program coordinator, Priscilla Richardson! Overall, it was a great learning experience and super fun to try out so many cool sustainability workshops!
Middle School students celebrated the end of school having a great time together at our Spring Carnival. Our festivities began with a student-led assembly involving music, games, dance, and recognitions. 7th and 8th graders then faced off in an epic game of Capture the Flag. We spent the afternoon rotating through stations that included water balloons, relay races, group games, rock painting, robot challenges, and water games. The afternoon wrapped up with ice creams and yearbook signing. Thanks to the M.S. Leadership Club, Lindsey St.Cyr, Zala Farlow, Addison Tapley, Ella Davis, Moira McCarthy, Gratia Fielder, Lucy Fox, Charlie Bordeau, Willow Carey, and Kasia Sluka, for all their hard work planning the Carnival. It was a fantastic end to the school year!
The 8th grade celebrated the end of middle school with their annual Bethany Birches Campout on May 30-31. Students enthusiastically shared two phone-free, sunny days together, as well as one (chilly) night. Swimming, S'mores, playing 9-square, volleyball and basketball, performing variety show acts, and competing to win middle school jeopardy were some of the many activities that kept students busy and having fun. They also ate lots of yummy food and snacks! Below are some students’ reactions to the trip:
"I had a ton of fun. I loved Bethany Birches. I made a lot of fun memories with my cabin group. I loved playing 9-square and I loved the food." -- Brooke Rowlee
"When I'm at school I often feel as if we are separated by groups. When we arrived at Bethany Birches, I instantly noticed a shift and we truly felt like a family." --Lexi Gabardi
"At Bethany Birches everyone was a lot closer than they are in school. The water slide in particular. People were cheering each other on." - Ella Davis
"The pond was really fun and playing volleyball near the pond was super fun" --Orly Agin
"I had a really fun time playing volleyball with my cabin group" --Addi Blanchard
Five members of the Junior Math Team competed in the Junior All-Star Meet hosted by Indian River School on May 23rd.
All placed in the top 15! Here are our results:
4th place, Nat Holland
5th place, Alyssa Charbonneau
7th place, Astrid McFarland
10th place, David Randall
15th place, Faris Al Fahim
Great job on a fun and successful season!!
Our high school and middle school QSA Clubs participated in Woodstock's Inaugural "Pride of Woodstock" event that was held this past weekend to open up Pride Month! Our high school QSA leaders participated in the planning and organizing with the Pride of Woodstock Committee for this great event. Our QSA students had a table for the "Made with Pride Arts and Crafts Fair", and organized and hosted the Open Mic on The Green. Our amazing President Finn took top prize in the High Heels Race on Elm Street Event!
Pride of Woodstock webpage via woodstockvt.com Pride of Woodstock is more than just a weekend of events – it's a reflection of the town's commitment to inclusivity and acceptance. The community comes together to celebrate love in all forms, fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome, supported, and celebrated.
On June 5th, Jack Rasmussen successfully completed the Project SEARCH program at Rutland Regional Medical Center. He received a certificate of completion in addition to his high school diploma. Throughout this school year he worked in several departments at the hospital, including; FANS Kitchen, Linens, Environmental Services, Financial Counseling, and Training and Development.
Jack has been offered a job to work for the Killington Town Offices. He will start working there in July as an Assistant to the Facilities Manager. Jack's responsibilities will be to help clean the town offices, mow the lawn, do recycling and shredding, and help out at the recreation center pool.
Congratulations Jack from all of us at Woodstock Union High School! We are so proud of all that you have accomplished!!!
Seniors in English IV and AP Lit Collaborate on Gatsby and a Lit-to-Life Mural Project
In the last weeks of the semester, members of the Class of 2024 read a high school classic,
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and engaged in a series of sixteen journal prompts inspired by key lines from the novel, occasioning their own related experiences and recollections. Check out the murals in the main high school hallway to catch excerpts from those journal entries and a “look-see” into the dreams, the once-special objects, recollected names, experiences of the “ultimate degree,” self-reinventions, their own visions for “one fine morning --” and what they view as their supports to “beat on, boats against the current,” in pursuit of their future aspirations, among many other Gatsby-inspired anecdotes from their own real, true lives. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 - “-- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther --”
