November already?!? The next few weeks will be filled with exhibitions, college applications and other end-of-semester deadlines and activities and we recognize that it can feel like a stressful, busy time. Students are collaborating on the design and execution of exhibitions, as they prepare to share what they're learning with authentic audiences in creative and engaging ways.  We'll all be working together to support students as they dive deeply into the work and we encourage families to check in, too.  

Join us for two exhibitions next week, both open to all. On Wednesday evening, sophomores in Ally Johnson's classes present Narratives from the Nest, an evening of live storytelling in the style of The Raven Narratives or The Moth radio program. From 7:00 to 8:30 at the Animas City Theatre, students will perform true tales of trials and triumph without notes. Their stories are inspired by Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, the idea that all epic stories follow the same arc of leaving home, facing our fears, overcoming challenges and returning home to share newfound knowledge. Through their study of two novels, The Alchemist and Siddhartha, sophomores have connected literary analysis and personal reflection to uncover how a well told tale can capture the imagination, elicit emotion and empathy, inform or persuade, and even shape our worldview. Throw your name in the hat at this exhibition to share your own five-minute tale on stage!

juniors Ava Stills and Lance Aguilar study light spectrums in their Chemistry lab at Fort Lewis College

Thursday evening, juniors in Jessica McCallum's Humanities classes present their Rhetoric and Ideology Exhibition from 5:30 to 7:30 at Fort Lewis College's Student Union Building. Come engage in civil discourse on a variety of controversial topics in an effort to build understanding and find common ground in our divisive political climate. Students look forward to having productive dialogues with our community about the issues that divide us. In addition to exhibiting their project work, which includes multimedia Rogerian argumentation, the students will host a Socratic Seminar on how we can bridge the political divide and find common ground as Americans. The core text for the seminar is a brief reading, "Willing to be Disturbed" by Margaret Wheatley, which will be provided to seminar participants.

Next week, staff and board members from the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI) will visit with us as part of our reauthorization process. Please attend the School Excellence Committee (SEC) meeting on Tuesday afternoon from 4:30 to 6:00 in Ashley Carruth's classroom to learn more about CSI and the reauthorization process. CSI staff will tour our school on Wednesday and also attend the AHS Board of Directors meeting Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30, also in Ashley's room.

	Harley pulls into an early lead in the ThinkFast safe driving competition

The AHS Fall Fundraiser and Silent Auction is just a week and a half away. Please join us at the Henry Strater Theatre on Wednesday, November 15 from 6:00 to 9:00 for student presentations, a silent auction showcasing Osprey talents, live music, culinary delights and more. The event is free and all are welcome; please RSVP here. Contact development@animashighschool.com to donate items for the auction. Many thanks to our event sponsors Alpine Bank, Durango Motor Company, Bank of the San Juans, Fort Lewis College, Durango Urgent Care, The Payroll Department, Spine Colorado and Jaynes Corporation.  All proceeds from the event help support our innovative programs and we appreciate the generosity of our community, which helps us provide excellent education to our students.

Finally, thank you to ThinkFast Interactive for returning to the Nest this afternoon with their high-energy, game-show style presentation about safe driving.  Super fun way to end the week. Congrats to junior Harley Farkas for taking home the grand prize!

Thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!