February 10, 2021
HEADMASTER'S MESSAGE

Happy Lunar New Year

This Friday, February 12th, many of our students at St. Johnsbury Academy will be celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. Earlier this week, some of the very few Chinese students who were able to join us in person this year decorated boards in Colby Hall and the columns at the entryway, with red envelopes, “couplets,” red hanging ornaments, and paper cut-out decorations. Two of them, Qingyue “Jenny” Li and Yu “Rain” Bai, brought the story of the New Year—the Year of the Ox—to our virtual Chapel, and then introduced a video made by some of our Chinese students who have been unable to be here in person, but who have joined us since last September from China in our Virtual Academy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Students Recognized as Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Winners

Ten students have been named Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners. The winners are Anneke Beth and Zetong Wang in drawing, painting, and illustration; Cora Stearns in printmaking; Michael Hazard in ceramics; Kay Conner, Polly Currier, and Sophia Stark in photography; and Lily Barth, Eve Codling, and Ethan Howell in writing. A video presentation of their work can be viewed here. The students' work will be shown at the Brattleboro Museum from February 19 to March 6. More information will be available in next week's newsletter.
SJA Community Celebrates Chinese New Year

As the SJA community prepares to celebrate the Chinese New Year, we would like to thank a group of our Virtual Academy students who created this video to show how the Chinese New Year is celebrated in different parts of China. Those students are: Zelin(Aiden) Chen, Sijia (Scarlett) Wu, Zhihao (Bruce) Zhang, Wenxu (Don) Tang, Qiyu (Andy) Jiang, Qingdun (Andy) Zhou, Sining (Roger) Chen, Zhiyue (William) Liu, Jiawei (Nina) Li, Yijun (Vivian) Liu, Qinnuo (Fiona) Wu, Tsz Nga (Jenny) Tsui, Yicheng (Nathan) Shen, Yao Zhuo, Jiaxin (Jessie) Du, Qiongyin (Joy) Yan, Xinyu (Ray) Chen, Beier(Howard) Chen, Qiqi (Amy) Zhu, Jiazhen (George) Chen, Zhihao (Danny) Zhang, Zetong (Lydia) Wang, Siyu (Ben) Zhou, Chenyu (Josh) Bao, Jiahui (Julia) Wei, Yijun (Lily) Zhou, Siyi (Boris) Luo, Yuebin (Belinda) Guo, Zhe (John) Jiang, Yuxuan (Chris) Wei.  

On campus, we were treated to a Chapel talk from Yu (Rain) Bai and Qingyue (Jenny) Li about the celebration and an explanation of the red envelopes on the board in Colby Hall (photo above). Their Chapel talk can be viewed here.
Indoor Sports to Begin February 12

The Agency of Education has announced that indoor sports teams may begin competing in interscholastic games beginning Friday, February 12. Please check our website to see the most up-to-date schedules.
LAST CALL - Senior Recognition Ads for 2021 Yearbook

Parents of seniors interested in placing a Senior Recognition Ad in the yearbook are asked to submit their ads before February 11. What a great way to tell your favorite senior how proud you are of them! Follow this link to begin creating your ad today.
UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, FEBRUARY 20
Winter Break Begins
AROUND CAMPUS
Students spent some of last week decorating cakes in Chef B's kitchen.
Senior class president Anona Hening addressed her classmates about senior privileges in Chapel last week.
Photos from Monday's alpine race at Burke Mountain can be viewed here.
Photos from Saturday's gymnastics event can be viewed here.
Photos from Friday's Nordic meet at Kingdom Trails can be viewed here.