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WEEKLY MESSAGE
THE RIVALRY
Nearly 125 years ago, St. Johnsbury Academy played Lyndon Institute in football for the first time. While a rivalry may have existed decades before this, considering that the towns are eight miles apart, that first game between the Green and the Maroon established a rivalry that was ultimately named one of the top four in the nation by USA Today ten years ago. While the schools adopted the team names of Hilltoppers and Vikings and added a whole host of traditions over the years, the spirit of the rivalry continued to be strong. Pep rallies, parades, community bragging rights, bonfires and the game itself allowed Hilltopper students, faculty, and alums to show their support and loyalty to the team, the school, and the traditions behind the rivalry. As new traditions such as hallway decorating in the early 80s and skits in the early 90s were added, new generations of students had a lot to share with alums and community members about how school pride is celebrated.
Over time, the world has changed. St. Johnsbury Academy has certainly changed in a variety of ways, most notably with the size of the student body and campus and the diversity of our population. All of the change may raise the question of whether or not rivalries have a place in the world, even right here in the Northeast Kingdom. The answer, of course, is a resounding yes.
Recent alums, not-so-recent alums, parents, or current students or faculty members have experiences and memories of the school that vary from each other’s. Our current student body represents nearly 20 countries, 12 states, and almost 50 different Vermont and New Hampshire towns which also provide different experiences. The beauty of diversity is that we can all learn from what others bring to the St. Johnsbury Academy community. The best way to learn about what makes us different is to be united in a common purpose, and celebrating the pride of being a Hilltopper through Spirit Week and the Game represent a unifying force. Whether it is along the parade route, at the bonfire, in the bleachers at a game, at an Alumni gathering, or at a Class Reunion, we can always talk about what makes us proud members of Hilltopper nation. There are no generational or cultural gaps when we focus on the experiences surrounding Spirit Week and the Rivalry. The questions about who won the game, how big the bonfire was, or what the parade was like bring people together and open the doors to social connection. It is this social connection that is the fabric of what has made this institution a special place in the past, present, and future.
Celebrate the rivalry! Celebrate the school! Celebrate all that it means to be a proud Hilltopper!
Jamie Ryan '89
Director of Residential Life
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