Photo by Brynn Reynolds Evans '98

SJA News - October 22, 2025

CAMPUS NEWS

The Tradition of Spirit Week

The following message was part of a Chapel Talk delivered last week by Binaca Hanson, Assistant Headmaster for Academic and Student Life, about Spirit Week.

This is my fourth year at SJA – I started when our now seniors were ninth graders. Logic follows that this will also be my fourth Spirit Week and fourth time watching The Game. My first year I asked a lot of questions about Spirit Week and The Game and learned a lot about how tradition and rivalry combine to make the week what it is. This year represents the 120th playing of The Game.

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2025 University of Vermont Outstanding Educator Award

Math teacher Shari Larocque was recently honored as a 2025 Outstanding Educator by the University of Vermont. She received a commemorative plaque from Dr. Howell and Dean of Faculty Steve Jolliffe during a faculty-staff meeting. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional teachers across the state who demonstrate unwavering dedication to their students and make a lasting impact on their school communities.

Supporting Career and Technical Education Programs

Representatives from the Kingsbury Companies spoke to Mr. Roberts’ students last week about job opportunities in the construction field. As part of the company’s commitment to supporting CTE programs in the areas where they work, they presented a check to St. Johnsbury Academy to help purchase the necessary tools, resources, and safety equipment to develop the skills and confidence required for successful careers. 

Daughters of the American Revolution Award Nominees

Seniors Lily Call and Ruby Tilltoson have been named nominees in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest. This award recognizes and rewards individuals with the good citizenship qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. Students are selected by their teachers and peers because they demonstrate these qualities to an outstanding degree.

Flag Football on Fairbanks Field

As part of her capstone project, "How Will Creating a Flag Football Team Inspire Other Communities to Create their Own?” senior Emily Clark (third from right) held a flag football tournament under the lights on Sunday night. Eleven teams participated, and the event raised over $450 towards the creation of a flag football team at St. Johnsbury Academy.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday, October 20

Spirit Week Begins

Class schedules for Thursday and Friday are available here.



Class themes:

9th: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

10th: Sports Craze (Think Super Bowl, March Madness, the Olympics, and all things game day)

11th: Rio (the movie)

12th: Pirates

Theme days:

Thursday: Class Theme Day

Friday: Green, White, and/or Academy Gear

Friday, October 24

Homecoming Parade, Main St., 7:00 PM

Saturday, October 25

The Game, Fairbanks Field, 5:00 PM

This will be the 120th playing of the football game between SJA and LI.

Wednesday, October 29

School Photo Make-Up Day, Fuller Hall, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 29

Fall Concert, Fuller Hall, 7:00 PM

The concert will stream live at this link.

Thursday, October 30

Fall Semester Student Progress Conference, 4:00 - 5:25 PM & 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Tuesday, November 4

Deadline for Senior Photos

Additional information is available here.

Thursday, November 6

Open House, Fuller Hall, 6:30 PM

AROUND CAMPUS

Students gathered in the amphitheater on Friday to carve pumpkins for the town's Halloween celebration on Main Street.

Monday marked the beginning of Spirit Week and the nomination of the Spirit Squad in Fuller Hall. Photos from the week will be uploaded to this gallery.

Students in Mrs. Bailey's Health and Critical Skills class took advantage of the sunny October day to go for a mindfulness walk. 

Seniors in Mrs. Morris' English class donned their Shakespearean garments and took to the stage to perform scenes from Othello this week. Students have been learning about Elizabethan theater, customs, and language for the past two weeks.

Mrs. Fox's photography students were studying the correlation between shutter speed and aperture last week. Part of the project involved shooting at a very slow shutter speed (1/8 of a second) to see the effect it would have on movement.

Due to the later start of this week's football game, the Homcoming Dance was held last Saturday night.

ATHLETICS

The senior cheerleaders were all smiles during Friday night's game against CVU. Senior Recognition photos can be viewed here.

The Boys' and Girls' Cross Country team held their Senior Recognition night last week. Photos can be viewed here.

Varsity Soccer celebrated the seniors before last week's game against CVU. Photos from the night can be found here.

Varsity Football defeated CVU on Friday night. Photos from the game can be found here.

Varsity Soccer downed North Country in playoff action on Tuesday. Photos from the game can be viewed here.

The Varsity Field Hockey team won its first DI play-off game, over Rutland, on Tuesday. Photos from the game can be found here. Photos from their game against Milton and Senior Recognition photos can be viewed here.