SJA News - October 30, 2024

CAMPUS NEWS

Happy Halloween

This essay is another installment in a series of stories by Isabel Magnus '27 about topics of interest to the SJA community.

To millions of Americans, Halloween means costumes, candy, and trick-or-treating, but how did this beloved holiday begin? Halloween originated about 2,000 years ago with the ancient Celts. For them, it was a day to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the harvest on October 31st. They believed that the spirits of the dead returned to Earth that night, and the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was blurred.

READ MORE

Fletcher Brush Educational Outreach Award

St. Johnsbury Academy Driver Education and Traffic Safety educator Richard Kearney was presented the Fletcher Brush Educational Outreach Award during a ceremony in the house chambers at the Vermont State House. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) State Highway Safety Office event honored several law enforcement officers, first responders, and individuals for their exceptional work and commitment to keeping Vermont’s roadways safe for all users.

READ MORE

It's a Four-Peat!

The Boys' Cross Country team captured their fourth straight DI team title on Saturday at Thetford. Senior Emmett Johnson (736) won the individual title. The Girls' team finished fourth in DI, and both teams qualified for the New England Championships in Manchester, CT, on November 9. Photos from the races can be viewed here.

Volleyball Honors

Congratulations to members of the Volleyball team on their All-State Metro honors: Hannah White (Honorable Mention), Jordin Strohm (Second Team), Andrea Gagnon (Honorable Mention), Madalyn Atkinson (Honorable Mention), and Cassidy Kittredge (Honorable Mention).

Top Tier Topper Award

Jeff Bedor of the Facilities Department was recognized as a Top Tier Topper in Chapel by Student Life Coordinator Ashlea Greenlaw. The Top Tier Topper Award recognizes someone’s willingness to go above and beyond as a member of the St. Johnsbury Academy community.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, October 30

Fall Concert, Fuller Hall, 7:00 p.m.

The event can be streamed here.

Saturday, November 2

Halloween Dance, Streeter Hall, 7:30-10:00 p.m.

The doors will close at 8:30. The cost is $3 per person.

Wednesday, November 6

Professional Development Day, Late Start, 10:00 a.m.

Students will report directly to their A Block class.

Fireside Literary Series, 3:30

Writer Kenneth Cadow. View the flyer here.

Graham S. Newell Declamation Contest Night, 6:30 p.m.

View the flyer here.

Thursday, November 7

Open House, Fuller Hall, 6:30 p.m.

This event is for students in grades 8-11 interested in attending SJA.

Learn more and pre-register at this link.

Tuesday, November 12

Winter Meet the Coaches, Fuller Hall, 7:00 p.m.

If your student plans to tryout or play a Winter Sport this year, please make sure they have completed the arbiter registration and have an active health physical. If this registration was completed for a Fall Sport, please log in and check that the Winter Sport was also selected. The student will not be on the tryout contact list for coaches if this step is not followed. If you need assistance with the registration process, please contact Associate Athletic Director Patrick Rainville.

REGISTRATION LINK

November 14-16

SJA Theatre Presents

Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Fuller Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket information will be available soon.



HILLTOPPER ATHLETICS

Athletic schedules for every sport can be viewed here.

AROUND CAMPUS

Students gathered on Friday to carve pumpkins for the town's annual Halloween display.

The Hilltones will be performing tonight, along with the Chorus, Jazz Band, and Strings, at 7:00 in Fuller Hall. The Concert can be streamed at this link.

The Outing Club headed to New Hampshire to hike Mount Moosilauke in the White Mountains. Additional Outing Club photos can be viewed here.

Students in Mrs. Loder's drawing class work on their new still-life drawings, an ensemble of gourds. 

She's the First is an organization that partners with local grassroots groups to provide resources to girls who would otherwise not have access to an education. The St. Johnsbury Academy She's the First Chapter was founded in 2023. The student-led group has run several fundraisers, including a Pikeball Tournament on Fairbanks Field, to benefit girls worldwide.

The Varsity Girls' Soccer team downed Rutland at home and Colchester on the road to set up today's semi-final match home game with South Burlington. The game starts at 3:00 p.m. and will be streamed live on nsnsports.net. Photos from the Rutland game can be viewed here.