TA News

Dear TA Families,

As the rhythms of the school year go, a highlight for me as each semester comes to a close is attending final presentations in classes. Being in the audience as students proudly, thoughtfully, nervously – but also confidently – share their work and creativity, their reflections, and a bit about themselves, is an opportunity to witness and celebrate the culmination of five months of learning and growth. 

Featured in the photos this week are two of the classes I visited in recent days.

• Students in English 10 presented their sophomore anthology projects in the Martha Jane Rich Theater on Thursday morning to an audience of family, classmates, and faculty. They read poetry from authors as diverse as Emily Dickinson, Derek Walcott, Mohammad Ali, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Wendell Berry. Some also shared excerpts of their own writing, sharing vulnerably and vividly about their childhoods, dreams, and philosophies of life. The event was hosted by the English 10 teacher Emily Silver, who carries on this decades-long tradition at TA.
• Juniors and seniors in the STEM internship class had a similar culminating presentation in front of a real world audience this week. In a very professional conference room setting at Hypertherm’s corporate headquarters in Lebanon, the group of 15 students from Thetford Academy and Lebanon High School each shared a slideshow summation of their experience. The audience included school leaders from TA and LHS, as well as professionals from the two corporate partners of the program, Hypertherm and FujiFilm.
  

As we prepare for the transition of semesters in our little corner of the world, other important changes and events have been taking place on the national level. The shocking images of the fires in Los Angeles side by side with the national day of mourning for President Jimmy Carter was a lot to absorb and hold this week. 

Personally I took inspiration from the outpouring of stories and commentary about President Carter’s life. Regardless of one’s politics or impressions of his time in office, it seems everyone can agree that his was a life well lived. A take-away quote for me was one Jimmy Carter would greet his pastor with each week and must have also had as a personal mantra: Where have you been? What have you done? Who have you helped? How can I help you help them? 

For reminders about next week’s special schedules, please refer to last week’s HOS email with details.

Wishing for all of us some peace and reflection as we navigate change and transition,

Carrie Brennan, Head of School