TA News

Dear TA Families,

I was reminded many times this week of the power of showing up. It all starts with people being willing to be present and participate – whatever the ‘it’ might be!

In this week’s email, I am excited to shine the spotlight on a few recent examples of Thetford Academy students showing up in big ways – to share creative ideas with the world, to host their community in dialogue, to lend their opinions to important discussions, to practice and perform, to engage beyond the school day to stretch themselves and push their learning.

Vermont Pitch Challenge
Congratulations to seniors Elie O’Brien and Hardy Payson for their incredible success in a worldwide pitch contest for high school students sponsored by UVM’s Entrepreneurship Club! Elie and Hardy designed a nonprofit with a mission to help neurodivergent young people with their college and career transitions. If you didn’t catch the article about them and their project in the Valley News this week, read it here.

Getting to Y Community Dialogue
Once again, our Getting to Y team led a powerful evening of impactful dialogue around youth public health concerns, exploring root causes and generating potential solutions. The student leaders facilitated a packed and diverse crowd, bringing together students, parents, teachers, trustees, and community members, to engage in small and large group discussions. The event was a double example of showing up, because without the participants who came, the Getting to Y group would not have had the outcomes they were planning for. Thank you to the organizers and the attendees!

Senator Sanders Choral Concert
Thetford Academy performing arts will be represented at the annual Senator Sanders’ statewide choral concert tomorrow at VTSU-Castleton. Although we don’t have a chorus class this semester, a group of high school singers volunteered to participate in the special Saturday event. They have been practicing a set of songs on their own time and will perform alongside choruses from schools throughout the state. We can’t wait to hear how the concert goes – and look forward to hearing some of the songs performed at assembly later this spring. (And you can catch a lot of this talent by coming to the spring musical May 16-18.)

Lastly, if you didn’t get a chance to review the list of April events in last week’s HOS email, please take another look and mark your calendars for the month ahead.

Featured photos this week: Volunteer singers at a practice during power hour; the Getting to Y team leads their community in dialogue.

Thanks so much,

Carrie Brennan, Head of School