59th Annual Sleepy Thompson Tournament

This week was the 59th annual Sleepy Thompson. I am glad to say I have been able to go to twelve of these tournaments and each year has been as fun as the year before. The student section was exciting and loud. Our chants echoed in the gym as the team dominated in the first game. Before attending the high school I liked the Sleepy Thompson Tournament because the basketball was exciting and all of my friends would go to the games. Since coming to the high school the tournament has become even cooler because I see all of the players in the halls and in my classes. The tournament is by far my favorite school tradition and a tradition I get excited for every single year.

Check out more pictures here!

Turkey Day 2014

For this Thanksgiving, my family and I carried out a family tradition of traveling to the great city of New York to spend time with my extended family. Specifically, we go to Brooklyn to my grandmothers apartment where we meet with my great-grandmother-who is 89 and strong-my aunts, and cousins. It's a great time to see my family that I don't get to see often. This Thanksgiving we bought a couple 30lb turkeys. Of course we also had the traditional Thanksgiving sides to go along with our main course.

How did your Thanksgiving go? It's also good to share with someone! For me, Turkey Day is a time where I get to reconnect with my family that I look forward to seeing every year.

Continuing the Tradition

In all my 13 years here at SSSAS, I've been waiting for one thing: my senior year Thanksgiving service. I, and my fellow seniors, waited with anticipation, counting down the minutes until their arrival. No it wasn't some famous celebrity or President Obama. We were waiting for the kindergarteners. Every year at our Thanksgiving service, the entire SSSAS community comes together in the Upper School gym to celebrate Thanksgiving and what we are thankful for. With that service comes the tradition of the senior and kindergartener precession. Each kindergartener is paired with a couple of seniors and they process into the gym together at the beginning of the service. I can vaguely remember walking into the service when I was in kindergarten and receiving my pin from my senior. I even wore my pin from kindergarten on Tuesday, a reminder of how long I've been here. The Thanksgiving service is one of my favorite traditions here at SSSAS, and I am very thankful for it.

Swedish Fish, Anyone?

This fall, my fellow seniors and I have been busy writing college essays and completing college applications.  Identifying potential colleges and applying to numerous schools can be stressful and overwhelming.  Fortunately, the College Counseling Office at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School guides students every step of the way!  With three full-time college counselors, students receive individualized attention and guidance.  My family and I had many questions about the college application process, and my counselor answered every one.  The College Counseling Office also provides other great resources such as the SSSAS College Handbook, which contains everything you need to know about applying for college.  For example, the section on college interviews really helped prepare me for my college visits.  My interviewer asked some of the exact questions from the handbook!  The College Counseling Office also schedules visits from many college admissions representatives that allow students to develop personal relationships with colleges.  Most importantly, SSSAS college counselors work closely with each student to find the college that is the right fit.  Students at SSSAS are incredibly lucky to have such a great resource!  
Furthermore, if you are feeling particularly stressed, you can always head down to the College Counseling Office for a chat with your counselor and a handful of Swedish fish!  Did I mention that the College Counseling Office always has candy…?

Saints Debate Club & Our First Debate

Last week was an exciting week for our very own SSSAS Debate Club. Last Wednesday, was our very first formal debate. The topic for the Debate was The Legalization of the Recreational Use of Marijuana. We had two teams: one team that argued for the legalization, which was known as the affirmative and another team that argued against the legalization, or the negative. We ordered pizza, as it is a tradition for Debate Club, and began the debate. Sarah Lowe and I, as co-presidents, split the club into two and started preparing for the debate. At the end of the debate my team (against the legalization) was crowned the winner. It was fun and involved some fiery, but interesting points. I was so proud of everyone there as we all performed respectfully and excellently.
This week, we have our monthly "Free-for-All" where members and non-members alike come in and debate whatever they would like and we choose our topic for the next debate from that session.
Stay tuned for an update for more information regarding our next debate. Great Job Saints Debate and keep up the good work!!

Saints Coffeehouse

This past friday, I had the opportunity to attend the 2nd Annual Gallery Coffeehouse. The Coffeehouse is similar to our Evening of the Arts talent showcase in the spring, except it has a more intimate setting. Whereas Evening of the Arts includes electric performances, the Coffeehouse is more personal with acoustic performances, poetry, and short stories read by members of the Saints Community. It is held in the library rotunda, cider and coffee are served, and student artwork is displayed around the room. I am so glad that I was able to attend. One of the amazing things about our school is the amount of artistic talent that our peers have. Listening to original music and poetry was inspiring. I even had the chance to get up and do a little improv poem during the Open Mic session of the night! The St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes Community is one where each individual students talents can grow and flourish. The Gallery Coffeehouse is an excellent sampling of the great talent we have in our school community.

The End of the First Quarter!

Yesterday, every Upper School students' grades were uploaded to our school website, along with comments from each of our teachers. Because of this, we had a long advisory to discuss our grades with our advisors. At SSSAS, you meet with the same group of people and the same faculty advisor all four years every Monday to discuss upcoming events, important deadlines, and chat about what how we are doing and your weekends.
My favorite advisory, however, has always been the advisory where we go over grades with our faculty advisor, because it gives students a chance to have a sanctioned one-on-one with someone who is always available to us for help.
This advisory has become even more important to me as I navigate the College Process and my senior year.  It is great that my advisor is always there for me, especially during busy times.

Spanish Exchange

SSSAS offers many spring break trips, and after my positive experience traveling to the Bahamas to research marine biology last year, I decided to look into more trips for this spring. This year, the exchange trip to Madrid caught my attention. The unique part of this trip was that each American student is paired with a Spanish student, whose house they would stay in for the duration of the trip to give a full cultural experience. When I received the contact information for my exchange student, Sonia, I was excited and anxious to meet her and immediately contacted her via email. We quickly friended each other on Facebook, and followed each other on Twitter and Instagram.

The Spanish students arrived October 16 and stayed for 12 days. While 12 days initially seemed like a long amount of time, it went by quickly. Everyday was busily filled with trying to give the full “American experience” to these teens who were so much like us, yet lived so differently. For instance, did you know that there is no peanut butter in Spain? It was small things like these that we insisted they try.

The best part of signing up for this trip was not just the excitement of traveling to a new place; I made amazing new friends both across the globe and within this school. We still have a Whatsapp group chat with all the students from both countries where we constantly talk in a mixture of the two languages. I got to know American students that I would have no way to get to know otherwise when we would hang out as a big group on the weekends or after school. With each passing day, I got closer to all of the students, and by the end I had made some of my closest friends.

It was sad when they left; the potluck on the final night and the goodbyes the next morning were teary-eyed and heartfelt, but I am equally excited to travel to Spain as I was to meet the students. I can’t wait to be reunited with my international friends and to emerge myself in a new culture in Madrid.

Hanging out in Georgetown with the exchange students on the weekend

Getting ice cream in old town

Everything is Awesome!

Some of the faculty and administration dressed up as Legos for Halloween!

New Admission Ambassador Captain John Repetti

Hello! I'm John Repetti and I am a junior at St. Stephen’s & St Agnes School. I have been here since the first day of kindergarten and could not see myself going to school anywhere else.

Outside the classroom, I play golf in the spring and this year I am working on the school’s literary magazine staff. On the staff, I have learned how to create a website and am in charge of making sure it is well maintained and running smoothly. I am so excited to be an Admission Ambassador Captain this year so I can help show off the school and community that has cared for me for many years, and given me countless opportunities to grow as a person.

A Club for Everyone

Last week the Upper School held its annual Club Fair.  More than fifty clubs set up information tables throughout the gym.  Just a few examples of the many diverse clubs at SSSAS include the Environmental Club, Model Judiciary Club, Mandarin Club, and Frisbee Club.  During the Fair, the Saints for Wellness Club even offered healthy homemade treats to prospective members!  
At SSSAS, all clubs are student-led, with a faculty member serving as the club’s sponsor.  The Club Fair allows students to talk directly to club leaders to find out what the club is all about.  After checking out the information tables at the fair, some students sign up for several clubs, while other kids focus on one or two.  Some students even decide to start their own club!  Because I love to fish, I joined the Potomac River Club as a freshman and became president my junior year.  However students choose to get involved, the clubs at SSSAS are a great way to get to know other students outside of the classroom and have fun.  With more than fifty clubs to choose from, there really is something for everyone!

Another New Captain

Hi! I'm Adrienne Atkins, a junior at SSSAS and one of the new admission ambassador captains! I've been at this school as long as I can remember --  since Junior Kindergarten. My two older siblings were also lifers here.
This year, I am striving to involve myself more in the school community as the Vice President of my grade and now as an admission ambassador captain. My favorite subject in school is science, although I am very interested in languages as well. Outside of school, I have a variety of interests, including sports, art, and piano. I play soccer in the fall season and run track for the winter and spring seasons and, in any intermediary time in the summer or between seasons, I lift with our weight room coaches.
Aside from athletics, I am also very interested and involved in the arts and have have taken visual arts classes throughout high school. Additionally, I have played the piano since the second grade.
I am so excited to finally be an upperclassman and to have all the leadership opportunities that come with it, including spending this year as an admission ambassador captain!

New Admission Ambassador Captain: Javon Price

Hello Everyone,

My name is Javon Price, I am a junior, and a newly elected Admissions Ambassador Captain. Here is a little bit about me: I came to St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School for my sophomore year and my high school career escalated from there. I became very active within our school community, with activities both during and after school. Listed are all of my extracurricular activities: I am co-president of both the SSSAS Debate Club and Leadership Academy.  I am currently the Student Council Association Vice-President, under fellow Admission Ambassador Captain Joshua Reed. Athletically, I play sports year round: in the fall I am a Defensive Back (CB) on the SSSAS Varsity Football Team and for the rest of the year I am an active member on the SSSAS Track and Field Team. Specifically, I run the 100m, 200m, and I am the 1st leg on the 4x100m team. When not in school, I volunteer for the David R. Pinn Community Center near my home in Fairfax.
As many can tell I am extremely active in our school's community and I am very excited to display and share our values as a school community with future Saints for years to come. I would like to pay homage and thank my peers for this wonderful opportunity that they have given me. And last, but definitely not least, GO SAINTS!!

First month down, eight more to go

With homecoming having come and gone, I'm starting to realize that everything I'm doing this year is my last. Being a senior, I have to admit that I'm becoming very nostalgic. However, I'm learning to take all the memories and events this year and enjoy them. Homecoming this year was the best one yet, and I couldn't be happier with my last one.
I'm now focused on my college applications, which is something I'm not really looking forward to, but they have to get done. It's hard to believe that the first month of school has already past and that I only have 8 months until graduation. With that being said, I'm definitely taking in all the experiences and enjoying them. I couldn't be happier with what my future holds!

Happy Homecoming!

Happy Homecoming!

What's Next?

As a senior, I have been visiting colleges trying to determine the right school for me.  I’m looking for the perfect mix of academics, extracurricular activities, community service opportunities, and diversity.  As I weigh the merits of various colleges, I can’t help but realize how lucky I’ve been to attend a high school that offers all of these advantages!  St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School has such a wide choice of academics, sports, the arts, and other extracurricular activities.   Seeing the SSSAS student body excited about homecoming this week makes me want to attend a college that has strong sports and school spirit.  Having engaged and enthusiastic teachers for my senior classes makes me want to go to a college with outstanding teachers who care about their students.  St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School truly offers the best of everything.  I just hope I can find a college that fits me as well!   

Back At It!

Can you believe it is almost October?  It is hard to think that it was three months ago since I wrote the last blog entry.  Since then, we have welcomed our new Head of School, Mrs. Adams to SSSAS, signed our Honor Code, participated in Fun Friday and cheered on our fall athletic teams.

This Saturday is Homecoming and we are celebrating our school spirt today with pajama day.  Here is a picture of me and some other faculty and administrators:

Farewell to Our Graduates

 

This past Saturday, we honored our Seniors at our commencement ceremony at the Virginia Seminary. We will miss our seniors, but are so looking forward to learning about their new adventures in college.  Here's a snapshot of what they will be up to in the next 4 years:

Tre, who was awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship will be attending New York University and pursing a degree in Education.

Mollye will be attending Northwestern University, where she will study pre-med and continue her love of service.

Sibet will be attending University of Virginia, where she will continue to grace the stage.

Graham will be attending Colby College and will continue to play lacrosse.

Here's the live stream recording - http://new.livestream.com/sssas

It's Almost Over (at least for this year!)

I cannot believe it is June!  A lot has happened since I last wrote: One Act Plays and Evening of the Arts have been preformed; sports championships have been won; students have been inducted to Cum Laude Society; and Saints participated in the USA Science & Engineering Festival... to name a few.

Upper School students completed their finals last week and will return tomorrow to see how they did.  Today, 100 students will be traveling throughout the DMV area volunteering at various locations.  On Thursday, students will go on our annual trip to Six Flags and graduation is on Saturday!  I'll report back next week with some pictures from graduation.

Disney Dreamers Academy 2014

My father had pushed me to apply for the Disney Dreamers Academy, sponsored by Steve Harvey, Disney, and Essence Magazine last year and I missed the deadline. This year he made sure I didn't! I wrote an essay and filled out a questionnaire, then mailed them in. I waited patiently for a couple of weeks and soon received the news. I was in! Out of the 10,000 who applied I was one of the 100 who were accepted.  On March 6-9th, I participated in the Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World in Florida. This four day program, is designed to “unlock the potential in young people and enable them to imagine their futures anew through inspirational leaders who show how to set goals, make plans and dream big.”

Disney paid for two tickets for the flight down to Orlando, as well as meals, and hotel accommodations.

We also had Fastpasses so any free time we had in the park, could be well-spent, skipping the notoriously long lines at the theme parks. However, we did not have that much free time in the parks, instead we had the opportunity to work with successful celebrities and listen to some great motivational speakers. We listened to Dexter Tanksley, a Disney Imagineer, whose combined projects are valued over 12 billion dollars. I met teenagers just like me, who owned their own businesses and nonprofit organizations. We listened to motivational speaker, Jonathan Sprinkles as he lectured to us about never giving up on our dream, no matter what other people say or how many times you are set back. We listened to Magic Johnson speak to us about perseverance (my goodness he was tall). We learned the correct way to introduce yourself to someone and present a business card. 

All the teenage guys had their own session separate from the girls, talking about courage, our image, and what it means to be a man. I had a “deep dive” with animator Jason Peltz, who had worked on Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, Hercules, Emperor's New Groove and more, as we learned about different animation styles and received a crash course in drawing Mickey Mouse. 

It was a powerful, inspiring weekend. All these people we met were trying to show us that we can do more, we are worth more than what other people may say. All our limits are self-imposed and the only thing stopping us, is us. I was inspired by these four days. Even writing this paragraph inspired myself, to rise above mediocrity and do more with myself. This was an invaluable four days that I will never forget. My time at the Disney Dreamer's Academy inspired me to work even harder at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes. After meeting with some of the fellow Dreamers, I appreciated even more the opportunities I have been given to learn and work at SSSAS and will not waste my time at this special place.

There’s me in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.

 

Spring Break 2014: Greece

 

During Spring Break, I had the opportunity to travel to Greece with my SSSAS. It was an experience I will never forget. This was my first time traveling to Europe and I was excited! The city of Athens was beautiful, and it was awe-inspiring to see the ancient ruins juxtaposed next to modern apartments. We were traveling non-stop, taking in all the remnants the ancient history of Greece. Almost every place we visited would fit perfectly on a postcard, and I can truly say that there was never a bad view any place we stopped. Experiencing this country’s natural landscape made me appreciate the beauty of nature a lot more. The food was amazing and the people we met were generally pleasant and congenial. I had a great time in Greece, and look forward to returning in the near future.

The view from the top of the Acrocorinth, the highest point of the ancient city of Corinth. The picture doesn't really do justice to the amazing view and atmosphere of the top of this mountain.

You can read more about my trip on our Saint's Go Global Blog - http://saintsgoglobal.blogspot.com/

Florida for Spring Break

Over spring break, I traveled to Florida with the SSSAS lacrosse team. For the first couple of days, both JV, varsity, and coaches, stayed in St. Petersburg.

While in St. Pete's, we were able to bond off the field and find our groove and strengths on the field. Besides playing games, the team would go out to dinner and get ice cream. I remember one night I had the best combination of raspberry and lemon gelato. It was awesome!

After the brief stay in St. Petersburg, we drove  to West Palm Beach where we played more games as well as lounged by the pool. Playing and lounging in the heat was a lot better than the alternative that my friends experienced while back home over break. Not only did I get to play lacrosse, but I also got quite a tan! We faced some serious competition and definitely grew as a team. I'm excited that we were able to find our stride in Florida because after big win this week against Notre Dame Prep, I know we will come out strong in our Spring Fling this weekend.

Spring Fling is an event hosted by the girls lacrosse team. Teams from all over country come to compete. I'm really excited to face some new competition. Go saints!

Spring Break Fun

During Spring Break, I skied down snow-covered mountains AND played golf on a sunny, seaside course.  Due to my involvement with so many fun school activities this winter, I didn’t get a chance to go skiing, so I really wanted to go over Spring Break.  However, I also wanted to go somewhere warm to practice golf before the SSSAS golf season begins.  Luckily, I was able to do both!  Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia still had a great base of snow, and Myrtle Beach offered the perfect weather for golf.  I can’t decide if I enjoyed the slalom course or the golf course more, but both were fantastic.  Although our break is over, I’m looking forward to playing Saints golf and following all the other exciting spring sports at SSSAS – lacrosse, baseball, softball, track, and tennis.  Go Saints!