Service Learning in Haiti

SSSAS’s relationship with St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Montrouis, Haiti offers our students a unique global perspective that benefits both St. Paul’s and our community.

Saints have organized numerous fundraising efforts during the holiday season to help provide St. Paul’s students with daily lunches.  Funds are also being used to help with the cost of next year’s trip.  The picture featured is from earlier this month when the Change for Haiti Club held a Haitian coffee and chocolate sale. Both the coffee and chocolate were purchased from Singing Rooster, a nonprofit company that returns its proceeds back to the farmers and their communities for continued economic development in Haiti; the profit that we make from the products will be sent to St. Paul’s and the broader Haitian community.

We have successfully built a relationship with St. Paul's and I know that by continuously sharing experiences filled with love and humor, this relationship will only continue to thrive.

To learn more about our service learning opportunities, please visit our website: http://www.sssas.org/page/Our-Community/Service-Learning

SDLC 2015

This past Wednesday through Saturday, a group of students and faculty took a trip down to Tampa for the 2015 Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and the People of Color Conference (POCC). I had the privilege of attending this year, and I was beyond excited, as I consistently heard students rave about their time at the conference.

We started off leaving mid-day on Wednesday and after a missed connection and a series of delays, we found ourselves arriving in Tampa nearly 7 hours behind schedule! Tired, hungry, and ready for the upcoming days, we immediately crashed upon arrival at the hotel.

The following days were jam-packed with various activities that forced us to question the system, opened our eyes to varying perspectives, and allowed us to connect with students from around the world. Even though the days began at 7 AM and ended at 11 PM, I found myself learning in an unparalleled environment of peers that were equally passionate about solving issues of social injustice. Overall, I learned so much from SDLC, and I was truly inspired by my exceptional peers. I can't wait to show the Saints community all I've learned! 

End of Thanksgiving Break

After a very welcome Thanksgiving break, I am excited to return to school with the Christmas spirit in the air.  The Thanksgiving Service last Tuesday was enjoyable as always.  Having the entire school community in one place is truly a special experience.  I am a member of the school orchestra, and we along with both the Middle and Upper School choruses performed at the service.  The Sleepy Thompson basketball tournament is this week and with local rival Bishop Ireton in the field, it is sure to be an exciting three days of basketball.  My friends and I are stocking up on toilet paper, which we will throw on the court after the Saints score their first basket on Thursday; it is a certainly a tradition like no other!

Fockey 2015

I am sad to say that my 6-year field hockey career has come to an end this past weekend. Having said that, I have never been so proud to be on a team, due to the tireless hard work of the girls I've been lucky to be surrounded by for the past four months. Our only regular season losses were to state champions of Maryland and Virginia, and we were ISL regular season and tournament champs. Our ISL Championship game went into triple overtime, with our girls coming out victorious over rival Episcopal down the street. Then, when it came to the VISAA Virginia State tournament, we beat #2 seed St. Catherine's first round in another stomach-jerking game, that we won in double overtime. Semi-finals down in Virginia Beach last Friday brought tough competition as we played the #1 seed, Trinity Episcopal, the future state champs. While we didn't make it to the state championship, the heart and hustle throughout the entire season combined with the improvement of our team overall will undoubtedly make this field hockey season and team my favorite, ending Katie Wood and I's senior year in the best way possible. To go out with our team catch phrase, Let's Go!!!

New Admissions Ambassador Captain: Jessica Edwards

Hi Everyone! I'm Jessica Edwards, a junior at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School and a new Admissions Ambassador Captain. I've been at SSSAS since freshman year and have been very active in the community ever since! Athletically, I have played volleyball for the past three years and track and field for the past two, filling my free time in the past couple of winters by performing in the musical. In regards to school clubs, I am a member of Programming Club, Science Bowl Team, CAPPIES, French Club, Unity Through Diversity, Student Business Association, Saints Action Team, Change for Haiti, and Best Buddies. Finally, I have taken advantage of many out-of-school opportunities that the school offers, including volunteering globally in Romania and Haiti, working as a SummerTimes camp counselor, and tutoring elementary school students with several other Saints at Patrick Henry. I would not be who I am today if not for attending SSSAS, and I love to share my enthusiasm for the Upper School to prospective visitors. I am so excited to be an Admissions Ambassador Captain to expose others to the school’s wonderful community and the opportunities I have obtained throughout my couple of years at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, and I hope to leave prospective families with positive, lasting impressions.

Halloween

Even though Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, we still dedicated a day to dressing up! Here are some highlights from Saints' Halloween costumes on Friday! 

A Regal Win

This past weekend the Saints football team, in which I play cornerback, won against the Landon Bears. We haven't beat in Landon in 40 years! Last time we beat Landon we were just St. Stephen's School and all that it was a resounding win: we won 31-0. On top of that of all that I had the honor of being crowned Homecoming King!

A Summer Full of Art

The school year is finally creeping up on us. Preseason has started for fall sports, which, for me, means reuniting with my soccer team. While I'm nervously excited to start my senior year, I also had an amazing summer.

I had the amazing opportunity to spend the month of July studying visual art at Boston University with professors and graduates from their College of Fine Arts. I never thought I could have developed my skills so much in such a short amount of time!

The curriculum was intense, with 6 to 9 hours of class every day and additional homework, but the assignments never felt like work to me. The classes, which included drawing, painting, figure drawing/mixed media, graphic design, printmaking, and photography, were fascinating. Homework didn't even seem like a chore, since assignments such as self portraits and sketches were completed in late night studio sessions, where the 22 of us would blast music, hang out, and make art. We each had our own cubicle-like studio space in a large room, making it easy to focus on my individual work while surrounded by my friends. In addition to classes and homework, we spent free time and weekends on excursions to Boston's amazing array of art museums as well as some touristy destinations.

All in all, it was a great summer. I got a taste of college, developed my portfolio, met new people, and explored a city I had never been to. I can't wait to bring my new skills to my AP art class this year!



Working in my studio, surrounded by my artwork from the program

 

The Finale

It's hard to believe that I graduated high school after 13 years at SSSAS. I couldn't be more thankful for all the opportunities that St. Stephen's & St. Agnes has given me. I wouldn't be the person I am today with the teacher's and administrator's support. It'll be hard leaving such a loving, caring community, but I know that I am well equipped for the future ahead. SSSAS has given me the confidence I need to excel in the higher education that awaits me. I know I will always live the school's mission to the best of my ability: to pursue goodness as well as knowledge. I leave this community to become a Tufts University Jumbo in the fall, but I'll always be a Saint. Thank you to everyone that has helped me the past 13 years -- it's been one incredible journey that I will never forget.

The Grand Finale

I can’t believe I’ll be graduating from Saint Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in a few short days.  I came to SSSAS as a new student my freshman year and leave with so many good friends and memories.  During my fours years at the Upper School, I tried to take advantage of all SSSAS has to offer - challenging classes, competitive sports, outstanding art programs, and leadership opportunities.  I will miss the SSSAS community, but I look forward to new experiences at Wake Forest University.  I know SSSAS has prepared me well for the future.

Prom

After much anticipation, Prom night came and went. The weeks before were filled with scrambled planning and preparation for this high school holiday-- rose petals lined the junior and senior hallways from the extravagant "Promposals," friends weighed the pros and cons of renting limos and debated where to go to dinner, girls sent each other infinite pictures of dresses from dressing rooms and websites. Finally, about a week and a half ago, Mrs. Myhre's efforts came to a reality. Students dressed up, took probably way too many pictures, and headed to the Masonic Temple, the impressive venue for the night. The highlight of the night, besides the great food and fun with friends, was the view from the top of the structure. You could see Alexandria for miles and all the way to National Harbor in Maryland! Overall, Prom measured up to everything I'd imagined it would be when I was 10 years old and entranced by High School Musical, except maybe there was less spontaneous breaking into song.

Saints Featured on NAIS Blog!

Check out one of our Saints reflection article which was featured to the NAIS magazine blog, in conjunction with Earth Week. 

Fire And Stones

This week is the start of the editing process for the spring issue of the literary magazine Fire and Stones. This year, Fire and Stones has added both a website and an annual winter issue. I really enjoyed working with the staff in the winter because I learned new layout programs and read all of the great submitted work. 
I am excited to start working on the new challenge, the spring issue, because this time, we have a lot more submissions and more pages to fill. The magazine staff is made up of students from all four grades. This effort is what makes seeing the final product so satisfying. It is incredibly gratifying to open up the first copy and see both our work and the creative work of the authors and artists all coming together. I am excited to get that feeling again after the spring issue is finished.

Goodbye Snow, Hello Green Fairways!

After a freezing, snowy winter, I’m ready to play some golf!  SSSAS Golf Team tryouts are next week, and hopefully the fairways will be dry enough to play.  Golf is just one of many spring sports at SSSAS, including lacrosse, baseball, softball, track, and tennis.  However, I believe golf offers one of the best sports experiences at SSSAS.

The golf team plays on some of the areas finest courses:  Belle Haven Country Club, Mount Vernon Country Club, Army-Navy Country Club, and the historic East Potomac Park.  For two of the last three years, we have played our conference championship at Congressional Country Club, the site of the PGA Championship and numerous other professional golf tournaments.

Furthermore, our head Coach, Mr. Japha, always gives great advice both during practice and team matches.  On the course, he encourages us to stay focused, especially after a few bad shots.  I have played on the golf team every year during high school.

Some of my fondest memories are of the bus rides with my teammates to and from our matches.  There’s always lots of joking, but also a lot of support for each other.  While golf is an individual sport, great friendships are made out on the course.

Saints Alum Wins Rookie of the Year!

SSSAS graduate, Cam Gregory'14, was just named Patriot League All-Rookie Team.

Cam is pursing his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Loyola College in Maryland.  See the picture below for when he was playing basketball for SSSAS!

Congratulations, Cam!  It's always a great day to be a Saint!

Running Tests Drowning in the Snow

While I do love the snow, it has brought a bit of a challenge to the girls lacrosse program. Normally, the week before spring season begins, we have our four run tests to complete. We have to complete a timed mile, beating our time from the previous season, under 7 minutes at least. Then, we have 3 300-yard sprints, starting at the end line and running to the 30-yard line and back 5 times. The first 300 needs to be under 59 seconds, the second under 62, and the third under 64. Next, we have 200-yard sprints, when we run across the football field and back, in around 35 seconds. We have six of those, with a second or two added to the required time each rep. Last but not least, my personal biggest struggles, are the 100s. We sprint across the football field in under 18 seconds, and then we have the remaining 42 seconds (or more, depending on how fast you sprint down) left in the minute to jog back. At the top of the minute, we sprint again. We do 14 of those, I believe.

Yes, these tests are very difficult. But, luckily, we have been training all winter season in strength and conditioning in preparation for the season and these tests, so we will be good to go! Only problem? This snow. We normally would have run these tests last week, but with the football field completely covered, we had no possible way to do so. We thought that hopefully, this upcoming week the field would be cleared so we could combine the run tests with our normal tryouts and be ready for our first scrimmage on Thursday (at home--come watch!). With the snow yesterday, I don't know if the fields will be ready for use. I'm hoping they will be clear soon enough, so we can kickstart our season that the team is anxiously waiting to begin!

People of Color Conference (PoCC)

Last December, I had an amazing experience that changed my life. I went to the People of Color Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana from December 2nd- December 5th.  I attended the student "branch" which is known as the Student Diversity Leadership Conference or SDLC. It's a conference where you learn about "identifiers" such as Age, Gender, Socio-Economic Status. You also discuss a wide range of topics from your own identity and discovering who you are as person to the cycle of oppression and how to combat it.

We left the morning of December 2nd to depart from Reagan National Airport. And, that part was a little rough because I have a fear of heights and take-offs aren't any better! But, I survived and when we touched down in Indianapolis it was smooth. The hotel we stayed in was awesome. I shared a room with fellow Saints and one of the highlights was going out for a nice seafood dinner!

One thing I learned at SDLC is the cycle of oppression. I know that's kind of a scary topic, but at SDLC they believed the best way to fight ignorance is to understand how it works. The Cycle of Oppression is as follows: Discrimination, Institutionalized Oppression, Internalized Oppression, Fear of Differences, Stereotypes, and Prejudice. At SDLC we learned that this is a cycle so it can start from any section. That was one of the more "heavy" topics that we talked about during my stay in Indianapolis, but not my favorite moment. My favorite moment of SDLC is when a influential instructor known to us as Rodney spoke these simple words "Love, itself, is a revolutionary act." Rodney taught us that the way we make change, the way we have an greater influence in this life is to love one another. No matter that baggage you carry, the only thing I can do is love you for who you are. Love and understanding are the only way that we can change hate and ignorance. Love is our weapon and our shield. That single quote changed my life and, I truly believe, it has made me a better person.

This year was my first year at PoCC and it helped me who I am as a person. I encourage anyone who is interested to attend this amazing experience.  Oh and instead of chilly mid-winter Indianapolis, this year its going to be in Tampa!!

There is a picture soon to come including all the participants and our faculty sponsors! Stay tuned everyone!!

ACT vs SAT

The ACT and SAT standardized tests are a common struggle among the juniors right now. Talks of test dates, tutors, and scores seem to be whirling around our class. Luckily, our college office has a long list of helpers, including tutors' phone numbers and practice tests.
While it is different for everyone, I had always heard that the majority of students found the ACT to be easier than the SAT. So, after taking the SAT twice- once in January of sophomore year and once again last month- I signed up for the ACT in confidence, or at least in hopes, that it would be a bit easier than the SAT; but boy was I wrong! I found the ACT to be MUCH harder, with the sections giving you 15 questions more than the number of minutes allotted to complete a specific section. For example, the Math section had 75 questions with only 60 minutes to answer. Lucky for me, the ACT doesn't take off points for wrong answers, so guessing is highly encouraged. I just found it difficult to pace myself with such a longer period of time, while with the SAT, we have short sections of maybe 30 minutes, and 25 questions. The SAT has tons of sections, though, and seems to drag on for days. Well, not that I particularly enjoyed either, I have found that the SAT is better for me. Or so I think... I guess we will see once I get my scores back. Cross your fingers for me!

Training Day

One of the great things about St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes is its' comprehensive athletic training facilities.  The Upper School has two full-time trainers and a fully equipped training room.  The trainers not only routinely work with athletes to improve performance, but they also help with sports injuries.  
After I tore my ACL playing basketball, the head trainer connected me with one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the area.  When I returned to school after my surgery, I was able to go to the training room for ice therapy to help ease my pain after hobbling around on crutches.  Of course I go to physical therapy outside of school, but it’s nice to know that an experienced and knowledgeable trainer is right down the hall.  
The trainers at SSSAS really care about each student athlete – whether a star senior headed to a Division I sports team or a freshman playing on his/her first high school team.  The trainers are such a great resource at SSSAS.  With the support of the SSSAS trainers, I just might be back for part of the spring golf season!

A Long Application Process

Last Saturday was a big day for me. After months of preparation, I completed the final steps of my governor’s school application.

This process began in October, when my art teacher asked if I would be interested in applying for this month long summer program. I jumped at the opportunity but had to compete to even apply, since SSSAS can only send one visual arts applicant. After collecting my best artwork and presenting it to the teachers, they awarded me the slot.

Next came the preparation for the actual adjudication. In addition to paperwork, I had to bring in ten pieces of my best work to display and explain to the judges. This is how I have spent the majority of my free time between October and this past weekend; I needed to complete these pieces. In addition to this presentation, I had to go to a workshop with the other applicants to create something spontaneously. I had no idea what to expect.

Upon my arrival, I was handed a questionnaire, the instructions to observe and describe a piece on display, and wait until they called my group. I had hours to attempt to calm my nerves and fill out this survey, which contained the most random questions I had seen on such as official looking document (What is your birth sign? What is your favorite movie? What do you want to do for a living? Where do you want to travel?).

When they finally called my group, we seated ourselves at tables surrounding miscellaneous kids’ art supplies like stickers, colored paper, and crayons. They then instructed us that we had 15 minutes to make a design for a t-shirt that we would want to wear. The second assignment was to make something 3 dimensional out of a paper bag in 3 minutes. Though rushed and crazy, these were fun opportunities to let my creativity loose.

When it came time, I set up my art and waited for the judges. I expected them to look at versatility and technique in my art; however, they were interested in a broader picture-- who I am and how this shows through my artwork. They asked questions such as “which piece do you identify with the most?” as well as questions about my motivations for applying and my plans for college. After a short 10 minutes, my time was up, leaving me desperately wanting to explain my work more. As I packed up my art, I couldn’t help but think about everything I could have and should have said, but the reality is that there simply wasn’t enough time.

In this one day, I learned about how to make my art stand out creatively and how to express myself through my work. Hopefully, I’ll have the chance to continue this learning over the summer!

Winter Track

Check out our Girl's 4x200 relay team!

A Crazy Week!

     This week has been a whirlwind. In my AP English Class, we turned in a rough draft of our papers about independent books we read- I chose The Liar's Club, a memoir. I also had a couple tests and quizzes, so it was really nice to have a day off of school for the snow we got on Wednesday- even if it was just a little. I'm looking forward to a relaxing three day weekend!

Senior Projects: Endless Possibilities

Over the next few weeks, my fellow seniors and I will be deciding what to do for our Senior Projects.  At St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, each senior pursues some unique adventure during the last two weeks in May.  Last year, the seniors designed vastly different, but very interesting and rewarding projects.  Examples of these projects include interning with a tech start-up, volunteering at a local hospital, and producing songs with GarageBand.  School officials encourage students to design projects that lead to self-discovery and personal fulfillment.  Unlike most schoolwork, these projects are not about grades.  Instead, students have an opportunity for intellectual, creative, and/or spiritual growth.  After the demands of AP classes and college applications, a chance to spend two weeks doing something that interests me sounds pretty good.  The only problem is deciding how best to spend my two weeks.  Should I intern, volunteer, create something…?

Saints Robotics Team is Headed to States!!

Our robotics team has just come back from West Virginia where they participated in the South West Qualifier.  The students, determined to make it to States, demanded we go to this qualifier (the last opportunity this year).  And so, the team traveled a long 7 hours evening to get to our hotel where we stayed before our qualifier.

The day was filled with ups and downs; we had matches where our robot lost connection and others where we outscored the other team in the last seconds.  Although we lost our first two matches, the team was resilient and came back to win our final 4 which boosted us from 20th place to 7th place.  We were selected to as an alliance member and our team helped our alliance make it to the finals match.

Our high point of the day was winning the most prestigious award, The Inspire Award.  (This award's description can be found here).  This award is given to the team that embodies the 'challenge' of the FTC program and that best represents a 'role model' FTC team.  We also were finalists for the Motivate Award as well as the Connect Award.

Link to Photos

Go Team Thunder Stone!  Go Saints! 

Winter Break 2014

    SSSAS students spend their winter breaks in a variety of different ways. Many go on vacation, whether to take a break from the cold by visiting a beach, visiting far away family, or skiing in the Rockies. I, however, was in town for the holidays. To make the most of my time off, I came to the school often for optional track practices and to get some extra lifting and conditioning in on my off time. Luckily, these practices were relaxed and casual, which turned out to be a good opportunity to get to know some of the underclassmen on the team. I have my first track meet since the break on Friday!

    In addition to athletics, I spent my time off experimented with some new art supplies I got for Christmas, since I am trying to build up a strong portfolio. I'll use these pieces for my governors school application for visual arts, due later this month, as well as my AP portfolio for the spring of next year. It's always exciting to try out new mediums, styles, and ideas on my own time.

    School is back and session, and the winter is definitely kicking in with some flurries of snow dusting the campus. Hopefully the snow will continue for some good skiing in the long weekends coming up!

We Will Be Fine

I walked in the gym. 8:30 in the morning. The desks all arranged in nice, neat rows and lines. Students walk in, with pencils sharpened, minds ready for their impending exams. We have our midterm exams before we leave for winter break every year. I remember my freshman year, sitting down in that gym waiting for that first exam. As a freshman, that first midterm exam was new, exciting and a little bit intimidating. The gym seemed huge and I looked around at all my peers. It is funny how time passes so quickly. Walking into that gym to take midterms for the last time, the gym seemed a little bit smaller, the test taking process was not nearly as intimidating as it once was. I am now moving into the second half of my senior year. As a freshman, this time seemed so far away, but it is here now. These next few months will go by quickly, but I will make sure that I live them to the fullest. This senior class is transitioning into a new chapter of our lives. And it may be a little intimidating like that first midterm exam I took as a freshman. But after a little while, we realize that it’s not that scary. We realize that we can face this challenge like all the others before. And we will be fine.

Midterms

This year I had 4 midterms. I spent the week before getting organized and I used the long weekend to study. I spent the majority of my time studying for my math exam because I thought it would be the hardest and I was right; it was quite difficult. After my last exam, I was very relieved (and tired!) as I knew I had the whole break ahead of me to relax and spend time with family. Finishing midterms before break is very awesome, as it allows winter break to really be a break instead of having to worry about midterms over the holidays. What a relief! Coming back from break I am well rested and excited for the second semester to start and warm weather!

A Much-Needed Break

Senior year has been so much busier for me than I ever thought!  From swimming, to AP course work, to applying to college, this Christmas Vacation has been one of the most relaxing by far. I was able to finish all my college applications with the help of my college counselor, Mr. Doyle, and I am looking forward to this New Year at school.

Soon I will start my second semester English seminar, a privilege seniors get (I will be taking a class on creative writing).

I'm excited to see my friends and teachers again, and I'm ready to conquer 2015!

Merry Christmas

I attended many holiday parties this year.  One of my favorite parties was a casual afternoon get-together with members of my school Advisory.  We just enjoyed hanging out and sharing a meal before midterms.  At St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, every freshman is assigned to an Advisory group led by a faculty advisor.  This advisor acts as an advocate for the students throughout their high school years.  He or she advises students on course selection, activities, and other aspects of high school life.  Our advisor, and my Spanish teacher, is Mr. Nasim Siddeeq.  For the past four years, Mr. Siddeeq has always been there to help us address any challenges and celebrate our successes.  The Advisory groups at SSSAS bring together students from different perspectives – athletes, scholars, artists, etc.  Six other students are in my Advisory, and we meet every Monday.  These Advisory meetings provide a relaxed atmosphere to talk, unwind, or just kid around.  

I have really enjoyed getting to know the other students in my Advisory.  I also know that I can always count on Mr. Siddeeq.  When he was stuck in the Philadelphia airport and couldn’t make it to the Advisory holiday party, we FaceTimed with him!  One of the things I will miss most about high school is Advisory.