Community Weekend
Light Blue / Dark Blue update after
Community
Weekend....Light Blue=288; Dark Blue=218
Orientation Trips
Orientation Trips left this morning...looks
like it is going to be a beautiful three days for all of the groups!
24 Hours of Great Glen Bike Race
The White Mountain Wheelers placed 5th out of 28 teams at the August
14th race!
Mid-1970's Reunion/50th Birthday Party
Held at Niffer Stackpoles '78 house in Bethlehem, NH. Peter Hadley
'78 was chef for the day!
Hill House receives its annual face lift from Peirce Brushworks
Painting, Franconia, NH.
White Mountain Summer
White Mountain Summer continues their adventures!
New Director of Admission
WMS welcomes Beth Towle, Director of Admission
White Mountain Summer
New England Exploration finishes their 16-day trip.
Frost Place Festival and Conference
Participants in the Frost Place Festival and Conference on Poetry
live
and learn at WMS this week.
Campus Tour
Nicole Stanton, age 10 from Hingham, MA, tours campus with her family
and loads up on WMS gear!
Summer Birthdays
At the end of the school year, Liz Moss (faculty) and the Social
Committee gave balloons to all WMS community members who have a birthday
in the summer- Happy Birthday summer-born!
A Special Occasion
Tom and Susan ("Miss Davis", English teacher '68-'70) Patterson
visiting WMS on their 40th wedding anniversary. They were married at St.
Mary's by Bill Dearman, June 13, 1970.
Visiting Alums
Welcome back Cam
'05, Michelle '05, Sam '04 (with her beautiful and charming son,
Braeden) and Jeff. Great to have you back on campus!
Day Student Open House
Jodie Clark '13, Emily Nute '12, and Will Mazimba '11 provide campus
tours to visiting families.
Welcome To The Team!
WMS welcomes two new members to our team. Molly Radis from Bates
College, Assistant Director of Admission and Robby West from The
University of New Hampshire, also Assistant Director of Admission.
Admissions Visit
Will Mazimba '11 gives Samantha Stratford of Massachusetts a tour of
WMS
2010 Graduating Class
Congratulations class of 2010!
Graduation 2010
Charlie Peckar '10, Rev. Paul Higginson, and Loren O'Rourke '10.
Graduation 2010
4-year senior, Matt Giglio, and his family.
Senior Project
Megan Iosue '10 made her choreographic debut this weekend at WMS!
Her
independent study in Dance included choreographing, teaching and
performing her own work. Spectacular job, Megan!
Theater
The cast of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Prom 2010
We had a wonderful time at the Maplewood -
beautiful weather, great dinner, and lots of dancing!
Mt. Day
Spring Mt. Day at Echo Lake
ESL Class at the Robert Frost Farm in Franconia (4/12/2010)
Yimeng Hou, Yisheng Cai, Bai Xue, Yayun Shen, Hyuk Lee, Amy Lee, Fan
Zhang, Junya Wei, and Feng Qui.
Gardening
Rachel helps bring spring growth to WMS by starting a new planting
bed.
Berry Planting
JJ, Esthy, and Mike planing berries in the garden.
Rainbow
A beautiful rainbow over Edge Field last week, taken by Barbara.
Meditation
Students ease into Buddhism class during G Block, led by Hiapo.
Macbeth
Friday's Sophomore English class celebrated Macbeth being crowned King of Scotland with a banquet. Unfortunately, Banquo's ghost showed up, Macbeth freaked out, and everyone was sent home by Lady Macbeth.
Is it REALLY April 29th? . . . Anyone care for a picnic?
WMS has a burst of winter weather in late April!
Ultimate Frisbee
Spring is back and that means Tuesday night Ultimate Frisbee!
Art Class Presentations
Parents' Weekend was a huge success, despite the late April snowfall. The arts program on Friday night was especially nice, including presentations from each of our art classes.
Boy's Lacrosse (4/14/2010)
WMS' boy's lacrosse team playing away game last Wednesday.
Girls Lacrosse 4/14/2010
First girls' home lax game yesterday!
Zoe Skibbie '10 Senior Project
A photo sent from the Dominican Republic by Zoe Skibbie '10. Zoe is doing a Senior Project called " Working for the Batey Foundation: Immersion in the Dominican Republic". This project grew out of her earlier Independent Study, "A Study of Dominican and Haitian History". Go Zoe!
Dorm Dinner
WMS students posed for this picture at Hill House after dorm dinner!
Morning Meeting (4/8/2010)
Students held a spontaneous dance session at Morning Meeting today! The whole school 'got down' to the 1980s hit, "Safety Dance". Fun way to start the day!
Spring Chickens
The WMS chicken flock has been moved to their "summer home"- the hand built chicken tractor across the road!
OED Project Block
From a recent Project Block in the "Outdoor Eduction and Leadership" course at WMS.WMS Student Government
Back Row: Zoe Skibbie, Esthy Rodriguez, Lina Rodriguez, Cheryl Zhou
Front Row: Will Decherd, Jacob Moss, Jodie ClarkWMS Yoga Group
The winter yoga group at WMS.
French Exchange Field Course
Group photo in front of Le Palais Ducal de Nevers taken by Thomas Pace.
3 Peaks in 3 Days
The 'Skiing the High Peaks' field course skied the three highest
peaks in New England in three days. Tues: Mt Marcy NY 3165ft, Wed: Mt
Mansfield VT 2200ft,
Thurs: Mt Washington NH 3588ft.
Vermont Zen Center Field Course
Students applied their Zen practice by doing some good
work at Shelbourne Farms. The group cleared buckthorn and invasive species
from England, and then visited "Hogwarts" - the farm barn on the
estate.
Three Comedies and a Drama
The winter sports' theater group recently entertained the community with 3 comedies and a drama.
North Carolina River Trip Checking In
Students that choose the NC River Field Course are out this week rafting and kayaking down some of the
most famous rivers in the country and learning about the complex issues
with accessing and protecting these valuable resources. Here Jackson '11 is surfing Jaws on the Nolichucky.
Senior Trip
The senior class took an overnight trip to The Balsams Grand Resort
for their senior trip. Skiing, snowboarding, a game room, and even a
sleigh ride were part of the fun.
NHS Serves Dinner
The White Mountain School chapter of the National Honor Society
recently prepared and served a meal at the Dinner Bell. The Dinner
Bell is a free community supper sponsored every Tuesday by All Saint's
Episcopal Church in Littleton, NH.
Dance Off
International
night was filled with activities. Here, Tiegan Gilmore '12 is dancing
with her father, Will '82, at the "Dance off."
Snowboard Competition
WMS hosted a freestyle snowboard competition at Bretton Woods recently. Our own Dan Annunziato places fourth out of 63 competitors.
Dinner Prep
Students are gearing up for International Night tonight!
Hyuk Lee '11 and Min-Soo Kwon '11 began yesterday by marinating beef.
Lifetime Friends
Recent Alums met up at rugby tournament in Grantham, NH. Maggie,
Natalie, and Liz graduated last year and each went to different
colleges but maintain the close friendship they made at WMS.
Year of the Tiger
Students help prepare dinner and decorations for the WMS Chinese New Year celebration!
African Inspired Dance Workshop
The White Mountain School hosted a "Roots Yoga: African Inspired Dance
Workshop" led by Abigail Ifatol Jefferson and Abdul Matten. Several WMS students as well as many members of the broader community participated in this energizing event.
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
The theater class recently showed off their acting skills by performing in a "Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon."
Jewelry Making
Zach '10 is one of several students that have been taking jewelry making classes during activity period on Tuesdays.
Backcountry Skiing
Backcountry skiing is just one of the winter sports WMS students
have to choose from. Pictured here is Lee Zanger, the Backcountry Coach
and Science Department Chair, at Mittersill.
Quiz Bowl '10
Dorms competed in the first round of the annual Quiz Bowl tournament
this week. Moving on to the semi-finals were Upper Burroughs, Lower
Burroughs, the day student team, and Hill House.
Sign the Book
WMS welcomed new students for the Spring
Semester on Monday. They were introduced during morning reading with
our traditional sign the book ceremony.
Class in a Cell
Biology students really got into their current assignment. Class was
held in a giant "cell" as they discussed the different parts of a cell
and presented their cellular projects.
Warm by the Fire
Students warm up at the Solar bonfire during Winter Festival.
Ice Climbing
Ice climbing was just one of the many great activities offered
during Winter Festival this weekend.
Cultural Exchange
Students in our ESL program recently visited a local elementary/middle school, Woodland Community School, where they presented topics about their home countries.
Winter Break Fun
Julie Yates, Director of Alumni, and her family enjoy winter break on-campus clearing off the pond for some ice-skating.
Silent Night
Seniors sang Silent Night during the holiday celebration. Following
tradition, they gave their candles to students and faculty who have
made a difference in their lives while at WMS.
Scrooge
Before Winter Break, faculty entertained the community during Morning Reading with the traditional performance of the Scrooge.
Dinner Bell
Students and faculty spent Tuesday evening volunteering at the All
Saints Church in Littleton. Free community suppers are served there every Tuesday, sponsored by local churches, organizations,
and The White Mountain School..
"Yolochka"
A Russian language quintet of WMS students and faculty entertained
at Morning Meeting. After Joyce Morgan (college counselor) gave a brief
history of the "Christmas" tree they sang Yolochka, which is a Russian New Year's song. Teva '13 served as the translator.
Interim Sports Week - Christmas Crafts
Between Fall sports and Winter break students have the opportunity
to choose from a variety of faculty designed "interim sports." Here
students from the Christmas Crafts activity show off their creations.
Carbon Seminar
The
entire school recently spent an afternoon disussing climate change issues, using a Climate
Simulator similar to the one used in Copenhagen. Groups also explored ways to
address the CO2 accumulation.
Multi-Ability Awareness Day
Film producer, Dan Habib, presented his film "Including Samuel" for Multi-Ability Awareness Day. He facilitated a Q & A with students after the screening.
Fall Sports Awards
Before leaving for Thanksgiving Break the community celebrated the accomplishments and adventures of the Fall Sports season.
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
The senior portfolio art class spent the day at the Mass MoCA. Here they are touring Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective.
Soil Testing
Joe Homer from Natural Resources Conservation Service spent time
with the Environmental Science class recently. They were testing the
fertility of the soil around campus as part of creating a Forest
Management plan for the WMS campus.
Japanese Drumming Cultural Event
Students participated in a Japanese drumming workshop before the cultural event this past Friday. The Burlington Taiko Group demonstrated Japanese Festival Drumming following a delicious community dinner.
Morning Performance
Sophia '13 and Katie '13 performed an original composition by Sophia for morning meeting.
Preparing for Winter
Maegan '12 helps split wood during the Farm & Forest weekend activity.
Fall Mountain Day
Students were surprised with a Fall
Mountain Day on Thursday. Classes were canceled and the entire school
went hiking. Each grade summited a different mountain in the White
Mountain region.
Spirit Week - Twin Day
Dan '10 and Brian '13 earn points for their light/dark blue team by dressing up for Twin Day.
350
White Mountain students joined people around the world
supporting International Day of Climate Action. For more information
about this day and the significance of 350 click here.
Sustainable Farming
Adam Nyborg and Jasmine '13 test the soil for the new raspberry
patch that will be planted next Spring. For more about our farming
program click here. Photo taken by Zoe Skibbie '10.
Joshua Tree Field Course
Students on the Joshua Tree Field Course spent a full week exploring Joshua Tree’s Granite domes
and spires while practicing climbing systems and multi-pitch
techniques. Click here for a full description of all the Field Courses that went out last week.
Habitat for Humanity Field Course
Lisa Patey '77, trustee, met up with WMS students and teachers at
the Food Pantry in Portland, ME and got this shot of the group. They
have been working with Habitat for Humanity and the Food Pantry all
week. Click here for more information about this Field Course or any of the other exciting trips that have been out.
Weekend Hike at the Basin
International students Misha (Ukraine) and Kristyna (Czech Republic) enjoyed a beautiful fall hike to the Basin this past weekend.
Opening Night
Past and present students attended the
WREN Gallery opening of
"Work on Paper and Glass" this past Friday night. They came in support of featured artist Kate Renner, who is also the Art Department Chair at WMS.
A Meal from the Garden
Torrey (Chair of the Sustainability Department) recently offered a weekend activity giving students an opportunity to create an entire meal using food from our farm. Students gathered the fruit and vegetables themselves and then spent the afternoon preparing the meal.
Just Playing Around
Students from the theater class and afternoon activity display their
talent for theatrics. We are looking forward to the much anticipated 1
Act Plays that are performed in the late Fall.
A Day at the Museum
The 2-D Foundations class spent their Saturday project block at the
Hood Museum. Students toured the modern art exhibit and then spent time
sketching the piece they found most interesting.
Fish Banks
The students in the Comparative Economic Development class spent a
recent evening playing "Fish Banks." The game introduces a unit on
market failures and offers a clear illustration of the "tragedy of the
commons" dynamic.
1st Climbing Competition of the Year
This past weekend the White Mountain School Sport Climbing Team headed
down to the Boston Rock Gym for their first competition of the year.
Over eighty other climbers from throughout New England competed in the
USA Climbing sanctioned event. The team will compete in at least three
other competitions this fall and winter with one of these events being
hosted by The White Mountain School on December 5th. Pictured here is
Sean Nanos ('10) sending one of the more challenging routes of the day.
Weekend Fun
A group of students spent the weekend rafting in
Maine. An alum, Jan '08, came back to guide the trip. Dan '10 is giving
the thumbs up as they navigate Magic Falls on the Kennebec.
First Game of the Season!
The girl's soccer team had their
first game of the season at home against Holderness on Saturday. It was
very exciting to watch everyone play, even some that were brand new to
the game. Go WMS!
Fall 2009 Field Courses Presented
Faculty and students presented the Fall Field Course selections at
Morning Meeting. This informative presentation always proves to be
quite entertaining. Here, Adam Nyborg and Paddy Foran give a great skit
for the Sustainable Agriculture Field Course. For a comprehensive list
of trips click here.
Jammin in the Music Room
Travis '11 and Dennis '11 use their free time after dinner to jam in
the music room. Travis is on the guitar and Dennis is playing the
drums.
September 14, 2009 - Advisee Dinner
Advisee groups met on Friday night for dinner and the opportunity to
check in after a busy first couple of weeks. Kate and her
advisees--Charlie '10, Dan '10, Keren '11 and Carrie '11--made calzones
in Kate's apartment. Yum!
September 11, 2009 - Working Together
Torrey, Chair of the
Sustainability Department, and Evan '12 sift compost during the Farm
and Forest sport time. Once sifted, the compost is spread on the
organic garden that provides many of the vegetables found in our
kitchen.
September 10, 2009 - Technology in the Classroom
Danielle's
Algebra I class broke out their graphing calculators today. To aid in
instruction, Danielle had the use of a SmartBoard. All of the math and science classrooms in the Fred Steele Science Center are equipped with this technology.
September 9, 2009 - Chalk Art
Alice '13, from Kenya, is
earning points for the light blue team during Community Weekend. The
walk to the main building is now very colorful with various displays of
artistic talent.
September 7, 2009 - Enjoying the Perfect Weather
The weather has been perfect for the first week of school, bringing students outside for sunshine and fun. Hood's Hill (shown above) is a popular place on campus for a game of frisbee or just hanging out.
September 5, 2009 - Community Weekend Festivities
Community Weekend began with the traditional Light Blue vs Dark Blue
tug-a-war. Holding on to their winning streak, the Light Blue team
pulled out yet another win. Other activities of the day included chalk
drawing, crab soccer, whiffle ball, bocci, the noodle relay, and
of-course the very popular slip and slide.
September 4, 2009 - Orientation '09
Students left for
orientation soon after arriving on-campus. These three day trips are
designed to build community and get to know one another before classes
begin. There are several trips to choose from based on level of
experience and interests. Above, Sam '10 and Victoria '11, are paddling
on the North to South Lake Umbagog trip.
September 3, 2009 - Sign the Book
After returning from orientation trips, the entire community gathered in the Great Hall for the tradition of "Sign the Book." This
is where new faculty, staff, and students sign their name in a book
that is updated each year. This is also when they declare their dark
blue or light blue team allegiance.
Setember 2, 2009 - Team Building
Proctors arrived a few days
early to prepare for student arrival and attend leadership training
workshops. Despite being forced inside by the rain, WMS proctors had a
blast, solved some difficult challenges and discussed leadership under
the guidance of Jason Holder, Ed.D of Adventurelore Programs.
August 31, 2009 - Students Return
Students returned to campus on Aug. 30th. Faculty and student
proctors greeted them with enthusiasm as they completed the "back to
school" tasks of getting schedules, signing up for work jobs, and
moving into their dorms. Above Julie Yates and Deandra Brassard give
out room assignments and keys. Welcome back everyone and a huge welcome
to our new students!
August 27, 2009 - WMSummer Climbing
For a week this summer,
faculty members Kate Renner and Hiapo Emmons-Shaw were instructors for
the summer climbing program. This is a skill they also use doing the
school year, coaching our afternoon climbing sport.
August 24, 2009- Victory for Dark Blue!!
This year the dark
blue flag will be displayed in the dining room, after a stunning come from
behind victory by the 2008-2009 Dark Blue Team. Community weekend
(Sept. 5-6) will begin a new year of friendly rivalry, starting with
the traditional mud pit tug-of-war. Good luck to both teams!
August 20, 2009 - Summer Work...and Fun
Jaime Pollitte, Director of Outdoor Education, spent the summer guiding for Mountain Madness. Here, Jaime is pictured on his way to the summit of South Early Winter Spire in the North Cascades of Washington.
August 18, 2009 - In early July, the Exploration and Expressions summer session group
hiked to the summit of Mt. Washington. Check back in the coming weeks
for more pictures from all of the summer programs--including the Ultimate Northeast!
August 12, 2009 - A four man team from The White Mountain School, composed of two
advisor/advisee duos (Ben Mirkin, faculty and advisee Dan Annunziato
'10; Hiapo Emmons-Shaw, faculty and James Evans '09), competed in the
24 Hours of Great Glen Race
this past weekend. The team took 2nd out of 21 in the men's four person
sport's catagory. Nancy Annunziato, Dan's mom, summed up this summer
experience best by saying, "It is wonderful evidence of the incredibly
close faculty/student
relationships that WMS cultivates." Great job guys!
August 10, 2009 - Barbara Buckley, English and Performing Arts teacher, visited with
Steve Johnson '09 and his family in Chicago this summer. Barbara and
Steve are pictured above at "The Bean" in Millennium Park.
August 3, 2009 - Congratulations to Hiapo, Becky and Becky's father for winning the Top
Notch Triathalon in the Family Team Category. Becky teaches our ESL
courses and Hiapo teaches History. The winning team is pictured above
on top of Cannon Mountain. Becky and Hiapo's son Alden also got in the
picture.
July 25, 2009 - This year, the 28th Annual Prouty Century Bike Ride & Challenge
Walk included two WMS students, Carrie Bruno '10 and Sam Allen '10.
The Prouty
celebrates and supports the courage of cancer patients and survivors
everywhere and raises money for crucial cancer research and important
patient services at Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Through Sam's mother, we learned that
he really wanted to do this in honor of and in memory of family members
with cancer. Both Sam and Carrie were so happy and smiley even at the
79 mile mark!
July 16, 2009 - Esthy Rodriguez '11 is spending part of her summer in Paris. She is
visiting France through the program Experiment in International Living
(EIL). Her program included a home stay where Esthy hoped to improve
her French skills as well as learn about the French culture. She also
hopes to go across the border to Italy to learn about the Italian
culture as well. Here she is with a friend from the program in front
of the Eiffel Tower.
July 14, 2009 - Two
WMS friends, Matt ’10 and Jocellyn ’09, in Massachusetts, going on a
Fourth of July bike ride. Both participated Road Biking at school this
past spring, and they still bike together!
June 6, 2009 - 122nd Commencement
Seniors listen closely as names are read to receive their diploma.
Names were not called in alphabetical order so as to have everyone's
complete attention at all times!
June 5, 2009 - Pass the Book
This morning many students from all four classes, faculty, and
administration shared their thanks and appreciation with each other.
Pass the Book is a White Mountain School tradition that takes place at
Morning
Meeting on the last day of school. It is a time for everyone to say
goodbye or to say what this school means to them. There was laughter,
tears, silence and shouting, all expressing just how important the
community at The White Mountain School is for all those who are part of
it. It was an amazing experience to see and hear.
June 1, 2009 - Light Blue vs. Dark Blue is a year round competition that may have
culminated in last Friday's Field Day activities, unless a final
ultimate frisbee challenge occurs at the end of the week! Here are the
winners of the badminton event!
May 29, 2009 - Photography I Exhibit in the Great Hall Gallery
This semester's Photography I class aimed to teach photography
as a process of capturing light to create compelling,
artistic images. The class learned to see with a camera –
exploring the unique perspective afforded by looking through the lens.
They worked in both black & white and color, and moved beyond the
snapshot and began to create works of photographic art. In this course,
the students worked in the “digital darkroom” rather than the wet
darkroom,
using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop Elements for processing,
presentation, and printing. Assignments focused on various aspects
of visual design, helping them to develop their ability to create
powerful
images. Throughout the course, students examined the work of leading
photographers from around the world.
Click here for more photos created by this class.May 27, 2009 - The past two days, the Algebra II classes created solar ovens. Each
group had to plot a parabola surrounding a focus point such that we
could cook a hot dog or a cupcake on that point with power from the
sun. Each group had slightly different shapes and sizes, but all the
"solar ovens" had temperatures soar well above 90 degrees F up to 150
degrees F! When kept in direct sunlight long enough, the students were
able to cook a hot dog or a cupcake.
May 26, 2009 - A group of brave souls traveled to Maine this weekend to raft the Dead
River in a beautiful raft very recently donated by an anonymous friend
of The White Mountain School. The group experienced the first release
at 5500 c.f.s., for a Class 4 rapids adventure. Much fun was had by
all!
May 25, 2009 - Boys lacrosse had a great game against Thetford on Saturday. The final
outcome was a 9-6 victory for WMS. Come cheer on the boys for the
final game of the season, a re-match against Thetford, this Thursday,
at home!
May 22, 2009 - Last night, this year's prom took place at the Sunset Hill House in
Sugar Hill. After pre-prom photos in the gardens at school, the
students and faculty travelled in buses to the inn. Appetizers and tea
included some football tossing and ultimate frisbee before dinner.
Following a delicious dinner of vegetarian dishes to a round of beef,
all took part in the dancing and additional outdoor fun. Pictured
here, is a group of seniors in front of Lafayette Mountain. What a
beautiful night it was!
May 21, 2009 - Swiftwater Rescue OLE
This OLE taught students the basics of swiftwater rescue.
Participants spent three days on (and in) a local river, and slept by
the river at night. The first two days were spent learning and
practicing the fundamentals of river rescue and safety. The third day
was spent running a local river and practicing additional scenarios.
Students did not need any previous paddling experience to sign up for
this OLE. Students knew they would be required to get wet, work hard,
have fun and learn a lot. The skills learned in this OLE are incredibly
valuable for any student who spends time on, around or in moving water.
In this picture, the group is forming a "wall" to rescue any person or
thing that may be "running" down the river.
May 20, 2009 -
On this OLE trip students and teachers traveled to Shelburne,
Vermont and spent three days studying and practicing Zen Budhism. The
days were spent learning the basics of Budhist philosophy, meditating,
doing volunteer work around the center and other Budhist practices.
The group stayed in the Zen Center's bunkhouse and ate vegetarian food
in their dining room. The whole trip was spent at the center and
presented some unique challenges. The group spent much of its time in
silent meditation, all of the food was vegetarian, all had to be open
to an unfamiliar religious tradition, and all had to work together
harmoniously while living in close quarters. The trip was meant to be
an introduction for those who were curious about the Budhist religion,
but was ot designed to convert anyone.
May 19, 2009 - This year's Prom is happening on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Today at
morning meeting, students were reminded of all they needed to know for
the big evening. In this photo, Sam B. is teaching everyone "how
to dress for prom" and a new dance to the music "Staying
Alive".
May 17, 2009 - As promised, Jeff finished his piece in class yesterday-- it
is 2 feet tall!
May 15, 2009 - Students in the Advanced Ceramics class are finishing up some special
projects as we approach the end of the school year. Max carefully
finishes this delicate piece on the wheel. Check the photo this weekend
for a finished piece that is 2 feet tall!
May 13, 2009 - Last night, Pan, Xuening and Feng spent the evening at Riverglen House
talking with senior citizens who had lived during the years of the
Great Depression. Their teacher Becky Beno, ESL teacher, had a couple
reason to take them on this trip. On the surface, they went because
they had been
reading the book Of Mice and Men and Becky wanted them to talk with
people who could help them understand what it was like to live during
that time in the US. On a deeper level, Becky was hoping for a
mini-cultural exchange between the students and the seniors, with the
hope that the seniors would feel good about telling their stories to
eager listeners and the students would feel good about connecting with
the seniors.
May 12, 2009 - This Spring OLE was a road bike adventure. The trip was designed to
help students develop a better understanding of who they are as
individuals, create a stronger sense of self and learn what identities
they show publicly verses privately. This was all done through
exploration of one's own personality, by asking critical questions of
each other and ourselves. Through personality tests, group discussions
and case studies the students gained insight into who they are as
individuals. The group left from WMS on Monday morning and road biked
to Dry River Camp Ground in Carter Notch. The second day, the group
hiked from Carter Notch. On the final day, the group rode back to WMS.
May 8, 2009 - Beginning Climbers Show Their Stuff. One of the Spring OLE offerings was a trip to Acadia National Park.
Students were able to learn the basic skills of climbing on the
beautiful pink granite sea cliffs while learning about the devlopment
of management processes necessary to keep both the land and its
visitors safe.
May 7, 2009 - Under the leadership of Caroline Ruhl '09, The White Mountain School's
China Care Club has been recognized by the
China Care Foundation as one
of their outstanding new clubs. Caroline spent last summer volunteering
for China Care at an orphanage. She then brought awareness of this
organization back to campus, forming the China Care Club. The club has
been busy with fundraisers this year and has been able to fund two
surgeries needed for children in the orphanage. Caroline just recently
returned from Romania, where she completed a senior project with the
China Care Foundation.
Read more about this recognition.
May 6, 2009 - How do you eat a cupcake at the home of the Head of School? French
students visiting WMS were wondering just that ... They had been
carefully forking the cake out
of the paper, and were a little shocked to learn that they were to peel
off the paper and chow down!
Read more about our french exchange students. May 5, 2009 - Spring
OLEs
are out and the "Traveling Players" have been busy on their theater
expedition. Their first project was to build the "traveling" stage
shown here. Other members of the group are busy making costumes and
learning their lines. They will be presenting their plays next week
during morning meeting.
May 4, 2009 - On Top of the World
As a Spring Sport, students have the choice of hiking and fitness. Here is the view at the top of last
week's hike up Mt. Pemigewasset (Indian Head). WOW!
April 30, 2009 - Ben Hall '10 brings the ball down the field in a game against Gould Academy, yesterday. WMS won 11-4! Lacrosse is one of many
spring sports options, which range from rock climbing and paddling to biking and farm & forestry crew.
April 28, 2009 -
Utopia/Dystopia
is a course which uses utopian and dystopian literature and films as a
lens
through which to examine the ideals we value in society. Last Saturday,
this semester's students visited Cobb Hill in Hartland, Vermont.
Cobb Hill
is a community of people who want to explore the challenge of
living in ways that are materially sufficient, socially and
ecologically responsible, and satisfying to the soul. Cobb Hill is a
wonderful example of sustainability practices that are working.
April 27, 2009 - The Offshore Aces Cajun Band played on Friday night as part of The White
Mountain School Cultural Event Series. Members of the school and local
community enjoyed the music and learned some new dances. Pictured here
are two students, Megan Iousue '10 and Sean Nanos '10, dancing during
the evening festivities.
April 24, 2009 - Saturday morning pancakes are topped with real WMS maple syrup. This
year's season has been outstanding and the community has been the
beneficiary of all the great maple goodness. Students can look forward
to Saturday and Sunday brunch this weekend with more of the good stuff!
April 23, 2009 - Bree Schmit '09 and Barbara Buckley (WMS Theater and English teacher)
spent Sunday afternoon knitting chemo caps at the Yarn Garden in
Littleton. Other members of the local community joined them in this
cause. The caps will be sent to hospitals for cancer survivors.
April 22, 2009 - Adam Nyborg, Farm & Forest Coordinator, announced the arrival of
chicks to the Farm & Forestry program at The White Mountain School.
Pictured here are the new chicks at three days old.
April 21, 2009 - Casino Night is a student organized evening of gambling for WMS
dollars. At the end of the evening an auction is held to spend all the
"money" won. The social committee organizes all sorts of casino games
complete with student dealers and waitstaff all dressed to play the
part. This year's event took place last Friday night. Much fun was
had by all!
April 20, 2009 - Dorm dinners are a great tradition at The White Mountain School. The
dorm proctors are in charge of choosing the menu and preparing for the
entire dorm. Dessert at Carter dorm's dinner was a chocolate fountain
with lots of dippers. Looks good, doesn't it?
April 16, 2009 - The quarterly CONFR meeting, "Council of Fundraising," took place this week at WMS. The local group consists of fundraisers in the North Country area, including WMS development team, Justin Salomon and Julie Yates. The meeting permits the group to share ideas, success stories, and areas of learning. Everyone in this group works hard and cares deeply about some wonderful local non-profit organizations, including Littleton Regional Hospital, WREN, AHEAD, Copper Cannon Camp, The Morrison, CCFHS, White Mountain Animal League, and Lisbon Main Street. Today's photo was taken and submitted by Mickey de Rham, a member of CONFR.
April 15, 2009 - On
Tuesday evening, April 14
th, Charles Dona gave a
slide-show and presentationin the Great Hall about his thru-hike on the
Appalachian Trail (AT). Pictured above with his friend Gabe Boisseau
(left), Learning Center tutor, Mr. Dona told all kinds of great stories
about his journey through 14 states, encompassing 2167 miles in
127 days, that was filled with personal challenges and beautiful
scenery.
For more information about Charles Dona and his presentation click here >>. April 14, 2009 - Several students participated in the 16th Annual Ammonoosuc Amble on
Saturday. The run went down the middle of The White Mountain School
campus. It is a 5K
run or walk, as well as a 1/2 mile kids fun run, to raise money for the
Ammonoosuc Community Health Services. The money raised goes to ensure
families in need can
receive medical services.
April 13, 2009 - On Saturday, April 11, 2009, climbers from as far south as New Jersey,
and ranging in age from 7 to 19 years, competed at the Climbing Wall in
the gymnasium. It was amazing to watch up to six climbers going up
different routes, all at the same time. Each route had a different
degree of difficulty and presented new challenges that participants had
only a few minutes to study before negotiating the climb, on their own,
against the clock.
April 10, 2009 - Torrey McMillan, Chair of Sustainability Studies, has been bringing her
Sustainabilty class to the Lafayette Regional School every week
beginniing in January to assist the fifth graders. The elementary
students are creating a carbon footprint of their school. Among other
things, the WMS students are helping calculate how much carbon dioxide
people in the school produce in a year.
April 9, 2009 - Natalie Johnson '09, Zoe Skibbie '10, and Matt Sutton '10 spend some
quality time after morning meeting with Asa. Asa is the son of Matthew
Toms (tutor and SAP director) and Kathy Kohatsu (dance instructor) and
is one of several faculty children on campus. Teachers living on campus
with their families adds to the wonderful community atmosphere at WMS
and helps to create a "home away from home" for our students.
April 8, 2009 - Eco-minstrel Paul Baker Hernandez, once
a silent monk, cobbled his guitar
together from table legs and toilet seats, and set out to be another
Bob Dylan; "only quieter." Tuesday night he performed for the student
and local community at the White Mountain School. Over the last forty
years, he's sung for 300,000 plus
people, the pope, led an anti-nuclear invasion of Queen Elizabeth's
private castle, joined Salvadorans suffering death squad attack in the
USA, and worked with Inti Illimani, Jackson Browne and Martin Sheen. He
works on great projects to slow global warming and sings good songs,
especially those of the great Chilean musician, Victor Jara, murdered
in the 9/11 Chilean military coup (11 Sept. 1973). Paul sang of love
and courage in both English and Spanish, and spoke to the audience
about his life experiences in between songs.
April 7, 2009 - The Advanced Climbers practice on the school's amazing rock wall in
preparation for this weekend's Junior Climbing Competition. New routes
will be set to challenge young climbers from all over New England.
For more Cimbing Comp details click here. April 6, 2009 - Steve Johnston and Maggie Lubanko (both seniors) spent Sunday in New
Market, NH running in the Great Bay race. Steve ran the half marathon
and finished 3rd in his age group (19 and under). Steve ran a full
marathon just a few weeks ago while home on Spring Break. Maggie ran
the 5K
and finished 2nd in her age group (19 and under). This was Maggie's
first race. Congratulations to Steve and Maggie for their great
performances!
April 2, 2009 - Temperatures were over 60 degrees as students got outside to study,
throw a lacrosse ball, and enjoy the sunshine. Look at all those
smiles!
April 1, 2009 - Students are back at work in the pottery studio after a restful break.
Kate Renner, Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department, teaches
both beginning and advanced levels of ceramics classes. She also has
the studio open during the day and early evening hours for students to
drop in at their convenience.
March 31, 2009 - How do you make chemistry fun? Lee Zanger, Chair of the Science
Department, has his chemistry students create a colorful visual of the
table of elements rather than simply putting pencil to paper.
Aluminum, complete with aluminum bat, was created by a student during
Project Block this semester.
March 30, 2009 - Lacrosse players rejoice. Spring has sprung, sort of, anyway. Here's
a picture of actual grass on Edge Field. Students arrive back from
Spring break tomorrow and the fields are ready. Winter appears to be
over, but you never know!
March 25, 2009 - Adam Nyborg, Farm & Forest coordinator, completed our second modest
sap boiling on Sunday. He started the fire around noon, catching the
warmer half of what was a more wintry day. The boil finished and
cleanup began around 3 PM. We will be doing more boils the next two
Sundays as well. All are welcome to stop by to visit, or to help wash
buckets, build shelves, handle firewood, taste test syrup, etc...
March 20, 2009 - During spring break, Nate Snow, Dean of Students & Athletic
Director, took in a Red Sox vs. the Pittsburg Pirates pre-season game
in Bradenton, Florida. While at the game, Nate ran into former WMS
Head of School,
Denny Grubbs.
March 18, 2009 - During her spring break, Caroline Ruhl '09 continues her senior project
working with children in Romania. She wrote into WMS saying, "Over the
past three weeks I have been volunteering at Tutova Clinic in
Tutova, Romania. I work mainly with the non-mobile group in the
pediatric recovery ward. This group is made up of eleven children
between three months old and three and a half years old. Almost all of
the children have mental or physical disabilities. I have already seen
progress in the children, and I am looking forward to working with them
for another four weeks!" Clearly, Caroline is making a difference in
the lives of these children.
March 17, 2009 - And the winner is.......today's Daily Photo by Lauren Holland '09. (The
contest was the First Annual WMS Winter Photo Contest. Thirteen people
entered over 30 photos).
Both the winner and 2nd place photos (see yesterday's Daily Photo) are on display in the Main
Building. The photographers received a framed print of their photo. The first
place winner also received a $25 gift certificate to a local business
of her choice.
March 16, 2009 - Before vacation, the Alumni & Development office sponsored the
First Annual WMS Winter Photo Contest. Today's Daily Photo shows this
year's runner up photo by Zoe Skibbie '10. Check tomorrow for this
year's winner! Thirteen people
entered over 30 photos. The competition was tough. The selection
committee debated a long time before choosing these two photos!
March 12, 2009 - Barbara Buckley, English, Fine and Performing Arts teacher, enjoyed an
afternoon of bowling with her advisees just before the start of Spring
break.
March 10, 2009 - Kevin Boyd '11 and Annie Schuett '10 played the roles of interviewer and potential employee (if his bribes are accepted) in Hard Candy. This performance was one of six one-act plays resented by The White Mountain School Theater Company in A Festival of One-Act Plays during Parents' Weekend on March 6, just before Spring Break began.
March 9, 2009 - Students and family members gathered in the Great Hall on Friday
evening to celebrate students' accomplishments during the winter sports
season. Pictured here is the Theater group receiving recognition for
their great efforts. Athletic director Nate Snow surveyed students
earlier in the
week. About half of the students responded. Of them, one hundred
percent stated that they had a positive experience in their winter
sports program. The students' responses also affirm that they felt
safe, learned new things, had fun, pushed their limits, and felt
appropriately challenged. They also indicated that they appreciate the
flexibility of the winter sports program, which lets students come up
with their own combination of sports and activities. Choices include
competitive freestyle skiing and snowboarding, recreational skiing and
snowboarding, cross country skiing, and back country skiing. Indoor
options include dance, yoga, winter fitness, and theater.
March 6, 2009 - Parents joined students in the classroom today to get a taste of a
White Mountain education. Lots of interaction, and not a lot of
lecturing is what it is all about. Here, everyone is a bit stumped in
trying to determine the English translations for several new Spanish
words, but having fun learning.
March 5, 2009 - Today was the BIG CLEAN! Students, faculty, and staff work hard to
clean all the buildings on campus in preparation for Parents Weekend
and Spring Break. Happily, many hands makes for less work, and more
smiles!
March 4, 2009 - The sugar shack is in top condition. Students have worked hard to
replace the old roof and Adam Nyborg, Farm & Forest Coordinator,
has rebuilt the boiler. The sap buckets have been hung, so now we are
just waiting for the sap to flow. Adam will work with students to boil
down the sap into maple syrup. Did you know it takes 40 gallons of sap
to make one gallon of maple syrup?
March 2, 2009 - Last week, alumna, Kristina Engstrom '56, (second from the left), showed her film
"Once in
Afghanistan",
a film about a team of women Peace Corps volunteers who worked with Afghan
teams in the late '60's to vaccinate women and children in rural areas against
smallpox.
Read more about these extraordinary women.February 27, 2009 - Liz Malenfant '09 is enjoying a New Zealand farm experience for her senior project. She tells us all is well down under!
February 26, 2009 - Time to start thinking about summer camp. WMSummer is the highlight
of many kids' summers and a great way to find out more about the White
Mountain School experience. Exactly six months ago today, campers found
the top of a great hike, a perfect spot to enjoy the waterfall.
February 25, 2009 - At morning meeting, students and faculty learned that Tuesday would be
Mountain Day. Everyone got to enjoy a day at the mountains either
skiing or doing some other winter activity of choice!
February 24, 2009 - This year's National Honor Society is serving dinner two nights this
month at the Dinner Bell in Littleton. At tonight's dinner, the group
brought homemade bread.
February 23, 2009 - Festival of One Act Plays to be performed at The White
Mountain School: Students in the performance theater class are getting ready to perform, on February 27th and 28th, six one act plays in
the theater.
The plays run an emotional gamut from a sad story of love lost to lost
loved ones and from self-discovery to desperation and madcap comedy.
February 20, 2009 - Caroline Ruhl '09 will be leaving school tomorrow for her senior project. She will be going to Romania to work with babies
and toddlers at the Tutova Clinic (where she volunteered last March and
August). The children range in age from a few weeks old to eight years
old, and have varying degrees of illnesses and disabilities. While she is there she will be updating her blog,
(tutovababies.blogspot.com),
about the children, which she has been
writing since the first time she met them last March. Watch the
children grow and develop along with Caroline by following the blog.
February 19, 2009 - Educational Consultants from all over the world toured our school today
as part of a trip organized to visit boarding schools in New
Hampshire. A student panel answered many of the consultants
questions. Faculty and staff met with the consultants as well to let
them know what a great school The White Mountain School could be for so
many students.
February 18, 2009 - Yesterday's Morning Meeting was entertained by the Moss Family Band.
Group leader Ben Moss, (Technology Director), on electric guitar, son
Jacob '12 on drums, and daughters Rachel and Evelyn on bass guitar and
keyboard, respectively, played "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane as
their final song.
February 17, 2009 - The School's resident Barred Owl rests after catching a mouse for breakfast.
February 16, 2009 - Cultural Evening at WMS: On Friday, Oscar Mokeme, renowned Nigerian spiritual
leader and director of the Museum of African Culture, and Becky Beno,
(English as a Second Language Teacher), led students in an
afternoon of making and decorating their own plaster masks.
February 13, 2009 - Quiz Bowl 2009: Today's semi-final round pitted Solar Dorm
vs. Carter Dorm in a 15-question showdown. It all came down to a
tie-breaker about which team could name the most American Idol winners!
Shown here are the winners for today - Carter Dorm prevailed and will
move on to the Finals in two weeks.
February 12, 2009 - Intro to Winter Travel: Another possibility from WMS's week
of adventure & learnig included this OLE (now known as Field
Courses), which exposed participants to the wonders of winter travel
and camping. We learned how to travel safely and comfortably in winter
conditions, learned to construct a variety of cool and useful snow
shelters and created a completely functional snow kitchen for
ourselves. The experience took place in the beautiful Carter-Moriah
range in the shadow of Mt. Washington. The first day the group hiked to
Zeta Pass and built the snow shelters and elaborate snow kitchen. The
next day the group climbed Carter Dome and onto Carter Notch Hut.
During the evenings, the group read and discussed literature about
winter travel.
February 11, 2009 - Parc du Mont Orford Climate Change Negotiation: Last
week, students took part in the 2009 North American Climate Change
Summit located in the beautiful Parc du Mont-Orford in southern
Quebec. The group negotiated with colleagues from the United States,
Mexico, Canada, and the Arctic indigenous peoples to formulate a North
American climate change policy. Amidst breaks from the negotiations,
the group learned the basics and/or expanded their knowledge of classic
and skating cross-country ski techniques. Housing was in wood-stove
warmed cabins along the trail. Here you see students preparing for one
of the days negotiation meetings.
February 10, 2009 - Avalanche Forecasting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming OLE: Last
week, Director of Outdoor Education, Jaime Politte, taught this group
about all aspects of avalanches:
assessment, safe travel, and search / rescue techniques. The course
was located in the Tetons of Wyoming around Jackson Hole, one of
the most diverse and accessible backcountry ski areas in the country.
The group examined weather, wind, and snow variations and how that
relates
to predicting snow stability in the backcountry. The course followed
a three-day Level I avalanche education curriculum created by AAIRE
(American Avalanche Institute of Research and Education). The course
combined class lecture with field research and also allowed for
an additional day for students to utilize the skills that they have
acquired.
February 9, 2009 - Nicaragua Service Odyssey: The group on this OLE flew to
Nicaragua's capitol,
Managua, and stayed on the edge of one of its poorest
neighborhoods. Each day the group worked with the Women in Action
cooperative, playing
with their children, and exploring the culture, politics, history, and
economics of Nicaragua. This was a truly exceptional opportunity to get
immersed in a world very different from ours. Part of our work focused
on finding connections between these two worlds.
February 6, 2009 - Winter Mountain Ecology OLE: This group of students
ascended to the rocky, windswept ridge between Mt. Madison and Mt.
Adams,
explored the area around the Appalachian Mountain Club's Madison Spring
Hut, and summited Mt. Madison. The academic
component focused on the adaptations that plants and animals have to
endure these harsh winter weather conditions. The group learned how to
track animals through the snow.
February 5, 2009 - Sharon Mazimba '09 learns the art of ice climbing. Sharon participated
in the Legends of Ice Climbing OLE the past three days. The group
experienced a fantastic adventure focusing on basic ice climbing skills
and
climbing with legends of the sport. The group experienced technical
ascents
of snow and ice climbs at beautiful locations in northern New
Hampshire. The academic component involved students researching one
of two "Local Legends," (Kevin Mahoney and Janet Bergman) and preparing
a list of questions to ask them. The group spent a day climbing with
each
legend and students asked them their questions. They joined us for
dinner, showed us a slideshow, and talked to us about their
experiences. Students then shared some of the "legends" insight
with the group during the evening discussions.
February 4, 2009 - Today, students are wrapping up this year's Outdoor Learning Experience
opportunities. There is no communication while these trips are taking
place, so we have to wait a few more days to see pictures from this
year's trips. In the mean time, here is a taste of what is happening.
Today's picture shows a moment of playfulness at last February's Snow
Shelter OLE.
February 3, 2009 - All is quiet on The White Mountain School campus while the students take part in the winter
Outdoor Learning Expeditions (OLE's).
The picture above was taken during the Dominican Republic service OLE
last year. The group worked with students at a school and helped
construct a new school building. This year a group of students is
participating in a service trip to Nicaragua, where they are working
with the Women in Action cooperative.
February 2, 2009 - International Night 2009
The international students hosted a
festive evening on Friday night for the community. Appetizers from 12
countries were prepared by the students, who then welcomed us to dinner
in 10 different languages. Following dinner, we were treated to a
fashion show of international dress, international games, and the
traditional "Chicken Dance."
January 30, 2009 - Yesterday was Ability Awareness Day at WMS. Eric Holtzthum '10
organized a day of activities to make the community more aware of what
it is like to live with a disability. The day was topped off with a
presentation by guest speaker, Tyler Walker, gold medal winner at last
week's X-Games. Pictured here is Eric and his friend Tyler, whom he
met ski racing.
January 27, 2009 - Last night, The White Mountain School community was treated to a
firework show in celebration of the Chinese New Year. After a dinner of
Chinese recipes, we watched the sky light up over Hood Hill.
January 26, 2009 - "Labwork" In today's Anatomy & Physiology/Wilderness First
Responder Training class, involved Charlie Peckar '10 creating a
traction splint for a broken femur. James Evans '09 was the injured
person and worked with Charlie to determine the best way to create the
splint with the supplies they would have out in the wilderness.
January 25, 2009 - Saturday evening's "Coffee House" was held at the Head of School's home
and enjoyed by both students and teachers. This event happens several
times a year and gives members of the community a chance to share their
talents in music, poetry and other performing arts. Shown here, Maggie
Lubanko (student body president) entertains on the guitar.
January 23, 2009 - Carter Dorm enjoyed a night out at a local sushi restaurant last night.
The dorm proctors planned the event to welcome new students to the
dorm. As they shared food, stories and laughter it was difficult to
distinguish the four year seniors from the students who had just
arrived.
January 22, 2009 - Dan Annunziato '10, Christin Sandhammer '09, and Zach King '10 were the
top three finishers from the WMS freestyle ski team at yesterday's
competition at Gunstock Mountain.
January 21, 2009 - Alumnae gathered at an Alumnae/i Luncheon hosted by Janet Lovejoy '50
on January 10, 2009. If you have any ideas for an alumnae/i gathering
or event, please contact Julie Yates in the Alumnae/i Office at
(603)444-2928, ext 20, or julie.yates@whitemountain.org.
January 20, 2009 - Students, faculty, families, and staff join together in the Great Hall
to watch today's Inauguration Ceremonies projected onto an enormous
screen.
January 19, 2009 - History Teacher Jonathan Meisel reads from a speech by Barack Obama in commemoration of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 16, 2009 - The cast from an Evening of One-Act Plays has their final dress
rehearsal in preparation for this weekend's performances. Performances
are tonight and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at The White Mountain School
Theater.
January 15, 2009 - Students set up a beautiful exhibit of their self-portraits in the dining hall. This is a self-portrait by Sharon Mazimba '09.
January 14, 2009 - At Winter Festival, this past weekend, participants learned about Raku
firing of pottery. With a regular firing, we take a really long time to
ramp up the temperature. Then, before the pieces are removed from the
kiln, we let it cool down for about 12 hours. With raku, the kiln is
heated up very quickly, and the pieces are removed when they are at the
peak temperature (1800 degree). Then they are put in trash cans where
the oxygen supply is cut off. This quick process causes beautiful
iridescent colors to form on the surface of the pots.
January 13, 2009 - Joanna Boisseau, Director of the LAP, takes part in the Climb for a
Cure. The Climbathon took place on January 10, 2009, at the WMS Rock
Wall to raise funds for ovarian cancer.
January 9, 2009 - WMS students create a skateboard ramp in the squash court.
January 8, 2009 - Photosynthesis was the topic of the day in Deandra Brassard's Science class today.
January 7, 2009 - Today is the Ukrainian Orthodox Christmas. Our student from the
Ukraine, Oxana Tkachenko '11, will be celebrating at WMS with a white
Christmas!
January 6, 2009 Faculty present their annual Theater Performance with this year's production of Scrooge.
