The Sharon Academy

Caspar Anderegg
Senior from Sharon, VT
Outside of school: “I am involved in track and cross country, and I also like to do computer programming and cryptography.”
Unique info about Caspar: “I once pretended to eat grass so I could get close to a deer in my backyard.”
Plans for next year: “I will hopefully be a freshman in some college studying computer science or computer engineering.”
Why do you think your project for Energy and the Environment is important, or not? “I think that our project for Energy and the Environment is important for several reasons. First, it raises our general awareness about environmental issues and possible solutions. Next we each do extensive research in a given field related to green building and sustainable architecture, and we all become experts in our given area. Then we band together and share what we learned with each other and the greater community, communicating important facts about green building.”

Luke Battey
Senior from Chelsea, VT
Outside of school: “play basketball, cook, go hiking.”
Plans for next year: “Possibly college, or take a year off to travel.”
Why do you think your project for Energy and the Environment is important? “I think that the projects we did for our energy class were very important. Learning about green building and what we can do ourselves in our own homes has changed the way I look at myself and my energy usage as well as other peoples. I think it is extremely valuable and important for everyone to have an understanding of this topic so that we can all do whatever it is in our power to reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

Shannon Boule
Senior from Gaysville, VT
Outside of school: work, hula dance, hang out, watch movies, DANCE!!
Plans for next year: “I plan to pursue a degree in nursing.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “My time at TSA has changed me because of all of the amazing opportunities that TSA can offer you. What other school would allow student involvement to the extent that TSA does? I have had the opportunity to be choreographer of the school play. This year I am teaching sex ed to the 9^th graders (along with instructor, Christa Wurm). Both experiences have added something to my life that I will take with me forever.”

Lily Carter
Senior from Chelsea, VT
Outside of school: “I like to play music, watch documentaries and daydream, among other things.”
Unique info about Lily: “I like graffiti art, historically and visually.”
Plans for next year? “Well, somewhere doing something wonderful.”
What do you think is the test of your generation – what world issue is most important to you, why? “Our tests revolve around the idea of community and how creative we are in our attempts to maintain an environmentally and socially healthy world. We need to strengthen our concept of local and global community again. Global climate can be faced as long as it is with a united front. As for conflicts we face with each other, war is not the answer. Will we find another way? However intimidating these issues are, there is only room for improvement, which is a very exiting thought.”

Emily Chadwick
Senior from Sharon, VT
Outside of school: “Basketball, read, hang out with friends.”
Unique info about Emily: “I went to China with the Governor’s Institute of Vermont for three weeks.”
Plans for next year: “I want to find what I am passionate about, and try new things.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “TSA turned out to be more than I ever could have imagined. The teachers and students have made me more confident socially and academically. I learned to value a close teacher/student relationship, and what it is like to go to a school where everyone is excited to learn. The people here really care about each other, and that is something I will always remember.”

Elyza Chadwick
Senior from Sharon, VT
Outside of school: “Basketball, read, hang out with friends.”
Plans for next year: “Taking a variety of classes to find out what area of study I am interested in.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “TSA has made me a much more confident student and individual. I feel like I know my abilities and they are strong enough to create change and start me in the right direction. When I began at TSA I never would have imagined that my six years here would be so challenging and rewarding.”

Blaine Conner
Senior from Chelsea, Vermont
Outside of School: “Play music, work at Gifford Medical, spend time with friends, research projects.”
Unique info about Blaine: “I am interested in the sciences, yet I have discovered this year that I enjoy critical reading.”
Plans for next year: “College, with my declared major being Mechanical Engineering.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years?: “I feel that you can only appreciate the time you spend at TSA when you realize that it will come to an end. As I matured as a person, I could see that the people that surround me are driven, and that the teachers are just as excited as we are for what we are learning and what we discover.”

Hanna Coxon:
Senior from Sharon, Vermont
Outside of school: “I play LaCrosse and participate in cross country. I also play the clarinet and work at a café called Rosey Jekes in Hanover.”
Interesting facts about Hanna: “I love to travel and have participated in many exchanges and have traveled a lot with my family. I am Canadian. I also love to sing. I have seen Barak Obama speak two times. And I worked with Sea Turtles this summer.”
Plans for the future: Hanna plans to go to college in Canada and study within a liberal arts program.
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “One of my favorite classes was actually an elective freshmen year called Opposing Viewpoints taught by Jonimo (John Moore). We debated and discussed a variety of controversial topics ranging from abortion to Big Foot. For one topic, we discussed war and then each were assigned to a group to write a song about war. My group and I wrote lyrics to a song by Joni Mitchell and we performed it at Thursday Night Café. It was a great way to be introduced to The Sharon Academy community.”  

Ada DeFriez
Senior from Chelsea, Vermont
Outside of school: Cross-country ski, cook with good people – sit around and eat and laugh afterward, sidewalk chalk.
Unique info about Ada: “I attended The Mountain School of Milton Academy where I fell in love with the world.”
Plans for next year: “Laughing while either at college or traveling. Spending time outdoors and doing things I’ve been longing to do for so many years!
What do you think is the test of your generation – what world issue is most important to you, why? “I am worried about the general well being of my generation. We have grown up parallel to the growth of computer technology and all the lingo and gadgets that tagged along, and we’re (my generation) expected to keep up. My most valid concern is the loss of imagination among people my age and mostly those younger than myself and my question is – is all this rapid change a positive contribution to human personalities and emotions? I am not saying this all with a perfectly clean slate – I am a cell phone using, laptop using, excitement loving seventeen year old. I simply and genuinely fear for those who follow and the future that awaits. I fear that light speed internet and indoor exercise will become the norm beyond repair. Will handwritten letters and cross-country ski adventures become long forgotten arts? I hope not – because those are a few of my favorite things, and I just hope we find a happy medium between the old and the new – so we can begin to appreciate and enjoy the present.”

Casey Jackson
Senior from Pittsfield, VT
Outside of school: “I like to dance: point/ballet, hip hop, tap, and jazz. I also like to teach dance, watch movies, and hang out with friends.”
Unique info about Casey: “My goal is to learn, understand, and speak 5 languages by the time I am 30 years old.”
Plans for next year: “I plan to attend Bryant University in Smithfield Rhode Island. I will major in international business with a focus on marketing/PR, and minor in Spanish and global studies.”
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “Spanish has got to be my favorite class at TSA because of the door it gives me into a new culture. I love Spanish so much I plan on minoring in it in college. Knowing another language is key in my future as I plan on working overseas. In Spanish we have fun and it is one of the classes I feel like I am learning a useful skill that I will use in the future.”

Emma Jennings:
Senior from Sharon, Vermont
Outside of school: Ski, play basketball, hang out with friends.
Plans for the future: She plans to study social work in college.
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “I have always loved Spanish. I like knowing about other people and cultures, and Spanish helps you to do that. Last year I went on the school community service trip to the Dominican Republic and it was probably the most moving experience of my life. I not only got the opportunity to help people in need, but I also got to interact with the community and experience their way of life. I believe speaking foreign languages is key to understanding the world and different peoples of the world and therefore helps you take in the world around you.”

Simi Johnston
Senior from Woodstock, VT
Outside of school: “Socialize, oil painting, working at Revolution, world travel.”
Unique info about Simi: “I went to Cityterm in New York City for the second semester of my junior year, traveled the world freshman year, and currently live in Rob’s office.”
Plans for next year: “Gap year: live in Ethiopia, travel, stay happy and healthy.”
How have you changed in your last four years at TSA? “I came to TSA as a middle school girl thinking of the world in a pretty straight-forward way. To the pre-TSA Simi, there was a right and a wrong, there were friends and teachers, and there was school and then all the other stuff I wanted to do. Over the last four years at TSA, I have seen that nothing is as simple as I came in thinking it was. TSA has given me many different opportunities that have taught me that school can be taken outside of the classroom, that my peers and friends could teach me, and that my academic teachers could be my friends as well. TSA has shown me that every situation in our world should be looked at with a non-judgmental eye and that academics could influence who I want to be. TSA has opened my mind, and I am leaving TSA as a young lady who has had and continues to have incredible experiences and a hopeful outlook on the world.”

Peter Kispert
Senior from Hanover, New Hampshire
Outside of school: “Well, I like to sing. Also, I love to pastel...haven't really done
much of that at school.”
Unique info about Peter: “I love musical theater! I could go on for pages about the whole interim thing and how that has been amazing.”
Plans for next year: “College. I've been accepted at UNH and have yet to hear from other schools. I do not have a clear front-running school, so the process is far from over for me!”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “I was one of the most withdrawn individuals at my old high school. I came to TSA after my sophomore year, and to be honest, since then, TSA has helped me come out of the shell I built for myself and others built for me in so many ways. I owe my continued success to the people at TSA: the teachers AND the students. It truly is an environment like no other I have seen, and I can't imagine being at another high school.”

Meagan Leddy-Cecere
Senior from Strafford, VT
Outside of school: “I love to read, horseback ride, and spend time with my family.”
Unique info about Meg: “I love to cook! I made a banana bread last Saturday that was amazing!”
Plans for next year: “I’d love to possibly go into the field of education – specifically using education as a social equalizer.”
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “This year’s history class with Seth has really opened new doors for me. History used to be a confused jumble of random dates, facts, and names. Seth “chalk talks” and the use of a college textbook have turned a subject I once found difficult and pointless to one full of connections – both to events in the past and current issues of today. History finally has relevance for me, and this class has inspired a love of the subject that will last my entire life.”
Hannah McMeekin
Senior from Randolph
Outside of school: “Hang out with friends, go on pointless drives on back roads, lacrosse, politics...”
Unique info about Hannah: She interned as a Senate Page in the fall of 2006 in Washington DC. She has also worked alongside Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy. As a part of her internship, Hannah saw the State of the Union Address and inauguration of new senators. She also loves muffins.
Plans for next year: “College. Arabic, middle eastern studies. Find the Holy Grail.”
What do you think is the test of your generation – what world issue is most important to you, why? “I think our generation has been bombarded with many issues and are struggling to find where we are going to make our mark. This partly depends on the results of the elections and the new direction our country heads. I think we will have to paint a new image for America. Issues we'll face - abortion clearly, civil unions. education?”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “I couldn't be any more passionate about TSA. It has given me a place to grow, never placing limits on my imagination and ambitions.”

Kathryn (Katie) Michalovic
Senior from Lebanon, New Hampshire
Outside of school: Sports (swimming, snowboarding, skiing, LaCrosse, Field Hockey) and hanging out with friends.
Unique info about Katie: She is a coswain on a crew team.
Plans for the future: She plans to go to college and continue to be a coxswain on the college crew team. Katie also plans to hike the Appalachian Trail.
Why do you think your project for Energy and the Environment is important (or not?)? “I think that my project for Energy and the Environment is important because I think that everyone should learn about building green. The project is especially important to me because I want to be an architect when I grow up; so it has been a very good learning experience about making floor plans and designing computer models for a home.”

Elissa Parent
Senior from Brownsville, Vermont
Outside of School: “I’m doing an internship in journalism with the Valley News. I also run cross-country, work at my local general store, read LOTS of books, and write.”
Plans for next year: “I am going to college…just waiting to find out where…I plan to do something with Literature.”
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why?: “My favorite class at TSA has consistently been my literature class. Both Maria, who I have had as a sophomore and a senior, and Patrick, who I had as a junior, have taught me so much!”

Brandon Phoenix
Senior from Vershire/Tunbridge
Outside of School: “I like to create stuff”
Unique info about Brandon: He is a excellent game artist (taught an elective on creating computer games in the spring of 2007)
Plans for next year: Champlain College or Art Institute of Pittsburgh
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “Seth Goodwin’s class is fantastic.  He pushes you hard but not too hard. It’s a real comfortable place, very challenging, but quite supportive. He is also very receptive to feed back, and always listens to any sort of input. By far the best class I have ever had.”

Annette Rubin-Crump
Senior from Sharon, VT (born and lived 10 years in Chimacum, WA)
Outside of school: “Dance, dance, dance, sing, dance, hang with friends and family, ride horses, volunteer at the Sharon Health Center, eat, make jewelry, read, and travel.”
Unique info about Annette: “I love to dance! I have also traveled to Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, Costa Rica, Iceland, and I’m going on a Rotary Exchange in Brazil for a year next year.”
Plans for next year: “I am going on a Rotary Youth Exchange for a year in Brazil.”
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “My favorite class in all of my three years at TSA has been European History taught by Seth Goodwin. This class, besides being a fascinating and very educational history class, has given me the gift of curiosity and a passion for learning that I look forward to feeding for the rest of my life. Seth has taught me that the past can teach us lesson in the present, but it is up to us to shape the future.”

Robin Spencer
Senior from Strafford, VT
Outside of school: “I like to go on adventures and travel. I like to take pictures, ski, ride horses, be outside, and see new places.”
Plans for next year: “I want to be exposed to new people and cultures, whether I go directly to college or travel first, I will be doing something meaningful.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years?: “At TSA I have developed a passion for being involve in the communities I am a part of. Over the last four years, I have appreciated TSA’s emphasis on building an environment through the effort of faculty, students, parents, the board and community members. This collective involvement has inspired me to create strong relationships with people inside and outside this school. When I first came to TSA I thought I would die of embarrassment if my parents stepped inside the school, but I quickly realized that was the emphasis at TSA. Perhaps it is just my age but I am really proud and happy that my experience in high school has included my whole family’s participation. It is not very often that you came across a place that values people as much as TSA does. I feel lucky to be a part of this place we created together.”

Rachel Sotak
Senior from Quechee/Sharon, VT
Outside of school: “soccer, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, art, singing, church work trips, basketball, run.”
Unique info about Rachel: “I work as a hostess at The Farmer’s Diner. I also love art (collage!), I’m an enthusiastic athlete.”
Plans for next year: “college- somewhere in New England.”
What has bee one of your favorite classes at TSA and why? “One of my favorite classes at The Sharon Academy is Spanish. Mary and Margaret are both great teachers and provide different styles of teaching and speaking that are both helpful. I love learning about Spanish culture and watching Spanish movies. Although I don’t like conjugating verbs, my favorite part of Spanish class is when we talk to each other about the goings on in our lives. This time set aside in class not only allows us to tell each other funny stories, but lets all of us explore new vocabulary. I hope to continue taking Spanish in college, and hopefully one day I’ll be able to speak Spanish fluently.”

Amanda (Lawrence) Stragnell
Senior from Hanover, New Hampshire
Outside of school: “Outside of school anyone can almost always find me riding and working with horses.”
Plans for next year: “Next year I hope to be attending some sort of four year college or university.... But as of this moment my fate lies in the hands of a small number of admissions officers.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “My time at TSA has allowed me to grow in so many ways, but then again it is not hard to change when you are immersed in a community filled with an energy that is almost indescribable. The students here know how to take a level of responsibility for things that may not directly impact them and make a difference in the everyday lives of others. I have been blessed to be a student at TSA for the past three years, where almost everyday I have learned skills (such as self advocacy) that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Thea Talento
Senior from Woodstock, VT
Outside of school: “Violin (practice, lessons, orchestra rehearsals), tennis, knitting, hangin out with friends, being lazy.”
Unique info about Thea: “I have a double-jointed finger!”
Plans for next year: “I either want to go to a conservatory or tour with an orchestra (preferably in Europe).”
How have you changed in your last four years at TSA? “When I arrived at TSA as a freshman, I was a young teenager, not knowing who I was or where I was going. Now as a senior, I can look back at my former self and be proud of how I have changed and what I have accomplished.”

Sarah Wolfe
Senior from Strafford, VT
Outside of school: “I like to sing, read my favorite books, teach drama and direct plays for local kids.”
Plans for next year: “I plan to go to a small liberal arts school in or around New England.”
How has your time at TSA changed you in the last four years? “TSA, more than anything else, has given me opportunities. When I came four years ago, I wished there was a chorus elective. I never expected that my junior and senior years, I would be the one to teach it. In no other school could I be allowed that opportunity to teach the music I love as an elective. I was given the incredible opportunity to be treated as an adult as I directed the musicals these past two years and the one act last year. In no other place would I have felt safe doing this, felt like I would be respected. TSA has given me the courage to do what I most want, say what I most want, and be respected.”

 Bekah Woodin
Senior from Sharon, VT
Outside of school: “I like to hang out with my friends and play sports: soccer, lacrosse. I also like to listen to music, sing A Capella, and act.”
Unique info about Bekah: “I like to travel and do community service. I traveled to North Carolina my sophomore year and the Dominican Republic my junior year.”
Plans for next year: “College – possibly play lacrosse in school. I’ll probably continue to volunteer in the community, act, and sing.”
What do you think is the test of your generation? “It is sad to look at our generation and see the lack of passion and motivation that many people have. I have heard that our generation is the “whatever” generation and this concerns me. We need to step it up and take into consideration how the problems of today will affect the future of mankind.”

Rebecca Young-Ward
Senior from Strafford, VT
Outside of school: “I like to do theater, work with Operation Days Work, Dance, and spend time with friends.”
Plans for new year: “I will be going to college. I just don’t know where yet…”
What has been one of your favorite classes at TSA? “My favorite class at TSA has consistently been History. It is taught in a diverse and creative way that not only holds my interest but also teaches students how to think and ask questions about the importance of history today. I believe that there are few subjects more important to learn than history, and at TSA it is certainly well taught.”