Category Archives: Williston Northampton News

The Myth of the Good Girl and Boys in Skirts

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“I’ve never met a girl who doesn’t have something to be sorry about,” said Rachel Simmons to her female audience on April 12. “It’s not, ‘people were so mean to me and now I’m so nice.’ No one’s perfect.”

Rachel Simmons at WillistonOn April 12, Ms. Simmons, a nationally regarded speaker on bullying prevention and female empowerment, spoke to the girls of the Williston Northampton School about how they could identify hurtful behavior, and change the patterns that created it.

The Upper School had divided in two for the special morning assembly. Girls listened to Ms. Simmons in the Phillips Stevens Chapel, while boys headed to the Williston Theatre to hear Dr. Christopher Overtree, director of the Psychological Services Center (PSC) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an expert on the prevention of bullying and harassment.

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Posted in: Special Programs, Upper School, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News

Completing a National Challenge

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As an eighth grader, Olivia Foster was looking for a challenge. Then she came across the Congressional Award online—a national program where students can earn medals for completing tasks in areas such as public service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration—and her path became clear.  Now a junior, Ms. Foster will be awarded the highest youth award in the program, the gold medal, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in June.

Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to “recognize initiative, achievement, and service in young people,” the Congressional Medal program is open to American citizens aged 14 to 23 years old.  Participants can earn bronze, silver, and gold certificates, or bronze, silver, and gold medals.

In order to qualify for the award, participants must complete a number of hours in four areas: Personal Development, Volunteer Public Service, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.

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Posted in: Student Profile, Upper School, Williston Northampton News

Spring Visitors Bring Information, Fun to Assemblies

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Rob Hackenson pulled a ladder out of his bag and began taping pieces of paper to it. “High school” went on one rung, “college” on another, and then “job,” “family,” “retirement,” and “travel.”

It was, he told Williston Northampton students during an assembly on March 29, the general route that each one of them would take during the course of their lives.

“Each and every one of you have certain aspirations and things you want to obtain,” Mr. Hackenson said. “Certain decisions can help you attain them, and certain things can make them much more difficult.”

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Posted in: Special Programs, Upper School, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News

“I Love the Way She Thinks”: Claire Rosen at Williston

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"Up and Away," Courtesy of Claire Rosen

“I really love the way that she thinks” was the way that Fine and Performing Arts teacher Ed Hing introduced photographer Claire Rosen on March 28 for the latest in the Photographers’ Lecture Series.

As Ms. Rosen flipped through slides of her work—moving from self-portraits based on fairy tales, to antique dolls and taxidermy, to dioramas of objects around her home—what became clear was that her particular way of thinking was unlike any other.

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Posted in: Photographers' Lecture Series, Williston Northampton News

Starzyk ’13 Sets All-Time Scoring Record

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Alexandra Starzyk had no idea why Athletic Director Mark Conroy was calling her name during assembly. The varsity ice hockey player knew that she had done well over the course of her senior season, but had no idea that in the course of the season she’d also set new school records.

So, when Mr. Conroy announced that Ms. Starzyk had reached a career 100 goals—something only three girls had done before—and, at 119 points, was the new all-time leading scorer, she was amazed.

“I had no idea I was on my way to reaching 100 goals,” Ms. Starzyk explained later via email. “Until they called my name in assembly, I was unaware I held the record for most points by merely one.”

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Posted in: Athletics, Williston Northampton News