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Tuesday October 12, 2010 Edition
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Assessment Week Takes On Many Levels At Vergennes Union High School

In sun, rain and often a mixture of enthusiasm and quiet reflection, the VUHS Class of 2011 made their way 15.3 miles from VUHS to Porter Hospital in Middlebury where they presented funds raised totaling approximately $ 5,000.00 to Porter Hospital for Veteran's Programs, two local families with children fighting cancer, and one student injured in a recent tragic accident. For all present, it was a moving experience and part of the senior year of leadership and of assessment of their roles in the community after graduation.
photo by Doug Todd
In sun, rain and often a mixture of enthusiasm and quiet reflection, the VUHS Class of 2011 made their way 15.3 miles from VUHS to Porter Hospital in Middlebury where they presented funds raised totaling approximately $ 5,000.00 to Porter Hospital for Veteran's Programs, two local families with children fighting cancer, and one student injured in a recent tragic accident. For all present, it was a moving experience and part of the senior year of leadership and of assessment of their roles in the community after graduation.

photo by Doug Todd

photo by Doug Todd

photo by Doug Todd
Stopping along the walk to share a moment with a happy bovine, VUHS seniors Alyssa Kilburn, Halie Nolan and Shelby Sheehan are all smiles.
photo by Doug Todd
Stopping along the walk to share a moment with a happy bovine, VUHS seniors Alyssa Kilburn, Halie Nolan and Shelby Sheehan are all smiles.

Tuesday October 12, 2010

By Cookie Steponaitis

Even to the casual observer it was easy to see that it wasn’t business as usual at VUHS this week. If you were passing any group of students in the hall you could hear conversations that included “Are you ready for testing?” “Which college are you going to on Tuesday?” or “How much in pledges have you brought in? Our Morning Meeting has over $ 1,000.00.” VUHS students spent October 4-6th involved in assessment of skills, goals, and community involvement at many different levels and venues. Students were serious and all were in motion.  

   Across the state high schools were engaged in high stakes testing involving the NECAPs which measure skill levels for grades 7, 8, and 11. During three mornings over 300 students at VUHS ate a good breakfast and moved into testing situations all over the building, diligently doing their best on standardized tests given twice a year in ANWSU. While that part of the student body was involved in more traditional forms of assessment, VUHS moved the other part into assessments involving skills, hobbies, future plans, college educations, and life beyond graduation. “This really is all about assessment at a variety of levels,” shared VUHS teacher Lee Shorey. “While the freshmen explored the University of Vermont, the Community College of Vermont, Saint Michael’s College, Vermont Technical College at Williston and Champlain College, they were engaged in taking interest surveys, seeing college programs and even met with prior VUHS graduates currently attending those colleges. Many came away with new ideas and cemented ideas for post high school educations that include Vermont schools.”

    Not only was Mrs. Shorey exuberant about the visits, but the students and faculty openly shared their own views on the process as well. “It was great to go to Saint Michael’s College,” remarked VUHS teacher Chris Wyckoff. “It certainly inspired my freshmen.” While the goal of VUHS is to have 80% of its graduates continue at some form of post-secondary schooling, the freshmen looked at the outings on a more practical level. “I really don’t know what I want to do right now,” shared one student. “But I know I want to be in Vermont for my schooling and it is really cool to see what is out there and that they welcome us and want to show their programs and campuses.”

    Yet another facet of the assessment week included the Sophomore Class taking a standardized test called The Plan. Given over a three day period the test provides the students possible career paths and directions as well as individual feedback on their skill levels in different academic areas. “It was brutal to take,” remarked Joe Krayewsky. “Each section seemed longer than the next. It will be interesting to see our individual information when it comes back.”  

    Rounding out the activities for the 300 students not in the building were the actions of the senior class who, following a four year tradition collected pledges for veterans, leukemia research and the families of two ANWSU children currently fighting a personal battle with cancer. Walking 15 miles to Porter Hospital over a three day period, the 70 plus students attracted a lot of attention to their causes and affirmed for themselves their own assessment of their role as concerned community members. Collecting nearly $5,000.00 in pledges, the senior class walked in the rain and the fleeting summer sunshine for the veterans at Helen Porter Nursing Home and two local children facing aggressive forms of cancer. Gathered together in the Porter Hospital Cafeteria, the seniors presented Porter Hospital leaders with a check for $1500.00 for programs supporting the veterans staying at the Helen Porter Nursing Home and the families of the two children who were present as well. Students spoke the names of loved ones they were also walking for and all present paused to reflect on the beauty and sanctity of each human life. Top fundraiser Emily Pelsue spoke about the impact of the process on each individual and remarked, “While I would like to think that this experience impacted everyone, I think it is fair to say that everyone here saw how that one person can make a difference and that people gathered together can increase that impact.”

     The week of assessment both professional and personal led teenagers on new pathways to their future and roles as citizens. For VUHS, it is the perfect union of utilization of time and resources to expose all students to experiences that measure, encourage and foster individual growth. “It was a good week,” shared senior Arie Smits, “but much more tiring than the regular school schedule. We spent as much time thinking as we did walking and then this Saturday is SAT’s. Now that is what I call assessment week.”


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