Anthony Wohns ’12 was named a Rhodes Scholar on Monday, Nov. 21, and will study the intersection of genetics and philosophy beginning in 2017—after the recent Harvard grad completes a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge. We were able to touch base with Anthony right after the great news broke.

What aspect of your research are you most excited to undertake as a Rhodes Scholar?
I am most excited to study the intersection of computational genomics with medicine, history, and ethics. I wrote my senior honors thesis at Harvard on evolutionary genetics. My work thus far has been focused on human evolution, for example on the genetic changes that are responsible for our bipedality, our physical appearance, and our susceptibility to disease.

I am currently working in an ancient DNA lab at the University of Cambridge sequencing the genomes of medieval English people who perished during the Black Death. Studying the legacy of this pandemic in ancient genomes can help us better understand the threat of infectious diseases today. As a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, I will continue my studies in genetics by utilizing computer science skills first honed in Jim Ferguson’s AP computer science course at CWA. I am excited by the increasingly sophisticated application of computer science to genetics, which will underlie future breakthroughs in the field.  

What is your fondest memory from studying any of the sciences offered at CWA?
I have many fond memories from Charles Wright. One vivid science-related memory is going down to Chambers Creek with Mr. Biermann’s ninth grade biology class. We were collecting water samples to study under the microscope. I remember being amazed that a seemingly clear vial of water was actually full of organisms. Charles Wright has so many exceptional teachers who care deeply about their students and know how to stimulate their interest in everything from mitosis to Shakespeare. 

CWA’s faculty and staff hope to inspire in students a lifelong love of learning. As you continue your studies, what does learning look like for you as you advance through your graduate programs? What does learning look like for you outside a formal academic environment?
Learning in a research-based graduate program is different than learning was in high school. Almost everything I do in a scientific lab is self-directed. Every morning when I enter the lab I know that I will face many new and challenging problems. Solving these problems involves collaboration as well as trial and error. As a teaching assistant in an introductory computer science course at Harvard, I taught my students that the first step in any problem is to try different solutions and not be afraid to make mistakes. 

When I think about learning outside a formal academic environment, I think of conversations I have with my peers in the common room, the boat house (I am currently rowing at Cambridge), and especially on the hiking trail. In my junior year English class, Creighton King fostered a deep engagement with texts like The Things They Carried, sparking conversations that would continue on trails during Winterim, Outdoor Ed, and Outdoor Club trips. These experiences with Charles Wright’s outdoor leaders taught me that learning does not end when we leave the classroom. Through listening and thoughtful discussion, we have as much to learn from each other as we do from any textbook. 

The post Q&A with Rhodes Scholar Anthony Wohns ’12 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Lower Schoolers in grades junior kindergarten through two participated in a wellness fair this morning to learn more about nutrition and dental hygiene. Held in the LS Commons, the fair’s purpose is to give kids a chance to consider how they eat, to learn about the food they eat, and to try a few new foods.

Head of Lower School Diane Hunt hopes this is the start of a new tradition focusing on wellness with our youngest Tarriers, with future wellness fairs potentially focusing on topics such as dental hygiene, fitness, and other aspects of wellness and health.

Today’s fair featured eight stations, each of which focused on an aspect of nutrition—examples included learning about the sugar content of foods, what the food groups are, and sampling potentially new foods that are healthy such as dates and jicama.

Below are photos from the morning’s activities!

The post Youngest Tarriers Participate in Wellness Fair appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

With the winter season approaching, we wanted to remind you of the locations where you can learn about Charles Wright delays or closures because of snow, ice, or other inclement weather.

Decisions about closures or delays are made early and communicated in the following ways by 6 a.m. at the latest:

• via a variety of local TV and radio stations
• via charleswright.org
• via the Charles Wright Facebook page
• via voicemail message at 253-620-8888
• via email for those who have registered on our FlashAlert page
• via SMS for those who have downloaded the FlashAlert Messenger app on their Apple or Android mobile devices
(we have been unable to test these apps and cannot vouch for how well they work)

In emergency situations, we may need to close school during the day; however, if it is safer to keep students at school than to send them home, they will be kept at school under supervision.

When inclement weather is predicted, Facilities and Transportation Manager Denny Dorum consults with CWA bus drivers, other school transportation coordinators, and Director of Finance and Operations UnHi Pak about weather conditions. Denny then calls Head of School Matt Culberson with a recommendation. If the decision to close or to delay opening is made, the communication system is set in motion.

Because Charles Wright draws families from throughout the South Sound, there may be times that school remains open even though weather conditions in parts of the South Sound are unfavorable. We fully support parents using their own judgment in deciding about the safety of traveling to school on any particular day.

Student artwork by Violetta X. ’18

The post CWA’s Inclement Weather Procedures for 2016-2017 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Upper School Girls Basketball (2-1)

CWA 34 NW Yeshiva 39

CWA 33 Highline HS 27

CWA 33 U-Prep 25

Upper School Boys Basketball (2-1)

CWA 50 NW Yeshiva 34

CWA 22 Highline HS 51

CWA 53 U-Prep 35

Middle School Girls Soccer (0-2)

CWA 0 Cascade Christian 2

CWA 0 Seattle Christian 2

Middle School Boys Basketball (0-2)

CWA 30 Seattle Christian 43

CWA 40 Life Christian 60

The post Athletics Results 11/28-12/2 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s powerful recounting of the tragedy of the British light cavalry being slaughtered by the Cossacks during a battle in the 1854 Crimean War has always represented for me the sadness of futility. Unfortunately, this felt like a representation of my state of mind often in the past eighteen months whenever I paused to listen to or reflect on the disparaging and uncivil campaign period as a large group of characters vied to become the 46th President of the United States.

Every one of us, including our older students, was assaulted almost daily with acrimonious and vitriolic rants, half-truths, untruths, and harsh truths—from the left and from the right. It has been an unsettling time for many of us who have seen numerous presidential campaigns. It has been a time of rancor and division that has left few of us untroubled or untouched.

Imagine the dissonance this creates for a 13- or a 16-year-old being cognizant of their first presidential election. I imagine they might feel the confusion and futility that a young soldier in the Light Brigade might have felt. In August I set forth an expectation for the faculty and staff as I reminded them that Charles Wright Academy has no political agenda, and they should check their personal politics at the door each day at work. While none of us may have been perfect at that, we have tried to create a school environment that invited healthy conversation and challenge that was respectful of every individual. We tried mightily through this time to help our students and each other to be our best selves.

The day after the election, we had our first regularly scheduled all faculty and staff meeting since the school year began. Below is an excerpt of my remarks (written to be delivered orally):

Our school community has many shared values—it is in part what brings us together—but these values are often pursued and expressed differently. A school community is mostly of like mind, but our differences in thinking and mindset make us even stronger. We must acknowledge the truths of what we see and understand, even as we recognize and understand—and RESPECT—that others see and hold truths differently, but just as ardently. We must continue to embrace our diversity of thought, even as we try and understand it. And we must recognize that some in our community now feel marginalized in a way they never have before, and we must attend to that uncertainty.

By and large, pollsters, pundits, politicians, and the people—all of us—were surprised by the outcome of the presidential election. Some people are joyous, and some are disappointed, but we all need to pay attention to those who are uncertain and asking, “What does this mean?”

I have some thoughts about what it means:

• It means that there is a large percentage of the population that feels frustrated or angry or disenfranchised, and we must ask ourselves, “Why?”
• It means that civil discourse and respect for differences are less important than we might have imagined, and we must ask ourselves “Why?”
• It means that vulgarity, sexism, racism, homophobia, lying, and xenophobia are traits tolerated by many, and we must ask ourselves, “Why?”
• It means the work we do with our students every day to celebrate and enlighten for them our Charles Wright principles of excellence and compassion in an environment of inclusivity and global awareness is more important than ever in helping them understand “why.”
• It means we will continue our efforts to be our very best selves and that we will redouble our efforts to realize the charge of our mission to “foster self-reliance, integrity, social responsibility, and humor (lots of humor!), inspiring our students to discover within themselves the courage to achieve their personal best in mind, body, and spirit.”
• It means that every day we will ask ourselves and each other to be inspiring, kind, critical, and supportive as we model what that means and how that looks for our students, families, and each other.
• It means that there is good and important work for us to do with our students and families as we strive, every day, to be our very best selves as we help them be their very best selves.

We, the faculty and staff at Charles Wright Academy, are so fortunate to be in jobs and a community where the work of educating and caring for young and fertile minds is what we get to joyously do every day. Let’s not forget how lucky we are, that we have work to do, and that it is once again time to roll up our sleeves, be our very best selves, and do the important work of educating and building the leaders of the future.

And for me, it means that Tennyson’s powerful poetry romanticizes a tragic event, and that I live far from that kind of horror, real or figurative. Being part of the Charles Wright educational community is a gift for each of our students, as it is for me.

The post CWA and the Charge of the Light Brigade appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Tarrier families are the most authentic and compelling champions of the impact of a Charles Wright education. A joint survey conducted by Ogilvy, Google, and TNS found that 74 percent of families identify word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family as a key influencer in their school choice.

As 2016 draws to a close, we would like to thank those families who have referred their relatives, friends, and neighbors to Charles Wright this academic year to date.

The Abadala-Ahmad Family
The Albers Family
The Burgess Family
The Hosannah Family
Chiarina and Manuel Iregui
Sarah and Juan Iregui
The Joubert Family
The Macejak Family
The Pettis Family
The Raney Family
The Will Family
The Wrench Family

If you’d like to refer a family, please click here. Our share page also features videos, events, news stories, and blog posts that may be of interest to families looking at school choices—please feel free to share away, and thank you for your support!

The post Thanks for Referring Future Tarriers appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Last Friday Charles Wright Academy was represented by 24 people—including student-athletes, coaches, and families—at the 2016 Tacoma Athletic Commission (TAC) luncheon. For almost three-quarters of a century, the TAC has supported local youth and student sports through fund-raising more than $6 million for area programs.

CWA had the largest turnout of any school in all classifications in Pierce County at this event. The following student-athletes were nominated to represent CWA:

Boys cross-country: Adam B. ’18
Girls cross-country: Ann T. ’18
Football: Alex M. ’18
Girls soccer: Sophie H. ’17
Volleyball: Abbie J. ’19

Congratulations to the above student-athletes for a very successful fall season.

Girls volleyball coach Mindy McGrath, girls soccer coach Saraid Faville, football coach Brian Burdick, cross-country coach Katie Miller, girls basketball coach Kate Rue, and Athletic Director Tyler Francis also attended.

The post Tarriers Honored at 2016 Tacoma Athletic Commission Luncheon appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Harlow C. ’22 envisioned, filmed, and edited this “day in the life” video for the Middle School’s variety show before the winter break. Harlow loves filmmaking and learning the visual arts, and he also makes videos for our state-championship-winning robotics team, Wright Angle. Get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a seventh grader at CWA!

The post Video: A Day In the Life of a Seventh Grader appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

As we welcomed back Tarriers from winter break, we also welcomed back a group of CWA graduates. These young alumni from the Classes of 2014-2016 returned to campus to share their post-CWA experiences with current Upper Schoolers during a program we call College Chatter.

During a brief but advice-packed 25 minutes together, six graduates shared tips, wisdom, encouragement, and perspective. They also answered questions about why they chose their respective colleges, what aspects of their CWA education prepared them best, and what their biggest challenges have been so far.

This year’s visiting alumni hailed from Brown University, Goucher College, Hanover College, Howard University, the University of Montana, and the University of San Diego. Despite their diverse college choices, fields of study, and geographic locations, they all agreed on three things: to network, to get sleep, and do not underestimate the importance of strong writing skills. They all expressed their profound gratitude for their writing skills and how prepared they felt for college. “I liked hearing from each of them,” shared one current senior.

The Alumni Office looks forward to our next visit from a CWA alum: David Hirschberg ’80, a University of Washington-Tacoma professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences with a background in neuroimmunology, will speak to Upper Schoolers during the January 12 speakers block about his passion for science and entrepreneurship.

The post College Chatter: Young Alumni Give Upper Schoolers Advice appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

It was with great excitement last summer that we invited the CWA community to view a collection of short films shining a spotlight on what makes Charles Wright Academy so special. In addition to a highlight reel showcasing the academic, artistic, and athletic programs that set CWA apart is a handful of family testimonials wherein Tarriers share why they made the decision to join our school family.

Lauren ’16 and Alex ’18 (and older brother Blake ’14) are second-generation Tarriers; their dad, Dave, graduated in 1984. When Dave and his wife, Anna, returned to the South Sound with their children, Anna couldn’t see herself or her family fitting in at a private school. “Being a public school kid, I thought, ‘I don’t know if that’s the kind of place where I’d feel comfortable; I’m just not a private school person,'” she says. “I didn’t have to be sold on the school; I guess I thought we weren’t going to fit in with the private school mentality.” Watch their testimonial video to learn more about why she’s glad she was wrong.

The post Tarrier Testimonials: The Meadowcroft Family appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Tarriers of all ages gathered the Wight Gym on Monday, Dec. 12, to celebrate the holidays during an assembly led by Charles Wright Academy Chaplain Mike Moffitt, whose program highlighted the philosophy of sharing our light.

This annual tradition is one of only two times every year that the entire school—everyone from junior kindergartners up to seniors—comes together for an assembly (the other being Founders’ Day in April). Lower Schoolers performed an encore of song selections from their winter concert, including “The Night Will Never Stay,” “O Moon,” and “Let’s Take A Sleighride.” Then, the Upper School symphonic band performed “Bashana Haba’ah” before the Middle and Upper School girls choir sang “Silent Night.”

For the third year running, Chaplain Mike arranged for a community read-along video of a festive children’s book; this year featured Look at the Moon by May Garelick and illustrated by Barbara Garrison. Following the video, students participated in a celebration of lights, highlighting a variety of holidays that included Diwali, the birth of Guru Nanak, Bodhi Day, Mawlid al-Nabi, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Advent and Christmas, Kwanzaa, Japanese New Year, and Lunar New Year. The celebration of lights culminated in a long-standing Tarrier tradition, with the oldest “lifer” (Ethan M. ’17) and youngest junior kindergartner (Scarlett T. ’30) light a candle together.

To close out the assembly, the Academy Singers performed the Tarrier favorite “Fruitcake,” and the whole school participated in a sing-along of “One Little Candle.”

Photos of the assembly are below:

The post Tarriers Celebrate Holiday Season at All-School Assembly appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Girls Basketball

On Friday, January 6 the Tarriers started Nisqually League play against the visiting Vashon Pirates. The varsity girls played in a physical match-up. Falling behind by eight points at the half, the girls battled back to within two midway through the third quarter. Despite the surge of energy the Pirates held on to take the 32-40 win. Each of the Tarriers scored in the match up, led by Grace and Julia Hanly with 11 and 10 points. Lexi Leith added in 4, RubyJoy Pikes added 3, and Erica Julian and Aaliyah Recasner each added 2 points.

The post Athletic Results 1/3-1/6 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

We can only begin to do, once we have begun to imagine…

I slammed into my “mid-life crisis” like a VW bug hitting a bridge abutment. It crushed me! I was so caught up with what I could do, that I lost sight of what I ought to do. Not yet ready to give up on any possibility, I remained moored to my life of exploration that was some parts trial and error, some parts wing and prayer, and far too little planful intention. To varying degrees I had invested in work as a professional mountain guide, as a firefighter and medic, and as an educational leader.

In the midst of this time of curious and impatient angst, I awoke one cold night staring into a dark sky luminous with the light of millions of stars. I was lying on my back, 15 feet down and wedged in by the sides of a crevasse I had fallen into, calmly becoming aware of the where and why of my situation. Before dark I had left my brother and two other partners above at Camp 3 (23,500 feet) on the northeast shoulder of Dhaulagiri, having chosen to descend alone to Camp 1. I was utterly alone. No one knew where I was. I didn’t know where I was. Exhausted and totally played out, I lay there overwhelmed by the beautiful brilliance of the stars, and the absolute insignificance of me. I continued staring at the stars, going from cold to warm to sleepy…

But I knew that there were several possible outcomes, and they were entirely dependent on what I chose to do. Much like my “mid-life crisis,” I wondered what I was going to do. I imagined the ultimate outcome without knowing the exact path it would take to get there, but with some exploration, a willingness to try and err, and a healthy dose of serendipity, I imagined how to escape the crevasse and continue the descent, and I imagined my life as an educational leader, and I lurched forward with a full head of steam.

This is an intentional metaphor for our Charles Wright education, and how we might imagine variable paths to a Charles Wright diploma. We currently have a singular, well-defined, well-executed, and much-appreciated path to our diploma—and it serves many well. But might we have more paths? Might we serve well? What might be possible? What might we imagine?

The Upper School faculty is currently engaged in the first step of this imagining. To complement our rigorous AP course of study, they are developing a robust selection of electives in every discipline, and many that are multi-disciplined. This will inevitably lead us to discussion of the essential attributes of a Charles Wright graduate and by what paths one might arrive.

Last week I listened as a panel of six recent (2014-2016) CWA graduates spoke to the Upper School student body about their collegiate experiences and how well their CWA education had prepared them. As I sat there impressed, I wondered: Do we yet fully and agilely embrace the liberal arts curriculum for the 21st century? Do we understand that alongside the canon of great literature, the critical reasoning of calculus, the Aristotelian scientific inquiry, and the breadth of critical analysis of the social sciences, that today we need to provide our students with opportunities to explore and excel in computer sciences and coding, robotics and mechanical engineering, international business relations, as well as the arts and athletics? What additional paths to the 21st century liberal arts course of study might we create that serve our students better? And that might serve more students?

Exploring multiple paths to success as we ascribe it in the 21st century will include being agile and fluid. It will demand of faculty as well as parents and guardians the growth mindset that we work so hard to impart on our students. It will demand imagining that a fixed end to study will always be elusive. It will create a new richness to a Charles Wright diploma that will forever be exceeding itself. Now that is something to imagine.

The post Imagining A 21st Century Liberal Arts Education appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

This just in from Wright Angle robotics team co-coach Jim Albers: The CWA Robotics team is going to the Washington state competition!

There were some amazing highs and lows on Sunday, Jan. 15, at Baker Middle School in Tacoma, as the CWA Wright Angle team competed in the state-qualifying tournament. We advanced all the way the the final match, which ended up being the No. 1 seeded alliance (three teams) against the No. 2 seeded alliance (three teams, including CWA). Unfortunately, we lost in the this best of three match. But based upon the final ranking in accrued points from the previous meets as well as today’s matches, we squeaked into the seventh place spot to move on to the state robotics tournament on February 4. Therefore, the season continues for the Wright Angles as we work to improve our robot’s performance, enhance our driving skills, and plan our strategy for the upcoming competition. Once again, it has been an amazing team effort!

Congratulations, Wright Angles! To view more photos from the state-qualifying tournament, please see below.

The post Wright Angle Robotics Team Heading to State Competition appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

For the second year in a row, a team representing Charles Wright Academy achieved highest honors in the recent WordMasters Challenge—a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 150,000 students annually. The fifth grade team scored an impressive 193 points out of a possible 200 in the first of three meets this year, placing fourth in the nation.

Competing in the difficult Blue Division of the WordMasters Challenge, Sam ’24, Connor ’24, and Ian ’24 each earned a perfect score of 20. Nationally, only 33 fifth graders achieved this result. Other members of the Class of 2024 who achieved outstanding results in the meet include Aspasia, Daniel, Hana, Camryn, Dylan, and Eleanor. Fifth grade teachers Helen Bingham-Rowles ’84, Jon Flies, and Shell Malfet were team coaches. “The vocabulary program helps develop valuable language skills, higher-level thinking skills, and applications to kids’ own reading and writing,” says Ms. Malfet. “By introducing them to higher-level vocabulary, we are laying the groundwork to utilizing these words on a daily basis.”

The WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use their new vocabulary to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships. Working to solve the analogies helps students learn to think both analytically and metaphorically. “The kids love keeping track of all of he times they experience the 75 words through reading, writing, or oral speech—even in movies or TV,” says Mr. Flies. “Having them experience the words in various situations helps them learn the contextual meanings as well as encouraging them to use the words in their own pieces of writing and speech.”

Although most vocabulary enrichment and analogy-solving programs are designed for use by high school students, WordMasters Challenge materials have been specifically created for younger students in grades three through eight. They are particularly well suited for children who are motivated by the challenge of learning new words and enjoy the logical puzzles posed by analogies. “I enjoy being able to see the kids using the words daily in their own writing and dialogue,” says Ms. Bingham-Rowles. “We also use a variety of games and activities that the kids find really engaging, such as vocabulary charades, WordMaster bingo, and WordMaster picture notes.”

The WordMasters Challenge program is administered by a company based in Indianapolis, Indiana, that is dedicated to inspiring high achievement in American schools. Last year, members of the CWA Class of 2025 also placed fourth in the country and members of the Class of 2020 placed 10th. Further information is available at the company’s website.

The post Tarriers Place Fourth at National Vocabulary Competition appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Girls Basketball

The Tarrier girls faced some tough battles in their games this past week. On Tuesday, Cascade Christian came to visit. Despite good scoring from Grace Hanly  (13 points), the Tarriers struggled to stop the Cougars losing 22-55. Additional scorers included Julia Hanly with 3, and Erica Julian, Aliyah Recasner and Lexi Leith each with 2.

The post Athletic Results 1/9-1/13 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Girls Basketball

On Tuesday, January 17th, the Tarriers traveled up to Bellevue Christian for their fourth Nisqually League match up. Once again, Grace Hanly led the Tarriers with 18 points in the match up, but this would not be enough against the balanced scoring from Bellevue. The Tarriers dropped the game, 26-56. Other scorers included Erica Julian, Aliyah Recasner and Bert Brown with 2 points each, and Eunah Choi and Lexi Leith each added in a point from the free throw line.

The post Athletic Results 1/16-1/20 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Get grooving, Tarriers! Early bird pricing for the 2017 Spirit Auction closes this Friday, Feb. 3. Click here to purchase tickets, and watch our teaser trailer below in honor of our theme this year: Solid gold!

The post Early Bird Pricing for 2017 Spirit Auction Ends Feb. 3 appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Charles Wright Academy senior Nick Iregui signed a letter of intent on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to play soccer at Westminster College. His family, coaches, teachers, and classmates of all ages were in attendance to celebrate with him.

“Thank you to all of my teammates who push me every day to be a better player, a better person, a better teammate, and a better captain,” Nick said at the signing ceremony. “I would not be the player or the person I am today without any of you. And to my family, who have made so many sacrifices over the years since I was little—taking me to tournaments all over the place or driving me to games at 7 a.m. in the rain or snow. I really owe it all to them and to all of you. Thank you.”

The star forward contributed to the Tarriers’ first Nisqually League championship last spring for the first time since 2003. The Tarriers also won the West Central District 3 championship before losing to the eventual state champion in the regional round of the state tournament in a penalty-kick shootout after a nil-nil draw. Nick capped the season by being named to the all-state first team by the Washington State Soccer Coaches Association.

“Nick has the immediately recognizable attributes of skill, quickness, and balance that ensures he’s a talented player,” said Nisqually League Soccer Coach of the Year Bill Chissoe. “But what elevates him is his bulldog mentality. Nick is passionate and competitive, and he never gives up. He’s a handful to defend because of the myriad ways he can beat you, but mostly because he just won’t give up.”

“Nick is a scoring machine that defenders must keep track of at all times,” Mr. Francis said. “We are feeling fortunate to get to watch him for another season of high school soccer. Nick is an outstanding athlete and, more importantly, an outstanding person.”

Westminster College is a liberal arts school located in New Wilmington, Penn. They compete in Division III athletics within the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). Westminster men’s soccer finished the 2016 season fifth of nine teams in the conference, with one player named to the PAC first team and one player receiving honorable mention. Their 2017 season kicks off in early September.

“Teamwork is very important to Nick, and he’s willing to sacrifice for the benefit of the team,” Mr. Chissoe said. “He values brotherhood, and the success of the team above everything else. His new team will love him. Every team wants a talented, fiery player who loves to compete. He’ll ensure training sessions are competitive, and he’ll be a difference player for them in games.”

The post Senior Nick Iregui Signs Letter of Intent to Play Soccer at Westminster College appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.

Hark! What voices doth carry through the halls across campus this time of year? It’s the seventh graders reciting Shakespeare to teachers, parents and guardians, staff members, and Head of School Matt Culberson as part of their annual contest.

This tradition is the precursor to the seventh grade field trip to Ashland in early March, when they participate in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival by attending plays and workshops with actors, directors, set designers, and other professional theater staff. By memorizing a quote from plays across the Bard’s canon, they gain exposure to Shakespeare in addition to building up their public speaking skills. The recitation contest assigns points that increase as students extend beyond their comfort zone—parents and guardians are worth one point each, while asking a member of the maintenance crew to listen earns students 15 points. Making an appointment to recite a quote to Mr. Culberson garners students 20 points.

“Many of the quotes contain phrases written by Shakespeare we use in common speech, but the students don’t know their origin,” says seventh grade English teacher Jamie Evans. “It helps with literary allusion later on, and when a teacher says, ‘Once more into the breach, dear friends,’ they have a point of reference. There is connection to their study going forward as students of literature; it lays the foundation of British literature and Shakespeare for the rest of their time here.”

Be not afraid of greatness, Class of 2022!

The post Seventh Graders Compete in Shakespeare Contest appeared first on Charles Wright Academy.