We’re off on Thursday, so I’m posting this #valleynewsthrowback here on UV INDEX one day early.
This year, there are at least three free and public Thanksgiving meals happening in the Upper Valley on Thursday: Listen is hosting one at Sacred Heart Church in Lebanon (starting at noon), and there are also meals at Vermont Law School in South Royalton 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) and the White River Junction VFW (noon-3 p.m.).
Listen, a social-service organization based in Lebanon, N.H., held its first community Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 24, 1988, at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall. Lebanon volunteers Susan Truman, left, and Pam Bennett join others in saying grace before the dinner begins. Seventy-five people ended up taking advantage of the dinner. Listen was prepared to serve up to 150 people, so the abundant leftovers will be distributed to area social service agencies for their weekly community dinners. (Valley News – Bill Conradt) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Listen, a social-service organization based in Lebanon, N.H., held its first community Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 24, 1988, at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall. Volunteers Alan Emery and Friddie Labrecque, 8, of Enfield, N.H., carve up turkey in preparation for the feast. Seventy-five people ended up taking advantage of the dinner. Listen was prepared to serve up to 150 people, so the abundant leftovers will be distributed to area social service agencies for their weekly community dinners. (Valley News – Bill Conradt) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Shop teacher William Brooks directs White River Valley Middle School eighth-graders when building a new shed to store equipment for the custodial staff at the school in Bethel, Vt., on Sept. 25, 2018. The shop class takes place in the shed the custodial staff had used. (Valley News – Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
You can see Grace’s earlier two vlogs at this page.
Also included in Matt’s and Jen’s story is this little infographic about how the school, which merged in response to Vermont’s Act 46, is measuring up to the standards officials set for it before the new school year.
Not too long ago, student Grace Collins, 13, expected that she would attend South Royalton School through the end of her public schooling. But because of the merger, the South Royalton resident started eighth grade Aug. 29 in Bethel. Grace has agreed to share her thoughts about the school year in a series of vlogs (short for video logs, or video diaries).
In her second submission, recorded this week and posted above, Grace answers the following prompt:
Some adults have wondered whether old school rivalries between South Royalton and Bethel might make it hard to get along. What is your reaction to that? How is it going as you try to get to know Bethel students? Is there anything that has made that process easier or more challenging?
You can watch Grace’s first vlog, recorded after the first day of school, along with a full Valley News report about the new school’s debut, at this link.
If you are a White River Valley Middle School student, or know of a student, who might like to record vlogs during the first few months of school, please email me at mcassidy@vnews.com.
On the first day of school on Aug. 29, 2018, finishing touches are done on the newly-formed White River Valley Middle School in Bethel. Vt. Tim Poljacik on the school maintenance crew installs the school’s new name on Aug. 29, 2018. (Valley News – Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
White River Valley Middle School seventh-graders Sauntie White, left, and Tanner Drury ask prepared questions as they get to know each other in Holly Williams’ science class in Bethel, Vt., on Aug. 31, 2018. Paisley Irish speaks with Williams in the background on the first day of school. The students are all from Bethel. (Valley News – Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Not too long ago, student Grace Collins, 13, expected that she would attend South Royalton School through the end of her public schooling. But because of the merger, the South Royalton resident started eighth grade on Wednesday in Bethel. Grace has agreed to share her thoughts about the school year in a series of vlogs. In this submission, recorded on Wednesday, she answers the question, “What is your reaction to the first day of school, and what is different, challenging or exciting?”
This vlog first appeared in our Sunday Valley News story about the school’s first week. If you are a White River Valley Middle School student, or know of a student, who might like to record vlogs during the first few months of school, please email me at mcassidy@vnews.com.
p.s. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, another great place to find stories like these.
