Author: Ivy Miller

Wyoming Seminary Welcomes Parents

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By: Ruby Hackett ‘23 

Wyoming Seminary opened its doors the weekend of October 20-22 for Homecoming Parents Weekend. This weekend marked the first in-person parents weekend since 2019 due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

Upper School Parents traveled to Kingston, Pennsylvania, to visit their children on campus. They attended parent-teacher conferences, talked with dorm parents, and attended homecoming events. This weekend was filled with numerous activities for parents and students to partake in. 

It kicked off on a Thursday at 7 p.m. with a Climate Science Suitability and STEM Presentation in the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts Auditorium. Then on Friday, Sem Students had classes from 8 a.m. to Noon. Unlike the 2019 Parents Weekend, where parents were allowed to attend classes, classes took place without parents attending. 

From 12 p.m. to 1 p.m there was a welcome lunch in Fleck Dining Hall for parents. Following lunch, Parent-Teacher Conferences were held until 5p.m. Beginning at 4:30 p.m. and ending around 6 p.m., President Rocha hosted a Welcome Cocktail Event at his home on Maple Avenue. This was an opportunity for parents to meet other Sem parents, members of the Upper Schools Parent Association, Deans, and Department Chairs. 

Following this event, Jeff Selingo, author of Who Gets In and Why, talked about the college admission process over Zoom. Selingo shared advice, tips, and strategies for admission into highly selective colleges and universities. This event was located in the Chorale Classroom in the KCCA. 

The next day began at 9 a.m. with a meeting with College Counseling for “All Aboard the College Express.” Parents could meet with college counseling in Sprague Hall to talk about their child’s college process. Following that, conferences continued from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. 

At 1 p.m. in Nesbit Stadium, the Blue Knights Football Team took on Williston Northampton. Students, faculty, parents, and friends gathered to pack the bleachers to support the team. During halftime, The Alumni Service Award was given to two seniors out of the eight nominated. This is awarded annually to student leaders for their commitment to the Wyoming Seminary community. 

While this weekend was loved by pare​​nts as they got to see their child, meet teachers and celebrate accomplishments, students felt differently about their parents coming to visit. When asked if she wanted her parents to partake in parents weekend, Tessely Solano’23 stated, “I did not want my parents to come. They already know my grades; it’s pointless for them to drive all the way from New Jersey.” Belle Foard ‘23 agreed, stating, “ I’m glad my parents didn’t come.” Parents Weekend is perceived differently by students. Some look forward to sharing this weekend with their parents, while others feel there is no need for parents to come. 

Students Exhibit Art in the KCCA

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by Abby Kim ’23

Wyoming Seminary is planning on having several student art exhibits for the 2022-2023 academic year. In recent years, covid has affected Sem’s ability to show student art. With a normal school year in swing, Sem plans on displaying more throughout the year with at least three exhibits per term in the KCCA gallery. 

The most recent past exhibit consisted of students’ color theory assignments. Each piece played with overlapping colors to create a painting that shows value (the color’s intensity) and hue (the relativity to the main colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet). Mr. Webber, an art teacher at Sem, says, ”it has to do with the processes that students and artists use to employ color contrast”. Most of the art in the color theory exhibit was from Wyoming Seminary’s highest art course, AP Studio, which Webber teaches. The course focuses on advanced drawing and design skills. Other courses like Ms. Ayer’s, an art teacher at Sem, drawing and design, ceramics, and Webber’s Advanced Drawing will also be showcasing artwork in the near future. 

The next art show planned to follow the color theory exhibit consists of self portraits. Student pieces will be in several mediums including charcoal, pencil, and oil paint. Compared to the color theory exhibit, this exhibit is more so about the creative interpretation of the artist. Webber says, “the self portrait show is by its nature more light-hearted and playful”. The exhibit is also upper school wide, including works from grades 9-12.  

Webber and Ayers, for the remainder of the year, plan on supplying very creative and original exhibits. Webber says, “I try to have a large variety of exhibits”, so we can expect a wide range of themes. Being back in person helps connect the wide variety of themes to the Sem community. Webber is “very excited to have in person exhibits again”. He says “the role of the gallery is varied and there are times when we’re trying to communicate with the outside world”. With everyone back on campus it is much easier to do so. 

Sem artists also greatly benefit from the school’s ability to provide in person exhibits. Cat Ziegler ‘23 says “it is great to be fully back in the studio”. Cat, along with several other students, currently has a color theory piece up in the KCCA. Cat says “the process of the color theory piece was challenging, but also fun. I gained a better understanding of contrast and color, and I am glad that this year allows us to show our challenging work in person”. So with in person school fully back, the Sem community can expect a lot of promising work in the KCCA this year.

Sem Shows Spirit

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by Maya Rosenthal ’23

On Oct. 17, 2022, the spirit week dress down got students excited about the upcoming football game against Williston Northampton School. The themes were Throwback Monday, Celebrity Tuesday, Societies Wednesday, Little Miss Thursday, and Homecoming Shirt Friday. “I always love Spirit Week- every person takes it in their own direction and seems to have fun with it! I am always up for taking requests and themes. This year’s themes were definitely student driven which is what we are all here for” says Ms. T, Director of Student Activities. Some of the themes even got changed due to students taking action. 

Monday was throwback day. A variety of different decades were displayed through the way people dressed and the band t-shirts that were worn. Popular styles that day include the early 2000’s or Y2K style and hippies. On Tuesday, students dressed up as characters and celebrities. We saw a wide range of outfits including cartoon character t-shirts, Adam Sandler, and Santa Claus. Wednesday was society dress up and everyone really got into the spirit. This day was a competition between the societies. Students were rated one through three. This incentive made people go all out, “Society Colors Day this year was taken so seriously and it was a blast” says Ms. T. The standings in the end were Oxonian in first, Athenian second, Florentine third, and Alexandrian in last place. Thursday’s little miss day had people giving themselves superlatives including Little Miss Sleepy. Friday everyone wore their homecoming shirts in preparation for the football game on Saturday. 

Ruby Hackett ‘23 expressed her opinion on spirit week by saying, “I like the idea of it but I personally don’t like dressing down with certain criteria. It is hard to dress up as a character or in throwback clothes with short notice.” Ford Boock ‘23 says, “Some people got more into the spirit than others, but everyone still had fun. Spirit week effectively got people excited for the big football game and it was very exciting. The student section was packed with students even though it ended in an unfortunate loss for the football team in overtime.”