Author: Ivy Miller

Dress Up Days Change at Sem

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by Hannah Johns ’23

Wyoming Seminary Upper School begins to address “dress-up days” differently nowadays. 


Wyoming Seminary Upper School is a college prep school with no uniform for the students who attend it. There is a dress code that isn’t very strict along with a dress code for “dress up days.” Dress up days have been a topic at Wyoming Seminary for a while, during which the boys wear suits and ties, while the girls wear a dress and nice shoes. Since the pandemic happened in 2020, dress up days weren’t seen very much during the school year until the 2022-23 school year. Dress up days are a time for the students of Wyoming Seminary to dress up for a certain event that is happening during the school day. 

As many may like dress up days, there are a certain amount of students who dislike them. Rosey Kelly, ’24, stated, “I don’t like them because it takes a lot longer for me to get ready in the morning and I feel as though they are not much different from regular days at school relating to the dress code.” As dress up days are beginning to come back more often during the school year, they face different challenges. More opportunities for students to express themselves are being given. Mx. Penland, a teacher at Wyoming Seminary and part of the LGBTQ+ community, is beginning to see a change for non binary students to express themselves. “I think there has been a lot less gender language being used.”

Guys wore suits and girls wore dresses, yet now girls are able to wear dresses or suits if they want. “A lot more options are being given and as long as you look presentable, it should be fine to wear what you want.”, said Mx. Penland. Over the years, the dress code for dress up days has changed and people have begun to learn to accept more ways that people may want to dress. Dress up days now, during the current school year, allow students to express and feel themselves by the way they dress. They don’t feel as restricted to wearing certain things, even though the dress code isn’t fully accepted yet, it has made its way to revolve around current situations. 

Sem Stages “Bright Star”

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By: Annabel Dobash ’23

Wyoming Seminary’s fall musical has long been a campus tradition, but Covid 19 hampered large scale productions for two years. Now, their mainstage production is back in full swing. This year, the company performed Bright Star; a Tony Nominated musical based on true events.

The musical tells the story of Alice Murphy, an editor in Nashville as she meets a young soldier who is seeking success in writing and discovers family ties. It was co-written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell who penned the bluegrass score.

Sem’s production featured Ainsley Eidam ‘23 as Alice Murphy, Liam Phillips-McGraw ‘23 as Jimmy Ray Dobbs, Michael Vodzak ‘24 as Billy Cane, Holly Egbert ‘23 as Margo Crawford,  David Getz ‘24 as Daddy Murphy, and Olivia Stevens ‘23 as Mama Murphy. 

The set included an elaborate moving house that was built by Floyd Bussie, the technical director. Working with the house was the high point of David Getz’s ‘24 rehearsal process.

Auditions took place on September 8th and the cast list was released on September 11th. Official rehearsals began on September 13th. Since then, the cast of over 30 people has been hard at work learning blocking, choreography, and music. 

Last year the rehearsal process was six months long, but this year it was shortened to three months. Eidam describes the short rehearsal process as “crazy, we went from the second day of school to the fourth of November rehearsing and then the show goes up. It’s much shorter, so we have so much more to pack into it, and it’s been a lot stricter.” Despite the limited time, Eidam says that “I find that music [rehearsals]are so inspiring and uplifting, it’s the highlight of my day.”

The cast entered tech rehearsals on October 29th where they met everyday from one to six pm. Bright Star opened., November 4th and ran through Sunday November 6th. Getz is looking forward to “hearing the reactions at the end of act one, I think it will definitely be interesting, but also the opening because I don’t think it will be what a lot of people are expecting it to be.”

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.