News & Events

During their work with our college counselor or weekly meetings with their advisors, students explore who they've been, who they are now, and who they want to be. There is a big focus on personal qualities and values, but students are also encouraged to explore potential career paths. Staff can help them connect with professionals in the community.

This fall a group of students at Rock Point applied for and were accepted into Teens Reaching Youth for the Environment (TRY). The TRY program was developed by UVM Extension and their environmental partners, and the goal is to coach teens how to teach elementary students about environmental issues. Besides getting to learn a lot about a particular environmental issue, these students will be developing mentoring and leadership skills, while increasing environmental literacy and responsibility in younger kids.

Working with the Vermont Young Playwrights' Project, Rock Point students have begun their journey toward writing and producing annual school plays. Students had the chance to work with local playwright Mary Beth McNulty for two full-day workshops this winter. In November they played acting games, learned the techniques of playwriting, and brainstormed ideas based on prompts from Mary Beth. Students left the workshop with the beginnings of their ten-minute plays in the works, and then worked with our English teacher, Abbey Baker, to make progress.

We are so grateful to everyone who donated to the Tomorrow Fund for Giving Tuesday! Together, you contributed over $10,000 to the Tomorrow Fund and unlocked matching funds to raise a total of over $20,000 in one day. An additional $3,250 was raised during the week of Thanksgiving, which will also be matched by a generous donor, making the grand total for our Thanksgiving/ Giving Tuesday donations over $26,500. This incredible gift will help us continue our mission of providing a small, supportive, educational community for young people, where they can become their best selves. Thank you so much for being a part of this mission and helping young people transform their lives. If you have not yet given to the Tomorrow Fund, there is still time to donate before the end of the year. Our generous donor will double match any donations above last year's giving! This is a great opportunity to make the most of your gift to Rock Point School.

Since its inception in 1995 by Jake Burton Carpenter, The Chill Foundation has worked with over 25,000 young people to help them overcome challenges through boardsports. Rock Point School has been participating in Chill, almost since the beginning. This past year, the program selected four of our students to participate in a leadership program and be featured in a film, "Built on Boards."

Each year, we gather before everyone heads off for November vacation to celebrate, express gratitude, and enjoy a feast. The Thanksgiving service is designed by students with help from staff members. This year, students read poems they selected, shared traditions, and thanksgivings. One student brought in Christmas crackers, his own family tradition, which meant we ended the service with everyone wearing paper crowns!

On December 3, Rock Point School is excited to participate in Giving Tuesday. This global day of giving invites individuals to celebrate the holiday season by giving back and creating change in their communities and their world.

This year a generous donor has offered to double match any new donations or donations above last year's contributions to the Tomorrow Fund! This means if you donated $50 last year and donate $100 this year, your donation will be matched with an additional $100, making the value of your contribution to Rock Point School $200. If you did not donate last year, any amount you donate this year will be doubled!

Artist in Residence, Kate Long Hodges, came to Rock Point School to collaborate with students on a textile art project. Kate grew up in Vermont and now lives in the Sonoran Desert where she has been learning textile art with members of the Tohono O'odham tribe. Rock Point Students studied plant dyes from the Sonoran Desert and used prickly pear cactus, agave thorns, and earth pigments to create their piece.