Going into the summer before his senior year of college, Drew Junkins still had no idea what he wanted to do. “I applied to some internships and I didn’t like what they were like, one of them that sticks…
The Library Situation
The first day back to school this year was a real struggle for Meg Allison. The room is still and silent as the lights flicker on. With tears in her eyes, Meg Allison entered the U-32 library for the first…
“It’s just exciting”: Debate Team
At 9:30 on February 13, six students from U32 and Montpelier High School signed onto a zoom call to compete in a debate tournament. About 40 other kids from around the state attended and a head coach sorted them into…
Facing a 47 Year Sentence
“Otis Loga wrote this story for his social studies class, Democratic Roots, taught by Alan Hefferon.” “In the middle of it we were arrested by dozens and dozens of FBI agents because there was one person in our group…
“Eliminate that Discussion”: Seeking Social Justice, State Reps, and the H.92 Flag Bill
Editor’s note: this story was also published on VTDigger, through the Underground Workshop. Growing up in Derby Vermont, Brian Smith said the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school, in the classroom, in assemblies, in the gym, and at…
From Student to Board Chair: Scott Thompson
Note: This is a celebration of Scott Thompson’s time as the WCUUSD School Board Chair The WCUUSD school board meeting on October 7, 2020, like every other meeting this year, was held via zoom. A parent of an elementary…
“Some sort of normalcy”: How to celebrate the Class of 2021?
The speaker at U-32’s 2019 graduation was Jim Willis, the legendary Math White Table teacher. He began his speech by expressing his gratitude for being selected by the class. He soon became choked up, mumbling “shit” into the microphone. He…
“God Given Facts” : The Legacy of Kathy Topping
Editor’s Note: This story is a Chronicle Classic, from 2018, written by Grace Ecklund Gustavson in 2018. Kathy is a now-retired teacher who touched the hearts and lefts marks on the lives of many students during her career. Kathy…
50@U-32 Quiz : Celebrating its Origin
U-32 opened in 1971. After 50 years, the school (and its newspaper) are still thriving. There are a number of humorous memorable moments from the school’s past. Ever wonder where U-32 came from and what the student attitude used to…
The U-32 Tsunami: Interview With a Witness
I wonder what I could have done differently that day. What would have happened if I helped? Who would have survived if I did something differently? If this were a story, I believe everyone would think the interview was…
Bradley Parker: A New Edition
Even though he’s a teacher now, Bradly actually wasn’t a very good student. He says that if you talked to people that knew him well, they’d be surprised he graduated high school. In high school, he focused more on playing…
Up For Debate: U-32’s student perspective on politics
The day after a mob of people stormed the US capitol on January 6th, U-32’s juniors and seniors went to in-person school. Meanwhile the ninth and tenth graders stayed home for a remote week. On this day and throughout the…
Fully remote learning before the end of the 2020/21 school year?
2020 has been a year that involved distinct challenges within workplaces and social communities due to the pandemic COVID-19. But also has increasingly been causing considerable disruptions within public school systems. One of the biggest disruptions has been the…
The Driver with the Leatherman
Editor’s Note: This story is describes true events and contains explicit (graphic) detail According to Burke Law VT, in 2016 there were over 2,500 DUI’s processed in the state of Vermont, making them a fairly common occurrence. For many…
Maze to Graduation: The Saga Continues
U-32 students who want to check their progress toward graduation can log on to Infinite Campus, where with a series of only 2 clicks students and parents to see a student’s “posted graduation standard proficiencies.” One-click on the “more” tab…