The winner for the best opening line is ...........

Julie Stephenson

I love being amazed by our students! Earlier this year, I had my high school Writers Workshop students enter the First Line Writing Contest, which was sponsored by Scope magazine. Students submitted their very best opening lines for a story, and entries were judged by renowned young adult writer Pam Munoz Ryan. Last week I found out that our very own ninth grader Frankie Holmes is a finalist in the contest! According to a spokeswoman from Scope, Frankie’s first line was selected from thousands of entries. His picture and contest entry will be featured on the Scope website in April. Way to go, Frankie!

Success is Trident Academy's Mission

Mary Silgals

Success can be measured in many tangible ways. Last year, Senior Lauren Kenney was awarded the National Merit Medal for her academic efforts. Yesterday, Luke Jeresaty was ranked #6 out of 175 students who participated in the South Carolina Association of Independent School's (SCISA) Math Meet. Frankie Holmes finished in the top ten in his division. Students from Mrs. Collin's art classes won numerous awards for their submissions to the Fall SCISA Art Show. These are just a few of the many examples of success at Trident Academy.

In some cases, the attainment of success can come from a change in attitude. This change often comes when students realize that yes, they can be successful. Take for example the student who came into the library at the beginning of her first school year at Trident Academy. She announced that she did not like to read, and therefore, she had no intention in checking out a book. Skip forward a year later. She is the first student in her class who has read more than 10 books from 5 different genres, and she is the first in her class to earn her genre cap, a fourth grade tradition. The growth in her reading and comprehension skills is amazing. It is an understatement to say her attitude about reading has changed.

Trident Academy's mission is SUCCESS. Trident Academy's students demonstrate personal success on a daily basis. Let us applaud their successes!

Singin' The Blues

Therese Kristiansen

Blues music is a uniquely American phenomenon rooted in one of the most unfortunate periods of American history. Evolving from the songs sung by plantation slaves, the blues has had a direct influence on all modern music. (Yes, even Rap music.) Because of the blues profound impact on American culture, Trident Academy's Upper School American-based English class is currently studying a unit on the blues. The class is reading essays, first hand accounts, biographies, and musical lyrics related to the blues, as well as writing compositions and original versions of blues songs in the form of poetry. The unit will culminate with the class viewing "Lightening in a Bottle," an entertaining one night history of the blues which was directed by Martin Scorsese. So, next time you turn on the radio, listen closely; if you are really lucky you might hear the ghosts of Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, or Robert Johnson singing in the background.

Trident Musings 1 /2011

 Hugh and Jackie Corcoran

On a chilly, Charleston, January night - families, faculty, and friends of Trident Academy - basked in the warmth of the South Carolina Aquarium for  the first ever “Trident Academy Family Night!" What a night it was! Almost 200 adults and 150 children enveloped the evening with friendship and fun!

Watching the kids “take over” the entire SC Aquarium – from “scavenger hunts” to “hide and seek” – was such a treat to watch! How about that Trident Academy student diver spotted (and revered) for a dip in the Great Ocean tank? The incredible bond amongst all our kids was, as always - a great a sight to behold!

As for the adults, we certainly agree - between the great setting, great food, great conversation, and great information - what a phenomenal night it was! Oh yeah – and about that free time the kids provided us with while they were bonding – thanks for that incredible opportunity for parents, faculty, and friends to kick back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. Like all families, we at Trident Academy know…”when the kiddos are having fun – everyone is having fun!”

So let us ask you – parent to parent - “…did you ever think it could be like this?”

(Watch for the next Trident Academy SC Aquarium night in 2012 date to be announced.)

One of our own students participated in a unique way at SC Aquarium Night.

Students become teachers

Joe Ferber and Robin Greig

Education manifests itself in a variety of formats here at Trident Academy. Yesterday, I was the student, and the Middle School Science students were the teacher.

Our Middle School scholars have been studying all about Earthquakes with Mrs. Greig, and I’ve learned that when you work with Mrs. Greig, well, all kinds of things can happen. During their studies, students became especially interested in what to do in case of an earthquake.  To capitalize on this interest, Mrs. Greig had students look at the school’s earthquake section of the “Crisis Management/Emergency Information” plan, which is under review by the faculty.  Students were asked to critique, advise, and make suggestions on the plan. Needless to say they had done their “homework." Working in study groups, they read other school plans, surveyed our faculty, and researched the latest documents on earthquake safety measures. Coupled with what they have learned about the cause and effects of earthquakes, they presented a well prepared learning opportunity for the headmaster.

Among their various recommendations was to add “Hold” to our Drop and Cover plan. In other words, we need to have students drop to the floor, get under a desk, and hold on to the desks legs. If you don’t hold, they explained, the desk can move away from you. So, the “Drop, Cover, and Hold” procedure will be added to our earthquake plan.  They also suggested the need to designate a pre-planned evacuation site for after an earthquake.  It was decided that site should be in the center of our large soccer field, where there are no trees or structures that would fall on you and you would not run into hazards, i.e. down power lines, in moving to another area.

The Middle schoolers volunteered to educate the Lower and Upper school students about earthquakes and what to do during an earthquake event.  Then, they recommended having an earthquake drill. I was also informed that the faculty needs to be reminded that “three short whistles followed by a Code Red” alerts you to an earthquake.

A study I’d come across many years ago came to mind during my session with the students. The research showed that when teaching you have a 90% long-term retention rate of the material covered as compared to a 50% rate when discussing and a 10% when being lectured to. In addition to their concern for their fellow classmates and helping the community, the Middle school students had come upon one of the best ways to learn!

Yesterday’s faculty meeting agenda included an update on our Earthquake emergency plans including the recommendations from our students. Thank you Middle school students!

Let's share our moments

Before my son graduated from Trident Academy four years ago, he used to often comment that he had to tell me about a "Trident Moment" he had had that day. Often this moment was about something that had happened during his school day, something that one of his classmates had said or done. I remember saying that some of his stories were worthy of publishing.

It's difficult to start, to pick the special moment that stands out the most, but one of my favorite moments came about when I had loaned a student of mine an electronic pen to take home to test. This pen, called a Pulse Pen, had just appeared on the market, and as I am curious about all things electronic that may be useful to our students, I had purchased one to try out. Of course, not having the time to give to experimenting with the pen, I chose to give it to one of my seniors to try, asking that he report back to me. The next morning he came to class and was beaming brightly. "So," I asked, "what do you think?"  "Mrs. Silgals," he responded, "for the first time, I think I can actually be successful in college."

Just yesterday a student who is in my assistive technology homework haven, was in his normal rushed state to get his work done so that he could move on to something more entertaining. We were packing him up when he reminded me that he needed to print his homework. I figured I could do this quickly enough, so I said, "..., let me print it out since you are in a hurry." He looked at me with this big grin on his face, and replied, "Now, Mrs. Silgals, I am going to trust you to do this for me. You promise?" Responsibility and trust is of major importance to this student.

Another AT homework haven moment came about one day when I was helping a student with a math problem. Truthfully, I was not paying close enough attention as I was multi-tasking, trying to help more than one student at a time. The student came to homework haven the next day and informed me that the problem I helped him with was not correct. He said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Silgals. I did not tell Mrs. Fell that you helped me with it."  Like I said, responsibility and trust is important.

Special memories are created on a daily basis at Trident Academy. We have special students, teachers, and parents. This blog is dedicated to those special moments. Here on this blog, I will share some of my Trident moments with you. Please feel free to comment or even submit your own special moments for publication.