Burr and Burton Juniors Qualify for National Merit Scholarship Semifinals

Burr and Burton Academy juniors Eliza Davis, Laura Donnelly, Alex Evanczuk, Dana Midura, Devin Midura, and Ellen Parent recently received notification that they were among the 50,000 highest-scoring participants out of over 1.5 million students who took the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. As part of this select group, they will advance to the semifinalist round of competition for the 2009 National Merit college scholarships. Out of this group, only 16,000 students will be named semifinalists, representing the top scorers in each state.

Burr and Burton Academy Librarian Receives Professional Award

Merlyn Miller, Burr and Burton’s librarian since 1990, was named to the Hall of Fame of the New England Educational Media Association (NEEMA) in ceremonies held recently in Boston. The recipients were honored for their significant contributions to the library media field. Mrs. Miller was one of three librarians from Vermont to receive this honor. Recipients were chosen based on their “significant contributions to the library media field through their efforts on the state, regional and/or national level." The New England Educational Media Association celebrated its 90th anniversary this year.

Ms. Miller, currently serving as vice-president, will be the president of NEEMA for the 2008-2009 school year. In the ninety years since the association began, this will be the third time a Vermonter has been president. She has been NEEMA member since 1995, serving as their representative from the Vermont School Library Association since 2004, and membership chair since 2005.

Music Teacher Julie Freebern Receives Burr and Burton Academy’s 2008 Bigelow Award

Julie Freebern, music history and vocal arts teacher, is the 2008 recipient of the David Bigelow Fund for Excellence Award. Freebern will use the grant to underwrite a trip to England where she will visit medieval castles, cathedrals and churches to enrich her knowledge of medieval music and music history.
Freebern, who says she “has a passion for the Middle Ages” not only teaches but also performs early music. She is a member of the American Recorded Society and performs weekly with the Northshire Early Music Ensemble. By visiting the places most associated with the composition and performance of mediaeval music, Freebern hopes to “deepen my knowledge, enrich my curriculum, and excite my students.”

The David Bigelow Fund for Excellence was established by the Bigelow family to honor alumnus and longtime trustee David Bigelow who died in 1998. The purpose of this endowed fund is to give the teaching faculty of the school the financial resources necessary to further their professional development, which will in turn enhance their ability to provide the highest quality education to the students of Burr and Burton Academy.

Faculty members are invited annually to “think outside the box” and write a proposal that goes to the heart of who they are as teachers and enriches their passion for teaching. Previous recipients of the Bigelow Award include English teacher Bill Muench, who wrote and produced a video on educating boys; art teacher Dawne Polis who fulfilled her dream of studying painting and art in Paris; English teacher Robert Hunter, who studied poetry in England; English teacher Peter Mull, who devoted part of his summer to a writing project; school nurse Meg Burns, who traveled to Thailand to help with relief efforts; social studies teacher John Graf, who traveled in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark; and Arts Department Chair Betsy Hubner who fulfilled a dream to paint in Ireland The fund is administered by the Board of Trustees as part of the school’s restricted endowment.