GSSV Gazette

The February weather mirrored the December and January weather and hindered our ability to come to campus on multiple occasions. While the pollen is rough right now, we are excited for the warmer weather, which means we are able to be open and hold classes in person! We appreciate your patience and understanding over the last three months when we seemed to get hit hard with different types of weather related closures.

In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, our Keysville students had the opportunity to hear from SVCC Officer Nichols and Chief Uzzle. They spoke to our students about warning signs of unhealthy relationships and ways to stay safe in all relationships -- both friendship and romantic.

Our Alberta students had the opportunity to listen to Jeremy Markle, Brunswick County's Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney and MADD sponsor. He presented to us about driver safety and making smart decisions before getting behind the week of a vehicle impaired or even riding with someone who is. We discussed the importance of driving safely and arriving alive!

We appreciate our partnerships with SVCC and our local agencies.

After reading H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, GSSV students participated in STEM and Humanities-based activities that correlated with the novel. From chemistry to sculpting, biology to painting, and physics to film, students had a full morning of immersive hands-on learning bringing concepts discussed in the book to life outside of the novel.

While this event was scheduled to be a full program, joint-site, interdisciplinary event, the weather kept the Alberta students from attending. They were certainly missed, but the Keysville students truly had a great morning.

Our Alberta seniors hosted the Keysville seniors for the 2026 Renaissance Faire, and we had a most merry olde tyme! What a fun day, full of all kinds of medieval themed activities. An apothecary showed us how to make our own "pocket full of posies" to ward off the plague. We watched live professional fencing demonstrations to learn the craft, and students loved the jewelry making booths, including leather embossing. We had hands-on lessons in soap making and basket weaving, and we enjoyed medieval dance lessons and floral wreath making. There was archery, jousting, embroidery, tea-leaf reading, fortune telling, and wood burning. There was even a dungeon for the fair-goers who "broke the rules." It was a great day all around with beautiful weather and lots of learning.

Our Alberta students and staff had the opportunity to greet Governor Abigail Spanberger and the Secretary of Health Marvin Fegueroa when they visited SVCC in March. We gathered in the Student Services Center to hear the welcome and grab a selfie with them before they visited the nursing suite to learn more about the nursing program at SVCC.

Alberta

On March 26, 2026, the Alberta campus proudly hosted its Annual Senior Research Symposium, a culminating event that showcased the 18-month long research efforts of our senior class. Beginning in their junior year, students designed and conducted independent scientific investigations, demonstrating both curiosity and commitment to real-world problem solving.

This year’s symposium featured an impressive range of topics, including soil recovery following wildfires, the impact of fertilizers on aquatic zooplankton, bacterial decomposition of food waste, the effect of ethanol on lip gloss transfer, and the use of neem oil as a natural herbicide—just to name a few. Each project reflected thoughtful planning, careful data collection, and a strong application of scientific principles. The research was conducted at GSSV, highlighting our students’ ability to conduct meaningful, independent work in our learning environment. The event began with brief opening presentations, where students introduced their research, before transitioning into a poster session. During this time, visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with students, who confidently explained their work, discussed their findings, and answered questions with professionalism and depth.

Keysville

Keysville held its Annual Senior Research Symposium on March 25, 2026. This professional event was the culmination of research begun during their junior year. It featured research topics of microplastics, aquatic environments, antibiotics, the gut microbiome, mushrooms, insects, everyday energy production, helmet cushioning, and the effect of metal ions in yeast (to learn about the effects of vaping). Most of the research was conducted at GSSV, with one group collaborating with a Longwood University professor. The seniors gave a brief presentation on stage and then explained their projects in detail as visitors viewed their posters. The seniors knowledgeably discussed their research and intelligently answered questions.

All GSSV seniors represented themselves and our program exceptionally well. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, growth, and dedication throughout this process.

Our juniors partied like Gatsby and friends at our annual Great Gatsby Gala on Friday, March 27. The Keysville juniors hosted the Alberta juniors and planned engaging, hands-on booths inspired by the great American Novel and the Roaring '20s. We played roulette, blackjack, and poker, betted on boxing and horse racing, smiled for pictures at the photo booth, cashed in our chips and bought drinks and snacks at our general store, and learned how to dance the Charleston. The students (and staff) dressed the part, and we had the best time making the past come alive in this culturally rich event. Jay Gatsby would be pleased!

So many of our students are active in multiple activities at their high schools and have won many accolades during the winter season. Below is a list of students* who have been recognized at their high school during the winter season:

• Madilyn Adkins -- Basketball -- First Team All District and First Team All Region
• Lane Bolter and Aidan Parrish -- DECA -- School Based Enterprise -- 1st place
• Emmeline Carney -- Scholastic Bowl -- First All State Player
• John Curtis -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Impromptu speech -- 1st place
• John Curtis -- State Swimming -- 400 Free Relay -- 8th place
• Mollie Deal -- VBODA District 3 All District Band -- 2nd Chair Symphonic
• Mollie Deal -- VBODA All State Band -- 7th Chair
• Kazu Dinmore -- Class 1 and 2 Swimming and Diving -- Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay -- 8th place
• Kennedi Drummond -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Data Science & AI test -- 2nd place
• Kennedi Drummond -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Event Planning Presentation -- 2nd place
• Oliver Euteneuer -- Regional Swimming -- 100 Backstroke -- 1st place
• Oliver Euteneuer -- State Swimming -- 100 Backstroke -- 6th place
• Oliver Euteneuer -- State Swimming -- 500 Freestyle -- 6th place
• Oliver Euteneuer -- State Swimming -- 400 Free Relay -- 8th place
• Oliver Euteneuer -- Class 1 and 2 Swimming and Diving -- Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay -- 8th place
• Kathryn Griffin -- State Beta Competition -- Language Arts test 12th grade -- 3rd place
• Kathryn Griffin -- State Beta Competition -- Harry Ward Beta Leadership Scholarship recipient
• Rylan Gross -- Big River Rivalry All Star Game South Team Selection
• Kenneth Halliday -- Class 1 and 2 Swimming and Diving -- Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay -- 8th place
• Kori James -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Business Law -- 2nd place
• Kori James -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Public Speaking -- 3rd place
• Bianca Jones -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Career Portfolio -- 1st place
• Jair Jones-Walker -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Advertisement -- 1st place
• Declan Kelly -- State Beta Competition -- Musicology -- 2nd place
• Lucy Okoye -- DECA - Competition and Testing -- 2nd place
• Lucy Okoye -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Graphic Design -- 2nd place
• Azariah Porter -- State Beta Competition -- Health & PE test 12th Grade -- 2nd place
• Jorden Ross -- Indoor Track -- 55-meter hurdles -- State Runner-up
• Jorden Ross -- 4-H -- Outdoor Activities Presentation -- 1st place
• Jorden Ross -- 4-H -- Photography -- 2x Blue Ribbon
• Layla Rulli -- State Beta Competition -- Poetry Division II -- 3rd place
• Ajanai Smith -- Brunswick High School March Senior of the Month
• Emme Spencer -- Competition Cheer -- First Team All Region
• Isabella Thompson -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Entrepreneurship -- 1st place
• Lacy Wagstaff -- State Beta Competition -- Musicology -- 2nd place
• Ivan Wang -- FBLA Regional Competition -- Computer Application -- 1st place
• Anderson White -- Scholastic Bowl -- Second All State Player

*If a student is not listed, it is because he/she did not submit the information for the newsletter.

Spring 2026 Exam schedules are below. Please remember that all exams must be taken on the day they are scheduled unless prior arrangements have been made with your instructor and Mrs. Swain.

GSSV has an opening for a math instructor (statistics, precalculus, and calculus) on the Christanna Campus in Alberta for the 2026-2027 school year. Please complete the application on the Cumberland County Public School's personnel website if you are interested.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the Director, Mrs. Wesley Swain, at 434-736-2086 or wesley.swain@southside.edu.

Senior Trip

We are just a few weeks away from our annual Washington, D. C., senior trip. We will be meeting with students after spring break to give them a tentative schedule and contact information.

Requesting Transcripts

GSSV does not issue transcripts as all of our classes are through SVCC. Our classes are listed on your SVCC transcript. You always have access to your unofficial transcript from your Parchment account on your MySVCC page. Please visit SVCC's transcript page for more information regarding transcripts.

Graduation

SVCC's graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 9:30 a.m. at the Joan Perry Brock Center at Longwood University. Grad apps have been completed. Caps, gowns, and hoods are available for purchase. Ticket emails have been sent to students for claiming their tickets on a first come, first served basis. More information regarding all of these items can be found on the SVCC's Graduation page.

Parent Email Listserv

If you have not already and would like to be added to Mrs. Swain's parent email list to receive announcements and information not appropriate for social media, please complete the GoogleForm by scanning the QR code to the right. If you cannot access this form, please email Mrs. Swain (wesley.swain@southside.edu) with your email address and child's name to be manually added.

April 20 - 21 - Senior Trip to Washington, D.C.

April 27 - May 6 - Exams

May 5 - Alberta Junior College Prep/Summer Assignment Night 6pm in WDC Gym

May 7 - Keysville Junior College Prep/Summer Assignment Night 6pm in WCD Gym

May 8 - Last Day for Seniors

May 12 - Last Day for Juniors

Mrs. Tara Beck -- tara.beck@southside.edu

Mrs. Kristen Beekwilder -- kristen.beekwilder@southside.edu

Mrs. Katherine Clatterbuck -- katherine.clatterbuck@southside.edu

Mrs. Sarah Fenwick -- sarah.fenwick@southside.edu

Mrs. Ann Moore -- ann.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Lori Moore -- lori.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Tracey Nash -- tracey.nash@southside.edu

Mrs. Leslie Poling -- leslie.poling@southside.edu

Mrs. Chelsea Thorpe -- chelsea.taylor@southside.edu

Ms. Connie Tucker -- connie.tucker@southside.edu (Administrative Assistant)

Mrs. Wesley Swain -- wesley.swain@southside.edu (Director)