CVU Celebrations

Dear Community,

It’s nice to finally see a little sunshine among the rainy days and the first signs of spring starting to appear. There’s a welcome change in the air as the days get longer and grass gets greener. Just a reminder that next week is April break; we hope everyone has a chance to slow down, get outside, and enjoy the break.

Kellan Saul, grade 9, stands in front of his most recent project. He asked members of the community what they were looking forward to this spring!

CONGRATULATIONS !

CVU's modern band AKA The Mechanics will be playing on Thursday 4/30 at Bread and Butter Farm. Come listen to them play and have dinner!

The first annual CVU Senior Art Show is currently on display at the Pierson Library in Shelburne Vt. There are 13 student artists showing drawings, paintings, digital works and photography. The show runs through the first week of June. I encourage you all to make a stop at the Library and check it out.

Congratulations to Ava Carnevale whose painting, "Moose," was selected as one of the top 50 entries from across the state for the Vermont Student Wildlife Art Exhibition. Ava's work will be on display at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, in Richmond, VT from May 2-16.

Photo from "Best Day Ever" Showing. On Friday, over 100 students viewed this video today in our auditorium. As described on their website, The Best Day Ever documentary follows adaptive mountain bikers Greg Durso and Allie Bianchi as they tackle the daily challenges of disability - and find joy, connection, and belonging in Vermont's mountain biking community. Set in the Green Mountains, this is a story of grit, independence, and what's possible when community and creativity come together.

Following the viewing, two of the contributors - including Allie Bianchi - spoke about their experiences, answered questions, and provided updates. It was a powerful opportunity for the students and adults in attendance.

Hailley Hem as part of the Vermont State Youth Council. In total, 28 youth from across Vermont are appointed to the State Youth Council. In May 2022, Governor Scott approved H.293 (Act 109) enacting the creation of the Vermont State Youth

Council. The purpose of the newly created State Youth Council is to advise the Governor and the General Assembly on issues affecting young people in Vermont. Vermont strives for an open, effective, and inclusive government. Almost all government policies and decisions impact young peoples' lives; therefore, youth have a right to influence those decisions. The State Youth Council is an opportunity for youth to directly participate in Vermont's democracy and guide its future.

Nora Trombly doing a job shadow at Hinesburg Animal Hopstital.

Fun side note-Murphy, the pup featured in this photo lives with Principal Riley.

The CVU Environmental Action Club (EnAct) club organized a "Get Outside" Earth Day Celebration during advisory on Thursday. Earth Day was founded in 1970 and is celebrated officially on April 22. This year, the EnAct club created posters inspiring Earth-friendly actions (e.g., Buy local, Buy Nothing for a Day, Thrift, Avoid plastic straws, Limit AI Use) and encouraged advisories to get outside, take a walk, and create with chalk.

RoboHawks & JV RedHawks Compete at New England Championships!

April 17th, 2026

RedHawk Robotics making a statement in New England! BOTH CVU robotics teams, the RoboHawks and JV RedHawks are competing today and tomorrow in the New England Robotics Championships. Check out the live stream of event here. BOTH teams are in the Crock Division.

RoboHawks are team #5741

JV RedHawks are team #22683

After a super successful Vermont Championship tournament, Robohawks as tournament champions and JV RedHawks as runners-up, both teams qualified to compete against some of the best robotics teams from around New England! The competition WILL be fierce, but through it all the kids have already shown that they can operate with Gracious Professionalism with each other and with other teams.

Robots have passed inspection and qualification matches start today and will continue into Saturday. Judged team presentations and Pit Interviews happen tomorrow as well. With luck one (or both!) teams can qualify for the playoffs on Saturday afternoon. Either way they are representing Redhawk Nation with their hardwork and determination!

Together We Rise spent time on Friday making beaded whistles for the upcoming Take Back The Night Event (more info to come). These whistles can be used to draw attention if someone feels unsafe or is being attacked

CVU students interested in pursuing careers in the medical field attended the UVM Cancer Center’s Careers in Cancer event on Tuesday at the UVM Larner College of Medicine. During the event, students explored real-world opportunities in cancer research, healthcare, and science through interactive lab tours, engaging talks from cancer experts, and a hands-on career fair. They also had the opportunity to learn directly from researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, gaining valuable insight into potential future career paths.

The Italy trip arrived safely and checked out the Duomo in Florence on Thursday.

This April Break, Consider Planning a Break from Screens

The Student Assistance Program (SAP) team supports students in grades 5-12 by promoting well-being, prevention, and healthy decision-making, and serves as a resource for both students and caregivers. As April break approaches and routines shift, we encourage families to create balance by setting small, realistic limits on screen time to help improve sleep, mood, and connection. Even short breaks from devices can make a positive difference and open up time for meaningful activities together, like screen-free meals or afternoons. Overall, the goal is not to eliminate technology, but to help young people build healthy habits, awareness, and balance over time. Here are a handful of great suggestions and strategies to take a break from screens.

The HER EDUCATION REQUIRED club at CVU gathered Thursday night to bring public attention to the lack of women’s history in school curricula. The event featured three high schools— winooski high school, South Burlington High School, and CVU—each presenting their own statistics, all showing a serious lack of women’s history in these schools.

The event raised over $400 for New England Planned Parenthood and featured guest speakers, including Vermont’s first and only female governor, the first woman elected three times as governor, and former U.S. Secretary of Education during the Clinton administration, Madeleine Kunin. It also included Erin Davis, head of state curriculum; representatives from New England Planned Parenthood; and Meg Smith, former head of the Vermont Women’s Fund.

The students connected with many inspiring community members and hope their message is heard. If you are interested in supporting their cause, please reach out to hereducationrequired@gmail.com.

Friends of CVU is getting ready to celebrate CVU Staff Appreciation Week from May 4–8, 2026, and we’d love your help!

Throughout the week, we’ll be showing our gratitude to the incredible teachers, support staff, and educators who care for our students every day.

Please visit the SignupGenius link to see specific ways you can contribute and sign up for what works best for your family.

Every gesture—big or small—helps make this week special for our staff. Thank you for supporting Friends of CVU and for helping us celebrate the people who make CVU such a great place to learn.

SignupGenius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49AAAA28A2FBC07-63570276-cvustaff

No time, but still want to help? Consider donating to cover costs of the staff gifts.

Save the Date: A Celebration of Languages
📅 Wednesday, May 6
⏰ 5-7 p.m.
📍CVU Library

On Wednesday, May 6, you are invited to a celebration of languages spoken across our district. From 5-7 p.m. at the CVU Library, community members will learn and share a variety of languages through an interactive gathering of culture, history, songs, snacks, and more. We look forward to celebrating together!

NEWS:

• Application deadline extended for CVU Travel 2027! There are still some open spots on four of the RISE 2027 trips. If you are interested in applying please reach out to the following people for an application and trip information: Kari Roberts - Morocco / Olaf Verdonk - Coral Reef Restoration / Peter Langella - Civil Rights A History / Andrew Scott - Hiking the Green & White Mountains Application deadline is Wednesday, April 29th!
• Water bottles on the windowsill outside the Main Office will be cleared away after school today.
• Spring has sprung, CVU! With spring comes the annual DANCE OF COLORS, a school dance hosted by GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance)! Everyone is invited to this fun, unique night to celebrate the end of the school year, let loose with friends, and dance your stress away! It’s Saturday, May 2nd from 7-9pm in Room 160. FREE - no tickets required.
• Lost & Found: Unclaimed items in the Main Office are now available to the community.
• The first annual CVU Senior Art Show is now on display at the Pierson Library in Shelburne. There are 13 student artists showing drawings, paintings, digital works and photography. The show runs through the first week of June. Stop by and check it out!
• The New American Outreach Club is holding a drive to support our local immigrant families. We’re collecting non-perishable food items and gift cards to local grocery stores. Donations can be dropped off in the Direction Center or Main Office. Thank you for your support!