A Holiday Convocation to Remember

Campbell (left) with her Kindergarten buddy and friends

by: Campbell Wright, class of 2025

The big man in red made a special trip to Saint James School!

Every year the Saint James family comes together to celebrate the holiday season at Convocation. Holiday Convocation is one of my favorite traditions every year as the student body, teachers, alumni, and parents come together to celebrate. First, our celebrations consist of a procession with seniors and their kindergarten buddies. Of course everyone is decked out in their best holiday outfits and ugly sweaters. Then our High School counselor, Mr. Clinton, begins the convocation with a holiday skit that brings lots of laughter and holiday cheer. As the celebration begins, the band and choir perform holiday pieces they have been working on all year for their showcase and the whole gym listens with awe. After the songs are finished, students come up and share their own Christmas and Hanukkah traditions, including a background of the holiday. I always learn something new from these students and enjoy hearing their own family traditions. After this, my favorite time of the entire convocation begins. The members of choir start a sing-along with the whole gym to everyone’s favorite christmas songs. My favorites, “Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer” and “12 Days of Christmas,” are always played and this year my kindergarten buddy and I were able to enjoy them together. During “The 12 Days of Christmas” this year, My senior class and I were finally able to say the cherished lyric of “5 months to go” as we begin our journey as second semester seniors. Finally, as the celebration began to end and “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” began to play, Santa and his elves made their appearance and surprised the entire student body. This was truly the best convocation I've ever had, making my last one the most special and a memory I will cherish forever. #wearesaintjamesschool

The 12 days of Christmas is a convocation favorite.

Growing to Give: Saint James School Key Club’s Collard Greens Harvest

The Key Club at Saint James School is putting their green thumbs to work in an effort to make a difference in the community. The students have dedicated a portion of their community garden plot to growing fresh collard greens, which will be donated to the Heart of Alabama Food Bank. This initiative reflects the club’s commitment to service.

Collard greens, a nutrient-rich vegetable, are a staple in many Southern kitchens. The Key Club is addressing food insecurity in a way that provides both sustenance and comfort to local families. The fresh produce from the community garden will contribute to the Food Bank’s mission of distributing nutritious food to individuals and families who face hunger.

This project has also brought together members of the Saint James School community. Students across all divisions help in the STJ Community Garden. From preparing the soil to planting, watering, and tending to the plants as they grow. Beyond the physical work, the initiative has sparked important conversations about food security, community support, and the role young people can play in making a positive impact.

Key Club President Virginia Driver shared her thoughts on the project: “I couldn’t be prouder of how everyone came together to bring this garden project to life. It was a hands-on experience that not only taught us about sustainability, but also the power of teamwork. From planning to planting, each step was a reminder that when we work together, we can create a meaningful impact on our community.” 

The Saint James School Key Club is a student-led organization that helps high school students develop leadership skills through service.The organization's goal is to prepare students for citizenship by helping them learn to work together and live responsibly. The Key Club is led by faculty sponsor, Ms. Libby Conner. 
Partnerships like this one not only help meet immediate needs of our community, but also highlight the power of community collaboration and reinforce our Trojan Core Value of Community.

Making a PAWS-itive Difference: STJ Animal Club Gives Back

The STJ Animal Club with the Montgomery Humane Society and "animal ambassador.”

Over the holiday break, the STJ Animal Club made a meaningful impact by delivering donations collected throughout the fall semester for animals in need. These generous contributions were delivered to the Montgomery Humane Society, helping ensure that these animals have the supplies they need, from food and blankets to toys and other essential items.

Animal Club sponsors Mrs. Melissa Harris and Mrs. Haley Hart delivered a trunk load of donations to the Montgomery Humane Society.

The animal club welcomed a guest speaker from the Montgomery Humane Society to a recent club meeting. This special guest brought along an "animal ambassador," a well-behaved and adorable representative of the animals cared for by the Montgomery Humane Society. The presentation focused on animal safety, offering valuable insights on how to care for pets responsibly, recognize signs of distress in animals, and ensure their well-being. Club members loved meeting the animal ambassador, and learning more about the important work being done at the Montgomery Humane Society.

The STJ Animal Club is open to students in grades 3-5. The club focuses on animal welfare, advocacy, and fun opportunities to help our furry friends. #wearesaintjamesschool

Staff Spotlight: Officer Josh Stokes

Department: Safety Officer

I've been at Saint James for:   6 months

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

High school: Lee High School 

Past Experience: Retired Sergeant with the Montgomery Police Department (20 years)  Certified Police Instructor, Over 10 years as a Major Crimes Investigator 

Favorite Book: War and Peace 

Officer Stokes with his wife and daughter.

Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park Trilogy 

Favorite Food: Steak

Spouse:  Stephanie, married for 19 years

Children: Maya, age 17  

Favorite thing about working at STJ: The family atmosphere between students and faculty 

Favorite Quote: “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”

Career Week 2024: 8th Grade Students Peek Into Professions

by: Waylon King and Grace , class of 2029

Waylon and his mom, who is a medical aesthetician.

I am so grateful that I had the amazing opportunity of being able to get an inside peek of the jobs of my choice for 8th grade career week 2024. My name is Waylon King and one of the professions that I shadowed was a medical aesthetician. I actually got to shadow my mom, Michela King, who runs her own aesthetician business. I started shadowing around 11:00am and was shown what her daily schedule looks like. She then showed me what kind of tools she uses to complete procedures and what their purposes are. We then had our first patient, who wanted a chemical peel, I was amazed by how fast the products started reacting. For the rest of the day, I was able to watch the many different procedures an aesthetician completes on a day to day basis. It was a blast to be shown the astonishing and exciting day of a medical aesthetician.

Grace with Deputy General Counsel for the Alabama Secretary of State, Meredith Blackburn.

Career Week was such a great experience for the class of 2029. My name is Grace Sykes and I shadowed the Deputy General Counsel for the Alabama Secretary of State. Her name is Mrs. Meredith Blackburn and is a close family friend of mine. I drove with her to the state capitol at 7:30am and took a small tour of the building. I got to meet the Secretary of State and go in his office. When I got back to Mrs. Blackburn's office, I went right to work. Mrs. Blackburn has many official duties and tasks she had to complete, so I helped her by putting previously used case files away and updating her code books. I had so much fun at the state capitol and would love to have a career as special and exciting as Mrs. Blackburn's.

Saint James middle school students have been shadowing careers during the 8th grade year for many years. Shadowing helps students explore potential career paths early, helping them identify their interests and strengths. It also provides real-world insights into various professions, connecting classroom learning to practical applications. This experience can inspire goal-setting and better decision-making for future education and career planning. Eighth grade career week is something Saint James students look forward to every year! #wearesaintjamesschool

Circle Your Wagons on the Oregon Trail

Quilt squares depicted scenes from the “Oregon Trail” journey

by: Olivia Patrick, class of 2026

After learning about the Oregon Trail and the Gold Rush, Mrs. Hughes introduced the game The Oregon Trail to the junior history classes! Each class period had around 5 “wagons” with 3-4 “wagon riders” that were given a certain amount of money to decide on what supplies they would need. They would consider which wagon they wanted, the amount of food they would need to survive the 6-month journey, and which weapons and tools would be useful, all while staying under budget. Students would then roll dice to see which scenario, defined in Mrs.Hughes’s slideshow, applied to their wagon. The wagons could encounter hostile enemies, rabid animals, treacherous storms, and deadly

diseases that would impact their journey. One of my favorite aspects about playing the game was that everything was left up to chance. At the end of the game, some wagons survived with hardly any issues in their journey, while others had completely lost all wagon members. A few days later, students were asked to color in a quilt square that described their journey on the Oregon Trail. They created symbols with definitions that represented the events they encountered. Mrs. Hughes then judged the quilt squares and put the best ones in the hallway to create one big quilt! Overall, this was such a fun way to interact with history and help us to understand the hardship that pioneers went through to form our great country. #wearesaintjamesschool

Alabama National Fair Art Winners 2024

Congratulations to the 2024-25 Alabama National Fair High School and Middle School Winners in Art and Photography:

Alabama National Fair High School Art 

Opaque Painting: Honorable Mention: Emilee Alexander (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

2024 High School art award winners

Transparent Painting: Honorable Mention: Mae Puckett (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

Color Drawing: 1st Place: Grace Kim  (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

Black and White Drawing: 3rd Place:  Mae Puckett (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults), Honorable Mention: Alice Chen (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

Mixed Media: 2nd Place: Alice Chen (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

Printmaking: 1st Place: Yuha Shin (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults), 2nd Place: Lillian Archer (Teacher: Evelyn Shoults)

Alabama National Fair Photography

Animals: 1st Place- Aryan Patel (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

 Floral: 3rd Place- Brenna Gregory (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

People: 1st Place: London Milton (Teacher: Aimee Bentley), 3rd Place: Erin Richardson (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

2024 Middle School art award winners

Non-Flowering: 1st Place: Olivia Patrick (Teacher: Aimee Bentley), 3rd Place: Olivia Patrick (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

Alabama National Fair Middle School Art 

Photography:2nd Place: Hazel Clinton (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

Opaque Painting: Honorable Mention: Violet Park (Teacher: Aimee Bentley)

Creatures of the Sea

For their 5th grade STEM project, students researched various sea creatures, exploring their habitats, behaviors, and unique features. They then created beautiful watercolor art to visually represent their chosen creatures, enhancing their understanding of marine life. To complete the project, students wrote informative paragraphs, summarizing their findings and reflecting on the fascinating world of ocean biology.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) marries scientific research with creative expression. Through the research component, students apply scientific inquiry skills, analyzing the anatomy, behavior, and ecosystems of sea creatures. The artistic element of creating watercolor illustrations fosters creativity and helps students visually communicate scientific ideas. STEM promotes collaboration and hands-on learning, helping students connect abstract concepts to real-world applications. #wearesaintjamesschool

Your Vote Counts! STJ Elections 2024

Saint James 5th graders hosted the 2024 elementary school election to decide who will win this year’s dress down day theme. Candidate Nellie Night campaigned for pajama day while Duffy Day is for cozy clothes day. These mock elections are a fun and engaging way to introduce our young students to the concept of voting, democracy, and civic engagement.

Our candidates created campaigns and presented their ideas on STJ TV prior to Election Day. Our 5th graders worked hard to set up a polling station where students cast their votes anonymously. They designed ballots and even set up a registration table. Students learned about the importance of making their votes confidential and respecting others’ opinions.

Once all votes are cast, students will use math skills to tally the votes and determine a winner. The announcement will be made on STJ TV this Friday. After the winner is announced, we will have a class discussion about the importance of voting and the election process, as well as fairness, respect for others' choices, and how elections work in the real world. People may have different opinions, and that’s okay!

Mock elections not only introduce students to the voting process, but also teaches responsibility, decision-making, teamwork, and lifelong interest in civic engagement!

From Farm to Yarn!

Pre-K3 students study a different letter of the alphabet each week. In addition to identifying and writing the letters, students learn context in playful and fun ways! Preschoolers enjoy applying what they have learned in the real world.

“Y” is for yarn!

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Did you know? Sheep’s wool is called fleece, but an alpaca’s fiber is called a "blanket."

Did you know? Sheep’s wool is called fleece, but an alpaca’s fiber is called a "blanket."

Mrs. Dana demonstrating how to spin alpaca fiber into yarn using a spinning wheel from her native Argentina.

For “Yy” week, Pre-K3 teacher assistant, Mrs. Marisa Dana, taught her class how to spin yarn. With fiber from angora goats and alpaca, the children spun their own piece of yarn to wear home home as a bracelet. Angora sheep are known for their curly, lustrous hair known as mohair. #wearesaintjamesschool

Students passed around Angora goat and palace fibers- so soft!