Plenty of opportunities to get involved
Much of what students learn at Saint George’s happens outside the classroom. Lower School students gain new skills through Chess Club, join the Little Dragon Cheerleaders, and discover the fun of coding their own video games. They enjoy after-school sports camps and private music lessons on campus. Middle School students win statewide honors on Math Counts and Math Is Cool teams, learn about sustainability and community in the Green Club, and make tortillas from scratch in the International Club.
By the time students reach Upper School, they have an idea of what they like and can start specializing. Dragons measure up against the top engineering students in the world through FIRST Robotics tournaments. They compete in math and economics contests during lunch breaks. Both Knowledge Bowl and History Bowl teams have made their mark on the state and nationally. The Associated Student Body (ASB) helps keep the school running smoothly. In the Community
Service club, Dragons put our mission into action. Our Outdoor Club members hike, canoe, bike, and ski. Day trips often start right on our 120 acre campus. Longer trips afford students the chance to learn how to survive and thrive in nature.
Across the divisions, Dragon Clubs encourage students to hone old skills and practice new ones. Students often remember their coaches and leaders as important teachers, even though they never receive grades.
Three policy debate teams from Saint George's competed in the Open division at the Tom Foley Invitational at University HS this weekend. It was the last regular season GSL tournament and one of Spokane’s biggest, attracting teams from all over the West. SGS teams of Alli Dixon and Olivia Senske, Cassie Benson and Maddy Roberts, and Chaitanya Nalluri and David Thew competed, with Alli placing 2nd in speaker points and Maddy 8th. In Lincoln-Douglas debate, John Michael Field competed in the Open division and Erika Piotrowski in JV. Erika advanced to the semifinals, bringing home a medal for finishing among her division’s top four. Good work, Dragons!
Congratulations to the SGS chess players who participated on Jan. 19 at the Winterfest Youth Chess Tournament. Eshan Reddy placed 3rd overall in the K-12 section, and Adrian Rooney placed 2nd overall in the K-6 section. Donovan Bradford took 2nd place overall in the K-3 section, and Noah Hochheimer took home the trophy for top second grader. Coach James Stripes and his team proudly won the 1st place team trophy!
In October, the Saint George’s debate program earned the rare opportunity to host a University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC) policy debate “bid tournament.” In policy debate, TOC bid status is the holy grail of a successful tournament and program. Bid tournaments routinely draw competitors from across the nation. Gonzaga University hosts a bid tournament, as does the Univ. of California at Berkeley.
Last weekend marked the inaugural SGS tournament, which drew 50 of the most competitive debaters from up and down the West Coast. Schools in attendance included Damien High School (Los Angeles), Silver Creek High School (East Palo Alto), and several of the perennial contenders from Oregon and Washington. The debate program also raised money to make the tournament affordable to Urban Debate Leagues around the nation. Next year promises an even more competitive field. See a Photo Gallery of our own Saint George's debaters and speakers competing at the tournament.
Many thanks to the parents who helped feed judges and competitors, to the alumni who judged and critiqued rounds, and to the debaters who kept the tournament running smoothly. Special thanks, also, to the generous tournament donors, including Brewer Law Firm, Twyford Law Office, and Anonymous. Their donations helped make one of the more competitive policy debate tournaments in the nation affordable for everyone. Go Dragons!