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Academics
Text Books Come to Life as Middle School Students Explore Atlanta
Since 2015, seventh grade students have participated in an annual field trip to Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout the school year, literature assignments provide a historical base for the stops on the field trip focusing on the topics of civil rights and human rights and the Civil War. After learning about history, a little fun is mixed into the agenda, too.
In October, 64 students and 24 adults were able to travel on the Atlanta Study Tour. Stops included the Atlanta History Center, Georgia Aquarium, MLK National Park, World of Coca-Cola, Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Centennial Olympic Park, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Stone Mountain. The students were excited to spot a former Bruin in the photo gallery at the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame.
“This is a wonderful experience for the students as well as the adults,” said sixth grade mathematics teacher Shay Young. “This trip brings to life areas of instruction in the classroom. Students also learn the etiquette of traveling in large groups, staying in hotel rooms with classmates, etc. For some of our students, this is their first trip away from home without the supervision of their parents.”
USJ is committed to preparing students for college and life after it. Activities like the Atlanta Study Tour encourage our students to think beyond the curriculum and apply their knowledge to real-life situations.
Students in Kathy Davis’ seventh grade english class completed biography boards in the fall to complement their curriculum.
Students were assigned to read a biography of their choice. They were instructed to look for answers to a list of basic questions given to them. After reading the book independently, they wrote a short report answering the list of questions. Students also created the body/dress of the person whose biography they read using creative materials for clothing and hair. These projects were similar to large paper dolls. They cut out a circle for the head and arms and presented their biography report to the class. The students had a blast with this presentation.
Nine Students Sworn in to Honor Council
In September, the USJ student body swore in nine new members of the Honor Council.
9th: Winn Crook, Max Kilburn 10th: Chester Evans, Kendall Morris 11th: Berkely Pettigrew, Abe Stonecipher 12th: Jon Alex Campbell, James Mitchell Speaker: John Dougan
The goal of the Honor Council is simple: to hold students accountable for lying, cheating, or stealing while encouraging character development and an honest learning environment throughout the USJ campus.
Any student who is found guilty of dishonest acts will go before the Council, which consists of a jury of his or her peers. After hearing the details of the case, which are kept highly confidential among members, the Council suggests a recommended course of action to the administration. They seldom see repeat offenders.
The formation of the Honor Council and Honor Code started in the 2008-09 school year as Honor Council members visited other schools with honor councils, performed online research, and participated in an all-day workshop where they wrote and designed the code, oaths, hearing procedures, constitution, and by-laws.
The Honor Council is made up of nine Upper School students who are elected, without campaign, by the student body each year. These officers consist of a speaker—who is always a senior—and two representatives from each grade. All must maintain a 3.5 grade point average.
During an assembly at the beginning of each school year, Upper School students recite the Honor Code oath, thereby accepting their responsibility for the Honor Code on campus and at all school functions. Students are charged with supporting the community of trust and integrity embodied in this code and are expected not to condone the violation of this code by others.
University School of Jackson Senior Selected as Coca Cola Scholar Semi-Finalist
Stephanie Nnaji is one of only 18 students from Tennessee, out of more than 68,000 applicants nationwide, to move forward as a Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist.
Coca-Cola representative Amanda Bartholomew presented Stephanie with a certificate of recognition in January.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation invests in the future by offering college scholarships to exceptional high school students dedicated to leadership, service, and action that positively affects others.
To celebrate Coca-Cola’s centennial in 1986, The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola bottlers came together to fund the Coca−Cola Scholars Foundation. This commitment to education enables the Foundation to support over 1,400 college students each year, with annual scholarships of $3.4 million through two nationally recognized programs on behalf of the Coca-Cola System.
The mission of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is to provide scholarship programs and lifelong enrichment opportunities in support of exceptional peoples’ thirst for knowledge and their desire to make a difference in the world.
Lower School Recognizes Students Who Display Exemplary Character through Student of the Month Awards
In the fall, Lower School guidance counselor Sarah Jones started a Student of the Month education program to reward students who display positive character traits at school. Each month has a different theme, and students from each class are selected based on teacher nominations. “Student of the Month” honorees are awarded with an ice cream party each month and recognized with a certificate.
“This has been a fun way to teach character education to our Lower School students,” said Jones. “Instead of simply being words that are spoken, they are shown exactly what each trait looks like in real scenarios making the lesson more meaningful. Because of the enthusiasm shown by the students, we plan to continue this program in years to come.”
Blair Driver Honored by National Merit Corporation and College Board
Established in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for college scholarships and is open to all U.S. high school juniors. Winners are chosen based on their skills, academic performance, and PSAT score. The goal of the program is to reward high-achieving students and encourage them to pursue rigorous studies in college.
There were approximately 1.5 million entrants in the National Merit Scholarship Competition, and the 50,000 students with the highest PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test Selection Index scores qualified for recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program.
PSAT selects about two-thirds of those highest scorers as Commended Students, in recognition of their outstanding academic promise. Included in this group is USJ student Blair Driver.
Driver plans to attend the University of Georgia in the fall to major in finance while also minoring in Spanish. She was captain of the 2021 girls state championship tennis team and has been playing tennis for more than 15 years. She is vice president of the senior class, president of the Science National Honor Society, and secretary of Mu Alpha Theta. She is also a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council and was a member of the 2020-2021 Leadership University class. Additionally, she received the Bill Moss Book award in 2021.
University School of Jackson Students Inducted into Prestigious Academic Honor Societies
Academic excellence is one of the cornerstones that the University School of Jackson was built upon in 1970. As West Tennessee’s premier college preparatory school, USJ strives to help each student maximize their potential, beginning with development curriculum pre-kindergarten and continuing with Advanced Placement courses in the Upper School. USJ is proud of the high percentage of students selected to participate in various honor societies including the Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society, International Thespian Society, Tri-M Honor Society, and the National Art Honor Society. Each honor society has different requirements but most have strict requirements regarding GPA, AP or honors courses, and volunteer hours.
In December, USJ inducted 13 new members into the Science National Honor Society. Congratulations to George Allen, Zainab Baba, Cassidy Bruno, Mark Cox, Autumn Hanna, Tannah Hill, Sanchita Jinturkar, Paul Jones, Drew Morris, Ijeoma Oleru, Brayden Roberts, Solomon Scott, and Reed Sullivan.
In November, USJ inducted 21 new members into the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society. New members include Zainab Baba, Khushi Patel, Madelyn Badgett, Will Ragon, Cassidy Bruno, Steven Saridakis, Mimi Campbell, Julianna Schultz, Caroline Conder, Solomon Scott, Mark Cox, Josh Sievers, Allie Ing, Owen Stonecipher, Sanchita Jinturkar, Abe Stonecipher, Madeline Miller, Reed Sullivan, Molly Nichols, Lilly Kate Varino, and Ijeoma Oleru. The goal of Mu Alpha Theta is to inspire interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the enjoyment of mathematics in high school students.
In January, new members were inducted into the International Thespian Society, Tri-M Honor Society, and the National Art Honor Society. The induction ceremony was held in the Blankenship Theater, and more than fifty students became a part of these nationallyrecognized organizations.
New members of the International Thespian Society include Ava Bates, Carmen Biggs, Sydney Burke, Reilly Denaburg, Rhian Hicks, Bailey Miller, Lizzie Montoya, Julia Roy, Mia Webb, Ella Akin, Kenndy Creech, Jade Jones, Kim Kabre, Reed Sullivan, Taylor Tremblay, and Caroline Wilkerson.
Tri-M Honor Society new members include Brooks Via, Nicholas Donelli, Alan Lopez, Michael Nnaji, Lizzie Montoya, Blane Lafferty, Sawyer Hunley, Carmen Biggs, Ava Bates, Dhruv Patel, Julia Roy, Kendall Morris, Claire Whybrew, Jack Wilkerson, Kamryn Depriest, Stella Crenshaw, Lexi Krenis, Cade Jett, Annika Jerge, Amelia Moore, Ava Beller, Alec Garabedian, Toni Tremblay, and Anna Crockett.
National Art Honor Society new members include Eady Davenport, Nolan Foster, Will Jordan, Anna Crockett, Joshua McKinney, Bailey Miller, Caitlin Roemen, Lacie Atkinson, Madeline Craig, Ella Catherine Donnell, Bradi Jett, Mia Powell, and Audra Sheffield.
