Anxious Nation: Save the Date - Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Souhegan High School is partnering with Greater Nashua Mental Health to do a film screening of Anxious Nation. It started in 2019 with a single post on Facebook: “Kids and anxiety, who is dealing with it?” Anxious Nation unfolds the epidemic of anxiety in America and explore why we are such an anxious nation. Producer/Co-Director and Writer Laura Morton started her journey to make this film in 2018, when she felt overwhelmed and isolated trying to understand her daughter's extreme anxiety. With a camera in hand, Laura and her team traveled the country talking to parents, kids, and experts about their experiences with anxiety and what they were doing to manage it. In 2021, once production was complete, which saw our families through the most intense time of COVID and how the pandemic impacted their already fragile state, Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Vanessa Roth came on board to direct Anxious Nation. She proceeded to shape the film into one where the journeys of the families are told in a relatable, authentic, and courageous way, intimately and empathetically showing what living with anxiety is truly like for our young people. The film offers hope, while showing that anxiety doesn’t have to define a person.

National Honor Society • French Honor Society • Spanish Honor Society

On Monday, April 17, we inducted new members of the National Honor Society, the French Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society. Congratulations inductees!

On April 17, 2023, the forensic classes went to Bear Brook State Park to explore the site where the barrels were found in the Bear Brook murder cases. The class met with citizen sleuth Ronda Randall. Ronda was a wealth of knowledge and shared inside details and stories about the Bear Brook case that wasn't divulged on the Bear Brook pod casts. Through listening to Ronda, the class learned more about the case and gained a better understanding of how cases in New Hampshire are solved.

On Friday, 4/14, several students had the opportunity to engage in the Safe Schools event, On My Mind-How Young Voices are Taking Action. SHS This is the second conference of this type attended by Souhegan students this school year. At both the October and April conferences, Souhegan students and peers from neighboring schools in NH and Massachusetts, developed, organized and led conversations about how student voice can create initiatives to support safer schools. Speakers, including Megan Tupaj (SHS’20) discussed the importance of resilience and how this has led to critical mental health supports at her college. Our students, grades 9-12, left excited to develop new initiatives and determined to reinvigorate peer to peer supports at Souhegan High School! Next steps include bringing all the students who attended together to pitch their ideas and continue to show what student voice and leadership can bring!

#studentvoice #peertopeersupport #meantalhealthmatters #studentleadership #stigmafreeinthe603

Students in grade 11 will be taking the NHSAS Science exam, our state assessment, on Tuesday, May 16th from 8:30 am - 11:15 am.

NHSAS is an important assessment that helps provide information on whether students are meeting grade level expectations. We receive test results quickly and teachers are able to use this information to target instruction through the end of the school year.

While parents can opt students out of testing, we are required to have a 95% participation rate. Any students who opt out of the 2023 assessment below the 95% district and school participation requirement, will be counted as zero scores for accountability. Zero scores for students will significantly impact our school and district level test results.

While RSA 193-C:6 permits parents to exempt their student from taking the statewide assessment, your student’s participation is appreciated as we strive to accurately represent the achievements of our students. If you would like to opt your child out of NHSAS testing, please complete this opt out form by Friday, April 21st: https://forms.gle/PmN2ZkQUK4KukXsL9

Senior Project News

Senior Project presentations are almost here!

On Thursday we had our final panel meeting and seniors who passed this checkpoint are now finished with their projects and can begin preparing for their final presentations. (We encourage parents to check in with their kids and see how their panel meeting went!)

Presentations will take place on May 18 and 19 between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm. A finalized schedule will be posted following April break.

On May 6, the Town of Amherst will be holding a town clean-up day.

Meet the wonderful and talented staff members of SHS!

Lesli Rendall

What is your role at Souhegan?

Math teacher grades 10-12, former popcorn maker extraordinaire!

How long have you been with Souhegan?

I have been fortunate enough to have been at Souhegan since it opened. Dick Miller mentioned that someone quit a week before the first summer retreat. I applied, was hired and now 30 years later I’m at the back nine of my teaching career.

What do you love about your job?

I thoroughly enjoy working with high school-age kids. While it can have its challenges at times, they keep me young at heart. I love the variety in my job - every day is different, every class is different. Another perk of being a geek at Souhegan is having the MOST AMAZING humans working with me side by side!

What do you like to do outside of work?

My interests outside of school vary depending on the season! During the “school” season I love going to SHS activities- games, plays, concerts…during the summer I LOVE working outside in my yard. I love to Zentangle as often as I can, whenever I can. If something is smooth enough, sits still long enough… I may draw on it! I started making things out of pallets during COVID. My largest creation is a tiki hut near my pool. I love hanging out with my 3 children, all SHS grads, and their significant others, my nephews and my Mom. Lastly, a surprise to no one - I love planning vacations to Disney, even if I’m not really going.

If you were given one wish what would it be?

I’m going to cheat and have two…I wish the best for everyone - to find peace, love and happiness in a world that might actually try to get along. On a more personal level, I wish I could continue working at SHS in some capacity into infinity and beyond as long as I can disappear for the winter - I don’t do cold weather!

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—. I took the one less traveled by,. And that has made all the difference (Robert Frost).

Donation Goods for the Bedford Animal Rescue League

• Gently used towels, hand towels, washcloths, blankets, and flat sheets
• Gently used, small to medium-sized, machine-washable pet beds
• Unopened, unexpired pet food

Dogs: Paw Safe Snow Melt, Nylon leashes (6-foot length, 1-inch width), Slip leads, Nylon Martingale collars, Front attaching harnesses (EZ Walk, Sensation, Freedom), Brain toys (Kongs, Kong wobblers, Tug-A-Jug, Buster Cube, etc) & Squeaky tennis balls, plush or plastic toys.

Small Animals: Rabbit toys (plastic stacking cups, chew toys, wooden toys), Timothy hay, Blue Seal Bunny 16 Pellets, Oxbow Adult and Young Guinea Pig Food + Rabbit Food & Tall metal exercise pens and exercise pen covers.

Shelter Supplies: Dawn Dish Soap, Windex, Poop bags, Disposable, non-latex gloves, Paper towels, Scrub tops and pants, larger sizes preferred & Toilet paper.

Office Supplies: Card stock, Copier paper, Binder clips, Post-Its, Scissors, Scotch tape, Stamps (first-class Forever stamps) & Manilla Folders.

The Yearbook club is happy to report the Yearbook is complete and being printed as we speak! Once copies are in we will communicate when and where books can be picked up or purchased if you still need one! Thank you!

Don’t miss all of the great times at Souhegan High School that are in the 2023 yearbook!