King School is partnering with the American School of Warsaw to support Ukrainian children who have fled their country due to the Russian invasion and sought refuge in Poland. This week, King is collecting school supplies such as crayons, markers, pencil cases, notebooks, pens, and pencils to send to Ukrainian children who are attending the school in Warsaw. 

King student Ben Persily ’23, placed fourth at the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF) in March for his research using stem cells and prime editing to study and correct the genetic mutations that cause cystic fibrosis. Ben’s accomplishment put him on the podium, standing out from over 600 students who participated in the state-wide fair. The success also meant that a student from King School would represent the Connecticut delegation at the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) for the first time. 

King School is pleased to announce Julie Sheetz ’03 as this year’s Commencement keynote speaker. 

Julie Sheetz currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In this role, Sheetz oversees an organization of nearly 100 people that provides the Secretary of Defense with policy recommendations and advice spanning the management of the United States’ treaty alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The Upper School Science Fair was back in the gymnasium this year after a two-year pause. Upper school students in Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, and the ASPIRE program participated in two sessions held on May 12 to present their research to peers, faculty, family, and special guests. 

“I love mentoring science fair projects for beginning students. Their excitement for trying new things is always refreshing. My favorite moments are when they shift from fear and nervousness about doing something new to excited and confident after they get results and realize it’s not that hard, and then they’ve learned a new skill,” said Director of Science Research Victoria Schulman. 

Culminating a year of self-discovery and exploration in the arts, the senior art students presented their capstone projects at the Art Colloquium, an annual arts seminar hosted in the Performing Arts Center at King School. The presentations are a result of the school’s O.P.E.N project experience: Original, Personal, Experiential, and Novel. Each year, seniors are encouraged to explore different mediums of art and create projects that are a personal expression of their interests or experiences to present to their classmates at the colloquium.

The students typically begin their projects with one idea, but the idea develops into new concepts or multiple projects as the year progresses. Jamie Munno ’22 likened the experience to the growth of a flower.

April 22, marks the annual Day of Silence, led by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), to raise awareness about the discrimination and harassment LGBTQ+ students face in schools. The Day of Silence has been held each year in April since 1996.

King School observed the day as a Day of Action with optional student-led initiatives to celebrate and support members of the LGBTQ+ community. The Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Club in King’s Upper School organized a gathering to mark the occasion. Students also participated by wearing pronouns pins, rainbow stickers, and colorful clothing. “Here at King, part of our values is that individuals are able to be seen as their authentic selves,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr.Clyde Beverly III.