Parent: Jean Speights, mother of Maddie Speights
Ms. Jean Speights would be content to hold a conversation regarding the boundaries of kindness, and whether they are existent, for hours. She often regards the nuances within humanity and their morals, and prefers the company of animals to that of humans. Ms. Speights is the mother of Madeline Speights, a Stuart Hall Junior who possibly has affiliations with the writing of this spotlight. Since her daughter boards a Stuart Hall, Ms. Speights is sparsely on campus. However, if you catch her in the evening during a visit, she says, “You might hear Foo Fighters blasting from my car windows.” If you have the opportunity of meeting this parent, you will quickly find she is happy to hold a conversation and a willing participant of a friendly debate. Ms. Speights most relates to and appreciates our well-being grad goal. This is seen through her displays and commandments of kindness.
Ms. Speights had aspirations of a career in architecture when she was younger. She loved design and creation! However, the “rules and numbers” parts of the courses taken didn’t agree with her. She now works as a stenographer (someone who creates the record of a court procedure), and has been in this profession for 30 years! She began stenography when she was discontent with her post-highschool job. Ms. Speights had worked as an administrative assistant for a real estate appraisal firm. She felt underpaid and discontent. “One day, and several years after graduating from high school, while sitting at my office desk I had a vision of my high school teacher wagging her finger at me and telling me to go be a stenographer.” She attended night school for four years, while maintaining her job, and eventually became a full time stenographer. She most appreciates the freedom provided by her profession. The stress that comes with expected perfection in her profession is Ms. Speights least favorite aspect. Seemingly miniscule grammar mistakes can, “make or break an entire case, or cause a mistrial.” Stress seems warranted in situations like these! Ms. Speights does make the point that stenographers are in high demand and many drop out of stenographer programs!
Ms. Speights began to show interest in Stuart Hall due to its environment. “We were searching for a safe, welcoming, loving, educational environment that offered a challenging curriculum with qualified faculty.” She commends the lack of bullying and welcoming community. Madeline Speights has now attended Stuart Hall for three years! Ms. Speights does acknowledge the difficulty of having a child board, saying it seems that her embarkment for college happened too quickly! Through Stuart Hall, Ms. Speights most appreciates the benefits of a sound education and growing confidence within her child. She also mentions Mr. West and his contributions in Madeline's growth through the theatre partnership with Silverline Theatre Exchange.
In her off time, Ms. Speights enjoys playing piano, grooming dogs, and rescuing animals. She is a renowned lover of classic rock and classical music. She also favors the quote, “If it harms none, do as you will,” which comes from wiccan morals. Ms. Speights would like to mention the mother of a work friend who used to attend Stuart Hall and is going on 100 years old! She cherishes the experiences of the community and can’t think of a better investment in her child’s future than her attendance at Stuart Hall. Ms. Speights encompasses our wellbeing grad goal through her encouragement and actions of kindness towards self and others. She believes that none of the other grad goals would have the opportunity to exist without wellbeing.
Student: Theoren Griffin
Everyone at Stuart Hall has, at the very least, heard of Theoren Griffin. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, a description should. Think big boots, bright hair, and an unceasingly fast pace through hallways. Their demeanor might lead others to believe that Theo is a frightening person to approach. They are. However, if you dismiss the feeling of judgment as you approach them and attempt to have a conversation, you will find a very core part of our community staring back at you! Theo easily brings forth Stuart Hall’s creativity grad goal through more than just their appearance.
Theo began attending Stuart Hall as a boarder their Freshman year from a recommendation. They are currently a senior in their fourth and final year of high school. While at STU, Theo has made several bonds with day students and boarders and continues to do so today! These bonds are what Theo most cherishes about Stuart Hall. Thinking ahead to graduation and leaving the community, Theo says they will most miss their friends. Once an official graduate, Theo will be attending college as it's “The smart thing to do.” There, they will search for future aspirations, though they are most likely to dedicate their profession to something in the arts. This includes pottery or tattooing. Currently, in the beginning of the senior year, Theo has already made a gigantic impact through the first chapel talk of the year! Featuring their sister Georgia and an array of emotions, Theo left an impact on all who listened.
Theo is, as mentioned, very dedicated to the arts. They have taken a variety of art classes while at STU, and hold a special love of sculpting. In their day to day life Theo enjoys listening to music as well as reading and writing fiction. Currently one of their favorite songs is Burning Down Alex’s Version by Alex Warren. They would like to mention the quote, “This is the bad place,” from the TV show The Good Place, and shoutout Narwhals! Theo’s creativity shows through their art, general person, writing, and love for a wide variety of people. Please gather the courage to speak to this unforgettable student while we still have them in our community. Though I doubt we’ll soon miss sinks stained with hair dye, Theo’s creativity exceeds our grad goal and will follow them through life!
Teacher: Sara Gum
While Ms. Gum is a newer member of our community, she has quickly become a student favorite! Many appreciate her humor and willingness to experiment with different aspects of the classroom environment. She presents content in intriguing and interactive ways, ensuring those in her classroom leave with well rounded understandings. She also ensures that the students she interacts with are thriving to the best of their ability within our community. Ms. Gum highlights wellbeing in and outside of her classroom.
Ms. Gum is a native Stauntonian and wanted to stay in the area. She saw that a science teaching position fitting her degree was available at Stuart Hall. She has now officially been working here for three months! Ms. Gum teaches Human Anatomy, chemistry, and Biology classes and coaches our esports team in her co-curricular. Originally, after graduating with her Master’s degree, Ms. Gum had planned on going to PA school and wanted to work in an oncology unit! She appreciates how community centric Stuart Hall is and values her support system within the community, saying, “My fellow coworkers and teachers are great at supporting me during my first year as a teacher.” While she holds a great amount of gratitude for our community, she acknowledges the difficulty of work/life balance as a dorm parent.
Currently, Ms. Gum’s hobbies include reading, online shopping, and working in her cadaver lab! She likes musical artists such as Sawyer Hill, Noah Khan, Zach Bryan, Hozier, and The Beatles. She resides on dorm with her three cats and a multitude of roaming ghosts. She also enjoys playing video games as she coaches the esports team. Ms. Gum continues to grow into our community and greatly respects our grad goals, driving home the point of wellbeing by stating the importance of mental and physical health! She speaks of wellbeing and the qualities it brings such as resilience and the simple enjoyment of life. She says it “improves our productivity, creativity, and ability to contribute positively to society.” Ms. Gum’s encouragement and showcasing of our wellbeing grad goal signify her importance in our community. If you ever find yourself with an question about human anatomy or cadavers, don’t hesitate to stop by her classroom and ask!
Madeline Speights