Who would guess that nearly 20 students and three teachers would choose to spend 5 days in the cold and snow of Northern Minnesota in January but that's exactly what is happening for the students in Elgin Academy's Northern Minnesota Wilderness Experience. During the January term course and in preparation for their trip north, the students have learned about the history and culture of the Ojibwe tribe (native to the area) and also honed their camping and winter survival skills.

Today in class, students carved and painted sticks they found during a recent field trip to Lord's Park. The sticks were used to play a traditional Ojibwe game of Snow Snake. The decorated sticks are launched down tracks carved in the ice. The straightest traveling stick wins.

The cooking continues in the La Cucina Italiana January term course. This week students made fresh pasta and lasagna. 

The January Term Forensics class, students performed DNA analysis utilizing the Electrophoresis machine that was generously donated by EAPA (Elgin Academy Parent Association) to the Science Department in 2020. Electrophoresis machines apply an electric charge to molecules, causing them to migrate towards their oppositely charged electrode. The technique is found in all research and clinical laboratories utilizing DNA and protein applications. And now it can also be found at EA. Very Cool!

Congratulations to the Elgin Academy Scholastic Bowl team for their 10-0 win over Belvedere North at the Belvedere North Scholastic Bowl Invitational. The team was led by Captain and top scorer Tommy Guyett, Jr. ('22) along with fellow teammates Johnathan Vogt ('22), Alex Sept ('22), Quinn Padula ('25) and Alex Almazan ('25). Great job!

The Middle and Upper School students and faculty of Elgin Academy gathered on the quad in front of the Memorial Garden in two separate ceremonies to commemorate and remember the attacks that occurred 20 years before. Seth Hanford, Elgin Academy's Head of School, opened each ceremony by telling those who had gathered why they had chosen the location in front of the memorial garden dedicated to Andrew King, a 1977 Elgin Academy alum, who perished in the World Trade Center. His comments reflected on memories of Andrew and on what September 11th, 2001 and all the days that have followed should remind us. He suggested that on such a day of remembrance, we reflect on the individual and collective responsibility all of us share to create the world we want to live in.

During the ceremony, three members of the Elgin Academy faculty, Dan Raffety, Elizabeth Cooper-Mullin and Chris Roettger spoke about their experiences and memories on that day and three Elgin Academy students Jack Guyett, Brianna Suchyta, and Olivia Welsh read passages and poems. Videos of the ceremonies are posted below.

Upper School Ceremony

Middle School Ceremony