Oxford Nation
The Oxford Nation is a student run philanthropy club that Mr. Cartier and I (Ms. Vaughn) help advise. Oxford Nation meets once a week during Wednesday's break to discuss local and international non-profit organizations that are helping our community's.
The club raises money through sponsoring Friday dress-downs, hosting charity events such as the Oxford Bowl-a-thon, purchasing food and gifts for families in need around the Holidays, and in the past, selling snacks through a student run store in the dorms. In addition, we have even gone trick or treating for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen on Halloween collecting canned food.
Oxford Nation is open to all students, we have fun, and at the same time we can make a difference for those who have less than us. Come check us out, no obligation, you'll be surprised how just throwing a few ideas out there goes a long way to making positive changes for us all.
Thanks for all your generosity in supporting our Friday dress-downs. So far we have raised $50 for Breast Cancer sponsoring Mrs. Gilman to walk in a half marathon and over a $100 to the Islands devastated by the recent hurricanes.
-Ms. Vaughn
Photo Club
The shutter clicks and we get to work. For the next ten to 200 seconds the camera's sensor remains open, recording every flicker of light made by us and the stars above. We move around — sometimes silently, sometimes barking orders at each other — each of us with our own roles, our own lights, our own pieces of a communal composition. One guy "paints" the distant trees with a spotlight while someone else swoops around with a fly-rod rigged with
neon-blue LEDs, creating this winding ribbon of striped light. A smoke grenade pops and
hisses, turning the whole scene a glowing orange. People are coughing, people are laughing, people are yelling "Hold still!" while shining a flashlight through the smoke, turning their friend into a silhouette. The shutter finally clicks closed and we huddle around the camera to see what we've made — to see how the last two minutes of poetic (or chaotic) movement have been captured in one silent, single image.
Oxford's photography club generally meets every other Thursday night when Mr. Sahl is on duty. Sometimes we stay on campus, but usually we travel to local beaches, forests, bridges, tunnels, parks, or other sites that have interesting night-time features. We experiment with long exposure photography and use a variety of natural and man-made light sources (ranging from flashlights to cellphones to sparklers to roman candles) to create our own reality. You do NOT need a camera or any photography experience to join the club! Even if you have no interest in photography, this club is a great chance to get outside, see some interesting places. meet some new people, and collaborate in a type of art that has no rules or boundaries. Come out and join us!
- Mr. Sahl
Book Club
Our Book Club meets about once a month up at the Westbrook Library. Every September we choose books from a list to be read during the year that both myself and Mrs. Pearson (Young Adult Librarian at Westbrook Library) have compiled. It's a fun night of meeting other students from Westbrook High School (girls!), talking about the book, enjoying pizza and dessert. Our next club will meet January 25th and we will be reading The Handmaid's Tale and we will be playing the game Pandemic. See Mrs. Gilman for a copy of the book to take before the holiday break! Read what all the buzz is about by reading the book first before watching the series adaption on Hulu!
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