RE Log Spring 2023

SPRING 2023 Ransom Everglades LOG 9 on Campus first edition of The Excelon showcased a growing and evolving school with activities such as a new student council and traditions like signing names on the concrete around the Dell. Members of this house are challenged to become as legendary as their predecessors. Members of Hickory House represent both the schooner in the original school fleet used for trips to the Keys as well as the name of the Ransom publication, The Hickory Log . The idea behind the publication, for students to find and develop their voices, is still in the school’s mission today. The courage needed to speak one’s truth inspired Hickory’s title, House of Courage.    With further research, Soto discovered that the Meenahga house on the Adirondack-Florida School campus was pivotal during the hurricanes that hit Miami, as it provided the consistency and security the boys needed during those troubling times. Therefore, it was an obvious choice to name the Meenahga House the House of Guardians. Finally, Winslow House is named after the ship, the Winslow , that helped launch the sailing program at the Adirondack- Florida School. The hands-on adventures provided by the Winslow contributed to the experiential education that was part of the school’s identity from the beginning. It, therefore, became clear that Winslow House would be the House of Adventure.  The houses come to life  During the fall of 2021-22, the new house system was unveiled to faculty and students of the middle school. Each of the seven houses would take members from all three grades. Houses would be determined by advisory, and every house was assigned a house leader. The house leader is a faculty member that serves as the go-to person for house activities and competitions.  “When I first found out about the house system, I was really excited,” said faculty member Karina Buhler, the house leader for Meenahga. “I really liked how the house system created these connections among students from all grade levels.”  House leaders were tasked with identifying their house’s signature color. Buhler and her house students chose Onyx, a black stone, which would appear on the house banner and house shirts.  “One thing that I thought was really awesome,” she said, “is that all faculty and staff are part of a house. It really is a great community builder for the whole school.” A key point of the middle school house system was to create an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome. All members of the faculty and staff, from teachers to dining hall and facilities staff, proudly represent a house.  And what would a house system be without friendly competition? Students can earn “house merits” for participating in various activities throughout the year. The school year is sprinkled with opportunities, devised with the help of the middle school student government, to win house merits. Whether it’s decorating a pumpkin or dressing up for Halloween, knowing the correct answers during an Earth Day Kahoot! Challenge, discovering who stole the famous painting during OBODOS (One Book, One Day, One School), or solving the final riddle during a school-wide scavenger hunt, house activities allow students, faculty and staff to come together in the spirit of fun. Abrante, the sixth-grade advisory leader, described the competitions as imperative for the healthy development of a young person. “The house system fosters a sense of pride and accomplishment,” she noted. “It also teaches our community the advantages of healthy competition in developing motivation and a desire to become the better version of oneself!”   The students also Middle school students show off their house shirts.