News Archives

Congratulations to our exceptional Seventh and Eighth Grade Forensics Team on their impressive performance at the Robert S. Sargeant Forensics Tournament, hosted by Norfolk Academy on Dec. 12, 2025.

Competing against students from Cape Henry Collegiate School, Norfolk Academy, The Williams School, and Virginia Beach Friends School, the team showcased their talents across multiple categories—including storytelling, poetry, prose, speech, and original oratory—and earned second place overall in the competition.

Individual honors were awarded to the following Oaks:

This outstanding showing reflects the team’s hard work, creativity, and confidence as communicators. Congratulations to all of our forensics students and coaches on a job exceptionally well done!

Eighteen students represented our school at Virginia Model United Nations (UN), hosted at the University of Virginia, where they participated in a wide range of dynamic and thought-provoking committees.

From a historically grounded 1773 House of Lords, to General Assembly discussions on global food scarcity, to a fully fictional committee inspired by Fallout: New Vegas, students tackled complex issues, debated thoughtfully, and embodied their assigned roles with confidence and creativity.

“All students learned new skills, proved themselves to be braver than they knew, and impressed me beyond measure,” said Advisor and History Teacher Dr. Jenna Ross. “We had two awards, given to Emma G. '27 and Aubrey M. '27, both for poised portrayals of their assigned roles.”

Before the conference, students enhanced their experience with an experiential learning visit to Monticello, enjoying lunch at the historic Michie Tavern and exploring Thomas Jefferson’s home. While initially hesitant, students quickly embraced the opportunity—bringing classroom learning from U.S. History and AP U.S. History to life through discussion, diplomacy, and debate.

The trip proved to be both academically enriching and personally rewarding, leaving students more confident, curious and inspired.

Creativity, compassion and community impact came together once again for Maddie G. ’27, who earned first place for the second consecutive year at Chesapeake Regional Hospital’s Bra-ha-ha®, a fundraising event that celebrates breast cancer survivorship through art.

Last year, Maddie won top honors in the “Best School Entry (14 and Above)” category for her piece "Breast Cancer Succs." This year, she repeated the achievement with a striking new design titled "Blooming Shrooms and Healing Boobs"—an imaginative work inspired by her love of mushrooms.

“Mushrooms show up in a lot of my art,” Maddie shared. “So this year, I decided to incorporate them into my bra design.”

Her choice was more than aesthetic. Maddie explained that mushrooms symbolize strength and hope emerging from unexpected places—an idea that resonated deeply with the mission of Bra-ha-ha®.

“Mushrooms grow in decomposing places,” she said. “Even when something is rotted or breaking down, mushrooms flourish. They come in all kinds of colors and shapes, and they’re beautiful. For that reason, I think mushrooms are a great representation of finding hope in unexpected places.”

Maddie’s creative process evolved as she worked. While her initial idea was to turn the cups into mushroom tops, she realized she could push her creativity further. With encouragement and brainstorming support from her mom, she landed on a final design—much of it developed intuitively along the way.

Balancing the project with school, swim and other commitments proved challenging.

“The hardest part was finding time to work on it,” Maddie said. “Luckily, I had my mom to help with ideas and supplies, and I worked on it little by little.”

Maddie’s connection to Bra-ha-ha® began long before she entered the competition herself. Growing up, she watched her mom and aunt create pieces for the event—and even modeled their finished designs. When she was finally old enough to participate, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I signed up for the cause and because I love art,” she said. “I thought it would be a fun project.” Winning, especially for the second year in a row, came as a surprise. “It was honestly shocking,” Maddie shared. “I signed up for the same reasons as last year—for the cause and for fun.”

Through her work, Maddie hopes to inspire others to see community service in a new light.

“There are many opportunities out there to help,” she said. “This one was fun for me, and it helped others at the same time. I want people to see that there are more ways to help the community than they might think.”

Her advice to fellow students? “Go for it. Art is very expressive, and when it comes to making a difference, expression is a great way to help.”

The Bra-ha-ha® entries were unveiled at the annual Bra-ha-ha® Awards Show and Auction, which serves as a tribute to those affected by breast cancer. According to the Bra-ha-ha® website, proceeds from the campaign help provide free mammograms and related breast health services to eligible uninsured and underinsured community members, as well as support advanced technology at Chesapeake Regional Breast Care.

Congratulations to Maddie on another meaningful—and beautifully creative—achievement.