Sisu Lange ’25
Sisu Lange ’25 shared his SJA story at the Headmaster’s Luncheon during Reunion Weekend 2025. Here is the text of his speech:
Hello, faculty, staff, donors, members of the board, and Headmaster Howell. My name is Sisu Lange and I am a soon to be graduating senior here at the academy. Next year I will be attending Paul Smith’s college in the Adirondack Mountains of New York where I will be studying environmental science and competing in collegiate Nordic skiing.
I am originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and I moved to Vermont a little over five years ago with my family. We moved here partly for the greater opportunities that the state provided in the outdoor activities that we enjoy, biking, skiing, hiking, and just being outside surrounded by nice people. But also for the education that the Academy provided. Up until my 8th grade year, I was homeschooled because my parents knew that I would get a better education than the Michigan school system could provide. But as my sister and I grew older, and I wanted better friends than the turtles in the pond out back could provide, we started looking for another place to live, and we landed in Vermont for the previously mentioned reasons.
Going into high school, I had no clue what, or who I was as a person. And I would love to say that my time here really helped clear that up. But in actuality, it muddied the water even more, and I am extremely grateful for that. Let me explain.
Even if I really wanted to, I could not describe myself as one or two things. Instead, I would describe myself as a massive Venn Diagram, with every circle overlapping every other one, and I fully attribute that to my four years spent here.
You see I would describe myself as a Career and Technical Education student and specifically a woodworker. I’m friends with most of the CTE teachers and spend a large portion of the school day just past those doors to our left in the CTE wing. Also, to some students on campus, I am the kid who spent their B block free blocks helping Mr. Stark teach his intro to woodworking classes this school year. But I’m also an AP English student, taking all of the AP English classes this school offers. I’ve also taken AP science classes as well, so I can’t just be an English student. I’m also a filmmaker, completing every filmmaking class as well. I’m also a French student. A class leader in class council for three and a half years. A member of National Honor Society, a theater techie, an athlete, and a captain for the Nordic Skiing team and Hilltopper Mountain biking club for the past two years.
What I’m trying to say is that the Academy has provided a multitude of opportunities for me to explore and find out what I love. It has made me the exact opposite of what David Epstein defined in his book Range as an ultra specialist. I was able to play around with my education, work hard, and discover what I enjoy
the most.
In my four years here I was able to open so many possible doors for me in the future. Through the wood shop I have the knowledge to start in the carpentry
and furniture making industry. Through the film class, my name and hard working personality is out with New England film making companies who are looking for a
young and eager Gaffer to help construct and light sets. And I have gained research knowledge through my AP classes to have a head start in college.
Not only has this institution given me many opportunities, it has also allowed me to achieve some great accomplishments, which I rarely brag about. For
one it introduced me to competitive Nordic skiing. What used to be only a hobby has transformed into something that takes up most of my free time with training
and racing year round. In fact after this I’m headed up to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center to roller ski around a paved loop in the rain. And four years from when I
first started racing with Mr. Jolliffe as my coach, this winter I became the first male skier from the Academy to win Division 1 Nordic states. And now I will be skiing
for four more years on a college team.
Finally, taking our motto “leave it better than you found it,” to heart through Mr. Shea’s film three class, I created a short documentary about the CTE program
here. This originally stated as a class project and due to the fact that I kept missing E block to attend ski races all over Vermont and New England, all absences were
excused of course. Mr Shea one day just handed me a camera and said go film something, anything I don’t care what. So I went down to one of my favorite places
on campus, just past those doors, and started filming. Eventually it divulged into by far my favorite project in that class, and I am incredibly proud to announce that
it will be used as a base for the marketing department to create a video ad displaying one of the many opportunities that we have here.
Thank you very much, for your support of this school and have a lovely afternoon.