Grades four through seven got a great opportunity to attend space camp this fall.  In addition to learning about constellations and galaxies in some interactive classrooms, the students got to participate in some simulations based on the science fiction world of Star Trek. Teamwork and leadership are huge components of the simulation and the students were able to accomplish their mission successfully by working together and implementing some creative problem solving skills.

Meridian’s education prepares students of all ages to develop a lifelong love for learning and to enter the best colleges and universities.  Our teachers base their curriculum on the Utah State Core and Core Knowledge and expand upon these foundations to create more in-depth and dynamic learning experiences.  While lower school students learn about the Renaissance period in Europe, they roll up their sleeves and paint their own Sistene Chapel on their classroom ceiling.  At a different level, middle and upper school students combine online lectures with individualized attention to best understand math concepts and science phenomena.  Learning at Meridian School, whatever the age level, is supported by educational foundation research that identifies the most effective learning methods for students in our world today.

An additional dimension, which makes Meridian School distinctive, is its international student body.  Meridian welcomes students from all over the world; students come from China, Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, Germany and Mexico, to name a few.  The national and international student body invites an exchange of cultures, languages and philosophies that creates a global perspective.

Perhaps you wonder, “Why is Meridian a private school?” and “Why attend a private school?”  Meridian is able to ensure such an academic and caring environment because of its qualified faculty, small classes and supportive administration.  Our teachers have professional degrees in what they are teaching, many years of classroom experience and teaching credentials.

In our small classroom settings, with student to teacher ratios of 1:15, faculty are able to share their classroom passion and to focus on the development and progress of each student.  Over the years studies have shown that individualized attention in environments with structure and expectation leads to better learning and goal setting by students.  The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the United States Department of Education, found that private school students scored higher on standardized tests, were more likely than others to take advanced-level high school courses, had more demanding graduation requirements, and sent more graduates to college than public schools.[1]

Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment.  Joint reports by the NCES, the Bureau of Justice Statistics and a private study by the Horatio Alger Association have found that private school students are significantly more likely than others to feel safe and to be safe in their schools.[2]  It is of utmost importance to the administration that faculty and students thrive in a secure environment where learning, and a love for learning, flourish, while enabling students to develop their potential and a better global understanding of the world in which they live.

1.  U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private Schools:  A Brief Portrait (NCES 2002-013) (Washington, D.C., 2002) tables 11 and 12, figures 9 and 10.

2.  U.S. Departments of Education of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2003 (NCES 2004-004) (Washington, D.C., 2003), tables 3.1, 6.1, 12.1, 13.1, 14.1, and 15.1.

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, The State of Our Nation’s Youth:  2000-2001 (Alexandria, VA, 2001), p. 8.

Please see the “Education and Innovation” and “University Success” links on our home page and the story below from a Meridian family:

Laura Tevaga “The Prime Meridian”

Meridian graduates over the last five years have been accepted to or enrolled in the following colleges and universities:

Albertson College of Idaho
American International University
Arizona State University
Assumption University (Thailand)
Berkley College (New York)
Boston College
Boston University
Brazil University
Brigham Young University
BYU-Hawaii
BYU-Idaho
Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)
Casper CC
Chapman City College of NY
Tech Colgate
Dixie College
Drexel Hollins
Grinnell College
Indiana University
Ithaca College
Johns Hopkins University
Jyochi (Sophia) University (Japan)
Lawrence University
Michigan State University
Middlebury College
Mount Holyoke College
New York University
Northface University
Northern Arizona University
Notre Dame University
Penn State
Providence University
Southern Utah University
Snow College
St. John’s University
SUNY (State University of New York)
Temple
Tokyo University
University of Illinois (Urbana – Champaign)
University of Michigan
University of Utah
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin
Utah State University
Utah Valley University
Washington State University
Weber State University
Wellesley University
Wesleyan University
Westminster College

“96,000″
“We’re Not Gonna Take It”
“Xanadu”
“Hair”
“Be a Dentist”

Classes sang folk tunes, religious music, classical pieces, and even the Bohemian Rhapsody!  Well done, Miss Boulter, and well done, students…we’re proud of you.

French
Superior Ratings
Kellie Crowther, Melanie Watabe, and Jenika Johnson – Interview Level 1
Judy Son – Poem Level 1
Ari Crandall, Emma Lynn, Sariah Warnick, Jackson Gibson – Creative Skit Level 2 – Grand Prix Winner (Best Overall)
Lance Gerday – Poem Level 3 – 2nd place Overall
Allison Warnick – Poem Level 3
Alexandra Gerday – Dramatic Reading Level 4 – 2nd place Overall

Exams
Elizabeth Banks – Vocabulary Level 1 – Grand Prix Winner (Best Overall)
Jenna Crowther – Listening Comprehension Level 1 - Grand Prix Winner (Best Overall)
Rachel Allen – Listening Comprehension Level 4 – 2nd place Overall
Mitchell Wahl – Culture Exam Level 4 – Grand Prix Winner (Best Overall)

German
Superior Ratings
Jaysi Jorgensen – Poem Level 1
Madalyn Covey – Poem Level 1 – Best of Fair
Autumn Wahl – Show and Tell Level 1
Autumn Wahl, Madalyn Covey, Jared Duval, Jaysi Jorgensen, Fiona Hodgson – Skit Level 1 - Best of Fair
Seth Hyatt – Conversation Level 2
David Hennessey – Vocal Performance Level 2 – Best of Fair
Anna Griffin – Poem Level 2
Seth Hyatt, David Hennessey, Michael Duckworth, Caleb Allen, Anna Griffin – Skit Level 2
Irma-Linda Zodda – Poem Level 3
Jordan Allen – Interview Level 3 - Best of Fair
Jordan Allen, James Redd, Elliot Scharffs, Irma-Linda Zodda – Skit Level 3 – Best of Fair

All German students – Choir Performance – Best Overall Performance for their song “Komm gib mir deine Hand” (I wanna hold your hand) by the Beatles

Jordan Allen, Caleb Allen and Kemish Estrada were also honored at the language fair for scoring in the top 90% nationally on the National German Exam. Jordan scored in the top 98% and received a medal for his performance. Their teacher, Frau Jennifer Willoughby, was honored with AATG’s Duden award. It is given to a teacher who consistently has students perform well on the National German Exam.