The VES Student & Residential Life Program
Students and their parents often remark on the lasting impact VES’s Student Life Program has on their lives, calling it a “transformational experience.” Our intentional, dynamic approach to shaping people of character, while also addressing the challenges of being a teenager today, encompasses a multifaceted approach:
Fun Through Community Activities Students enjoy true fellowship and fun every day at VES. Each week, the community is alive with organized activities—cheering on their friends in athletic competitions. mountain biking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, hiking trails across Lynchburg, cooking a meal together, playing games on our beautiful campus, or heading out to a favorite local restaurant. Monthly, we host marquee events that VES students look forward to each year. Most activities are studentinitiated and encourage real connections without the presence of electronics. VES is known to be so engaging that our day students spend as much time on campus and in activities as our boarders, creating weekends full of energy and joy.
An Active Advisory Program Our faculty mentor students as they navigate their journey to adulthood. Advisories sit together during Friday assemblies and meet weekly over lunch for meaningful conversations that teach students the
importance of accountability, kindness, resiliency and balance. Advisors also support students’ academic and co-curricular path and serve as the parents’ first point of contact.
A Supportive, Lively Dorm Life Boarding students participate in a robust Residential Life curriculum covering topics including healthy decision-making, time management, developing empathy, appreciating diversity and different perspectives, conflict management and even how to do laundry. Senior Counselors and junior Resident Assistants are central to dorm life as they guide classmates on what it means to live together in a community. And, dorms have fun! They join in friendly competitions, host cookouts and pizza parties, celebrate each other on birthdays and special occasions, and create a warm, caring family environment for all of our students. A wonderful team of faculty Dorm Heads lead dorm life at VES.
Nurturing the Mind, Heart and Spirit We appreciate religious traditions of VES students representing many faiths. Students here can tap into a multitude of ways to nurture their souls, grow in their own faith, develop empathy, build respect and establish a foundation for peace. These opportunities include weekly Chapel, assemblies and Sunday night Vespers, religion classes and DIG Bible study group, meditation and yoga, Student Life speakers, giving back through community service, and connecting with and learning from their peers.
A Meaningful Student Life Curriculum Each week we set aside time to focus on two areas within our Student Life curriculum—topics that we believe are essential to students’ understanding the world around them. The two pillars are:
• IDEA: Focusing on Inclusion and Diversity Students explore societal, communal and personal values as they relate to decision-making, relationships and leadership. They explore biases, are introduced to a range of perspectives and are coached on how to contribute to, learn from, respect and live with others in a diverse and inclusive community.
• LIFE: A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness Students learn and practice proper sleep habits, mindfulness and stress reduction, nutrition and the importance of exercise, friendship and fun as key components to overall health.
Student Leadership Opportunities Throughout their time at VES, students practice and realize their leadership styles and strengths through hands-on exercises, accepting constructive criticism and feedback, identifying their core values and modeling excellent student leadership. VES offers many opportunities to lead, whether on a formal leadership group or as leaders and role models on dorm, in the arts, athletics, clubs and for community services initiatives. Juniors have the opportunity to serve as Resident Assistants, and by the end of the year, these students are well-prepared to apply for senior leadership roles—Head Counselor, Honor Committee Chair, Student Council President, and serving as members on the Counselor Body and Honor Committee.
We invite you to visit Virginia Episcopal School Learn more at ves.org or call our Admissions team at 434.385.3607.