Room to grow: WAHS’ new study space blends indoor and outdoor

It’s tough to squeeze the entire planet into one classroom. But Western Albemarle High School and architects VMDO have come as close as possible with the school’s new Environmental Studies Academy building, which blends indoors and outdoors, classroom and greenhouse. On a 40-year-old Crozet campus last expanded in the ’90s, “there was just no way […]

Got it covered: Performance fabric helps furniture survive life’s wear and tear

It’s no secret that outdoor fabrics often make their way inside, too—they’re a great way to protect against spills, stains and smells and the patterns and textures are often indistinguishable from regular fabric. But, says Folly co-owner Victoria Pouncey, occasionally the right textile for the space just isn’t available. Enter performance fabrics. “[They] are essentially […]

The learning issue: Get smart!

“Humanity does things that have never been done before just by sitting around and thinking about it.” That’s educator Matt Shields on the lesson he tries to teach students in Charlottesville High School’s BACON (Best All-around Club of Nerds). The group meets weekly to imagine and create—they program virtual robots and build physical machines. They […]

Local author Anne Marie Pace gets a nod from Disney

For the past 15 years, Charlottesville children’s book author Anne Marie Pace’s life has been marked by a series of leaps. First, she made the move to leave her job as a high school English teacher and become a full-time mom for the first of her three children. Then, in 2001, after her husband had […]

A kid’s obsession: Should they be encouraged?

If you can’t put your daughter to bed without her favorite dolly, or if your son won’t go anywhere without his toy train, you’re not alone—this could be classified as an extremely intense interest, which research finds that one third of children develop in their early stages. “This was one of my favorite pieces of […]

Summer smarts: Nine educational camps your kids shouldn’t miss

When school lets out, capitalize on Charlottesville’s amazing camp offerings to make this summer one your kids will remember. From outdoor survival to modern dance to computer programming, the following camps are guaranteed wins. Nature and outdoors Triple C Camp An area favorite for 25 years, TCC has options for day and overnight campers ranging […]