BENNINGTON, Vt. – On Tuesday, three incoming members of the Southern Vermont College cross country teams spoke during the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union’s (SVSU) opening day program entitled “Creating a Climate of Possibility,” sharing why their participation in athletics through their high school careers was imperative to their success in not only graduating, but also being accepted into college.
The Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union is made up of the five elementary school districts in the area: Bennington, North Bennington, Shaftsbury, Pownal, and Woodford; and the Mount Anthony Union High (MAUHS) and Middle Schools.
Throughout the program, different students from the area showcased their talents and shared stories of how getting involved with clubs, teams and the arts helped with social and academic success. The presentations were made in front of the audience at MAUHS that was comprised of over 550 teachers and administrators from the Union.
Andrew Brandmeyer, Marc Brandmeyer, and Shelby Whitman, all first-generation college students, spoke to the SVSU about how participating in track at the high school was beneficial for them during their high school careers, as well as helping them to graduate. Their segment was concluded by sharing that they will all be attending Southern Vermont this fall and running cross country for head coach Kathleen Newton. All three are graduates of MAUHS in Bennington and ran indoor and outdoor track for Coach Newton during their time there.
Andrew Brandmeyer graduated from MAUHS just this past year, getting prepared to enter SVC’s Criminal Justice program with the hopes to one day work for the FBI. Being persuaded to run track by his brother Marc, Andrew decided to stop playing football and start running. “I didn’t expect much from it,” commented Andrew outside of the high school auditorium after presenting his story on stage. “Then in my junior year, I started to really see the potential it had.”
Marc was a 2013 graduate who then entered the Army Reserves; he is planning to continue his service as a member of the Bennington National Guard unit while being enrolled and competing at Southern Vermont. “When I started running, it really opened my mind to new things and gave me new perspectives of the world,” said Marc. “I also saw my brother start improving and achieving his goals; [running] got him a little more motivated.” The goal Marc shared with the SVSU audience: to one day participate in the Olympics as a 5,000 meter runner after graduating college.
Whitman, also a 2013 grad from Mount Anthony, is transferring to SVC after being enrolled at the University of Southern Maine last year. She comes back to the Southern Vermont campus with a familiarity of the land, participating in the Upward Bound program hosted by the College for three summers during her high school years. Whitman expressed that running played an important role in her social setting while at MAUHS, saying, “I was kind of quiet. So it definitely helped me because I had the team.” She looks forward to continuing to work with Coach Newton this fall, adding that, “[Kathleen] is a great coach, and running for her is awesome.” Whitman has the goal of graduating from Southern Vermont and continuing her education as a pre-veterinarian graduate student.
“Athletics helped them, especially through high school, by keeping them focused, dedicated and realizing the importance of education,” commented Newton. “They are all great people who needed encouragement, guidance and a sense of belonging. Running gave this to them through being on a team, working hard to improve for the team, and coaches who provided support and structure.
The three new harriers for Coach Newton will now be able to carry on with both their educational and athletic careers as Mountaineers, continuing to prove wrong those who said they couldn’t do it.