"Opening kids up to new perspectives"

Faculty Profile of Karen Henry
Karen Henry is a member of Vermont Academy's History department, our head girls' varsity basketball coach, and the 2017 Bob Harrington Coach of the Year. She holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of Vermont.

What advice would you give to an incoming student at Vermont Academy?

Take risks and try new things. It's an amazing gift to be able to find your passion and voice. Vermont Academy gives you many opportunities to do that!

What is your favorite book?

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. It's a children's book--and the first book I read to both of my daughters when they were babies.

What is your favorite class to teach and why?

My favorite class to teach is Sociology. I love the content. But more importantly, I love opening kids up to new perspectives. I love watching them form opinions and take a stand. When I see a student become passionate over a question I may have posed, or challenged them on a thought they may have, I know I'm not only doing my job as a teacher, but I'm making an impact on society as a whole. We need people to be able to reflect on who they are and why they think the way they do. Now more than ever.

What makes Vermont Academy special to you?

Without a doubt, the community is the most special part of VA. There is a level of love and caring here that I haven't felt in other schools. People give without expectation and that is so unique. In my work and in my life, people come first. Vermont Academy is the epitome of this.

What is your favorite quote?

"Speak your mind even if your voice shakes."
-Maggie Kuhn
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Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.