and general knowledge competition team) Relay for Life GA-PC Student Coalition SCUBA Club SGA (Student Government Association) Small Metals Club Stage Crew (theater production technical crew) Student Tutoring Voyager (modern language journal) Women's Forum (discussion of relevant women's issues) Ye Primer (yearbook) House system The house system was established in 2007 at the insistence of Headmaster Jim Connor and Upper School faculty member Ted Haynie. The seven-house system is modeled after the ancient English public school concept of joining students from different years in a common group. Each of the seven houses is named for an influential alumnus or friend of the academy. Each house consists of roughly 80 people and competes in various competitions throughout the year. The system also provides an academic and social support system for underclassmen as they have the chance to interact with upperclassmen and a variety of faculty. Each house is run by a House Head and two student prefects (one boy, one girl). Throughout the year, the houses compete in various competitions ranging from a Knowledge Bowl to a German Folk Song Singing Contest to Handball, etc. The highpoint of the house system calendar is the House Olympics which is held in early May where the different houses compete in athletic and academic competitions for a chance of the House Olympics Trophy (in parenthesis is the faculty house head for the 2017–18 school year) Washington is named for President George Washington, a patron of the old school and a parent as his step-son George Washington Parke Custis attended in the 1790s. The house colors are black and silver and Washington himself serves as the house mascot. (Steven Moll) Alcott Day (previously known as just Alcott until June 3, 2016) is named for former headmaster Amos Bronson Alcott, and longtime teacher Virginia Belle Day. Alcott, the father of renowned author Louisa May Alcott, believed strongly in providing girls with an education comparable to that given to boys, despite the fact that most educators of his day sought to emphasize a ‘domestic arts’ curriculum for girls. He introduced coeducational integration for a brief period starting in 1831, before leaving the academy three years later. Virginia "Jinny" Day worked tirelessly to make the academy open to all, regardless of gender, in 1963. Alcott house colors are blue and green and its house mascot is the alligator. (Peggy Bradley) Roberts is named for Supreme Court Justice Owen