Click on the link to view your Opening Day Issue of The Declaration!

 

We said goodbye and happy retirement to Clayton Gardner today! After three decades of cleaning up after hundreds of TJ students and teachers, he is going to relax! Many thanks, Clayton—we will miss you!

Before even beginning her journey at Thomas Jefferson School this fall, Annabelle Olagbegi '32 is already making her mark!

Annabelle's piece, "Pulsating," was selected as the Grades 6–8 winner in the Missouri Botanical Garden and Gateway Writing Project's Write Outside Your Door writing contest. Chosen from more than 140 submissions, her writing stood out to the judges for its creativity and excellence.

Annabelle was recognized at the Green Living Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 11, where she received a certificate of excellence and a complimentary one-year membership to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

We are thrilled to welcome Annabelle to the TJ community this fall as a member of the Class of 2032 and congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment. We can't wait to see where her talent and creativity take her next!

Before even beginning her first year at TJ, Zeynep has already earned international recognition. Along with her project partner, Yağmur Şakar, she placed third out of more than 320 teams in the 2026 USAII Global AI Hackathon, an international competition judged by professionals from leading technology companies.

Their award-winning project, Cabinet Clear, is an AI-powered tool designed to help patients better understand hospital discharge instructions by translating complex medical information into a clear, easy-to-follow plan for medications and follow-up care.

We are incredibly proud to welcome such an accomplished student to the TJ community and look forward to seeing all that Zeynep will achieve in the years ahead.

What a beautiful day celebrating Thomas Jefferson School’s 80th graduating class—the Class of 2026! 🎓

This remarkable group of young men and women has accomplished so much during their time at TJ, and we could not be prouder of all they have achieved. As they begin the next chapter of their journeys, we look forward to seeing the impact they will make on the world.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

Asha Silva '29 placed 5th at the Missouri State Chess Championship on Board 1! Teams that play at the state level must place their highest-rated player on Board 1, their second-best on Board 2, etc., through Board 4. If there are >4 players, then the team must have at least 1 player on each board, but can stack players on boards as they wish. If you do not have a full team, you must play Board 1. This means that Asha played only the best players from around the state. This win qualifies her to compete for the Missouri High School Tournament of Champions on April 18. She also qualifies for the Missouri All-Girls Chess Tournament on the same date.  

As an additional note, her brother. Marcus Sliva (TJ Class of 2032) is the MO State K-6 Co-Champion alongside his two teammates from Forsyth School, Niels and Teddy.