Spring Unit Program

A signature program at GSB for nearly 50 years, the Spring Unit Program provides two-week experiential learning opportunities for our Upper School students each May.

At its heart, the Spring Unit is a chance for students to explore new subjects and deeply engage in learning outside the traditional academic setting and beyond the traditional academic curriculum. Whether through immersive travel, artistic exploration, service projects, or unique internship experiences, the Spring Unit celebrates learning at its best.

At a time when most schools are winding down and new learning is rarely introduced, the academic year at Gill St. Bernard’s is reborn. The last two weeks of May fill our campus with energy, purpose, and a sense of shared adventure.

Mike Wendell, Spring Unit Co-Coordinator

Recent Unit Spotlights

Service Learning in Guatemala

Introduction to Beekeeping

Bruce Beck's Sports Broadcasting Program

In this Unit, eight-time New York Emmy Award winner and WNBC-TV Lead Sports Anchor Bruce Beck gives students a fascinating insight into the world of sports broadcasting. As part of the exciting program, Mr. Beck has provided students an in-depth look at the fundamentals of television and radio production, including script writing, conducting an interview, field reporting, and much more. Students have also had the opportunity to meet a series of professional athletes and participate in behind-the-scene tours at MetLife Stadium and NBC Studios in New York City.

Exploring Iceland

Chemistry of Color

Exploring New Mexico

Receiving in the Giving

What The Hack

How to Eat and Write Like a Food Critic

Have you ever dined at a nice restaurant and wondered how the chef thought of that day’s menu? Or what food critics look for when they analyze and review a restaurant? In this Unit, students explore the criteria of the food critic industry. By partnering with local food critics, sampling menus from top restaurants in the area, and even jumping in to their own cooking classes, students learn how taste functions while building their own food blog to articulate their experience.

Diversified Agriculture at Home Winds Farm

Agriculture is the tool that unlocked the division of labor, which is what has built modern civilization. Now, agriculture is so specialized that most food is produced on farms that only do one thing. At Home Winds, we have the opportunity to participate in a variety of agricultural practices, understand how they interact, and come to know some of the ways humanity has produced food and clothing for millennia. During this Unit, students take a crash course on the history of agriculture. Through hands-on activities at Home Winds Farm, students take a deep dive into gardening and animal husbandry to understand how most food is produced today, think deeply about the importance of genetic diversity, and explore what sustainability truly means.

Cultural Immersion

By exploring diverse, lived experiences in local, national, and world settings, students develop the knowledge and emphatic skill sets to understand multiple perspectives and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Experiential Learning

Whether working one-on-one with field experts or in collaborative group settings, our real-life experiential learning courses provide students with the unique opportunity to apply classroom concepts into practical settings.

Service Learning

Community service has long been a tradition at our school, providing students with opportunities to gain a deeper appreciation for organizations and causes that assist those in need. Students in these courses will participate in immersive service learning projects that support our broader community.

Environmental Sustainability

Courses in animal husbandry, sustainability, farmland preservation, and environmental stewardship provide students with authentic, hands-on experiences that challenge them to think critically about the environment and our relationship with the world around us.

Career Exploration & Internships

Each year, Juniors and Seniors in good academic standing have the chance to partner with industry professionals in several internship opportunities. Students use this experience to work with their mentor--often a GSB alum--to explore career possibilities and make valuable connections in fields such as medicine, law, entrepreneurship, veterinary science, physical therapy, education, cybersecurity, information technology, and digital media.

Alumni Spotlights

Dan Shen '19

Student: Dan Shen
Class Year: 2019
College: United States Naval Academy
Area of Study: Honors Weapons, Robotics and Control; Spanish
Favorite Spring Unit Program: Service Learning in Guatemala

The biggest takeaway from the unit was the importance of service to others. We are all so caught up in trying to develop and better ourselves through working out, fad diets, reading motivational books and other life hacks; however, service to others will teach you the most important life lessons.

Kelly Scheisswohl '17

Student: Kelly Schiesswohl
Class Year: 2017
College: Pratt Institute (BFA) Hunter College (MFA - current)
Area of Study: Animation / Live Action Directing & Producing
Favorite Spring Unit Program: Exploring Santa Fe

It is easy to spend a lot of your art practice tied to your desk and lose sight of something very important: You need to live and experience things in order to fuel your art whether that is a trip to a museum or a sweaty hike in the blazing desert sun. The values of fearless exploration, community, prioritizing a life outside of your workspace guide my practice to this day.

Eddie McCarthy '20

Student: Eddie McCarthy
Class Year: 2020
College: University of Chicago
Area of Study: Political Science, Broadcast Journalism
Favorite Spring Unit Program: Bruce Beck's Sports Broadcasting Program

I remember falling in love with broadcasting when Bruce Beck offered his unit at GSB in 2018. The instruction was fantastic, and so were the guest speakers (all top-notch, network TV broadcasting professionals). Bruce convinced me that being a broadcaster is the best job in the world. I believed in then, I believe it even more now!

Spring Unit Trip, 1987

Program History

Since the founding of GSB, experiential learning has been a fundamental element of our school curriculum. From the early visions of both Thomas Conover and Elizabeth Gill, academic classes incorporated a connection to the broader world through practical applications. This vision was formalized into an academic program within the curriculum more than 50 years ago. The Spring Unit program was born to provide students with a fully immersive experience to explore projects beyond the classroom, discover connections to new environments through global travel, and to think critically about the world around them.

Reflecting on our school's motto, "the world is our classroom," the Spring Unit program continues to connect our core values, academic goals, and the desire to inspire students to think beyond the classroom. Today's courses offer an array of opportunities for students to learn more about environmental sustainability, service learning, cultural immersion and global travel experiences. In 2018 the Student Internship Program was added for interested students to work alongside mentors in various professions including law, veterinary science, broadcasting, medical, cybersecurity, and business.