Student Capacity: 18

Tentative Travel Dates: May 22 - 29, 2024

This unit is designed to offer students a distinctive opportunity to explore the natural landscapes and ecosystems of Western Canada, our neighbor to the North, while gaining an understanding of the significance of conservation and sustainable practices.  The Canadian Rockies are unlike any other geographic area in the world; a stunningly beautiful, sparsely populated, protected UNESCO World Heritage site with mountainous peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, and canyons, sure to amaze any wilderness adventurer.  The central theme of this experience is the exploration of the land, fostering an appreciation for a range of environments and enhancing students' awareness of their role in preserving it. 

Traveling with Explorica by WorldStrides will include round-trip transportation to and from Canada, overnight stays in all hotels, daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, full-time services of a professional tour director, guided sightseeing tours, visits and transportation to all attractions, and an overnight security chaperone.  Upon arrival in Edmonton, Alberta, students will be able to tour the capital city as well as visit the River Valley Parks, the largest expanse of urban parkland in North America. They will provide a diverse natural playground, stunning views, and a connection to nature. 

Upon traveling west to Jasper National Park, renowned for its diverse ecosystems spanning over 11,000 square kilometers and including mountains, forests, rivers, and glacial lakes, students will embark on an all-encompassing guided tour.  The experience provides a unique opportunity to delve into geological processes such as glacial formation, erosion, and mountain range development.  Students can also learn about the impacts of rising temperatures, retreating glaciers, altered wildlife behaviors, and ongoing efforts to mitigate these effects.  Activities such as riding an Athabasca Glacier snow coach and hiking the Columbia Icefield Glacier, one of North America's largest icefields, are highlights of the Jasper experience.  Next will be a trip along the Icefields Parkway culminating in a stop at Banff National Park, where a strong emphasis will be placed on wildlife conservation and lessons about the delicate balance between human activities and the environment.  Students will travel to Lake Louise, Canada’s “Diamond in the Wilderness,” with sparkling blue waters and dramatic mountain slopes and ride the Sulphur Mountain Gondola to a height of 2,281 meters for a spectacular panoramic view of six mountain ranges.  The time spent at Banff will also include a Via Ferrata climbing experience, a tour of Bow River on horseback, and a visit to the Cave and Basin natural wonder, a collection of hot mineral springs. 

Before returning home, the group will make one more stop in Calgary for a guided tour of the Boundary Ranch to learn about local flora and fauna, as well as the history of the Kananaskis Valley region of the Rocky Mountains.  This educational journey through Western Canada, centered on sustainability and environmental stewardship, has the potential to be a transformative experience for students.  It will empower them to become responsible citizens and stewards of the environment, instilling a sense of duty to safeguard our planet for future generations. 

1. Conservation and Sustainability: Showcase real-world examples of conservation efforts and sustainable practices. 
2. Diverse Ecosystems:  Explore and appreciate Western Canada's incredibly diverse landscapes from temperate rainforests to glacial lakes and mountain ranges. 
3. Hands-On Activities: Host direct experiences in natural settings, enhancing understanding of the environment and its fragility. 
4. Inspiring Environmental Stewardship: Foster a sense of duty to protect the planet, altering attitudes and actions towards environmental conservation. 
5. Interdisciplinary Learning: Integrate various subjects including biology, geology, environmental science, and sustainability. 

Student Capacity: 18 Maximum

Travel Dates: May 21 - May 30, 2023

How can conflict be resolved?  Is there a point at which emotions lead to war even though logic points out war’s futility?  How can a nation viewed as a younger, less experienced power stand up to a far more powerful war machine—or stand up against a nation that once ruled over it?  How does a nation turn its moments of violence into cause for community well-being—or even happiness?  How can an environmental landscape recover from war?  These and many other questions will be the source of student study and activity while following in the footsteps, wheel paths, and wakes of early American citizens and the war fighters who opposed them during the War of 1812.  

The trip follows the trail of British professional soldiers and sailors as they repeatedly encountered American resistance.  Students first explore the Patuxent River by canoe and visit the sites of naval skirmishes, as well as an environment restored from cityscapes to wetlands.  Next are the waterfront towns of Annapolis, St. Michael’s, and Chestertown, which encountered the British navy. Travel by boat. Sites include battlefields of St. Michael’s and Caulk’s Field, where students learn the inspiration for the name of Spiderman. Serve by supporting and/or participating in a 5K fundraiser for a local elementary school in Chestertown. Students travel to DC to follow the trail of invasion (and the burning of the White House) before moving on to Baltimore.  Service there includes environmental clean-up in the Patapsco River, then Fort McHenry and Old St. Paul’s, sites significant in the creation of The Star-Spangled Banner.  The final evening is at Camden Yards, where students reflect upon the incorporation of The Star-Spangled Banner into national community life and entertainment—despite its bloody origins.

Itinerary:

Tuesday, May 21: Travel to Washington DC; stay in DC overnight 

Wednesday, May 22: Canoe the Patuxent River and camp overnight, visit Mt. Calvert 

Thursday, May 23: Conclude canoeing trip, stay in Annapolis 

Friday, May 24: Explore Annapolis, boat to St. Michael’s (stay in Chestertown two nights) 

Saturday, May 25: Chestertown Tea Party Days, Sloop Sultana, service opportunities (5K) 

Sunday, May 26: Caulk’s Field memorial service, return to DC 

Monday, May 27: White House and 1812 tour of DC, then to Baltimore on MTA (for 3 nights’ stay) 

Tuesday, May 28: Baltimore, Fort McHenry, Old St. Paul’s, and MD Historical Society 

Wednesday, May 29: Service (Canoe and Scoop, HUM, Paul’s Place, Our Daily Bread, Humane Society); then Nick’s Fish House, then Camden Yards (Orioles/Red Sox) 

Thursday, May 30: Return to Newark on Amtrak 

Student Capacity: 20

As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, music provides a uniquely accessible way to understand our American experience. In this unit, we’ll tackle a period and/or theme in American history guided by, but not limited to, a key song each day while visiting a wide variety of sites tied to the theme.  
 
Assisting Ms. O’Connor in the planning and execution of this unit will be Melissa Ziobro, a longtime educator and the Curator of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University.  

The Bruce Springsteen Archives serves as the archival repository for Bruce Springsteen’s written works, photographs, periodicals, and artifacts. The Center also preserves and promotes the legacy of Bruce Springsteen and his role in American music, while creating exhibits, public programs and education initiatives that explore the works of American music giants like Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith, Frank Sinatra, Gaslight Anthem, and others. 

Sites we will visit (with the accompanying songs) will include: 

1. Museum of the American Revolution / “Yankee Doodle” 

2. The Asbury Park Turf Club / “Go Down Moses (Let My People Go)” 

3. Hoboken Museum / “Over There (The Yanks Are Coming)” 

4. Radio Technology Museum at InfoAge / “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” 

5. Intrepid Museum / “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” 

6. Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University / “Born in the USA” 

Student Capacity: 18 Maximum

The Broadway Musical is, indeed, a uniquely American creation. Its origins can be traced back to the comic operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan and the development of jazz in the early twentieth century, with a mixture of vaudeville and burlesque added to create a new and exciting art form. So much of that history can still be found in the musicals on Broadway today—both classic and contemporary—and on the very street that is the embodiment of all things theatrical in America. 
 
Our Unit will focus on the history of Broadway itself, as well as the musicals that have defined each era from the turn of the last century to the present. Students will spend time on campus exploring the development of Broadway as an entertainment center for the common man to its present-day, more elitist incarnation. They will discover, through going to The Museum of Broadway as well as several waking tours of the theatre district, a history that spans the decades of various theatres. There will be the possibility of backstage tours at several of the venues and even a “Haunted Broadway History” tour! In addition, a tour of the Theatre on Film Library at Lincoln Center will offer a glimpse into the efforts by the New York Public Library to preserve all productions that have appeared on Broadway for the last 40 years. This will give students the opportunity to view a show on film from the past decades. 

In addition to walking tours, the students will see three shows from different eras in musical theatre history. Possibilities include William F. Brown’s The Wiz. A 70’s defining rock/gospel/soul musical, Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim's macabre and avant garde paean to Victorian melodrama, and Elton John and Tim Rice’s The Lion King, representing the Disney-invasion of the early 2000’s.  

The goal of this Unit is to provide students with a clearer understanding and appreciation of/for Broadway and the American Musical Theatre. Students will have the chance to witness and explore the history, the streets, the theatres, the restaurants and the shows of Broadway through the ages. The only requirement is an interest in Broadway and the desire to dig deeper into what it’s all about. 

“Starving Artist?”  No way! Art is big business-fashion, wearable art, fine art reproduction—whatever your medium, you can be a SUCCESSFUL entrepreneur.  How do you create a successful brand?  Tory Stapleton’06 will guide us through the process of designing a product, brand creation, social media usage, and setting up an on-line sales platform. This immersive and comprehensive course is designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurial artists with the skills, knowledge, and strategies necessary to thrive in the digital age. This course provides the roadmap to achieve your artistic and financial goals. By the end of this course, you will have the skills, confidence, and knowledge to become a successful online artist. You will have a product, an online presence, and a path to success.  

Topics to be covered include: 

1. Understand the digital art landscape: Explore the avenues for online artists and identify your niche, unique style, and product. 
2. Intellectual Property and Copyright: Copyright and protecting your ideas and digital assets. 
3. Building a Digital Portfolio: Create a product portfolio and presentation 
4. Leveraging Social Media: How to create a following and connect with consumers 
5. Mastering Digital Tools and Techniques: Explore digital art software for the creation and presentation of your product. 
6. Monetizing Your Art:  Inventory, print sales, commissions, merchandise, pricing strategies, and negotiation skills 
7. Building a Strong Online Brand: How to use social media to enhance and grow your following and sales.  
8. Personal Branding for Artists: Engaging with your audience and growing your fan base. How to ensure consistency and authenticity in your online presence 
9. Marketing and Promotion: Crafting your artist story, marketing strategy, effective use of social media, and other promotional methods. 
10. Setting and Achieving Artistic Goals: How to set realistic goals, time management, overcoming creative blocks, and staying motivated 
11. Final Project: Setting up your online shop that reflects your artistic journey. 
12.  And: Guest lectures and day trips.  

Imagine it’s your birthday, and you got a whopping one hundred dollars as a gift. What would you do? Would you put it under your mattress? Would you put it in a savings account? Did you know that you are losing money by opting for any of these options? What if I told you that the one hundred dollars could be doubled? No, I am not talking about gambling or a pyramid scheme. I am talking about learning to invest. Many people make millions of dollars by making the right investments, and you can be one of them.  

This unit will focus on two major components. The first part will be on personal finances, including budgeting, credit cards, debt, taxes, interest, retirement...etc. You first have to know how to budget your money so that you can begin investing. Learning about personal finance means understanding debt, interest, and other factors.  

The second part will include investment opportunities such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, hedge funds, cryptocurrency, real estate…etc. This type of investment is an option once you properly budget your money. We will also be privileged to have professionals as guest speakers to relate to and explain the different investment fields. Additionally, we will have current college students share their journey in finance-related fields.  

Lastly, we will visit a few landmarks, like the NY Stock Exchange, to see where the magic happens. If you are interested in potentially doubling your money, join us. This unit is going to be fun, practical, and exciting. The only requirement is for you to be ready to make some money. 

Student Capacity: 15 Maximum

From damselled long-haired maidens to brightly cloaked girls on an important errand, Folklore tales continue to have a grip on today’s societal landscape. Stories that are hundreds of years old are remade and repurposed to expose characteristics of today’s culture as well as reinforce morality and define good and evil. The Art of Folklore Unit will allow students to explore the wide-ranging history of Folklore and the many adaptations, reiterations and interpretations to inspire creativity and express the importance of storytelling to culture and heritage.  

While exploring written, painted and filmed folklore, students will be given the opportunity to visit the site of one of the most famous American Folklore stories; that of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. Walking through Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, students will visit the sites of the legend including the Old Dutch Church, Raven Rock, and the Sleepy Hollow Bridge and Statue. Students will also gain insight into the history and families of the town through touring the Lyndhurst Mansion and working with the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Historical Society. A final stop to the Washington Irving house will allow students to learn about the author of many American Folklore characters including The Headless Horseman and Rip Van Winkle.  

In addition to the study of stories, students will participate in daily journaling to record feelings, lessons, and insights from the materials of each day. These journals will culminate in a unique written tale that delves into the morality and challenges of culture today. The writing elements will focus on the importance of symbolism, plot and character.  

The Art of Folklore Unit will also provide opportunities for student leadership and service participation. On-campus meetings will be utilized for student development and implementation of a book drive as well as a collaboration with the Reading Buddies program in the lower school. While in Tarrytown, students will be given the opportunity to work with the Historical Society, as well as student-led lessons on legendary sites (i.e., statues and bridges).  

The Unit will conclude with a finished handmade book, constructed, designed, and written by the student displaying his/her/their own take on folklore, morality, and imagination.  

Student Capacity: 20 Maximum

New Jersey has had a surprisingly outsized impact on the world of American poetry. This Unit will immerse students in the poetic tradition of our home state, inviting them to join the ranks of New Jerseyan bards themselves. This creative writing Unit will introduce students to notable poets who have called New Jersey home and then allow them the creative space to write their own verses and become the next generation of New Jerseyan poets. 

The Unit consists of day trips, entirely within school hours, to places of poetic significance around New Jersey and days dedicated to writing and workshopping the students’ own poetry, with a rough division between the first week focusing on trips and the second focusing on writing. The writing week includes visits by two contemporary poets, James Hoch and Isabel Cruz, to introduce students to the world of contemporary practicing poets and for them to receive feedback on their work from our guests. 

Tentative Unit Schedule:

• Monday, May 20 – Introductions & Poetical Language (on campus) 

• Tuesday, May 21 – Trip to Long Branch (Philip Freneau & Robert Pinsky) 

• Wednesday, May 22 – Trip to Paterson Great Falls (William Carlos Williams) 

• Thursday, May 23 – Hiking Trip to High Point State Park (Wilbur/Kennedy) 

• Friday, May 24 – Writing/workshopping day (on campus) [half day] 

• Tuesday, May 28 – Visiting Poet: James Hoch (on campus) 

• Wednesday, May 29 – Canoeing Trip on the Delaware for Nature poems 

• Thursday, May 30 – Visiting Poet: Isabel Cruz (on campus) 

• Friday, May 31 – Writing/workshopping day (on campus) 

The intended learning outcomes for this Unit focus on the areas highlighted below: 

• Experiential Engagement—exploration of a practical skill, industry, career, or institution.

• Cultural Immersion—interaction with the unique culture and/or history of a region, community, or way of life. 

• Service Learning—active student partnership with a community organization.

• Environmental Sustainability—action on some aspect of environmental science, conservation, energy, or sustainability.

• Research—data collection and processing as part of a professional learning community.  

Student Capacity: 20

Step into the world of cinematic magic and unleash your creativity like never before while creating Hollywood grade special effects and masks. This extraordinary unit offers you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from a renowned special effects artist, Tyler Green, who triumphed as a winner on SYFY's acclaimed television show "Face-Off." 

Throughout this immersive journey, you will explore the fascinating art of creating jaw-dropping movie effects that captivate audiences and bring fantastical worlds to life. Guided by Green's expertise and insights gained from years of experience in the industry, you'll gain hands-on experience in crafting extraordinary visual effects. 

Highlights of the Course: 

Learn from a Professional: Tyler Green, a celebrated special effects artist and Face-Off champion, will be your mentor throughout this unit. Benefit from his unique insights, techniques, and industry secrets. 

Hands-On Creations: You will engage in a series of practical workshops, where you'll learn to design, sculpt, mold, and apply special effects makeup, turning your visions into cinematic reality. You'll delve into the creation of wounds, scars, creatures, and other mind-boggling effects. 

Professional-Quality Mask: As a special part of this course, you will have the opportunity to design and create your very own professional-quality mask. Under the expert guidance of Mr. Green, you'll bring your mask to life using advanced techniques and materials. At the end of the course, you get to keep your masterpiece as a tangible reminder of your artistic journey. 

Exploration of Techniques: Dive deep into the techniques and tools used by industry professionals. Learn about prosthetics, animatronics, puppetry, and the latest advancements in the world of special effects. 

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to be mentored by a true artist and create movie effects that will leave audiences in awe. Join Gill Goes Behind the Scenes and embark on a transformative journey into the world of cinematic enchantment. Unleash your imagination, sharpen your skills, and discover the magic of special effects like never before. Join this unit to be part of a select group of students who will embark on this unforgettable adventure. 

Step into the natural world, and the possibilities multiply. Your world expands. Your connection to the planet deepens. Contact with the outside world—one step at a time—broadens your experience and heightens your senses.  

This Unit will take as its focus hiking along some of the tri-state area’s most ecologically diverse rivers and waterways and climbing some of its most well-known mountains. It will introduce participants to the joys of trekking picturesque paths and trails. We will hike throughout the area’s county and state parks, and even dip into the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. No matter the location, an appreciation for our area’s biodiversity and ecological importance will be fostered.  

We will take no less than six, day-long hiking expeditions and empower students in the planning process. All hiking trips will be decided on and planned by Unit participants working in groups to determine our daily destinations, driving directions, the trails we’ll trek, and our budgets for each day. Among possible destinations are the following: 

• Cooper Mill (NJ) 
• Point Mountain (NJ) 
• Mount Tammany (NJ) 
• Pyramid Mountain (NJ) 
• Hight Point State Park (NJ) 
• Mahlon Dickerson Reservation (NJ) 
• Promised Land State Park (Pennsylvania) 
• Bear Mountain (NY State) 
• Catskills—Slide/Table Mountain (NY State) 

In addition, students will be introduced to orienteering—compass use, map-reading, trail marks—as they learn about the finer points of navigating their way off the beaten path.  

Though there is daily physical activity in this Unit, the hiking need not be strenuous, and no technical climbing skills are required. If you really want to connect with the outdoors, then this Unit is for you! 

Ideal Group Size: 12 - 15 Students

Can you touch your toes? What about sitting down on the floor and standing up again without using your hands? Or hang from a pull-up bar? And how is your balance on one leg? 

Based on the books Built to Move by Juliet Starrett and Kelly Starrett and Nutritious Movement by Katy Bowman, students will learn the importance of incorporating movement into their daily lives. Rather than think of exercise as something that you do in a class with fancy equipment, students will be encouraged to find ways to add more movement into each day. With a focus on building lifetime movement habits that will increase overall wellness, each day students will have the opportunity to be outside and try out a variety of movement activities with some alumni special guests: 

• Yoga/Meditation/Breathwork 
• Biking 
• Pickle ball  
• Hiking/Daily walking 
• Cardio dance  
• Ice skating  
• Barre 
   

We will also discuss the ideas of mobility vs. flexibility, why we need to stay mobile, and how to create a mobility practice. In addition, we will partner with Brian Vagnini, a Level 2 CrossFit coach, to learn about the importance of strength training for everyone- from top athletes to your aging grandparents. He will take us to his CrossFit gym to get moving in a different way. 

Service Tie-Ins: 

MS Field Day - planning a day for the middle school students to get outside and move.

Pathways to Adult Learning- day at the park with developmentally challenged you adults to play basketball and other fun activities.

Final project: 

Students will create a collaborative podcast sharing what they learn. 

In life there are certain quintessential skills that every human should know by the time they reach adulthood.  Some of these skills are taught in school or at home, while others have become part of the "well I just thought you knew that" category.  Many basic skills that were once taught in courses like "Home Economics" have been left by the wayside in today's culture and are now only available via YouTube instructional videos. This unit will address a few of these basic "life hacks" and provide students with a chance to be self-sufficient, self-confident and self-reliant young adults.  

Topics to be covered include: 

1. Basic automotive knowledge: how to change a flat tire, how to jump start a dead battery, how to know when your car needs maintenance. Field trip to an auto shop. 

2. Basic sewing knowledge: how to sew on a button, how to hem a pair of dress pants, how to iron a dress shirt, how to operate a sewing machine.  

3. Basic food knowledge: how to cook a meal for four people for $20 or less – students will be food shopping and preparing the meal.  Instant Pot cooking experience.  

4. Basic personal financial knowledge: how to create a budget, how to understand banking and investing, how to understand your paycheck. What to do with your money. Guest speakers and a Q & A with an expert. 

5. Basic survival knowledge: how to perform CPR, how to use an AED device, basic first aid, what to have in an emergency preparedness kit. Epi Pen training and certification 

6. Basic etiquette: how to dress for certain occasions, how to introduce yourself and your date, how to execute a good handshake, how to start a conversation, how to remember people's names when you meet them. How to develop an “elevator pitch”.  How to tie a full Windsor knot and how to tie a bow tie. Field trip to a men’s and women’s clothing store for hands-on wardrobe workshop and shopping for some basic wardrobe essentials. 

7. Basic self-defense: how to defend yourself in a variety of difficult situations. Self-defense class with a guest teacher from local law enforcement. 

Student Capacity: 20 Maximum

Who said you cannot live to 105? This Unit will challenge you to learn how to best fuel your body to fit your optimal fitness level while mastering stress reduction and “sleep-better” techniques to create a lifetime of wellness, satisfaction, and productivity.  Students will start off by obtaining 3D computerized images of their feet which will help them understand the best athletic footwear to suit their body. Students will then be energized and inspired by experts in nutritional physiology and biochemistry as they provide not only cutting-edge knowledge in metabolism, exercise, and nutrition, but also a series of fitness-based tests and applications to personalize the experience for each student.

Did you know that there is an inverse relationship between your grip strength and your longevity? To test your grip strength (and so much more), join us for a fascinating two weeks of making you the best possible you. Developing your physical understanding of yourself would not be complete without a focus on your growth mindset and mental conditioning; be prepared to learn how to better reframe your thoughts and cognitions. Students will end the Unit with a chance to apply what they have learned and to give back to the community through a community outreach initiative. Are you ready for an immersive Unit involving national leaders in the field, industry gurus who not only talk the talk, but can walk the walk?

Get ready to hear from extreme endurance experts who have run 100 miles in 38 hours...are you ready to set your metabolic rate on FIRE? 

Student Capacity: 18

Tentative Travel Dates: May 22 - 29, 2024

This unit is designed to offer students a distinctive opportunity to explore the natural landscapes and ecosystems of Western Canada, our neighbor to the North, while gaining an understanding of the significance of conservation and sustainable practices.  The Canadian Rockies are unlike any other geographic area in the world; a stunningly beautiful, sparsely populated, protected UNESCO World Heritage site with mountainous peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, and canyons, sure to amaze any wilderness adventurer.  The central theme of this experience is the exploration of the land, fostering an appreciation for a range of environments and enhancing students' awareness of their role in preserving it. 

Traveling with Explorica by WorldStrides will include round-trip transportation to and from Canada, overnight stays in all hotels, daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, full-time services of a professional tour director, guided sightseeing tours, visits and transportation to all attractions, and an overnight security chaperone.  Upon arrival in Edmonton, Alberta, students will be able to tour the capital city as well as visit the River Valley Parks, the largest expanse of urban parkland in North America. They will provide a diverse natural playground, stunning views, and a connection to nature. 

Upon traveling west to Jasper National Park, renowned for its diverse ecosystems spanning over 11,000 square kilometers and including mountains, forests, rivers, and glacial lakes, students will embark on an all-encompassing guided tour.  The experience provides a unique opportunity to delve into geological processes such as glacial formation, erosion, and mountain range development.  Students can also learn about the impacts of rising temperatures, retreating glaciers, altered wildlife behaviors, and ongoing efforts to mitigate these effects.  Activities such as riding an Athabasca Glacier snow coach and hiking the Columbia Icefield Glacier, one of North America's largest icefields, are highlights of the Jasper experience.  Next will be a trip along the Icefields Parkway culminating in a stop at Banff National Park, where a strong emphasis will be placed on wildlife conservation and lessons about the delicate balance between human activities and the environment.  Students will travel to Lake Louise, Canada’s “Diamond in the Wilderness,” with sparkling blue waters and dramatic mountain slopes and ride the Sulphur Mountain Gondola to a height of 2,281 meters for a spectacular panoramic view of six mountain ranges.  The time spent at Banff will also include a Via Ferrata climbing experience, a tour of Bow River on horseback, and a visit to the Cave and Basin natural wonder, a collection of hot mineral springs. 

Before returning home, the group will make one more stop in Calgary for a guided tour of the Boundary Ranch to learn about local flora and fauna, as well as the history of the Kananaskis Valley region of the Rocky Mountains.  This educational journey through Western Canada, centered on sustainability and environmental stewardship, has the potential to be a transformative experience for students.  It will empower them to become responsible citizens and stewards of the environment, instilling a sense of duty to safeguard our planet for future generations. 

1. Conservation and Sustainability: Showcase real-world examples of conservation efforts and sustainable practices. 
2. Diverse Ecosystems:  Explore and appreciate Western Canada's incredibly diverse landscapes from temperate rainforests to glacial lakes and mountain ranges. 
3. Hands-On Activities: Host direct experiences in natural settings, enhancing understanding of the environment and its fragility. 
4. Inspiring Environmental Stewardship: Foster a sense of duty to protect the planet, altering attitudes and actions towards environmental conservation. 
5. Interdisciplinary Learning: Integrate various subjects including biology, geology, environmental science, and sustainability. 

We have some very important news that you may in fact be shocked by – all of us are the descendants of hunter gatherers! In this Unit, you will learn some of the skills that would’ve been everyday practices keeping you and your community alive and healthy.  

If you’ve wondered how your ancestors made basic tools like spoons, made safe cooking fires, found food, and kept themselves warm and comfortable, this is the Unit for you. We’ll take advantage of our beautiful campus and access to Home Winds Farm, where together over the two weeks we’ll work with basic tools to make spoons and bowls, learn to make small cooking fires (if the weather allows it to be done safely), build a shelter, learn principles of safe water and food procurement, try and make our own clothes, and have a great time. We’ll also research the necessity of community and collaboration to our survival, spend some quiet time in nature, and through it all keep a journal to reflect on what we’ve learned.  

Topics to be covered include:  

1. Working with tools – How to carve a spoon with a knife, how to make a wooden bowl by burning with embers  

2. Working with fire - *Only possible if weather conditions permit* - how to build a safe fire pit, how to start a small cooking fire with friction and a ferro rod, how to ensure your fire is safely out and why it’s important 

3. Foraging for wild edibles -*We only eat what we know is 100% safe* - how to find plants to eat, how to clean a fish and safely prepare it  

4. Water – How to use a camping water filter to make water safe to drink, how to make an emergency water filter from basic materials if you need to  

5. Clothing – How to make a pair of moccasins, how to turn a sheep’s fleece into yarn  

6. Shelter – How to build a simple survival shelter  

7. The importance of working together – Researching our history as collaborative social primates and what happens when we’re alone  

8. Experiencing nature for its own sake – Time spent quietly experiencing the world outside ourselves  

Artificial intelligence is a tool like any other, yet its unprecedented capabilities are already pushing the edges of our understanding. Ready or not, we are speeding toward a time when interacting with a computer will be indistinguishable from conversing with a human being and when machines achieve complete autonomy. What will it mean to live in a world revolutionized by AI? And how can you start to understand the inner workings of the next great breakthrough of our lives? 

Inspirit AI is an educational company experienced in helping high school students understand this brave new world through hands-on projects. Over the course of the unit, taught by top university researchers and graduates from Stanford and MIT, students will learn how AI can be used in socially productive ways in the fields of healthcare, social robotics, disaster relief, and autonomous vehicles. The unit will culminate in students showcasing an AI-driven project designed to make the world a better place.  

Inspirit instructors are as deeply versed in the emerging field of AI as they are in how to teach it. They will structure class time to accommodate both beginning and experienced Python coders. The classes will be delivered via Zoom and led by a teacher trained to nurture each student’s creative, engineering and collaboration skills. Emphasis will be on logic, creativity, pattern recognition, and abstraction as students deploy their AI skills as… 

• DNA detectives hunting an elusive COVID variant 

• Astronomers using data from a NASA telescope to detect exoplanets 

• Lung diagnosticians leveraging computer vision and AI modeling to improve detection of pneumonia 

Upon completion of the program, GSB’s “Superhuman” students will receive a certificate that can be integrated into college and internship applications and have their project available as part of an AI portfolio. The AI wave is already here and will have life-changing economic, social, political, military, and scientific effects. If you’d rather surf the wave than get caught up in its turbulent wake, this is the unit for you. 
 

Student Capacity: 20

Emergencies can strike at any moment. Preparing for them goes a long way to managing them. Are you prepared to handle an emergency? Do you ever think about what you would do if you were caught up in a disaster? Most people don’t even want to think about such a situation. Chances are, you will find yourself dealing with an emergency sometime in your life.  

Participants in this unit will consider emergency situations that are personal, local, regional, and international. They will have an opportunity to talk with professionals who are prepared to help when a disaster arises. Students will pursue certification in CPR and will receive basic first aid instruction. 

Visits to institutions citizens rely on for help in emergencies will give insight into the importance of preparation. Places students may visit include local police and fire stations, K-9 training facilities, the UN in New York, the Red Cross, the National Guard, St. Hubert’s Animal Shelter, and the Seeing Eye.  Speakers may include emergency staff from Morristown Hospital, a doctor who travels to disaster scenes to offer aid, a Director of Veterans Affairs, local EMT workers, representatives of local food pantries, and local suicide prevention workers. They will share their experiences in preparing for and assisting during a disaster. 

Students will be given an opportunity to investigate career and volunteer opportunities in emergency services.  

Student Capacity: 15 Maximum

From damselled long-haired maidens to brightly cloaked girls on an important errand, Folklore tales continue to have a grip on today’s societal landscape. Stories that are hundreds of years old are remade and repurposed to expose characteristics of today’s culture as well as reinforce morality and define good and evil. The Art of Folklore Unit will allow students to explore the wide-ranging history of Folklore and the many adaptations, reiterations and interpretations to inspire creativity and express the importance of storytelling to culture and heritage.  

While exploring written, painted and filmed folklore, students will be given the opportunity to visit the site of one of the most famous American Folklore stories; that of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. Walking through Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, students will visit the sites of the legend including the Old Dutch Church, Raven Rock, and the Sleepy Hollow Bridge and Statue. Students will also gain insight into the history and families of the town through touring the Lyndhurst Mansion and working with the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Historical Society. A final stop to the Washington Irving house will allow students to learn about the author of many American Folklore characters including The Headless Horseman and Rip Van Winkle.  

In addition to the study of stories, students will participate in daily journaling to record feelings, lessons, and insights from the materials of each day. These journals will culminate in a unique written tale that delves into the morality and challenges of culture today. The writing elements will focus on the importance of symbolism, plot and character.  

The Art of Folklore Unit will also provide opportunities for student leadership and service participation. On-campus meetings will be utilized for student development and implementation of a book drive as well as a collaboration with the Reading Buddies program in the lower school. While in Tarrytown, students will be given the opportunity to work with the Historical Society, as well as student-led lessons on legendary sites (i.e., statues and bridges).  

The Unit will conclude with a finished handmade book, constructed, designed, and written by the student displaying his/her/their own take on folklore, morality, and imagination.  

Student Capacity: 20 Maximum

New Jersey has had a surprisingly outsized impact on the world of American poetry. This Unit will immerse students in the poetic tradition of our home state, inviting them to join the ranks of New Jerseyan bards themselves. This creative writing Unit will introduce students to notable poets who have called New Jersey home and then allow them the creative space to write their own verses and become the next generation of New Jerseyan poets. 

The Unit consists of day trips, entirely within school hours, to places of poetic significance around New Jersey and days dedicated to writing and workshopping the students’ own poetry, with a rough division between the first week focusing on trips and the second focusing on writing. The writing week includes visits by two contemporary poets, James Hoch and Isabel Cruz, to introduce students to the world of contemporary practicing poets and for them to receive feedback on their work from our guests. 

Tentative Unit Schedule:

• Monday, May 20 – Introductions & Poetical Language (on campus) 

• Tuesday, May 21 – Trip to Long Branch (Philip Freneau & Robert Pinsky) 

• Wednesday, May 22 – Trip to Paterson Great Falls (William Carlos Williams) 

• Thursday, May 23 – Hiking Trip to High Point State Park (Wilbur/Kennedy) 

• Friday, May 24 – Writing/workshopping day (on campus) [half day] 

• Tuesday, May 28 – Visiting Poet: James Hoch (on campus) 

• Wednesday, May 29 – Canoeing Trip on the Delaware for Nature poems 

• Thursday, May 30 – Visiting Poet: Isabel Cruz (on campus) 

• Friday, May 31 – Writing/workshopping day (on campus) 

The intended learning outcomes for this Unit focus on the areas highlighted below: 

• Experiential Engagement—exploration of a practical skill, industry, career, or institution.

• Cultural Immersion—interaction with the unique culture and/or history of a region, community, or way of life. 

• Service Learning—active student partnership with a community organization.

• Environmental Sustainability—action on some aspect of environmental science, conservation, energy, or sustainability.

• Research—data collection and processing as part of a professional learning community.  

Ideal Group Size: 12 - 15 Students

Can you touch your toes? What about sitting down on the floor and standing up again without using your hands? Or hang from a pull-up bar? And how is your balance on one leg? 

Based on the books Built to Move by Juliet Starrett and Kelly Starrett and Nutritious Movement by Katy Bowman, students will learn the importance of incorporating movement into their daily lives. Rather than think of exercise as something that you do in a class with fancy equipment, students will be encouraged to find ways to add more movement into each day. With a focus on building lifetime movement habits that will increase overall wellness, each day students will have the opportunity to be outside and try out a variety of movement activities with some alumni special guests: 

• Yoga/Meditation/Breathwork 
• Biking 
• Pickle ball  
• Hiking/Daily walking 
• Cardio dance  
• Ice skating  
• Barre 
   

We will also discuss the ideas of mobility vs. flexibility, why we need to stay mobile, and how to create a mobility practice. In addition, we will partner with Brian Vagnini, a Level 2 CrossFit coach, to learn about the importance of strength training for everyone- from top athletes to your aging grandparents. He will take us to his CrossFit gym to get moving in a different way. 

Service Tie-Ins: 

MS Field Day - planning a day for the middle school students to get outside and move.

Pathways to Adult Learning- day at the park with developmentally challenged you adults to play basketball and other fun activities.

Final project: 

Students will create a collaborative podcast sharing what they learn. 

Student Capacity: 20 Maximum

Who said you cannot live to 105? This Unit will challenge you to learn how to best fuel your body to fit your optimal fitness level while mastering stress reduction and “sleep-better” techniques to create a lifetime of wellness, satisfaction, and productivity.  Students will start off by obtaining 3D computerized images of their feet which will help them understand the best athletic footwear to suit their body. Students will then be energized and inspired by experts in nutritional physiology and biochemistry as they provide not only cutting-edge knowledge in metabolism, exercise, and nutrition, but also a series of fitness-based tests and applications to personalize the experience for each student.

Did you know that there is an inverse relationship between your grip strength and your longevity? To test your grip strength (and so much more), join us for a fascinating two weeks of making you the best possible you. Developing your physical understanding of yourself would not be complete without a focus on your growth mindset and mental conditioning; be prepared to learn how to better reframe your thoughts and cognitions. Students will end the Unit with a chance to apply what they have learned and to give back to the community through a community outreach initiative. Are you ready for an immersive Unit involving national leaders in the field, industry gurus who not only talk the talk, but can walk the walk?

Get ready to hear from extreme endurance experts who have run 100 miles in 38 hours...are you ready to set your metabolic rate on FIRE? 

For children who are blind, their fingers are their eyes. That means their world is limited to what they can touch. That is all they can see. They need more tactile experiences than other children because every new feeling creates a new image in their mind’s eye. How about creating a texture book ( a book filled with various shapes made from materials such as grass, velvet, yarn or possibly seashells and then labeled using the braille alphabet) to deliver to a facility for the blind? 

Everyone loves to see a bright, cheerful centerpiece on a table. At nursing homes and senior centers, sometimes the only things they see are salt and pepper containers. Brighten their day by making your own centerpieces and delivering them before a meal. Stay for lunch to talk with the residents. The elderly cherish the company of young people.  

Children with cancer and other serious illnesses often spend long periods of time in hospitals away from home. Sometimes their parents can’t be with them. It can be very frightening to be sick and away from family and friends. Nurses try to make the children as comfortable as possible, but they can’t be with the children every moment of the day. Make a snuggly pillow buddy that will always stay near the child. Deliver your pillow to a nearby hospital and help to make their hospital stay less scary. 

Animal shelters are often in need of simple but costly items such as dog and cat food, blankets, toys, and cleaning products. Design a flyer to be distributed at a local pet store asking for donations. Help to collect these items, bring them to a shelter, get a tour and possibly visit with the animals.  

These are just a few of the projects that students can be involved in over the course of this Unit offering. Spend time engaged in enjoyable and rewarding experiences. All participants learn through planning their own service-learning experiences while handling the scheduling and execution of their project. Additionally, speakers who represent contacted organizations will provide the group with overview services provided by their respective agency. 

Student Capacity: 18 Maximum

Travel Dates: May 21 - May 30, 2023

How can conflict be resolved?  Is there a point at which emotions lead to war even though logic points out war’s futility?  How can a nation viewed as a younger, less experienced power stand up to a far more powerful war machine—or stand up against a nation that once ruled over it?  How does a nation turn its moments of violence into cause for community well-being—or even happiness?  How can an environmental landscape recover from war?  These and many other questions will be the source of student study and activity while following in the footsteps, wheel paths, and wakes of early American citizens and the war fighters who opposed them during the War of 1812.  

The trip follows the trail of British professional soldiers and sailors as they repeatedly encountered American resistance.  Students first explore the Patuxent River by canoe and visit the sites of naval skirmishes, as well as an environment restored from cityscapes to wetlands.  Next are the waterfront towns of Annapolis, St. Michael’s, and Chestertown, which encountered the British navy. Travel by boat. Sites include battlefields of St. Michael’s and Caulk’s Field, where students learn the inspiration for the name of Spiderman. Serve by supporting and/or participating in a 5K fundraiser for a local elementary school in Chestertown. Students travel to DC to follow the trail of invasion (and the burning of the White House) before moving on to Baltimore.  Service there includes environmental clean-up in the Patapsco River, then Fort McHenry and Old St. Paul’s, sites significant in the creation of The Star-Spangled Banner.  The final evening is at Camden Yards, where students reflect upon the incorporation of The Star-Spangled Banner into national community life and entertainment—despite its bloody origins.

Itinerary:

Tuesday, May 21: Travel to Washington DC; stay in DC overnight 

Wednesday, May 22: Canoe the Patuxent River and camp overnight, visit Mt. Calvert 

Thursday, May 23: Conclude canoeing trip, stay in Annapolis 

Friday, May 24: Explore Annapolis, boat to St. Michael’s (stay in Chestertown two nights) 

Saturday, May 25: Chestertown Tea Party Days, Sloop Sultana, service opportunities (5K) 

Sunday, May 26: Caulk’s Field memorial service, return to DC 

Monday, May 27: White House and 1812 tour of DC, then to Baltimore on MTA (for 3 nights’ stay) 

Tuesday, May 28: Baltimore, Fort McHenry, Old St. Paul’s, and MD Historical Society 

Wednesday, May 29: Service (Canoe and Scoop, HUM, Paul’s Place, Our Daily Bread, Humane Society); then Nick’s Fish House, then Camden Yards (Orioles/Red Sox) 

Thursday, May 30: Return to Newark on Amtrak