Spring Unit 2024: A Student Perspective

Each year, Gill St. Bernard’s School provides students with the opportunity to participate in Spring Unit. This two-week program that emphasizes the school’s motto, “The World Is Our Classroom”, allows students to immerse themselves in a specific learning area outside typical academic subjects. Spring Unit has become an impactful and memorable program for Gill students and helps set GSB apart from other schools.

The Spring Unit program is under the direction of History teacher and Assistant Dean of Student Life Mike Wendell, Performing Arts Teacher, 9th Grade Seminar, and 9th Grade Dean, Margery Schiesswohl, and Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community and Student Internship Coordinator Tracey Goodson Barrett.

“Spring Unit has been a GSB signature program for nearly 50 years. The School's commitment to experiential learning is a cornerstone of our educational philosophy; a philosophy that has served our students well," remarked Mike Wendell. "We were proud to welcome back a significant number of alumni both in person and virtually to help make this year's Spring Unit a success."

As an educational and experimental way to end the school year, GSB’s 2024 Spring Unit Program offered various courses for the Upper School students to think critically, learn, and connect with the world around them. With units representing cultural immersion, experiential learning, environmental sustainability, and service learning, the opportunities this year gave students unique experiences that they will remember forever.

Through local, national, and international destinations, Upper School students had the opportunity to not just travel, but to learn skills that go beyond the classroom. From campus activities exploring the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence, local field trips learning how to get moving in everyday life, and exploring the Canadian Rocky Mountains, this year’s Spring Unit engaged students in ways like no other.

An amazing course that was offered this year was “Communities of Costa Rica: Volunteer and Adventure”. The group of students on this trip took a deep dive into what makes Costa Rica unique. While participating in community service projects, beautiful hikes, and even learning how fresh coffee is made, the students experienced the trip of a lifetime, while making a positive impact on Costa Rica’s community.

Another highlight of this year’s program was the unit “Gill Goes Behind the Scenes”. Tyler Green, a talented special effects artist and winner of the television show “Face-Off”, mentored students who wanted to learn about cinematic magic. In an interview, Green expressed that through “applying wounds, creating a character, and painting”, he wanted students “to comprehend special effects makeup and how movie magic is done”. Students created realistic masks ready for the big screen.

After visiting GSB students in the fall of 2023, students challenged alum Tory Stapleton ’06 to help create a new Unit. The result: “The Creative Hustle: Art & Entrepreneurship.” Students were guided on the process of designing a product, the creation of a brand, how to perfect an elevator pitch, social media usage, and setting up an online store. Participants were able to create and wear their original designs.

“SOS: Simple Outdoor Skills” allowed students to work with basic tools and learn how their ancestors used the environment to stay alive and healthy. Activities included two ways to start a fire, carving, fishing, canoeing, and water purification. Students also learned how to create their own moccasins.

In the “The Receiving in The Giving” unit, students traveled locally to organizations like Goryeb Children’s Hospital, the South Brunswick Senior Center, the Barnyard Sanctuary, and participated in a park cleanup. This unit provided students with rewarding experiences that taught them to make an impact on their communities.

Margery Schiesswohl has watched students uncover new passions and interests during this program. “The Spring Unit program is not just a filler for the end of the school year, it allows students to explore new interests, collaborate with different teachers and peers, and learn in a hands-on way. This program helps students discover hidden talents and teaches them valuable skills like teamwork and problem-solving.”

The GSB Middle School students also took part in a Spring Unit of their own. Like the Upper School Unit, this short program gave younger students the opportunity to acquire skill sets that go beyond a typical school assignment. 5^th and 6^th grade students visited Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve and Liberty Science Center. 7^th and 8^th grade were given the choice of studying wellness, designing a political campaign, making their own guitar, creating a podcast, exploring our judicial system, and learning to make pizza.

Another highlight of Spring Unit is the Internship Program. This year, 17 students had the opportunity to experience real-life working environments in industries including education, forensic science, medicine, finance, and cybersecurity. The students also presented their two-week experience to a panel of faculty, staff, and their peers, giving them insight into how to professionally display their work.

Tracey Goodson Barrett was pleased with this year’s high engagement with the GSB Community. "Involving parents and alumni to serve as mentors in our Spring Internship Program not only enriches the experience for our student interns but also strengthens our community. Their participation brings valuable insights across various industries and professions, fosters professional connections for our interns, and demonstrates a shared commitment to the future success of our students."

In conclusion, the 2024 Spring Unit Courses and Internship Program had great success and yet again, was a special way to end the academic year. It provided students with preparation for real-world experiences and gave them time for reflection and critical thinking. Go, Knights!

(Erica Mars ‘25 worked with the GSB Communications Office for her Spring Unit Internship.)