While most of us are on Spring Break, the Admission Office is busily preparing to mail decisions to 400 applicants. On the assumption that many of those who receive good news will be checking out the website, I am recycling several past Corners that speak to the mission of the school and the make up of the community. The page that follows first appeared on November 28.

It's hard to convey the impact of almost forty students joining the on-campus community after ten weeks of dramatic experience on the North Atlantic, or in Spain, France and Costa Rica. It is a hidden dividend of the school's commitment to experiential modes of teaching and learning: twice a year, the entire population is charged with new energy. George Emeny extolls the virtues of parabolas:

The most dramatic example is energy communicated by the Ocean Classroom crew. They endured an extended, difficult passage through Hurricane Noel off the coast of Haiti, and they see things differently, now. This is Honors Pre-calc:

With all sails struck, they motored to keep the bow facing relentless swells. For seventy-two hours, salt spray coated our miserable adventurers. Yet, today, they treasure this fall term, and recall reaching past El Morro into San Juan Harbor. In the woodshop, Ben is working on a router table.

The return of this population--to an on-campus community in which 45% were new this fall--prompts countless new social introductions and relationships. That is a very healthy dymanic for anyone, but it is most beneficial to young people, as they clarify their own identities. After assembly:

This is the scene in the lobby outside the Wise, after assembly.

Meanwhile, of course, a similar population of students is preparing for the winter trimester abroad, or out west on Mountain Classroom (which is the grandfather of all these programs.) Back in chemistry:

And so it goes.... Some students will elect to participate in two off-campus terms at Proctor. Some will opt for three.... Patrice Martin orients a new ceramics class.

So, a student might decide, "I want to go to Aix-en-Provence for the winter of my junior year." This is French 4:

All it takes is careful planning with an advisor. This is a Learning Lab class.