The blog of Robert W. Hill III

Fun, Games, and Giving

One of the many Willy Gras events

I could not help but notice (as I took my familiar walk across the quad to my office on this final Saturday of classes) the transformation that has taken place in that space over the past 18 hours.

The fun and play of our annual Willy Gras afternoon—a true community event where young faculty children enjoy the games alongside our students—has given way to the seriousness of purpose as parent and student volunteers prepare Reed for our third Red Cross Blood Drive of the year.

With exemplary student leadership from two young men in the Class of 2012,

Red Cross trucks unload in front of Reed
we have our largest registration of the year, promising to make this drive the most successful in terms of donations.

It seems only fitting to me that for a school where involvement, leadership, and service are so central to our lives, that many seniors will be giving of themselves, one last time, before they take the next big step of their lives on June 2 at the school’s 171st Commencement.

Ed. note: There were 82 donations at the blood drive, which means that the contributions will help as many as 246 people.  Special thanks to seniors Adrian Mendoza and Alex Nunnelly, and director of student activities Mr. Spearing.

Swanee’s Magic

I happened to drop by Swanee’s US History class on the day he had promised to take them outside for a “field trip,” around the corner to the cemetery where Samuel and Emily Williston’s memorial is located, among other monuments.

But first, he was putting the finishing touches on a discussion in class about the Chicago 1968 convention and infamous riots that occurred during that event.  I admit that I wondered how he was going to connect the trip to the cemetery to that lesson; but that he would pull it off was never in doubt.

As he so famously does, Swanee forces his students to see things differently than they might otherwise, by challenging their ideas, by asking, “Why?” or “How do you know?”

Swanee teaching about Sam and Emily

Sure enough—after a brief lesson about Sam and Emily’s history and the challenges of having a family, as signified by the row of tiny headstones—Swanee spoke about different epochs of Williston’s past.

He told his captive audience of the day in 1970 when the senior class walked from Easthampton into Northampton to join a demonstration in support of the students at Kent State, and how then headmaster Stephens found himself at the front of this group of young men whose youthful resolve and conviction were on display—two attributes still prized by Williston’s students to this day.

Another wonderful learning moment thanks to this particular master teacher.

 

Fiddler Plays to Packed Houses

Nearly 10 percent of Williston Northampton’s students were involved in the astonishing run of “Fiddler on the Roof,” which played to packed houses.

I have never missed a school play in my nearly 30 years in secondary education, and Williston’s Fiddler ranks at the top—not just for the overall effect of the show, but for some of stories from behind the scenes.

People are shocked to learn (I sure was) that two of the leads tread their first steps on stage in this show—a testimony to the coaching they have received from director Emily Ditkovski. Ditkovski focused on the process of discovery that new actors experience in doing things they never thought possible.

The tremendous accomplishments of the stage manager, light technicians, technical theater crew, costume creators—all amazing.  Adults and students come together in theater in what is quintessentially an incubator for content creation and collaboration.

Hat’s off to Williston’s theater.

We the People: A Morning with Ms. Williams’ Civics Class

In a classroom version of the highly successful State Constitutional debate competition known as “We The People”, the 8th grade students in Ms. Williams’ civic class demonstrated their prowess to a panel of judges. Luckily for me, I was one of them.

“We the People” has been promoted by Mr. Peter Gunn for over a decade with Williston Northampton’s AP US History students. Earlier this year, Andrew Syfu’s 8th grade class also tackled the debates—with great success.

The 8th graders read prepared responses to challenging constitutional questions (for instance, “do you believe there are times when freedom of expression should be limited?”). Groups of three students presented to a three-judge panel.

As judges, we were able to ask follow-up questions. The students parried and responded with thoughtful examples, clear counterpoints, and an occasional, “Could you please repeat the question?”

So what did I take away from this?  If the ability to prepare a cogent and specific written argument matters, if the skill of listening carefully matters, if collaborating with peers to achieve a common goal matters, then the 8th grade civic’s exercise was a complete success.

At one point, Mrs. Sawyer remarked on how one young person’s nuanced reply “sounded like a lawyer” and reminded us all how nimble teenage minds really can be.

Oh, and the audience of middle school students were also attentive, respectful, and engaged. All in all, it was quite a morning treat in Whitaker-Bement.

Cyber Smarts: Dr. Hinduja Speaks at Williston Northampton

6915358678 fb0d6e1aee oWe all need to be learners in the virtual classroom.  Dr. Sameer Hinduja educated Williston students on Tuesday (and a gathering of parents the evening before) about the clear and present dangers of teenage use of social media. 

An expert in his field, Dr. Hindjua’s deceptively youthful appearance gained him quick credibility with our students—a hip college professor connects well with those in middle and upper school.  One aspect of his message was not especially new: Electronic postings last a lifetime even if “taken down” from original sites. Yet the advice he gave students was newly framed for them.  

Since everything a student posts is permanent—subject to searches by everyone from would-be employers to creepy people—students need to treat their social media presence as part of their very identity. What they post online should be something to be thoughtfully considered, guarded, and treated with utmost care.

Dr. Hinduja also focused as well on the world of cyberbullying, interspersing his lecture with YouTube videos made by teens who have suffered from the humiliating effects of campaigns waged against them. 

It’s not that our students would use smart phones or laptops to wage a Lord of the Flies-like power struggle. Even so, they need to hear from pros like Dr. Hinduja that the old saw, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me,” don’t always apply when those words are streaming through millions of social media accounts.

Social media guidelines for educational institutions have not been widely defined, yet are just as clearly needed. With that in mind, Williston Northampton is working on a set of social media guidelines that we hope will offer students, faculty, and staff helpful, practical advice for navigating social media.

Since these efforts to develop community resources are always ongoing, we welcome your suggestions. What do you keep in mind when you’re online?