Winterim Reimagined
T
he students held their collective breath as Donna Boggs strode between the classroom laboratory tables. With each step, she tested the newly crafted prosthetic she wore on her left leg. “What first adjustment do you see?” classroom instructor Rob Pittman asked. “It’s not landing straight when she walks,” one student said. “Yes,” Mr. Pittman encouraged. “So what are you going to change?” As one student tightened the bolts on the prosthesis she built from scratch, the others listened to Mr. Pittman. He explained the science of how people find balance when they walk and the role that toe alignment and the external rotation of a prosthetic foot plays in finding that balance for an amputee. “You’ve got to be pretty good at what you are doing to get Donna to walk,” he said. And these girls are. This is Winterim 2021, a program filled with experiences that extend learning beyond everyday classroom curriculum to the new and unexplored. During the three-week session every year, students pursue their unique interests, develop new skills, and go on educational adventures. In, “Changing Lives: Technology and Techniques for Prosthetic Design,” the 9th and 10th grade students engaged in the full design, fabrication, and testing of a prosthetic. The course content and labs they participated in is typically post-graduate-level work, instructor Mr. Pittman said. Normally, students would complete their four-year undergraduate degree, then move into a two-year master’s program. The class content the Harpeth Hall students received would usually be presented during that master’s program. But during Winterim, students didn’t have to wait that long. The students — possibly future biomedical engineers or physical therapists — explored their career interests with hands-on STEM experiences. “I was motivated by their energy to learn, engaging questions, and feedback they brought to class daily,” said Mr. Pittman, the American Board Certified orthotist prosthetist who led the Winterim class. “They displayed confidence while encountering some very challenging content. I loved the way they worked together, lifting each other, and coaching for success.” 8 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
That success could be felt across Harpeth Hall’s campus. In a year when much of Winterim had to be reimagined due to COVID travel restrictions and safety guidelines, students and faculty rose to the challenge. The school’s premier program provided Harpeth Hall students the very best in experiential learning and created the chance to see their academic studies take a tangible, dynamic form. As always, Winterim 2021 held true to its promise to develop wonder in learning, independence of thought, honor in action, and joy in the community. Freshmen and sophomores took part in project-oriented courses on campus offered by our exceptional faculty and professionals from around the world. Students explored the field of genetic engineering, designed prosthetics for use in medical applications, contemplated gender roles in history and literature, discussed racial diversity in Latin America, and studied everything from Beyonce’s feminism to French fashion houses. “Winterim is a unique way for us as students to have an opportunity built into our school year to try new things and learn from new experiences,” said freshman Anna LeMarbre, whose Winterim classes included Cultivating Your Personal Brand, Medical School 101, The Art of Journaling, and Tao and Tai Chi. “You are bound to find activities that will enhance your experience of Harpeth Hall and deepen your connection to the community.” Upper School students developed their community connections through professional internships, independent studies, and three weeks of immersive experiences across Nashville. Harpeth Hall interns worked with a wide range of professionals from lawyers to doctors. Forbes magazine published an
