Winterim ReImagined

Winterim

Reimagined

The 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.” 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

article about “Six Hopeful Healthcare Trends for 2021” that Cate Frist helped write during her internship with a surgeon and former U.S. Senator Bill Frist.

Independent study students created upcycled clothing with a nod to sustainability, a photography project that captures the beauty of Tennessee’s landscape, and a new mural in the Athletic and Wellness Center that illustrates the strength and confidence of Harpeth Hall students. Immersive learning groups provided juniors and seniors the opportunity to go off campus and explore educational areas such as psychology, art, and medicine. These groups traveled throughout the city and heard from experts around the world, while having meaningful hands-on experiences. The business and entrepreneurship group learned how to do taxes, worked with a financial analyst, and met with small business owners across the city, while the psychology and relationships group studied human behavior and the root of happiness as they discussed values like independence, resilience, resourcefulness, and community — and how those change across time, cultures, or an individual’s lifespan. The hallmark Harpeth Hall Winterim program created an unforgettable experience even in an unimaginable year. “Winterim is always the best three weeks of the school year,” sophomore Caroline Seehorn said. “I love that I get to explore topics that I am already interested in and also challenge myself with unfamiliar classes and possibly discover new interests. Winterim fosters a stress-free environment and that joy can be felt throughout the Upper School.” Including inside the prosthetics lab, where Ms. Boggs — a double amputee — walked steadily between the students on prosthetics created specifically for her. The creation process began with a study of the history of prosthetics. Then the hands-on work took shape as students casted molds and sockets. After a lecture on the prosthetic foot, students learned to grind and polish their sockets. They discussed gait, alignment, and suspension while fitting their sockets to their patient, Ms. Boggs. “The most memorable part of this class for me was my first interaction with our patient, Donna, as I was casting her leg,” sophomore Kate Maree Brewer said. “My voice was shaking as I spoke, my hands were trembling, and I was so afraid I was going to do something wrong that might hurt her in some way. As I sat down in front of her putting my surgical gloves on, my eyes met her kind, smiling eyes while her soothing voice said, ‘Don’t worry. I promise, you cannot hurt me.’ ” Kate and her classmates became comfortable with the equipment and the process, and in the end, each student delivered her own hand-crafted prosthetic to Ms. Boggs. Ms. Boggs walked successfully on each one. “For me, the most challenging part of the class was getting over the initial fear in the process of fitting her for a leg and not being afraid to make adjustments to the mold,” Harpeth Hall 9th grade student Amelia Boggs said. “In other words, taking risks and being confident in my abilities.”

Following the Winterim course, three Harpeth Hall students presented “Prosthetics Design — Walk On” at the Middle Tennessee Science and Engineering Fair. For their work, Amelia Alexopoulos, Kate Maree Brewer, and Caroline Seehorn won two first place awards: the TN Academy of Science Award for molecular biology/ medicine and the ASM materials science award.

“Winterim is definitely one of my favorite parts of the year because, as students, we are able to focus solely on learning and enjoying our class without the stress of homework or tests,” Amelia said. “I love the variety of classes that are offered and the unconventional aspect of many of them. “This class opened my eyes to the many amazing careers that fall under the prosthetic design/amputee patient care umbrella, and I absolutely loved working with Ms. Boggs. She taught me so much about what it means to be resilient.”