DISCOVER NEXTTERM, THE HUN SCHOOL’S EXPERIENTIAL MINI-SEMESTER.
INSPIRATION FOR NEXTTERM “ Great high schools share something essential in common: They cultivate mastery, creativity, and identity. In other words, students in these schools are given regular opportunities to develop significant knowledge and skills, to use their knowledge to produce something original, and to connect their learning to who they are and who they seek to become. The presence of these qualities produces deep engagement, the thing that many educators often struggle to foster.” —J AL MEHTA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
“ As we begin to realize that robots will eventually take over most tasks that run on algorithms and artificial intelligence, “ Innovative learning practices that smear the boundary between “school” and “world” are increasingly a hallmark of deeper learning in the 21st century. They create scaffolds around which students learn critical content within the context of personal relevance and interest that generate intrinsic motivation, deeper understanding, and longer retention.” — PAM GROSSMAN, HARVARD SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
we begin to prize the innately human qualities of creativity, curiosity, and generativity. By engaging students in many kinds of projects, Project-Based Learning aspires to nurture these qualities, while also providing opportunities for students to learn the content.” — G RANT LICHTMAN, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED THOUGHT LEADER AND AUTHOR ON K-12 EDUCATION
“ For decades, ‘school’ and ‘learning’ have conjured singular imagery … rooms with whiteboards and desks (or in our case, a Harkness table). And school is believed to be a place that you acquire knowledge, or develop skills that you will one day use in the future. Yes, lots of good learning happens in the classroom. But once your school years are over, you come to understand that it also happens everywhere else and you learn more by doing and evaluating your own process than you do from conceptualizing. Getting outside of the classroom and actually applying those skills to a meaningful project is empowering and it demonstrates relevancy that is often transformational.” — D ARA MARTIN, CO-DIRECTOR NEXTTERM
WHAT “ NextTerm is immersive like a semester abroad program, but it is also practical and focused, like an internship. Consider a handson internship where the intern is promoted to project leader immediately after orientation! We gave ourselves permission to imagine the best possible way to learn and then we created it.” — B ILL ESHER, NEXTTERM CO-DIRECTOR AND THEATRE DIRECTOR
WHY “ Great thinkers almost always have several things in common. First, they draw on a
HOW “ What we put together is absolutely unique to independent schools in the country in terms of a for-credit experience for our students that allows them to practice skills in realworld settings.” — R YAN HEWS, UPPER SCHOOL HEAD
spectrum of knowledge and understand how various skills and disciplines interplay. Second, they are influenced by firsthand experiences, successes and failures. And third, they immerse themselves in topics that they are passionate about, allowing their personal excitement to fuel their discovery and innovation. At Hun, we strive to create great thinkers, prepared to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world.” — JON BROUGHAM, HEADMASTER
ONE COURSE THREE POWERFUL WEEKS Action—that’s what all of history’s great thinkers, artists, achievers, and innovators have in common. They took action, stepping (sometimes literally) into the unknown. Taking cues from this notion, NextTerm is a three-week project-based immersive semester that gives students permission to act on their passions, curiosities, and interests. Each May, students will press the pause button on life as usual to embark on a time of intense discovery. Their findings and contributions aren’t simply for a grade; students will solve real-world problems and advance the way our society thinks about and approaches the most important issues of our time. Where they go next, and what they do next, may all start with NextTerm.
FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF NEXTTERM COURSES, VISIT: HUNSCHOOL .ORG/NEXTTERM
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
APPLICATION
REFLECTION / DISCUSSION
CONCEPTUALIZATION
In our fast-paced, digital society, young people excel when they can draw from real-world experience. Simply put, experiential learning is learning by doing. Research shows that when students interact and engage with material— instead of simply listening to it or reading about it—their brains fire differently, storing the information more deeply and advancing their high-level critical thinking skills. NextTerm gives students opportunities to develop knowledge and skills through engaging projects with real-world experts. Each course is designed for students to think beyond themselves, and to explore and find solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time. And because of NextTerm’s team approach, students practice collaborating with their peers while experiencing new places together, near Hun and around the world.
H OW H U N S T U D E N T S DESCRIBE THEIR NEXTTERM EXPERIENCE
E N J OYA B L E
CHALLENGING
CO O L
E N GAG I N G
MEMORABLE
INTERESTING
MINDFUL
DIFFERENT
E XC I T I N G
I N F O R M AT I V E
FUN
E X P E R I M E N TA L
MEANINGFUL
NEW
C R E AT I V E
I N N OVAT I V E
I N T E R AC T I V E
AMAZING
“ The opportunities students have through NextTerm are ones that don’t exist anywhere else. The program provides experiences that are meaningful and foundational for who they are, who they become, and how they see the world.”
—O TIS DOUCE, DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND GLOBAL DIVERSITY, NEXTTERM: CASTLES MADE OF SAND: EXPLORING GHANA
COMBATING FOOD INSECURITY — NEW JERSEY
ENJOY THE RIDE: WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILL RIDE — NEW JERSEY
PHOTOGRAPHING OUR STEPS: A WILDERNESS ADVENTURE — NEW JERSEY
LIFE TODAY AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS — ARIZONA
“My favorite thing about NextTerm was to get out of the classroom and learn.” — NINA KAPSTEIN, NEXT TERM: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW: UN-SILENCING THE VOICES IN FRENCH HISTORY
“ Through NextTerm, I learned that hard work pays off.” — D YLAN RIDALL , NEXT TERM: THE BUSINESS OF BASEBALL
“ I discovered that I can be that person who takes charge in a group environment.” — A NDREW PETTY, NEXT TERM: INTO THE OPEN SPACES: AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARK EXPERIENCE
NEXTTERM IS LARGELY STUDENT DRIVEN, WHICH MEANS SOPHMORES AND JUNIORS CHOOSE THEIR THREE-WEEK ADVENTURE, WHILE FRESHMEN ARE PLACED IN CLASSES BUT GIVEN AGENCY OVER THEIR PROJECTS. COURSES ARE TEAMTAUGHT, MAY TAKE PLACE IN LOCATIONS NEAR OR FAR TO HUN, AND ARE INFLUENCED BY REAL-WORLD EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS. NEXTTERM IS FOR NINTH, TENTH, AND ELEVENTH GRADE, WHILE SENIORS WILL PURSUE CAPSTONE PROJECTS.
C AN YOU HEAR ME NOW: UN-SILENCING THE VOICES IN FRENCH HISTORY — FRANCE
“I discovered I am capable of much more than I thought.” — J ACKSON COLE, NEXT TERM: LIFE TODAY AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS
“I am much more interested in history than I thought I was. Initially, I thought I was just a science and math type of person, but now I am seriously considering a career in the humanities. Who knew?!” — S OPHIE TARDITI, NEXT TERM: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW: UN-SILENCING THE VOICES IN FRENCH HISTORY
“I wish NextTerm was year-round. This is how we should learn everything!” — DARBY SHAW, NEXT TERM: MIGRATION AND AMERICAN IDENTITY
TAKING IT ON THE ROAD: SHOW BUSINESS 101 — NEW JERSEY
HE ROAD TO 270: WOMEN AND POLITICS T — WASHINGTON, DC
M EMORY AND MONUMENTS: DEBATING AND COMMEMORATING HISTORY — WASHINGTON, DC
“I really liked learning about a single subject each and every day for three weeks.” — E R I C W U, N E X T T E R M : CO M B AT I N G F O O D I N S EC U R I T Y
IVING IN NEW JERSEY: ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY, L AND CONSERVATION — NEW JERSEY
C AN YOU HEAR ME NOW: UN-SILENCING THE VOICES IN FRENCH HISTORY — FRANCE
“I learned about very different groups of people and visited places I would never have visited if I didn’t have NextTerm.” — A N I L K A M DA R, N E X T T E R M : C AST L E S M A D E O F S A N D : E X P LO R I N G G H A N A
M IGRATION AND AMERICAN IDENTITY — ARIZONA
“I learned how to listen with an open heart.” — G RAC E L A N G FO R D, N E X T T E R M : M I G R AT I O N A N D AMERICAN IDENTITY
INTO THE OPEN SPACES: AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARK EXPERIENCE — VIRGINIA
NEXT STOP:
WALKING IN MLK’S FOOTSTEPS: FROM IDEAS TO ACTION How is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy relevant to today’s society? How does the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s relate to the Black Lives Matter movement of today? How
THE HUN SCHOOL
can peaceful resistance impact social change? By walking in MLK’s footsteps literally and figuratively, students
WASHINGTON, DC
in this course explore the history of peaceful resistance, its relevance today, and its impact on MLK by visiting
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS:
the very spaces where he
Students travel to Dr. King’s home state of Georgia,
incited change.
Alabama, and to our nation’s capital, stopping at historic sites and monuments along the way, from the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Inspired by the journey and the people they learn about along the way, students dream up a project of ATLANTA
BIRMINGHAM, SELMA, AND MONTGOMERY
their choice with a focus on keeping history alive in our communities and discerning what historical events and people are worth remembering and why.
DON’ T MISS: STUDENTS MARCH ACROSS THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE IN SELMA, WHERE DR. KING AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS MARCHED FOR DIGNITY AND EQUALITY IN 1965.
SWEET SPOTS: T T AMERICAN HISTORY T T POLITICAL
MOVEMENTS
T T SOCIAL JUSTICE T T COMMUNITY ACTION T T LEADERSHIP
“ I discovered more about my own family history and how connected I am to what has happened throughout history.”
— COURTNEY JOSEPH
NEXT STOP:
ENJOY THE RIDE: WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILL RIDE
DORNEY PARK & WILDWATER KINGDOM
THE HUN SCHOOL HERSHEYPARK
How do engineers design roller coasters so they are simultaneously safe
SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE
and heart-stopping? How do amusement parks tap into people’s psychology to make rides more enticing? What happens physiologically in the body as people wait in line for thrill rides? Students in this course work with scientists and engineers to dissect the anatomy of thrill rides—and then build their own mini roller coasters. ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: Physics and engineering challenges keep students on their toes as they design mini rides to meet specific height, speed, loop, and curve parameters, all while keeping their mock riders safe. Stepping away from the design tables, students visit three amusement parks— Six Flags, Hersheypark, and Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom—to collect psychological and mathematical data about the rides and conduct physics labs on site—before taking a turn on the rides themselves.
DON’ T MISS: STUDENTS BUILD MINI ROLLER COASTERS OUT OF POPSICLE STICKS TO WITHSTAND CERTAIN ELEMENTS AND TO SUPPORT A SURPRISE RIDER: A BOWLING BALL!
SWEET SPOTS: T T PHYSICS T T MATH T T PSYCHOLOGY T T PHYSIOLOGY T T COMPUTER SCIENCE T T ENGINEERING
NEXT STOP:
CASTLES MADE OF SAND: EXPLORING GHANA
THE HUN SCHOOL
Seeing the world through the eyes of others often requires traveling outside of your comfort zone. Through research and real-world exploration of the history, rich culture, and unique challenges currently facing the West African nation of Ghana, students in this course study the implications of colonialism and slavery in our world while experiencing and enjoying a culture vastly different from their own. ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: Research begins at Princeton University, where students learn firsthand about America’s historical ties to slavery and gain context for what comes next: A journey to Ghana to visit sites—from national parks to coastal castles—in Accra, Jukwa, and Winneba. Working with local groups to fully immerse themselves in all Ghana has to offer, students explore and develop a personal project based on the country’s art, music, cuisine, and traditions as well as its current economic, social, and environmental development.
GHANA
SWEET SPOTS: T T HISTORY T T ANTHROPOLOGY T T AFRICAN CULTURE T T CONSERVATION T T BIODIVERSITY
“I was able to adapt to situations I never thought I would be comfortable in. Having the opportunity to travel allowed me to learn more about my own limits and abilities.” — L E A TA R Z Y
DON’ T MISS: STUDENTS IN THIS COURSE CAN CHECK “CANOPY WALK ABOVE A RAINFOREST ” OFF THEIR BUCKET LIST!
NEXT STOP:
INTO THE OPEN SPACES: AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARK EXPERIENCE
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK
THE HUN SCHOOL
Awe-inspiring nature awaits. From geysers and hot springs to waterfalls and bear sightings, this immersive outdoor experience offers a deep exploration of the history, present, and future of America’s national parks.
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK
Students in this course learn how history, conservation biology, ecology, art, and Native American culture come together in these open spaces, and about humanity’s role in helping to preserve and protect them. ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: In partnership with the National Park Service, students visit two distinct National Parks, camping, hiking, and fully immersing themselves in the beauty of nature. From cooking outdoors to animal encounters, students experience all that National Parks have to offer and build collaborative problem-solving skills and new friendships in the great outdoors.
DON’ T MISS: IT ’S NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER’S GUIDEBOOK! STUDENTS CREATE AN EBOOK FOR PHONES AND TABLETS THAT OFFERS A GUIDE TO AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
“Being able to learn about a topic that I previously had no knowledge of was amazing. Also, I’ll never forget being able to experience the national parks while being surrounded by some of my best friends.” — SCOTT REICHEG
SWEET SPOTS:
T T HISTORY SWEET SPOTS: T T ECOLOGY HISTORY
BIOLOGY T T ECOLOGY CONSERVATION T T BIOLOGY NATIVE AMERICAN T T CONSERVATION CULTURE
LIFE TODAY AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS — ARIZONA
NEXT STOP:
LIFE TODAY AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS THE HUN SCHOOL
Have you ever wondered what life is like for Native Americans in the United States today? In this course, students aim to TUBA CITY, NAVAJOLAND, AZ
understand, appreciate, and celebrate the reality of life for American Indians. From a foundation of information in select readings and films, students visit a Native American reservation to talk directly with American Indians about their experiences, culture, and language and work side-by-side in a communityapproved service project.
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS: Students learn about American Indians today—their challenges and successes—while living among a Navajo tribe.
SWEET SPOTS: T T AMERICAN
HISTORY
T T NATIVE
AMERICAN CULTURE
T T CULTURAL
IMMERSION
T T DIVERSITY T T HERITAGE
DON’ T MISS: STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATIVE NATURE OF A NATIVE AMERICAN SWEAT LODGE CEREMONY.
“I learned I can be very strong both mentally and physically. I can do things that I previously thought I couldn’t. I feel really happy that I was able to step out of my comfort zone.” — E L I N D A WA N G
NEXTPO: THE NEXTTERM PROJECT EXHIBITION EVENT NextTerm isn’t just a three-week immersion in a single subject. It’s also an opportunity for students to learn from experts in the field, create real-world solutions to real-world problems, and see their work make an impact. At the culmination of NextTerm, students share their experiences and newly acquired knowledge at NextPo, an expo-style event on the final day of the spring semester. The inaugural NextPo saw students create a young people’s guidebook to America’s National Parks, distribute water to refugees at the border, put themselves in the shoes of Civil Rights activists, participate in a service project at a Native American reservation, document the experiences of women in politics, and more.
TAKING IT ON THE ROAD: SHOW BUSINESS 101
ENJOY THE RIDE: WHAT MAKES A GREAT THRILL RIDE
How does a theatre company prepare a
Students in this class visited three amusement parks
production and then take the show on
in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to study the physics,
the road? Students in this course learned
mathematics, and psychology behind thrill rides.
how to do just that—they formed an
Then they put their newfound knowledge to work by
ensemble company, staged a show,
collaboratively building mock roller coasters out of various
and arranged to perform it for younger
materials, including popsicle sticks and Connex blocks.
students at nearby elementary schools.
WHAT ’S YOUR STORY? THE ART OF STORYELLING Everyone has a story. Students in this course perfected and performed their personal stories by working with a professional storyteller. At the end of the course, two students were chosen to travel to New York to perform before a live audience at The Moth (a renowned storytelling event—like a Poetry Slam, but for stories).
NEXTTERM FACTS & FIGURES
3
27
WEEKS SPENT IN A NEXTTERM COURSE EACH YEAR
COURSES FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE
32
400
IMMERSIVE TRAVEL LOCATIONS
STUDENTS INVOLVED
THE FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE: ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN — NEW JERSEY
C OMBATING FOOD INSECURITY — NEW JERSEY
M IGRATION AND AMERICAN IDENTITY — ARIZONA
SURVEY RESULTS
92% SAID
94% SAID
My coursework was relevant to the real world.
This experience was memorable.
91% SAID
I learned more because I experienced the subject matter firsthand.
EXTTERM OPENING DAY N — THE HUN SCHOOL , PRINCETON, NJ
HANK YOU TO THE STUDENTS, FACULT Y, AND T STAFF FOR SHARING THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS.
LEARN MORE AT HUNSCHOOL .ORG/NEXTTERM
