Multidisciplinary

UPPER SCHOOL MultidisciplinaryL

The following Upper School multidisciplinary courses are semester electives that meet 4 times per 6-day cycle for 1/2 credit:

BRAIN TRAINING & RESILIENCE: EMERGING RESEARCH AND PRACTICES IN HIGH PERFORMANCE *

Fall semester elective

This interdisciplinary and experiential class examines the emerging worlds of brain and health research, biohacking, physiological state change, and neuroplasticity, with an eye toward high performance and mental/ physical/ emotional resilience. Students will not only learn about the emerging research in these areas, but will also practice a variety of related techniques including daily journaling, mindfulness, breathing methods, natural movement, visualization, and HIIT training. The class will be conducted in partnership with the Distance Project, a high performance coaching center and gym in Freeport. Students will have several opportunities to use the Distance Project staff and facility for physical and breath training. The learning in this course will be divided in two areas: academic study and experiential application of those academic ideas. As students study through supplementary reading, visiting speakers, videos, and podcasts, they will also be expected to participate in a wide variety of hands-on practices and techniques where they will apply and test those theories. Students will also keep a highly structured daily journal that help them to reflect on their daily life practices and mental modeling. At the end of the semester, students will be expected to lead an activity, on or off-campus, where they teach or lead others in one of the concepts or activities that they found to be most impactful. These activities will be video- documented and put up online. *As an interdisciplinary class, this does not apply to the science requirement

LITERATURE OF GLACIER BAY

Spring semester elective

This spring semester elective focuses on American environmental writing and literature, with a particular eye toward the literature of Glacier Bay in Alaska. Students are introduced to the wide-ranging tradition of American environmental writing and thought with a special focus on writing about Glacier Bay. Writing assignments throughout the semester help students to think critically about the main texts, and to put the techniques and ideas that they have analyzed into practice with their own creative writing. During critical assignments, students are expected to use the expository writing and analysis skills they have developed in their English classes. Students select one location in which to journal on a weekly basis throughout the semester, and they write a 5-page essay or analogous creative work by May 15. In addition to creative and analytical writing, the curriculum includes aspects of backcountry safety, geology and biology of Glacier Bay, bear protocols, and map/chart navigation. The course concludes with an optional ten-day non-graded trip to Alaska, where students meet some of the authors they have been reading and spend a week kayaking in the backcountry of Glacier Bay, literally paddling and walking in the footsteps of John Muir.

NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL WORLD

Spring semester elective

At a time when the average teen spends over seven hours a day on screens-before school and homework- you should ask “Are you going to be used by technology to advance someone else’s goals or are you going to use technology to advance your own goals?” From the dinner table to the corner office to the halls of government, media technology is increasingly the primary force that drives our world. People of all ages-from age five to ninety-five- are building empires, changing social norms, creating art, and making millions. As side hustles, remote work, dematerialization, and digitization exponentially disrupt the world, tech mastery is one of the most important skills in the 21st century. In this course, the class will learn about the skills, first principles, and practices necessary to be successful in the emerging digital world. Students will learn how to practice a healthy relationship with tech (and the costs of not doing so) and wrestle with the challenging questions of how big tech companies fit in our world and the dark side of tech. Finally, students will learn to look at content critically and practice creating content across multiple platforms, diving into the nut-and-bolts skills of storytelling, branding, editing, and monetization.

The following are additional Upper School offerings:

CIVILTEA

CivilTea is a youth-driven program aimed to promote and encourage civil dialogue around challenging topics within school communities. The fundamental purposes of the program intend to build communication skills, enhance student leadership, and promote listening. CivilTea has two components: facilitator training and community presentations with facilitated dialogue groups. Through this program, students interested in leadership and social advocacy can participate in facilitator training, while learning the skills necessary to hold peer conversations about challenging topics such as stereotypes, bullying, social media, gender identity, and racism. These student facilitators then work directly with the school community to engage further and deeper into issues relevant to the students, faculty, and staff.

NINTH GRADE SEMINAR

Ninth Grade Seminar provides opportunities for education and discussion among the ninth graders about a range of topics covering themes that impact the health and wellness of high school students. Together with their Class Deans, the ninth grade class meets together, and often in smaller groups, during weekly scheduled times throughout the year. Seminar content varies over the course of the year and includes input from older NYA student speakers, guest speakers, and formative discussions with the Deans. Topics include opening-of-school details, getting to know each other, schedules, time management, academics, study skills, kindness, mindfulness, Upper School culture, and health and wellness concepts. The Seminar provides opportunities for the students to bond, interact, and learn with each other throughout their first year of high school.