The Putney School: students by The Putney School

finding their own way in their own words

here students do

in many ways your biggest project here is creating your best self. The

self that can go out in the world and do good work. The self that can work hard and have a good time doing it. You know youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found that self when all 220 of your peers and 40 teachers give you a standing ovation in Assembly. Or when your Independent Study project turns into something that could provide a solution right here on campus, like improved energy efficiency in the dorms. Or when you finish barn work ten minutes earlier than usual and you sit watching the sun rise over a crazy green hill. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to leave home, why not make it count?

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“We get stuff done here.”

there’s nothing mindless about this place. The work program, for example, is so much more than checking off boxes on worksheets. It’s about doing jobs well. Before I came to Putney, it was a struggle to wake up in the morning. Now I’m up at 5:30 and working in the barn. I’m not saying I always love it, but I do it. My biggest challenge has always been doing the things I just don’t want to do. We get stuff done here. I’m a more social person since I came to Putney. I’ve expanded my group of friends — everyone here is cool. Everyone has diverse interests. I played music before I came to Putney, but my music and my musical taste has really grown. The music I write and play now is a better reflection of my artistic vision. It has gained depth. Probably because I’ve gotten more mature. I’ve played several shows in the Northeast and I’ve gotten interested in music production. This has given me a lot of confidence.

I’m inspired by Cailin, our music director, and by my friends. I’m inspired by my physics course, and by studying acoustics. I miss being in a city, but who I’ve become has a lot to do with the people I’ve met here. Progressive education is more than ideology. It’s about people.

“Ben’s interest in music, acoustics and production have led him on a deep exploration of experimental music and the manipulation of sound to express artistic ideas. His transformation from a talented player to a young artist who thinks both expressively and academically about his medium, is exactly the kind of change we try to nurture in the music program.” —Cailin Manson, Music Director

BEN’s WINTER

S P RING

Curriculum

American Studies Advanced Literature & Composition Spanish 3 Physics

American Studies Writing & Research Advanced Literature & Composition Spanish 3 Physics

American Studies Magical Realism Sculpture 1 Intro to Astronomy

Afternoon Activity

Woods Crew

Alpine Snowboarding

Ultimate Frisbee

Evening Art

Jazz Combo

Electronic Music Composition

Work/Job

Calder Theater Tech Crew

Dinner Waiter

Morning Barn

www.putneyschool.org/ben

FA L L

i didn’t feel challenged at my old school. My friends were burned out. I wanted to know how to work with my hands. I didn’t want to memorize information, take tests, and then forget everything. I came to Putney and saw the barn, felt the vibe, met some people and knew it was the place for me.

It seemed like the kind of school where you could really be an individual, but also part of a community. I’ve become a leader in the Outdoor Program — arranging hiking trips and taking kids who may never have experienced wilderness. The teachers here are clearly invested in their students. Because so much of our work in the classroom is discussion-based, we get to know each other very well. We help each other to develop ideas. For example, I’m interested in homesteading — last year in history we had a mock debate about utopian society that really forced me to refine my goals and think about what homesteading really means. I live in a cabin on campus and am getting my Wilderness First Responder certificate. I get up at 5:30 most days — which can be pretty brutal — but it’s good to know that you can do it. The difficult things in life are so often the most rewarding.

“The difficult things in life are so often the most rewarding.”

caleb’s 7 am

www.putneyschool.org/caleb

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Breakfast

History of Comparative Religion

Algebra 2

American Studies

Algebra 2

History of Comparative Religion

Assembly

Conference Block

12 pm

American Studies

Comparative Religion

Lunch/Cleaner

Algebra 2

American Studies

Soccer

Conference Block

American Studies

Sing

Assembly

Conference Block

Conference & Advisory

Lunch/Cleaner

Algebra 2

Lunch/Cleaner Soccer

Lunch/Cleaner

Comparative Religion Soccer

Soccer

Dinner

7 8 9

Dinner

Dinner Jewelry

Dinner

Electronic Music

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Dinner

“By the end of your first year here, you just want to high-five yourself.”

i chose putney because I could see it was a school that trusted its students to work independently without teachers looking over their shoulders. And it looked like fun. (I went to a very rowdy Sing on my visit to Putney.) I thought I’d study photography, but I got interested in so many other things. I built a parabolic solar cooler my first Project Week. I took Music and Spanish and wrote some songs in Spanish. I built a traditional Adirondack chair. I really got into science, particularly physics. I did a research paper on whether the Church of Scientology should be taxed, and another on Putney during the McCarthy years. It’s not all easy, but by the end of your first year here, you just want to high-five yourself. The teachers here understand that we all have very different learning styles. They find the explanations and the questions that keep us engaged and interested. And sometimes they just say, “Go figure it out!” They trust us to participate in community decisions. I’m on the Standards Committee, which makes decisions about disciplinary action. I’m also on the student council. We are passionate about this place. We live here.

I’ve gotten very involved in raising money for CITTA, a nonprofit that focuses on health, education, and economic development in India and Nepal, helping to build hospitals, schools, and women’s economic development centers. I’m so much more comfortable with myself, with public speaking, with taking on leadership roles since I came to Putney, and I’m more a part of this community because of that confidence. Some of this comes from classroom work and some from the group work we do on campus. I’ve also gotten so much better at thinking critically, without necessarily making a judgment. There are so many opinions out there! A lot of places don’t teach you how to be on your own. But at Putney, if it’s cold out and you don’t feel like doing your work, you just do it. You learn how to structure your time and set priorities. After all, there isn’t a CEO in the world who is going to stand in front of a blackboard and say: “This is what I want you to do next!”

ERICA’s FA L L

year :

S P RING

American Studies Spanish 4 Precalculus Physics A

Writing and Research Spanish 4 Precalculus Physics B

Sculpture American Studies Precalculus Spanish 4 College Planning Seminar

Afternoon Activity

XC Running Team

Renaissance Fencing

Jazz Dance

Evening Art

Weaving

Figure Drawing

Creative Writing

Work/Job

Dinner Crew

Reynolds Building: Head Cleaner

Lunch Kitchen Cleanup

Electromagnetic Induction Toys

Building Adirondack Chairs

Project Week

www.putneyschool.org/erica

Curriculum

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WINTER

i’m on my way to teach kids in a school on the

though I was ready to be creative on my own. There’s a lot of figuring out who you are in those first border of India and Bhutan for the summer before two years. I go to the Rhode Island School of Design next Lynne taught me everything I know, technically. year. A group of Putney students are going with our I’ve had her for four years. I’ve learned things from chemistry teacher, Hilary. We’re going to talk her that I know most high school students never get about progressive education, do some projects, and to learn (alternative painting techniques, how to meditate! I’m going to take photos and keep hand-coat paper, for example — once we used a journal. Kool-Aid!). Plus, I was able to do an internship with I didn’t fall in love with Putney the first time I the photographer Sally Mann. came here. I fell in love the second time. You know what got me? I read about a particular student on I’ve learned so much seeing what other students have the website. When I came for a second visit, I just done here. As we study with different teachers — and happened to meet her. That made a big impression as we study different subjects — our work changes. on me. It meant that the community was small enough I like that we participate in the community that I could get to know people pretty quickly. “down the hill,” in life in Putney village. This school Then there’s the Art Department, which is so is a part of that community. And I like the work much better than at any other school. I think it was program. It’s been great to work with my hands, not Evening Arts my sophomore year that I realized how just to make art, but to milk cows — even the less many great skills I had already acquired and how exciting jobs have taught me a lot about how to do much I knew about traditional photography. I felt as things well, even if no one sees your work.

“As we study with different teachers—and as we study different subjects—our work changes.”

“Flannery’s enthusiasm and open heart guide her as a student and drive her love of photography. She finds beauty in everything—from a rural landscape to a decomposing horse. It is her passion to share all she carefully frames.” —Lynne Weinstein, Art Department Chair

www.putneyschool.org/flannery

flannery’s FA L L

WINTER

S P RING

Curriculum

Existentialism Introduction to Astronomy Photography College Application Seminar

Social Documentary Studies Philosophical Themes in Literature Printmaking

Ornithology Revolutions: A Comparative Study Senior Exhibition

Afternoon Activity

Women’s Soccer

XC Skiing

Woods Crew

Evening Art

Jewelry Making

Figure Sculpture

Book Arts & Literary Magazine

Work/Job

Milk Lunch Helper

Barn Night Feeding

Dinner Waiter

Practicing Yoga and Meditation

Modern Day Sexism: Depicted in 1950’s Style Ads

Project Week

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“It sounds simple, but I’ve learned how important communication is.”

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i came to putney from the New International School in Tokyo. I’ve been playing violin since the second grade, and I love it, but when I came here I thought long and hard about whether I really wanted to be a musician. I thought about which parts of it I was doing for my mother, and which part for me. I tried new things. I realize how much I love the violin, but also that I might want to do something different with music — perhaps musical therapy. I realized that my biggest passion might not be classical music! I feel a great sense of responsibility at Putney — to help take care of the school. Do I love all of the jobs? No. But I try to do them well. My biggest challenge at Putney was learning to ask for help. I was so nervous. But at Putney we all perform a lot, and that helped me to build confidence in myself and in my English! I’ve gotten better at communicating with my teachers. It sounds simple, but I’ve learned how important communication is. Now I don’t hesitate to ask questions.

I love the people here. There is no bullying. In the beginning I stayed close with the international students, now I feel comfortable with everyone. I don’t have one best friend, I have many friends.

FERN’s MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Breakfast /Dish Crew

Advanced Literature

Music Theory

Advanced Literature

Algebra 2

Chemistry & Microbiology

Algebra 2

Assembly

Conference Block

Assembly

Conference Block

Chemistry & Microbiology

Sing

Conference Block

Conference & Advisory

12 pm

Chem & Microbio

Advanced Literature

Lunch

Music Theory

Algebra 2

Lunch

Algebra 2

Chem & Microbio

Advanced Literature

Music Theory

7 am 8 9

Intermediate Ballet

Lunch

Intermediate Ballet

4 5 6 7 8 9

Dinner

Dinner Orchestra

Dinner

www.putneyschool.org/fernanda

Orchestra

Music Theory

i came to putney from china by myself — at first

for a summer program. I’d never been to the U.S. before. After 24 hours of traveling, I arrived at Putney. It was like a movie, like Harry Potter — remember the train ride to Hogwarts? Like that. The bus drove up to the top of the hill. I saw a huge barn filled with cows. I heard happy voices. I went out for a run and on the edge of the forest I saw a deer. When I woke the first morning I had the feeling of being home. But not home. This is a small community. We say hello to each other. I have responsibilities. I want to do things for the community. I’ve grown braver about speaking out. You know why? Because people here care about me more than they care about language. They want to know me. I feel like I am in paradise. There is music everywhere. It’s like a movie, but I am fully engaged in the movie. I empty myself out to be in this movie. And it opens another side of me. A new personality. In six weeks, I learned so much

English. I feel that English fits my nature better than Chinese. I have more words to express conflict, sudden change, wildness. In this new culture, I learn more about myself. I have a chance to do everything. In the last three years, I have taken so many art classes. In China, I would not have been given so many choices. I have a dream to be an architect. So a teacher helped me to fill out applications for a six-week program at Syracuse University. My friends helped me to submit my portfolio. At Syracuse, I found I am actually good at architecture. I draw, I sketch, I make models. When I returned to Putney, I started my own studio on campus. My friend and I find a classroom and desks. We design a master plan for a high school. We consider everything — the place, the students, the curriculum, the philosophy, the public and private spaces. It is based in part on Putney. I discovered dance at Putney. I made the connection between my mind and my body. There is a sense of freedom here.

“People here care about me more than they care about language. They want to know me. I feel like I am in paradise.”

harry’s MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Breakfast

Forms of the Essay

Sculpture

Forms of the Essay

Art History

Physics

Art History

Assembly

Conference Block

Physics

11 12 pm

Physics

Forms of the Essay

Lunch/Kitchen Boss

Art History

Physics

Jazz Dance

Yoga

7 am 8

www.putneyschool.org/harry

Lunch/Kitchen Boss Dance Ensemble

Sing

Assembly

Conference Block

Conference & Advisory

Sculpture

Art History

Lunch/Kitchen Boss

Forms of the Essay

Sculpture

Sculpture Lunch/Kitchen Boss

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5 6 7 8 9

Yoga

Dinner

Musical Theater Cabaret

Dinner

“I feel as though I was going through life asleep before I came here.”

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putney is a really good fit for me . Because it is

small (my old school had 2000 kids) you can have strong relationships with your teachers. I really like the work jobs — in the kitchen and the barn. The tasks are repetitive and meditative. It’s great to start your day working. Shoveling gutters, milking cows — you see the products of your work — there’s a tangible, physical benefit. No pale, dusty scholars here! I’ve grown tremendously at Putney. I feel as though I was going through life asleep before I came here. By senior year, I expect to be really present in every moment! There is a fantastic, well-layered support system at Putney — your roommate, your friends, the faculty, your advisor, and then, of course, your family. And there are so many opportunities for leadership. I’ve been elected to the Standards

Committee — we listen to people describe their situations, then we ask questions, we debate and talk, sometimes for hours until we reach a decision about consequences. We don’t just give out punishment, but rather guide them to a realization about how their actions affected others. I feel that the basic life skills I’ve learned here are really going to help me in college and beyond.

“Henry has a great desire to bring people together and celebrate what’s good about our world. He was one of eight students who went on the Beets & Streets trip where we traveled the country looking at examples of urban agriculture. We had such a wonderful group and had such an amazing time. I’m so excited I get to spend another two years with such a wonderful student.” —Dawn Zweig, Science Department

HENRY’s WINTER

S P RING

Curriculum

English: Forms of the Essay History of the Modern World Geometry Chemistry & Microbiology Health Seminar

English: Foundations of Literary Analysis French 2 Geometry Photography

History of the Modern World French 2 Chemistry & Microbiology Printmaking

Afternoon Activity

Fitness Conditioning

Recycling

Rock Climbing

Evening Art

Ballroom Dancing

Music Production and Recording

Book Arts & Literary Magazine

The Art of Public Speaking Work/Job Project Week

Breakfast Crew

Calder Hall Crew

Morning Barn

Four-Stroke Compression Engine

Exploring Alternative Methods of Learning French

www.putneyschool.org/henry

FA L L

i came to putney because I wanted to get out of the city and try something new. This was the perfect place for it. Everyone is very supportive and into trying new things. Last fall, I did a photography project — portraits of people in New York and people here. I’m really enjoying History—we learn about events that shape the way we live now and we are constantly applying the things we learn to our own lives. I’ve learned a lot about myself — for example, how to look back over my work, particularly in math. I like to listen more than talk, so I’m trying to balance that out. I’m good with time management, but there are so many options here, it’s important to choose and focus, so that you can go deeper into particular subjects. I’m learning how to make choices.

“I’m learning how to make choices.”

jeffrey’s MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Barn

Breakfast

Chemistry & Microbiology

Geometry

Chemistry & Microbiology

Modern World History

Assembly

Conference Block

6 am 7 8

Chem & Microbio

Lunch

Sing

Assembly

Conference Block

Conference & Advisory

Geometry

Modern World History

Lunch

Chem & Microbio

Geometry

Modern World History

Basketball

Dinner

6 7 8 9

Music Production

Digital Photography

Dinner

Lunch

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Lunch

Geometry

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www.putneyschool.org/jeffrey

12 pm

Modern World History

how many pl aces can you go where people learn for the pure joy of it? When I came to Putney I was a very busy person — always doing something. But I wasn’t really taking the time to stop and think about things, to connect the dots. My education before Putney was all about memorizing and leaping through hoops. I hated math and science. All that has changed (maybe not the busy part). I’m studying musical composition — I’ve written a ballet and an opera. I’m fascinated by anatomy. I’ve learned how to slow down and enjoy concepts, to take the subjects I love and apply them to everyday life. I’ve learned how to balance work and play. And mix them up. At Putney, we are given the basics and then we build on the basics. We challenge the basics and find new applications for them. We study subjects in context — who were the composers, what was it like to live in their time and culture?

The interdisciplinary curriculum allows us to be creative with the things we learn, to see how science and music share common elements. I grew up with a Disney-esque idea of creativity. I’ve learned that creativity is about being able to use ideas. I never thought of myself as a role model until I came to Putney. It turns out people look up to me! I’m on the Queer/Straight Alliance and the Diversity Committee. I’m in Math Club. The people here are, well, multidimensional. My advisor, Ann-Marie White is like my mother. And teachers expect you to go the extra mile. What do I mean by that? It means the teachers know when you really put in the effort. This is a place where you develop study habits without authority figures hovering around you all of the time. You learn how to manage your time and how to live away from home.

“Jules has grown and changed much in her four years here. Never one to step into others’ assumptions, Jules carves a world and identity out for herself that is unique and powerful. She strives to open her arms wide to make room from others to safely grow and shine with all the support she can muster.” —Ann-Marie White, Academic Dean & Science Department Faculty

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FA L L

WINTER

S P RING

Curriculum

Creative Writing Revolutions: A Comparative Study Music Composition Anatomy & Physiology College Application Seminar

Music Intensive Philosophical Themes in Literature Calculus 2 Molecular Genetics

Spanish 6 Music Intensive Calculus 2

Afternoon Activity

Weights & Fitness

Maintenance Crew

Running and Fitness

Evening Art

Creative Writing

Latin Dance

The Art of Public Speaking

Sunday Brunch Cook

Dinner Sous Chef

Un Pintor y Su Musa: Composing the Opera

Setting Poetry for a Four-Part Choir

Music Practice Work/Job Project Week

Dinner Waiter

www.putneyschool.org/jules

“I’ve learned that creativity is about being able to use ideas.”

jules’s

i grew up in seoul in a family of entrepreneurs.

Most of my family went to British boarding schools, but I wanted to go to a progressive school, where the learning would be hands-on and where I could study independently while learning the fundamentals. Most of the places I looked at were teaching students how not to be independent. At Putney we don’t just learn how to adapt to the world. We work to figure out how to change it.

I’ve started a small company with a few of my friends at Putney, making ice cream. I chose a leading Vermont ice cream company, and researched the family, their philosophy and the way they make ice cream. I teamed up with them to create a new brand called Elm Lea, after Elm Lea Farm (that serves as home to Putney). I’ve learned that business is so much more than profit and loss — it is truly about relationships, how you feel about your work and how people talk to each other. I came to Putney with a passion for singing and songwriting and it has only grown. Before Putney, I never had true friends, so this has been a huge part of my experience. I’ve gotten to know people really well — I count on them and this is a great source of happiness. I think at a more competitive school I might not have formed such tight relationships. I’m not a great exam taker, but I’m a good worker and a good leader — something that probably doesn’t show up in exam scores. I have a deep lineage of East Asian values and priorities. You can’t avoid your heritage, but a tree needs many roots.

“At Putney we don’t just learn how to adapt to the world. We work to figure out how to change it.”

juno’s FA L L

WINTER

S P RING

American Studies Chinese 2 Algebra 2 Chemistry

American Studies Writing and Research Algebra 2 Chinese 2

American Studies Chemistry Creative Music College Planning Seminar

Afternoon Activity

Boys Soccer

Alpine Skiing

Jazz Dance

Evening Art

Madrigals

Digital Photography

Songwriting

Post Office Helper

Lunch Kitchen Boss

Music Production of Different Genres & Styles: Songwriting and Performing

Music Production: Songwriting & Performing

www.putneyschool.org/juno

Curriculum

Work/Job Project Week

Milk Lunch Helper

International Business Plan and Marketing: Korean Red Ginseng

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here’s the thing about putney: You have to

“Education is not a competition.”

year :

contribute to the community in order to be here. The good news is that this is a skill you also really need to be happy in the world — the ability to contribute, even if it is in a small way. For example, one of my jobs was cleaning the basement bathroom in my dorm. I took this job very seriously and I felt proud of the work I did. This is of course also true in class. We focus on taking pride in our work, not on grades. Education is not a competition. All my life I’ve gotten comments from teachers like, “Kayla is very quiet. Kayla is a good student.” Well, this last marking period, I got comments about my participation in class, my efforts to share my thoughts, the fact that I was more present and engaged! It was amazing to see that. I found a way to put myself out there, to reflect on what I needed to learn and ask for it. I’m a math/science person, but here that means so much more. It means molecular genetics, physics, astronomy, the chemistry of microbiology. I’ve also taken fiber arts. In one Project Week, I combined

KAYLA’s

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fiber arts and science to knit a dress that used the colors of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our teachers don’t just know us in the classroom — they see us everywhere. My lacrosse coach is my advisor. Being on the team, I’ve gotten to know a lot of Juniors and Seniors. People are friends across grades here. It’s a level playing field. In middle school, I was risk averse. The confidence and independence I’ve developed here is helping me to make better decisions.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Breakfast

Spanish 3

Foundations of Literary Analysis

Spanish 3

Algebra 2

Modern World History

Algebra 2

Assembly

Conference Block

Modern World History

11 12 pm

Modern World History

Spanish 3

Lunch

Algebra 2

Modern World History

7 am 8 9

Rock Climbing

Assembly Conference & Advisory

Literary Analysis

Algebra 2

Lunch

Spanish 3

Literary Analysis

Gardening

Literary Analysis Lunch

Gardening

4 5 6 7 8 9

Dinner/Cleanup

Orchestra

Knitting

Dinner/Cleanup

www.putneyschool.org/kayla

Lunch

Sing Conference Block

i started coming to putney when I was five or six — my older sister went here. I’m the youngest of five. So Putney felt familiar to me, and yet it is truly a place where you are forced to step outside your comfort zone. You can’t fake your way out of a challenge here; you can’t say “no, I don’t feel like learning now.” The teachers won’t let you. We have tight bonds with our teachers, and conversations that last all four years! In spite of the familiarity, I faced a bit of culture shock when I came to Putney. I’m from the south, from Virginia. So to try and understand what I was going through, I did a cultural comparison for my first Project Week. I interviewed people in their sixties about what it was like to be in a racial minority in Virginia and also in Vermont. I worked hard on my presentation, and was very nervous. You have to understand, at Putney, we clap for everything. But I was amazed when the entire audience rose up! I love this place.

I did community service at a school in Pennsylvania and came back to Putney after two weeks feeling so much older. I’m becoming who I want to be. Every year, I feel like I depend on the approval of others a little less. I’m an overachiever, it’s true, but now it’s not so much that I want my parents to be proud of me, or even my teachers. I am proud of me. There are things happening at Putney that just don’t happen at other schools. Take Sing. On a good Sing day, you leave the auditorium feeling like you can do anything. We run the work program, we participate in decision making at Putney. This has shown me that I really want to take on a leadership role in the work I do in the future. I want to go on to a college where I will be able to lead. We work hard here. What does that mean? It means we make sacrifices to get things done. We are engaged. We are passionate. We struggle.

“We work hard here. What does that mean? It means we make sacrifices to get things done. We are engaged. We are passionate. We struggle.”

“Mollie has a creative intellect that she applies to everything she does here, from classes, theater and student leadership, to afternoon activities and work jobs. Ultimately, she’s a thinker that relishes her insights, not narcissistically but because she recognizes their relevance and beauty and is grateful to have them.” —Juan Rodriguez, English & Modern Language Departments

MOLLIE’s FA L L

WINTER

S P RING

Precalculus Physics Theater Workshop American Studies

Physics Precalculus American Studies Spanish 1

American Studies Writing and Research Spanish 1

Afternoon Activity

Horseback Riding

XC Skiing

Ballet & Jazz Dance

Evening Art

Creative Writing

Ballroom Dancing

Theater

Work/Job

Head Tour Guide

Dinner Kitchen Boss

Reynolds Building: Head Cleaner

Writing an Elizabethan Tragedy

A Cultural Comparison of Virginia vs. Vermont: Racial Minorities before 1953

www.putneyschool.org/mollie

Curriculum

Project Week

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