Middle School Community Week

A weeklong celebration of discovery

Middle School students experienced a fun, fast-paced five days during September’s Community Week. They trekked through nature trails, collaborated in team-building activities, and immersed themselves in new ways of thinking.

“Middle School Community Week gives students opportunities to get to know their classmates and teachers better, hone their collaborative skills, test themselves during ‘challenge activities,’ and create lasting memories,” said Middle School Director Susan Atkinson.

Free Play And Muddy Art

At Wildrock, a nature playscape in the Blue Ridge foothills, sixth graders got their hands dirty with “mud art.” After gathering water from the creek and soil from the mountainside, they created “paint brushes” using flora from the bird sanctuary. They also toured the different landscapes of the property while participating in a scavenger hunt. Back on campus, our sixth graders tie-dyed T-shirts, attended a workshop on manners, and joined forces in team-building exercises.

Workshops And Field Trips

For seventh graders, Community Week was packed with activities, including a digital archives presentation on Steward’s history from Shahwar Qureshi ’90, director of technology. They also learned how to cite sources when conducting research, thanks to a workshop led by Crystal

Hamlin, Middle School/Upper School librarian. Field trips to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Maymont, and Washington, D.C., rounded out the week.

Into The Wilderness

At Wilderness Adventure in the Blue Ridge mountains, eighth graders enjoyed a technology-free, adventurous week. They tackled a ropes course, scaled new heights on a climbing wall, and whizzed through the air via a zipline. Students also discovered new terrain through mountain biking and explored the wonders of caving. In the evenings, campers met in activity groups to debrief the day and played board games.