16 minute read
Unbounded Afternoons
UNBOUNDED
AFTERNOONS, AFTERWARDS & EVERYWHERE
BY JOHN FERRARI
Webb’s unbounded education doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It doesn’t stop at the edge of campus. And it doesn’t stop when classes end for the day. An unbounded education takes Webb students outside the classroom, beyond campus and through the afternoons and weekends. An unbounded education takes place everywhere.
“That comes straight from our
mission statement,” says Head of
Schools Taylor Stockdale. “Our goal
is to nurture students to think boldly,
mindfully, and creatively, act with
honor and moral courage, lead with
distinction, and serve with a generous
spirit. Academics is the core of the
daily schedule, but reaching our goal
takes more than that. It takes ethics
and morality, understanding the world
we share…. It takes experience.”
ACADEMICS IS A BIG PART OF THE WEBB EXPERIENCE, AND THAT’S WHERE UNBOUNDED STARTS: WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT LEARNING TAKES PLACE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, AS WELL AS IN IT. Webb is uniquely positioned for this unbounded learning. “Webb’s location is a huge part of the school,” explains Director of Experiential Learning Dr. Susanna Linsley. “We’re at the intersection of the natural and built environments, in these beautiful foothills but also right next to Los Angeles.” A
From trails in the San Gabriel mountains, to laboratories at the Claremont Colleges, to start-ups and business suites in Los Angeles, Webb students enrich their academic experience with realworld experiences. Ç2ur location offers unique opportunities,” says Assistant Head of Schools Dr. Theresa 6mith. Ç/os Angeles is an incredible site of scientific and
artistic creation…. There’s not any industry that’s not wellrepresented in L.A., and we constantly develop connections and partnerships Æ from field trips to ongoing research projects — that allow students to connect with the kind of work they might do after graduation.
“As an example, our organic chemistry course has access to the mass spectrometer at Pomona College. Even today, not many high schools have a mass spectrometer. In the arts, this past fall I took students from my own class to see Mozart’sMagic Flute at the LA Opera in an innovative staging combining opera with elements of silent movies from the 1920s. That’s going beyond the classroom to experience something that’s only in L.A.”
“Los Angeles really becomes an extended classroom for our
students,” adds Director of Studies Michael Hoe ’04. “Most
boarding schools are in really remote areas. Webb is at the
edge of Los Angeles, which is incredibly diverse. It’s really all
of Southern California: Webb can draw on resources at the
Claremont Colleges, and resources in Pasadena, the South Bay
and Orange County.
“We have an arrangement with a professor at Harvey Mudd College: students interested in advanced computer programming can take college-level courses. That’s right down the street. But then we also take students camping as part of our literature and the wilderness course.”
“There are so many r esources near us,” says Linsley. “From the Autry Museum and the Huntington Library to the Los Angeles Public Library. Unbounded learning can take place even during a single class period — for example, Michelle Gerken taking her global societies and sustainability students to the Bernard Field Station, or taking a Chinese language class to a dim sum restaurant in Rowland Heights. Last year I took a class to Scripps College and was able to hold a Babylonian cuneiform tablet that was thousands of years old.
“The litmus test for field study success is this question: Did you
experience something you haven’t before? That’s unbounded
education, because it goes beyond just learning something to
experiencing it.”
UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020
The purpose is clear. Unbounded Days draws upon The Webb Schools’ enduring purpose of inspiring students to boldly reach for a greater sense of who they are and what they can achieve. Through immersive, collaborative, relevant and deeply engaging journeys that connect the classroom and the broader world, students expand their understanding of what it means to think, create and reflect. They learn that their possibilities and their minds are truly unbounded.
When Robert A. Hefner III ’53 made a generous endowment gift to the schools, he made provisions to enable Webb to learn directly from extraordinary individuals. In this spirit, Unbounded Days was created. It has grown not only from Mr. Hefner’s personal thirst for creativity and love of exploration, but also out of his deep admiration for one of his former Webb teachers, Dr. Ray Alf, who first showed him how to think beyond what he could see.
Unbounded Days is supported by the Robert A. Hefner III ’53 Endowment for Excellence in Science.
PERHAPS THE MOST UNIQUE RESOURCE FOR WEBB STUDENTS IS ON CAMPUS: THE RAYMOND M. ALF MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY. ESTABLISHED BY WEBB TEACHER RAY ALF IN 1939— many years before it was named after him — today the Alf Museum is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums and is the only nationally accredited museum on a high school campus in the United States. The Alf Museum maintains close ties to The Webb Schools and provides oneof-a-kind opportunities for students, from fossil-collecting “peccary trips” across the United States and internationally, to research projects. Student projects at the museum are “professional-level activities,” says Museum Director Dr. Don Lofgren. “That kind of work is not available for students even at most undergrad institutions.” There are about two dozen Webb students involved in research projects, Lofgren says, but every Webb student can engage with the Alf Museum through the peccary trips — a treasured Webb tradition — and paleontology and museum research classes. And the experiences encompass more than paleontology, he adds. “The projects teach skills from the specifics of data analysis to broad questions like how to figure out the knowledge needed to solve a problem or answer a question.È
“The idea of teaching skills like this is to empower students to be scientists,” explains Augustyn Family Curator, and Director of Research and Collections Dr. Andrew Farke. “Mastering content doesn’t make you a scientist; science is a method of interacting with the world.
“Traditional science teaching can be disassociated from actual science,” he continues. “That can be frankly boring.” Webb’s emphasis on unbounded experiences lets students look at the world from new perspectives. On peccary trips, student discoveries extend beyond fossilized dinosaurs (although those do turn up), Farke says. “Peccary trips give students experience with different social and cultural milieus. Being out there, in ,daho or Montana, emphasizes the diversity of the U.S., and gives kids the experience of really being outside. There are moments when the students realize how different the environment is. ,t brings a different level of selfawareness. )or the students, the whole experience embodies the idea that they can make a discovery.”
UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020
Research with Drones: The Role of Technology in BIOLOGY and CONSERVATION Conservation technology is an ever-evolving field as we learn to apply our knowledge of statistics, engineering and biology to complex socio-political problems. In this course, we will look at ways that technology is being incorporated into conservation science on both a local and global scale. We will interweave foundational field techniques with cutting-edge technology used in conservation science today. We get down and dirty with insects, fly high with drones, use spatial statistics too and maps created using ArchGIS and cap off the experience by imagining how futuristic technology can help reconnect humanity with nature at the San Diego Zoo. After an exciting day learning about conservation technology at the San Diego Zoo, we will enjoy some delicious Mexican food and reflect on our day at a beach bonfire (with banana boats). The culmination of our time together will be a presentation of the data we’ve collected and analyzed in the context of local ecology and its connections to policy. Faculty: Carissa DeRanek & Nika Haleftiras
Canyoneering in Zion Ready for adventure? On this exciting five-day trip, we’ll explore the “red rock country” of the Southwest and spend our final days in Zion National Park. Using a variety of techniques—rock scrambling, climbing, rappelling on rope and even swimming (dry suits will keep us warm)—we will traverse the selfie-worthy topography of red rocks through slot canyoneering. Cutting through Navajo Sandstone, our technical canyoneering skills will help us explore terrain firsthand. You’ll learn the skills you need from experts, who will guide us through rock formations and underground pools that were formed millions of years ago. Our final canyon—The Narrows—is home to one of the world’s best slot canyon hikes, following the Virgin River. Short dry hikes and wall climbs will round out our time as we enjoy some of the most breathtaking views in the Southwest! Spend four nights under the starry skies on this once in a Webb lifetime experience! Faculty: Melanie Bauman & Lisa Blomberg
22 FALL/WINTER 2020 WEBB MAGAZINE THE WEBB SCHOOLS webb.orgFALL/WINTER MAGAZINE SCHOOLS webb.org he Alf Museum and peccary trips may be Webb’s most iconic extracurricular activities, but unbounded experiential opportunities hardly end there: students can explore everything from robotics to technical theater, community service and travel. Students who like to work with skeletons that are more metal than fossil can join Webb’s robotics team, which participates in the international FIRST Robotics Competition each year. Being part of the team, which designs, builds and deploys robots in competition (and cooperation) at meets, gives students an unbounded STEM experience, allowing them to tie knowledge and skills together, in areas that normally would be kept separate in the classroom. “There’s computer science and engineering,” says computer science teacher and robotics afternoon activity advisor Carissa DeRanek. “You have to integrate the software with the hardware, and that’s something most students don’t see, even in college classes…. Beyond that, there are a lot of skills. Game design and logic is important to figure out your strategy and what T UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020 Kayaking the Colorado River Join us for Webb’s first ever Unbounded Days kayaking expedition of the Colorado River. This is no glamping trip. You w ill paddle about 8 miles each day, stopping for lunch along the way. The section of the river we will navigate is moving flatwater with no rapids—just beautiful green water. Each night we will prepare our meals and camp near the river. Along the way you will develop or strengthen your outdoor leaderships skills including communication, navigation, collaboration and mental toughness. In addition, you will learn to identify and appreciate the different eco-systems of the Colorado River Basin, star gaze and consider the economic impact the 1,450-mile river has on the region, most notably the way it fuels agriculture in the Southwest. View the land and water from a completely different vantage point and challenge your body and mind along the way. Faculty: Brian Caldwell & Rick Duque
A Time to Play: The Art of Dramatic Writing In a word, it starts with words. Join us on a three-day investigation into what makes a successful script for the stage or screen. We will connect with theater experts for conversations on craft and what really makes Star Wars tick. And you will do some creating yourself! We will journey into Los Angeles for inspiration and writing exercises (and some good food); and over the course of the three days you will create a short play that will be performed on our last night together. Whether you are a budding play or screenwriter or just someone who wants to try their hand at something new, be prepared to immerse yourself into the world of dramatic writing. You never know, a Tony Award or Oscar just might be out there in your future! Faculty: Stef Plumley & Brian Rogers you want your robot to do.” As team members, students also
work through organization, goal setting, project management
and communication. “In the short term, it builds really good
camaraderie among the students. In the longer term, it’s a good
introduction to engineering. There are a lot of different niches you
can fill on the team… and see what calls to you.”
If there’s a unifying thread in Webb’s unbounded activities, it’s that they give students experiences, and teach skills, beyond what’s found in their descriptions. Like robotics team members, students in Webb’s technical theater program build communications skills, learn teamwork and have life experiences – in this case, the responsibility for ensuring the success of live performances. “They learn a lot of life skills,” says Technical Theater Program Director Alex Valdez. “The
biggest is being proactive – to step up and do what needs to be done.” That’s important, he explains, when you’re designing the lighting for a play, managing the props for a musical, or even just ensuring the audiovisual equipment is properly set for a class taking place in the school’s Susan A. Nelson Performing Arts Center. On one of the technical theater program’s crews, doing what needs to be done usually means working together, and that’s another skill Valdez encourages: the ability to collaborate.
Giving and receiving constructive criticism is important, too. “All
aspects of our program are in students’ hands,” he explains.
“They need to work together to come up with the best plan,
and not just a plan they came up with individually…. That’s
the biggest lesson I want them to learn: commit to everything
you do, but don’t get attached to it. And be passionate about
everything you do…. That’s important for later in life.”
6tudents involved in the technical theater program benefit the Webb community; those involved in the community service program help connect the school community and the broader community. Science faculty member and community service advisor John Choi understands what that can mean, and describes the program as community engagement or community partnership. “There shouldn’t be a hierarchy between Webb and the groups we’re working with,” he explains. “They’re helping us as much as we’re helping them.” &ommunity engagement, he adds, exemplifies an unbounded education at Webb, because it gives students opportunities to experience other cultures and understand other perspectives. “Being part of it is really a window for many of them.”
To bring these strands together, Choi is planning a trip to Hawaii this summer, during which students will work to rebuild fishponds. ,tÊs an opportunity, he says, to combine cultural immersion, environmental science and sustainability. “Taking the students out of their usual environment, this is a way for them to understand history, culture, and environmental sustainability from another perspective. They’ll be engaging in a culture that so values their environment and so values their cultural capital.”
UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020
It’s Alive! A Journey into Contemporary Horror
This four-day Unbounded course will lead students on an odyssey of the weird, the spooky, the unsettling and the downright terrifying. While we aim to make you cringe, we w ill do so with a clear goal in mind—to give you a better understanding of how and why contemporary writers, filmmakers and artists are twisting and deconstructing the tried-and-true tropes of the horror genre. We aim to participate in the current horror renaissance by helping students understand the deeply thoughtful underpinnings of an often misunderstood field. Students in this course should expect one overnight trip to a horrifying location and day trips to museums, art galleries, studios and other sites where artists are working to manifest universal fears into something tangible we will navigate together. As a culminating project, students will create their own piece of contemporary horror. CONTENT WARNING: Students may find some imagery and content explicit and disturbing. Faculty: Elizabeth Cantwell & Wendy Maxon
think students have transformational experiences when they are making an authentic difference,” says Science Department Chair Lisa Blomberg. “This trip is about ethics and responsibility and science as well as culture and service.” “ I
These and the other unbounded opportunities :ebb offers are very intentional, says Assistant Head Dr. Smith — they are intended to allow students to explore their interests, discover new interests, and build experiences. “We don’t just have opportunities here; we also entice students to experience things,” she explains. “There’s a culture of trying things you haven’t experienced before, because this is part of the school’s culture and ethos.”
The idea that an unbounded education goes beyond the classroom and beyond academics extends to the playing field. Webb requires students to participate in a team sport each year, but the goal of the athletics program is much more than sports, says Director of Athletics Steve Wishek. “Sports is an integral part of the education of our students,” he explains. “It builds character and leadership, and for teammates, serving with a kind spirit…. Teamwork can happen in a classroom, but there’s something about the crucible of competition that makes those lessons stick.”
Those lessons include how to deal with failure, and be stronger
for it. Some Webb students may never have faced adversity or
failure, Wishek notes. “Winning is not the ultimate goal. We’re
trying to develop the character and well-being of our students
through sports. This is an academic institution first, and our
values in the classroom and on the sports field are the same.
That’s a powerful unifying experience.”
Because every Webb student participates in athletics, the program is notable for the Çsheer breadth of offerings that we have…. It’s just an amazing number of opportunities,” Wishek says. “I want there to be sports for every student. The bottom line is what we want is a great experience for the students, and we meet our students where they are in their experience level and interest,” whether that’s continuing in a sport at which they excel, or trying a sport for the first time.
Head of Schools Stockdale sums up the philosophy of an
unbounded education: “It’s about the experiences you have,”
he says. “Kids learn through experience. Beyond the knowledge
they get in t he classroom, they need to understand how to use
that knowledge, and that’s all about experiences. Learning is
really the knowledge and the experiences together.”
“Learning is something that takes place anywhere,” Farke adds. “We start by saying, ‘let’s go make some discoveries.’”
