Unbounded Education at The Webb Schools by The Webb Schools

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

or Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale, unbounded is in the very fabric of The Webb Schools. “When he founded The Webb School, Thompson Webb emphasized honor and moral courage, leadership and service, and those are timeless values we continue to cherish today,” he explains. “But even then, almost 100 years ago, understanding and applying those virtues required an unbounded mindset: innovative thinking and the ability to solve problems, not just to recite facts. Nurturing that unbounded mindset has always been what Webb does best.”

BY JOHN FERRARI

What does unbounded look like at Webb? How is it lived, here? How is learning unbounded inside Webb’s rigorous, college-prep academic program– and why?

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Beyond timeless values, what does unbounded mean today?

nbounded, says Assistant Head of

JEFF CRIPE ’08 Yale University, BA Jeff Cripe ’08 had already made his mark on the sciences when he headed off to Yale in 2008. In 2005, the young paleontologist discovered a site in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, that has produced dozens of specimens, some more than 75 million years old. Today, he is discovering new ways to bring services— similar to the way the airline industry monetizes flights with entertainment and commerce—to the ride-share economy through his company, Cargo. Cargo provides daily essentials like phone chargers, gum and snacks to passengers in ride-share vehicles. Cargo’s next big idea will be launched in early 2020. The start-up has already teamed with three leading ride-hailing companies—Uber, Grab and Go-Jek. Drivers strap Cargo’s box of snacks to their arm rest, and riders scan a QR code to pull up menus of what’s inside. The company has already raised $30 million from investors. “Half of becoming and succeeding as an entrepreneur is mustering the courage to take the leap in the first place,” says Cripe. “The unbounded thinking philosophy imprinted on me and is absolutely consistent with the entrepreneurial mindset.”

Schools Dr. Theresa Smith, means breaking down artificial boundaries and opening up opportunities for students,

rather than restricting them to a rigid educational program. “We

strive to have students think beyond traditional disciplines,” she says. “They need to understand how to apply knowledge, how to gain new knowledge, and how to ask new questions. As they head out into the world they need to be master learners, because they’re graduating into a world that’s continuing to evolve. “Webb has a history of embracing this expansive educational philosophy,” she adds. “But it’s become necessary for success in the 21st century. You can’t prepare students for success the same way so many schools did in the pre-Internet age. It’s not the same world.” Building on its history, Webb is pioneering new ways to foster unbounded thinking, from innovative curricula to dynamic student projects. Both the humanities and science curricula emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and encourage students to consider problems from more than one perspective. Webb’s recently redesigned core curricula integrate traditionally separate disciplines into unbounded, interdisciplinary courses. Humanities courses encompass English and history, for example, while science courses combine physics and chemistry with other fields, including biology, geology and paleontology.

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

TERENCE TIEN ’13 University of California, San Diego, BS Engineering “The happiest place on earth …” That’s where Terence Tien ’13 gets to go to work each day! As an Associate Project Engineer with Walt Disney Imagineering in the Design + Planning Studio, Tien works with the Imagineers who design the immersive built environments at Disney’s parks and resorts. In his role as a Project Engineer, he provides technical integration between all of Disney’s studio partners including Creative Show, Ride Engineering, R&D, Live Entertainment, and much more. “We use a series of 3D visualization tools and issuesresolution management to bring ideas from a sketch to a reality that guests can see, touch, feel and experience,” explains Tien. “This job has one of the most tangible rewards: one in which you get to directly see how your team's creations have created memorable experiences for the guests and families who come to visit the parks.” In college, Tien participated in the Disney Imaginations Design competition where his team of six was among the top finalists to present and interview for internships with the company. At Webb, it was an encounter during Unbounded Days 2012 that led to a career choice that would combine Tien’s dream job in a creative and technical position. “I was assigned to the Exploring Careers course. We were tasked with identifying what our dream job was, which sounded cheesy at first, but gave us the opportunity to dive deep and explore career options that peaked our interests,” says Tien. “I threw out that becoming an Imagineer sounded like a spectacular job, though it was a pipe dream at that point in time. Laura Wensley and Anne Stewart jumped through hoops to provide us with glimpses into the industries we had listed. As a result, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the Dreamworks campus as well as speak to a Webb alumnus at USC regarding video game development. The experience lasted less than a week and was seemingly insignificant in the greater timeline throughout high school; however, this week made a significant impact that continues to remind me to this day how every moment can and should be cherished, and it ultimately lead to the career I have today, where I do not feel I work a single day in my life.”

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

“ INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE COURSES TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO THINK LIKE SCIENTISTS, HOW TO DO RESEARCH LIKE SCIENTISTS. THAT GIVES STUDENTS THE CONFIDENCE TO ASK QUESTIONS THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, AND THAT’S HOW REAL SCIENCE WORKS.”

Webb’s interdisciplinary education gives students opportunities to consider and solve real problems, Director of Experiential Learning Dr. Susanna Linsley explains. “We’re always asking students to do real work…. From Day 1, they’re asked to do what scientists do, what scholars do, what engineers do…. You would never see a scholar not bring in other disciplines.” “There’s been a consensus in academic circles that interdisciplinary humanities have a great deal of merit,” says Humanities Department Chair Jess Fisher. But where most schools just dabble with an interdisciplinary approach, she adds, Webb has taken a bolder step, combining the humanities into a single interdisciplinary humanities department. The schools’ humanities courses teach discipline-specific skills such as critical analysis, composition and historical causality, but students weave in different topics, approaches and skill sets. In the 21st century, she notes, “skills are more important than encyclopedic knowledge.” That has led to a shift in educational thinking, away from a focus on canon knowledge and towards an emphasis on skills. Content and knowledge are still important, Fisher says, but emphasizing interdisciplinary skills allows students “to hone in on one or another aspect of the course. In interdisciplinary courses, there are multiple access points to the topic, and the more choices students have, the more they’ll get out of their education.” With this unbounded approach, students benefit from a “360-degree view” of the issues they’re studying, says Linsley. “Interdisciplinary education provides different lenses for students to view the same question. It gives them the perspectives and tools to think about topics deeply and creatively.” The interdisciplinary approach encourages students to engage with and understand material, she adds. “They’re never being given a watered-down version of a discipline. They’re being given the real version.”

This is just as true of Webb’s science curriculum. Interdisciplinary science courses “teach students how to think like scientists, how to do research like scientists,” says Science Department Chair Lisa Blomberg. Webb science courses emphasize science skills, critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills – not just arriving at the correct answer, she explains. “That gives students the confidence to ask questions they may not be able to answer, and that’s how real science works.”

MARJA DIAZ ’12 Stanford University, BA Human Biology with concentration in Behavioral Neuropsychology; minor in Italian Marja Diaz ’12 truly exemplified unbounded thinking in her first two years at Stanford University. “The unofficial Stanford motto is Die Luft der Freiheit weht, which translates to ‘the wind of freedom blows.’ I took this quite literally to heart when it came to my educational pursuits. This is a nice way of saying I took everything and anything in terms of courses throughout my first two years. While at times it may have seemed haphazard, there was always a common thread of media and science,” she says. Similar to Webb's Unbounded Days, Stanford also offered extended seminars called alternative spring breaks; Diaz went on the Stanford in Hollywood trip, which opened her eyes to the possibility of working in the entertainment industry. Combined with an overseas photojournalism seminar in South Africa that focused on conservation, Diaz was led to the perfect amalgamation that is the field of documentary films. She credits teacher Brett Potash with helping her to understand that learning doesn’t just come from academic pursuits inside a classroom. “His class helped me take to heart this idea of unbounded thinking, one that I brought with me to Stanford and ultimately to where I am now.” Diaz coordinates all stages of the creative progress, from development through production, for National Geographic’s documentary films and scripted series.

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

The interdisciplinary approach “prevents students from

AUDREY RANGEL ’00 George Washington University, BA International Relations and Affairs University of Sydney, Master of International Public Health Monash University, Registered Nursing As a medical team leader with Medecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Audrey Rangel ’00, works at a children’s hospital in Nigeria where her team treat patients with NOMA, an infection of the mouth and face. “As the head of the team, I ensure all clinical care. We also do surgical interventions for patients with facial deformities four times a year when international surgeons come in for two weeks,” says Rangel. Describing her job as “a lot of program planning, improvements on clinical care, supervision of staff, coordinating of medical stock and liaising with government officials,” Rangel has also worked in emergencies including the Ebola epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone, famine in South Sudan, Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and in the largest refugee camp in the world in Bangladesh. “At the end of the day, what I really do is play with kids for about an hour a day, and that is my favorite part!” she says. After completing her BA and Master’s degrees, Rangel realized she wanted to do more hands-on work directly with patients. “My training as a nurse has facilitated my career in emergency response with my masters giving me a more theoretical background,” she explains. At Webb, Rangel credits her advisor, Joanne Kingston, with encouraging compassion and giving in her students. “Ms. Kingston used to make us practice random acts of kindness once a week,” she says. “She really inspired me and fostered my humanitarian side; she even said to me at one point that she knew I would help people in my life. I hope I have made her proud.”

compartmentalizing information,” says science faculty member Dr. Nicole Windmon. “It builds skills to approach problems from multiple angles at once.

“Just anecdotally,” she adds, “I see a lot of schools trying to incorporate project-based, integrated science courses for these reasons, but Webb’s already where they want to be…. It’s not easy to teach interdisciplinary science courses: the teachers have to be comfortable thinking in different disciplines. The quality of the faculty we have here at Webb allows us to do that kind of interdisciplinary work.” “It’s tough to find really great teachers who can cross between disciplines,” agrees Blomberg. “It takes teachers who have a research background, or who are very experienced educators. Webb is fortunate to have such teachers.” Unbounded thinking brings the sciences and humanities together, too. “Many of us begin our science classes with ethical questions,” she notes. “It’s even part of the science department’s mission statement – we’re educating ethical, courageous global citizens.” “We want them to know, for example, that ethics is a consideration in science as much as it is in the humanities,” adds Smith. “That’s part of the importance of breaking down barriers between disciplines and perspectives: the world doesn’t keep topics separate.” All these ideas come together in the semester-long elective “Global Societies and Sustainability.” Led by humanities faculty member Michelle Gerken, the course surveys human-environmental interaction through perspectives including anthropology, history, literature, science and environmental writing, ecology, sustainability, biology and botany. Gerken says the course, with its goal of introducing students to different perspectives and ways of thinking, only works in an interdisciplinary, unbounded context. “It gives students different paths they can explore,” she explains. Combining readings with exploration of the local environment, in partnership with the Claremont Colleges’ Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, the elective goes beyond classroom study and crosses disciplines. The most recent course culminated in a class project focusing on Webb Schools land north of Chandler Field. Students surveyed the resident flora, rehabilitated a ½ mile trail and developed proposals for use of the area. Gerken envisions a collaboration between the class, the science department, and Webb’s outdoor activity and community service programs to maintain the area and investigate native and non-native landscapes.

“ YOU CAN’T TEACH A TEXT WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE WORLD THAT CREATED THE TEXT.”

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

hat’s unbounded thinking, and a collaboration across disciplines, curricula and perspectives that is “organic and a natural crossover,” says Blomberg. It’s also just one example of unbounded Webb courses. Another

humanities course might focus on very different perspectives. Take “L.A. Literary Culture.” Led by humanities faculty members Drew Calvert and Kevin Riel, the course goes beyond books (and movies) to explore the social, cultural and environmental contexts that produced, and continue to shape, Los Angeles, representations of Los Angeles and writings from Los Angeles. “You can’t teach a text without talking about the world that created the text,” explains Riel. Webb’s entrepreneurship elective is structured as “a creative thinking class as opposed to a traditional business class,” says humanities faculty member Will Allan ’94. Building skills as varied as multimedia presentation and applied science, “the interdisciplinary nature of the course is organic,” says fellow humanities faculty member Ken Rosenfeld. Balancing creativity and accuracy in developing and presenting their ideas, “we’re asking students to tap into aspects of their brain they haven’t had to in other classes.” That, Allan says, is “the core of entrepreneurship: the ability to look at a problem with new eyes.” And Webb’s core Integrated Physics and Chemistry course crosses disciplines and skill sets from the students’ first project, as they use physics, engineering, scientific measurement and design thinking to plan, build and test model roller coasters. A later project, in which students develop and analyze a sports drink, combines knowledge, disciplines and skills including chemical bonding, food science, stoichiometry and titration. Beyond science, the project encourages critical thinking about nutrition and marketing, says Windmon. As well as critical thinking and problem solving, communication is a core skill common to Webb courses. “Writing and communication are at the core of all

disciplines,” explains Linsley. “Not just scientific content, but how to communicate science is so important,” says Windmon. As are other “soft skills,” from time management to teamwork, integral to Webb’s student-centered learning model, which encourages students to be active participants in the creation of their own knowledge and skills. “A Webb education is unbounded in the sense of being interdisciplinary, but also in terms of skills, from scoping projects and developing timelines to communicating and presenting ideas,” says Windmon. “Our students have a very keen sense of how knowledge is created,” says Smith, because that’s what they’re doing. Webb’s student-centered approach to learning affords a degree of flexibility that allows teachers to work with students at each student’s level and impart deep understanding, says Director of Studies Michael Hoe ’04. “Today, schools tend to push distinct pedagogies,” he explains. “Webb’s pedagogy doesn’t fit into one particular style, teachers can use multiple pedagogies and modalities, depending on the goal. It’s an unbounded pedagogy, so there are multiple ways for students to learn. A traditional modality is more about rote learning, but data show that student-based learning engages students more fully and results in deeper knowledge, and the ability to apply knowledge across disciplines or problems. “Webb and Webb faculty believe in student-centered learning,” he adds. “The curriculum wouldn’t be possible without the teachers buying into what it stands for. We tend to get teachers who are very thoughtful and intentional about designing courses. There are still lectures… but we let students take charge of their learning. That’s what’s going to unlock deep learning.” In today’s connected world, where access to information is often instantaneous, “applying learning is different than it was in the past,” Hoe says. “Encyclopedic knowledge is less useful than the ability to manipulate knowledge, and that’s what student-based learning gives students. Webb prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world and engage in responsible, respectful discourse. Those are life skills.”

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

ALAN HAU ’04 University of Chicago, BS in Biochemistry/Chemistry, BA in Economics Cornell University, M.Eng. Computer Science Alan Hau ’04 has found a way to combine business and philanthropy that is directly related to his experience with unbounded thinking at Webb. Hau is the founder of Sleep Wooven, a direct-to-consumer luxury bedding company. Hau sources new products from around the world and brings them to the online market while being “ethical and choosing to support people who are the most powerless in my community,” he explains. In his experience at the University of Chicago, Hau says students were told from day one that all the social science classes are not interesting until after they had graduated. “It finally makes sense now. I learned all the tools and worked in the respective fields just to find how certain social systems exacerbate inequality. It is not challenging to find a job with a decent education, but it is hard to not participate in the same game without making any sacrifices to your career. It’s even harder to take a stab at the social issues and try to make it work.” A portion of all Sleep Wooven’s profit is directed to helping LGBTQI organizations in Hong Kong, with a focus on providing mental health services. “Unbounded thinking is more than thinking, it is about feeling and empathizing with your partners and colleagues. It’s also about learning to listen to the woes of others and always being there to catch them in their need,” he says. Hau feels there is a dual benefit to this thinking, “Your kindness will not only liberate others, but your own heart as well.” He is the first to admit that these ideals of unbounded thinking sounded unrealistic and hypothetical when he was at Webb, but he is glad the seed was planted in him. “You must walk this path to actually feel it. It’s an experience that cannot be taught in books. I’m empowered to continue my work in LGBTI advocacy and other marginalized topics in my community and philosophies like those of unbounded thinking are a key ingredient.”

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

In one sense, student-centered learning isn’t new: it’s not dissimilar from the constructivist theory of learning developed decades ago by Swiss psychologist and child development expert Jean Piaget. Like constructivism, studentcentered learning proceeds from the idea that students learn best, not when they are passively receiving knowledge, but when they are constructing their own knowledge. That’s why, Jess Fisher says, at Webb teachers are seen as coaches and facilitators of learning. But in another sense, student-centered learning is a new idea for the 21st century. Piaget couldn’t foresee today’s hyper-connected, information-saturated world, and we can’t be sure what the world will look like tomorrow. That, says Head of Schools Stockdale, is why an unbounded education is important – and, at the same time, why tradition matters. “Today’s world, across so many professions and to address so many issues, requires people to rapidly develop new and different skill sets for success. Some schools still rely on very traditional teaching methods and pedagogies. On the other hand, some schools chase educational trends. In contrast, Webb balances tradition and innovation.

“We value honor and moral courage, leadership and service. In a fast-changing world these foundational qualities are like bricks you need to build a meaningful life. But Webb also instills in students the ability to think fluidly, to think about things differently and use knowledge in new ways. Today’s students who combine timeless values with unbounded thinking are the people who are going to change the world tomorrow.” “Unbounded thinkers will be the ones to solve the challenges facing society,” agrees Windmon. And even before they set about shaping the world, says Linsley, Webb’s unbounded education gives students the background and tools to shape their own lives. “Ultimately,” she says, “We’re getting to the big questions: What matters? Why are we here? What will make us better people? “That’s what a liberal arts education does…. That’s unbounded.”

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

UNBOUNDED AFTERNOONS, AFTERWARDS & EVERYWHERE

17 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.”

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

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.” 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 real-world experiences. “Our location offers unique opportunities,” says Assistant Head of Schools Dr. Theresa Smith. “Los Angeles is an incredible site of scientific and

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

artistic creation…. There’s not any industry that’s not wellrepresented in L.A., and we constantly develop connections and partnerships — 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’s Magic 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 resources 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.

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

TODAY THE ALF MUSEUM IS FULLY ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND IS THE ONLY NATIONALLY ACCREDITED MUSEUM ON A HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS IN THE UNITED STATES.

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

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.” “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 Idaho 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. It brings a different level of self-awareness. For 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

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

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 will 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

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

e Alf Museum and peccary trips may be Webb’s most h 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 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

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

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

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE USUALLY MEANS WORKING TOGETHER.

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.

UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020

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

It’s Alive! A Journey into Contemporary Horror

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.” Students 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.” Community 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. It’s 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.”

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 will 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

FALL/WINT ER 2020 WEBB M AGA ZINE

“

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.”

These and the other unbounded opportunities Webb 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.”

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Because every Webb student participates in athletics, the program is notable for the “sheer 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 the 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.’”

THE IDEA THAT AN UNBOUNDED EDUCATION GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND ACADEMICS EXTENDS TO THE PLAYING FIELD.