ADDITIONAL COURSES Social Innovators Program (SIP100)
Freshmen Seminar (FS100)
1 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, both semesters
1 CU, required of all 9th grade students The purpose of the Freshmen Seminar is threefold: to help ninth grade students understand Tower Hill’s mission and how it applies to each student as an individual, to provide a forum to help students know themselves in order to grow as Upper School students and beyond, and to afford students a space in which to process their freshmen year experiences as they occur. The course incorporates the Expectations of a Hiller: Be Proud, Present, Professional, and Proactive.
Health and Decision Education (HEA101) 1 CU, required of all 10th grade students
This seminar course provides age appropriate information on human sexuality, alcohol use and abuse, drug awareness, and other relevant topics. All information is discussed in the context of decision making and relevant issues of adolescence.
Peer Leadership (PL105)
2 CU, open to students in grade 12, pass/fail Peer Leadership is a program in which twelfth grade students. The purpose of the program is to provide seniors with a leadership opportunity while serving as a support for freshmen as they navigate their early high school experience. Topics include, but are not limited to, social skills, time and stress management, friendships, social issues, resilience, self-care, goal setting, decision making (in general and around topics such as sexual activity and drug/alcohol use), and selfawareness. This year-long course meets twice per cycle. One class is a planning and learning period, while the other class involves meeting with the freshmen group to which each peer leader has been assigned. Juniors must apply for the program during the spring course selection process.
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The Social Innovators Program is a partnership program with Schoolyard Ventures and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Schoolyard Ventures is an organization that develops university-level, real-world learning opportunities for ambitious high school students. It believes that developing an entrepreneurial mindset while in high school gives students substantive differentiation from their peers, better insight into their future educational and career opportunities, and more grit and resilience to accomplish their goals. The Social Innovators Program allows students to learn about entrepreneurship and experience it first-hand while earning a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania. During the program, students learn how to launch ventures of their own that create value and have a positive impact on society.
