Recently, our college counselors—Catherine Odum, Jonathan Woog, Meredith High, and Brooke Tevlin—joined Ninth-Grade Seminar, taught by Brie Nabet-Jones, for their annual visit to connect with freshmen. The counselors and Ms. Nabet-Jones created a lesson centered around some of the messaging students experienced during assemblies featuring Jennifer Wallace and Jeff Selingo.
Their goal was to help students focus on understanding their own interests through coursework, co-curriculars, community involvement, and service. They emphasized staying open-minded, being intentional in exploration, and pursuing genuine interests.
For instance, a sticky note activity allowed students to reflect on their experiences so far this year and express what they are looking forward to as they continue in the Upper School. They responded to questions such as:
- "What are you passionate about service-wise?"
- "Which class energized/intrigued you the most this year?"
- "Which clubs, co-curriculars, or spaces helped you feel connected to the campus community?"
- "What is one thing you are looking forward to most in 10th-12th grade?"
The colorful wall of sticky notes helped students recognize what it means to find your personal fit and to notice that their peers may have different or similar answers, and that is okay. Everyone has their fit!