School Year Begins With Emphasis on Friendship, Leadership, and Fun
9/16/2014
In many ways, fall at Fessenden is marked by new beginnings. It is, of course, the time of year when school starts after the summer break—but it is also the time of year when new friendships blossom, new outlooks are adopted, and new goals are set. Each year, the Middle and Upper Schools build structured time into their schedules to allow students to establish meaningful bonds with their peers. During student orientation days, faculty and staff play an integral role in facilitating student engagement and activities. Here are a few snapshots of last week’s student orientation events:
Ninth Grade Students Lead by Example at Camp Becket For ninth grade boys, orientation took place over the span of three days at Camp Becket in the Berkshires. The weather was spectacular as the class partook in various team-building activities and spent time learning about each other.
"Aside from the obvious building of a class identity, the weekend is designed to prepare the ninth grade class to lead the greater Fessenden community throughout the year. We were all so impressed with how well the boys embraced the spirit of the weekend, and we have already seen how they have begun to incorporate those lessons into their daily lives," said Tim Murphy, Ninth Grade Dean.
The trip included a combination of recreational activities, team building exercises, leadership training, and the collective work on a service project to benefit Camp Becket. Students reflected on the trip upon their return to campus. "It was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. It made me think more deeply about my peers and who they are as people, and it brought us much closer together as a class," remarked Nathaniel D., a ninth grade student at Fessenden.
Eighth Grade Students Compete in ‘Amazing Race’ Eighth Grade students also ventured off campus for student orientation and competed in the third annual "Fessy Amazing Race." Students were divided into groups and, alongside faculty chaperones, hit the pavement in Boston to compete in an elaborate photo scavenger hunt. This competitive team-building exercise not only served as a great way for the boys to get to know one another, but also allowed them to work on their collaboration skills to successfully complete a task at hand.
“It has been an excellent bonding experience in the past two years, and we were thrilled to build off of that positive momentum with the new eighth grade class,” remarked Brad Belin, Eighth Grade Dean.
Seventh Grade Students Take Over Campus In the absence of eighth and ninth grade students, seventh graders were kings of the castle on orientation day, which provided opportunities to build friendships, practice collaboration skills, and have lots of fun. The day began with an icebreaker activity in which returning students made connections with new students. This was followed by a painting activity in which students worked together to accurately reproduce a picture drawn by one of Fessenden’s many artistic faculty members. It was an activity that requires collaboration and effective communication in addition to honing skills of creativity.
“Perhaps the most meaningful activity of the day, and the most exciting to watch as a teacher, was when we asked the boys to write a letter to their future selves to be opened only on the last day of school,” remarked JJ Morrissey, Seventh Grade Dean. In this letter, students documented their three biggest goals, how they plan to accomplish these goals, and who they can go to for help. It was a nice time for quiet reflection and planning. Even the teachers joined in.
Middle School Students Have Fun in the Sun The entire Middle School spent the day at Crane Beach last week to celebrate the start of a new school year. The annual orientation trip was a day for boys to explore, scavenge, swim, and continue to get to know their classmates and teachers alike. Several students caught striped bass that were released back into the wild.
“The entire Middle School enjoyed what will probably be one of the last beach days of the year,” remarked Middle School Head Lulu Kellogg. “The trip was a wonderful opportunity to say goodbye to summer and hello to a year of growth and learning.” |