The second annual Course Expo took place Dec 4 and 5 in the Blue Dungeon. The Expo served as a showcase of all the available course offerings available at the Upper School Campus.
“It was a very nice event. There were smaller groups of students so they were able to really engage in the experience, asking questions to teachers and students at the table and completing the interactive components,” Upper School Dean of Academics Michelle Diaz said.
The event kicked off with a visit from 8th grade students from the MCK campus where they explored the Expo and spent the morning touring the campus.
“The visit expanded students’ understanding of all the options they have. They have the freedom to explore and discover themselves through signature programs, so learning about the programs face-to-face was inspiring for them,” middle school journalism teacher Catie Schwartzman said.
The Course Expo featured informational booths and activities highlighting core courses, Signature Programs, Performing and Visual Arts, and the IB Programme. Students obtained cards that listed the school’s four core values – Empower, Nurture, Explore, and Pioneer – and had to go around to the different booths collecting stickers that correlated to each value. Once the card was complete, students received a prize which was a pen with their class year.
“I thought it was cool that they thought of giving us something related to our class year,” freshmen Hayden Amron said.
Aside from the current courses, students also learned about new courses for next year, including African American Studies AP, IB Music, IB Portuguese, and Lifetime Health and Wellness, one of the Physical Education courses available.
“It’s great because all of the students taking PE will learn wellness and tools for stress management,” physical education teacher and football coach Earl Sims said.
Students in grades 9-11 had the opportunity to visit the Expo throughout the two days, during their Directed Studies class, allowing them to learn more about courses they might be interested in.
“Since this is my very first Expo, I learned a lot about the courses,” freshmen Devon Roy said.
Other students felt that the event would be more beneficial for students entering high school.
“This was a nice event but I feel like it was more useful for incoming freshmen or sophomores. Once you are in 10th grade you know what you want. It would also have been helpful to have our counselors there especially if we are taking IB and want to know what courses we can fit in our schedule,” sophomore Carolina De Morais Ament said.
