J-Term 2016: Our Shrinking World

Do international relations stabilize or destabilize the economy of a nation? How do you get out of poverty? How does gender equity affect education? Does social media do more to unite or divide people? St. Luke’s ninth graders asked these thought-provoking questions and many more during St. Luke’s 2016 J-Term. Designed to be a one-week break from the traditional learning experience, J-Term moves students out of the classroom and into a hands-on, experiential learning environment that is project-based and student-driven. With ‘Our Shrinking World’ as the unifying theme, students identified seven global issues: Poverty, Gender Equity, Social Impact of Social Media, International Relations, Health Care, Domestic Violence, and Immigration. Divided into seven teams, students spent the week deeply engaged in field work, research, and brainstorming, interviewing experts in various fields, as well as learning and applying the principles of design thinking. J-Term also presented unique leadership opportunities as teachers stepped back and assumed more of a sideline mentor role—students directed their projects from asking initial questions to designing and presenting viable and creative actions plans to address each issue at the local level.

J-Term infused excitement and energy throughout the entire St. Luke’s community. At week’s end, students presented their projects and actionable ideas during the J-Term Social Action Showcase. Booths were designed to show each group’s proposed service project ideas that would address their social issue on a local level. An overnight camp-out on The Hilltop to support free healthcare clinics, signing a pledge against domestic violence, a live-action version of Angry Birds to underscore the reality of social media addiction, and an eye-opening footpath illuminating poverty in Fairfield county captivated over 200 visitors, friends, and students who turned out to show their support. Additionally, student groups styled demonstrations of gender bias and gender roles, generated enthusiastic discussions about international relations, and curated a probing portrayal of immigration that left many visitors curious to learn more about these societal issues. During the Showcase, students and the visiting community voted to select two service projects to implement this spring. The Poverty and Gender Equity groups are beyond excited to lead a school-wide effort to bring their ideas to life.

As Co-Deans of the 9th grade, and with the help of many St. Luke’s Upper School faculty members, history teacher Abby Bielski and science teacher Dr. John Higgins devoted months organizing J-Term. For Bielski and Higgins, the monumental effort was highly rewarding and entirely worthwhile. “At St. Luke’s, we are always looking for opportunities to live our School’s motto, ‘Enter to Learn. Go Forth to Serve.’ J-Term’s focus on service, creativity, and student-driven collaboration is a unique centerpiece of the 9th grade experience at SLS. We are so proud of our students’ ability to harness their curiosity, open-mindedness, reflection, and integrity to continue their search for truth and understanding in our world today.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2019 for their hard work and innovative ideas! More J-Term photos can be viewed here.

https://stlukesmedia.smugmug.com/20152016/Academics-Upper-School-2015201/JTerm-2016