THE FRESHMAN YEAR

For a clearer picture of life beyond academics, athletics, and extra-curricular activities at Sierra Canyon next year, read the following descriptions below. Each of these programs is designed to strengthen the bond between class members and educate the whole community.

1. Freshman Retreat:

In September, freshmen will depart campus for four days and live in the outdoors while engaged in a dynamic activity such as canoeing, whitewater rafting, camping, or mountain biking. The purposes of this experience are many. First, it gives all of the members of the class a chance to socialize in a completely new setting. It allows students to express themselves in new ways. It creates a sense of interdependence that will bond the class not only during that week, but also throughout their four years at Sierra Canyon School. With a focus on fun and excitement, this is sure to be one of the year’s highlights.

• Peak Week : Peak Week occurs in January. The goals of this tradition are not only to remove students from school for a week in the middle of the year, but also to expose students to an off-campus, academically enriching experience facilitated by reputable organizations dedicated to working with a small group of high school students. Peak Week will offer three or four options from which all freshmen will choose their top three favorites and participate in one.

Options may include:

• Spanish language immersion in LA or perhaps Mexico
• Government based trip to DC
• Environmental learning with Heal the Bay in Santa Cruz
• Film-making experience on set of a film or TV show in LA or on location
• Community service with Habitat for Humanity in Appalachia or on a Native American reservation
• Applied math internship in architecture in LA or SF
• Medical research and exploration in LA

Peak Week will provide a ‘peak experience’ at the mid-point of the year. It will become a Sierra Canyon School tradition for every grade.

• The Freshman Presentation:

Throughout the course of the year, each member of the freshman class will deliver a 3-5 minute speech on anything he or she wants. Students can choose to talk about something they love to do. They can tell others about places they’ve been or significant people they’ve met. If they prefer, they can talk about something less personal, like an extra-curricular interest or a current event. This speech will be written by the student, working with a teacher throughout the entire process—from choosing a topic to delivering it.

• Earth Day

The sense of connection with the earth, not just an intellectual understanding but an active physical and spiritual connection, will be enlivened on or around Earth Day in April. On this day, freshmen will spend the day engaged in some type of environmentally-focused community service project. This outing will serve a variety of goals. First, it will provide an opportunity for the entire class to establish a deeper understanding of the consequences of their actions on the local and global level. Second, students will experience the power of teamwork. Third, the Earth Day project will provide each student with a feeling of reward at the end of the day that comes from knowing that the class came together as one in order to accomplish something meaningful.

• Honor Code

One of the most exciting opportunities given to each year’s freshman class is the ability to abide by the Honor Code that is a part of the fabric of the school experience. The Honor Code is a constant reminder that the strength of the school community is predicated on the strength of its individual members. It reinforces the moral values that a thriving school community possesses, and it reflects the mission of the school.