Winterim 2013
Unique to our School, every Upper School student traverses the boundaries of Brimmer and May to explore our local, national, or international communities through the biannual Winterim Program. Trips allow students to experience other cultures while enriching academic learning and providing service opportunities. This March, Upper School students and teachers traveled to: Galapagos Islands, Belize, Italy, Ireland, Senegal, China, New Orleans, and Boston.
Hurricane Katrina, Eight Years Later: Rebuilding New Orleans
Chaperone and History teacher Ted Barker-Hook reports from the New Orleans trip: The group is working on a house in the Lower 9th Ward, the section of the city most infamous for Katrina damage. The Lower 9th Ward lies next to a shipping canal held back by levees and a concrete wall, but that wall was smashed by a barge during the hurricane, and the Lower 9th Ward filled with over fifteen feet of water. For our first two days at the Lennox's home, we have been busy 'mudding' and 'floating,' essentially laying on plaster-type stuff to close the seams and cover the screw holes in the drywall walls and ceiling. It is messy but rewarding work, and it feels good to see the progress we are making every day. We finished our work on the Lennox home and had the chance to meet the entire family. The St. Bernard Project will let us know when the "Welcome Home" party for the Lennoxes will be held, ending the Lennoxes' seven years of homelessness. We visited College Prep Charter School, a school formed in the wake of Katrina and run by Brimmer and May alum Rahel Wondwossen ’01. We were treated to a tour of the facilities and classroom visits. It is amazing and inspiring to see what Rahel and her co-workers are doing to help raise expectations and achievement for the students. We then went to "Cajun Country," Acadian Louisiana and the bayous. Norbert "Sonny" LeBlanc, a 78-year-old man who grew up on the bayous was our guide. Norbert taught us about the unique ecosystem of the bayous, shared tales about life in the swamps, and, generally, charmed us all. Then on to St. Martinville, the historical heart of Acadiana and home to Evangeline, the heroine of Longfellow's epic poem about the Acadian deportation and settlement. We happened to get to town while an Acadian history festival was taking place, so we were treated to some Cajun history, crafts, and live music. The band was joined by a 7-year-old fiddler who played and sang like a seasoned pro; music is a huge part of Cajun culture, and it was great to see the traditions passed down right before our eyes and ears.
Chaperone and science teacher Jane McMurrich reports from the mountains of Belize: We went canoeing through the Barton Creek caves which have 100-foot ceilings and spectacular formations. The next day, we went to a Mayan primary school where we delivered the school supplies we had brought. The morning started with an open air assembly in the rain (there being no indoor space) where the children sang the national anthem, said some prayers, and sang some hymns. We were divided into groups and sent to different classrooms to work with the children, who were very shy but sweet. At the Principal’s home, we were treated to a lunch of quesadillas, empanadas, tortillas, and a delicious rice beverage called horchata. Although the distances are not far, the roads are not good, and so it takes a while to get from place to place. We are experiencing a 'North American cold front'- it is overcast and cool. Everyone is enjoying the plentiful food - a lot of chicken, rice, and fruit. Tomorrow morning we head for the island. We are hoping for some sun!
English teacher/chaperone Paul Murray shared in an email from Italy. . .
His name was Giovanni of Assisi. . . Giovanni was also known as Francesco because his mother was the only French national living in Assisi at the time. . . Francis died when he was only forty-four, but he was canonized as Saint Francis only fifteen months later. He is referred to today as “the Saint of Saints,” “the Patron Saint of Animals,” et al., and his influence is felt all over the world today. We spent our day learning about Francis through major sites in and around Assisi. First and foremost, we visited the Basilica of San Francesco. The Basilica is connected to the original Franciscan monastery and is built in classic classical style: build something new on top of something old. The 15th century church is built on top of a twelfth... BREAKING NEWS: AS I WRITE THIS BLOG POST, THE CONCLAVE HAS ELECTED A NEW POPE, AND EVERYONE IS BUZZING.
Hurricane Katrina, Eight Years Later: Rebuilding New Orleans
The rebuilding work in NOLA was in alliance with the St. Bernard Project, a highly respected and acclaimed organization of volunteers with whom Brimmer and May partnered on their last service trip in 2009. Students stayed in a hotel in the city and had opportunities to explore culture and history of New Orleans in the evenings.
Chaperone and History teacher Ted Barker-Hook reports from the New Orleans trip: The group is working on a house in the Lower 9th Ward, the section of the city most infamous for Katrina damage. The Lower 9th Ward lies next to a shipping canal held back by levees and a concrete wall, but that wall was smashed by a barge during the hurricane, and the Lower 9th Ward filled with over fifteen feet of water. For our first two days at the Lennox's home, we have been busy 'mudding' and 'floating,' essentially laying on plaster-type stuff to close the seams and cover the screw holes in the drywall walls and ceiling. It is messy but rewarding work, and it feels good to see the progress we are making every day. We finished our work on the Lennox home and had the chance to meet the entire family. The St. Bernard Project will let us know when the "Welcome Home" party for the Lennoxes will be held, ending the Lennoxes' seven years of homelessness. We visited College Prep Charter School, a school formed in the wake of Katrina and run by Brimmer and May alum Rahel Wondwossen ’01. We were treated to a tour of the facilities and classroom visits. It is amazing and inspiring to see what Rahel and her co-workers are doing to help raise expectations and achievement for the students. We then went to "Cajun Country," Acadian Louisiana and the bayous. Norbert "Sonny" LeBlanc, a 78-year-old man who grew up on the bayous was our guide. Norbert taught us about the unique ecosystem of the bayous, shared tales about life in the swamps, and, generally, charmed us all. Then on to St. Martinville, the historical heart of Acadiana and home to Evangeline, the heroine of Longfellow's epic poem about the Acadian deportation and settlement. We happened to get to town while an Acadian history festival was taking place, so we were treated to some Cajun history, crafts, and live music. The band was joined by a 7-year-old fiddler who played and sang like a seasoned pro; music is a huge part of Cajun culture, and it was great to see the traditions passed down right before our eyes and ears.
Belize
The trip to Belize had two distinct parts. One part of the trip was spent exploring the second largest barrier reef in the world and the other part of the trip was spent in the mountains of Belize exploring the ecosystems and Mayan culture. Some of the activities included snorkeling on the reef, visiting the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center, exploring caves, visiting Mayan ruins, learning the history and culture of the Garifuna people, and exploring the towns of Belize.
Chaperone and science teacher Jane McMurrich reports from the mountains of Belize: We went canoeing through the Barton Creek caves which have 100-foot ceilings and spectacular formations. The next day, we went to a Mayan primary school where we delivered the school supplies we had brought. The morning started with an open air assembly in the rain (there being no indoor space) where the children sang the national anthem, said some prayers, and sang some hymns. We were divided into groups and sent to different classrooms to work with the children, who were very shy but sweet. At the Principal’s home, we were treated to a lunch of quesadillas, empanadas, tortillas, and a delicious rice beverage called horchata. Although the distances are not far, the roads are not good, and so it takes a while to get from place to place. We are experiencing a 'North American cold front'- it is overcast and cool. Everyone is enjoying the plentiful food - a lot of chicken, rice, and fruit. Tomorrow morning we head for the island. We are hoping for some sun!
Florence, Rome, and Sorrento
The overarching goal of the trip was to provide connections to the 9th grade Humanities curriculum. The students studied the following topics in their freshman English and history classes: the rise and fall of the Holy Roman Empire, the rise of the ruling families in Florence (Medicis, et al.,) Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy: The Inferno, Italian Renaissance artists and architects, the Age of Explorers, et al. Participants on the Florence, Rome, and Sorrento Winterim trip read Pompeii by Robert Harris, a piece of historical fiction detailing the days leading up to Mount Vesuvius’s eruption in A.D. 79. The book prepared the students for a rich discussion and exploration of the ruins of the seaside resort. English teacher/chaperone Paul Murray shared in an email from Italy. . .
His name was Giovanni of Assisi. . . Giovanni was also known as Francesco because his mother was the only French national living in Assisi at the time. . . Francis died when he was only forty-four, but he was canonized as Saint Francis only fifteen months later. He is referred to today as “the Saint of Saints,” “the Patron Saint of Animals,” et al., and his influence is felt all over the world today. We spent our day learning about Francis through major sites in and around Assisi. First and foremost, we visited the Basilica of San Francesco. The Basilica is connected to the original Franciscan monastery and is built in classic classical style: build something new on top of something old. The 15th century church is built on top of a twelfth... BREAKING NEWS: AS I WRITE THIS BLOG POST, THE CONCLAVE HAS ELECTED A NEW POPE, AND EVERYONE IS BUZZING.
Galapagos Islands
The trip to the Galapagos Islands started in Ecuador’s capital Quito, where students spent time exploring this World Heritage Site. The group spent several days exploring the Galapagos Islands, which was made famous by Charles Darwin and his voyage on the Beagle in 1835. These islands are interesting both geologically and biologically and time was spent studying both.
Connections in History: Ireland’s Impact on a Global Society
This trip offered a study of Ireland through a global studies perspective for students who wanted to learn about history that is not currently offered in our curriculum. Students traveled to Dublin, Galway, Killarney, and Cork and visited sites including Connemara, the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, and Blarney Castle. The group examined Ireland’s role in a global society from the early years of St. Patrick’s condemnation of slavery and promotion of education and Christianity, through its colonization by England resulting in oppression, poverty, and famine, to its immigration to and continuing relationship with the US, and finally, its role as an international hub in today’s global economy. In preparation for the trip, students read and discussed Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization and visited the McMullen Museum at Boston College. Senegal Cultural Discovery and Service Learning Trip
The purpose of this trip was to build bridges across continents through youth education by providing opportunities for students and teachers to exchange ideas and skills through real-world service learning as well as cultural and intellectual interactions. Students were exposed to a different culture, expanding global awareness and deepening their understanding of service learning and their role in helping others around the world who do not benefit from the same educational resources we have in the U.S. Students meet with Senegalese students in several local public and private schools, all of which have limited educational resources. They helped the Senegalese students with conversational English, and, through an agency called Senecorps, they will complete projects to improve the physical plant of one of the schools.China: Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Suzhou
Students visited Hong Kong and South Eastern China. The trip was offered for Mandarin students wishing to practice using the target language and for those wishing to learn more about Chinese culture and history. This trip included: a guided tour to Victoria Peak for a breath-taking view of Hong Kong harbor and neighboring islands; The Symphony of Light show, a spectacular multimedia display; a visit to Hangzhou, considered one of the most important tourism areas in the country; a visit to West Lake, known for its beautiful scenery; a stop at Qinghefang Old Street, a vibrant street built in the Qing Dynasty style; a tour of the Silk Museum, the largest in the world; guided sightseeing of Hangzhou’s famous gardens; and a ride down the beautiful canals that run through Suzhou.
Connecting With the World in Boston 2013
This Winterim trip enabled students to gain understanding of international perspectives past and present through daily trips in the Boston area. By meeting with individuals with direct experiences with international issues and visiting local sights that have connections to the world, students had the opportunity to learn about our world while staying in our area. This experience included a visit to the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum; a trip to the studios of WGBH Channel 2; a visit with representatives of the French consulate in Boston; a visit to the Boston Globe; a visual look back to the world of 1935 at the Christian Science Church’s Mapparium in Boston; a visit with at least one Boston business that does international; and a visit with a local college administrator.
Brimmer and May School
69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.