Student work in Motorsports Engineering at Augusta Preparatory Day School
One of the great privileges of leading the Malone Schools Online Network is visiting member schools and seeing, firsthand, the cultures that animate them. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Canterbury School in Fort Wayne, IN and Augusta Preparatory Day School in Martinez, GA. Though distinct in geography and personality, both schools have made strategic investments that support students in pursuing their interests – athletic, academic, and artistic.
Prior to my arrival, Fort Wayne received quite a bit of snow, but having lived in South Bend, IN, I knew the midwest was up to the challenge. Sure enough, both in town and on campus I encountered beautifully cleared sidewalks and paths. It was a lovely surprise to find that my campus visit started with a Black History Month presentation co-facilitated by MSON student, Sydney Coley – whom I was fortunate to have in my Afrofuturism and Futures Thinking course this past fall.
At Canterbury School, students have virtually no limit to the academic challenges they can pursue. In addition to a wide selection of AP courses, they enroll in MSON classes ranging from Arabic and Linear Algebra to Organic Chemistry and Queer Literature. During my meeting with students I was not surprised to receive a number of thoughtful questions AND suggestions for future courses! Canterbury also offers students numerous opportunities to explore their passion for the arts. The new 18,000-square-foot Fine Arts Center includes a ceramics classroom, a recording studio, a podcasting/vlog studio, and a black box theatre, as well as classrooms for band, choir, and orchestra.
At Augusta Prep I found a close-knit community and an expansive array of academic opportunities. In addition to a robust slate of honors and AP courses, students may choose electives such as Motorsports Engineering, Robotics, Film Studies, and Ceramics. The 20,000-square-foot W. Rodger Giles Institute for Inquiry houses a remarkable range of science offerings, delivering on the school’s commitment to hands-on learning through design thinking, prototyping, problem-solving, and programming.
I was invited to sit in on Advanced Creative Writing, where students offered candid, thoughtful feedback on a classmate’s work. Again, I have to believe that deep interpersonal connections are what made such honest feedback possible amongst classmates (not to mention a brave student who allowed a stranger – me! – to read her work in progress). In addition to displays of student work and photos from class trips, I noticed a unique menagerie of toy ducks in an office window. Evidently I’d just missed the Great Rubber Duck Hunt – a collaboration between the Student Council President, Thomas Lane Estes, and Director of the Upper School, Ryan Scheb – during which the ninth through twelfth grades competed to solve clues that helped them find toy ducks hidden around campus each week. It was a testament to the fact that strong school cultures are built not only on academics and shared traditions, but also through moments of fun.
There you have it, folks: two wonderful campus visits for which I am grateful, and a reminder of the vibrant learning communities that MSON is fortunate to partner with!
