Gabriella Araya of New York Participates in Innovative, Interdisciplinary Project at Pomfret School

2015 Jan 5

Gabriella Araya of New York, a member of the class of 2015 at Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, recently participated in Project: Pomfret. From December 2 - 17, in place of structured class time and homework, students were instead tackling one of twenty-seven innovative exercises in learning that saw plenty of overlap between academic disciplines. The list of topics ranged from geocaching, engineering, environmental, theatre and dance projects to exploring the American legal system, the LGBT community, and Hollywood's take on Word War II. Finished products included illustrated children's books, a poignant and highly personal Hip-Hop playlist, and two par-3 miniature golf putting greens, complete with water hazard. There was even a project for aspiring photo- and digital journalists, whose work entailed documenting the efforts and accomplishments of everyone else.

Gabriella was in the group of students and faculty who collaborated on a project entitled "Performance and Perspective: Lizzie Bright," in which the students studied the work of playwright Cheryl L. West—and specifically her recent work, "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy." They will perform it when West visits the Pomfret campus January 25-27 as the 2015 Schwartz Visiting Fellow, a program that brings distinguished writers, journalists, scientists and artists to the School.

Now in its second year, Project: Pomfret is an experimental retooling of the 121-year-old school's academic matrix. It was harvested two years ago from the self-examination that resulted in a new strategic plan for the School. The experience is based on the principles of project-based learning (students engage to the fullest when they can experience and solve real-world problems). The goal: to make the learning viable and real.

Head of School Tim Richards, himself the parent of a Pomfret student, made a point of thanking the faculty for their hard work. "The recent Project: Pomfret period," he said, "echoes loudly and clearly that this kind of work--thinking, learning, playing, and creating together in such unique and collaborative fashion--has the potential to be extremely and powerfully transformational for students and teachers alike."

N.B.: Individual photographs are available. Please contact Betsy Walker, bwalker@pomfretschool.org.