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Julie Sullivan
  • Class of 2017
  • Brooklyn, CT

Julie Sullivan of Southborough Participates in Innovative, Interdisciplinary Project at Pomfret School

2015 Jan 5

Julie Sullivan of Southborough, a member of the class of 2017 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.

Julie was in the group of students and faculty who collaborated on a project entitled "Once Upon a Time: Creating Children's Books," in which students were responsible for the entire creative process, from developing the characters and storyline to illustrating and reading their finished stories to area schoolchildren.

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.