Personally, as a result of athletic games, I am on campus for most of the weekend. I always look forward to the range of activities offered at Milton. My favorite in the past four years was when SAA brought the rap group “The Deans List” to campus. Basically, there was a free rap contest in King Theatre for the whole school. I don’t think there are many other places you can find this experience in high school. Students eagerly await the text and email alerting them to what new cool thing is coming to Milton this weekend.

After two snow days that extended our exams week, the seniors performance provided a s boost to spirits of students on campus.The Senior Showcase night reminds many students of the community Milton has to offer. Milton students support classmates in performances, maintain school spirit through harsh weather and work to bring joy to others.

Each year has a theme, often movie inspired, which is picked by the boarding community’s student representatives.  In recent years, the boarding council planned Elf, Polar Express, and Harry Potter themed dinners. Each dinner has a specialty drink, most recently iced peppermint hot chocolate, served in a commemorative cup.  One fixture of boarder dinner is the delicious food, highlighted by a prime-rib carving station.  Another universal feature of boarding dinner is holiday a cappella, which features performances by each of the school’s singing groups.  The dinner is concluded with side-splitting speeches by the boarding monitors–the head student elected boarding representatives– who then dismiss the students to go enjoy the next portion of the night’s festivities: dorm caroling.

The class is taught by Ms. Chapin, a counselor, psychology teacher, and member of the history and social sciences department; and Dr. Richards, a member of the science department who earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience, and spent time working for the National Institute of Health.  With each teacher leaning on their respective expertise in either psychology or neuroscience, the course seamlessly blends together the two topics into a complex and intriguing curriculum typically reserved for those in college or graduate school.  Despite being a neuropsychology class, there’s definitely chemistry in the classroom: Ms. Chapin and Dr. Richards know each other well enough to finish each other’s sentences.  We recently wrapped up a month-long unit on basic neuroanatomy, learning about different lobes of the brain, discussing neurotransmitters, and even dissecting a sheep’s brain in the lab.  We are now moving onto a more psychology-focused curriculum, as we begin to look at the biological basis of behavior.  So far, we have looked at the interface between neurotransmitters and mental health, looking specifically at depression and schizophrenia.  It’s awesome to be a part of the first generation of neuropsychologists at Milton, trying something new and paving the way for future students.

All of my classes at Milton are, in retrospect, quite small; but even six or seven fewer students in a class can make a difference. My Spanish class is just one example of many other tiny classes available at Milton and while my other, larger classes provide similar benefits, Spanish 5 highlights the learning possibilities that Milton provides its students. I am so pleased and grateful that I am able to learn rapidly, deeply, and enjoyably with people that make Spanish and Latin American history fun and inspirational.

Some athletes remain busy because all the New England play-off games happen during these “mud weeks” as well. This year, our boys’ and girls’ soccer teams made the New England play-offs, along with our girls’ volleyball team. For everyone else at Milton though, this is a time for students to relax before the next sports season.