Upper School: A Place for All Students
October 7, 2024
Whether home is just up the road or thousands of miles away, the Upper School is working to make Upper feel like a home away from home for all students.
“We acknowledge that kids need different things to be well, and so we offer community, solitude, and service so kids can invest in their best selves,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Racheal Quinn.
For some, the sense of community comes through shared interest. Upper Schoolers received a sampling of the more than 45 clubs being offered during the 2024-25 school year at the annual Club Fair in the Hillsdale Commons.
Representatives from each club hosted a station and answered questions from potential new members. From academic team to baking to sports broadcasting to Minecraft, clubs are an excellent opportunity for students to get more involved and discuss their interests at school.
For those whose home is further away, it is about gathering to celebrate culture, food, and holidays. Upper hosted its first monthly lunch for international students, which coincided with the Mid Autumn Festival in September. The festival celebrates harvest during the full moon and brings the entire community together in joyful thanksgiving. The students and Upper School diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator and Chinese teacher Mia Wu shared Asian food and ate mooncakes together.
All students had the opportunity to engage in a variety of student resource groups and wellness activities on the first Wellness Wednesday of the year. On Wellness Wednesdays, Upper Schoolers have time set aside for students resource groups or to attend different wellness and mindfulness activities.
The student resource groups offer a shared space for students with a shared identity, like religion, gender, or ethnicity.
“These groups acknowledge and validate individual identities, fostering a strong sense of support and representation. SRGs facilitate important conversations that empower members to take action both within and beyond the group, providing valuable opportunities for personal growth and joy,” Quinn said.
Students also had the option to meditate in The Schiff Center, read in the Young Family Library, or show their commitment to helping their larger community by making sandwiches for Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen in Over-The-Rhine.
