Westridge School’s Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor on Her Recent “Magical Moment” at the 8th Grade American Studies Showcase
There are many beautiful, inspiring moments that one experiences as an educator, and then there are the magical moments when you see all that you have ever hoped for come together in the hearts and minds and presentations of the students and colleagues with whom you work. The recent 8th grade American Studies Showcase was one such moment. I was impressed by the ferocious intellect of our students who pulled together multi-disciplinary strands of history, English, art, theatre, and music to create a profound learning experience―a masterful effort guided by talented teachers.
As I watched students act out aspects of the Salem Witch Trails from the 1690s, describe through word and artifacts the sobering reality of Japanese Internment during World War II, followed the detailed timeline describing McCarthyism and its impact on the lives of Americans in the 1950s, saw guests experience a 9/11 simulation, and listened to students share reflective songs about what they had learned, I was truly aware of the power of a Westridge education.
Click here for a full story on the showcase including a video from the events and the students’ soundtrack to The Crucible.
Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.
