Vermont Middle School Seminars

Whether you want to write your first novel or create a poem that captures a specific emotion or experience, this dynamic workshop-style course is a step toward finding your voice and pushing your boundaries as a creative writer. Through personalized exercises led by published authors, develop skills in the genre of your choosing while exploring important craft challenges such as dialogue, imagery, narrative structure, word choice, theme, and storytelling technique. Read more Draw inspiration from your surroundings in pastoral Vermont, the natural world, and featured guest writers. Share your work and receive valuable feedback from your peers and instructor. Host a celebratory final reading and present your best pieces to the Pre-College community. Read less

From the farms, fields, and gardens to the dinner table, culinary traditions and eating local are the beating heart of Vermont’s identity. Dive into Vermont’s thriving food and farm culture, meeting with inspiring individuals and entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to the land. Expand your understanding of sustainable food systems as you sow, harvest, cook, and savor your way through Vermont’s food scene. Read more Explore the challenges in the local food and farm industry as a driver of economic development, job creation, and how eating local can promote public health. This seminar provides immersive experiences that encourage thoughtful engagement with food-related issues, sustainable and organic farming practices, farmers’ markets, food accessibility, and more. Gain hands-on experience in the fields, learn about composting, germinating seeds, and try your hand at growing your own garden. Meet with farm-to-table chefs to learn how locally produced food influences their menu throughout the seasons. Create a menu of your own and prepare a final farewell feast using products sourced from local farms and markets to celebrate the culmination of your program. There is a $150 supplemental fee for this course. Read less

Trace the history of the multi-billion dollar global fashion industry as we know it today. Gain an understanding of the environmental and consumer trade-offs of the fashion industry, one of the largest polluters in the world, and the movement toward sustainable production. Engage in discussions with designers, retailers, and textile manufacturers working in the U.S. and abroad. Participate in hands-on workshops to learn many of the skills and techniques needed to design and create your own ready-to-wear clothing line. Read more Learn the basics of illustration, draping, and sewing. For a final project, produce and present your own design portfolio, research a subject of your choice, or co-curate a group fashion show. Students do not need to have a background or experience with sewing or fashion to participate in this program. Students with sewing and designing experience can pursue projects aligned with their background and abilities. There is a $150 supplemental fee for this course. Read less

Designed for photographers of all skill levels, this seminar teaches the basics of digital photography and composition before diving into more advanced shooting techniques and editing instruction. Whether your passion is portrait, landscape, adventure, or storytelling, build your confidence and nurture your creativity through one-on-one workshops with your instructor and group critiques. In the classroom, learn aesthetic principles and review the work of a variety of photographers, from Dorothea Lange to Krista Rossow. Read more Then, head outside for digital photography tutorials in the field, using Vermont landscapes and New England towns to become a better travel photographer and storyteller. Back on campus, learn the techniques of photo editing and basic digital manipulation, while also discussing the implications of digital manipulation in an age dominated by the power of the image. Collaborate on projects with other seminars, curate a gallery showing of your work, and leave with stronger image-making skills and passion for photography. Students are responsible for bringing their own digital camera with manual controls and a computer with Adobe Lightroom installed. There is a $100 supplemental fee for this course. Read less

Science and technology have changed how humans see the universe, but what impact do scientific breakthroughs have on our daily lives? And can cutting-edge science help us confront the world’s most pressing problems? Join other middle school students in this seminar to examine how scientific research and technology has impacted our lives and how it can play a vital role in ensuring a vibrant and sustainable planet for future generations. Read more Each day features a mix of hands-on creative experiments, discussion-based lessons, and collaborative activities designed to explore the many aspects of scientific research and how it intersects with our daily lives. Learn how Vermont leverages science in its renewable energy technology policy, how local farmers use green engineering and nanotechnology, and how nearby communities enlist technology in their anti-pollution efforts. Develop your own cyanotype photographs using the sun and explore the tastier aspects of science in a chocolate- or cheese making workshop. Compare local science with global efforts as you connect with researchers around the world in virtual discussions of their research. Interview physicists, neurobiology experts, robotics engineers, and astronomers about their work and how they hope to solve serious global problems. Tie your experiences together by creating a capstone project proposal that uses science to address an important issue in your own community. Balance your scientific studies with outdoor adventure in the heart of the Green Mountains. Hike along vibrant trails, swim in blue lakes and streams, and toss a frisbee in green fields. Take a day trip to a working creamery, visit a local wind farm, and experience the lush summer season in Vermont. There is a $150 supplemental fee for this course. Read less

Develop and refine your artistic vision as you explore studio art through work in drawing, painting, sketching, and collage. This seminar, taught by a working artist, is for all middle school students regardless of skill level or experience. Expand existing techniques, establish new skills, and explore your creative side in both studio- and plein air-based lessons. Create pieces based on subjects ranging from the human figure to still life, from landscape to portraiture, and from imaginary to realistic. Read more This collaborative and interactive course blends art practice with visits to area museums, discussions with accomplished artists, and lessons on art historical subjects like classical art and impressionism. Through regular group discussions and one-on-one meetings with your instructor, constructively evaluate your own and your classmates’ work. With your instructor’s guidance, learn how to start a personal portfolio and share your work online. At the end of the session, work with your classmates and instructor to curate and exhibit your work at a program-wide gallery opening on campus. There is a $100 supplemental fee for this course. Read less