With Jennifer Vickery Smith
Media Content Manager/Communications of Brentwood Academy
Brentwood Academy offers a unique educational enrichment opportunity for students in grades nine through twelve known as Winterim. This opportunity allows students a break from the classroom to engage in hands-on learning with faculty both locally and across the globe. Specialized, non-traditional travel courses allow students to take part in community projects, experience cultural immersion and provide opportunities to learn in unique settings.
“Students are learning, but at the same time, relationships are being built while outside the traditional classroom. As a foreign language teacher, it’s one thing to talk about flamenco dancing in the classroom and watch videos, but it is another thing to take them to Spain and let them take lessons and experience it for themselves. Hopefully, those memories will last a lifetime,” shares Shannon Frost, Winterim Co-Director and Foreign Language Faculty Member.
Students are challenged to expand their knowledge beyond present experiences while being encouraging a love of learning. Winterim provides opportunities to fulfill the school’s mission of nurturing and challenging each whole person — body, mind and spirit — to the glory of God through exploration in academics, arts, outdoors and athletics.
Offerings for travel this upcoming year include exploring Florida’s ecosystem, historical excursions in Spain, and Mayan and Belizean culture immersion, among other opportunities. Students who choose to stay local select from courses such as pottery and stained-glass creation, cooking classes, film studies or self-defense.
According to Frost, “One of the things we love to hear from our alumni years later is how Winterim impacted choices they have made, and passions developed in their lives. It feels good to know we helped to plant that seed. They tell us that their Winterim experience is one of their best memories from their time at Brentwood Academy.”
WINTERIM PROGRAM GOALS
- To expand the student’s worldview and knowledge through exposure to new ideas, new cultures and/or new skills.
- To deepen relationships among students and faculty by working together in small groups.
- To model a love of learning through faculty involvement with students.
- To eliminate the misconception that learning only occurs in a classroom environment and thus to develop lifelong learners.
- To reinforce the ideas or concepts taught in the classroom in a different environment.
219 Granny White Pike | Brentwood, TN 37027615. 523.0611 | brentwoodacademy.com
