On Monday, October 28, all students engaged in Enrichment Day activities that ranged from a tour of the American Revolution Museum to exploring the Philadelphia Zoo. The purpose of the day was to help students engage in hands-on learning that added to their learning experience outside of the classroom. They were able to see the topics they learned in class present throughout the real world, whether that was through workshops or tours of museums.
For half of the day, the 3rd form traveled to The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia to make a real-life connection to the biology topic they were learning in either Biology or Integrated Science 1 (Honors).
3rd form adviser William Yinger remarked, “The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is an incredible museum to see and one of Philly’s grand buildings in my opinion.”
Following the Franklin Insitute, 3rd formers traveled to the Philadelphia Zoo, which is known for its interactive and diverse range of animals. There, students enjoyed lunch as well as a captivating tour of the zoo. The 3rd form trip was largely organized by Dr. Hoda Ehsan and Yinger as the science and engineering departments sponsored this trip.
“It was super fun! The museum was really cool [and] the zoo was alright, but I liked hanging out with friends there,” Isie Haberland ’28 commented.
The 4th form traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to learn about the Civil War battle through exploring its battlegrounds. Through hands-on and experimental learning, the students could better understand the history of the United States. As many will go on to take United States history the following year, it serves as a precursor. The trip was organized by Herbert B. Finnegan Memorial Chair of World Languages, Christopher DeLucia, and Chair of the Classics Department, Ed Turner.
“I learned a lot about US history and military strategy,” Sophia Cox ’27 stated. “The movie [that we saw] was really good and that was probably the best part.”
Over the course of the day, the 5th form visited Independence Hall and the Museum of the American Revolution, with a stop at the Reading Terminal Market at appointed times for lunch. One of the largest and oldest public markets in the United States, Reading Terminal Market offers food from a variety of different cuisines. Primarily organized by the History Department, the trip allowed the students to expand on their learning from United States History class, which is usually taken junior year.
Layla Choudhri ’26 recalled, “I think Enrichment Day was a beneficial and enjoyable experience. I gained a deeper understanding of topics relevant to my United States history class because we had been learning about the American Revolution prior to the trip.” “I enjoyed the immense learning experience where we could apply and expand our knowledge,” she added.
As for the 6th form, their day centered around three key concepts: past, present, and future. For the first half of the day, students could choose from the workshops designed by the English, Arts, and Math teachers created workshops that embodied the three ideas. During their brief break, students heard from Pinckney Benedict ’82 and enjoyed a catered lunch. In the afternoon, students spent time working on their college applications with the College Counseling office. Those who had already submitted their applications were able to attend a dance party organized by the dance and DJ workshops in the morning.
Kierpa Singh ’25, one of the students who attended the DJ workshop, mentioned, “DJing with Mrs. Lim was very fun! I loved learning how to play around with music and make remixes.”
All in all, Enrichment Day, which served as a fun opportunity for students to learn outside of the classroom, was a success across all forms. For the most part, students enjoyed their experiences and gained new insights.