student Life

Instead of relying on dry textbooks to teach confusing concepts, my freshman physics class showed me how effectively student-led, hands-on labs based in real-world scenarios could help break down complex principles. My experiences in ninth grade physics have given me the courage to pursue a subject that I initially thought would be overwhelmingly challenging, which feels heartening and empowering.   

I decided to get involved in Hewitt's peer mentorship program because I wanted to support ninth graders in their transition to upper school. As a peer mentor, I get to help build community while sharing guidance and perspective on the challenges and opportunities that high school brings. 

Hewitt has been awarded a $250,000 Educational Leadership Grant from The Edward E. Ford Foundation. The Foundation supports schools that serve diverse populations, and that encourage bold, new ideas that will catalyze change beyond their individual institutions. Their endorsement confirms Hewitt’s position as a thought leader and model of best practice among independent schools in the country.

When students teach their peers they take ownership of their knowledge and sharing new skills ceases to be a top-down exercise that must be led by the adult in the room. In these moments, the student sharing her wisdom deepens her own understanding and gains confidence in herself, while the student being taught gets the chance to hear a peer explain a new skill or concept, demystifying it and making it instantly more accessible. 

In seventh grade science, students immerse themselves in two valuable systems of inquiry with real-world applications: the scientific method and the engineering design process. Through hands-on and self-directed work — time spent solving, testing, building, and creating — students develop a strong grasp of how scientific inquiry and experimentation can inform and improve engineering.

I came to Hewitt in the ninth grade, and I don’t think my middle school self would recognize the present-day me. As I begin eleventh grade, I see firsthand how Hewitt's uplifting community and supportive environment have helped me recognize my greatest assets and challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. 

Hewitt’s Lunch and Learn series hosted Chelsea Gardner '16 for a discussion about how Hewitt encouraged her to explore her interests and develop her personal leadership style without fear of failure. 

Hewitt's newly formed Anti-Racism Task Force has been charged with evaluating and recommending schoolwide protocols, policies, systems, and infrastructure to ensure that Hewitt becomes an actively anti-racist school. In this update, we share the work the task force has been doing as a full group and in subcommittees to develop anti-racism actions to recommend to Hewitt’s Board of Trustees.