Intersession catalog - Millbrook School

Millbrook School

Intersession '09 Intersession is an experiential learning opportunity that falls in the middle of the second semester, breaking routine just as winter comes to a close and daily life is synonymous with a long trudge through the slush and snow. Students and faculty spend a rewarding week exploring subjects and ideas not usually taught in a traditional classroom setting. Together, they examine issues and pursue new endeavors, working closely with others with whom they might not normally engage. Intersession is a timely and gratifying program with course offerings that change annually.

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1. BE-JEWELED, BE-DAZZLED…JEWELRY DESIGN Curious about how to design and make jewelry? Come learn from professional jewelry designer Sierra Bailey (who happens to be a Millbrook graduate), who will show this group basic techniques of design and construction, and will guide us through the process of imagining and creating our own jewelry. We will use salvaged materials from a scrap yard and antique shops as well as more standard jewelry materials to create our own line of jewelry over the course of the week. Faculty: Allison Siegenthaler (with Sierra Bailey) Cost: $110 Enrollment: 10 Respect

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2. BUILDING a QUILT Don’t know a back stitch from a baste stitch? Join me to learn how to hand piece a Schoolhouse quilt top (with a little help from a machine). Finished twin-sized hand-tied quilt will be auctioned off to raise money for a good cause to be determined by the quilters. Tbd field trip and lunch out! Faculty: Betty Siegenthaler Cost: $75 Enrollment: 5 Respect

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3. CHROME WON'T GETCHA HOME

Have you ever wished you could be on the show Pimp My Ride? Do you dream of installing 23 television monitors, a fireplace and an Olympic-size swimming pool into subcompact car in 48 hours? If so, this is not the Intersession for you. Perhaps the motto, “Chrome don’t getcha home” has always held a special place close to your heart. Perhaps a week of spinning wrenches, getting dirty, and lying on your back underneath a car sounds more appealing. Perhaps the thought of getting grease under your fingernails and motor oil in your hair has your heart all aflutter. Perhaps you can’t imagine anything better than spending a week doing just that with some other students who are just as crazy as you are.

Faculty: Skip Tirrell and Mark Clizbe Cost: $60 Enrollment: 10 Respect

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4. CIRCUS - the BOZOS

Circus Theatricks will be back for its fourth year in a row exploring the many physical disciplines of circus performance.! In past years, gymnastics, unicycles, and juggling have been very popular with the students - whatever your interest!! Stilt walking, break dancing, or even taking a pie in the face!! This Intersession program is sure to be..." the greatest show at Millbrook!" ! Faculty: Gordie Mackenzie (and Sean Fagan) Cost: $265 Enrollment: 7-12 Respect

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5. CIRQUE with DZUL DANCE

Warm up each morning with Dzul Dancer and Black Belt Kyla Ernst-Alper with a combination of Shao-lin Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Kyla's class incorporates internal training followed by physical conditioning. This class will prepare participants with strength, flexibility and coordination skills needed for working...IN THE AIR. Dzul Dance Artistic Director Javier Dzul and principal dancer/aerialist Robin Taylor will teach a Cirque du Soliel-style aerial gymnastics (remember the battle scene in Pippin?) on silks, hoops and frames that will be suspended from the theater catwalk. !And yes, there will be mats and other safety measures to catch us if we fall… all levels welcome must be in good physical shape, no injuries please. Watch our video at www.dzuldance.com. Faculty: Laurie Freedman Cost: $250 Enrollment: 8 Respect

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6. CURLING

Ever turn on the Olympics in the morning and see people Curling? Even wondered where “Chess on Ice” came from. Come learn! Curling has a long history dating back to the 15th century in Scotland and was recently made into an Olympic medal sport. Starting with the basics of form and technique, students will learn how to deliver a stone accurately. All types of shots will be practiced and taught. The rules of the game, scoring, and especially etiquette will be emphasized. Curling is a sport that is officiated by the players and requires integrity and respect for your opponents. One afternoon, we will provide a service to the non-profit organization that maintains the club in the form of a completed work project. Mornings will be spent in reinforcing basic concepts. We will eat lunch out and talk curling, and the afternoons will be spent in competition. Faculty: Trip Powers and Chris Keeler Cost: $200 Enrollment: 16 Respect

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7. DE-TENSION

Pack up your blankets, your pillow, and your sleeping bag and check into one of Millbrook's most popular Intersession courses: De-Tension.
Plan to head home for spring break calm, relaxed, and
rested.
Learn about ways you may not even be aware of that your habits are stressing your life. Your curiosity about the wondrous, the new, the blissful, the strange, the nourishing, the delicious
and the
very very relaxing will be
richly
fed during the De-Tension Intersession Stress Reduction Program. How does wheat grass taste? What is "going to the beach"? What is overtone chanting? Meditation? Healing sound? Vipassana?
Why does Karen think Dave Barry is so funny? In a friendly, fun, accessible, and sometimes challenging way, this course will give you skills, information and insights you can use immediately and in the future for a calmer, healthier, more relaxed way of life.Intersession ‘09 participants will learn valuable leadership skills for those interested in teaching other students and faculty who are curious about
the techniques and activities learned in De-Tension.
Instructor: Karen Kisslinger, Acupuncturist, creator of WKZE's "Time to Relax"; Healthy Living columnist Poughkeepsie Journal Faculty: TBD (and Karen Kisslinger) Cost: $165 Enrollment: 20 Respect

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8. FARMS

For the week of Intersession we will be traveling to two different dairy farms in Dutchess County. Both dairy farms are located nearby; one in Amenia, NY and the other right in Salt Point. Don’t think that this is going to be easy. Make sure you are ready to get your hands dirty. We will be learning how to work on a dairy farm doing things like milking cows, registering the calves, and just plain old farming. This opportunity is once in a lifetime and you probably will never get a chance like this, so why not give it a shot? Faculty: Vinnie Sorriento Student sponsors: Kathryn Whalen and Caroline McCarthy Cost: $75 Enrollment: 7 (including student sponsors) Respect

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9. FUN with RON and JACK

In the interest of stewardship and community, our Intersession group will join members of Millbrook’s exceptional maintenance staff to bring the winter season to a successful close. Our primary task will be the dismantling of the hockey rink so that the surface can be converted to tennis courts. In addition, we will work outside on a variety of tasks, many of which will involve the use of power tools and machinery. We will spend some time cutting and splitting firewood, move to the set design shop to create a small project and work around campus generally being helpful in a manual way. If you are interested in learning about and using tools, enjoy the outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, and can pack away a trucker’s lunch, this is the Intersession for you. And, this is not just for boys…girls should know how to run a chainsaw, too. Warm work clothes and boots required. Faculty: John Siegenthaler (and Ron King) Cost: $75 Enrollment: 8 Respect

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10. HIP HOP

Ever wish you could enter a dance-off? Know anything about the Hip Hop culture? Are the performing arts, in general, completely alien to you? Choreographer Jennifer Archibald (visit her website below) will coax even the most timid beginner onto the stage; make him/her feel comfortable enough to perform without hesitation. http://www.jenniferarchibald.com/info/jenniferarchibald_presskit_2004.pdf Faculty: Linnea Engstrom Cost: $225 Enrollment: 10-16 Respect

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11. HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II

The group will explore “The War” focusing on documentaries, films, discussions and trips to NYC, West Point, and FDR’s home in Hyde Park. We will learn about both the European theatre and the Pacific theatre of operations. Ken Burns’ The War, Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, Flags of Our Fathers, and other films will be seen and discussed. If you are interested in learning more about the greatest generation, and respect what they did for all of us, this Intersession is for you. Come join us. Faculty: Rick McWilliams Cost: $125 Enrollment: 12 Respect

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12. INTERSESSION DAILY NEWSPAPER

Or The Intersession Daily or whatever better title its members decide on, will consist of a group of 9-11 students (1 editor-in chief, 4- 6 reporters, 1 photographer, 1 headline editor/humorist, 1 copy editor, 1 layout techie) and willdish out the dirt on cover, on a daily basis, the activities, gossip, and accomplishments of the other Intersession groups, on and off campus.! We will publish a daily morning paper, to be distributed in limited paper form and possibly on the Millbrook website.! We will try to include as much photography as possible, and we will need to know in advance which of the other Intersession groups wish to be covered during the week so that they can have a liaison person or persons willing to be interviewed by e-mail or cell phone and/or send e-photos. Imagine yourself as an embedded reporter on a luge run in Lake Placid or in the streets of Guatemala City. You won’t actually get to be one, mind you, but close… so close. Maybe more likely in a dairy barn or cha cha cha-ing across a dance floor... Faculty: Walter Manny Cost: $50 Enrollment: 9-11 Respect

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13. KIMONO - a WINDOW into the CULTURE of JAPAN

Maybe you don’t wear it every day.! You might not wear one ever in your entire life, but the Kimono is a Japanese traditional robe, that has been worn by both men and women for centuries. Before t-shirts came to Japan, kimono was as common as t-shirts and blue jeans are today.! Turn scraps of old and new materials into a snazzy kimono; learn how to wear them and walk in them.! Learn their history and the story it tells about Japan. ! Express your curiosity!about other cultures and create unique designs based on the age-old traditional dress of Japan, the kimono.! As good stewards we will show our respect for the earth and its diverse peoples by!using paper, rst, fi to make!kimono,, then decorating them!using recycled materials from newspapers to cartons, maybe even tin cans and plastic! bottles, or by drawing or stamping on them.! Your imagination is the limit. We will also!take part in a traditional tea ceremony, and make popular,Japanese “soul food” ourselves.! Faculty: Joan Binzen and Clara Mulberry Student Sponsor: Arisa Fuji Cost: $200 Enrollment: 8-10 Respect

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(KOREAN FOOD and CULTURE!)

Students will experience Korean culture through various activities. They’ll learn how to use chopsticks, cook Korean food, visit Koreatown in NYC, make origami and traditional Korean masks, play traditional Korean games, watch Korean films, listen to Korean music, and learn the language from native Koreans. They will be Koreanized! Faculty: Todd Feitelson and Martha Clizbe Student Sponsors: Jung Hwang and Yoo Seon Hwang Cost: $150 Enrollment: 10-14 Respect

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15. LAX FOR LIFE (closed)

Fourteen Vth and VIth Formers will go to Guatemala for a one-week community service trip, working with the organization, Safe Passage (www.safepassage.org).! Safe Passage’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty through education for the approximately 600 children they serve.! The parents of these children work in the dump in Guatemala City.! They scavenge and recycle materials from the dump to provide for their families. Safe Passage offers education, hygiene, nutrition, affection and some stability for these children and their families.This will be our fourth annual trip and our primary responsibility will be to teach lacrosse to some boys and girls of Safe Passage, many of whom have come to know us well through our previous trips.! In addition, through our efforts, and those of a comparable student – teacher group from Maine, interest in lacrosse is growing in Guatemala and there are now four lacrosse clubs in the country.! Through lacrosse, we want to help the children have fun, find an enjoyable distraction from the hardships in their lives, learn lessons of sportsmanship and team play, and develop greater selfrespect and confidence.! That seems to be happening, and we look forward to continuing this process in 2009. !!In addition to teaching lacrosse, our group will provide any others services needed.! While this trip is an experience that is designed to serve others, it is likely to change the life of any student who takes part.! Faculty: Drew Casertano and Liz Duhoski Cost: $1,000 (financial assistance available) Enrollment: 16 Respect

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16. LET'S GET EGG-CITED!

Learn about pysanky, the traditional Ukrainian art of egg decorating. Nell Gridley will teach us every step involved in pysanky, from preparing the eggs to melting wax to the end product of beautiful, delicate, finely decorated eggs. Nell learned about pysanky by making them every year with her family, and she would like to share this fun and rewarding activity with others. There may also be opportunities to learn more about Ukrainian culture and/or participate in other crafts. Come join us in this eggs-citing, eggs-traordinary tradition! Faculty: Jarratt Clarke Student Sponsor: Nell Gridley Cost: $60 Enrollment: 10 Respect

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17. THE LUNCH BOX

Nothing sexy here. No exotic travel. No silly entertainment. We will go to Poughkeepsie and prepare/serve lunch at a local soup kitchen. Faculty: Walker Zeiser Cost: $50 Enrollment: 4 Respect

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18. MAKE SOME COMFORT FOOD

We’ll make delicious breads and pastries from organic and locally-milled flour (of course!), accompanied by simmering flavorful soups, using the classic New York Times Bread and Soup Cookbook as our guide. We’ll visit Bread Alone Bakery in the Catskills, learn about their small bakery industry program in South Africa, and contribute a hearty soup to the Poughkeepsie Lunch Box program….comfort food to sample and share. Faculty: Jane Meigs Cost: $100 Enrollment: 5 Respect

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19. MOPS for NOLA

We will work with the Bayou Rebirth Wetlands Restoration and Education as well as the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center for four days. During the little free time we have, will tour the French Quarter, eat a meal at Preservation Hall and listen to the traditional music of the area, visit the Primate Center, and other local attractions. Tetanus shots required. Faculty: Robin Herow and Barbara Gatski Student sponsor: Megan Butts Cost: $300 (price may go down if additional funds are earned) Enrollment: 10 Respect

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20. OH, WHAT a NIGHT!

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at large events like the Superbowl, Olympics,VMAs, or the G8 Summit? Or about how all the little details come together at weddings, political conventions, proms, bar mitzvahs, and hockey tournaments? During Intersession week we will investigate the exciting world of event planning including marketing, advertising, and public relations, and will then focus specifically on party planning and sports event planning. We will watch films, read articles, hear a variety of speakers share anecdotes about the work they do, and hope to attend a sporting event and a concert. Further, our culminating project for the week will be to plan a large event for the entire campus to enjoy during Intersession week. Faculty: Allyson Burke and Ricky Reichenbach Cost: $175 Enrollment: 10 Respect

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21. ROCK BAND

Musicians, who can sing, play drums, guitar, keyboard, bass, or other instruments will spend the week rehearsing in preparation for a performance in front of a live audience. The show is called "Cabaret" and will take place in the student center on the Thursday evening of Intersession week. The stage will be set up with a full PA and lights, and the room will be packed with students to cheer for you and dance to your music. Repertoire will be chosen by the participants with the approval of the faculty sponsor. Original compositions are encouraged. You can begin practicing now and use the week of Intersession to put everything together. Please see Mr. Siktberg if you have any questions. Faculty: Steve Siktberg and Ronnie Negro Cost: $150 Enrollment: 12 Respect

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22. SAVING GRACE

Students will travel to New York City for the week to assist at the Grace Center, a non-profit organization in the South Bronx that helps women work towards their G.E.D. This program offers women over 18 free tutoring and counseling that not only helps them to complete high school requirements, but to get on the path to college or job training. The group will be staying at an apartment in mid-town Manhattan and commuting to the Bronx daily. Tasks with which we may be asked to assist for the week include primarily fund-raising and tutoring, and. The work day will run approximately from 10-4. In the evenings, the group will explore New York, see a Broadway play, eat out, and venture around the city. Faculty: Meredith Whitehouse Student Sponsor: Elise Grace Cost: $250 Enrollment: 6-8 Respect

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23. SAY CHEESE!

The sun shines. The grass grows. The animals eat the grass, then they “farrow” or “freshen”, depending on who they are (in this case, pigs and goats), produce milk, and we head off for Mrs. Massarone’s goat farm down the road where she will show us how to make cheese. But not from the pigs’ milk – the pigs are simply an added barn bonus. Not only will we be in the creamery but in the barn as well taking care of the mamas and their new kids, and their piggy friends. We’ll visit a bigger dairy (a nearby sheep farm, I hope), and go for a cheese tasting in Great Barrington. Must have adventurous taste buds! We will try to fashion our own cheesy comestibles for public sampling Friday morning. Like buddah!! Faculty: Amy Manny Cost: $100 Enrollment: 6-8 Respect

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24. SEE WHAT WE CAN SEE

Each day we will visit museums, galleries, or studios in the surrounding areas. Some will be standard art museums or galleries while others may be for things outside of the art world. Our goal is to broaden horizons and to see some things that we wouldn’t normally see.

Faculty: Dave Kaufmann and John Kildahl Cost: $ 190 Enrollment: 13 Respect

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25. STRICTLY BALLROOM

“Dancing with the Stars…” may be over…but here is your chance! Come immerse yourself in the music, culture, and movement of one of yesterday and today’s most popular and enduring dance forms. The program includes 4 days with top-notch dance instructors from NYC, as well as a trip to witness live Latin dance and get a taste of culture (food included!!!) A huge hit at its debut last year, Strictly Ballroom will be led by dance and acting faculty, Ms. Moncure and Mr. Cromwell. Faculty: Lee Cromwell and Tara Moncure Cost: $225 Enrollment 12 Respect

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26. SWEATSHOP WARRIORS

Are you wearing a shirt today from Abercrombie? Or J. Crew? Do you know where your clothes were made? And by whom? Many of them come from sweatshops. Picture a 10,000 worker factory behind concrete walls topped by coiled barbed wire and broken glass and patrolled by guards, or the unventilated basement of an ordinary apartment building hiding a dozen workers. Come learn about sweatshops through movies, internet research, discussions, and field trips. Come see how we can use our buying power to change the world. Faculty: Kathy Havard and Nancy Keller-Coffey Cost: $60 Enrollment: 10-12 Respect

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27. WILDERNESS SURVIVAL

Casual hikers are getting lost in the wilderness. The objective of this course is to help those who become lost or injured and to insure we don’t become lost or injured, ourselves. We will learn survival skills, how to read maps and use a compass, and how to be safe in the mountains. During the four days we will start with classroom instruction and then graduate to orienteering in the Tamarack Preserve and Macedonia State Park. One afternoon will be spent rock climbing in an indoor rock gym. Faculty: Somerset Waters Cost: $100 Enrollment: 6 Respect

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28. WINTER MOUNTAIN ECOLOGY

The Adirondack Park is a magical place. With over 6 million acres it contains 90 per cent of the country’s wilderness east of the Rockies. Adirondack Rock and River is the premier guide service in Adirondack National Park. This will be our base during this Intersession period where we will experience the mountain environment, challenge ourselves physically and mentally, and be introduced to aspects of winter ecology. Our first two days will be spent learning the skills of ice climbing and trying them out on a variety of ice waterfalls. Students will work together during those days to promote trust, cooperation and teamwork while challenging themselves to take perceived risks to achieve obtainable goals. Our final full day will take place in the backcountry with snowshoes or cross country skis, while we explore the ecology of the winter world of the Adirondack Mountains, learning about snow and avalanche, tracking, animal and plant adaptations, and the biology of staying warm. The Intersession group will spend 4 nights at the Rock and River Lodge in Keene, NY, just 25 minutes from Lake Placid and in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. We will provide all our own meals, enabling students to get a crash course in cooking, preparing and serving food for their peers, and the responsibility of cleaning up after themselves. Faculty: Barry Rosenbaum and Chris Pelliccia Cost: $360. Enrollment: 10 Respect

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29. WINTER OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE

What is the “Olympic spirit”? We will travel to Lake Placid, NY, home of the ’32 and ’80 winter Olympics in search of its meaning and relevance to our core values. Students will visit the Olympic museum, training center, bobsled and luge runs, ski jumps, Nordic and alpine venues, and ice rinks. We will meet with Olympic authority executives as well as the athletes training for the upcoming Vancouver games. There will be opportunities to participate in many of the sports. No prior experience necessary. We will stay at the Reiss home on the shores of Lake Placid. Dress warm, bring your winter sports gear, your bobsled if you happen to have one, and your love of outdoor winter recreation and competition as we search for the spirit of the winter Olympic games. Faculty: Greg Reiss and Kandie ZakariaN Cost: $400 Enrollment: 8 Respect

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30. "YOU MEAN – THERE is RACE and SEXISM in MY MOVIE?”

In a society inundated with mainstream films and television programs Hollywood claims that race and gender do not matter. Until a group of Millbrook researchers (you) discovered something different. Join us during Intersession for an action-packed week of critical analysis of race and gender in contemporary Hollywood films, television, & advertising. Equipped with a clean perspective, a sharp wit, and a genuine love of the cinema – you will boldly explore the world of Hollywood on a quest to discover the true depictions of race and gender in film. Hollywood does not want you to be distracted by such serious and accurate analysis. So join us in a thrilling examination of television and film. This workshop will culminate with the opportunity for you to create your own film – a film that subverts the sexism and racism prevalent in Hollywood films today. Faculty: Pascale Musto and Tony Mckinley Cost: $50 Enrollment: 13 Respect

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About this book INTERSESSION ’09 TEAM: Amy Manny, Intersession Director Michelle Blayney Allyson Burke Laurie Freedman Chris Pelliccia Barry Rosenbaum Betty Siegenthaler Malcolm Travelstead Kandie Zakarian Will Benjamin '09 Maddie Fuller '10 Gracie Fisher '11 Ben Klein '09 Kalli Havens '09 Kiara Huertas '10 Jung-Hyun Hwang '09 Matt Job '10 Will Pierrepont '10

Cover Art by Jung-Hyun Hwang '09 Millbrook School