Middle School Adopt-A-Family Gift Wrapping!

Middle School participated in the annual Adopt-a-Family project facilitated by The Dwelling Place. The Dwelling Place is a center to help homeless families in Montgomery County by providing families with a safe and affordable place to live. Each advisory group was given a wish list from a family at The Dwelling Place and the girls bought items together as an advisory group.

All of the advisory groups came together and wrapped gifts in the Dining Room. The gifts ranged from clothing to books to toys for the little ones. Middle Schoolers also wrote personalized cards wishing others in the joy of the holidays. Over twenty-five people consisting of 10 families will receive gifts this holidays all thanks to the community effort from Middle School.

Holton has a Weather Station!

After many hours spent, the Weatherbug weather station on the top of the school is now working! If you want to know exactly how cold you’re going to get during recess, you can just login here and put our zip code into the student field. You can also find out air pressure, humidity, etc. There are loads of informative and interactive activities on it as well.

Class of 2016 Gingerbread House Decorating Contest!

It was stiff competition as the Class of 2016 competed against one another for title of best Gingerbread House. The theme for this year's Gingerbread House competition was "Holton Traditions." The girls were extremely creative and built houses based on traditions like the senior slip and slide, Holton's Mosaic, and even Convocation. It was a great way to bond together and share in the holiday spirit!

Which one do you think was the most creative? You can be the judge below.

     

       

Model UN Club Wins Awards in Tournament!

The Holton-Arms Model UN club competed in the William & Mary High School Model UN (WMHSMUN) tournament this weekend. We had a great showing this year, with 41 students in attendance. The delegates discussed and debated some of the leading global issues of our day ranging from topics on world trade, health, and the environment. Five girls won a total of three awards between them:

Honorable Mention: Sophie Johnson and Revati Mahurkar for their work representing Indonesia in the World Trade Organization

Honorable Mention: Sejal Makheja and Acacia Overstreet for their work representing the UAE in the Arab League

Outstanding Delegate: Camille Blum who represented Frans Timmermans in the Eurozone Crisis Committee

Faculty Joel Seltzer, Shrita Gajendragadkar, Emily Edery, and Liz Poppi supported the club as advisors and chaperones on the trip. As Emily Edery shares, "We’re all so proud of our members and look forward to our next meet hosted in Washington, D.C. in February."

                          

Holton Hosts Mirabal Students from Spain

It was a sad week last week as Middle School students said goodbye to their Mirabal host sisters from Madrid, Spain. Holton girls hosted students from Spain, as part of Holton's Global Education program. The girls were involved in a two-week linguistic and cultural exchange program with girls from Mirabal School. Girls from Mirabal shadowed their host sisters, participated in Holton classes, and visited Washington, D.C. popular tourist attractions.

The two-week exchange program allowed Holton girls to practice Spanish with their host sisters and in exchange each Mirabal girl had a chance to practice English and experience life here in Maryland. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience as both Holton and Mirabal students exchanged ideas, friendship, and culture with one another. 

 

One of the Mirabal girls shared her thoughts on the time she spent here: "The whole experience is brilliant because you become closer to your Mirabal classmates, you learn about a different culture, and you make friends with a girl your age in another country!" 

Another Mirabal girl shared the same positive sentiment, "People at Holton treat me really well and I am really thankful. The girls are all very kind, polite, funny... it was sad to say goodbye to them. Teachers are also nice too . . . I feel really comfortable with my host sister, we always had something to talk about. I also love the city. The monuments, the different museums, the restaurants. We went to places like the National Mall, the White House, Hard Rock Cafe, Ford's Theatre, Alexandria, and many other places."

It was a successful exchange program for everyone involved and as one of the girls shared, "I wish that the people coming next year enjoy this journey as much as I did."

I am thankful... Reflections from Middle School Director Tony Shawe

This letter was sent to Middle School parents after our annual Thanksgiving Assembly on November 23 from Middle School Director Tony Shawe:

Dear Parents,

After the Thanksgiving Assembly yesterday, I was inspired to create my own list of things for which I am thankful.  Besides my family and my health, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with your daughters – and below are just a few reasons why: 

I am thankful for the student who, after witnessing broken potato chips strewn across the Study Hall carpet, grabbed the vacuum cleaner (a.k.a. the Shark) from the MS office and cleaned the area. It was not her mess, mind you, and she received no prompting from an adult. 

I am thankful for the students who put forth so much time and effort to produce a memorable staging of Hamlet, the fall Holton play. Every time I witness our Middle School girls on stage, I am reminded of their incredible talent, poise, and dedication.

I am thankful for the students who donated the many ingredients that made up twenty-six Thanksgiving baskets for local families in need. And I am grateful for the students who comprise our Community Service Club, as they devote their time, energy, and leadership to promote various efforts. 

I am thankful for the group of eighth graders who took a little extra time getting ready for the MS dance last month, just to ensure they were appropriately dressed (and they were!). 

I am thankful for the students in the Model U.N. club, who, for their last two meets, assumed a country, drafted a position paper, and debated eloquently on an important topic. I believe I share the halls with future stateswomen, ambassadors, and presidents. And for those girls who attended the October math meet or spend their free time in the Nook, as they seek out opportunities to grapple with very abstract problems and learn a few things about persistence and collaboration along the way.

I am thankful for Outside-the-Box Days, such as outdoor education trips, “Eyes on the Prize,” “Time & Navigation,” and “Glimpses of Islam.” I am thankful for the students who engage actively in these experiences and for the teachers who spend hours planning these events with enthusiasm and creativity – all in an effort to enrich the middle school program.

I am thankful for the students who volunteered their time and energy during this fall’s Open House. Whether they were serving on a panel, offering tours, or answering questions, these girls were the reason so many prospective families left campus excited about Holton. They carried themselves with pride and poise; they were amazing school ambassadors. 

I am thankful for the 33 7th grade students who took that big leap into the world of Student Council elections, deciding to run for a leadership position without knowing how it would all turn out in the end. I am grateful for the courage they mustered to design a clever poster highlighting their best attributes and to deliver a speech in front of the Middle School.  Perhaps most importantly, I am thankful for the students who won the election, but managed their excitement with humility and tact, and for those who lost the election, but handled their disappointment with poise and grace.  

I am thankful for the 19 new students we welcomed into the Middle School this fall. Each of them has enriched our community in different ways, and our school is a better place because they are part of it. 

I am thankful for the students who contribute their strongest effort on their athletic teams. Whether it is a sport they have played for years or one they are trying for the first time, I am grateful for any opportunity to witness their skill and heart on the court, the field, the dance studio, or the track.

I am thankful for these MS students who inspire me with their work ethic, their sense of humor, their spontaneity, their insights into social situations, and their willingness to step out beyond themselves. 

I am thankful for the Middle School faculty who work tirelessly on behalf of their students. I am grateful for their willingness to be flexible (as a Middle School faculty has to be!), for their commitment to provide academic challenge and support, and for their understanding of this unique age group.

Lastly, I am thankful for you - the parents - who have given us the chance to work with your daughters.

I wish your family a relaxing Thanksgiving Break, filled with much family time and delicious food.

Be well,

Tony Shawe 

Grade 5 Shares their Stories at the Writing Celebration!

On November 18, the fifth graders participated in a Writing Celebration, where each of the girls presented their own personal narrative story to classmates and were joined by parents and family friends. One by one each of the girls had an opportunity to share their personal narrative story with the audience. Grade 5 language arts teacher, Karri Hill McFadden, shared with the group that the girls' curriculum currently had an emphasis on explicit detail, developed dialogue, and expressive personal reflections -- and surely the shared stories had all of that and more!

The audience of parents and close friends reveled with laughter and smiles as they listened to the range of stories, which all showcased the creativity and writing of the fifth graders. There were stories about jellyfish, going to school, riveting adventures, traveling to Paris, snow days, cooking, pulling a prank and even more. Every girl had a story to share with the group and at the end, cards were exchanged between the girls and parents to give a compliment to the fifth grade writers on a job well-done.

Sixth graders Archaeology Trip in Old Town,Alexandria!

The sixth graders enjoyed a trip to Old Town, Alexandria as part of a history trip to close a unit in Social Studies on archaeology. Sixth grade Social Studies Teacher Anita Carr recaps the girls exploratory trip:

"To celebrate the culmination of our unit on Archaeology, sixth graders traveled to Old Town, Alexandria on November 11 to experience a three-part walking tour. First, they visited the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, where they had the opportunity to see a working laboratory. In the working laboratory, the girls observed archaeology in action as soon as they walked in the door! Once inside, the girls worked in teams to examine artifacts and primary source documents related to a nineteenth century, African American community in Alexandria named Hayti. 

The next stop was The Lyceum where an on-going exhibition told the story of Alexandria, a place that was once one of the busiest ports in America. Using archaeological finds, old photographs, maps, original art, and a wide variety of historic artifacts, sixth graders explored the city’s past and took part in a “Scavenger Hunt for History."

The third part of the field trip was to Gadsby’s Tavern, circa 1785, where students participated in a program called A Tavern at Work. Gadsby’s Tavern used to be an important community center in Alexandria frequented by prominent individuals like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Students toured the original tavern rooms, reviewed primary source documents, and participated in a hands-on activity, which explored the daily life, politics, entertainment, food, and travel of eighteenth-century Virginians. At the close of the tour, we gathered at the large, beautiful, gazebo on the Potomac River behind The Torpedo Factory and enjoyed a picnic lunch in the crisp, autumn air.

This valuable experience throughout Old Town Alexandria helped our sixth graders understand why archaeology is an important facet to building a broader view of history."

Creativity and Science: Upper School Engineering and Robotics Field Trip to iStrategylabs!

It all started when Lauren Zoltick '07 watched Holton's admissions video. While watching the video, Lauren's interest piqued at the feature of Holton's 3D Printing Club and saw that her alma mater still shared common values of educating more women in STEM fields. At that moment, Lauren was inspired to connect with Holton and before you know it, an email exchange between Lauren and Alumnae Director Amanda Novak Hewitt '04 evolved and a trip transpired to visit Lauren's office at iStrategylabs, a digital agency. It soon became obvious that this trip would be serendipitous for both Lauren and our Holton girls.

For those wondering "What is ISL? What do they do?,"  here is how they describe themselves on their website: ISL invents digital & physical experiences for the world’s biggest brands. Our designers, developers, marketers and makers build everything from apps, to connected devices, to wildly creative campaigns that reach audiences globally.Whether we’re creating devices to connect fans and celebrities for Facebook, inventing an internet-controlled arcade game for Nickelodeon's Sponge Bob, or creating live streaming interactive games for Miller Coors — we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

With Upper School Engineering and Robotics teacher Chris Lee in attendance, the girls' spent the day exploring iStrategylabs (which was converted from a Wonder Bread factory to its current headquarters--check out the pic above). Dogs roam the office, open collaborative spaces are everywhere, and creativity fills the space. Girls in the Engineering and Robotics class had the opportunity to tour the amazing office and hear from different ISL teams, such as the Maker and Engineering team, Development, Design, and Strategy teams. As you can imagine, this trip sparked a curiosity in the students as they were exposed to the wide spectrum of possible STEM careers can take them.

Here are two perspectives from seniors who attended the trip:

"The iStrategylabs was so cool! I had no clue what to expect but I was amazed. I loved hearing from each of the speakers from different teams and being able to hear their different viewpoints. I didn't realize how many people were needed to create a final product (I mean they had web designers, coders, engineers, writers, and photographers." -Frances Gichner '16

"My favorite part of the trip was seeing real world applications of what we learn in the class room. I learned that Engineering isn’t just about physically building things but can also be digitally building things. The field trip showed me a way to apply science while still being artistic and creative which was something I had never associated with science before." - Ginger Looney '16

With just one alum's outreach and shared passion, an enlightening experience transpired for these girls and who knows where the crossroads of these creative and scientific minds may lead in the future.

Grade 4 Celebrates Africa Day!

On Monday, November 2 the fourth grade celebrated Africa Day at Holton; a day where students spend the day dancing, listening to speakers, telling stories, and making crafts. All of these activities culminated the fourth graders study of Africa. Africa Day started in a spirited fun way with the girls singing and dancing to songs from Liberia and Ghana. 

Here is a description of those songs from Lower School Music Teacher Carol Baker:

The song they used was called “Banuwa” and is a song from Liberia, West Africa. The words mean, “Don’t cry, little girl, don’t cry.” So, this is a song of comfort. The girls sang in harmony, danced, and played 7 different rhythmic and melodic parts simultaneously, using xylophones, drums, sticks and shakers. In class, every student learned every part, and then they chose their favorite part to play on Africa Day.

They also sang an echo song called “Kye Kye Kule” (Pronounced Jay Jay Kooleh), from the Akan people of Ghana, which is similar to “Head and Shoulders”. We ended with “Sansa Kroma,” a rock passing song that is also from Ghana. Inspired by a video taken in Ghana where children passed their flip flops around in a circle, we passed shoes instead of rocks. We ended with “Sorida,” a song of greeting from Zimbabwe that is also a hand-clapping game.

You can see a clip of the girls' spirited performance below with Ms. Baker:

Grade 7: Holton and Landon Chinese Collaboration

On October 27, the seventh grade Chinese class collaborated with their contemporaries at Landon in a spirited Halloween activity. The students shared a Chinese lunch and used their language skills to show off their Halloween vocabulary. The students then proceeded to play a game of charades to reinforce their learning and participated in a final interview, which involved each student presenting themselves to the group in Chinese. 

Fan dances, Opera, and Tai Chi!

As shared by Lower, Middle, and Upper School Chinese teacher Amy Liao:

On Monday, October 26, eighth and 10th graders studying Chinese had a fun-filled local engagement trip to Chinese Culture and Community Center (CCACC) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Students learned Tai Chi martial art and classical sword fighting forms and techniques from passionate and engaging teachers. 

Students listened to live Chinese opera music from MeiJing Chinese Opera Society. Following the performance, students then had the opportunity to enhance their artistry in fan dance by trying out new dance movements. As you may recall, the premiere of the Chinese fan dance at the Holton Mosaic event made quite an impression on everyone. 

The girls then wrapped up their trip by having an authentic Chinese lunch from Seven Seas Restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, and shared stories with local residents and participating members of CCACC. 

Sophia King '24 Claims Gold for an International Win in Wushu (Kung Fu)!

For three weeks in August, Sophia King ’24 had the opportunity to live and train at one of the best sports schools in Beijing, China in order to train for the 10^th International Wushu (Chinese martial arts - also known as Kung Fu) Competition in Hong Kong. The training facility had a strict regimen where the athletes ate, slept, and trained all within the school for six days per week.

The training process required a tremendous amount of discipline. Sophia had to repeatedly perform each basic movement to solidify her foundation - 200 kicks, 200 punches, 200 jumps, and 200 spins, only to return the next day to repeat the routine all over again. All of this was remarkably done in addition to her daily advanced level training.

Sophia has been training in Wushu since she was five-years-old. She enjoys training in Wushu because “it’s hard and it’s fun. Wushu is about being strong and graceful at the same time.” Sophia was a little nervous about going to train with the “best of the best,” but her excitement for the opportunity overshadowed any reservations. It was an opportunity for Sophia to go to the birthplace of Wushu, to train in a school with a long history of building Martial Arts champions and gold medalists, but best of all, it was the same school that Sophia’s coach trained at since the age of eight; this all became the perfect opportunity for Sophia to follow in the footsteps of her Wushu lineage.

The culmination of her years of hard work and training was finally tested when Sophia traveled to Hong Kong during the fourth week of her trip to compete in the 10^th Hong Kong International Wushu Competition. Along with over 2000 competitors from more than 50 countries, Sophia competed in two events. Within her division, Sophia won a gold medal in one event and a silver medal in the other event.

What a great accomplishment at such a young age! Congrats Sophia on the win!

Physics Fun! 9th Graders Build Mouse Trap Cars

Dr. Krug and Ms. Carver's physics classes created their very own mouse trap cars for class. The girls competed against each other as the cars zoomed down the hallway. Check out the gallery below to see whose mouse trap car reigned supreme!