May Term

As an extension of our commitment to student engagement and innovative, immersive learning experiences, Friends’ Central is excited to launch a new addition to our Upper School curriculum in 2024-2025 for grades 9-11: a six-day program at the end of the academic year we are calling May Term. These learning intensives will offer the opportunity for students and faculty to delve deeply into topics that extend beyond the regular academic curriculum. May Term courses will provide for interdisciplinary teaching and learning while building connections and relationships between students and faculty across grades and disciplines. In addition to offering students the chance to study a specific topic in depth, many May Term courses will include a community component that provides for engagement beyond the FCS campus. May Term courses will begin after Memorial Day 2025 and will culminate in a division-wide symposium held in June of 2025 to showcase these unique experiences.

 

May Term is a required course for students in grades 9-11 and will be reflected on students’ transcripts. Some May Term offerings may include the opportunity for travel experiences for an additional fee.

 

Faculty will collaborate across departments to offer courses that engage and challenge students to connect ideas and information in novel, meaningful ways. Some topics and potential classes include the following: Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security; Environmental Justice; Philadelphia Sports: A History of Fandom and Its Relationship to Civic Identity; A Decolonial History of Indigenous Cultures and Languages Around the World; Mystic Spirituality and World Religions; Activism and Social Movements in the Philadelphia Area; Literature and Film Studies; The Computational Power of “Magic: The Gathering;” The Evolution of Hip Hop; and Creative Writing and Photography.