For motivated Class 12 students who are interested in exploring an area of scholarship for which they have demonstrated both passion and aptitude, Individual Studies offers an invaluable opportunity for deep, personalized and sophisticated learning.
Established in 1977 and a vital component to Chapin’s Upper School experience, this program fosters independent thinking and intellectual curiosity, while giving students the freedom to pursue virtually any academic discipline or combination of disciplines. After choosing a viable topic and submitting a thoughtful proposal to the School, approved students pursue their studies under the guidance of one or two faculty advisors.
Last fall, in addition to their regular academic classes, six Class 12 students devoted countless hours to their remarkable – and remarkably diverse – undertakings. They conducted research, analyzed books and articles, wrote papers and even taught classes as they deepened their skills and broadened their perspectives. The results of these students’ immersive scholarly endeavors are nothing short of spectacular.
“The Chapin Professional Community sees in Individual Studies the culmination of all the skill-building, deep engagement and commitment to serious, meaningful scholarship that we dedicate ourselves to in our classrooms and that we cultivate in our students,” explained Ilana Pergam, Director of Academic Program. “These projects highlight the strength of our program and the extraordinary intellectual capacity of our student body.”
On two days before the winter break, the six seniors – Lara Bamberger, Sadie Huemer, Abigail Hyun, Isabel Kingston, Sydney Phlegar and Lucy Poteshman – presented their work to their classmates and teachers in the Lower Level Dining Room and the East End of the Gordon Room. Each spoke with expertise, confidence and enthusiasm. Following are highlights of the fascinating, wide-ranging projects:
Lara Bamberger conducted an interdisciplinary study in physics and dance titled, “Physics and Dance: How Can One Help Us Better Understand the Other?” Prasad Akavoor (Science) and Sarah Rutledge (Fine and Performing Arts) served as her advisors. Lara even helped teach a recently developed unit in physics class based on her work.
Sadie Huemer’s study, “Land Down Under: An Exploration of Land Philosophy and Its Past, Present, and Future Influence on New South Wales Australian Aboriginals,” was conducted under the guidance of Lauren Tartaglia (History) and offered an in-depth exploration of public policy in NSW around Aboriginal land claims.
Abigail Hyun, who completed the first of two terms of Individual Studies in related topics, wrote “A Study of Physiatry: An Effective Program of Physical and Psychosocial Therapy for Disabled Athletes.” She was advised by Lacey Friedman (Science). This term, Abby is exploring how disability and injury were regarded in Ancient Rome.
Isabel Kingston’s study, in English and Spanish, is titled “Magic Realism: The Intersection of Truth and Fantasy in Latin American Literature.” Advised jointly by Carlynn Houghton (English) and Andrés Party (World Languages), Isabel wrote papers in both languages about the literature she read. Additionally, she wrote a short story in Spanish, “Los Artesanos,” reminiscent of the work of Gabriel García Márquez and Margaret Atwood.
Sydney Phlegar, working under the guidance of Rona Shalev (Head of Counseling Services), pursued her interest in psychology by writing a research paper titled, “Postpartum Psychosis and Infanticide.” Sydney also created a scientific poster about her topic that is currently on display at Chapin.
For Lucy Poteshman’s “Existentialism in Literature” project, she wrote on works by Kierkegaard, Camus, Dostoyevsky and Sartre and has submitted a course proposal for consideration based on all she read. Avi Gurland-Blaker (English and History) served as her advisor.
“If any student is contemplating undertaking an Individual Study, I would tell them to definitely do it!” commented one participant. “I loved being able to work by myself (and with my advisor) in a specific area that I was interested in and also design my own curriculum and material. I’d also encourage students to seriously consider various possible topics to make sure that the topic of choice is both engaging and expansive enough to constitute an Individual Study.”
Added another, “I loved creating my own curriculum and syllabus for the term, and this individualized aspect of the process was really rewarding for me. The Individual Study allowed me to take responsibility for my own learning and was a great opportunity for me to develop skills I’ll need as I go off to college next year.”
Browse photos from the presentations below: