Wintersession 2023 is in full swing on campus! From November 28-December 13, 2023, the Trinity-Pawling community is immersed in two weeks of student-centered, experiential learning. This signature program, held between Thanksgiving and Winter Break, is in its fourth year at the School and has quickly become an academic highlight for students and faculty alike.
Over the next two weeks of Wintersession, students will participate in a variety of hands-on projects based on their grade levels, including a multi-disciplined project of their choosing with a Winter Project (7th-10th grade); a dynamic, immersive study of real-world problems with the Global Collaborative Challenge (11th grade and postgraduates); or an in-depth exploration of a personal interest with the Senior Independent Project (12th grade). Guided by faculty and staff advisors, Wintersession makes for an enriching deep-dive or master class for students — one that fosters collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.
Join us as we catch up with the faculty member at the helm of it all: Gabe Avis, Director of Wintersession.
As the Director of Wintersession, what is your favorite aspect of this signature program?
GA: Seeing students discover their distinct gifts and talents. Wintersession is one of many mission-driven programs we offer at Trinity-Pawling. We have the Wintersession scaffold so that students can pursue their interests, while also allowing them to learn new skills they otherwise would not have known.
If we were to step into a student’s shoes during Wintersession 2023, what kind of projects and topics would we encounter?
GA: This year we offer an eclectic array of Winter Projects ranging from maple sugar tapping, Rube Goldberg machine building, and filming a Twilight Zone-inspired episode. The juniors and postgraduates have a diverse range of questions for this year’s Global Collaborative Challenge. Questions range from climate change and college sports to peaceful resolutions to certain geopolitical issues. All questions also involve one or more of the Institutes for Active Learning. The Senior Independent Project topics I have seen so far are incredibly robust and diverse. Students want to pursue ambitious and bold projects, like developing a sustainable clothing brand, creating mindfulness content, and teaching basic car maintenance to the broader Trinity-Pawling community.
What are 3 words you would use to describe Wintersession at Trinity-Pawling?
GA: Active, Engaging, Distinctive
What would you say is the most important takeaway from Wintersession, for students and faculty?
GA: It is a moment in the busy school calendar where students and faculty delve into topics, discussions, projects, and field trips that they are passionate about. We invest a significant amount of time and energy into Wintersession because we know this is an important program and makes Trinity-Pawling students ready for real-world applications. Like any class at the School, I encourage students and faculty to dive deep into these areas of study because it truly makes the community richer.
by Emma Quigley