Global Education Day

A world of adventure without leaving campus — that’s the promise of Global Education Day!

The annual Middle School tradition kicked off with a morning full of immersive, globally minded lessons delivered by specialists from the community. 

In the afternoon, students enjoyed the beautiful weather as they competed in their SWARMS for an epic “Amazing Race”-style competition.

Learning from Industry Professionals

During the first half of the day, students attended various small group sessions throughout the Middle School where they received specialized lessons from community specialists and guest speakers who crafted them for Global Education Day. 

There were a total of 20 different topics students could choose to attend in one of their three available sessions. Below are a few highlights from the sessions.

Greg Lewis, design director at SHP, explained how skyscrapers are designed and engineered while discussing the relationship between a building form and structural integrity. Students gained a deeper understanding of the concepts by completing the single sheet skyscraper challenge. 

Kaetlynn Robinson, a naturalist from Great Parks of Hamilton County, brought students up-close to local wildlife — a turtle, snake, and toad — while explaining how they’ve adapted to survive in various habitats. 

Upper School health teacher and the co-founder of Scrap2Home Nick Francis taught students how to build a table while discussing his nonprofit’s goals of saving wood from landfills and using that wood to make furniture for individuals who can’t afford to buy it. 

Around the World in 70 Minutes

During the afternoon, students competed in an “Amazing Race”-style competition where they traveled around Hillsdale Campus and completed a series of challenges to earn points. 

Students “ran with the bulls,” raced up “Mount Everest,” crossed a river, performed an Irish jig, and tried new food from around the world, just to name a few!

Depending on the challenge’s difficulty, SWARMs could earn from 240-900 points once successfully completed.