March 1, 2018
by Mark Segal, Upper School Director
Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will now find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their stories and reflections about life at MPA!
The transition from middle to high school can sometimes be difficult. It is an awkward time when students may fit in right away, or feel like outcasts. Parents and teachers may seem like they are harping at them about the smallest things, and they may feel as though they have no similarly interested peers with whom to connect. What students might not realize–and is our responsibility to point out–is that Upper School offers new and exciting opportunities that are ready and waiting for them to explore.
The Upper School recently hosted an Opportunity Fair to help make this transition smoother. With Upper School student representatives standing behind high-top tables that were set up in the shape of a question mark, the Hart Commons was abuzz with conversation and activity. Upper School students shared details with current eighth grade students about the many organizations and clubs that they will soon be able to join. No matter how well (or not) they feel as though they fit in, joining a club, organization, or extra-curricular activity has been found to have both short and long-term benefits to students.
According to The Odyssey Online, there are many reasons that high school students should consider joining a club. I believe there are four that ring most true to the MPA experience. The first is to provide students the opportunity to meet new people. Joining a club provides a chance for students to meet and interact with others who have similar passions. The Upper School has more than 30 different student-run clubs from which students can select to join and participate. It is wonderful to watch seniors mentor freshman early in the school year as they build relationships around common interests.
The second is that students get a break from their studies while finding ways to not be distracted by their cell phones or computers. Concentrating on schoolwork is obviously an important part of their day, yet providing a mid-day or afternoon break for your mind from “traditional” studies is important. Taking part in a club or organization allows for students to socialize with like-minded individuals and learn from them as much as they may from their schoolwork.
MPA is committed to service and joining a club or organization provides students the opportunity to give back to the broader community. This third reason allows students, through acts of service, sponsoring events, or discussions, to find ways to bring their passions to life by sharing them with others. This is not only good for our students, but it is also good for society.
Finally, the most important reason a student should join a club or organization is because it is fun. Students genuinely enjoy being with one another and it is wonderful to observe them diving deeply into something they are passionate about and benefitting from the fruits of their labor.
The wide-eyed realization and excitement of the eighth graders that they soon will be able to participate in Upper School clubs was infectious last week. They bounced from table to table learning about the many opportunities that will soon be available to them to participate in and lead (click here for a list of Upper School clubs that have been in existence for two or more years and have shown sustainability in student leadership). The Opportunity Fair is the first of many ways that our eighth graders’ transition will be intentionally and carefully eased.
