Headmaster's Blog

Accompanied by their teachers and their Saint David's alum counselors, Horizons' rising first grade class came to visit my office this morning to express their gratitude for a great summer.  They were so excited. It's been a busy summer at Horizons.  A highlight in the rising second and third grade program has been the strong STEAM push.  In second grade the students studied insects.  They read about and researched different types.  Using what they had learned about the anatomy of insects, the boys then created their own in art class.  Rising second grade boys also learned computer programming skills, programming Bee Bot robots to navigate a grid.  In the third grade, the STEAM theme was space.  Rising third grade boys studied the characteristics of different planets and used this knowledge to paint murals of the solar system in art class.  During their STEAM class, the boys designed and constructed rockets with an eye to maximizin...

Two of the boys at Swimming (Asphalt Green) Horizons at Saint David's is part way through its third summer.  We have 50 rising First, Second, and Third Grade boys from four schools in Harlem participating in the program this year.  Two thirds of the boys are here for their second or third summer, with one third here for their first.  Following are some highlights to date: The third graders are now receiving two hours of swim instruction per week (first and second continue to receive 1 hour). Horizons has developed a strong STEM strand in the curriculum this year with first graders studying the weather and water cycle; second graders learning about computer programing through “Bee Bots"; and third graders constructing their own rockets with stomp launchers.  Through this process the boys are becoming familiar with the design cycle and how mistakes provide the perfect opportunity to redesign and adjust. Horizons' boys reentering Saint David's after a fire...

In partnership with The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Saint David’s School offered a one-week summer camp at the New-York Historical Society for rising Sixth and Seventh Grade boys. Secrets of the Civil War is another of Saint David's new programs that expand and extend history and research skill exploration beyond the walls of the classroom through close partnerships with leading cultural and scientific institutions. Through a wide range of activities, participants in the camp expanded their background knowledge of the Civil War. They observed and sketched Civil War objects and textiles on display at the New-York Historical Society.  The boys learned how to carefully handle authentic Civil War objects from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, including daguerreotypes printed during the 1860s and the contents of a soldier’s footlocker, featuring a 150-year-old biscuit.  Boys listened to a live presentation of music played during the Civil War, and...

As part of the school's partnership with The DNA Learning Center of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Saint David’s offered a one-week summer camp, World of Enzymes , for boys entering Grades Six and Seven.   During the third week of June, boys were immersed in an environment of hands on activities and laboratory experiments designed to increase genetic literacy, encourage critical and creative thinking and spark interest in the field of biotechnology.  Working with a geneticist from the DNALC, boys learned basic concepts of biochemistry and molecular biology and utilized advanced techniques to manipulate DNA. Through direct observation and manipulation of enzymes, boys developed an understanding of the importance of proteins, not only in living things, but also in recombinant DNA technology, cloning, and industry. World of Enzymes is another of Saint David's new programs that expand and extend math and science exploration beyond the walls of the classroom t...

On our last day in Ethiopia, the contingent from Saint David's School, New York City arrived at the Saint David's Kalina School.  Led by the three Student Council Presidents Colin '11, Jack '12 and Skakel '13, the contingent was met by an excited mass of children, family members and teachers. It was a hot and dusty day, but none of it tempered the spirits of those visiting or those being visited.  This first clip is upon arrival: At Kalina today and at Mimi's school yesterday we were greeted with traditional dance and song.  A few short clips follow to illustrate.  Ethiopian dance is all about the shoulders, neck and head: Between the two visits, Colin, Jack, Skakel and I managed to catch lunch in Mek'ele where we reflected on the trip to date. The boys each expressed feeling moved by the impact of their hard work and the work of their respective classes and the Saint David's students. They were proud of their efforts and the obvious im...

This blog entry is adapted from a letter I just received from Tour Leader Dr. Gilbert: The boys had a tremendous first week, capped off by a wonderful weekend. On Friday, the 7th graders played indoor soccer, or "futsal" with a group of local students and really enjoyed seeing how their skills compared to the faster paced play of the local Spaniards . One of their baseball catchers even volunteered to cover the net and made 2 out of 4 possible saves! Yesterday and today were special days as the group traveled to Segovia, Avila, Ledesma, and Arribes del Duero in Portugal. Early Saturday morning, some of the boys joined in for the classic churros & chocolate treat from Graci's around the corner from the residence. They then headed off to see the aqueduct and the A lcazar (castle) of Segovia. Their guide was so entranced by the boys' curiosity and great listening skills that she accompanied them into the castle to continue sharing her expertise on he...

The group woke early this morning for its 2 1/2 hour drive south from Mek'ele to Kalina. A beautiful, clear sky morning greeted us. The rainy season, it would appear, remains late. It was a fresh 16 degrees Celsius.  Save the Children in their 4X4 led the way as we moved in convoy up and over the Gira Castle Mountains and through several small villages. Children frequently ran onto the road calling "Chinese, Chinese".   To many of the locals in this remote region of Tigray, the only foreigners they see are the Chinese whose government is working on rebuilding old roads (ones built by the Italians during their occupation), and building new roads.  The smell of Acacia wood (introduced from Australia in the late 1800s) burning in breakfast fires filled the valleys and plains as we moved through the canyons.  Unlike Bahri Dar, Addis, Condar, and Lulibela, most of the dwellings in this region are made of stone, chiseled and laid to fo...