Lion Term

In this course, the entire III Form will take a five-day, four-night trip to Brantwood Camp in New Hampshire, which is surrounded by acres of wood and wilderness. For over 100 years, since 1920, St. Markers have been spending time at Brantwood Camp. While the great outdoors can be unexpected and challenging, it can also provide peace and familiarity. This Lion Term experience will be a highly personal and focused exploration of self-knowledge through new experiences, individual reflection, team-building exercises, and intention setting for the next three years in preparation for graduation.

To begin, we will build a foundation in wilderness skills through preparation at St. Mark’s; we will seek to see our campus through fresh eyes by exploring St. Mark’s and the nearby areas. We will set aside cell phones and laptops and have face-to-face conversations. By disconnecting from technology, we will gain the attention to dedicate ourselves fully to our time together. We will build new friendships and strengthen existing ones.

This Lion Term prioritizes bonding as a Form, making strides in self-confidence and self-knowledge, and appreciating the natural world. After the experience of hiking and camping, students return to campus having stretched their limits physically, mentally, and sometimes, emotionally. This Lion Term experience provides each person with significant insight into what St. Mark’s is all about: developing genuine relationships and exploring one’s place in the larger world.

As IV or V Formers, students have the opportunity to return to the camp as volunteer counselors, working primarily with inner city youth from the Northeast. Many St. Markers go on to become members of the permanent staff. In addition, St. Mark’s alumni and faculty are continually involved with Brantwood Camp in a variety of ways: as trustees, supporters, and advocates to the greater community. Currently, Head of School John C. Warren ’74 and St. Mark’s Chaplain Barbara Talcott serve on the Brantwood Board from the School. This partnership exemplifies the spirit of service to others that has been the hallmark of St. Mark’s School for almost a century and a half.

In the IV Form, students have the opportunity to choose from a variety of community development projects with a hyper-local lens: our school grounds, our neighborhood, and our immediate community members.Through groups formed around interests and choice, students will develop their collaboration and interpersonal skills while also pursuing individual lines of inquiry. The IV Form Lion Term seeks to empower small groups, led by passionate and engaged faculty, to dig deeply into a topic they care about and to cultivate the 21st Century skills of curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Exhibition of Learning: each IV Form Lion Term group’s presentation model is dependent upon their project and focus. (Required for all IV Form Students)

As a culminating Experiential Learning program, VI Form Lion Term is an immersive opportunity for each student, with faculty mentorship, to enact their intellectual, academic, and individual narratives as a capstone of their St. Mark's experience. During the Winter Core, all VI Formers will research a topic of choice, creating a meaningful and rewarding proposal for Lion Term which will include a hands-on extension of their research. Together, the VI Form Winter Saturday and Lion Term provide a framework for students to chart their own course, capitalizing on their time at St. Mark’s while also possibly previewing future endeavors. Exhibition of Learning: each VI Form student presents their experience individually, showcasing their Core work and their unique Lion Term experience. (Required for all VI Form Students)

Planning and preparation for VI Form Lion Term takes place during the Winter Core, which is a mandatory course for students that takes place on Saturdays. This Core is designed to offer an extensive mentorship opportunity for individuals to pursue and document an interest of their choice in preparation for Lion Term’s experiential programming. Working with faculty mentors, all VI Formers research a topic of interest, write a paper on this topic, and create a meaningful and rewarding proposal that will include a hands-on, immersive extension of their project during Lion Term. All students will give a presentation at the end-of-year Exhibition of Learning that incorporates both their research paper and their hands-on experience.

Lions Roam courses engage students in rigorous academic and experiential learning, with a connected and culminating domestic or international trip that takes place during Lion Term. Each year, the Lions Roam program changes. Lions Roam is offered in partnership with the Office of Global Citizenship. Each year, questions and applications are directed to the Director of Global Citizenship Dr. Appell-Warren. Exhibition of Learning: the Lions Roam presentation model is dependent on their project and focus, and may contain individual and/or group elements. (Optional Lion Term experience for IV, V and VI Formers)