Humanities focuses on one central question: What does it mean to be human? We tackle different issues that are pertinent to today’s society in the form of class discussions and group essays. While Mass Academy is often perceived as a purely STEM focused school, Humanities presents a welcome break from the rigorous STEM-centric work from other classes. Additionally, we are often able to bring together topics from different classes in Humanities, such as the ethics of artificial intelligence, bias in scientific studies, and even the origins of modern scientific methods.
Thoreau: Into the Walden-Verse was one of the first assignments that I worked on immediately after I started attending MAMS. This assignment was not only a great way to reflect on (and vent about) our summer reading book, Walden by Henry David Thoreau, but also to work with my new peers for the first time! Through this project, I got to work with and get to know my groupmates Kyle, Shreya, and Thomas more than if we had just been doing simple essays in class. The process of creating this skit extended out of the pages at Bournedale where we performed our skit in front of the entire class. In all, this project was an extremely enjoyable experience and was a great way to start the school year!
This essay was the first essay that we wrote this school year, one that is especially pertinent in the uncertain times for educators in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. To prepare for writing this essay, we spent a significant amount of time beforehand in class discussing what we perceived as an “ideal” school and how our own experiences and biases could change that. The topic that I selected for this essay is the issue of schools increasingly becoming political assets for local and national politicians alike. In the essay, I stress how we must focus on the voices of students and educators instead of the clamoring voices of external forces attempting to sway the focus from those whom the system is built to benefit. This essay is one that is very personal to me, as I have seen firsthand how valuable programs and support nets can be removed simply because administrators refused to stand up for those who are supposed to protect. I hope that this essay can help bring strength to those who need to stand firm to ensure a bright future for future students.