Highlander Term is a beloved Gunn tradition, offering students and faculty an immersive 10-day journey of experiential learning. Dive deep into new and exciting passions, all while exploring one of Gunn’s four Pillars.
Students can choose from more than 20 on-and off-campus experiences, which will be offered February 23 - March 4, 2026. However, registration is open now for those interested in participating in one of six travel-based experiences and student-initiated internships offered this year.
For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.
LIVING THE PILLARS
AN IMMERSIVE START TO THE FREDERICK GUNN JOURNEY
First Year Foundations is a signature Highlander Term experience designed exclusively for ninth graders. Over two weeks, students step into the four Frederick Gunn School Pillars, learning not just what they mean, but how to live them. Through travel, teamwork, reflection, and real-world learning, students begin to understand who they are as learners, leaders, and citizens.
Each pillar receives dedicated time and focus through hands-on experiences, meaningful exploration, and guided reflection, laying the foundation for lifelong growth, confidence, and purpose.
THE FOUR GUNN PILLARS
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
Students discover what makes them unique as learners. Through personalized learning assessments, goal-setting workshops, and creative challenges, they identify their strengths, build self-awareness, and develop strategies to thrive.
Develop self-awareness: Students will reflect on their learning strengths and challenges through assessment and feedback, building confidence in how they learn best.
Cultivate Metacognitive Skills: Students will set goals, track progress, and refine their learning strategies through guided reflection and hands-on challenges.
Foster Growth Mindset: Students will practice resilience and persistence through creative challenges and wellness activities, learning to view setbacks as opportunities for growth.
PUBLIC CHARACTER AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
Students learn how their actions shape the world around them. Through local service projects and civic dialogue, they experience what it means to lead with empathy, integrity, and purpose.
Highlights:
• Meaningful community service projects
• Reflection on civic engagement and leadership
Learning Outcomes:
Develop civic responsibility: Students will examine their personal values and learn how to contribute meaningfully to their communities through service and reflection.
Cultivate civic professionalism: Students will strengthen their communication and leadership skills, practicing respect, empathy, and professionalism in civic dialogue.
Foster critical thinking for informed citizenship: Students will analyze issues, question assumptions, and engage in civil debate to make informed, ethical decisions.
SETTING STUDENTS UP FOR SUCCESS
First Year Foundations is more than an introduction, it’s a launchpad. By the end of the program, students leave with:
• A strong sense of identity as learners
• Courage to innovate and embrace challenges
• Awareness of community and environmental responsibility
• A lasting commitment to ethical leadership and active citizenship
These lessons don’t end with Highlander Term, they become a living framework that students carry with them throughout their years at Frederick Gunn and beyond.
SENSE OF ROOTEDNESS AND PLACE
Students connect deeply with the natural world and local community, exploring Gunn’s heritage and the ecosystems that surround them. Through travel and environmental stewardship, they develop a strong sense of place and belonging.
Highlights:
• Exploration of Gunn’s history
• Overnight at Mystic Seaport and Aquarium
• Beach clean-up and collaboration with Project Oceanology
Learning Outcomes:
Develop cooperative leadership skills through nature: Students will learn how collaboration and leadership emerge through shared outdoor experiences and environmental projects.
Explore the history and local culture of a natural environment: Students will investigate how heritage, environment, and community shape identity and belonging.
Promote place-based learning experiences: Students will connect classroom learning with real-world environmental stewardship, building awareness of sustainability and care for place.
Reflection and Growth: Every day, students engage in guided reflection, journaling, group discussion, and personal dialogue, connecting what they’ve experienced to the values of the Pillars. These reflections deepen understanding, build resilience, and help students see learning as a lifelong journey.
INNOVATION AND RISK-TAKING
Students explore what it means to take creative risks, experiment boldly, and learn from failure. Through interactive learning in Boston, they connect with real innovators and discover how curiosity drives progress.
Highlights:
• Boston Museum of Science
• Boston Innovation Trail walking tour
• MIT Museum design challenge
• Overnight stay in Boston
Learning Outcomes:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: Students will experiment with new ideas and problem-solving approaches, developing confidence in their ability to take creative risks.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Students will test, fail, and refine their ideas through design-based learning, understanding how iteration leads to progress.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: Students will work in groups to brainstorm, test, and present ideas, learning how communication and initiative drive collective success.
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
GUNN GOES ELECTRIC: BUILD YOUR OWN GUITAR
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Experience the craft of creation, string by string. In this hands-on course, you’ll design and build your very own electric guitar using professional-grade parts and tools. From selecting body styles and pickups to learning the art of wiring, sanding, and setup, you’ll shape an instrument that reflects your personal sound and creative vision. Along the way, you’ll trace the evolution of the electric guitar, its pioneers, innovations, and the cultural moments that made it a symbol of rebellion and artistry. You’ll discover how design decisions affect tone and playability, blending technical skill with artistic imagination. By the time your guitar sings its first note, you’ll have gained an understanding not only of craftsmanship and sound engineering, but also of yourself as a maker, musician, and creative problem-solver. The result is more than an instrument, it’s an extension of who you are.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop self-awareness: You’ll reflect on your musical identity—what sounds move you, what styles inspire you, and how those preferences shape your design. Each choice, from tonewoods to finish, becomes a reflection of your goals and personality as both a learner and an artist.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration:
As you design, build, and refine your instrument, you’ll experience the full creative process in action. You’ll embrace experimentation, learn from challenges, and see how every setback can spark new ideas and solutions. By the end, you’ll have practiced the mindset that drives all great innovation: create, test, learn, repeat.
Cultivate metacognitive skills
You’ll plan and manage your build from start to finish—organizing materials, sequencing tasks, and adapting as new challenges arise. This process helps you think critically about how you learn best, turning each stage of the project into a lesson in patience, persistence, and self-direction.
REQUIREMENTS:
A love of music, curiosity about how things work, and a willingness to experiment. No prior woodworking or instrument experience required!
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
NOVELS & NOOKS: (RE)DISCOVERING A LOVE OF READING
COURSE OVERVIEW:
When is the last time you curled up, uninterrupted, with a book you actually chose to read? Whether your answer is “last week,” “a long time ago,” or maybe even “never,” this experience could be your opportunity to (re)discover a love of reading and (re)establish a daily independent reading routine that will help you prioritize being a lifelong learner. A recent study found that over the past 20 years, the number of Americans reading for pleasure has dropped by 40%. And yet, reading for pleasure is particularly important in the fast-paced, technology-saturated, and demanding lives we lead, as it inspires thinking and creativity, increases empathy, and reduces stress. Hit pause on the stress of your daily life, tuck away technology, and lose yourself inside a good book. This learning opportunity will take place primarily on campus in the Tisch Family Library with excursions to local libraries, bookstores, museums, colleges, coffee shops, and other reading nooks. Students will begin by rereading one or two of their favorite childhood books. Then, students will have voice and choice when selecting new books for daily silent reading practices and reflection. Students will leave this experience feeling refreshed and inspired to continue the lifelong learning habit of independent reading
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop self-awareness: You’ll take a close look at your reading habits, what excites you, what challenges you, and how your tastes have changed over time. Rereading a favorite childhood book helps you reflect on how you’ve grown as a learner and what kinds of stories speak to you now. Through feedback and discussion, you’ll learn more about your strengths, preferences, and the ways you most enjoy engaging with text.
Cultivate metacognitive skills:You’ll set clear, achievable reading goals and track your progress throughout the program. By noticing when and how you focus best, you’ll begin to understand what kind of reading environment supports your learning. Journaling and guided reflections help you think about your own thinking—so you can adapt your reading strategies, overcome distractions, and build habits that keep you growing as a lifelong learner.
Foster growth mindset: Reading takes time and patience, especially when tackling new genres or longer works. You’ll learn to embrace that process, to see moments of distraction or difficulty not as failures, but as opportunities to strengthen persistence and curiosity. As you build your daily reading practice, you’ll gain confidence in your ability to stay with something challenging and find joy in your own progress.
REQUIREMENTS:
An appreciation for stories and quiet reflection. Perfect for anyone looking to (re)ignite their love of reading.
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
WATERCOLOR EXPLORATION:
TECHNIQUE, HISTORY, AND ART
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Find your flow—one brushstroke at a time. In this immersive art experience, you’ll explore the delicate, expressive world of watercolor painting. Beginning with the basics of brush control, pigment mixing, and composition, you’ll experiment with traditional and modern techniques to discover how water, color, and imagination can bring a page to life. You’ll study the history of watercolor through the works of master artists and global traditions, gaining inspiration from how this medium has captured landscapes, portraits, and emotions for centuries. Alongside studio practice, guided reflection will help you notice your growth, what comes easily, what challenges you, and how your creative process evolves with each painting. Each day invites you to step deeper into your own artistic rhythm, embracing both the technical precision and free-flowing spontaneity that watercolor demands. By the end, you’ll not only have a collection of your own original pieces, but also a deeper understanding of how patience, persistence, and play fuel learning and creativity.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop self-awareness: You’ll explore your own creative identity, discovering the colors, techniques, and subjects that resonate with you most. Through feedback and self-reflection, you’ll identify your artistic strengths, areas for growth, and how your learning style influences your creative process.
Cultivate metacognitive skills: You’ll set goals for each piece, track your progress, and experiment with new methods as you refine your technique. As you evaluate what works and what doesn’t, you’ll learn how to adapt your approach, turning observation into insight and insight into improvement.
Foster growth mindset: Watercolor demands patience and resilience, sometimes the paint won’t behave, and that’s the beauty of it. You’ll learn to see every unexpected result as part of the creative journey, embracing mistakes as opportunities for discovery. With each layer of color, you’ll strengthen both your confidence and your curiosity.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in visual art and creative expression. No experience required, just patience and openness to learning through practice.
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
INTRODUCTION TO WORLD MUSIC
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Hear the world differently.
From the rhythmic pulse of West African drums to the haunting tones of the Japanese shakuhachi and the layered harmonies of South American folk songs, this immersive course invites you to experience music as a universal language that connects people and cultures across time and place. You’ll explore non-commercial, acoustic, and culturally authentic music through active listening, reflection, and discussion. Hands-on workshops introduce you to traditional instruments and global performance techniques, while collaborative music-making sessions bring those discoveries to life. Along the way, you’ll consider how music reflects cultural identity, history, and storytelling, and what your own emotional responses reveal about who you are as a listener and learner. By the end of the course, you’ll have not only deepened your appreciation for diverse musical traditions but also discovered new ways to listen, learn, and connect to the world through sound.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop self-awareness
You’ll reflect on how different sounds and rhythms make you think and feel, identifying what resonates with you personally and why. Through journaling and group discussions, you’ll explore your listening habits, preferences, and biases, developing a deeper understanding of your own musical identity.
Cultivate metacognitive skills
As you analyze rhythm, melody, and cultural context, you’ll learn to adjust your listening strategies to uncover deeper meaning in each piece. By thinking about how you learn through sound, you’ll strengthen your ability to process, interpret, and appreciate unfamiliar forms of expression.
Foster cultural appreciation and growth mindset
You’ll challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone, embracing new musical styles and traditions with curiosity and respect. Through this process, you’ll discover how open-minded listening builds empathy, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.
REQUIREMENTS:
An open ear and curiosity for global sounds and cultures. No musical training required, just a willingness to listen and explore.
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
GLOBAL CREATIVITY: ARTS, CRAFTS &
CULTURES AROUND THE
WORLD
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Explore the world without leaving campus! In this hands-on program, you’ll dive into the arts and crafts of cultures across the globe, discovering how creativity connects people, traditions, and ideas. Each day brings a new country-inspired challenge, from intricate patterns to bold textile designs, while you learn about the cultural stories behind every craft. Along the way, you’ll collaborate with your peers, share your own creative voice, and develop projects that celebrate the beauty of global artistry. This immersive experience blends fun, curiosity, and cultural awareness, perfect for students who love to make, explore, and express themselves.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop cooperative leadership skills through culture and craft: You’ll take the lead in group activities that mirror traditional artisan communities—each member contributing a unique skill or story. As you guide and support one another, you’ll learn how creative leadership grows through empathy and shared purpose.
Explore the history and local culture of a natural environment: You’ll uncover the origins and meanings behind global art forms—how patterns, colors, and materials reflect a community’s landscape and heritage. Understanding these stories helps you see how every craft, from Andean weaving to Japanese paper-making, is rooted in place and identity.
Promote place-based learning experiences: You’ll connect global inspiration to your own surroundings, using natural materials and local influences in your projects. By linking what you learn about the world to what you can create right here on campus, you’ll discover how creativity bridges cultures and places.
REQUIREMENTS:
For students interested in art, design, or cultural exploration, no prior experience required.
LEARNING YOURSELF AND HOW TO LEARN
SCUBA CERTIFICATION, SAILING, AND SEALIFE IN THE CARIBBEAN
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Live the ultimate sea-based adventure aboard a 44– to 46-foot catamaran while you explore the stunning Leeward Islands of the Caribbean. This isn’t just a trip — it’s an immersive journey into marine science, global cultures, and personal growth. You’ll earn your PADI Open Water SCUBA certification, learn to sail, and explore marine ecosystems through snorkeling and diving. Each island stop — whether at Saint Martin, St. Barts, or the Lesser Antilles — offers a new opportunity to learn about Caribbean history, vibrant local communities, and the environmental challenges facing these coastal regions. Life on the boat is active and communal — you’ll cook, clean, sail, navigate, and reflect together in one of the most unique and beautiful classrooms in the world. Partnering with Broadreach, a leader in experiential education, this trip will transform your relationship to learning, leadership, and the natural world..
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
We will develop self-awareness by living in close quarters and rotating responsibilities on the boat to help participants identify their strengths, challenges, and learning preferences through reflection and peer feedback.
We will cultivate metacognitive skills with activities like SCUBA training and sailing, and require goal-setting, tracking progress, and adjusting strategies to build awareness of how participants learn and improve in real time.
We will foster a growth mindset by facing physical, social, and mental challenges daily. Embracing these with persistence builds resilience and reinforces the belief that growth comes through effort and experience.
REQUIREMENTS:
Current passport, swim test upon arrival in Saint Martin, comfort with open water, a learning mindset, and a commitment to a positive community. Students will miss cocurricular commitments.
PUBLIC CHARACTER AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
BOUND FOR BROADWAY:
FIVE DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY!
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Get ready to experience New York City like never before! Over five exhilarating days, you’ll dive into the cultural heartbeat of the Big Apple, where creativity, history, and innovation collide. From the footlights of Broadway to the quiet corners of literary havens and the power of historic memorials, each day will be filled with opportunities to be inspired and challenged. Attend five diverse Broadway shows and explore world-class institutions like MOMA and the American Museum of Natural History. Walk the High Line, reflect at the 9/11 Memorial, and explore iconic neighborhoods like Chinatown and the West Village. You’ll also engage with university communities at NYU and Columbia and connect with alumni in creative and civic careers. This adventure offers not just a deep appreciation of the arts, but a broadened worldview and a stronger sense of your own voice and values.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
We will develop civic responsibility through visits to sites such as the 9/11 Memorial, Chinatown, and the West Village that prompt reflection on identity, justice, and community values.
We will cultivate civic professionalism by engaging with alumni and university communities at NYU and Columbia to explore how personal values align with professional purpose.
We will foster critical thinking for informed citizenship through the analysis of diverse narratives in theater, art, and history, connecting past and present to better understand civic life today.
REQUIREMENTS:
A willingness to engage with diverse cultural experiences; must be comfortable with urban environments and walking, and have an interest in the performing arts and city exploration.
PUBLIC CHARACTER AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
PAWS & PURPOSE: EXPLORING SERVICE DOGS, ANIMAL-ASSISTED
INTERVENTIONS, AND MENTAL HEALTH
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Discover how animals change lives in this hands-on Highlander Term experience. In partnership with The Exceptional Sidekick
Service Dogs and Healing Hoofbeats of CT, students will explore the role of service dogs, animal-assisted therapy, and other animal-supported interventions in supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Work alongside professional trainers, meet therapy animals, and hear firsthand stories of resilience and hope. Engage in daily reflection and creative, service-oriented projects — from making enrichment tools to designing awareness/fundraising campaigns — to deepen your understanding of empathy, the human–animal bond, and community care.
This course is perfect for animal lovers, future health professionals, or anyone curious about the intersection of compassion, animal science, and active citizenship. Be ready to get hands-on, think deeply, and make a meaningful impact on both people and animals.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will explore how psychiatric service dogs and animal-assisted interventions promote independence, healing, and inclusion for people with mental health challenges, and reflect on how they can advocate for accessibility and wellness in their own communities.
Students will engage with trainers, puppy raisers, clients, and therapy providers, practicing active listening, empathy, and communication as they learn to interact respectfully with diverse experiences and perspectives.
Students will collaborate on service-oriented projects (such as creating enrichment items for therapy animals, designing awareness/fundraising campaigns, or working with KindWorks initiatives), connecting their learning to authentic acts of public character and community contribution.
REQUIREMENTS:
Comfort working with live animals and an interest in mental health, empathy, or community care.
PUBLIC CHARACTER AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: UNDERSTANDING
THE CULTURAL CONNECTION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Discover how two nations—divided by an ocean but bound by history—continue to shape each other’s culture, politics, and identity.
In this thought-provoking course, you’ll explore the Special Relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States through the lenses of art, history, and current events. From shared democratic ideals to cultural contrasts in humor, media, and social change, you’ll uncover how the past and present connect these two global powers. Through discussion, debate, and research, you’ll examine key moments that have defined the U.S.–U.K. relationship and practice the art of civil discourse. You’ll learn how to respectfully discuss complex political and social issues, building skills in diplomacy, listening, and communication. A field trip to the Yale Center for British Art, followed by a group luncheon, brings the experience to life, inviting you to engage directly with British culture through its artistic and historical legacy. By the end, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how cultural exchange fosters empathy, informed citizenship, and meaningful dialogue in a global community.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop civic responsibility: You’ll consider what it means to be part of an interconnected global community, reflecting on the values that shape both British and American society. Through discussion and reflection, you’ll explore how shared principles, like freedom, fairness, and justice, take on different meanings across cultures.
Cultivate civic professionalism: You’ll strengthen your ability to communicate respectfully and persuasively through structured debates and model UN–style discussions. As you engage with peers on complex issues, you’ll practice active listening, empathy, and clarity, skills that define effective, principled citizenship.
Foster critical thinking for informed citizenship: By analyzing source material, media perspectives, and historical context, you’ll learn to think critically about cultural narratives and current events. You’ll question assumptions, compare viewpoints, and develop informed opinions that empower you to participate thoughtfully in civic dialogue.
REQUIREMENTS:
Comfort working with live animals and an interest in mental health, empathy, or community care.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
MUSIC PRODUCTION:
CREATE, RECORD, REMIX
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Turn your ideas into sound. In this high-energy studio experience, you’ll explore the art and technology of music production. From beat making and recording to mixing and mastering. Whether you’re inspired by pop, hip-hop, indie, or film scores, you’ll learn how to shape sound into something entirely your own. Using digital audio workstations like GarageBand or Logic Pro, you’ll experiment with rhythm, melody, and effects, discovering how producers bring songs to life. You’ll work collaboratively to produce original tracks, remix existing ones, and analyze how professional producers use texture, layering, and storytelling to create emotional impact. By the end of the course, you’ll have a portfolio of your own recorded music and the confidence to keep experimenting—proving that innovation doesn’t just happen in labs or studios, but in every creative spark you follow.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll take charge of the full creative process, choosing your style, experimenting with sound, and finding your unique artistic voice. Each project challenges you to think independently, take risks, and transform your ideas into finished works of art.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: You’ll explore the art of revision as you tweak beats, layer vocals, and adjust mixes to perfection. Through experimentation and feedback, you’ll discover how iteration and persistence turn simple sounds into professional-level productions.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll partner with classmates as producers, vocalists, and sound engineers, learning how collaboration strengthens every creative process. Together, you’ll problem-solve technical challenges, share artistic insight, and produce something that reflects your shared imagination and hard work.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in music, sound design, or storytelling. No prior experience required, just curiosity and creativity.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ESPORTS AND STREAMING
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Stream your vision, and build your brand. In this fast-paced, creative workshop, you’ll step into the world of professional gaming and digital media to learn what it really takes to create, produce, and sustain a live streaming channel. From developing your on-air personality to mastering production tools, you’ll discover how creativity, communication, and innovation come together to make streaming a career—not just a pastime. You’ll explore every stage of the process: defining your “why,” planning and promoting your content, experimenting with live production, and refining your presentation style. Along the way, you’ll dive into the business side of esports, learning how creators grow audiences, build partnerships, and manage their brands with authenticity and purpose. Guest speakers from the gaming and media industries will offer insights into how passion and professionalism fuel success in this dynamic field. Working collaboratively, you’ll produce and critique live segments, using professional-grade tools to enhance your visuals, audio, and storytelling. By the end, you’ll not only have a portfolio-ready stream but also the confidence, creativity, and entrepreneurial mindset to take your content—and your future—to the next level.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll approach streaming as both art and enterprise, taking creative ownership of your content, managing your workflow, and learning how to transform a passion into a professional pursuit.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: You’ll experiment constantly, testing new formats, visual layouts, and audience engagement strategies. Each broadcast becomes a chance to refine your skills, embrace feedback, and innovate through iteration.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work as part of a production team, balancing creative roles like host, editor, and producer. Together, you’ll share ideas, solve challenges, and see how collaboration drives both quality and innovation.
REQUIREMENTS:
Must have a personal computer with a minimum of Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor. Interest in gaming, streaming, or digital media.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
FLIGHT SCHOOL: THE SCIENCE AND SPIRIT OF AVIATION
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Take to the skies and see the world from a new perspective. Designed for students with little or no aviation experience, this immersive program invites you to explore the art, science, and history of flight, then experience it firsthand! You’ll begin by learning the fundamentals of aerodynamics and the physics of flight, experimenting with model rockets to see those forces in action. Each day, you’ll train on a flight simulator, mastering the basics of takeoff, navigation, and landing as you prepare for your first real flight. The highlight of the experience? A session alongside a licensed pilot, where you’ll sit in the cockpit and take the controls for yourself. Beyond the hands-on excitement, you’ll explore aviation’s rich history during a visit to the New England Air Museum in Granby, Connecticut, examining how innovation and imagination have shaped both civil and military flight. For your final project, you’ll apply what you’ve learned by creating a flight plan for a trip between two airports, combining science, math, and problem-solving into one cohesive mission. By the end of the course, you’ll have not only flown a plane, but also discovered what it means to think like a pilot: curious, prepared, and ready to soar into the unknown.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll step into a field that demands courage, curiosity, and composure. From your first simulator session to your first time at the controls, you’ll learn how calculated risk-taking and self-confidence drive discovery and mastery.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: You’ll design, test, and launch a model rocket, experimenting with variables like thrust and drag to see how small changes lead to new results. Through simulation and flight planning, you’ll experience how iteration turns knowledge into skill.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work closely with instructors, peers, and professional pilots to understand how communication and collaboration ensure safe and successful flight. Each project, from the rocket build to the final flight plan, shows how teamwork and initiative make innovation possible.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in science, technology, and exploration. No prior flight experience required, just curiosity, focus, and a willingness to learn hands-on. Students must be comfortable participating in simulator sessions and a short, instructor-guided flight.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
THE ART OF GLASSBLOWING
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Shape fire into art.
In this extraordinary, hands-on studio experience, you’ll step into the world of molten glass and transform raw material into luminous works of art. Working alongside professional glass artists at Kinship Glassworks in Milford, Connecticut, you’ll learn the intricate craft of glassblowing, from gathering molten glass on a blowpipe to shaping and coloring it into your own unique creations. Each day in the hot shop brings a new challenge and a new piece to make. You’ll design your own projects, perhaps a vase, paperweight, or ornament, and refine your skills through practice, reflection, and feedback from expert instructors. As you experiment with heat, movement, and form, you’ll discover how precision and spontaneity blend to create something both fragile and strong. By the end of the course, you’ll have a collection of your own handcrafted glass art, and a deep appreciation for the courage, patience, and creativity that true craftsmanship demands.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll take creative ownership of your work, choosing what to make and how to make it. Each piece becomes an experiment in color, shape, and technique, teaching you to take bold risks, learn from your results, and see yourself as both maker and innovator.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Glassblowing is equal parts art and science. You’ll refine your technique through continuous experimentation, observing how heat, air, and timing affect the outcome. Every creation becomes a lesson in iteration, as you adapt, improve, and bring your artistic vision to life.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work side by side with instructors and peers, sharing tools, timing, and trust in a space that requires true collaboration. From coordinating a gathering to finishing a piece safely, you’ll learn how communication and initiative turn teamwork into artistry.
REQUIREMENTS:
Comfort working in a hot studio environment and ability to stand for extended periods. Creativity and focus are key.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
STORYTELLING AS A STRATEGY: MARKETING THE GUNN DIFFERENCE
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Every great brand begins with a great story, and at Frederick Gunn, that story starts with you! In this hands-on, idea-driven experience, you’ll step into the world of marketing to discover how storytelling shapes the way people see and connect with a school. From brainstorming new social media campaigns to reimagining revisit day experiences, you’ll learn how to make the Gunn Difference shine in ways that feel bold, authentic, and unforgettable. Working in small creative teams, you’ll tackle real marketing challenges facing the school, explore how other brands capture attention, and pitch your own innovative solutions. You’ll get insider insights from professionals in the field, like alumni experts, media producers, and brand strategists, then test your own ideas through workshops, focus groups, and storytelling sessions. Field trips to places like iHeart Radio studios and WFSB Channel 3 News will take you behind the scenes of the industry, where you’ll see how storytelling connects vision and audience in real time. By the end of the course, you’ll not only understand how marketing works, you’ll have learned how to make ideas work.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll think like a creative entrepreneur, choosing one area of the school’s marketing, like social media, acceptance kits, or event experiences, and reimagining it from the ground up. You’ll learn how to identify challenges, test new ideas, and take smart risks to design solutions that truly resonate with your peers.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Through guided workshops, you’ll study how top schools and global brands tell their stories, then experiment with your own. Each brainstorming session and prototype becomes a chance to refine your message, experiment with new formats, and see how small shifts can make a big impact.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work in focused teams where everyone brings a unique skill, visual design, communication, data analysis, or creative direction. Together, you’ll pitch your ideas to real audiences and receive feedback from professionals, learning firsthand how collaboration and initiative drive innovation in any field.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in communication, media, or branding. Creativity and collaboration are key; no prior marketing experience needed.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
STEEP ROCK HIKER’S CHALLENGE
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Take on the trail, and discover what you’re truly capable of. Across the rolling hills, river crossings, and forested peaks of Washington, CT, you’ll hike all 47 miles of the Steep Rock Association’s preserves: Hidden Valley, Macricostas, West Mountain, and Steep Rock itself. Along the way, you’ll uncover breathtaking views, unexpected challenges, and a deeper appreciation for the wild beauty just beyond campus. This isn’t just about reaching the finish line, it’s about learning how to keep going when the path gets tough. Together with your classmates and faculty guides, you’ll push your limits, support your peers, and celebrate each milestone as part of the Steep Rock Hiker’s Club, the most exclusive club in Washington, CT! By the end of this challenge, you’ll carry more than memories; you’ll carry confidence, resilience, and a renewed sense of connection to nature and yourself.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll take ownership of your own challenge, committing to a goal that tests your endurance, focus, and determination. Each mile teaches you how to adapt, problem-solve, and stay motivated, even when the trail feels endless. You’ll leave with a stronger sense of independence and self-belief, knowing you can push past what once felt impossible.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Out on the trail, no two days are the same. You’ll learn to read the environment, plan strategically, and find creative ways to stay energized and engaged as the terrain changes. Whether it’s adjusting your pace, organizing your team, or discovering new hiking techniques, you’ll learn how flexibility and curiosity lead to success.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: Hiking all 47 miles is a shared adventure. You’ll rely on your group for encouragement, leadership, and laughter, building trust and camaraderie as you take on steep climbs and long stretches together. Every step becomes an opportunity to lead, listen, and lift others up, proving that innovation starts with community.
REQUIREMENTS:
Willingness and ability to participate in sustained physical activity outdoors, including hiking across varied terrain.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Step into the professional world—and start shaping your future now. Through Gunn@Work, you will immerse yourself in real workplaces alongside Frederick Gunn alumni in Boston, Hartford, and New York City. Over one intensive week, you’ll step beyond the classroom to experience what it’s like to think, create, and problem-solve like a professional. This isn’t job shadowing, it’s doing! You’ll tackle authentic business challenges, collaborate with teams, and use industry-standard tools to craft innovative solutions. At each site, you’ll engage in design challenges, case studies, and discussions with industry leaders who will push your ideas further. By the end of the week, you’ll present your work to professionals who can put your ideas into action, and walk away with the confidence, perspective, and connections that come from working in the real world.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll develop “Self-Starterism” as you dive into fastpaced, professional settings where creative thinking and initiative are essential. By engaging with real business problems, you’ll learn to navigate uncertainty, make bold choices, and take ownership of your ideas, just like the innovators and leaders you’ll meet on site.
2. Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Each case study and design challenge invites you to experiment, test, and refine your solutions. You’ll learn to embrace feedback, pivot when ideas don’t work, and find new approaches through iteration. The process mirrors what professionals do every day, turning creative thinking into impactful results.
3. Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work closely with peers and alumni mentors to develop, present, and defend your ideas in professional environments. Together, you’ll practice effective communication, share expertise, and take initiative as a team. By the end of the week, you’ll understand how collaboration and courage drive innovation in every industry.
REQUIREMENTS:
Willingness to miss co-curriculars for travel and on-site learning. Interest in professional environments and real-world problem-solving.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
FORGE & FIRE: THE ART OF BLACKSMITHING
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Strike, shape, and spark something extraordinary. In this hands-on, heat-filled adventure, you’ll work with seasoned blacksmiths at the Brookfield Arts Center to learn the art and science of shaping metal. Each day at the forge, you’ll feel the rhythm of hammer and anvil as you learn traditional blacksmithing techniques, drawing out tapers, bending, twisting, punching, and drifting, to transform raw iron into something uniquely your own. This isn’t just a workshop; it’s an invitation to experiment, take creative risks, and push your limits. You’ll begin with foundational projects to build confidence and safety skills before designing and crafting your own independent piece. Along the way, you’ll reflect on the process of trial and error, learning how heat, pressure, and persistence combine to forge both metal and mindset. By the end, you’ll have more than a hand-forged creation, you’ll have new confidence, creativity, and an appreciation for the craftsmanship that turns raw material into lasting art.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll approach blacksmithing as both an art and a trade, seeing how your new skills can extend beyond the forge. From design thinking to craftsmanship, you’ll learn how creative risk-taking and problem-solving can apply to everything from sculpture to engineering to entrepreneurship.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Working with metal means embracing the unpredictable. You’ll experiment with form and technique, learning through mistakes and adjustments. Each strike of the hammer teaches you how patience, focus, and iteration can turn an idea into a finished piece of art.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: Safety and success in the forge rely on teamwork. You’ll coordinate with classmates to share tools, timing, and workspace, building trust and communication while supporting one another’s creative goals. Together, you’ll experience how collaboration turns a demanding process into a shared triumph.
REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to work safely in a hot, physical environment. Willingness to engage in hands-on craftsmanship.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
TASKMASTER: THE CREATIVITY CHALLENGE
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Think fast. Act boldly. Laugh often. Inspired by the hit British show Taskmaster, this experience turns friendly competition into a test of creativity, strategy, and quick thinking. Each day, you and your teammates will take on a series of imaginative and often hilarious challenges that test your problem-solving skills, leadership, and ability to think outside the box. No two tasks are the same. You might find yourself designing something from random materials, decoding a mystery challenge, or performing an unexpected stunt that requires teamwork and ingenuity. Every activity rewards not just speed or skill, but originality, clever thinking, and humor. By the end of the week, you’ll have learned how to collaborate under pressure, adapt to surprises, and turn uncertainty into opportunity. All while having a blast.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll approach each unpredictable challenge with creativity and confidence, learning to take risks, make quick decisions, and trust your instincts. Each task pushes you to think inventively and embrace the unknown with enthusiasm.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: You’ll experiment constantly, testing ideas, failing spectacularly, and laughing your way to better solutions. Through trial and error, you’ll see how improvisation and play lead to genuine creative breakthroughs.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: Every challenge demands teamwork. You’ll learn to communicate quickly, share leadership, and motivate your peers. Whether planning, problem-solving, or performing, you’ll discover how collaboration makes even the toughest task possible, and the funniest moments unforgettable.
REQUIREMENTS:
A positive attitude, quick thinking, and readiness to participate in creative, team-based challenges.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
FROM FOLD TO FLIGHT: THE PAPER ENGINEERING LAB
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Design, test, and launch your ideas sky-high. In this inventive, hands-on workshop, you’ll dive into the fascinating intersection of design, physics, and experimentation, all through the art of the paper airplane. You’ll start by crafting your first prototypes and forming hypotheses about what makes a plane fly farther, faster, or more stable. Then, through guided testing and data collection, you’ll explore how design choices, folds, balance, weight, and structure, affect performance. Alongside your experiments, you’ll visit museums and maker spaces to see how engineers, pilots, and inventors use design thinking to solve real-world challenges. These trips will help you connect the simplicity of paper flight to the complex physics of aerodynamics, balance, and motion. Back in the lab, you’ll refine your designs through iteration, experimenting with new materials, testing variables, and collaborating with your peers to perfect your creations. The challenge culminates in a group effort to build the ultimate paper airplane, where creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving combine to make your ideas truly soar.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll think like a designer, experimenting boldly and learning through discovery. Each test flight becomes an opportunity to question assumptions, refine your process, and see how creative risk-taking leads to innovation.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: From first folds to final launches, you’ll experience how iterative design drives progress. Every tweak and adjustment helps you understand the relationship between theory and practice, and how persistence transforms an idea into success.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll share insights, test theories, and combine data to achieve a common goal: building the strongest, most aerodynamic paper airplane possible. By pooling your creativity and curiosity, you’ll discover how collaboration can elevate any idea.
REQUIREMENTS:
Curiosity about design, motion, and experimentation. Enthusiasm for testing ideas through hands-on creativity.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
AI ON WHEELS:
BUILDING AND PROGRAMMING SELF DRIVING RC CARS
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Turn code into motion and imagination into innovation. In this dynamic, hands-on course, you’ll design, build, and program your own remote-control car, and then take it a step further by teaching it to drive itself. You’ll begin by controlling your car manually from your phone, learning the mechanics and electronics behind its movement. Then, you’ll dive into sensors, coding, and data to transform your RC car into a self-driving machine, much like the technology that powers autonomous vehicles today. Along the way, you’ll train simple machine learning models, run experiments, and fine-tune your design through trial and error. You’ll collaborate with teammates, tackle thnical puzzles, and learn to think like both an engineer and an innovator. By the end of the term, your car won’t just drive, it will learn to navigate real tracksec, obstacles, and challenges that your team designs. The result? A blend of creativity, resilience, and real-world tech skills that will keep you racing forward.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll take full ownership of your build, making creative design decisions and learning to see failure as part of the process. When your car doesn’t perform as expected (and it won’t, at first), you’ll troubleshoot, iterate, and keep pushing until it runs the way you imagined—building confidence and independence along the way.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: You’ll get to experiment constantly, adjusting sensor placement, refining code, and adding new features to make your car smarter and faster. Each test on the track is a new opportunity to learn, adapt, and improve your design thinking in real time.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work in small teams, dividing roles between hardware, coding, and data training, then bringing everyone’s expertise together to create a fully functioning self-driving car. Through this process, you’ll strengthen your communication skills, take initiative, and experience how collective problem-solving drives innovation.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in technology, coding, or engineering. No prior programming experience necessary, just curiosity and problem-solving spirit.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
SUPER HEROES FOR THE MOMENT
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Reimagine what it means to be a hero, starting with the world around you. From Odysseus to Katniss, Beowulf to Black Panther, every era has created heroes who reflect its deepest hopes, fears, and struggles. In this creative and thought-provoking course, you’ll explore how history shapes heroism and how culture influences what we believe makes someone “super.” You’ll dive into mythology, comics, and film to uncover how social movements, injustice, and innovation have inspired iconic figures from Batman to Wonder Woman. Then, using the design thinking process, you’ll invent your own hero for our time, someone who confronts the issues that matter most today. You’ll develop their origin story, create their world, and bring their adventures to life in a comic book. By the end of the course, you and your classmates will publish your stories for the community to read, sharing your creative visions and proving that the power to inspire change has always been human.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: You’ll embrace creativity, resilience, and risk-taking as you imagine, write, and publish a digital comic for a real audience. Sharing your work publicly takes courage and confidence, helping you see yourself as both a creator and a changemaker.
Foster creativity, innovation, and iteration: Through the design thinking process, you’ll brainstorm, prototype, and refine your story and character. You’ll learn that the creative process isn’t about perfection, it’s about experimenting, revising, and transforming feedback into something even stronger.
Develop collaboration, teamwork, and initiative: You’ll work closely with peers to develop heroes and villains whose stories connect across teams. Giving and receiving feedback will help you build empathy, patience, and open-mindedness, skills that make both storytelling and teamwork thrive.
REQUIREMENTS:
An interest in art, storytelling, and creative design. No prior drawing or graphic design experience required, just imagination and a desire to create.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
PROJECT GUNNWAY
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Turn old clothes into bold statements. In this immersive fashion experience, students explore the world of design, innovation, and sustainability through a hands-on creative challenge. The journey begins with a trip to New York City, where students visit the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) to gain firsthand insight into the intersection of creativity, technology, and responsible fashion. Back on campus, students bring their ideas to life by designing and producing two original pieces for a culminating fashion show. The first is an upcycled outfit created entirely from thrifted finds or items from their own closets, showcasing resourcefulness and sustainable design. The second is a piece made completely from scratch, reflecting each student’s unique aesthetic, craftsmanship, and imagination. Through every stage, from concept sketches and fabric selection to sewing and final presentation, students learn to take creative risks, solve problems, and express their individuality. Collaboration and peer feedback encourage teamwork and initiative as they prepare for their runway debut.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Entrepreneurial Mindset: Students will choose their own patterns to create and will learn how to develop a project from planning to completion, problem-solving along the way.
Foster Creativity, Innovation, and Iteration: Students will learn about the creative decisions behind clothing design and fashion and apply these ideas through their own sewing projects.
Develop Collaboration, Teamwork, and Initiative: Students will peer review each other’s projects, offer advice, and share materials and studio space, building collaboration skills even within individual projects.
REQUIREMENTS:
No experience needed. Just creativity, commitment, and a few thrifted finds to transform into something new.
RISK-TAKING & INNOVATION
ASIAN CINEMA: EXPLORING CULTURE THROUGH FILM
COURSE OVERVIEW:
See the world through a different lens—literally. From the misty mountains of Japan to the neon streets of Seoul, the sweeping fields of India, and the desert horizons of Iran, Asian Cinema invites you to travel across cultures without ever leaving your seat. In this immersive and visually rich experience, you’ll explore how filmmakers across Asia tell their stories, how they capture beauty, identity, and the pulse of everyday life through image and sound. You’ll watch films that changed cinema forever, uncovering how they reflect the hopes, histories, and heartbeats of their cultures. Through daily screenings, lively discussions, and technical workshops, you’ll learn the language of film, how to read what’s on screen, interpret what’s beneath it, and create meaning through your own camera lens. Then it’s your turn behind the scenes. Working in small production teams, you’ll create an original short film that expresses a cultural element or story you want to share. You’ll plan, shoot, edit, and screen your work for your peers, proving that film isn’t just about watching stories; it’s about learning how to tell them.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Develop cooperative leadership skills through nature: You’ll work in small production teams to plan, shoot, and edit your own short film, learning how collaboration fuels creativity. Each student takes on a role, director, cinematographer, editor, or producer, and together, you’ll bring a shared vision to life. As you problem-solve on set and make creative decisions as a group, you’ll strengthen your ability to lead, listen, and contribute to collective success.
Explore the history and local culture of a natural environment: Through film, you’ll travel across Asia’s cities, mountains, and villages, experiencing how place shapes identity and story. Each screening offers insight into how filmmakers portray their environment, from cultural rituals to changing urban landscapes. Reflection activities help you connect those depictions to your own surroundings, inviting you to consider how your culture, too, is shaped by place and history.
Promote place-based learning experiences: You’ll step beyond the screen through community connections, like guest talks from local university professors, visits to cultural neighborhoods, and shared meals at Asian restaurants. These experiences transform what you study in film into something tangible and real, deepening your understanding of culture, belonging, and the human stories that connect us all.
REQUIREMENTS:
An open mind and interest in global cultures, film, and storytelling. May miss co-curriculars on trip days.
A SENSE OF ROOTEDNESS AND PLACE
EXPLORING AMERICAN DREAMS DEPICTED IN FILMS
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course aims to explore the theme of American Dreams depicted in Films but through the lens of different Americans - adoptees, European immigrants, Asian immigrants and Americans. We will study different films as well as go to different museums to explore the themes that we saw in the films. First, we will visit the Tenement Museum in NYC after watching “Gangs of New York” and see how the immigrants of New York lived and survived in the 19th and the 20th century. Second, we will go to the Woodstock Museum after watching “Woodstock: Three Days that Defined a Generation” and study how the Vietnam War defined a turning point in American politics and the outlook of the young Americans for what an American Dream is. In addition to these experiences, we will be watching and studying movies that our students might be able to relate to such as Minari and Blue Bayou and start to think about what their American experience is. As our final project, the students will research their family history and the pursuit of American Dreams, and create a zine based on the narratives.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The students in this course will explore how the films challenge the traditional view of the American Dream for those who are seeking ‘rootedness and place’ in their stories.
The students will learn about how some Americans in history have fought and struggled to find Rootedness & Place by visiting museums.
The students will organize and research their own history and perhaps strengthen their own sense of rootedness & place by researching their own history and putting their narratives into a handmade zine.
REQUIREMENTS:
Interest in American history, culture, and film. Openness to discussion, reflection, and creative research.
A SENSE OF ROOTEDNESS AND PLACE
COSTA RICA: COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVENTURE
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Dive into a week of meaningful service and thrilling exploration in the lush landscapes of La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Stay at a rainforest base camp, where community and nature are deeply intertwined, and where every day brings hands-on experiences rooted in local needs and guided by local leadership. You’ll contribute to multi-year infrastructure and educational development projects, such as building sports courts, enhancing school facilities, or planting trees that support both beauty and climate resilience. When you’re not lending a hand, you’ll be ziplining through the treetops, rafting down roaring rivers, soaking in volcanic hot springs, and playing games with local school children during cultural exchanges. This experience is about more than giving back — it’s about building deep connections with place, people, and purpose, all while discovering what it means to be an engaged, compassionate citizen of the world.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
We will develop cooperative leadership through nature by tackling real-world infrastructure projects and reflecting on shared challenges.
We will explore the history and culture of a natural environment through daily interactions, local food, and immersive cultural exchange.
We will promote place-based learning by connecting firsthand with the people, ecosystems, and traditions of La Fortuna.
REQUIREMENTS:
Valid passport, willingness to serve, comfort with rustic living and physical activity. Students will miss cocurricular commitments.
A SENSE OF ROOTEDNESS AND PLACE
APPALACHIAN TRAIL BACKPACKING TRIP
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Discover your place in the wild. Join Gunn Outdoors for a breathtaking exploration of the New York and Connecticut sections of the Appalachian Trail, often celebrated as the most stunning stretch of all 2,000 miles. Along the way, you’ll summit Connecticut’s highest peak, cross winding rivers, and rest at the famous Riga Shelter overlooking sweeping mountain views. You’ll also hike through the Trail’s only old-growth forest in the Northeast, a living classroom where lessons in ecology, teamwork, and resilience come to life. This adventure builds a deep sense of rootedness and place, helping you understand the natural world while developing cooperative leadership, outdoor skills, and environmental stewardship. Every mile invites reflection, discovery, and connection to nature, to your peers, and to yourself.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
We will develop cooperative leadership through nature by rotating through essential outdoor roles and practicing trail-based problem-solving.
We will explore the history and culture of a natural environment, including Indigenous land use, artistic influences, and environmental conservation.
We will promote place-based learning by building a micro-community on the trail that deepens self-understanding and appreciation of the land.
REQUIREMENTS:
Physical fitness for multi-day backpacking, willingness to carry personal gear, comfort with outdoor camping, teamwork, and communication skills. Students will miss some cocurricular commitments.
A SENSE OF ROOTEDNESS AND PLACE
SEA KAYAKING AND BEACH CAMPING IN BAJA CALIFORNIA
COURSE OVERVIEW:
Paddle into paradise on this extraordinary sea kayaking expedition around Isla Espíritu Santo, a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site off the coast of La Paz, Baja California Sur. Known for its striking sienna cliffs, turquoise waters, and world-renowned white sand beaches, Espíritu Santo Island is as stunning as it is serene. Each day will bring new adventure: glide through peaceful coves, snorkel alongside playful sea lion pups at Los Islotes, and marvel at volcanic rock formations shaped by time and tide. Hike through cactus-studded arroyos, enjoy beachside meals prepared with Mexican flair, and watch dolphins dance in the surf. Nights will be spent under a canopy of stars, with sunsets marking the close of each day. A motorized support boat will ensure safety and comfort, carrying gear and provisions as you paddle freely. You will also have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim with the gentle giants of the sea — whale sharks — in nearby La Paz, one of the few places on earth where this is possible. Guided by local marine experts, you’ll not only witness but deeply connect with the fragile ecosystems of Baja. This experience is a breathtaking blend of physical challenge, ecological discovery, and soul-stirring beauty, ideal for anyone seeking adventure with purpose.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
We will develop cooperative leadership through nature by working as a kayaking and camping team in a dynamic, hands-on marine environment.
We will explore the history and culture of a natural environment by engaging with local guides, learning about Baja’s ecological and conservation efforts, and reflecting on the island’s role in regional and global environmental systems.
We will promote place-based learning through immersive activities like kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming with whale sharks to foster environmental understanding and personal connection to place.
REQUIREMENTS:
Comfort with open water, basic swimming ability, physical fitness for sea kayaking and hiking, willingness to camp outdoors, and an appreciation for marine life. Students will miss cocurricular commitments.
INTERNSHIP
Are you eager to dive into the real world and gain hands-on experience in a field that excites you? Highlander Term offers you an incredible opportunity to step out of the classroom and into a professional environment where you can explore your interests, develop new skills, and make valuable connections. This is your chance to take charge of your learning and shape your future career path!
To participate, you’ll need to find a host company, organization, or professional setting that aligns with your interests. Whether you’re passionate about science, technology, arts, business, or any other field, there’s a place for you! Your internship can be on campus at Gunn or anywhere in the world, giving you the flexibility to choose a location that best suits your goals and interests. Next, connect with a potential supervisor at your chosen host company who is willing to mentor you, provide feedback, and complete a final evaluation of your performance. Once you’ve secured a placement and a supervisor, submit a proposal detailing your internship plan.
This internship opportunity is designed to fit into one of the four Gunn Pillars, ensuring that your experience is not only practical but also academically enriching. You’ll engage in real-world learning, apply theoretical knowledge, and develop essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Don’t miss out on this exciting chance to immerse yourself in a professional setting, explore your passions, and gain invaluable experience that will benefit you in both your academic and career pursuits. Seize the opportunity to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact during Highlander Term!
To participate in an internship, students must submit a proposal for consideration by October 31, 2025. The proposal will need to provide detailed answers for the following questions. Students must acknowledge and agree to the internship expectations:
1. Company
2. Company Supervisor and Contact information
3. Learning Goals: What career skills will you be learning?
4. Tasks: What specific tasks will you be assigned throughout the internship?
5. Collaboration and Teamwork: How will this internship offer you opportunities to improve collaboration and teamwork skills?
6. Communication Skills: How will this internship offer you opportunities to improve communication (written, verbal, and listening) skills?
7. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: How will this internship offer you opportunities to improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills?
8. Qualifications: What skills, including self-management, do you have that will allow you to be successful at this internship?
9. Professionalism: What is your understanding of the professional behaviors needed to be successful at this internship?
10. Motivation: Why do you want to participate in this internship? How does this internship align with your values?
11. Schedule: What is your anticipated daily schedule, including hours? What on-campus obligations, if any, will you be missing?
12. Adult contact information for transportation and lodging (if not staying on campus)
13. Which Gunn Pillar does the internship align to? How will the experience meet the Pillar’s learning objectives?
14. Acknowledge and agree to the Internship Expectations.
