Highlands School wraps up yearlong study of South Africa with museum-style celebration

Highlands School transformed its campus on March 10 as part of its second Country of Study Celebration. Students, parents and guests experienced the life and culture of South Africa as they strolled through classrooms, hallways and entire buildings decorated wall to wall with artwork, models and digital projects created by students from 4K-8th grade.

“This is truly a community-wide event,” said Elise Blackerby, chair of the Faculty Country of Study Committee. “The students worked tirelessly from the very start of the year and their parents have been here for the past week working to get everything show-ready. We couldn’t have accomplished all of this without all hands on deck.”

The celebration capped off a year-long exploration that began when two Highlands’ faculty members, Charlotte Leffel and Gabe McCool, traveled to South Africa for a two-week immersion into the country during the summer of 2015. During their trip, Leffel and McCool were responsible for studying various aspects of the country—everything from culture, animals, schools and history—and developing ways to bring back what they learned and integrating it into the Highlands curriculum.

“We were both honored to be chosen as this year’s Country of Study faculty travelers to South Africa,” wrote Leffel and McCool in a letter to the Highlands community. “We were overwhelmed by this beautiful, complex country.”

While there, Leffel and McCool visited Johannesburg, where they toured the city, the Lesedi Cultural Village and the Apartheid Museum. They also visited the Sabi Sands Game Reserve on safari, where they encountered South Africa’s Big Five: elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos and buffalos. Leffel and McCool also visited the coastline and mountains, heard local music, ate local food and toured area schools.

On display during the celebration was everything from South African lemonade, made with lemons, water, sugar and raisins by the 4K students, to four-sided dioramas featuring the landforms of Cape Town and native-inspired, South African instruments hand-made by the second-grade students. Kindergarteners displayed their soccer balls made of plastic bags and elastic bands, while first-graders showed off their elephant herd 3D clay models.

The older students got in on the fun as well. The seventh-grade students created a life-size cave featuring archeological finds students could crawl into and the sixth-graders hosted a folk-tale South African-styled story time around an inside “fire pit.”

“The entire school is transformed not just for an evening,” said Judy McDonald, director of Enrollment and Marketing, “but for an entire school year. The students are immersed in another culture with the hope that they will make connections with that culture in their own lives.”

Guests also had the opportunity to leave a permanent mark at Highlands, creating a Madiba rock that will be added to a permanent display on campus. The rocks were inspired by those left around the home of Nelson Mandela—known as Madiba—around his home when he was ill. The Umdabu South African Dancers, based in Birmingham, helped round out the night with a live performance featuring traditional tribal dance and drumming inside the gymnasium.

Highlands first launched its Country of Study Program in June 2014, inspired by then Interim Head of School Mike Collins, with Japan as the inaugural country of study. The program is funded by a three-year-commitment from the Highlands School Parents’ Auxiliary. The funds enable two faculty members to travel to a different country each summer for the three years. The teachers selected varied each year, and had to apply in order to be selected.

“The trip is at the same time a lot of fun for the chosen faculty members and a huge responsibility,” said Anne Rand, PA Liaison for the Faculty Country of Study Committee. “The travelers are crucial in determining what the curriculum will consist of for an entire school year.”

This summer, Sandra Parker and Rebecca Waylander will travel to Italy to research and develop curriculums for the 2016-2017 school year. Upon their return, the faculty travelers, along with a Country of Study Committee, will work to integrate aspects of Italy’s culture and innovations across all facets of the curriculum.

For more information, visit www.highlandsschool.org.