Programming helps students bond, prioritize wellness, and prep for success
What do bowling, singing, and seminars on sleep hygiene and time management have in common?
They’re all part of Ninth-Grade Experience, a year-long initiative to help our newest students bond, build community, and transition to the high school years.
“We really started being intentional about it,” said Julie Kile, director of Roxbury Academic Support Program who helped lead the ninth-grade program. “Each year is different and you’re looking at the students in front of you and finding out where they are. The seminar we already had was revamped significantly to include more health and wellness programming, for example.”
In 2024-25, first-year students met in advisory groups comprised of only ninth graders and all groups participated in the Ninth-Grade Seminar, exploring topics such as goal setting, listening/learning strategies, and conflict resolution.
Community building started on day one with the first “Community Weekend” of the year, a full slate of games and activities from athletics to music to community service. Students built spaghetti and marshmallow towers and worked on other team-building activities together and attended an Academic Resource Night introducing ninth graders to the library, writing center, and math lab.
Simone ’28 said the seminar helped with her transition from middle school to high school. “It introduced us to many of the resources available on the campus while also teaching us many important life skills such as leadership,” she said. “We did a lot of work with public speaking, which helped with my communication skills as a student and an athlete as well.”
While upper grades focused on college applications and testing, the class took a trip to Bowlero, where they bowled, played video games, and strengthened friendships. In November, the group, under the direction of choral teacher Kate Bobsein, debuted their Ninth-Grade Chorus, singing the appropriate “Lean on Me.” Whether students were confident crooners or a little more reticent, all agreed the shared experience brought them closer, Kile said.
One of the most impactful elements of Ninth-Grade Seminar has been the partnership with the health and counseling & wellness centers, said Ninth Grade Class Dean Jennifer Guarino P’18. Students have enjoyed classes taught by Jennifer Searles, director of the Richmond Health Center, and Colleen Scaife, director of Counseling Services, where they’ve participated in engaging activities helping them to learn about nutrition, healthy body image, conflict resolution, and stress management.
Guarino has noticed how much the Class of 2028 has worked on making connections and collaborating with each other: “Building community is a main goal of this program so students will build strong bonds in their first semester here.” In December, they created group presentations that explored their shared experiences in their first semester at CA, and at the end of the year, small groups will design and cook a meal together that represents their various identities.
“I loved the public speaking aspect of the ninth-grade seminar experience,” said Chidera ’28. “It helped me gain confidence when speaking in front of others and also helped me make sure to double and triple check presentations I give.”
Next year, students will experience the next level of this program in Tenth-Grade Seminar, a once-a-month program continuing the foundation started this year with the Class of 2028.
