Click here to listen to this week’s JAM – The Biggest Campus Ever.
We had a sneak peek last Friday at what it will be like next year when we have our first class of 9th graders at the Upper School. 90 students, including our current 8th graders and more than 35 students who are applying to our Upper School, participated in a “Day in the Life” of Hillbrook’s High School.
What did we learn?
We have an exceptional team of new teachers. Students were dazzled by new science teacher Mike Judge and his interactive and lively exploration of water and water quality in San Jose. They were challenged by new Director of Design & Innovation Richard Ong to build structures with simple materials and then see how much force they could withstand as they were crushed in a high-powered vice. Overheard – “ours withstood more than 100 pounds of pressure!” followed by a few high fives. And they were led on an exploration of the city by English teacher Crystal Matsuoka, Upper School Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Marisol Ornelas, and Director of the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship Annie Makela, including a visit to Pizza My Heart, a Hillbrook favorite and long-time downtown fixture, and a session in the King Library at San Jose State University, an extraordinary library that will be an invaluable resource for our program moving forward in the years ahead.
That takes us to our second learning, the city is, as we expected, an extraordinary classroom. Students were energized by the opportunity to explore the city and answer the question, “How can physical spaces in a city invite curiosity, connection, and belonging?” They learned about the murals placed throughout the city, were introduced – or in many cases reintroduced – to the iconic “Victory Salute” statue honoring the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympic Games at San Jose State University, and had the simple joy of walking through an urban space. Kids mentioned to me how grown-up they felt, and how surprised they were to discover what a city campus can be. One student noted that they had been wondering why we hadn’t tried to get a big suburban campus for our school, but now that they were actually in San Jose and seeing how we were going to be immersed in the city they got it. “I mean, Hillbrook has the biggest campus of any school I’ve visited,” they remarked.
Finally, we learned that bringing together a new set of students and blending them with Hillbrook’s existing 8th grade will create a dynamic founding Class of 2027. The energy, enthusiasm, and engagement shown by the 90 or so students last Friday was contagious, and left all of the adults inspired to be with them over these next four years. One student enthusiastically shared – “this is the best field trip ever.” Given that it was a day that combined academic programs and real-world adventure – something we expect to happen every day at the high school – our long-held dream to design and open the best high school ever, is feeling more and more real by the day.