Students, faculty, and staff are finding creative ways to have fun during the current quarantine including a Zoom cooking contest, earlier this term. Students living on campus are learning new skills from their dorm parents. Check out some of the other activities that keep our George School community connected.
Virtual Meeting for Worship
Meeting for worship has always been a practice where our George School community members are not only encouraged to look inward but also to deeply listen to others and to respond if they are moved to do so. It is a grounding experience that encourages meditative calm and is in this sense as important now as ever. In this time of virtual classes, Head of Religions Department Tom Hoopes ’83 organized virtual meetings for worship for the George School community every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. and Thursday at 8:00 a.m. These meetings have been enthusiastically attended.
Pictionary
One of the activities organized by the Student Activities Board to keep the community connected is online Pictionary sessions. Games are held via Zoom. During the most recent sessions, Joseph Hoopes ’20 drew masterful clues on the Orton Dorm blackboard while students had fun taking guesses. Friends embraced each other online, shared news, and commiserated about distance learning and living at home–with many lamenting how much they miss being together at George School. Shari Rossman, Director of Student Activities said, “The resounding chorus was ‘Let’s meet and do this again!'”
Learn to Swim, Kayak and Ride
With some students are still living on campus. Mike Bailey and Ginna Lewing often open the Fitness and Athletics Center on Saturday, including the Marshall Platt Pool. This means swimming lessons continued while other students learned how to kayak in the pool. Earlier in the term, faculty and staff members also offered biking lessons and led rides on campus.
Zoom Cooking Contest
Students participated in a Chopped-style cooking competition from all over the globe and right on campus via Zoom video chat over the weekend of April 18-19, 2020. Much like the TV show, participants had a list of ‘must-use’ ingredients. The winner, Frederic Perera ’21, wowed the judges with a chocolate lava cake topped with a heart-shaped medallion. Frederic joined the competition from his home in London, England.
Orton Dorm
Every Monday night, Orton residents connect via Zoom. These meetings are not only limited to those still living in the dorm, but also include those who have traveled back to stay with their families, with students joining from California, or as far away as China and Thailand.
Drayton Crepe Café
Teachers and faculty members are serving up tasty treats ensuring students still on campus are feeling at home. Drayton dorm parent Ionna Bailey is famous for her delicious crepes with sweet strawberries.
Opt-Outside
Marshall Center is a gathering place for students on the weekend and with the weather warming up more students and community members enjoyed the loop road around campus. The cherry trees bloomed in full, redbuds dotted the forest, and other flowering trees highlighted buildings on campus.
Parents/Guardians: Please join the Parent and Guardian Association (PGA) for dinner in the dining hall at 5:30 p.m. before its final meeting of the school year on Monday, April 17. The meeting will be from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the MDA Library Conference Room. Those unable to attend in person may join virtually via Zoom.