The power of Emma Willard School’s experiential learning programs lies in the opportunities students have to connect with communities outside of Emma. Jestermester 2025 gave students the opportunity to explore topics that interest them outside of their regular classroom experience.

Here are just a few examples of the Jestermester options students enjoyed.

Discovering the Hudson

Students traveled backward and forward in time and got their hands “wet” in the Hudson River. They worked on the modern incarnation of an 18th-century style sailboat, explored the river’s wildlife, learned how music changed the river’s fate, and learned the stories of Americans—both indigenous and later arrivals—whose lives were shaped and inspired by it.

 

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Create Stuff in the Maker Space

Students got their creative juices flowing in the Makerspace! They learned how to use a CAD package to design items to 3D-print, used Adobe Illustrator to create acrylic signs to cut and engrave onto plexiglass, and learned how to sew. For the final two days, students were given the freedom to create anything they wanted.

    

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The Music Biz

Students explored the many facets of the music industry and assumed different roles throughout the week. Students had a chance to ponder possibilities and plan creative decisions as songwriters, producers, recording artists, engineers, managers, and performers.

 

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The Eternal City: Latin and Art History Exploration of Rome

Students traveled to Rome for a first-hand encounter with dazzling works of art and architecture.  There were on-site excursions every day to places such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Borghese Gallery, the Vatican, plus more!  Students connected their classroom knowledge of Latin and Art History through first-hand experiences like reading Latin texts in the actual parts of the ancient city where the events took place, reconstructing Roman temple precincts from their ruins, and understanding Renaissance painting in new ways by standing in the Sistine Chapel and looking up at Michelangelo’s frescoes.

 

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Ghana: Roots and Reclamation

Students experienced Ghana’s unique culture and natural environment, such as their canopy walk in the lush Kakum National Park and visiting Kumasi, the heart of the Ashanti Kingdom. Students traced connections within the African Diaspora linking people of African descent with the African continent. They toured the slave castles that symbolize African oppression by foreign powers and then learned about how modern Ghanaian entrepreneurs are flipping the script, creating businesses and initiatives aimed at economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social consciousness.

For more photos of students' adventures, click here.