J-Term 2013
See Sightline story on Senior Trip.
Elkhart Truth article: Ukuleles, Fitness, and Spanish
Goshen News articles: Private Pilot Ground School, NorthWoods Adventure, Ukulele Choir, and Civil Rights in Mississippi.
Bethany article on Sports Poetry.
Click on the links below to jump to course descriptions.
| High School | Teacher |
| Basketball 101 | Brent Reinhardt |
| Civil Rights in Mississippi | Eric Kaufmann |
| Northwoods Adventure | Barbara Slagel, Josh Weaver |
| Private Pilot Ground School | Calvin Swartzendruber |
| Spanish Language Trip | Craig Mast |
| Technical Theater | John Mast |
| Ukulele Choir | Dale Shenk |
| Urban Living | Krysten Parson |
| Middle School | |
| All the World's a Stage | Evie Nafziger |
| Fitness | Cheryl Mast |
| Folklore and Fairytales | Gwen Kelly |
| Glee | Nathan Swartzendruber |
| Mystery Behind the Game | Beth Grieser |
| Sports Poetry | Matt Miller |
| 3-D Art | Juanita Hershberger |
High School Courses
Basketball 101
Basketball 101 is all things basketball. Students will learn basketball history, take a coaching certification class, run a basketball practice, take a test to become a Indiana certified referee, and attend basketball games. The daily schedule will be varied with some day classes and some evenings attending games. The course will include an overnight trip to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and an Indiana Pacers game. Students will participate in student-run basketball practices in this physical education J-Term
Civil Rights in Mississippi
This course will introduce students to the relationship between Choctaw Indians, African Americans, and Mennonites living in Noxubee county, Mississippi. After studying the historical relationship and general histories of all three groups, students will travel to Noxubee county to interact and experience these relationships first hand. The group will drive to Mississippi, leaving Sunday morning, Jan. 13, and return Friday evening Jan. 18. It may be warm, it may not be.
Northwoods Adventure
The first week students study the natural history of northern Michigan. You will choose areas of your own interest to explore in depth. Examples include: Native American history, waterways (including lakes, rivers, and the Great Lakes), logging, fishing, flora and fauna, animal wildlife and hunting, geology, early settlers, lighthouses, shipping, and more. The second week, we will travel to northern Michigan. In the northern lower peninsula, we will visit an old-growth forest and study logging and ski. In the upper peninsula we will snowshoe at Tahquamenon Falls, study how dogs are trained in Michigan for the Iditarod in Alaska, and take a sled dog ride. Weather permitting, we’ll visit the Soo locks. Requires some physical stamina and appropriate winter clothing (list will be provided).
Private Pilot Ground School
Participants will learn about aerodynamics, flight controls, navigation, air traffic control, aeromedical aspects of flight, and Federal Aviation Regulations from an FAA-certified Ground Instructor. Students may earn a recommendation to take the written exam for their private pilot certificate. The group will also visit the AirZoo aircraft museum in Kalamazoo, see aerobatic biplanes being built, tour local airports, and visit the Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in South Bend. The J-Term will wrap-up with each student flying with a flight instructor from the New Horizons Flight Academy at the Goshen Airport and logging their first pilot time in their logbooks. Day trips.
Spanish Language Trip
Additional cost of $2,500. Meets Jan. 14-18 and travel June 1-20. Students who have taken at least two years of Spanish have the opportunity to participate in the trip to Paraguay and Argentina. The purpose of this trip is to cultivate a deeper appreciation of languages and cultures and build relationships with the wider Christian communities in these two countries. During the first week and a half of the trip we will visit Paraguay’s capital, Asunción, and the cities that surround the capital. We also travel north into the Paraguayan Chaco to visit three of the major Mennonite colonies. In Asunción students live with Christian families and attend afternoon classes at the Alberto Schweitzer School. For our last week we will travel to Argentina to see the Iguazu Falls and then head south to the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
Technical Theater
This course provides an overview of the behind-the-scenes workings of a theater production. Students construct an entire set from the ground up, working with various tools, paint, and technology, to create stage settings, lighting effects, and sound effects. Students will learn the language of the theater, shop procedures and safety, and basic construction/electrical/audio techniques for theater. The culminating project will be set construction for the winter show. Day trips.
Ukulele
Build and decorate your own ukulele using a kit. Read and write about the instrument, its use and famous performers who play it. Learn to play chords in order to accompany some singers.
Urban Living
During the first week we will be on campus learning about poverty, segregation, and visiting various social organizations that are available to our community in Goshen, Elkhart, and surrounding areas. We will participate in simulations, listen to guest speakers, and learn about the history of Gary, Ind., in preparation for the second week. In week two, we will travel to Gary to work with Urban Faith Works, an after-school program that works with children in the community and gives them an alternative to being on the streets. The ages range from elementary to high school. In the mornings, we will learn about the community that we will be living in, possibly spend a morning in the Gary schools system and doing service projects in the area. In the afternoons, we will work with these students, helping them with homework, art activities, leading songs, reading, and other activities that allow us to engage in meaningful conversations. We will leave Monday morning (Jan. 14) and return Friday afternoon (Jan. 18).
Middle School Courses
All the World's a StageStudents will experience every aspect of staging a one-act play. They'll learn about acting (blocking, character development, stage presence, voice and memorization) and technical work (sets, costumes and sound). At the end of the two weeks, they will perform for family and friends.
Fitness
What do yoga, skiing, and tofu have in common? These are all ways to stay fit and healthy. Explore fitness activities (such as yoga, zumba and winter sports) as ways to stay fit and about raw foods and alternative ways of eating to stay healthy. Be prepared to "stretch" your body and your mind to experience fitness in a variety of ways.
Folklore and Fairytales
All princes and princesses want their happily-ever-afters like in the stories, right? Well, what if the happily-ever-after wasn't originally happy? Students will read and watch original stories of famous fairytales throughout history and then create their own fairytale stories and play scripts. They will read original fairytales then watch how modern day cinema has changed the storyline. Stories include Snow White, Hanzel and Gretyl, tales from the Brothers Grimm, Cinderella, and Peter Pan.
Glee
Students will immerse themselves in the pop music genre, focusing solely on music of the 20th and 21st centuries. They will discover the difference between the “classical” and “pop/commercial” voice. They will rehearse and perform two or three group numbers and some small group numbers. In addition to singing, they will learn to incorporate choreography and dance into performances. A small performance and an evening trip to see a local show will conclude the course.
Mystery Behind the Game
Students will give investigate the history and strategies of many games currently played, including board/table games, games from other countries, group games, and individual challenge games (e.g. Sudoku). Everyone will research and present background information on one game and then teach it to the group. Students will plan, design, and create an original game of their choosing. All will spend time playing and critiquing current games on the market as well as each other’s original games. Field trips might include bowling and spending time at a local fitness center.
Sports Poetry
The world of sports overflows with breath-taking sights and energizing sounds. Fans and players experience the smell of a freshly cut baseball field, the taste of freshly popped popcorn, or the touch of an old, worn leather ball. Students will investigate the world of images that sports provides and turn them into poetry. They will experience sports as both partaker and spectator, playing games in the gym, watching live events, critiquing Sportscenter, and attending some hockey and basketball games. By the end, we'll have a little book of collected poems all about the world of athletics.