May Experiential Learning Program (MELP)

This MELP focuses on the history and culture of New England over the course of roughly three centuries. We will explore sites such as the Boston Freedom Trail, the Boston Aquarium, Historic New Bedford, the Connecticut Science Center, Historic Newport, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center to learn about the rich and varied history of this place known as New England. Additionally, we will eat a meal each day that is associated with
the area we are visiting, including famous eateries such as Boston’s Union Oyster House, Hartford’s Mozzicato’s Bakery, Newport Creamery, and other uniquely New England institutions.

Students will see how various early American cultures functioned as communities, governments, and economic structures through self-exploration and with the help of trained interpreters. We will also see how the rich traditions of the Native Americans are representative of our national fabric. And by bringing in the added “taste” of exploring regional cuisine, students will discover how native and immigrant cultures have become an essential part of life in this area.

The Berkshires of Western Massachusetts have long moved artists, writers, and musicians to create new works of art. Edith Wharton, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Norman Rockwell, Leonard Bernstein, Arlo Guthrie, James Taylor, and Yo-Yo Ma, among many others, have all been drawn to this evocative region, finding solace, inspiration, and even the occasional ghost!

Following in their footsteps, students will visit locations that inspired these artists, places where they created renowned artistic works, including The Mount, Arrowhead, the Rockwell Museum, Tanglewood, and Mount Greylock. Drawing inspiration from the presence of these places, students will engage in creative exploration as they write, draw, and make music of their own. The week will culminate in a public performance/reading/art share, during which students will present their newly created works. As part of the week’s offerings, Robert Oakes will lead a ghost tour at one of the Berkshires’ Gilded Age estates and discuss how the region’s ghosts inspired his own writing. Katherine Oakes will share original pieces of art inspired by the Berkshires.

Students will need a sketchbook and notebook, as well as pens, pencils, and colored pencils. Those with experience in the arts are encouraged to sign up, but such experience is not required—rather a willingness to experiment and participate.

The Behind The Scenes MELP is a way for students to explore the many facets of theater that are not always visible to the audience when seeing a performance. Students will learn about costume and set design, lights and sound, props and stage management, as well as other production elements that are involved in the world of theater. This MELP will be led by teachers who have experience with theater from all aspects of the production, ranging from the acting to the set design. The week will include some time on campus actively designing and creating set pieces, props, and costumes for Rectory School’s spring production of Newsies, JR. This hands-on activity will allow students to explore their artistic talents by drawing, painting, building, and sewing when necessary while also giving back to the Rectory community.

Students will also go on short day trips which will include visits and tours of professional and regional theaters such as the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT, and Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, RI, where they will also get an inside look at the history of this unique theater and participate in an acting workshop. A trip to see a professional, live, theater performance is also planned and subject to availability and scheduling.

This MELP offers students the opportunity to explore the history, culture, and environment of Charleston, South Carolina. Students will immerse themselves in the past and the present as they experience the storied past of Charleston ranging from settlement and plantation culture, its role in wartime history, the flora and fauna of its marshes and cypress gardens, and even the famous hauntings of the city proper. Students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the area and
the important role it has had in America. Charleston has been a tourist destination for history buffs, filmmakers, ghost hunters, ecologists, beachgoers, and the like because of its beauty and charm.

Students and chaperones will travel together from Rectory to a regional airport where they will fly to Charleston, South Carolina. Student activities could include, but are not limited to the following:

• A famous horse-drawn carriage tour through the city streets.
• Visit and tour the U.S.S. Yorktown
• Kayaking tour of the creeks and marshes
• Historical tour of Boone plantation listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• A Gullah culture experience.
• A trip to the South Carolina Aquarium.
• A Spirits of Magnolia Cemetery haunted tour.
• Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Please be aware, there is an extensive amount of physical activities included in this MELP experience.

The Charter Philly MELP is focused on community service and outreach in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During MELP week, mornings are spent volunteering at the West Philadelphia Charter Achievement Elementary School (WPACES) where Rectory students will have the opportunity to assist classroom teachers from kindergarten through third grade. This MELP allows Rectory students to interact with underprivileged students from Philadelphia who live in low socioeconomic areas and lack many opportunities outside of their community. Students at WPACES have the ability to learn from and connect with our students from all over the country and the world. When not volunteering their time at the school, students will tour and learn about historic Philadelphia and see some of the nation’s oldest artifacts up close and personal.

Afternoons will be spent touring various historical landmarks in chaperoned groups. The Ben Franklin Institute is a state-of-the-art science museum that features new themes every year. Across the Delaware River in Camden, New Jersey is the Adventure Aquarium. There, students will learn about aquatic animals and take part in hands-on activities. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to learn about the history of Philadelphia and how various landmarks and artifacts contributed to the Constitution of the United States and the history of America through touring museums and taking a ride on a double-decker bus. Nighttime activities include but are not limited to the movies, Dave & Busters, a ghost tour, and dinner and shopping at the King of Prussia Mall.

Food is one of the most exciting features of the trip for most students. During the trip, we enjoy Italian, Japanese (Hibachi), and American food. On the day we tour the city, students will explore the famous Redding Terminal Market, an underground market, in groups of four or more. During the one-hour lunch experience, students will have the ability to taste and sample foods from all around the world, in addition to foods unique to Philadelphia!

In this MELP we will visit and experience New England’s many exciting flavors and diverse food cultures. We will explore several historic towns such as Newport, RI, Mystic, CT, and Federal Hill in Providence, all known for their many eclectic flavors. We will sample foods each day that are associated with the area we are visiting, including famous eateries such as Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock in New London, CT, Nancy’s at the Airfield in Stow, MA, and other uniquely New England
traditions.

We will also explore and taste different ethnic foods scattered around New England that include Italian bakeries on Federal Hill in Providence, RI, mezze at Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace, and Venezuelan arepas (among many other samplings) at the Worcester Public Market. Through all this, we will learn about the rich and varied cultures of this place known as New England.

Students will also have the experience of creating a food blog capturing our daily adventures with food. Each student will have a role in blogging our daily travels, documenting and photographing our experiences with the restaurants and flavors we encounter.

Additionally, we will have a day to explore a local CSA farm and have the opportunity to cook and taste the flavors of local, seasonal ingredients. Students will have the opportunity to visit an oyster farm and its restaurant. Through our explorations of food, we will be learning about the history and people that make New England what it is today.

The Fun, Food, and Fitness MELP will showcase the vital role food and positive daily well-being plays in our lives, and how it contributes to the health of our bodies. Early in the week, a certified physical trainer will introduce this educational component and teach the class how to use weight training equipment correctly in the gym. Also, guided meditation and resilience training from a local professional. In addition, the students will shop for food and plan a daily meal for the group.

A community service outreach, students will have the opportunity to purchase and collect canned food items that they will then deliver to local food banks. In the afternoons, the students will participate in various activities as they begin to understand how much activity and positive mental health go hand in hand. We will engage in activities like weight training, fishing, basketball, pickleball, hiking, tennis, swimming, and kayaking. We hope that by the end of the week our
students come away with an increased appreciation for the importance of eating a healthy diet and a better understanding of how physical activity affects their mental and physical overall health.

Inside New England Sports is an in-depth and hands-on MELP designed to familiarize our students with the sports in our region. Students will learn about the history of the four major sports in New England (baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey), and the impact they have on our society. We will visit the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Patriots Hall of Fame, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and historic Fenway Park.

Students will also be active throughout the week, taking part in a CrossFit class, indoor rock climbing, and taking on an American Ninja Warrior course.

The It's Time to be Outdoors MELP will offer our fifth and sixth graders the opportunity to explore our local outdoors in a meaningful way. In fact, after more than two years of being “stuck” inside, it's time for all of us to be active, enjoy some fresh air, and learn about the wonderful outdoor activities available to us here in New England.

They will start the week by hiking the Airline Trail, having a wonderful picnic lunch at Wolf Den state park, and then heading off to a guided tour at Mystic Aquarium. Tuesday will begin with Geocaching local trails, lunch at Rectory Dining Hall, and then spending the afternoon at the CT. Science Center. Wednesday, the group will build their own kites and fly them while enjoying lunch at the UCONN Dairy Bar. Afterward, we will head off to Misquamicut State Beach for an afternoon of ocean beach swimming and clean-up.

Thursday the students will spend the morning competing in a campus-wide scavenger hunt, and then lunch at China Buffet, in Putnam CT. The afternoon concludes with backstage access at the Southwick Zoo. On Friday, our final day, the students spend the morning working on Rectory’s lean-to and enjoying s'mores and old fashion popcorn around the campfire. After a quick lunch, the group will hike Old Furnace State Park while grabbing ice cream at our favorite spot, We-Li-It Ice Cream.

Museum Madness is the ultimate field trip for 6th and 7th-grade students exploring the culture, history, and coastline of some of the original colonies of New England! Trips in the past have included exploring Plimoth Plantation, “a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a replication of the original settlement of the Plymouth Colony established in the 17th century by the English colonists who became known as the Pilgrims.” We will also see the famous site of Plymouth Rock, the famous landing point of the Mayflower! Students will discover the maritime majesty of whaling vessels and some beluga whales by exploring the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration and the Mystic Seaport.

Students will learn about the history of whaling and its ties to the great state of Connecticut. We can return once again to the Bay State to Boston and the Museum of Science where students will explore the planetarium, OMNI theater, and
exhibits. From discovering how our land came to exist (even before humans inhabited the earth!) to how technology affects everyday life, students will find themselves immersed in all of their senses! We find ourselves in Newport to explore the mansions of the Breakers, the Car Museum, and the Newport coast where we will take part in the International Coastal Cleanup!

We complete our tour of New England museums at the Basketball Hall of Fame and Dr. Seuss Museum, where students will learn more about some of the athletes who made an impact on one of the most beloved sports in the state of Connecticut (go UConn Huskies!). Finally, one of our trips could include an overnight stay at either The Boston Museum of Science or the Joseph Conrad at the Mystic Seaport. Each day the students will enjoy meals off campus with snacks provided by Rectory School. This MELP is on-campus AND off-campus (one overnight stay) and available to students in grades 6 and 7.

The Nantahala wilderness area encompasses over half a million acres of old-growth forest, mountains, and scenic rivers in North Carolina. This MELP will use a variety of means to introduce our students to this diverse, rugged, and picturesque land as they explore a week of adventure like no other. Along the way—and most importantly—students will gain an appreciation for the outdoors and for the native Cherokee who once populated this area. With a day spent paddling the whitewater of the Chattooga River, a day spent mountain biking in the Tsali Recreation area, a day hiking in the Nantahala Forest, and an additional time spent kayaking, zip lining, and learning about local history and the Cherokee people, this MELP is high adventure, and high reward. Nights will be spent sleeping in tents with all meals, guides, and activities provided by the National Outdoor Center in Bryson, N.C. 

Experience the New England countryside as few do these days - from the back of a horse! Over the Hills We Ride! is geared toward all students, from the beginner rider to the advanced. We will start the week with a mounted riding lesson and discussion of general horsemanship at Bramble Hill Farm and then venture forth throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to ride the trails, over hill and dale, through forests and fields, and along the beach. Learn the history of the area and how people have traveled the trails that we will ride for hundreds of years. Students will travel in style in a comfy mini-van or suburban, chauffeured by their trusty MELP leader/s. Lunches will be on the road, with breakfast and dinner on campus. 

We are very excited to offer Puerto Rico: Island of Natural Wonders as our MELP. Puerto Rico presents the opportunity to explore history, ecology, marine life, culture, and architecture. While in Puerto Rico, we take a sightseeing tour of Old San Juan, exploring historic landmarks, including La Fortaleza and Cathedral de San Juan. Students learn about the two main forts – El Morro and Castillo San Cristobal. We traverse El Yunque’s Caribbean National Forest, walking among waterfalls and indigenous flora and fauna. Also included in our MELP is a catamaran trip to Icacos Island, where we spend the day snorkeling and swimming among the rich and vibrant coral reefs.

Students learn more about marine life while kayaking in the glowing Bioluminescent Bay. We hope to give back and help Puerto Rico citizens in a way that is useful and meaningful during that time of the year. We absorb Puerto Rico’s culture through its music and eating the native cuisine.

San Diego: Land, Air, and Sea MELP will cover all the bases of sea, land, and air. While in San Diego, students will explore the various many wonders that make San Diego a wonderful place. For our land portion, we will explore the San Diego Zoo, which is the most visited zoo in America. The zoo houses more than 4,000 animals and 650 species and subspecies. The zoo is unique in that it is an open environment, attempting to replicate the open areas where an animal would naturally live.

For our sea portion, we will visit SeaWorld. Students will learn about the marine and biological importance of sea life through the exhibits and presentations. After visiting these attractions, students will take an hour of surf lessons to finish their trip on the sea format.

For the air portion, students will then travel to the Air and Space Museum to learn about aviation and space flight, which ties into the physics curriculum students will have just finished learning. For our community service, we will be helping in a beach clean-up of Mission Beach, which is minutes from our residence in Mission Beach. If time permits, students will travel to Coronado Beach to visit one of the top ten beaches in the United States and just miles away from the training facility of the Navy Seals. After a busy five days, students should gain a better understanding of San Diego and the importance of life on sea, land, and air.

This off-campus MELP will provide students exposure to a city described as Texas' "cultural melting pot"; its captivating history, covering over 300 years of traditions and heritage, presents an adventure for the senses on a daily basis. Against a backdrop of the five 18th-Century Spanish Colonial Missions (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), students will gain an understanding of the roots of this city's history and cultural diversity; this will be accomplished through visits to the Institute of Texan Cultures and the Witte Museum, as well as Historic Market Square, Centro de Artes Gallery, and the Governor's Mansion.

San Antonio is one of only two cities in the US designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy; students will be invited to sample the vast array of food available in various areas of the city including the famous River Walk, the Pearl Food Hall, and the food vendors of the Market Square. We will also participate in culinary instruction, learning how to make some famous Texan delights. In the evenings there will be activities including, but not limited to, a walking ghost tour, a twilight
visit to San Antonio Zoo, a theater show, and dinner alongside the river.

In our ever-changing world, young people grow when they connect to and understand the natural world. Young people need to learn about our Earth and its abundant resources. They are also bright enough to read, listen and see the changes our planet is undergoing.

In this On-Campus MELP, we teach students about our local natural environment and how we are all connected. This five-day program, which combines on-campus activities with day trips, will focus on learning about songbirds, dairy farming, animals, oceanography, and hands-on crafts. They will learn the importance of leaving a lighter footprint on the environment, the importance of plants, and the humane treatment of animals.

Day trips will include visiting the Audubon Society in Pomfret, Connecticut, where students will get a chance to band birds and hike the trails learning about birds in their natural habitat. We will also visit a local dairy farm and a century-old tropical greenhouse. We will venture to the ocean to learn about various creatures and their water habitats at Project Oceanography in Groton, Connecticut. On-campus activities will include hiking the Rectory campus grounds and craft
activities.

At the end of this program, students will have a more comprehensive knowledge and appreciation of the natural world around them.

In 1872 the US Congress established the first national park for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. We will have the opportunity to visit two national parks. We will visit Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. In Bryce Canyon National Park we will hike along the rim and down into the hoodoos along the Queens Garden Trail, view Thors Hammer, and experience Wall Street. At Zion National Park we will follow the paths where ancient native people and pioneers walked as we discover Utah’s first national park. Zion is noted for its colorful canyons, forested mesas, and striking desert. We explore Zion National Park by hiking and on horseback. We will also have an opportunity to explore the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park where we will experience the ultimate adventures as we tour on UTVs through the sand dunes and hike to mini-slot canyons. We will also try out Sand Boarding/Sand Sledding. We plan to take advantage of the dark skies of Utah and explore the splendor of the night sky and build our astronomy knowledge.

The first evening will be spent in a hotel and the following evenings we will stay in “The Hacienda” which will be our home for the remainder of the week. It sits on 5 acres and has a game room, a billiards room, a workout room, and hammocks to enjoy after a full day of adventures. Here we will enjoy breakfasts and pack our lunches daily.