At Pace, there are numerous wonderful traditions, but few are more beloved than minimesters. Although they only encompass a week of the school year, the classes allow students to participate in an array of activities and expose them to new experiences. The minimesters serve as a much-needed break from rigorous academics, allowing students to pursue their interests while preparing for spirit week. This year, there was a large variety of minimesters, with a total of 63-course options to choose from!
Continuing the tradition of his food science minimester, Mr.Ewing once again led students through the exploration of food. The minimester focused on experimenting with the science behind food making, allowing students the opportunity to use science in regular life. In an exciting turn of events, the class got the chance to experiment with making cheeses, breads and more in the classroom! “ We got to deconstruct a food into a base of butter and liquid, it was really cool! I would definitely do it again if I wasn’t graduating this year!” said Senior Zoe Albert. The class is a staple for the minimester curriculum and hit its mark once again as an exhilarating start to the year.
This year Ms.Wheeler started her minimester, True Crime: Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children. This class focused on the two-year stretch in Atlanta where nearly 30 African-American children were murdered and followed the conviction and trial of Wayne Williams. Although disturbing, the minimester served as an interesting lesson in Atlanta’s history and a reminder of racial dynamics influence on public perception.
Ms.Hathorne’s Quick Café Cuisine was another welcome addition to this year’s minimesters. The course offered a look into French culture and cuisine through experimentation in cooking and conversations over food. Although many joined in the hopes of eating some delicious food, they stayed for the fun atmosphere and enriching conversations. Some of the dishes they made were bechamel sauce, un croque monsieur and a carrot salad. Ms.Hathorne created an amazing minimester, and hopefully, Pace will include it on the options for next year! “I really enjoyed this minimester, I had a lot of fun! Making the food was tons of fun, and we got to eat it which was even better!” said sophomore Andy Levenson.
Another astounding minimester, led by Dr. Brooks, was Is-ness vs. Ought-ness: Ethical Thinking for a Complex World. Decision-making is hard, whether it’s in everyday life or about life-altering changes. Dr.Brooks forced students to reckon with this throughout his minimester, allowing them the opportunity to utilize ethical frameworks and weave them into real issues. Dr. Brooks did a fantastic job of adapting to national issues as well, including the California Wildfires in his lessons. The class resonated with many students, “It was interesting how we learned to apply ethical thinking to real-world situations, it really makes you reconsider things.” said sophomore Alo Paiardini.
This year’s minimesters were engaging, adventurous and most importantly, fun! With an array of choices catering to all interests, the bar for minimesters has been set high for future years to beat. Although minimesters just ended, teachers and students alike can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!
