US Weekly Wrap-Up: 11.17.21

Posted on November 17, 2023

Here is a short wrap-up from this past week—November 13 through November 17—in the Upper School.


Students in the Socio-economics of Sports BVR-X course kicked off the week on Monday by developing their own sports. The assignment tasked students with creating guidelines for a new sport that would address all of the social, economic, and accessibility concerns that the class has examined throughout the term.

A Diwali celebration took place on the D-Level with games, food, and a henna station. Students in the South Asian Affinity Group organized the event to celebrate Diwali, which took place on Sunday.

Our goal for the event was for students to have a glimpse of what a typical diwali celebration would look like. With games, snacks, and henna, and other small activities, we think the event was enjoyable for the students.

-Harris Kader ’25, South Asian Affinity group leader

You can read more about the event here!


On Tuesday, chef (and Beaver parent!) Ken Oringer visited the Spanish Fundamentals: Cuisine & Culture class to lead a cooking demonstration. The entire class got involved as Oringer prepared various ingredients and discussed his work as a chef and author.

The inaugural Beaver Bowl took place on Tuesday afternoon. Two teams of female-identifying students in grades 11 and 12 faced off in a flag football game accompanied by music, a halftime relay race, and cheers from students of all ages. After a very close game, the senior team walked away victorious!


At an Upper School meeting on Wednesday various announcements were made.

  • Mx. Wyle shared information about World Diabetes Day, which took placed on November 14.
  • Mr. Eaton and Ms. Ching encouraged students to apply for the Cohn Grant, which awards funds to students looking to start a project to better their community.
  • Ms. St. Louis shared details about the R+D Skills Lab, a new afternoon activity that meets three times a week. Students in the lab will have hands-on experience with various Design Level tools such as laser cutters, 3D printers, and drones.

The Entrepreneurship with a Purpose class showcased their final presentations on Thursday. Each group shared their idea for a social enterprise that would address a sustainable development goal or a lived experience of their own. Presentations included UniEats, a food delivery services that uses surplus food to feed students experiencing food insecurity, Golf Shield, a cream that protects skin from the harsh chemicals and pesticides on golf courses, and EdPath, a new way of pairing college applicants with admissions experts.

Parents, teachers, and peers populated the R-Level to hear from Theories of Justice students as they presented their work. The presentations were the culmination of an entire term studying criminology, penology, and theories of justice. Topics chosen by students included bail, solitary confinement, and after school programming as a method of deterrence.

Seniors gathered at Beaver after school for a Seniors S’mores Night. Fire pits and s’mores stations were set up all around the Front Circle for the event, which brought seniors together to reflect on the year thus far. In a candle lighting activity, students expressed what they are looking forward to with one another.


Friday marked the last day before Thanksgiving break begins. Students finished assignments, completed final presentations, and celebrated the end of the fall term.

Happy Thanksgiving, Beaver!