By Paige Jackson ’24
Winterim. The end line of the first semester, the cooldown term for teachers and students alike. A time to try new things and be creative. Gunn teachers have dedicated their autumns to designing the perfect two-week course.
Four courses that stood out to many were ‘POKER! Game Theory & Analysis through No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em’, the ‘Gunndance Film Festival 2022’, ‘Live Like Sasquatch’, and ‘Gunn Goes to Washington … DC!’. Each class will spend two weeks, four hours per day, exploring their specific topic. There are thirty courses to choose from, and decisions must be made starting on October 20th. But that’s for students. Let’s dive into the teacher processes for Winterim.
Lifeguarding offers the opportunity for students to become lifeguard certified, preparing them for possible real-life scenarios (hopefully not necessary) and summer jobs. Ms. Ruscz and Ms. Paulekas will be running this course. To take the course, you must fit the following criteria; minimum age of 15, the ability to swim 300 yards continuously, tread water for two minutes using only the legs, and complete a timed event within one minute. This timed event starts in the water, swimming 20 yards, diving to a depth of 7-10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object, returning to the surface and swimming 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, and exiting the water without using steps or a ladder.
“I have been a lifeguard for 3 years now,” Ruscz informed. “All students who take our course will be First-Aid/CPR and Waterfront Lifeguard certified, assuming they pass the test at the end of the class!”
Live Like Sasquatch is a five-day camping trip to New Hampshire run by Ms. Brush and Mr. Fladager. Students on this trip will be device free and learn to leave no trace behind them.
The GunnDance Film Festival 2022 will be led by Mr. Visentin and Mr. Poole. The students will be writing screenplays and learning the key to making an eye-catching film. The students will also be creating their own movies, and possibly entering them in the first-ever GunnDance Film Festival. The date of this festival will be announced in the upcoming months.
POKER! Game Theory & Analysis through No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em will be taught by Mr. Leathers and Mr. Castonguay. This course will focus on exploring game theory and math analysis, such as statistics, pot odds, percentages, strategies, and outs. They will also learn the vital skills needed by top players finding and hiding tells.
Gunn Goes to Washington DC will be led by Mr. McMann, per usual. This class will spend five days and six nights in Washington traveling to important tourist sights and historical spots. For the rest of winterim, they will write an opinion piece that they could send to their state representative as a proposal for change. Caroline Marich went on the trip last year, and spoke to Highlander News about her experience.
“I think my favorite was when we went to the African American History Museum, and that was really cool because it was a part of history that I hadn’t really seen the true effects of,” Marich answered when asked about her favorite spot they visited on the trip.
Teachers have been working hard to perfect their courses, and now with Winterim only a few weeks away, students will soon be finding out if they got their first choice. But it’s important to remember that even if you didn’t get your number one choice, all of these classes are amazing opportunities and will be both fun and educational ways to spend your time between breaks.
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