News

The Captivating Passion For Forensics

10/24/22

By Jada Hernandez

The Woodstock Academy offers so many interesting classes and electives, but a fan favorite of many students is the forensics class. The forensics class at the Academy offers many skills that can be applied to everyday life. For example, experimental learning comes into play during different situations because this is learning by doing. This helps develop everyone's senses and learn more by digging deep into individual experiences and learning from them. “This class helps you get out of your comfort zone because you get to see the behind-the-scenes of a crime and how to solve the crime. It enhances your observing skills” – Emma Blanchette (Class of ‘23)

At the Woodstock Academy, forensics teachers like Melany Gronski and Jesse Credit make learning fun by creating different simulations and games to help students achieve their forensics goals. In the data unit, students will collect and analyze data and DNA samples in order to figure out the cause of death. “We do a lot of hands on practical experience, which help students build their understanding of forensic science and develop their scientific toolbox” – Jesse Credit

Jesse Credit, Melany Gronski, and Christina Jolliff make an effort to find where the students understanding of the course is and where their interests lie in specific topics. They also have an opportunity to share their expertise within the classroom. These teachers educate students on the required content but also take a deep dive into the different units and expand beyond the basic level of forensics. They look more into the case and explore motives as well as question if these are crimes of passion or just a simple crime. These forensic educators are helping students explore and learn about new cases. Simultaneously, they are helping these students reconnect the knowledge of other experiences to topics in class. “When planning to teach lessons in forensic science, I try to create a learning experience that allows the students to become the forensic specialist.  For example, when we are learning about the role of a medical examiner, the students complete a mouse autopsy and create a medical examiner report. When we learn about developing latent fingerprints, we dust fingerprints with carbon powder, lift them with tape and compare them with a set of known fingerprints.  I find that this type of experiential instruction engages students and helps them to master the learning objectives.” – Melany Gronski

Forensic educators make an excellent effort with helping the students find their interests and educate them on specific topics. Through forensics, they help the students use observation, questioning, and communication skills to make their learning experience interesting for the students at the Woodstock Academy. – Jada Hernandez ( Class of 2024)

Rhapsody in Black

10/18/22

By Isadora Graham

On Thursday, October 20th, the Academy will be hosting two performances of Rhapsody in Black at the Loos Center for the Arts which will be attended by all students.

Rhapsody in Black is a personal narrative on racism, identity, and self-image written and performed by Leland Gantt and directed by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons. In his one-man show, Leland explores his personal journey to understand and eventually transcend racism in America. It follows his life story from an underprivileged childhood in Pennsylvania and teenage experiments with crime and drugs to scholastic achievement and an acting career that leads to situations in which he is almost always the only African American in the room. He recounts his struggles with the psychological effects of constantly being labeled “The Other,” with a passion and poignancy that convey the strong belief he has in his message and give an emotional punch and a lasting impression, according to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn describes it as “a searing portrait of the effects of racism on one multi-talented artist…a powerful and important work that everyone should see.”

All Academy students will attend one of the two performances: juniors, seniors, and post-graduate students at 11:00 AM with their 3rd block classes, and freshmen and sophomores at 1:00 PM with their 4th block classes. 

The schedule for the day will remain unaltered, with students in grades 11-13 heading to the Loos Center immediately following Block 2, while students in grades 9-10 should eat their lunch during the first half of Community Lunch and then go to the Loos at 12:30. Those who need to catch a bus will be transported back to North Campus right after the show.