Special Programs

Project Periods

Project Periods merge intellectual growth with creative growth. Each year for one week in March, students select pursuits that most inspire them. Projects are designed to widen the curriculum by adding something not included in our regular curriculum (economics), or to provide the opportunity to go into greater depth in an area than the curriculum permits (jewelry making, opera). A number of projects provide students with the opportunity to work on campus improvement, creating something that will be here for years after they leave (flagstone patio in front of the dining hall). Working closely with a faculty mentor, it is a time to work outside the structure of a regular class day. It tests a student's self-discipline, ability to focus on a goal, and time management skills.
 
Projects are both individual and small group programs and many times involve experts outside VVS. One year, a group of students worked on digital photography and web publishing in our computer lab, then traveled to Los Angeles to work on state-of-the-art equipment in one of the nation's premier digital print studios. In our recording studio, several students chose to record, mix and burn their original music to CD. Rock climbing was another group project where students practiced advanced climbing techniques at world-class sites in Arizona, Nevada, and California. The study of the sun and stars captured the mind of another student, who observed celestial movements, designed and built sundials and other structures, and learned the basics of surveying and wayfinding.
 
At the end of Project Period, the school comes alive with an exhibition of student projects and presentations.