May Program
Two Weeks of Hands-on Learning and Discovery
Download the May Program Contract by clicking here.
Please sign and return this contract to Ms. Patricia L. Cox
Click here to view the 2012-2013 May Program opportunities.
Albert Einstein noted, "The only source of knowledge is experience." The Oldfields May Program allows students to experience the world outside of the classroom and to apply academic learning to real world situations. It also challenges them to take what they have learned in the real world and use those experiences in the classroom.
For over 40 years, May Program has been a hallmark of an Oldfields education. Held at the end of May, May Program is a two-week session of experiential and interdisciplinary learning that complements the academic curriculum. Girls can choose from a wide-range of May Program offerings, including travel abroad, local and real world opportunities, and hands-on learning.
Every girl at Oldfields is required to participate in May Program each year and one May Program over the course of four years must be a community service program. Oldfields' outstanding and committed faculty members design and lead the May Program courses, allowing them to showcase a personal interest or expertise outside of the traditional curriculum.
Every year, students are offered a different and diverse range of May Program opportunities. The hardest part about May Program may be choosing a course each year!
Juniors and seniors have the chance to design an individualized, independent May Program. Working in consultation with a faculty member, each girl develops a project that is unique to her. Many upperclassmen choose to explore areas of college study or potential career path. Past projects have included working as a veterinary aide, being part of a Congressional campaign committee, training at the Earthwatch Institute, and interning in surgical pathology at Johns Hopkins University.
May Program can be considered one of Oldfields' newer traditions, but it is already an important and cherished part of an Oldfields education. Girls relish the seriousness of purpose that these real world experiences give to their high school education. Students gain knowledge that sets them apart when they apply to college. They discover interests that eventually become careers. May Program is an opportunity for self-discovery, leadership, and confidence-building; another step in ensuring each girl's success.
