Class XI Co-Curricular Courses

ADVANCED SCIENCE RESEARCH SEMINAR: This extracurricular activity meets for two hours a week. The program accepts five new students from Class X each year to compose a group of 15 enrolled students (five students from Classes X, XI, and XII). Students read scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals and discuss them with their authors, who visit Brearley from various New York City research institutions. Over three years, students perform laboratory experiments using various cutting-edge techniques in the School’s advanced science research center, including RNA interference, polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and analysis using bioinformatics, and various protein purification and analysis methods. There are additional opportunities to tour laboratories that conduct experiments beyond the scope of the seminar. Most students engage in research internships for one or more summers and may enter Intel or Siemens competitions. Students are accepted into the program based on recommendations from science teachers and a written application. Not for credit.

ATHLETICS: The focus of the Upper School sports program shifts to competitive play. One team per season has a no-cut policy and is open to all students who wish to participate. Spots on the other teams are competitive. Coaches strive to instill the values of ethics, teamwork, and sportsmanship in their athletes while teaching them to balance their academic needs with their physical, social, and emotional growth. Fall sports include cross country, tennis, volleyball, field hockey, and soccer; winter sports include basketball, indoor track, swimming, squash, and dance; spring sports include track and field, softball, badminton, and lacrosse. Brearley is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools Athletic Association (NYSAISAA) and a founding member of the Athletic Association of Independent Schools of New York City (AAIS-NYC).

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Students in Classes X–XII are required to make a substantial commitment to one cause or organization throughout the academic year, thereby developing a deeper connection to service work. Students in Classes X–XII present updates about their work each school year.

POETRY WORKSHOP: Open to Classes X–XII, this yearlong workshop focuses on student work and a rigorous apprenticeship to the art of poetry writing. Students learn to write about what they know (e.g., family, grief, place) as a metaphor for the broader human experience. Over the course of the year, they develop their skills in using imagery, figurative language, lineation, repetition, meter, rhyme, and syntax, among others. In addition to completing writing assignments, students are expected to read modern poetry and other relevant literature to deepen their understanding of their practice. Students are accepted into the program based on a written application. Not for credit.

JUNIOR SEMINAR (required of all students in Class XI): A year-long class that encompasses health education, life skills, college advising, and the transition to college. Intended to foster informed and intelligent decision-making.