As many of you may know, MVS has a special capsule project called Aries, where students can spend up to a year and a half studying anything of their choosing. Many students starting in the second semester of junior year pick Aries projects based on research, field study, engagement, and, occasionally, producing a product. They formulate a question about a topic that engages and intrigues them, then build from there. This past week, on May 7th, our seniors showed off their hard work at the Aries colloquium with presentations open to classmates, teachers, friends, and family.
Featuring eleven rooms, each senior had 20 minutes to present, share their findings or creations, and take questions. This year, rooms were divided into major categories. Seniors were organized into these rooms based on the topic of their presentation. These rooms featured foods, media, sports, health, literature, art, and more! A common theme relating to how students chose their themes was a personal connection. Most chose to learn about topics they greatly care for or that have piqued their interests. Some are related to culture and heritage, while others are related to a student’s favorite food. The amount of diverse and interesting topics made the event one not to miss. The presentations were unique and enjoyable, with humor and genuine feeling.
What do our seniors have to say?
After speaking with seniors before and after, many expressed feelings of nervousness and excitement before presenting. Afterwards, many were relieved, proud, and enjoyed the event. When asked what main challenges they faced for the colloquium night, many claimed that time restrictions and management, organization, and presentation structure were some of the hardest things to work around. “The hardest part of the presentation was structuring the information and finding a flow that makes sense and engages the audience,” says Ainsley Rowland. To overcome this obstacle, she had to realize that “The presentation was about [her] journey through Aries and not primarily focused on the information because it would be impossible to say it all.” She concluded that the important part of colloquium night is to share your experience and lessons learned instead of solely focusing on all of the information. Overall, audiences thoroughly enjoyed the presentations and were very interested in the students’ structure and process, showing the hard work seniors put into the challenges they had to overcome.
What did our students think?
To the relief of many juniors in attendance, the presentations were fun, interesting, and “not as bad as we thought” (said multiple juniors). Most realized that the presentation was not as intimidating as it seemed and that they didn’t need to worry as much about next year’s work. Instead, the presentations made many juniors eager to start working on their own next year. Students across multiple grades said that seniors’ inspirations, processes, and products were impressive and stood out. The presentations were all engaging, prompting many non-seniors to comment and ask questions after the presentations.
What do our teachers and faculty think?
All of the teachers who attended the colloquium had many good words to say about the students’ work. As always, the seniors never disappoint and had many impressive presentations and products to share. Some highlights for teachers were seeing “amazing examples of unique MVS Education” and “exploring student diversity and interest”. Many teachers pointed out the amazing level of rigor put into the presentations, specifically to a college level. Many were dazzled by the natural yet professional way presentations were performed. Our teachers and faculty believe Aries is one of the most exciting events to come watch at MVS, and applaud this year’s class for their hard work and care.
