City Semester kicked off its 10th year of the program this semester with adjustments to adapt to the new normal during the pandemic while maintaining its critical values and unique elements. Often referred to as a” semester school within our own walls,” City Semester is built around flexibility and adaptable student-led work. “The key elements of the program are all centered around interdisciplinary study, experiential learning, collaboration, and most of all civic engagement,” said Director of City Semester, Roy Blumenfeld.
“Our tremendous gratitude goes out to Dr. Graves and Mr. Randolph for setting us up for success this semester. That meant co-horting the students (all City Sem students are in Blue Week) and allowing us to (temporarily!) borrow the Student Commons so that we can have enough space to fit all 18 students together safely and be able to do group work, tai chi, and other signature City Sem experiences,” Blumenfeld said.
Teachers, Hannah Oberman-Breindel, Maria Furfey, Howie Waldman, Steven Chu and Nancy Banks, also discussed the changes in trips and projects, a key factor within the program. Blumenfeld described his gratefulness for the opportunity “to continue to provide the ambitious trip schedules while remaining entirely outdoors and traveling according to the school’s social distance bus protocols.” However, he noted that some assignments and trips have certainly been altered to include more virtual elements.
He added that given the new cohort schedules there has obviously been less in-person learning. But, as Blumenfeld noted, “City Sem is a program that is intentionally built to be flexible and adaptable and student-led, so this has worked out very well so far.”
Most students are only familiar with the 2021 class of City Semester by the closure of the commons. However, for the City Sem class, the commons is just one of the many alterations made to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines and ensure a safe educational environment.
Lena Habtu (V) discussed her experience adjusting to the changes so far. “I’ve really enjoyed City Semester so far – things have definitely been different. The trips have been modified to being virtual or all-outside. The absence of public transportation has been a huge change, compared to other years and [since its] a major part of this semester program.” Habtu also added the challenge of the blue and orange cohort rotation and is still adapting to the remote learning environment in such a “hands-on program.” “It’s definitely been challenging to come to terms with half of our project having to be conducted online and switching back to in-person trips the next week. However, we are making it work and obviously, all the restrictions are vital.”
Catherine Hou (V) and Habtu also highlighted how supportive the teachers have been in learning to adapt to the new changes and transitioning to a semester school. “The changes have been hard on the whole group, but the faculty has been trying so hard to adapt, and their efforts are really evident in the work we’re doing. I’m so grateful to still be able to attend in-person, and to be able to go on trips outside, etc. We knew it would be an adjustment, but it’s really been working out due to how dedicated our teachers have been to giving us such a rewarding semester,” said Habtu. “They are all super nice and aware of our mental health, and sometimes let us start class an hour later!” said Hou.
Both juniors agree that the faculty and school administration have worked to minimize contact with other students throughout the school day and keep social distance a priority on busses and in shared spaces. Although the restrictions created a much different version of City Semester than that of previous years, both of them speak on behalf of the group that this experience has been incredibly rewarding and fits with the fundamental framework of City Sem, maintaining a flexible mindset.
“City Sem takes a lot of shifting of thinking, you have to move from City Sem, less organization, you have to go with the flow and adapt very differently from what we are used to at school,” writes Hou.
Even with the modifications made due to the COVID-19 guidelines, students are still enjoying this meaningful experience. “ I am just grateful the school is even letting us do this and that [the] City Sem staff have put in so much work into making the best of such trying circumstances. I’m really just so appreciative that we’re able to do the activities that we’re doing.”
Throughout the rest of the year, City Semester will continue to remain flexible and ready to adapt to whatever circumstances are thrown their way.
“We think the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice have made it all the more crucial that students’ schoolwork is responsive to what is happening in our city right now. This is what we aim for in the program — to empower students to be engaged citizens of NYC,” said Blumenfeld.
