Head to the high school’s main entrance from any hallway and breathe. Lavender, grapefruit and vanilla envelop you. Vials of essential oils cover the back table of one of the classrooms just around the corner, where perfume entrepreneur Viktoria Fisch encourages students to find the aromas that speak to them.
Step into the conference room. It’s a coaching session with publishing professional Wes Adams. The science lab offers a veterinarian exploration session with Dr. Paul Amerling, President of the New York State Veterinary Society.
The pottery studio is quiet, but for the music. Students imprint, shape and decorate hand-built mugs, as teacher Kristen Lowe answers questions and encourages the artists.
This is Workshop Wednesday, a quarterly tradition at John Jay High School that alternates between ninth and tenth graders, and eleventh and twelfth graders. The five-star favorite was developed in response to student feedback. It features 50-minutes modules of encouragement, exploration and advice from John Jay educators and community members.
The day is shaped by Assistant Principal Mallory McDonald. “Students select the workshops they are interested in,” she said. “Some workshops are offered regularly because they are incredibly popular: art, pickleball, storytelling, speaking with School Resource Officer Brett Schlosser.”
“We love it,” said Julia, Amelia, Carly and Sofia, who chose pottery, painting, and fragrance entrepreneurship.
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