Highlights from April's W-Day

On Friday, April 11, students at The Whitfield School participated in the final W-Day of the 2024–2025 school year. W-Days are a signature part of Whitfield’s commitment to experiential education, offering students opportunities to apply their learning, engage with communities, and experience new perspectives.

6th Grade:
Sixth graders visited the Endangered Wolf Center, where they learned about wildlife conservation and supported campus clean-up efforts. In the afternoon, they climbed at Ryze Adventure Park, taking on ropes courses and challenges that encouraged them to demonstrate VIA Character Strengths such as bravery, leadership, and kindness.

7th Grade:
Seventh graders participated in a new, collaborative Global Citizenship Exhibit Workshop, a cross-disciplinary project led by English and social studies faculty. Students began researching global issues like access to healthcare, education, and clean water, which will culminate in a public exhibition this May. In the afternoon, they built community and confidence during a climbing session at Ryze Adventure Park.

8th Grade:
Eighth graders took part in "Donuts and Design: STEM Exploration Day," a hands-on experience filled with design challenges, engineering, and problem-solving activities that fostered creativity and collaboration. Students kicked off the day with the Middle School Olympics and Chariot Race Launch, followed by interactive STEM activities with staff from the Magic House, a robotics challenge led by Mrs. Barry Jenkins and Ms. John, and a small group discussion with Mrs. Fendell.

9th Grade:
Freshmen volunteered at two community-centered sites, deepening their understanding of civic engagement and local history. At Central West End Farm—an urban agriculture organization where 100% of the produce is donated to local food pantries and Whitfield parent Lee Cagle serves as farm manager—students spread mulch and compost, planted seeds, cleaned up fallen limbs and debris, and prepared for the farming season. Upon returning to campus, they created promotional materials for the farm, including social media posts and videos.
At Greenwood Cemetery, a historic African American burial ground, students learned about historical preservation and contributed to the site’s revitalization efforts. Through hands-on service, freshmen connected classroom discussions on civic engagement and history to real-world initiatives.

10th Grade:
Sophomores spent the day at the Jewish Community Center and the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. In the morning, they completed a service project, followed by an afternoon of exploration and reflection. Students toured museum exhibits featuring local stories and artifacts, interpreted primary sources, and listened to the testimony of a Holocaust survivor or descendant, gaining a deeper understanding of this critical period in history.

11th Grade:
Juniors traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, for a two-day civil rights experience. On Thursday, they visited Fort Pillow State Park, exploring its historical significance through a hike to the fort and a museum tour. In Memphis, students toured the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel—the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination—and explored the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery, connecting music, photography, and activism to the broader story of the American civil rights movement. The trip also served as a launch for the “Story of America” project, which will span the remainder of the school year in 11th-grade Social Studies and English classes.

12th Grade:
Seniors worked independently off campus on their Senior Capstone projects, applying the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout their Whitfield experience to real-world fields of interest. The Senior Capstone exhibition, highlighting the culminating work of the Class of 2025, will take place on Wednesday, May 21.

Thank you to our faculty, staff, and community partners for supporting another successful W-Day experience!