Upper School
Grades 9–12Advanced courses with expert teachers, engaging electives in a variety of fields, a four-year student research program, and the opportunity to curate a professional portfolio–these are the cornerstones of Grayson’s Upper School experience. We challenge students to tackle real problems, take risks, and persevere in the face of failure. Immersed in a rigorous yet supportive environment, Grayson students benefit from a close-knit community that loves to innovate and push academic limits.
Academics
Whether they are conducting public policy research, studying quantum mechanics, translating ancient texts, or discussing the impact of philosophy on modern literature, our students are deeply engaged in their learning.
Open Studio
Real World Products
As the Upper School expression of our Projects program, Open Studio gives gifted high school students extended blocks of time every day to puzzle through a question or problem they care about and fall deeply into their ideas. Working with faculty mentors, students create a vision and develop it into a real-world product for an authentic audience. Every Upper School student works with teachers who mentor them in independent projects of their own design, both through our Open Studio program and in other disciplines.
In leading the execution of their project, they must learn how to manage their time and resources, construct a budget, deal with setbacks, and incorporate feedback from peers and teachers. They exhibit their final products in professional-level presentations. Students develop into scholars, researchers, and creators: they conduct experiments, produce working prototypes, apply for patents, start businesses, create original media, and found legacy projects.
Open Studio sparks students’ creativity, pushes them to make connections across disciplines, teaches them how to respond to failure, and gives them the tools and confidence to aim ever higher in their vision of what they can do and become. Our graduates are experienced, independent learners who are prepared for advanced scholarship in post-secondary education and beyond.
Building a Greener Future: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Pennsylvania
A National History Day award-winning documentary produced by two students who are passionate about environmental protection and restoration. They uncovered primary sources, interviewed experts, and navigated the intricacies of film editing using professional software.
Introduction to Genetic Engineering Summer Camp
A student developed a complex and rich curriculum including biology, genetic engineering, lab techniques, and scientific ethics. She led this 2-week summer camp program for underserved gifted middle school students after securing grant funding for materials and scholarships.
Set design and construction for Seussical, Jr.
Sets for a full-scale musical theatre production involving the entire Lower School. After researching productions of this musical from all over the country, this student crafted whimsical Seussian sets that were easy for students to move and use: circus cages for Circus McGurkus; a spinnable nest for Gertrude McFuzz; and, of course, a field of truffula trees.
College Preparation
Gifted students are out-of-the box thinkers, so Grayson does not reduce them to fit into one—whether that box is shaped like a number or letter grade or class rank. Our students apply to college with a Mastery Transcript: a portfolio of work unique to them that communicates the depth and rigor of their academic experience.
Curated by the students themselves working closely with teachers and advisors, the transcript includes two kinds of credits: Foundational Credits, which are fundamental skills and competencies required of all students; and Advanced Credits, which reflect areas where the student has chosen to invest more time and energy.
Evidence is attached to each credit, offering admissions officers authentic work products and creating a compelling, holistic portrait of each student’s intellectual capability, creativity, leadership, and engagement.
College planning and preparation are built into our program beginning in 8th grade, supporting students and families throughout the process of exploring and applying to colleges and universities. We work with students to help them describe their activities and craft essays that reflect their personalities, interests, and goals. Juniors have weekly meetings with the college planning team to further refine their goals for life after Grayson, with ample time dedicated to planning not only for college but also for graduate school and career development.
Most importantly, our college counseling process helps students think carefully about their priorities and identify the audacious goals they want to pursue. We equip them for a smooth application process that pays particular attention to their social-emotional wellbeing during what many students experience as a high-pressure and stressful time.
Just like our students, no two transcripts will ever look alike.
The Grayson Mastery Credit Universe consists of 5 credit domains:
Scholarship
The ability to analyze and evaluate information
Design
The ability to plan and execute an idea
Communication
The ability to convey and interpret meaning
Creativity
The ability to draw on the imagination
Ethos
The ability to manifest ideals that transcend academic work
Extracurriculars
Our extracurricular offerings are diverse, ranging from the traditional to the truly specialized. At any given time, there are about 30 active organizations that provide leadership opportunities and foster a sense of community and friendship.
