Avon Old Farms’ unique program, “Intersession”, gives students an exceptional experience and allows students to work with faculty members. Every year after winter break, students in Avon Old Farms school take a concentrated course they chose called Intersession for a week. Intersession replaces  midterms, and students need to pass their courses to graduate. Students can pass their courses easily by attending every day and not wasting time. Intersession was created in Avon Old Farms School because the founder of Avon Old Farms school believed that students should work with faculty members to produce meaning for work. It allows students to explore topics they are interested in in great detail. 

Intersession in AOF provides thirty-one courses, including songwriting and music production, skate deck design, law practice, and more.  Students go for field trips for some courses like ice fishing, and others like law enforcement bring experts from outside. Thus, giving more detailed experience, students are learning better and excited to take courses. 

One of the most popular courses is skate deck design. Students get to sketch and paint on skate decks however they want and take them home. Just by adding wheels, students can ride the skateboards they designed.

In the interview, Charles Wang, one of the students taking songwriting and music production, said, "I learned so many things like connecting instruments, analyzing songs, and arranging songs, which I would not have known if I didn't take this course." He also explained that intersession gives students a chance to learn things they could typically do and helps them get prepared for the second semester, given the amount of time they have before the academic schedule starts.

Although in 2022, Omicron variant limited the field trip and experts from outside coming, students still got opportunities for experiential learning and interdisciplinary work.

Jeongwoo Choi

Grade 11

Avon Old Farms School