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Overview

Life in the Upper School is vibrant and engaging for students and faculty alike. Discussions that start in classrooms often continue into the hallways and fill the school with energy every day. Students seek challenges in a range of disciplines and activities. The classroom is the heart of the Upper School. Boys are encouraged, supported and challenged every day. Students immerse themselves in scholarship, think critically, and exchange ideas. The integrity, curiosity, originality, diligence, humor, and enthusiasm that the students bring to the Upper School helps define life at Collegiate and contributes meaningfully to the school community as a whole. Power of intellect is important at Collegiate, but equally so are liveliness of person and generosity of spirit. Success consists not only in training young minds, but also in fostering all the personal qualities that make admirable young people grow into capable and caring adults.

Student Life

Leadership
Collegiate is a school in which boys are encouraged to become leaders and to serve their community. The students are expected to see that the success they strive for in their own lives is linked to the success of others. Over the course of a school year, Upper School boys may choose to participate in numerous clubs and organizations that offer opportunities for leadership. A number of juniors join the Peer Leadership program after completing a course in Group Dynamics. As peer leaders, seniors are given the opportunity to lead issue-oriented groups in which freshmen and sophomores participate throughout the year. Many students of color also participate in Jamaa, a dynamic organization within the school founded in 1969 and committed to issues of diversity. Older members of Jamaa take a leadership position in creating a supportive community for younger students of color. Student Government is a vibrant group, initiating social events as well as programs that improve the quality of life for students at Collegiate.

Various activities provide students with an opportunity to participate and sometimes compete outside the school community. Students in CENIC plan and organize a weekend conference for area high school students on environmental issues. The Model U.N. Club Club traditionally attends multiple conferences during the school year. The Science Olympiad team has qualified for the state competition for more than ten years. The Debate Team competes successfully at tournaments throughout the United States. In addition, some students choose to take part in off-campus semester programs such as The Mountain School. In the past several years, students have had the opportunity to travel to domestically and overseas for language, cultural immersion, and service.

Advising
All Upper School students have an advisor with whom they meet at least once a week. In ninth grade, students are assigned an advisor who works only with ninth graders. Ninth grade advisors work and plan as a team, focusing on the unique needs of the ninth grade year. At the end of ninth grade, students select an advisor and become part of a multi-year advising group. Students remain with their advisor for the last three years of their time at Collegiate. The advising program and the relationships that develop are foundational to the student experience and provide support, encouragement, and guidance for students throughout their time in the Upper School.
Publications
Upper School students produce a number of publications. The school newspaper, The Collegiate Journal, appears monthly. Prufrock, a magazine of the literary and visual arts, provides a forum for those interested in exhibiting their creative talents and opinions. Collegiate’s yearbook, The Dutchman, is largely the work of juniors and seniors and records each year from the point of view of seniors, combining humor and nostalgia with their history.
Community Service
Community service is an important part of the Collegiate experience. The school is dedicated to helping students to become responsible citizens who will lead and serve. In the Upper School, ninth graders participate in a variety of service opportunities, which are intended to provide a range of service experiences. During the 10th grade, students prepare and submit a proposal to work with one organization or type of service for the duration of their years at Collegiate. The goal is to build strong relationships with a service organization and the people served. Broadly, the program teaches students the profound power of serving others.

Clubs

Over the course of a school year, Upper School boys may choose to participate in numerous clubs and organizations that offer opportunities for leadership, such as the following:

List of 11 items.

  • Asian Cultural Society

    The ACS spreads awareness about Asian culture as well as political, economic, or social issues connected to Asian culture.

  • CENIC (Environmental Club)

    This club promotes awareness of ecological problems, takes action to reduce waste within the school community, and helps the School recycle.

  • Debate Team

    The team competes at the local, state, and national level primarily in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

  • Drama

    Students act in, direct, and provide technical support for plays sponsored by Collegiate and its Interschool partners.

  • Entrepreneurship Club

    The Entrepreneurship Club gives students the opportunity to learn how to build both for and not-for-profit businesses. Members compete in small teams in local and international pitch competitions. They also network with successful entrepreneurs at local, national, and international conferences. Participants who excel in competitions receivee funding and support to start-up their ventures.

  • Jamaa

    This support organization for students of color gives an assembly once a year and meets weekly to provide support for student awareness and respect. It organizes an array of programs for parents, students, and alumni of color.

  • Mathematics Team

    The Collegiate Mathematics Team is open to all students in the Upper School. The team enables those boys who wish to pursue the study of mathematics outside the classroom to extend their mathematical knowledge and to improve their problem solving skills through participation in local, regional, and national mathematics contests.

  • Model U.N.

    Collegiate’s Model United Nations Club participates with other schools in regional conferences in which students represent a UN member country in deliberations of current international concern. 

  • Pride Alliance

    The Pride Alliance is a group of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies committed to making the queer community and its concerns more visible at Collegiate. The club aims to raise awareness of issues affecting the queer community and to address them within the larger Collegiate community. In addition to discussions, the club holds affinity meetings, and organizes trips to diversity conferences. 

  • Science Olympiad

    Science Olympiad is an international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of individual and team events, which students prepare for during the year. Some events require written tests or hands-on laboratory explorations, while others feature the construction of devices that demonstrate application of principles.

  • Student Government

    Four students are elected each year by each class to Student Government; the student with the most votes is the president of his class, and the Senior President is also the President of Student Government. Student Government meets once a week.