For the month of January, while many students went to Hostos Community College, those who didn’t leave the school building had the unique experience to participate in class designed specifically for the JTerm. These  options being Destiny and Desire, Mini Game Madness and Memory. 

Destiny and Desire was an English class that focused on star-crossed love in different media. Mini Game Madness was a math focused class that looked at game theory. Memory looked at the role that memory plays in our lives. 

“The JTerm classes overall though the lessons/discussions were fun, and weren’t too intensive or stressful,” said Nancy Bartoli (Class of 2026).  

The classes were project based and required students to demonstrate their thinking outside of just papers and quizzes.

“[In Mini Game Madness], making games is the center point in a way that would allow students to develop skills that would make them grown not just educationally, but also mentally,” said Mr. Lopes who saw the positive nature of the JTerm work. 

Students also went on trips during the JTerm including a trip to Broadway to see the musical &Juliet as part of the Destiny and Desire class. The play rewrites William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet so that Romeo and Juliet don’t die at the end but instead sing pop songs.

“I felt like the trip was a great way to show the people in the class including myself that starcrossed lovers can come in different ways and different genders and different angles,” said Aziyah Solis (Class of 2026).  

During Memory, the class started off with the question of “What is the last memory you remember” making students consider how memory is etched into their everyday lives. Students were also tasked with considering how memory serves as a building block of a community through murals and monuments. 

“We tried to make the class as accessible as possible by making it very interactive for students and this made the class very relatable,” said Mr. Spodek. 

Students were tasked with going to one of a few chosen places and taking a photo of themselves at the place for an assignment. For example some students had gone to Yankee Stadium, a mural or a museum. This was used so students could discuss it in class and speak on what impact that place could have on memories. 

Overall all the classes were a success for both the Juniors, Seniors and the teachers. Students are looking forward to their time during JTerm next year!