THE BUCCANEER | CAMPUS FEATURES
Learning Beyond the Classroom: Students Explore Florida Shark tooth excavation. Small-scale farming. International art shows. At Benjamin, these experiences are part of our curriculum.
children helped us understand how to ethically care for animals and at the same time run a nonprofit company,” said Myers.
Down a winding, pothole-covered dirt road, nestled between 100-foot bamboo and lush coconut trees, sits a tenacre tropical farm in Jupiter, Florida. This hidden gem is a grass-based farm where owner Suzie and her family raise pastured poultry, pigs and cattle for meat and dairy. Students in Dr. Hope Myers’ Economic Issues class had the exciting opportunity to visit Jupiter Creamery on September 12, where they learned about business operations and how certain government regulations can shape how a company does business.
Dr. Myers says the dairy industry may be one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world, and it was important to show her students how the United States regulates dairy operations.
“At the Jupiter Creamery, my students saw how even a small-scale, nonprofit farm must follow certain regulations in order to operate. The students were surprised at how much thought and research went into the organization and maintenance of a dairy farm in order to stay in compliance of regulations, as well as care for their cows. Suzie and her two
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AP Art and Art History students, led by teacher Sarah Davis ‘07, had the opportunity to attend Art Basel at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Students explored works from more than 200 of the world’s leading art galleries. “As an art department, one of our goals is to provide more opportunities for our students to experience artwork in galleries, museums and private collections. This has been an invaluable experience for students in the past to interact with works they have also studied,” said Davis. Meanwhile, Benjamin fourth graders enjoyed interactive exhibits, including gem mining, shark tooth excavation
and a “physics forest” during the grand opening celebration for the South Florida Science Center’s new Fisher Family Trail. Students Zosia Freedman and Colin Gelnaw said they loved being part of the grand opening. They said their favorite activity was finding crystals in the gem mine. The pair also enjoyed looking for shark teeth in the sandpit. Sixth grade students enjoyed their annual pilgrimage to St. Augustine where they viewed life through the perspective of early Spanish settlers. Middle School English teacher Denise Ponchock says the trip is a way to bring the Middle School’s studies to life. “Students visit the site where the Spanish explorer, Pedro Menéndez de Aviles, landed and established the St. Augustine settlement in 1565. Students see Timucua artifacts, habitats, and tools they shared with the early Spanish settlers. We visited the Castillo de San Marcos where the Spanish defended themselves against the besieging French and English. It is a trip that helps students connect with history in a way that only travel and experience can,” said Ponchock.
