Academic Concentrations
Williston offers our most passionate and motivated students the opportunity to sharpen the focus of their high school coursework by fulfilling the requirements of an academic “concentration” in one of five areas of study. Concentrations require that students complete a Williston Scholars project along with a variety of other curricular and co-curricular subject-specific activities as determined by the associated academic department(s). Students who successfully meet the departmental criteria will have the concentration listed on their Williston transcripts.
Available Concentrations
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Humanities
The English Department and the History and Global Studies Department offer a Humanities Concentration to celebrate and encourage those students who have a demonstrated passion for the humanities. This concentration is intended for students who want to exceed the requirements in both departments by investing extra time, effort, and energy to pursue their passion. In order to fulfill this concentration, students must complete three additional electives, a Williston Scholars course in either department, and additional extracurricular work, such as publication or participation in relevant clubs.
The History and Global Studies Department offers a wide array of trimester electives, ranging from Women and Gender Studies to Macroeconomics. The English Department offers electives in Journalism and in Writers’ Workshop, an honors class that includes visits from celebrated published authors. These electives often serve as the inspiration for Williston Scholars projects; read more about that program here. Students can continue their exploration of the humanities in campus activities and clubs, such as Model UN, Janus (the school’s literary and arts magazine), readings and lectures by visiting scholars and artists, and much more.
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Language
Are you passionate about learning a language? Do you find purpose in exploring the world beyond your home, sharing your discoveries, and helping others along the way? Then you should consider adding the Language Concentration to your transcript. The Language Department seeks to recognize students who go above and beyond in their study of world language. You can dig deep into one language or explore several in a variety of ways both on and off campus. Please see the Department Chair to learn more.
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Performing Arts
The Performing Arts Concentration is intended to give students who are passionate about performing the opportunity to develop their talent further through a variety of academic classes and extra-curricular activities, afternoon program participation, and school performances. Students craft their own Performing Arts Concentration program components from a menu of options which can even include summer and outside-of-school activities. Upon successful completion students receive a Performing Arts Concentration distinction which recognizes their hard work and their serious commitment to their craft.
Students who complete necessary requirements for the Performing Arts Concentration also must create and perform a project for the Williston Scholars Performing Arts course. Past projects span all performing arts disciplines and include original one-person plays, production design projects, full-length productions, stand-up comedy, EPs in genres such as hip-hop, electronica, and pop, and solo autobiographical dance projects.
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STEM
The STEM Concentration (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Concentration) is for students whose curricular engagement in the sciences and math go beyond the requirements of their Williston education.
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Visual Arts
The Visual Arts Concentration is intended to give students who are passionate about making art the opportunity to develop their talent further through a variety of academic classes and extra-curricular activities. Students can use their creativity to design their own programs of study for the Visual Arts concentration from a menu of options which can even include summer and outside-of-school activities. For example, some students in the past have curated or participated in student art shows in our Grubbs Gallery, had their own art exhibits in coffee shops here in the town of Easthampton, interviewed professional artists and art professors, and used their summer pre-college art courses at Art Colleges like RISD and Parsons to count towards their Concentration. Students who have completed their Art Concentration have gone on to study art and photography at some of the premier art schools in the country. However, pursuing art as a college major or career path is not a requirement of the concentration which is designed to recognize hard work in, and serious dedication to, making art.
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