50 Years of New Beginnings

The Interdisciplinary Project presents an extraordinary learning opportunity each year. Gray Bees explore a meaningful theme from multiple academic disciplines, which is celebrated with the St. Benedict’s Prep community.  This year’s theme, “50 Years of New Beginnings, 1973-2023” examined the evolution of St. Benedict’s from a fledgling enterprise in 1973 to the robust K-12 Catholic school it is today. It’s a rich topic that instills critical thought while developing students’ creative and artistic skills according to Chairperson of the Art Department Chair Pamela Wye-Hunsinger H’18. 

In art classes for instance, Girls and Boys Prep Division students tackled concepts like metamorphosis and the artist’s perspective utilizing the idea of new beginnings. They researched various topics — jobs the monks of Newark Abbey assumed during the one-year period St. Benedict’s closed, changes in uniforms over the decades, the partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy, the birth of the Girls Prep Division — and produced striking works on canvas styled to look like stained glass. The theme was explored in other mediums such as watercolors, pop art pieces inspired by Peter Max and graphic storytelling, “ll to underscore the point that the School is constantly evolving and changing,” said Ms. Wye-Hunsinger.

This year’s showcase for the Interdisciplinary Project was held on March 30. In addition to artwork, the annual celebration featured academic projects, performances by music ensembles and the Drama Guild and many student clubs. The packed cafeteria, filled with students, faculty, staff and family members, was a proper and powerful testament to “50 Years of New Beginnings.” See the slideshow of photos taken by Dr. Dennis Lansang of the 2023 Interdisciplinary Project Celebration.