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Bush Middle School Students Finish the Year Strong with Experiential Weeks
Experiential Education. It’s what The Bush School is all about, and what better way to highlight that students learn best by doing than Experiential Week (E-week)? From late May to early June, Bush Middle School students immerse themselves in two weeks of interdisciplinary and hands-on learning, building confidence, self-reliance, and self-awareness by being taken outside their comfort zones to learn new and rewarding skill sets. E-week combines Bush’s academic on-campus curriculum with engaging experiences in new, off-campus environments, allowing students time for further reflection, acclimation, and application of their newly acquired talents. From biking and painting to fashion photography, intercultural traveling, and rock climbing, the E-week offers a range of unforgettable moments that encourage students to nurture an open mind, ignite their passion for exploration, and cultivate connections with Seattle, Washington, the greater American West, and the world.
“E-week gives students the chance to step beyond the classroom and connect with the real world,” said Middle School Director Rob Blackwell. “Whether through being outdoors in nature or experiencing cultures different than their own, it is where their curiosity turns into confidence, we hope. Finally, E-week is not a break from learning, it is learning at its most impactful form. Students grow when they are asked to engage deeply, think critically, and have the opportunity to safely step outside of their respective comfort zones.”
Students were eager to sign up for this year’s program offerings, which were offered for one and two weeks. They were encouraged to take on new activities and navigate challenges that broadened their perspectives and helped them form new relationships. Middle School students selected and ranked their favorite offerings, some of which were located in the continental United States and others overseas. Each course provided meaningful exchanges with people, places, and organizations within a community.
"During our Thinking Green by Design E-week, exploring spaces like Mithun, JAS Design, and the Bullitt Center showed us that sustainability isn't just a principle—it's a practice woven into every material, detail, and decision,” said Middle School Computing, Engineering, and Design faculty, Rachel Cho. “True design thinks beyond aesthetics to build a future that thrives."
In the first week of Rachel’s eco-focused course, students employed the design thinking process to identify key challenges, brainstorm solutions, and create 3D prototypes using tools such as Tinkercad and SketchUp. They then developed a personal portfolio website and acquired foundational coding and web programming skills to showcase what they learned. After, they ventured into real-world case studies with visits to the Bullitt Center and Pacific Science Center, where they spoke with various architecture firms and the lead architects of the Bush Center Campus project.
In addition to on-campus STEM courses, there were a variety of arts-based and hands-on courses to get involved in. Bob Ross Paint Along: Landscape Painting Out and About, gave students the opportunity to get creative and use their imagination. Bob Ross’s gentle refrain set the tone for a joyful and creative E-week, where students explored the art of landscape painting with curiosity and confidence.
“From painting along with Bob’s iconic videos to sketching and painting outdoors in the Japanese Garden, the Olympic Sculpture Garden, and Volunteer Park, we embraced both precision and play,” shared Middle School Visual Arts Faculty, Rebecca Pleasure. “A highlight was our en plein air watercolor workshop with a talented local artist, where we captured the natural beauty around us in our own unique styles.
We also explored the vibrant landscapes of Etel Adnan and Alma Thomas—two groundbreaking female artists whose bold use of color and abstraction offered a powerful contrast to Bob’s serene, representational style.
This week was all about learning from masters, making art in the moment, and discovering that sometimes, the best work comes from a “happy little accident.”
In The Full Meal Deal: Food and How It Connects Us, students built connections through harvesting, preparing, and eating food from Oxbow Farm in Carnation, Washington. This E-week course aimed to teach students about the origins of our food and how it reaches our tables.
“This is the second year we've run this E-week focused on food as connection, identity, culture, and community,” said Middle School English Faculty Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum. “A major emphasis of our time together this week is considering layers of access to food, and it's wonderful to see the kids begin to recognize what food justice really means. As we heard from the staff at Rainier Valley Food Bank, part of being a good neighbor is recognizing the ways food connects us to each other and ourselves and ‘disrupting systems of oppression’ by using our knowledge to support one another. We had so much fun, and we also learned a lot about how what we eat reflects our values.”
Students met community farmers who dedicate their lives to preparing delicious meals and to getting food to those who need it. In this bonding E-week, students and leaders enjoyed eating together and learned how food connects them to each other, themselves, and to the places that nourish the community.
"I loved seeing the smiles on people's faces at the pop-up food market at Rainier Valley Food Bank,” shared Etta G '31.
The success of this year’s Middle School E-Weels was due to the commitment, drive, and dedication of Bush’s dynamic faculty and staff, who demonstrated their expertise as educators and subject matter specialists in each course. Several faculty members were responsible for the seamless execution of the E-weeks, including Experiential Week Coordinator Sarah Kennedy and Upper School Experiential Education Program Manager Kristin McInaney.
“The Bush School has been leading Experiential Immersion Programs for many years,” said Experiential Education Program Manager Kristin McInaney. “The teachers at The Bush School have the skills to bring student groups into collaboration, leadership, and appropriate levels of risk-taking so that students grow emotionally, socially, and cognitively.
During E-week preparation, we get to watch the work that happens with student groups in the courtyard – students are laughing, playing, and learning in a very kinesthetic way. At the end of E-week and during the E-week showcase, we get to watch students articulate how they have changed, why they appreciate E-week, and what they will carry forward with them through the rest of middle school, upper school, and beyond.”
The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 735 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities
3400 East Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98112 (206) 322-7978
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status