The Palma Scholar experience is distinguished in a number of ways from the already-rich experience enjoyed by all Catlin Gabel students. This includes:
In addition to Catlin Gabel's highly regarded coursework, Palma Scholars are automatically enrolled in Palma Seminars for each of their first three years in the Upper School. The seminar aims to prepare leaders for the 21st century with an interdisciplinary curriculum that promotes problem-solving, dialogue, and real-world engagement, while integrating knowledge and resources from a breadth of faculty, community members, and national experts. The topic for 2018-19 is:
Crime & Punishment: Justice, we believe, reside at the intersection of law and order, and in the swift, even-handed, and transparent response to crime with punishment. Western society prides itself on the establishment and preeminence of the rule of law, celebrating the triumph of reason and civilization over the so-called rule of the jungle. And yet, the halls of justice bear their share of inconsistency and unfairness, and the constructed notions of innocence and guilt permeate our culture(s) in manifold complex ways. This interdisciplinary, full-year seminar will explore crime and punishment from a number of different angles, including the Judeo-Christian origins of our legal system, a review of specific criminal and legal mechanisms in the USA, philosophical and critical responses to innocence and guilt, the psychology of violent crime, forensic science, literary perspectives (featuring Dostoyevsky and Kafka), and contemporary cases. Experiential learning opportunities are a critical part of this course, so students should be prepared for occasional obligations outside of school hours.
Past Palma Seminar titles have included Revolutionaries (an activism-oriented course that built toward student-led social initiatives), Sports & Human Rights (a survey of the many ways that sports engages with matters of great social importance, with special emphasis on the Olympics and World Cup), Measuring Success (with topics ranging from education to business to sports analytics), and Divided States of America (a close examination of politics and identity in contemporary America). Learn more about how the Palma seminars promote authentic experiential learning in The Caller article The Community As Classroom.
In their senior year, Palma Scholars have the opportunity to pursue a year-long project of their choice as one of their courses, under the guidance of the Palma Scholars Program director. The students enjoy great latitude in the nature of that project, with options ranging from intense academic research to community-oriented initiatives to hands-on endeavors. Past Palma Scholars have pursued Capstone projects that saw them interning with a state congresswoman, learning jazz piano, developing a podcast, and building a sailboat.
Aside from the Palma Seminar and Capstone, Palma Scholars have no graduation requirements at Catlin Gabel. This affords them the opportunity to customize their course load, pursuing a set of classes that aligns with their personal goals and cultivates their intellectual passions. While college admission requirements and course-specific pre-requisites still have a part to play in the decision-making process, this grants Palma Scholars more control over their educational journey.
Early each summer, the Palma Scholars cohort participates in a 4-to-7-day program retreat, focused on a project or initiative that relates to that year’s Palma Seminar work. The retreat is an opportunity for authentic hands-on learning, while also gifting the students and program director with quality time together. In June 2017, the cohort traveled to Unity, Oregon to experience life in Eastern Oregon, living and working on a ranch. Previously, the group spent a week in Vancouver BC to examine firsthand the impact of the 2012 Winter Olympics.
The centerpiece of the leadership development programming for Palma Scholars is a customized diagnostic tool that breaks “leadership” down into component skills that can be identified, studied, and practiced. Built around Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking work on emotional intelligence, this provides Palma Scholars with a rich and nuanced profile of their leadership skills while also establishing priorities for instructional coaching by the director, which occurs in both monthly one-on-one meetings and weekly cohort meetings.
Palma Scholars are also members of the school’s Leadership Council. Run by the Athletic Director, the Leadership Council focuses on the specific application of leadership within the realm of sports, helping to equip the school’s teams’ captains and Palma Scholars with the tools needed to excel in this setting. In addition, the Palma Scholars organize a monthly Leadership Speakers Series, in which community leaders from a wide variety of different fields share advice and insights with the cohort.
Given that Service represents one of the program’s four pillars, Palma Scholars are expected to make a meaningful commitment to a project (or projects) of their choosing. In addition, the program has taken on a leading role in the coordination and facilitation of the Upper School’s Community Engagement program. Each year, the Palma Scholars help to identify meaningful opportunities for student engagement in Portland, promote student-led initiatives at the school, and spotlight significant accomplishments from their peers.