Spring has sprung and with it has come the chance for our Rams to take their learning and knowledge beyond campus and into the greater St. Louis area. There’s something about stepping outside of the classroom and into real-life environments to connect more deeply with our curriculum and course topics. In the past week and a half, MICDS Rams have ventured to the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center, the Challenger Learning Center in St. Louis, Sainte Genevieve (recapped here), the Holocaust Museum (recapped here), and three art galleries, Wyland Elementary School, and Club Viva recapped below. Check out how our Rams are enjoying deeper connections through these inspiring visits and experiences in their St. Louis backyard!
Photo 3 Visits a Trio of Local Art Galleries
Last Thursday, April 10, students in the Photo 3 class of Denise Douglas, Upper School Fine Arts Teacher & Gallery Director, embarked on a field trip to three local art galleries. They visited the Duane Reed Gallery, the Charles Houska Gallery, and the Philip Slein Gallery to learn about the contemporary art world and experience artwork being made currently. They also pondered how culture is reflected in the creativity of contemporary artists. Our Photo 3 students got to visit with artist Douglas Dale, represented by Duane Reed Gallery, about what it is like being a contemporary artist in today’s world.
Students took the time to reflect on their adventure. Here’s what they had to say!
- “The trip allowed me to venture out of the normal type of art that I enjoy and see different mediums that I wouldn’t normally look at.” ~Matthew Carmody ’26
- “After experiencing the galleries, I learned about the expression that comes from different media.” ~Isaac Bockert ’25
- “I saw works that completely shattered my past view of what types of art can be shown in an art gallery.” ~Graham Faust ’26
- “I feel that our Photo 3 field trip was a nice break from our normal class time, which at the same time gave us a chance to reflect on how we act as creatives and learn more about the art world.” ~Giacomo Castelmare ’25
- “The field trip was cool and quite the experience. I learned a lot about the art market and the buyers’ and sellers’ perspectives through speaking with Alessandro Gallo. I enjoyed the breakfast and speaking with my classmates and Ms. Douglas over a great meal. I loved the sculptures and especially enjoyed the duck sculpture in the Duane Reed Gallery of the Central West End. I checked the prices and realized I need to come by later in life to check some of this stuff out and maybe purchase some of it for my house. Overall, it was one of my favorite field trips, and I truly enjoyed the time away in the Central West End.” ~Ian Spakowski ’26
- “This field trip allowed me to have a look into the art world from the side of investing in a piece of art. It was really interesting to see how much a singular piece of art could cost. In the first gallery, Philip Slein, there was a collection that we got to preview, which showcased a world of gender-bending and paintings meant to be interpreted by the viewer. I could have spent hours looking at one painting depicting a woman with lots of muscles who was looking into the distance. In another gallery, there was a collection called Red Flag which showcased a series of cardboard flags painted to represent different political issues in the US or to bring light to certain marginalized groups. One piece that stood out to me was titled Fifteen. It was a plain American flag, but with a closer look, there were 15 bullet holes in the piece created with an AR-15 to pay tribute to the 15 victims of gun violence in a protest in Missouri. This piece was interesting and thought-provoking.” ~Layla Gilbert ’26
- “I had a very enjoyable time on the field trip in my Photo 3 class. First, we had lunch at Kingside Diner. Then, we went to the first gallery. It was very interesting with figurative paintings by Jamie Adams. The figures had exaggerated parts like long necks and super muscular backs. In the second gallery, I liked the ceramic sculptures that were part human and part animal by Alessandro Gallo. At the third gallery, one exhibit upstairs was of wooden sculptures of flags symbolizing a heavy message about political and cultural issues in America. Lastly, I enjoyed going to Clementine’s Creamery; it was my first time going there, and it was so delicious.” ~Keshon Mims ’26
- “The most meaningful piece of art I saw on the Photography 3 field trip was the Red Flags series by Mark Travers. This is a collection of carved and painted wood, designed as an American flag but altered in different ways to reflect different problems that we are facing in America. Some of the problems this series addresses are redlining, climate change, and women’s healthcare. To me, the most impactful piece in this series was Fifteen. This work was shot by an AR-15, the most popular rifle in America, 15 times to represent 15 lives lost. Additionally, for me, it was very impactful to listen to Douglas Dale talk to us about what it is like to be an artist today. They gave us advice and shared with us the struggles that they have faced as an artist.” ~Sarah Meade ’26
Spanish 450 Students Become Teacher’s Assistants at Wyland Elementary School
Our recent visit to Wyland Elementary School with my Spanish 450 students on Friday, April 11, was an incredibly rewarding and inspiring experience. Acting as teacher’s assistants, my students stepped confidently into leadership roles—supporting classroom activities, guiding younger learners, and building connections through both Spanish and English, depending on the language needs of each classroom.
What stood out most was their ability to adapt with ease, using Spanish when appropriate, while also offering support in English when needed. Their sensitivity to the diverse language backgrounds of the students was thoughtful and effective, creating a welcoming environment for all.
They engaged not only with the elementary students in fun, meaningful ways, but also interacted with the teachers with professionalism and care. I absolutely loved watching my students shift from being learners to becoming teachers themselves. Their maturity, compassion, and enthusiasm were on full display, and it was clear that this was more than just an academic activity—it was a moment of connection, impact, and growth.
To end our time at Wyland School, we enjoyed lunch together at Las Carretas, a local Mexican restaurant, where we gathered as una familia y comunidad. Churros were ordered for the entire group to top off our day with some additional sweetness—the perfect ending to a beautiful and memorable experience.
This kind of community outreach is what makes language learning come alive, and I couldn’t be prouder of my students for the way they represented themselves, our program, and the power of bilingual connection.
Several of the Spanish 450 students shared about this experience from their perspectives:
- “My favorite part of the visit was getting to learn about the students by speaking in Spanish. It was really cool to remember how complex the minds of kindergartners really are. I learned a lot about how things are being taught in new ways at the elementary level. Even the way that they sound out and spell things was different from the way that I learned how to do so. I learned the importance of patience when I was constantly being swarmed by little kids with stuffy noses, sticky hands, and millions of questions. I learned that a little bit of kindness goes a long way, and that we should all let our imagination and creativity run as wild as they used to. I was really surprised at how well the students listened to their teacher. I was expecting total chaos, but when things got rowdy, it was easy to see that the students and their teacher had so much love and respect for one another. I was also surprised to find how effortlessly kind the kids were. It was so refreshing to be in an environment where the only worries are scraped-up knees or not having enough ketchup.
I made so many new friends, and I sincerely wish to return to Wyland, especially to Ms. Shirrell’s class. I was blown away by the beauty in the kids’ minds, their creativity and curiosity, and I felt so loved when 40 little arms squeezed me goodbye.” ~Carrie Clennan ’26
- “My favorite part of my Wyland School visit was being able to play basketball with some of the kids during recess. James and Jayden were very nice kids. I learned quite a bit about what it felt like to be an elementary school teacher, albeit for just a few hours. It was incredibly difficult to keep the students on task, but that is to be expected. I think what surprised me the most was how energetic a lot of these kids were. I also don’t remember being that small in fourth grade.” ~Clyde Siow ’26
- “Going into the field trip, I was assigned to be an assistant in a first-grade classroom. I was a little nervous at first to be working with so many little kids at once, but to my surprise, when I walked into the classroom, I was immediately met with a warm welcome, filled with hugs and hellos, which made me excited to connect with the students. I was able to help by reading to the students, and then assisted with a fun craft activity to help their math skills. It was especially touching when the students learned that I could speak Spanish with them because I was able to see how powerful bilingual communication is firsthand in making a difference in just a single school day for a child. Overall, this field trip was a great learning experience for me as I took my Spanish speaking skills into the real world, which is all thanks to the work we have been doing in the classroom.” ~Avery Henriksen ’26
- “I really felt like I got to help out and share some knowledge and positivity at the school. It was also really cool to see how elementary school students, in a life that is very different from mine, are indistinguishable from my elementary school classmates. They shared the same love of learning and positive, outgoing attitudes.” ~Sean Hogan ’26
- “For our visit to the Wyland School, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with the loveliest class of the most creative third graders. While this trip was some of my classmates’ first time in their respective classrooms, I was fortunate enough to be placed with the same class that I worked with for my Winter Term 2025 activity! I’m proud to say that when I walked up to my students’ classroom, a bunch of them ran out of their room into the hallway to greet me—it was so heartwarming. As sweet as they were, they definitely taught me a lot about managing and working with rambunctious elementary-aged kids. The challenge that comes with classrooms full of energetic kids is something that can only really be taught in action. I am grateful to walk away from the experience with a new perspective on teaching (and some elementary school nostalgia)!” ~Zoe Gannon ’26
Spanish 550/AP Classes Take Latin Dance Lessons & Dine at Cocina Latina
On Friday, April 11, our students in the most advanced Spanish courses at MICDS went on a field trip. Here is a recap of that trip by Kelly Weidenmiller, Upper School Spanish Teacher.
This trip is a celebration of all of the students (almost all seniors) who have pushed themselves to the top courses of our program, AP Spanish and Spanish 550. Within that celebration, our goal is to inspire our seniors to consider finding ways to continue to grow as language learners and be curious about Spanish-speaking cultures after graduation. We explored two locations in the Central West End. We started by taking Latin dance lessons at Club Viva, focusing on the salsa and bachata genres, where students learned to dance individually and in pairs. Then, we walked down to Cocina Latina, a local restaurant that features mostly Peruvian and some other Latin American dishes. They prepared a lovely buffet for us so students could try a variety of iconic dishes.
Also accompanying us to both the dance lessons and lunch were two WashU students who chose to study abroad and continue their Spanish studies in college. After we finished eating, they shared more about their experiences studying abroad. First, MICDS alum and WashU senior Jonah Zacks ’21 shared about his seven-month study abroad experience in Chile, where he dove deeply into his major in economics by studying the economics of the nation, honing his Spanish skills along the way. Next, another WashU senior, Shaina Storch, shared her story of her five-month study abroad in Madrid, Spain. They both shared about how impactful these experiences can be, not only in language and cultural immersion but also in personal growth.
It was a fantastic celebration of not only passion for the Spanish language and its varied cultures, but also for the record number of students for our senior-level courses in the Spanish department. ¡Felicidades, estudiantes!
Thank you to all of the teachers who have planned such exciting adventures for their students! We can’t wait to see where our Rams go and learn next!