Atb oct 2019 IMG 0514
Around the Bend

Around the Bend - October 2019

10/22/19

INVEST IN THE OXBOW STORY

“How can I be a more authentic person? What does it mean to be a steward for the environment? How can an arts practice promote social justice?” As I walk through the classes today, these questions float in the air, infusing the community with vibrant, energized possibilities. Oxbow students are shifting their inward selves externally, marking a pivotal turning point in the semester in which students begin to articulate what they stand for in life and, more important, how they are going to give shape to those values as active, responsible citizens in the world.

At its core, Oxbow can be viewed as a collaborative arts incubator that promotes deep inquiry, self-reflection, and engagement. We are in the business of cultivating dreamers, visionaries, change-agents, and disruptors…artists who not only think outside of the box, but redefine it altogether. While the semester itself is a fast-paced four month experiment, the learning that occurs here is lifelong and forty alumni classes are living proof of that journey. It is fitting, therefore, that our efforts to raise money through our annual scholarship fund is being launched this week. I ask for your support in turning future dreams into realities through a contribution to our Annual Fund.

Let’s work together as a team to expand our scholarship revenue so that we can invite deserving students into the Oxbow family. It is not about the size of your donation, it is about your participation; your donation is a “vote” in support of the Oxbow program, a program that directly transforms young lives. I am excited to see the rest of the OS41 semester run its course, for I am confident that this cohort of students will lead fruitful lives as they embody the answers to the questions about authenticity, stewardship, and social justice. Let’s show our future students that we are ready to invest in them by supporting the annual scholarship fund!

Warm regards,
Jennifer Jordan, Head of School

In the year leading up to Oxbow, I became obsessed with the program, I was entranced with reading testimonials and researching interdisciplinary learning styles. When I arrived at Oxbow I was never disappointed, despite my endless expectations. I will forever cherish the time I spent at Oxbow and the connections I made there. Through Oxbow I was able to hone into the ideas I was thinking about, to refine my artistic process and to see the world in a new light every day of my life. I'm not going to say that without Oxbow I wouldn't be the person I am today, but I will say that without Oxbow it would have taken me at least four years to become who I am after one Oxbow semester.

— Phoebe Dubisch, Fall 2018

Oxbow was, without a doubt, the best part of my high school experience. A year after leaving, and I still feel as though it were yesterday that I was sitting on the lawn, eating in the dining hall, and laughing with my friends in the studios.

— Julia Weir, Fall 2015

It's been a whirlwind week, but also a time when I sang the praises of Oxbow to my colleagues. I've been thinking much about how Oxbow is an exemplar of true education. That art centers the curriculum is hardly surprising, and for those of us who work within the traditional educational mold Oxbow offers a gold standard of focused project based learning. Beyond the school's approach to immersive experience are the intangibles which make Oxbow different. The sense of community and of working together, even as each student retained their strong individual presence is palpable. The feeling of warmth and trust between the adults and the nearly adults in the Oxbow community could be felt throughout the campus. The openness of the architecture and interconnectedness of the three studios in themselves speak of the Oxbow philosophy and identity. More than form follows function, the physical attributes of Oxbow have a distinct warmth and invite exploration.

I'm sure that the ongoing challenges of leading and reinventing your school might sometimes keep you from having the time to see Oxbow with the fresh eyes of a visitor, but your steady presence and vision are really visible in every detail. Thank you for inviting me to one of the most profound experiences in my career.

— Ken Rush, Visual Arts Department, Packer Collegiate Institute

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