Hall of History: Essential and Educational WVA Tradition

Emma Meade (10th Grader)

West Virginia Academy is committed to providing a comprehensive and impactful educational experience through the strategic integration of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Classical methodologies. We recognize the compelling research supporting PBL is intentionally incorporated through hands-on activities, experiential projects, and service learning initiatives, providing students with authentic contexts for applying their knowledge and developing practical competencies. These experiences move beyond theoretical understanding, enabling students to actively construct meaning and retain information more effectively.

Complementing this experiential approach, West Virginia Academy dedicates Monday through Thursday to a structured Classical education. The younger grades focus on memorization and increasing their foundational knowledge across each subject. As basics are mastered, students move to a logic stage, where they learn how to analyze, identify relationships, and discover the why. Older grades are focused on more rhetoric, meaning how to communicate clearly and persuasively both through writing and oral dialogue.

Fridays are specifically allocated to the implementation of PBL. This dedicated time allows for in-depth engagement in field studies, intramural activities promoting teamwork and physical well-being, inquiry-based experiments fostering scientific literacy, and the culmination of term-long projects that synthesize learning across disciplines.

2nd Graders, Ancient Greece

Last term, our students' focus was on History. They selected a specific era or time period to explore, delving into aspects such as daily life, influential leaders, inventions, societal norms, and the impact of that era on our present lives. It was incredible to witness the innovative methods our scholars used to study their chosen periods. We saw songs, speeches, poems, plays, dances, artistic creations, and models. Each classroom was transformed into a mini-museum.

The final Friday of term three is our annual Hall of History. Classes explore each other's rooms and time periods, crafting a PBL experience for both the visitors and the presenters. We have put together a brief video highlighting the creativity and talent of our scholars at this year's Hall of History. Enjoy.

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