Afternoon Programs

Athletic Training supports teams and athletes through the year in health promotion, injury management, and rehabilitation. Students learn first aid through the Red Cross program and assist the athletics staff with taping and wound care as well as game set-up and rehabilitation. Students entering this afternoon program will work from 3-5:30 with the opportunity to stay and help during middle school and varsity contests.

Astronomy explores the following topics: history of the heliocentric model of the solar system, the sun-earth-moon system, our solar system and planetary geology, our galaxy, stars and their evolution. Weather permitting, activities will include a number of outdoor observations and activities. Astronomy meets three days per week and is open to middle school students only. 

Farming is a hands on/off road experience! Students harvest vegetables and herbs from the SAS greenhouse, apples and pears from the SAS orchard, and deliver our harvest to the Sage kitchen staff for use in meals. Students learn to germinate seeds, transplant seedlings, and apply organic soil nutrients. Along the way, they learn about organic pest control. They prepare growing beds for planting and help with the water collection system for harvesting and transporting rainwater. Farming provides the dining hall with several lettuce varieties, kale, radishes, cilantro, parsley, and basil, as well as, snow peas and tomatoes. In addition, students care for our perennials, mulching, pruning and fertilizing our grapes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Future plans include aquaponics and animal husbandry.

Mind•Body•Exercise exposes students to noncompetitive forms of exercise that they might enjoy. In a typical week, our three afternoons will be dedicated to either yoga, Pilates, mindfulness work, or hiking on SAS's beautiful trails. In addition, students are encouraged to lead one of the classes. In the past, students have taught classes on modern dance, ballroom dance, and fencing. Students need to bring their own yoga mats or they can buy one through the school.

Outdoor Adventure participants are exposed to the outdoor activities possible on the Mountain, including hiking, caving, camping and survival skills. They are pushed to develop skills and acquire knowledge that will keep them safe and comfortable while enjoying the outdoors. Outdoor Adventure meets three times a week.

In this studio based program, students will explore how artists have approached painting portraits and figures in various times and places, as well as exploring a variety of contemporary portrait techniques. Within this exploratory climate, students will be encouraged to produce a large number of quick portraits based on that week's concepts and techniques. Additionally, we will offer an optional Saturday field trip to the Frist Museum to see the Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera show. Portrait Painting meets three days per week.

Strength and Conditioning is designed to provide our students with an opportunity to improve their general physical fitness in a cooperative environment. The barbell is the primary tool the students will use. The initial goal is to develop better movement patterns. After proper technique and understanding of the movements has been established, the students will see improvement in a variety of areas including: speed, power, strength, coordination, balance, flexibility, work capacity, and confidence. The Strength and Conditioning program meets three days a week, ending by 5:15 p.m.

Technical Theater students assist in all aspects of designing and constructing the technical elements for the Winter Musical. Projects include constructing platforms and set pieces, building and sourcing props, pulling and organizing costumes and creating new costumes when needed. Students also assist in altering the lighting in the hall. During the last one to two weeks, students help install the set into the performance space and are assigned tasks to complete during the show each night. All students are expected to attend the extended rehearsals.

Technology: Robots and Videos presents students with an opportunity to strengthen their problem-solving, design, collaboration, and production skills as they explore the Vex Robotic systems and the Story Space, SAS’s new digital storytelling environment.  Students can work on coding skills while building, modifying, and programming Vex Robots and explore various video styles with the green screen, cameras, and stop-motion animation equipment. No prior technical knowledge is necessary to join this program; students must only bring their willingness to explore and create!  This program meets three days per week. 

Theater begins with all participants engaging in theater games and becoming acquainted with each other. The initial activities segue into rehearsals, as the theater director selects or creates a play based on the number of participants, recent productions and other factors. From this point, Theater focuses on getting the play ready for performance. All students in this program are expected to perform. After the three performances, all the students participate in strike, readying the theater for the next show. Theater will follow a flexible rehearsal schedule utilizing weekday afternoons as well as some weekends. Students may be able to sign up for Theatre in addition to another Afternoon Program, depending on the commitment required for the other program.

Yearbook is a product-based program where students work on the production of the St. Andrew's-Sewanee Phoenix. Students will use a variety publishing programs including PhotoShop, InDesign, and various online design and editing software as they work on their skills in photo taking, writing, interviewing, editing, layout, and design. Because there are strictly set deadlines, students must also exercise their abilities to be dependable and organized members of a team. This program is ideal for students who wish to showcase their design skills, practice their photography, or learn the elements of these disciplines. Yearbook meets three days a week from 3:30–5 p.m.

Yearbook & Lit Mag is a product-based program where students work on the production of the school’s yearbook, The Phoenix, and the school’s literary magazine, The Mountain Mirror. Students use a variety of publishing programs including PhotoShop, InDesign, and various online design and editing software as they work on their skills in photography, writing, interviewing, editing, layout, and design. This program is ideal for students who wish to showcase their design skills, practice their photography, or learn the elements of these disciplines. This program meets three days per week.