After concluding their cultural journey into the heart of the Swiss Alps, Hackley’s delegation to the 2016 Round Square Conference returned back home on October 14.

The conference was held at Aiglon College in Chesières-Villars, Switzerland and lasted for five days. Hackley sent a total of seven delegates to the conference, including five students and two faculty members. Attending a conference at a school located at the foot of a mountain was indeed very adventurous for Hackley’s delegation. Students and teachers alike were able to learn from the cultures of the diverse group of individuals present at the conference; at the same time, Hackley students were given the opportunity to ponder what it means to be an American in this day and age.

Hackley students engaged in activities that immersed them into the many different international cultures. “On the cultural evening, held at the tail end of the conference, there were a lot of performers from India, South America, and various other places around the world. There was dancing, there was singing, there was even some poetry. It was really interesting to see that [cultural diversity] and to think about what we have to offer culturally in this country,” said Classics Department chair Adrianne Pierce, an attendee at this year’s conference.

The meaningful experiences and events in which members of Hackley’s delegation partook offered students the chance to confront evils of the past as well as the problems we continue to face in our world today. “Our visit to Dachau, which was the first concentration camp that the Nazis created, was a very challenging, but a very important, part of the trip,” said Assistant Headmaster Steve Bileca, who chaperoned the delegation to the conference.

Members of Hackley’s Round Square delegation were also struck by the diversity present at this year’s conference. “After attending this conference with a fantastic group of Hackley delegates, I was able to grasp a much wider spectrum of diversity,” said conference attendee Matthew Jean.

Hackley’s delegates began to appreciate the significance of diversity existing in communities, whether they be schools or otherwise. Matthew further asserted, “After becoming friends with all of the people that attended the conference and learning about their cultures, my perspective changed on just how important diversity is.”

The adventure-based curriculum of Aiglon College gave Hackley’s delegates the chance to explore how the aesthetics of Hackley’s campus can be utilized to enhance the quality of its academic offerings. “Hopefully, we can discuss how we can use nature on our Hilltop to advance our curriculum here at Hackley,” said Dr. Pierce.

Hackley’s representatives at previous Round Square conferences also noted the importance of nature in the curricula of different participating schools. Mathematics teacher Karen Casper, a member of Hackley’s delegation to the 2015 Round Square Conference in Singapore remarked, “The majority of the schools with whom we interacted had Outdoor Education as a significant component in their curriculum. Perhaps easier to manage because they are boarding schools, I still see great value in having Hackley also require that outdoor programming. It should be incorporated into our current system, and eventually become a regular part of school life.”

Surely the insights of Hackley’s Round Square delegations of the past, as well as the future, can help to make the Hackley community a more green, and appreciative community.