High School News

Craig Holdrege to Speak on "Assessing Genetic Engineering: Empowering Students to Navigate in a Complex World" at Searles Science Building, Rm 315, Bowdoin College, 7:30 PM, Tuesday, November 18, 2008.

Life today is not simple. In our technological culture we are surrounded by and work with things we do not understand, and often we need to rely on the opinions of experts. But in the end, each of us makes individual decisions: What kind of food should I eat? What can I do to reduce energy use? Should I have that operation or not? Expert opinion can help in all these matters, but the expert opinion is no substitute for the individual human capacities of careful observation, thoughtful consideration of different perspectives, discerning judgment, and sensitive action. These are capacities that warrant attention in education so that we help prepare students to creatively and flexibly meet the complexities of life. In this talk Craig Holdrege will discuss this educational task, using the example of genetic engineering, a topic of individual, societal, and ecological concern.

Craig Holdrege, a biologist and educator, is the founding director of The Nature Institute in rural upstate New York. He was a high school biology teacher in Waldorf schools for 21 years and has worked in Waldorf high school teacher training since 1994. He is keenly interested in the interconnected nature of things and carries out holistic studies of plants and animals. Craig also critically examines new developments in genetics and biotechnology from a contextual perspective. His newest book, co-authored with his Nature Institute colleague, Steve Talbott, is entitiled Beyond Biotechnology. He is also the author of The Giraffe's Long Neck: From Evolutionary Fable to Whole Organism and the editor of The Dynamic Heart and Circulation. For more information visit www.natureinstitute.org.

Merriconeag Waldorf School Receives Challenge Grant

Merriconeag Waldorf School has received a $40,000 grant from an anonymous donor that will increase the amount of financial aid available to high school students. The multi-year challenge grant requires the school to raise an additional $10,000 annually through 2011 in matching funds. The goal has already been reached for 2008.