Education
Upper School
The Upper School years are a time of intellectual challenge, personal growth, and joyful discovery.
As students progress through Upper School, they take increasing ownership of their education. They are invited to wrestle with big questions, engage deeply with great books and primary sources, and develop the habits of mind that prepare them not only for college, but for a life of purpose.
Our rigorous liberal arts curriculum cultivates clear thinking, thoughtful dialogue, and confident communication while encouraging students to pursue truth across every discipline.
- Think critically and communicate with clarity
- Engage deeply with great books, math, theology, history, science, foreign language, and the arts
- Lead with confidence and integrity
- Pursue excellence through rigorous coursework
- Conduct independent research and defend ideas persuasively
- Prepare for college and a lifetime of learning
Course Highlights
Freshman year lays the foundation for Upper School with an emphasis on the great civilizations, classical literature, scientific inquiry, and logical reasoning. Students begin developing the habits of mind and study that will prepare them for increasingly rigorous coursework.
Ancient Greek • Debate • Western Political Thought • AP Art History • Bioethics • Chamber Orchestra • Concert Chorus • Beginning Music Theory • AP Music Theory • Beginning Theatre Arts • Advanced Theatre Topics • Drawing • Painting • Portfolio Preparation • AP Art & Design • Media and Journalism • Introduction to Coding • AP Computer Science A • Research Methods
English, Latin, Mathematics, National, and Spanish Honor Societies meet regularly and offer tutoring to other students.
College Counseling at Oakcrest
College Counseling is an individualized process guiding Upper School students through the college search and application process. Students are encouraged in self-reflection and thoughtful consideration of their own goals and vision for their future in order to find the right college fit.
The Senior Thesis
After entering into the intellectual conversations of the past through her reading of several different primary and secondary sources, the student forms her own idea on a subject and crafts it into a thesis. The thesis and accompanying public presentation give Oakcrest seniors the experience of reflecting on their liberal arts education and contributing their own voice to an intellectual conversation.
With the guidance of a faculty adviser, each student develops a research question, engages with primary and secondary sources, creates an annotated bibliography, and crafts a formal thesis. The process challenges students to think critically, write clearly, and defend their ideas with confidence.
Edwina Maksym Senior Thesis Award
The Edwina Maksym Senior Thesis Award recognizes senior theses of exceptional scholarly quality, depth of thought, and excellence in presentation. The award is named after Edwina Maksym, Ph.D., a life-long educator and a beloved member of the Oakcrest community for over thirty years. During this time, she joyfully and gratefully participated in the education of several generations of “Oakies,” famously awakening a love for the true and the good in her students while accompanying them on their journey of self-discovery.
“‘The Deepest Longing Of A Woman’s Heart’: Self-Gift and Membership In Hannah Coulter and In This House Of Brede”
Beatrice Hatch
“Saving Faces: The Half-Hidden God In ‘Parker’s Back’ And Till We Have Faces”
Elizabeth Marx
“Against The Current: Heroism, Fate, and the Limits of Human Desire in The Odyssey and The Great Gatsby”
Elisabeth Ellen Larson
“Feet of Clay: Finding Christian Morality Through the Tragic Heroism Displayed in The Aeneid and a Farewell to Arms”
Van Hemingway
“Faith, the Consolation of Philosophers: Embracing Life’s Deepest Questions in Hamlet and The House of Mirth”
Clare Hettich
“Flourishing at the Intersection of Fury and Faith: Cosmic Order in Homer and Melville”
Lily McKenny
“Longevity in a Culture of Eternal Youth: Hannah Coulter and Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”
Anna Guenther
“When the Truth is Not Beautiful: Grotesque Messengers of Grace in Conversion”
Charlotte O’Beirne