Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Middle school students participate in Freshman Seminar with extra support.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Senior Seminar is focused on post-graduation planning and capstone projects.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Senior Seminar is focused on post-graduation planning and capstone projects.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Every morning, Monday through Thursday, is dedicated to Seminar, a flexible, extended session from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Students gather in grade-level cohorts of about 16, led by an Advisor who progresses with the group through the years. This time is used for community building, group projects, excursions, independent work, tutorials, self-evaluation and planning, documentation of work, and scaffolded self-directed learning.
Middle school students participate in Freshman Seminar with extra support.
This class will cover mathematics on an individualized basis, with an eye towards the typical high school mathematics curriculum. I will work with students to create a personalized plan on what to cover, based on what they are likely to find most useful in future classes and after LightHouse. Students work alone or occasionally in small groups, with substantial individualized support and attention.
This class will cover mathematics on an individualized basis, with an eye towards the typical high school mathematics curriculum. I will work with students to create a personalized plan on what to cover, based on what they are likely to find most useful in future classes and after LightHouse. Students work alone or occasionally in small groups, with substantial individualized support and attention.
Supported Reading will be a class focused on learning to read with confidence, both for those who want to strengthen their independent reading skills or who have specific literacy goals that they are interested in building. We will spend some time in the class reading independently, and will possibly select a book to read together as a group. This is an offering for those who appreciate a quiet space and some time during the day to spend reading, please come to the class with an understanding of what you want out of it and a willingness to help hold space for different levels of reading.
This model comes from art and design education, where studios have long been places where students work independently but can access instructor feedback and peer collaboration as needed.
Confident Cooking is a hands-on, engaging class designed to help you build confidence and master the fundamentals of cooking. Over this next block, you'll learn essential kitchen skills like knife safety, seasoning techniques, and ingredient substitutions, all while exploring the rich cultural stories behind diverse cuisines. Together, we’ll prepare our daily lunch, which we’ll enjoy in the dining room as a group. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned cook, this class offers a supportive, fun environment to enhance your skills, share meals, and connect with others in the community. Leave inspired, equipped, and ready to tackle the kitchen with confidence!
Confident Cooking is a hands-on, engaging class designed to help you build confidence and master the fundamentals of cooking. Over this next block, you'll learn essential kitchen skills like knife safety, seasoning techniques, and ingredient substitutions, all while exploring the rich cultural stories behind diverse cuisines. Together, we’ll prepare our daily lunch, which we’ll enjoy in the dining room as a group. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned cook, this class offers a supportive, fun environment to enhance your skills, share meals, and connect with others in the community. Leave inspired, equipped, and ready to tackle the kitchen with confidence!
In this class we will write comedy sketches (like SNL) and create standup personas and routines. You do not need any experience with writing or performing. You just need to bring your unique perspective and be willing to share it with others. We will watch inspiring professional comedy pieces but we will mostly be creating our own. Performing your writing in a public setting is not required for this class but it will be encouraged!
This class is continuing from Block 2, and open to new participants! What does having a yearbook mean to us as a community? We've made a lot of decisions together in Block 2 about how it should look and what should be in it- but there's still a little time for new ideas. Mostly we will be gathering the info we've decided should be in there, and working on the layout using adobe tools in our new media lab. Join us!
Last block, we covered from the 50’s to the 90’s and this time we’ll cover the 90’s to present day! This is a continuation from last block, but feel free to join in even if you didn’t participate last time! We’ll cover shows including Seinfeld, The Office, and more! Please know due to the introduction of HBO and other pay-per-view channels, some shows contain adult content including swearing, sexual content, and generally mature content. I will inform in advance for the shows this applies for, and encourage students to discuss with their parents what we will be watching in class!
This is a student led class with support from staff member Sierra Stewart
Competencies: Media Fluency, Social Justice Concepts, Advanced Social Sciences
The sequel to Parable of the Sower. In 2032, Lauren Olamina has survived the destruction of her home and family, and created a peaceful community in northern California based on her newly founded faith, Earthseed. The fledgling group provides refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultraconservative president who vows to "make America great again." In an increasingly divided and dangerous nation, Lauren's subversive colony--a minority religious faction led by a Black woman--becomes a target for President Jarret's reign of terror and oppression. Years later, Asha Vere reads the journals of a mother she never knew, Lauren Olamina. As she searches for answers about her own past, she also struggles to reconcile with the legacy of a mother caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to lead humankind into a better future.
This class is for those who took Parable of the Sower block 2. We will rely heavily on discussion during class! Please come ready to read and engage with this text.
Join producer, DJ, guitarist, and engineer Sky Borax for an hour of dedicated time in The Lighthouse studio. Students will be free to explore the studio however they want with the invitation to draw on any of Sky’s areas of musical knowledge. The goal of this class is to assist in musical creativity in students regardless of technical ability, or area of interest. The class structure is personalized, so students of any experience level can benefit from joining.
This course focuses on up-to-date current events, issues and debates locally, nationally and worldwide, why they are important, and how they impact students' lives. This class also provides great supplemental information relating to U.S. History, Geography, Economics and World History. Our curriculum will create itself each and every day.
Have you ever been to a concert and wondered what it’s like behind the scenes? In this class you will learn how to prepare for a concert, setup microphones, operate a sound board, focus lights, and design a light show. Motivated students will be invited to join our stage crew for evening concerts, gaining hands-on experience with touring artists in the De la Luz Soundstage on campus.
Arguments are an unavoidable part of life. Why not learn how to do them well? Arguments do NOT have to be a painful, uncomfortable, or negative experience in our lives. They are often the source of some of the most important and meaningful learning! In this class, we will look at ways to argue, disagree, discuss AND find common ground with others so that disagreeing becomes a productive part of our lives. We will look at both the WHY and the HOW of arguments: WHY people argue will be a recurring theme in our discussions, and HOW people argue will shape the activities we engage in together. We will explore active listening, debate, Socratic seminar, formal discourse, and other ways to better understand our own opinions and those of others with whom we think we do not agree. While this course identifies three key LightHouse competencies (Empathy, Advanced Communication, and Problem Solving) students in the class will have the opportunity to identify other competencies they want to develop.
Being able to tell a story in a visually-engaging way is an increasingly important skill. We all have stories to tell.
Try out visual storytelling through our collective connections to LightHouse. We will explore the stories within this community with a group video project, and along the way we will discuss the power of still and moving images; the roles that light, color, and sound play and how we can shape them; and consider how our visual choices influence the story we’re hoping to convey. There will also be some class time and support reserved for a personal story in photo or video format, if class participants want to work on the group video and personal projects in tandem. You don’t need to bring any experience to this class, and you do not need to own a camera - this is a place to try something new. You will use professional -level equipment, lighting, and processes.
If you’re passionate about LightHouse as a great place to learn, love people’s stories, or have an existing interest in photo or video, you might extra-enjoy this class.
The world of practical effects is slowly disappearing in a world run by CGI. However, some people are sick of seeing overly used CGI in movies. This means practical effects are making a comeback! During this class we will explore some of the history of special effects makeup while creating our own looks and experimenting with different techniques. We will create our own scar wax, learn to create realistic injuries and scars and have fun creating our own fantastical creatures.
When we see mushrooms popping up out of the soil, we often fail to recognize that they are part of a much larger organism living underground: Fungi. They can be compared to apples fruiting from a tree, but the tree being underground and unseen by our eyes. Because they are usually hidden from view, fungi are often misunderstood and underappreciated - yet they are essential to life on Earth as we know it. In this class we will learn about the evolution of fungi and their roles in the environment; with a particular focus on their impact on human beings. Students will learn some basic identification techniques and will have the opportunity to grow and study their own oyster mushrooms in class.
Our De la Luz Divine Theater is ready for shows! The goal for block three is to get many community and performance groups in our area into the Divine to use it as many ways as possible. We need you to help us with this outreach! Work with the course instructor to contact school and community theater groups and think of other ways to organize events in our theater to raise awareness about this new and vital space. This is a GREAT resume and experience builder in community and arts leadership and engagement! You will be invited to participate in all the ways you are interested in: brainstorming, designing, organizing, or outreach. You are also welcome to sit and observe elements of this project that you aren't comfortable with but you want to learn. Join this class and help strengthen the vitality of the arts at LightHouse, in Holyoke, and beyond!
What is Mixing? Mixing is the art of balancing multiple recorded tracks, adjusting levels, panning, EQ, compression, and effects to create a cohesive sound where every instrument and vocal has its place in the sonic landscape.
What is Mastering? Mastering is the final polish that transforms your mix into a professional, broadcast-ready product. It involves optimizing overall levels, tonal balance, and dynamics to ensure your music sounds great across all playback systems.
Each week we will work with live multi-track recordings from recent concerts at the De la Luz Soundstage. We'll listen and learn about a variety of instruments and musical styles, then mix tracks from a real touring artist to make a single that will be released with a corresponding live video. The finished product will be uploaded to all of our online channels and your name will be in the credits.
Throughout this hands-on course, you'll develop the technical skills and artistic judgment needed to take raw recordings and transform them into professional-quality releases that artists would be proud to share with their fans.
Are you ready to take your culinary skills to the next level? This hands-on course offers immersion in a professional kitchen setting, where you will master essential prep cook techniques, kitchen safety, and sanitation practices—all while working as part of a real lunch service team. Students will gain practical experience in knife skills, ingredient prep, and efficient kitchen operations, while preparing to earn your ServSafe Food Handler certification, a valuable credential in the food industry.
Prerequisite: Students who have already demonstrated proficiency in the kitchen or have successfully completed the introductory cooking class are eligible to enroll in this advanced prep cook course.
Are you ready to take your culinary skills to the next level? This hands-on course offers immersion in a professional kitchen setting, where you will master essential prep cook techniques, kitchen safety, and sanitation practices—all while working as part of a real lunch service team. Students will gain practical experience in knife skills, ingredient prep, and efficient kitchen operations, while preparing to earn your ServSafe Food Handler certification, a valuable credential in the food industry.
Prerequisite: Students who have already demonstrated proficiency in the kitchen or have successfully completed the introductory cooking class are eligible to enroll in this advanced prep cook course.
This class will examine music and literature and its role in society: how they both shape and are shaped by social, political, national, and cultural forces. Examples from popular music and literature will be used to demonstrate music’s and literature’s inextricable link to life in expressing culture, events, and identity.
There’s no dividing line between robots and sculpture, drawing and science, engineering and crafting. In this class, you’ll learn to create whatever you want, as long as we can find the materials. Come with an idea or ask for inspiration. Bring a favorite art form and discover a new one to complement it. Use your mind, hands, and eyes together to make things that are beautiful, functional, and expressive—creations that can teach others as much as they express yourself.
How do rodents teeth work? Why are whales considered close relatives of cows, and why do their skulls look so crazy? What bird is that outside? How can an icefish have crystal clear blood? All these are questions in the field of zoology, the field of biology that studies animals.
This class will discuss the biology of animals, including invertebrates, fish, and amphibians but with a special focus on amniotes (reptiles, mammals, and birds).
We will cover how different groups of animals evolved and how they are related to each other, and will talk about the distinguishing characteristics that allow them to survive and allow us to tell them apart.
This class will also serve as an introduction to evolution and some related concepts, including some which aren't covered in biology here due to time constraints. We will discuss the forces of evolution and how they can achieve equilibrium, cladistics and phylogenetics, kin selection, etc.
This class will cover some material that is normally part of a general high school biology class, and some that goes beyond it. All students are welcome and encouraged to take this class, regardless of biology experience. We will cover the basics needed for new students and will go into enough depth that students who have taken biology elsewhere already will still learn a lot. allow us to tell them apart.
This class will also serve as an introduction to evolution and some related concepts, including some which aren't covered in biology here due to time constraints. We will discuss the forces of evolution and how they can achieve equilibrium, cladistics and phylogenetics, kin selection, etc.
This class will cover some material that is normally part of a general high school biology class, and some that goes beyond it. All students are welcome and encouraged to take this class, regardless of biology experience. We will cover the basics needed for new students and will go into enough depth that students who have taken biology elsewhere already will still learn a lot.
Bring your ideas and we'll make them real. If you have a project you've been dreaming of making, this is the place to get the inspiration and feedback that are so vital to the creative process. Some days we'll look at great works of animation, cinema, and fine art. Other days we'll read from the most inspiring texts about being an artist. Every day we'll make good work together. Turn what you hope to make into what you're proud to have created.
Supported Reading will be a class focused on learning to read with confidence, both for those who want to strengthen their independent reading skills or who have specific literacy goals that they are interested in building. We will spend some time in the class reading independently, and will possibly select a book to read together as a group. This is an offering for those who appreciate a quiet space and some time during the day to spend reading, please come to the class with an understanding of what you want out of it and a willingness to help hold space for different levels of reading.
This model comes from art and design education, where studios have long been places where students work independently but can access instructor feedback and peer collaboration as needed.
In the world of visual art, there's nothing more important than drawing every single day, even if it's just for five minutes. So that's what we're going to do! Every day a new prompt, every day a new drawing. No homework, no quizzes, no tests -- just DRAW!
All welcome! Let's play basketball together. We will walk over to the court at the skate park together and play pick up games and run drills while working on teamwork, collaboration, respect, support, and having fun!
Calling all actors, managers, designers, stage hands, and theatre enthusiasts! We are going to put on a play and perform it at the end of block 3! What play? We will decide as an ensemble. Do we have to audition? No! Can I still be in the class if I don't want to act? Yes! Can I design the poster and the costumes? Yes! Because of time constraints it will probably be a short play but it WILL be awesome.
What makes a great music video? Is it the camera angles, motion, cuts, or effects? In this class we will work with footage shot during live concerts at the De la Luz Soundstage. Each week we will go through the process of reviewing and organizing footage, selecting a song, and editing the film to create a live concert video. Students will become acquainted with video editing software Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premier in our new media lab. The final product will be posted online and your name will be in the credits.
Class sessions are twice/week, with optional but highly encouraged longer sessions on some Fridays to learn to operate the cameras. Motivated students will be invited to join the camera crew and get hands-on experience shooting video during live concerts at the De la Luz Soundstage.
This course introduces students to the world of art curation, focusing on the differences between art museums, galleries, pop-up exhibitions, and art shops. Students will explore how curators shape narratives, select artists, and engage the public. The course also critically examines how race, class, and institutional structures impact whose art gets displayed and valued. Through group activities, discussions, and hands-on projects, students will gain practical experience in curating their own exhibition.
description coming shortly.
What are the risks posed by climate change? Why are earthquakes in New England rare and small, but usually affect a wide area? Why are Venus, Earth, and Mars so different? How do rivers form? What makes good soil for farming, and where can you find it? What causes the aurora, and how can it damage your electronics? Why do hurricanes rotate?
This class will cover a somewhat abbreviated high school earth science curriculum, which studies the earth and how it functions. This will include geology, hydrology, meteorology, environmental science, and astronomy.
We will cover how the earth formed and its structure, how plate tectonics works, soil types, the behavior of groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans, the behavior of the atmosphere and weather, and the effects of living things and of humans specifically on all of it.
This class may be especially useful for students interested in studying ecology, climate change, geography, civil engineering, and many other areas. No prior knowledge is required to succeed in this course.
We’re going to meditate, we’re going to share our experiences with each other as we gain trust, and we’re going to play a lot of Go because it’s a great way to learn about our own and each other’s minds.
We’re going to do some art together, too. We’re going to look into our selves and figure out what we can heal, what we can grow, and what we can accept.
And we’re going to learn how to be kind in the ways that make us all stronger.