After many presidents, plenaries, and a pandemic, May Term (formerly known as “Senior Month”) is officially happening. May Term is scheduled to take place the last two weeks of May, ending with a presentation on May 31. Head May Term advisor Travis Chandler has made significant changes for this year. After Student Government spent the past three years debating the topic, the seniors and Chandler have come to an agreement. 

“For the most part, May Term is two weeks where seniors focus on a passion project,” Chandler said. According to Chandler, May Term at Parker (called “Senior Month”) started in the seventies, and it used to be a time for seniors to go out into the work field and get an internship (non-paid job). However, the administration decided to stop it soon after it’s creation due to unfairness in the job force, unpaid work, and seniors not feeling like they got anything substantial out of it. Now, Chandler is going in a whole new direction. “The goal is for seniors to leave with having a chance to explore a skill that they’ve always wanted to explore further,” Chandler said. 

“Seniors get to dive deeper into a passion that isn’t traditionally a school subject,” Chandler said. Some of the ideas for this upcoming May Term includes the science of fishing and ecology, the history of crochet, and the difference between certain types of music genres. 

Chandler reminisced about his own May Term when he was a high school student at Roycemore: “I studied the films of Alfred Hitchcock for my May Term. I was thinking about becoming an English major, but after studying those films it shifted my future towards film.”

“My group is planning on learning and making music,” senior Aidan Young said. His group, which includes a drummer, vocalist, and pianist, wants to learn about certain artists’ songs and learn how to play them. They have decided to learn and play older songs including music from Elton John, The Beatles, and others. “We enjoy music of the past and you know what Elton John always says, making music is some of the best joy that you can get in life.”

To allow students to offer input on the logistics of May Term, the May Term Task Force was created. “The May Term task force is basically figuring out how the seniors are still going to be involved during May Term,” Student Government President Eli Moog said.

May Term will take place during major events and activities for Parker. These include spring sports, final club and committee meetings, and Student Government elections. According to Moog, the May Term task force will figure out how to manage those events without the seniors in classes. “We want Student Government and other important Parker activities to run smoothly while we are gone,” Moog said.

“Our main goal right now is just to try to get a proposal by February 1 on the Student Government elections,” Moog said. “After that, we plan on talking with the Athletics Department about spring sports, and we will have concrete instructions for what certain clubs and committees should do without the seniors,” Moog said. He described the task force as successful and effective so far. 

Moog is confident that Parker’s Student Government will continue to operate during May Term. “The task force will make sure Student Government will continue to be effective during May Term.”

“I think May Term is definitely going to work with Mr. Chandler’s plan,” Moog said. Moog and the majority of the senior class has shown optimism and excitement about Chandler’s May Term plan. “I am very excited to pursue my passion for two weeks.”

This year May Term will be the last two weeks of May with a final presentation on May 31. Following that, Dean of Students Joe Bruno has planned a week of activities for seniors. While a lot of teacher’s curriculums must be modified to accommodate May Term, Chandler said that teachers have adapted to the upcoming May Term by becoming May Term Advisors. Since most of their classes are all seniors, those last two weeks will switch from academics to the May Term. “Instead of a class, they’ll have four or five students that they’re helping guide with their May Term projects,” Chandler said.

“It’s a nice segue at the end of our career at Parker,” Young said. According to Young, he believes that May Term is the embodiment of all the beliefs and values Parker holds and teaches. “Your last moments here at Parker should be surrounded by the community and friends you made, doing something you love. May Term will do exactly that.”

“It’s not going to be perfect, but we’re doing everything we can to put a lot of effort into it and make sure that it’s a really great experience,” Chandler said.