Girls in grades 9-12 now have the opportunity to experience a brand new 5-day boarding program at The Academy at Penguin Hall. Whether local or out-of-state, students will have the opportunity to live independently while actively participating in an intentional community.

For their culminating project, Dr. Kimberley invited students to create memorials that commemorate the history of racial slavery. She tasked students with understanding the concept of historical memory; exploring the complex decision making processes behind designing a memorial; examining the role of memorials in shaping historical memory of racial slavery; and using diverse forms of expression to memorialize racial slavery.

The APH Make-A-Wish Club’s mission is to give back to the community in the form of wishes for children with critical illness between the ages of 2 ½ - 18. Led by Christina Autilio ‘22 and Anya Levoshko ‘22, the Make-A-Wish Club organized fundraisers to reach their goal: to grant Myah her wish of a bedroom makeover!

At Penguin Hall, students have the experience of pushing themselves past their perceived limitations. They learn that what they thought was a limit does not apply to them. This learning opportunity is part of Athletics at APH. The self-defense course, known as Krav Maga, gives our students the confidence and skills to ensure their own safety.

On Tuesday, November 16, Dr. Kimberley and Mr. McLean's Civics class took a field trip to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston! Anna B. '22, Natalie B. '22, and Mackenzie F. '22 attended the field trip and shared their thoughts on the experience.

Over the course of two evenings and one matinee performance, the student thespians of APH presented Chicago: Teen Edition at the Larcom Theatre in Beverly, MA.

In their Biology class, APH students receive a strong grasp of the biological concepts and the major themes that can be applied to life sciences. Students gain an understanding as to how interdependent these things are to life on Earth. In this case, Ms. Lilly presented a faux murder case (with it being almost Halloween!) to showcase biological reactions. Students were tasked with trying to decipher where the victim was killed and who killed him by analyzing the contents within his stomach.

Penguin Hall was honored to welcome the great friends of our students on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22. It was an event that did more than just welcome visitors, it broadened the APH family. Great Friends’ Day allowed family members and friends to catch a glimpse into the academic world of their students.

“Lifting others up lifts me up.” For APH Senior Christina Autilio ‘22, community service is not just a hobby or a box to check off on her high school resume. It’s an opportunity to lift others up and make a wish come true.

Life is a long, winding road and sometimes it leads you right to... a cookie factory! And for Brooke Carroll, life did just that. APH Women in Leadership Speaker Series welcomed Brooke to campus to speak with our students about her sweet success of becoming the owner of Lark Fine Foods in Essex, MA.

Students in APH's Street Art class had the opportunity to hear from local artist Miguel Cruz aka Oka.Je. Miguel is one of the six artists who completed the incredible Black Lives Matter mural in Lynn this summer. His artwork can be seen throughout Salem and on murals across the country. 

This week, the APH community took the time to reflect with a moment of silence as we remembered the 20th anniversary of September 11. Mr. Williams' Philosophy elective class, who will also be studying a novel centered on the events of 9/11, helped lead this remembrance.

On Wednesday, September 1, author Anita Diamant spoke with our APH students virtually about The Boston Girl, what inspired her to write Addie Baum’s story, and her advice to future writers!

Methuen 8th-Grader Named 2021 Ruby Boyer Miller Scholarship Winner

Neomi G., an eighth grader at Saint Patrick Academy, and Molly T. an eighth grader at St. Joseph's School were recently awarded a prestigious scholarship from The Academy at Penguin Hall, (APH).

The one-semester elective course Capturing Oral History introduced students to the techniques and practices of the oral history interview, including: the background research, drafting the interview questions, and planning the interview with awareness of the ethics and etiquette of oral history. APH students were tasked with discovering the history of a topic of their choosing, and conducting an interview with someone who shares an experience from that particular topic and presented their interviews during the Academic Showcase of APH’s Spring Symposium: Express Yourself!

On Friday, June 11, Penguin Hall welcomed family members, friends, current students, faculty, staff and trustees to its 5th annual Commencement Ceremony celebrating the Class of 2021. 

Penguin Hall's Symposium Week 2021 featured a variety of faculty- and student-led master classes, documentary viewing, and academic showcase.

APH had the privilege of being one of the first groups to view a brand new documentary titled Borderland: The Life and Times of Blanche (Ames) Ames. After the viewing, the creator and narrator of the film, Kate Klise joined our community virtually for a Q&A session.

This past semester, students in Mr. McLean’s Art of Diversity class looked at the many ways artists communicate diversity, and then created their own virtual art exhibits exploring the concept.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, causes of test anxiety may include a fear of failure, lack of adequate prep time, or bad experiences taking tests in the past. You're not alone! Here's what you can do to stay calm in the days leading up to and during your test.

For Symposium Week 2021, Ms. Healy offered a Master Class titled “Cemetery Iconography,” which was a two-hour course that would take place off-campus. The master class drove north to the Old North Burying Ground in Ipswich, MA. It was established in 1634 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in North America.

On Friday, May 21, the South Lawn transformed into an oasis for the arts. Weeks of preparation included building a stage complete with lights, curtains and microphones for the three-act extravaganza. Our tent housed carefully curated artworks created by students. Early Friday evening, the sun began to slip into golden hour and filled the campus with its glow--a spotlight on what would be Penguin Hall’s first spring production in a year.

Two students, Fleurianne (Fleur) N. ‘22 and Ashlyn G. ‘22 have been selected as two of twelve members statewide of the Inter-ethnic Youth Advisory Board at one of the most nationally recognized hospitals in Massachusetts, Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH).

Each year, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) sponsors a student video contest. This year, they held the "Democracy Challenge" Student Video Contest. The league asked high school students in Massachusetts to create 30-second videos answering the question "What did you learn about our democracy in 2020?" And what a year for our democracy!

The Academy at Penguin Hall announces the following honorees on the 2021 National Latin Exam.

Caitlin D. ‘24 is just beginning her journey at APH. As she remembers when she first walked through the spider-web doors of Penguin Hall she notes that who she was eight months ago has grown and changes today.

At Penguin Hall, we believe that there is a place for you here--no matter your beliefs. To be truly empowered to live and lead exemplary lives, the students at Penguin Hall are invited to grow in inner wisdom as well as intellect and learn to navigate their unique inner truth. Students held an Interfaith Spring Prayer Service during Morning Meeting, which was also a celebration of the diverse religions held by many members of the APH community.

On Monday, March 22, Penguin Hall welcomed its entire student body back to campus for fully in-person classes for the first time since March 2020--marking almost a full year. This was a momentous occasion and cause for celebration! While the first week back was a time of becoming reacquainted with the classwork after two weeks of Spring vacation, students were able to take time out of their rigorous academic schedules for some good, old-fashioned fun!

In our Civics class with Dr. Hannah Kimberley and Dr. Alick McLean, offers such practice and for students, it’s a golden opportunity to make their voices heard--hopefully to the ears of the President of the United States. 

We are deeply saddened by the tragic events in the Atlanta, Georgia area in which eight people, six who identified as Asian American, were senselessly murdered. This violent act is the latest in a series of brutal attacks on members of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in our country.

What was unthinkable to us a year ago has become all too familiar. The ring of a Zoom call signaling the start of class, the sting of hand sanitizer over a small papercut, the adjustment of a mask as it slips off the nose. March 2020 marked the beginning of these daily routines not only for the community at APH, but the world.

Yesterday, Penguin Hall welcomed Dr. Nerissa Kreher as a guest speaker for our Women in Leadership Speaker Series. Dr. Kreher is an accomplished physician executive and pediatric endocrinologist with strong biotech experience in Clinical Development and Medical Affairs.

For their culminating project, Dr. Kimberley invited students to create memorials that commemorate the history of racial slavery. She tasked students with understanding the concept of historical memory; exploring the complex decision making processes behind designing a memorial; examining the role of memorials in shaping historical memory of racial slavery; and using diverse forms of expression to memorialize racial slavery.

APH 9th graders in World Humanities read the first play of the trilogy, "Agamemnon", together and then broke into groups for a creative assignment. Each group put their own spin on the tragic play and presented it in a totally different style, from a rap video to a reality TV show!

If you had the opportunity to invest in a non-profit, which would you choose? For students in Ms. Healy’s Contemporary Ethics Class, that’s exactly what they want you to do! 

Change is not always easy and starting something new is full of unknowns. But more often than not, change is worth it and can open the door to greater opportunities! At APH, you have the ability to blaze your own trail.   During this time of great uncertainty for schools, parents and students need an academic institution they can rely on--one that prioritizes engaging education, health and safety, and the overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being for students. 

Our country is in the midst of two pandemics. One has taken hold of us for over a year. And the other pandemic has had its roots in our nation for far longer than it should: racism. As I searched for words to share with you this morning, I was reminded of a sermon of Peace and Hope given by the Late Honorable John Lewis of Georgia on January 17, 1999 at the National Cathedral in Washington DC.

Let’s invite one another to talk about these and other events that trouble us. Not only peaceful marching makes a difference. We can make a difference in the very act of inviting discussion, and, super important, in how we engage in discussion. Embrace, even celebrate, the diversity of points of view that make up our community.

We’ve heard this called 'an assault on our democracy.' The United States has prided itself on being a country that by definition does not have a king or a ruler, but has a government of the people in which citizens have a voice in choosing their own representatives--a democracy.

Have you ever become so enraptured by a book that you forget where you are? You look up, blink and can’t tell how much time has passed. It feels as though the very words in the pages you’ve read were happening in reality--that you became part of the story itself.  For Penguin Hall juniors, that’s exactly what happened in Mr. Williams’ Global Literature class. 

Just steps from the Great Hall you can walk into one of APH’s Student Art Galleries. Once you enter the Gallery you will see this message on the wall: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues worldwide, as the clock towards irreversible global warming and unfixable worldwide change ticks down by the day. However, there are millions of people worldwide protesting, researching, and reaching out to make change as much and as quickly as possible. Climate change is a real current issue, affecting everyone--but there is still time to stop it.”

We’ve all felt it in some way or another. Spending hours and hours inside quarantining can take its toll. That’s why it’s important to keep our minds and bodies healthy by going outside for socially distant activities. It’s also a wonderful way to relieve stress, get some fresh air, and stay active. Lily M. ‘24 and her mom knew they needed to get out of the house.

Everyone can agree that hybrid learning is hard, but here are some tips to help you with our new normal from a student's perspective.