On Wednesday, December 7, Hill’s director of sustainability Marie Fechik-Kirk and members of the Hill’s Green Initiative traveled to Waste Management’s Philadelphia Material Recovery Facility. The single-steam recycling facility is the largest of its kind on the east coast, producing more than 20,000 tons of recycling per month. After a friendly introduction by Patty Barthel WM’s community relations coordinator and a video explanation of the separation process of single-stream recycling, the group of four students and four faculty toured the recycling floor.
The School celebrated the holiday season with the annual Winter Instrumental Music Festival on December 9 and Candlelight Services of Lessons and Carols on December 11. The Music Festival featured music performed by The Hill School Jazz Ensemble ("Feliz Navidad," "Yardbird Suite," "Jingle Bell Rock," "White Christmas," and "The Chicken")and Orchestra ("A Bach Christmas," "A Swingin' Holiday," and "The Star of Wonder Medley"). The Hilltones and Hilltrebles sang Christmas carols during intermission.
The beautiful Candlelight Services of Lessons and Carols included songs and hymns performed by The Hill’s student choral groups, along with The Hill's Community Choir, comprised of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents, and scripture readings offered by members of The Hill community.
On Saturday, December 10, two students and a faculty member traveled to Philadelphia to visit the Occupy Philadelphia-sponsored Regional Occupy Movement Conference as part of the new Occupy For The Future movement sponsored by the International Youth Congress. While there, the students participated in a group discussion on the movement's world vision, and discussed the youth's role in the future and the Occupy Movement.