Micheal Tennant, Hill School Class of 2000 and CEO of Curiosity Lab, kicked off the week on Sunday evening by addressing The Hill community on the topic of empathy and justice via Zoom. Michael shared his story of finding his purpose and how he began his mission of spreading empathy with the creation of his card game, Actually Curious.

Following the talk, boarding students and dorm parents gathered in common rooms across campus to play the game with the Curiosity Edition deck, which is based on the science of trust-building and emotional intelligence. The Curiosity Edition "explores questions of background, values, and views on important issues like diversity & inclusion, the environment, and mental health."

On Monday, January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students will gather with their advisory groups to view "Just Mercy." The 2019 film is based on the memoir of the same name by Bryan Stevenson, who, as a young defense attorney, fought to overturn the wrongful conviction of Walter McMillan. Students will have an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the film during a "Courageous Conversation" facilitated by their adviser. 

On Thursday, we will welcome Anthony Ray Hinton, an American activist, writer, and author, as part of Hill's Tom Ruth Speaker Series. Hinton was wrongly convicted of murder in 1985. After nearly 30 years on Death Row, his case was overturned by the Supreme Court and he was released in 2015. He wrote of his account in the book, The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, which was required reading in Hill's English classes. 

The week's activities will conclude on Friday evening with a special "Writing for Social Change" workshop in the Warner Center led by Dr. Catriona Miller ’08, Humphrey Family Visiting Scholar.