Co-Curricular Activities

The Dial (Yearbook)
Fall and Winter Terms; Requires Approval; Fifth and Sixth formers only | Contact Mrs. Winter at awinter@thehill.org. 
Are you interested in a position on The Dial? We are looking for a select few to help design, edit, plan, and photograph for The Dial, The Hill School’s yearbook. This is a prestigious job that allows you to create a permanent printed keepsake recording the lives of hundreds of students. Be part of the planning, design, and execution that tells the story of the school year!

Speech & Debate
Fall and Winter Terms | Contact Mr. Malinak at nmalinak@thehill.org. 
Hill Forensics, also known as Speech and Debate, is a competitive team. This afternoon activity brings together a diversity of interests in arts, academics, argumentation, acting, public speaking, current events, and other individual interests of students at Hill under the umbrella of a single team that practices, travels, and competes together. Much like Track and Field, there is a wide range of competitive options. In addition to a decade of success across these events, Hill has a strong group of returning team members in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, where individual competitors address philosophical questions, and Public Forum Debate, a partner event about current events. Just as in any sport, team members are expected to attend daily practices, prepare for their given event(s), and attend competitions regularly as representatives of The Hill School.

Silverstein Media Arts Collaborative
Winter Term, requires approval, limited enrollment | Contact Mr. Ide at nide@thehill.org. 
Fundamentally, media art is about exploring artistic ideas that conceptually and practically contribute to the growing media landscape. In 2018, the first generation of media artists created and produced webisodes, screen plays, television scripts, podcasts, blogs, and original music. Additionally, media art encompasses the graphic arts (comic and novel). Media art accommodates any emerging media that encourages fresh ideas. Throughout the term, some students will create art for a Media Art Marketplace – a website curated by the artists – that showcases their creative endeavors. Enrollment is limited.

Hill News:
Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms | Contact Ms. DeOrnellas at edeornellas@thehill.org. 
Students participating in The Hill News afternoon activity will have an opportunity to shape their own role inside our student-led journalism program. Any student wanting to work on a special project for The Hill News (writing a weekly column, launching a podcast, creating multimedia packages for the website, etc.) is welcome; regardless of prior experience. Current editors can use this time to accomplish their production goals. Students hoping to take a leadership role in the future can use this time to shadow editors and to receive training specific to their chosen paths. Afternoon activity is also a good time to cover breaking news stories, so this is a great place for students who want to quickly up their experience with reporting, including photojournalism and videography. Current staff members who would simply like to write or produce more and receive immediate feedback and subsequent publishing are also welcome.

Robotics
Winter term  | Contact Athletics Department snotebaert@thehill.org. 
Students will think, reason and be creative while learning basic concepts and problem-solving skills. Please sign up if you have interest in this program for the winter term.

Afternoon Arts and Community Service also are considered non-athletic/non-interscholastic afternoon activities. Learn more in the panels below.

Honors Independent Study (Full-year)
An Honors Independent Study will full a student’s afternoon activity for the entire year. Requires approval, sixth formers only. 

Dance
Fall, Winter, Spring | Contact Ms. Cobbs at lcobbs@thehill.org. 
This afternoon activity focuses on enhancing dance training in the following techniques: ballet, jazz, hip hop,  and contemporary. Dancers will focus on improving their technical ability and performance quality. Afternoon dancers will participate in a recital at the conclusion of each term. This class meets Monday through Friday for about one hour and fifteen minutes each day. Limited to 12 students.

Intramural Ultimate Disc
Spring term | Contact Athletics Department at snotebaert@thehill.org. 
Co-ed activity in which students will learn the primary styles of throwing discs and play the game of Ultimate Frisbee. Fifth and sixth form students are priority, under form students will be considered as space allows.

Recreational Squash
Fall term | Contact Athletics Department at snotebaert@thehill.org. 
Students participating in this co-curricular activity will learn the game of squash and will have the opportunity to improve their skills daily under the direction of our head boys and girls squash coaches. Meets Monday through Friday.

Rock Climbing
Winter term | Contact Athletics Department at snotebaert@thehill.org. 
Learn how to climb! Attend Philly Rock Gym (Oaks) three days per week and learn the skills of top rope, bouldering, movement and positioning, footwork, handwork, and team building. Rentals, transportation, and instruction are included in this activity! No climbing experience is needed. Programming on all days to compliment time on the wall. Limited to 18 students.

Spin and Barre
Fall, Winter, Spring | Contact Athletics Department at snotebaert@thehill.org. 
This afternoon activity will focus on providing students with a unique exercise experience utilizing Hill’s newly purchased spin bikes. Participants can expect a variety of challenging spin classes three times per week, and two barre classes each week. Meets Monday through Friday for about an hour each day. Limited to 14 students.

The following activities require two seasons of interscholastic athletics:

Fall Crew
Fall term | Contact Mr. Scully at wscully@thehill.org. 
The Small Boat Training program aims to provide a fall training opportunity for committed rowers, with a focus on small boat skill development and sculling. The development of small boat training skills is crucial to the athlete’s long-term development and will improve their overall boat-moving ability in any boat class. The program will also include cardio and strength components, so that athletes will improve both technically and physiologically over the course of the fall. Capacity is limited to 20 students. Students that participate in this co-curricular must participate in an interscholastic sport in each of the winter and spring terms. Participants are not eligible for winter erging.

Strength and Conditioning
Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms | Contact Mr. Notebaert at snotebaert@thehill.org. 
Strength and Conditioning is for The Hill student-athlete who wants to improve athletic performance and sport-specific skills only in their off-season. Student-athletes will have the support of our Strength and Conditioning Coach and priority time in The Hill weight room. There is a weekly yoga class to work on flexibility and core strength, students are encouraged to do sport-specific skill work, and may pursue opportunities for club team play, after fulfilling Strength and Conditioning program commitments. Requires approval. Admission to this program is contingent on approval by the athletic department. Generally, students in Strength and Conditioning participate in two seasons of interscholastic play at Hill and make a varsity-level commitment in at least one of those sports. Priority is given to upper form students. Sixth form students may have the option to participate in two terms of strength and conditioning. Sixth form students that decide to do two seasons of this activity will be asked to assist the Athletics Department with additional responsibilities during the week and on weekends.

Winter Erging
Winter term | Contact Mr. Ciraolo at sciraolo@thehill.org or Mr. Scully at wscully@thehill.org.
The winter program is a rigorous combination of indoor rowing on the Concept 2 ergometer, trail running, weight-lifting, core stability development, and other strength-building and power-endurance work. Stretching, injury-prevention, and progress over time are emphasized. Participants race in the City Slam and/or Main Line Slide. Requires approval; priority is given to returning members of the spring racing team. Students must participate in two seasons of interscholastic play at Hill and make a varsity-level commitment in at least one of those sports.

Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms  | Contact Mrs. Skitko at cskitko@thehill.org.
Opportunities with service learning in engineering and financial literacy. This afternoon activity provides an opportunity to serve the greater community as well as learn about The Hill’s distinctive Hobart’s Run neighborhood improvement initiative. A 501(c)(3), Hobart's Run was launched by The Hill in 2016 to work with residents through projects that create a clean, safe, and inclusive community; provide incentives for home ownership and improvements; and generate positive, sustainable commercial, and retail development. Opportunities may include visiting residents of the Manatawny Manor or Keystone Villa care communities; contributing to the restoration of historic Edgewood Cemetery; mentoring children and youths at the Ricketts Center; and tutoring children of immigrant families. We also encourage participants to identify their passions and design their own service projects. Occasionally, students will assist with publicizing community events and take part in neighborhood clean-ups, and they will be asked to share reflections about their experiences. In addition, speakers who represent local non-profits and other service endeavors will be invited to speak to students throughout each term. 

Music, Recording Studio, Visual Art, Theatre, and Theatre Tech
Fall, Winter, and Spring | Contact Mrs. Lim at ylim@thehill.org.
Application or audition is required for music, recording studio, visual art, and theatre. This program is for serious and dedicated students who will consistently demonstrate excellence, discipline, and artistry. Driven and committed fifth and sixth form students may apply to participate in three-terms of Afternoon Arts in one discipline. This application process is slightly different. The deadlines to apply are August 15 for the three-term distinction, September 1 for the fall term, and by midnight before varsity tryouts for winter and spring terms. Learn more about Afternoon Arts.