Certificate Program

Certificate in Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability: CESS

This certificate builds upon our Quaker testimony of stewardship and aims to build the critical thinking skills needed to explore the complex issues of environmental  sustainability. Through coursework and real world engagement, students will build the necessary capacities to find solutions to our collective environmental challenges. The following four components are required, but particular projects and activities will be open to student interest and inquiry.

Three Environmental Credits:

Students must complete at least three units/credits (3 semesters) in any of the following courses. You must earn a B average or higher in these selected courses to apply the credit towards the certificate. Note that not every course listed here will be offered in a particular academic year. Check the departmental course listing for more information. 

English

• Literature and the Natural World (1 unit)
   

Religious Studies and Philosophy

• Environmental Ethics (1 unit)

• World Religions II (1 unit) 

Science

• AP Environmental Science (2 units)

• AP Biology (2 units)

• Earth and Space Science (2 units)

• The Natural History of the Wissahickon (1 unit)

• Ornithology (1 unit)

 

Three Major Projects:

Students must complete at least three major projects during the course of their junior and senior years. Projects can take a variety of forms and can be (but are not required to be) connected to coursework. All projects should contain the following three aspects: research, a final product(s), and an audience. The following are examples of CESS projects.   U.S. History Term Paper: exploring topics such as the rise of the conservation movement, the need for clean water and public sanitation before 1870, etc. English Capstone Project: exploring nature imagery in American poetry, the Transcendental movement, etc. Creating informational videos about electronic recycling drives at Penn Charter A workshop for Friends Multicultural Day on a theme of sustainability

80 Activity Hours:

Students must complete at least 80 hours of activity credit over two years. As part of the Upper School activity requirement, students are required to complete two major activities per year. One of the activities must be a sport, and the second can be a 40-hour activity or a second sport. For students pursuing the certificate, they can apply this existing 40-hour activity requirement with a focus on environmental activities. They would need to complete a total of 80 hours of environmental activity. Many of these activities are offered through PC environmental clubs and events. A maximum of 20 out of the 80 hours could be completed in the summer. Some of these activities could include: trail work or educational programming through Friends of the Wissahickon on-campus assistance with waste management including: upcycling, composting, recycling, electronic waste drives, etc. campus Learning Gardens support camping and outdoor trips

80-Hour SCP:

Senior Comprehensive Project (SCP) should function as an environmental "capstone" to their certificate work. Through coursework, projects and activity hours, we hope that individual students during the month of May in their 12th grade year will want to focus on a particular environmental theme in their SCP. These projects might include: protecting our watersheds and issues of drinking water exploring aspects of environmental law and policy poverty and access to healthy environmental commons (air, water, soil, food) Students will connect a particular environmental theme with a "public purpose" lens in their SCP. While all 12th grade students are required to complete an SCP, those pursuing the certificate will work with the SCP advisor as well as the advisor for the Certificate in Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability to complete their SCP.

Certificate in Global Cultures & Language: CGCL

Global competency is defined as the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance (Boix Mansilla & Jackson 2011). As part of their work towards certification, students will work to build critical thinking skills in order to investigate our world and recognize the diverse perspectives necessary to face issues of global significance. The following four components are required for this certificate, but particular projects and activities will be open to students' interest and inquiry. 

Three Global Cultures & Language Credits + 4 years of a language:

Students must complete four years of a language in the Upper School. Students must complete at least three units/credits (3 semesters) in any of the following courses. You must earn a B average or higher in these selected courses to apply the credit towards the certificate. Note that not every course listed here will be offered in a particular academic year. Check the departmental course listing for more information. English Caribbean Literature (1 unit) Evolution of War (1 unit)   Language and Culture Cultural Competence for the 21st Century (1 unit) A second language in addition to the language for the language requirement (2 units) Performing Arts World Theater (1 unit)   Visual Art Art and Social Justice (1 unit)    Religious Studies and Philosophy World Religions I (1 unit) World Religions II (1 unit) Myth & History in Biblical Literature (1 unit) Yoga: Embodied Philosophy (1 unit)   Social Studies American Foreign Policy 21st Century (1 unit) Global Issues (1 unit) Modern Africa (1 unit) AP Art History (2 units) AP European History (2 units) Nationalism (1 unit)

 

Three Major Projects:

Students must complete at least three major projects during the course of their junior and senior years. Projects can take a variety of forms and can be (but are not required to be) connected to coursework. All projects should contain the following three aspects: research, a final product(s), and an audience. The following are examples of CGCL projects.   U.S. History Term Paper: exploring topics such as US-international relations English Capstone Project: for example, exploring themes of immigrant voices in literature A workshop for Friends Multicultural Day on a theme of global community such as Latinxs in the United States

 

80 Activity Hours:

Students must complete at least 80 hours of activity credit over two years. As part of the Upper School activity requirement, students are required to complete two major activities per year. One of the activities must be a sport, and the second can be a 40-hour activity or a second sport. For students pursuing the certificate, they can apply this existing 40-hour activity requirement with a focus on global studies. They would need to complete a total of 80 hours of activities related to global studies. Many of these activities are offered through PC clubs and events which relate to issues of a global nature. A maximum of 20 out of the 80 hours could be completed in the summer. Some of these activities could include: attending a lecture or presentation organizing and leading a lesson in Amigos, French club, or Chinese club international trips, through Penn Charter or other organizations

 

80-Hour SCP:

Senior Comprehensive Project (SCP) should function as a global studies "capstone" to their certificate work. Through coursework, projects and activity hours, we hope that individual students during the month of May in their 12th grade year will want to focus on a particular global theme in their SCP. These projects might include: working with an immigrant community in Philadelphia exploring bilingual education in area schools Students will connect a particular global theme with a "public purpose" lens in their SCP. While all 12th grade students are required to complete an SCP, those pursuing the certificate will work with the SCP advisor as well as the advisor for the Certificate in Global Cultures & Language to complete their SCP.

Certificate in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice:  CDEIJ

​​This certificate track seeks to build upon the Quaker testimonies of Community, Equality, and Peace by exploring the complex and intersecting issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.  This interdisciplinary investigation will aid students in developing the mindset and skills needed to build a sense of belonging for all, to strengthen our community and our society, and to transform lives.

The following four components are required, but particular projects and activities will be open to student interest and inquiry.

Three Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Course Credits:

Students must complete at least three units/credits (3 semesters) in any of the following courses. You must earn a B average or higher in these selected courses to apply the credit towards the certificate. Note that not every course listed here will be offered in a particular academic year. Check the departmental course listing for more information.

English

• Caribbean Literature: Worlds Beyond the Cruise Ships (1 unit)

• The Madwoman in the Attic (1 unit)

• The Harlem Renaissance (1 unit)

• *American Studies, English (2 units) 
   

Language & Culture

• Cultural Competence for the 21st Century (1 unit)
   

Math

• Introduction to Statistics: Social Justice (1 unit)
   

Performing Arts

• Trends in American Popular Music (1 unit)

• Racism, Sexism and Other -Isms in Film (1 unit)
   

Religious Studies and Philosophy

• Seminar on Poverty (1 unit)

• Biomedical Ethics (1 unit)
   

Social Studies

• *American Studies, Social Studies (2 units) 

• Peace, Justice, and Social Change (1 unit)

• Modern Africa (1 unit)

• African American Studies (1 unit)

• Women and Gender in American History (1 unit)
   

Visual Art

• Art and Social Justice (1 unit)
   

*Note: American Studies counts for two units/credits only. 

Three Major Projects:

Students must complete at least three major projects during the course of their junior and senior years. Projects can take a variety of forms and can be (but are not required to be) connected to coursework. All projects should contain the following three aspects: research, a final product(s), and an audience. The following are examples of possible CDEIJ projects:

• U.S. History Term Paper: exploring the paradox of Alexander Hamilton’s ambition and anti-slavery ideology 

• English Capstone Project: exploring tropes of identity in American poetry, American fiction, etc

• Creating a podcast that presents critical conversations on issues of intersectionality, race, gender, sexuality amongst school members and/or the broader community

• Creating a “how-to” film/video on how to facilitate difficult conversations in M/S and U/S specifically for students

• Staging a school-wide debate on critical DEIJ issues

• A workshop for Friends Multicultural Day on the theme of DEIJ
   

80 Activity Hours:

Students must complete at least 80 hours of activity credit over two years. As part of the Upper School activity requirement, students are required to complete two major activities per year. One of the activities must be a sport, and the second can be a 40-hour activity or a second sport. For students pursuing the certificate, they can apply this existing 40-hour activity requirement with a focus on DEIJ activities during each of their 11th and 12th-grade years. Many of these activities are offered through PC clubs and events. A maximum of 20 out of the 80 hours could be completed in the summer. Some of these activities could include:

• Attend approved lectures/events outside of school on DEIJ topics such as Friend’s Central QYLC or SCH’s Shout Conference and discuss the event/lecture with your cohort

• Attend or facilitate a workshop for Cheryl Irving Student Diversity Conference

• Facilitate a workshop for Friends Multicultural Day

• Attend, or facilitate DEIJ focused SLC workshop

• Attend the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and share the experience with the larger PC community
   

80-hour Senior Comprehensive Project:

The Senior Comprehensive Project (SCP) should function as an environmental "capstone" to a student’s certificate work. Students will connect a particular DEIJ theme with a "public purpose" lens in their SCP. While all 12th-grade students are required to complete an SCP, those pursuing the certificate will work with the SCP advisor as well as the advisor for the Certificate in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice to complete their SCP. These projects might include:

• Create DEIJ event/experience for the PC community

• Create and facilitate DEI Project focused on involvement in greater Philadelphia (this could be working with Jefferson University)

• Involvement in DEIJ related non-profit organizations