A wide range of extracurricular activities encourages students to be fully involved in school life and to develop their unique talents and interests. Student-sponsored activities such as dances and parties are supported enthusiastically by both students and faculty. Many students participate in mathematics, science, literary, art, computer and history competitions. The High School is a dynamic and exciting place!
Clubs and Organizations
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is a grassroots human rights organization that works to assist and defend people around the world who are in prison or in danger solely because of their religion, politics, race, sexual preference or the like. The Amnesty group at Canterbury School is primarily a letter-writing group; they plan to expand to do more education and raise awareness in the school and larger community.
Campus Life
Campus Life is concerned with the balanced life of every Canterbury student. This balanced life is equal parts physical, mental, social and spiritual. Campus Life doesn't take attendance, and there are no dues; students come as they can. The group meets for about an hour, then relaxes with pizza.
Debate Team
Canterbury is one of only a handful of schools statewide to offer competitive debate as an extracurricular activity. Debate offers students the opportunity to hone their critical thinking and communication skills in a friendly but competitive setting. Over the past five years, Canterbury students have qualified for the NFL National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas Debate (2001 and 2005), earned a state championship in LD Debate (2004), and placed in the top 10 as a team in the IHSFA State Debate Tournament (2004). A Wall Street Journal study concluded that participation in high school debate “significantly improved an applicant’s chances for acceptance at top tier colleges,” much more so than any other extracurricular activity. Canterbury offers two debate teams, one for beginners (Novice) and one for experienced debaters (Varsity). Students may elect to participate in three different kinds of debate: Lincoln-Douglas (one person), Public Forum (two people) or Congressional Speaking.
Independent Project
The goal of the Independent Project is to encourage motivated students (primarily juniors) to pursue an area of study in depth, ending with a demonstration of acquired knowledge and/or skills before a group of experts. The Independent Project must have a research component that promises scholarly work on the part of the student and independent work that he can pursue during free time. At a minimum, students will complete a scholarly essay and an annotated bibliography.
Junior Classical League
The Junior Classical League works to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of the language, literature and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and to impart an understanding of the debt of our own culture to that of classical antiquity. The JCL at Canterbury School competes twice a year in certamen meets (Latin-related quiz games) and attends the state convention in the spring at Indiana University.
Key Club
Key Club is an international, student-run service organization. Canterbury’s Key Club is the largest club in the high school and works with many service organizations in the Fort Wayne community, including Erin’s House, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
Mock Trial
Mock Trial is an inter-school competition that allows students to take on the roles of attorneys or witnesses in a simulated case. This activity begins in December and continues through a regional competition in February and, if the team qualifies, a state final competition in March. Students are expected to devote time to research the case and prepare arguments and testimony. Some weekend practices may be necessary. This activity is open to all grades.
Mimesis
Mimesis is a group of students interested in creative writing who meet weekly to share and critique poetry, stories and essays. In these workshops, students work together to critique constructively their peers’ writing. The group eventually becomes the editorial staff for the High School’s literary/arts journal Mimesis. The group’s job is to edit and lay out the journal for springtime publication.
Model United Nations
Model UN is a simulation of the real United Nations: Groups of students represent different countries. Nations then gather at a conference to create, debate and adopt or reject solutions to global problems put forth by each nation. Students develop skills in public speaking, debate, conflict resolution, critical thinking and research. Each school year, they participate in at least two conferences.
Stock Market Club
The Canterbury High School Stock Market Club is new in 2005. It aims to expose students to the world of stock trading. Students are given an online brokerage account (consisting of fake money) with which they can buy and sell stocks at their leisure. At the end of the year, they will determine who has finished with the most valuable portfolio. Stock market fundamentals and investing strategies are discussed at the monthly meetings.
The Untitled Paper Inc.
The Untitled Paper Inc. is an all-school, student-run newspaper distributed to the K-12 community. Articles are written and pictures are taken by students during their free time. All interested students are encouraged to participate. Juniors take on the role of assistant editors, using PageMaker to lay out the newspaper. Seniors are eligible for editor positions, creating, assigning and editing articles for the eight issues published each year.
Travel Programs
Australia Exchange
During the second semester of their sophomore year, students have an opportunity to participate in an exchange at either Radford College or Canberra Grammar School. Space is limited: Students must apply for the program and are selected by a committee. Students in this exchange program pay Canterbury tuition plus the cost of transportation and incidentals.
Backpacking Trip
Each summer, sophomores are invited to travel to a wilderness area for a backpacking experience. Sites have included such beautiful areas as Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. At least some of the fun is the road trip to the destination. Students have visited rodeos, amusement parks, national parks and fun, out-of-the-way places in this adventure designed to help students grow by pushing themselves to their limits.
British Summer Trip
Every other summer, students have an opportunity to travel to England, Scotland and/or Wales to explore English history, culture and literature. The trips are designed around themes such as “literary landscapes” or “the quest for the historical King Arthur.” In an effort enjoy the beauty of the island, the trip is marked by walks through the hills and dales and over the hedgerows that provide so much of the charm of the British landscape. Students typically stay in historic inns or bed and breakfast accommodations.
Costa Rica
Every other year since 2000, Canterbury School has offered this combined service/culture/adventure trip. Past highlights have included zip-gliding through a protected rainforest canopy, “flying” from tree to tree on a wire with only a harness; cascading down a Level 3 rapids with experienced river guides and eating vine-picked tropical fruits along the way; working to re-plant a depleted rainforest in the north central portion of Costa Rica; and visiting a Costa Rican school and spending a day with high school teenagers, observing their classes and sharing a typical Tico lunch. The trip is arranged through EcoTeach, one of the premier Costa Rican education organizations. Because a portion of the time is committed to conservation work, all participating students receive 40 hours of community service credit.
Fantasy Sports: May Term Baseball Trip
This is a fun reward for the fantasy baseball May Term class; they get to see in action many of the players whose statistics we study for the twelve-day class.
French Immersion and Exchange Program
Every other year, Canterbury offers a 10-day language immersion and exchange program with a public high school in Saint-Etienne. Students studying French in their junior or senior year, accompanied by their teacher, spend spring break in French homes hosted by French high school students. They attend school and experience true French life. The trip includes a brief excursion to Paris. Afterward, the French host students come to Canterbury to spend two weeks with their American correspondents.
Orchestra Class: Lyric Opera
This trip every other year allows students to experience opera and orchestra performances in Chicago. There is a student cost.
Spanish Immersion Program in Oaxaca, Mexico
The Spanish immersion program in Oaxaca, Mexico, takes place during Canterbury's spring break. Students attend the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca for 10 class days. Each day is split between a morning session, with three hours of Spanish grammar instruction and one hour of conversation, and an afternoon session, with two-hour cultural workshops. On weekends, the group takes educational trips to locations such as the archeological ruins of Monte Alban, artisanal villages and the cultural attractions of Oaxaca City. Students live with host families screened and selected by the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca. In addition to receiving room and board (three meals per day) from their host families, students are exposed to everyday family life while practicing the Spanish they learn during class time. Participants must be sophomores or older, be in good standing in their Spanish class at Canterbury, and be in at least second-year Spanish.
Stratford Theatre Trip
Students have the opportunity to view some of North America’s finest productions of Shakespeare and other great plays and musicals (three plays total). There is a student cost.
Freshman Class Trip
Bradford Woods
This is an overnight trip to a park-like setting. The purpose is to foster class-bonding with experiential activities to encourage leadership and awareness of group dynamics. There is a cost to students. This trip is required.
Sophomore Class Trip
Chicago
This trip includes visits to the Chicago Institute of Art and Adler Planetarium. Students also enjoy dinner in Greek Town. The trip enhances the tenth-grade curriculum in English, social studies, science and fine arts. There is a cost to students. This trip is required.
Junior Class Trip
Tours of Six to Seven Colleges
Students visit public and private colleges of varying sizes, settings and selectivity to help them find the best college type to fit their needs. There is a cost to students. This trip is optional.
