Wintermission 2026: A Week of Unique Learning Experiences

On campus, students could be found in the construction shop of the Mars STEAM Building using power tools, in Roomies or the kitchen of Spur and Spoon cooking a recipe from another culture, or in the classroom engrossed in a topic that branched out from their typical coursework. “I learned so much about indigenous people that I did not know or even heard of before,” shared one freshman in the “Contemporary Native North America: Resistance & Resilience” course. Another freshman who took “Papercraft” and “De Culina Romana” courses shared, “I learned a lot about the different things you can do with paper — I plan to do papercraft with my family in the future. I also learned about ancient Roman foods, culture, recipes, and resources.”

The schedule and offerings of Wintermission also provided students with the opportunity to get off campus. “I learned so much over this week,” shared one sophomore who participated in “The Equestrian Community of Middleburg,” the full-day course. “We went to a few different barns and learned what it's like to do horse business in Middleburg. We also went to a few vet clinics and saw how they work and the special care they provide horses.” 

Taking their learning into their own hands, some students designed off-campus internships for the week. “I learned how to build a cabinet and how to design any type of furniture item in a design software, and how to transfer it into real life,” reflected one junior. A senior shared, “I learned how to run a shop, and it was lots of fun.” 

Many thanks to all involved in the week, especially the Wintermission Committee members, the businesses and organizations that hosted our students for internships and educational opportunities, and the Foxcroft faculty and staff who offered a week of unique learning experiences.

To get a firsthand look at Wintermission from the perspective of our students, enjoy these two student-produced vlogs:

• Aradeal H. ’26’s Wintermission experience
• Ryanna R. ’28’s internship with PBS News Student Reporting Labs