Upper School Intersession 2025: Full Schedule

Student sign-up timeline:

Monday, November 18 @ 3:15 – 12th Grade
Tuesday, November 19 @ 3:15 – 11th Grade
Wednesday, November 20 @ 3:15 – 10th Grade
Thursday, November 21 @ 3:15 – 9th Grade
November 21-30 – Sign-ups/changes open to all. After December 1, schedules will be frozen.

arrow_back View All Dates

8:55am PST

Artisanal Pizza Making with Luca, Rowan, and Kevin

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

Craving pizza? Come learn how to make Neopolitan-style pizza from scratch with your favorite Alumni cooks. In just a few short hours, you'll learn how to turn basic ingredients into a delicious dish—and impress your friends and family! We'll learn about the dough-making process and quickly transition into hands-on rolling, stretching, saucing, topping, cooking, and finally ENJOYING.

Facilitators

Luca & Rowan & Kevin

Luca L., Rowan T., and Kevin H. are all Nueva Alumni from the Class of 2023. You may remember us from our taco stands, bacon stands, various cooking quest projects, and, yes, PIZZA MAKING. Come join us!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Cooking

8:55am PST

Calling All Heartstopper Fans!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

Are you a Heartstopper fan (graphic novel and/or Netflix show)? This is the intersession for you. In our session, we are going to dissect representation (of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, ability, etc.), friendships and romantic relationships, family dynamics and influences, cultural and societal expectations, differences and similarities between the graphic novel vs. Netflix show, and any other themes you want to bring to this session. Come prepared to share and discuss!

Facilitators

Hannah Yanow

Hannah Yanow, Ed.D. (she/they) specializes in queering spaces and cultivating inclusivity during conversations and through written communications. Hannah is currently an Inclusion and Belonging Consultant with the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab, a facilitator for... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Literature/Communications/Performance

8:55am PST

Did Baseball Save Us? The Negro Leagues, Japanese Incarceration, and Sports and Social Justice in America

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

You may have heard about Jackie Robinson and his breaking of the color barrier in baseball, but have you heard the history of the Negro Leagues and how baseball was segregated in the first place? Can you name some women baseball players who were also Negro League stars (yes, they could play baseball in the Negro Leagues even if not for Major League Baseball)? Did you know that baseball was one of the incarceration camp sports for Japanese Americans during World War II?

If these questions sound interesting and you'd like to learn more, please come join an interactive discussion about the history of baseball in America that you may not have heard before, focusing on the Negro Leagues and baseball in the wartime incarceration camps. We'll be using books that involve primary sources to build our knowledge of this part of our country's history, and think about how this impacts sports as we watch and understand them today. After we do our deep dive into baseball, we'll discuss more broadly how resistance and joy show up as social movements in other sports as well, and how those tools can be used in the future.

Facilitators

Misasha Suzuki Graham

Co-Founder, Dear White Women

Misasha Suzuki Graham has spent her life attempting to bridge gaps, both professionally and personally, and foster understanding among groups of people. A graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School, Misasha spent over fifteen years as an accomplished attorney, specializing... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Equity and Social Justice

8:55am PST

Introduction to the Design of Economic Mechanisms

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

Suppose you need to match one million students to one thousand colleges. Students have preferences over colleges, and colleges have preferences over their applicants. Is there a "good" way to reconcile all these preferences on both sides -- and what does "good" even mean in this context? We are going to discuss the basics of matching theory, a research area at the intersection of Economics and Computer Science that develops tools for answering such questions. We will also discuss applications of this theory: matching young doctors to hospitals, students to schools, and cadets to army branches.

Matching theory is one of the key parts of the broader discipline of the design of economic mechanisms, and if time permits, we will briefly touch on some other topics in this discipline.

Facilitators

Michael Ostrovsky

Stanford University

Michael Ostrovsky is a Professor of Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His research is in the areas of game theory, marketplace design, auctions, and finance. In his research, he has studied the economics of carpooling and self-driving cars, the properties of internet... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Business and Finance, Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering, Math and Games

8:55am PST

Learn Archery!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

Have you ever wanted to know how to shoot using a bow and arrow? Learn archery for the very first time! All gear will be provided. You do not need any prior experience shooting to participate in this session.

Facilitators

Jordan Pituley

Instructor, Palomo Archery

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Athletics and Movement

8:55am PST

Like to Love: Find Fulfillment in Your Career

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

Adults are often drawn to careers with a distinguished title, comfortable salary, and variety of benefits in an established company. On the contrary, when kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, they simply think about what they LIKE to do!

Whether following a career path or pivoting mid-career, choose a career based on what you LIKE to do – a career that’s a good fit for you! Discover careers that apply everything you LIKE to do into one job, leading to finding fulfillment in a career that you sometimes didn’t expect to pursue.

This session will include storytelling to illustrate key takeaways. There will also be activities that help the audience brainstorm their career path, skillsets, and projects that give them fulfillment, reminding them of what they LIKE to do.

Facilitators

Jen Fitzgerald

Professional Speaker

Jen Fitzgerald is a former admissions counselor turned professional speaker who applies the insights gained from advising thousands of students during the college admissions process to networking and career exploration. Her roles with schools like Virginia Commonwealth University... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Wellness and Life Skills, Literature/Communications/Performance

8:55am PST

Precision and Performance: The Art of Convex Optimization

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST

TBA

Explore the world of convex optimization with a specific focus on linear programs. This session will delve into the core principles of convex optimization, emphasizing the role of linear programming as a powerful tool for solving structured problems across various fields. Through practical examples and theoretical insights, attendees will learn how linear programs are formulated, solved, and applied to optimize processes in areas such as operations research, economics, and data science. Whether you’re new to optimization or looking to deepen your expertise, this seminar offers valuable knowledge to help you leverage linear programming for impactful solutions.

Facilitators

Curious Cardinals

Eduardo Lopez

Curious Cardinals

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 10:10am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering, Science

8:55am PST

Advanced Chess Training - Making the Most of Each Piece

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

This class will cover each piece individually: cases where it is strong, cases where it is weak, and how to make your own pieces powerful and your opponent's pieces weak.

Prerequisite: Familiarity with all rules of chess including checkmate, castling, and en passant. Familiarity with chess notation is helpful.

Facilitators

Steven Zierk

GM Steven Zierk is a chess professional and coach from San Jose, California. He won the World Youth Under 18 Championships in 2010 and after earning his degree from MIT in 2015, earned the Grandmaster title in 2018.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Math and Games

8:55am PST

Beeswax Collage on Canvas

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Create beautiful art on canvas, using melted beeswax, mulberry paper, tissue, sewing patterns, and found images.
You will complete one canvas with the option to do a second one, time allowing. Participants are encouraged to bring a photocopy of a personal drawing, photo, or quote which they can incorporate into the composition Fun process and accessible technique!

Facilitators

Elaine G. Chu

Elaine G. Chu has taught workshops to people of all ages, including Nueva students for the past eight years. Her work has been published in "Greencraft" and "Somerset Studio" magazines as well as "1000 Artists‘ Books.” She co-authored "Wood Paper Scissors,” a how-to crafts book... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

8:55am PST

Bugs, Bots and Dark Patterns: Responsible Innovation in App and Website UX Design

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

App and website developers must consider a number of privacy, safety and security questions, in addition to building an engaging product experience. Are there any limits to the types of data I can collect in my app, or how I can use it? When do I need to ask permission, and how can I get it without creating friction that stops people from using my innovative product? How do I protect people who use my app from bots, hackers and other common online threats? An increasing number of laws in California, the US and around the globe require privacy and security by design - the idea that evaluating privacy and security risks and requirements, and designing solutions, must be a core part of the product development process.

We will discuss the basic privacy and security requirements and considerations when designing apps and websites and look at the design choices of popular apps and platforms -- including TikTok, Zoom, and Apple. We will then review several hypothetical app experiences and discuss the best choices for user privacy, safety and product experience.

Facilitators

Ashlie Beringer

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Ashlie Beringer is an attorney and partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and a Co-Chair of the firm's Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation group. Ashlie previously was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Facebook, where she advised Facebook's product managers and engineers... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering

8:55am PST

Computing like it's the 80s!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Check out how your parents played with computers from the late 1970's to the mid-'80s on original, working machines (IBM, Apple 2, Commodore 64, Osborne...), many of which were developed right here in Silicon Valley. They were heavy, noisy and clunky, but they spurred the personal computing revolution.

But not just video games - try your skills in programming, see if you can produce cool pictures using exotic pen plotters and dot matrix printers, and learn how these devices from the past worked, how to fix them, and how much people actually got done with them!

Facilitators

Giovanni Iachello

8:55am PST

Hot Glass - Cool Designs

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Create your own hot glass experience in this hands-on hot glass class. Blow, shape, and color your project. Explore the technical and the artistic basics of glass working in this fast-paced beginner's class.

Facilitators

Douglass Brown

Half Moon Bay Art Glass

Douglass Brown has had a 40+ year history of working with glass in many different types of glass. 13 years ago, he opened up Half Moon Bay Art Glass and started giving hot glass experiences to the public and corporate team building events. Now with the help of his team, they have... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

8:55am PST

Intro to Classic Card Games – Learn to Play Hearts, Spades, Euchre and Oh Hell!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

You probably know how to play poker, but what about classic strategy card games like Hearts, Spades, Euchre and Oh Hell!? If you’ve never played or just want to refresh yourself on the gameplay and get some practice, come join us…

Most of these games date back hundreds of years and have survived the test of time because they’re so well designed and so fun. We’ll talk about the rules and mechanics of each game, how to bid and score, and some basic strategy considerations. We’ll play a few hands of each and you can decide for yourself which is/are your favorite(s).

This will be a really relaxing way to learn some new games that you can play with family and friends. No prior experience playing cards is needed but we’ll send around a few videos in advance for folks to have some context coming in. And if you have the competitive spirit, we’ll be hosting a second session later this day that offers the chance to play full rounds in a friendly tournament.

Feel free to email Dan Bomze (dbomze@gmail.com) if you have any questions in advance of signing up

Facilitators

Dan Bomze

Dan is a long time Nueva parent who loves learning new games and playing cards with friends and family.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Math and Games

8:55am PST

Intro to Impact: Self-Defense Basics

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

From street safety and awareness to full-force self-defense techniques, this 2.5-hour class lays a foundation of skills including intuition, situational awareness, body language and voice proven effective at increasing safety and confidence. Participants practice de-escalating dangerous situations, and get the unique and powerful experience of practicing physical techniques at full force in safe and realistic scenarios against a padded mock assailant.

This class is led by a Whistle Instructor, who is the lead coach, and a Suited Instructor, who plays the role of mock assailant and wears a padded suit to allow students to hit full force. Physical techniques include defending against attacks from the front, being grabbed from behind, and an introduction to fighting from the ground. You'll leave this class feeling strong and maybe surprised by your own power and courage!

Facilitators

IMPACT Bay Area

Program Coordinator, IMPACT Bay Area

IMPACT offers violence-prevention programs for people to embody their own power, set effective boundaries, defend their physical and emotional safety, and heal. We build safe spaces for people who experience and resist violence differently because of who they are or how they are perceived... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Wellness and Life Skills, Equity and Social Justice, Athletics and Movement

8:55am PST

Introduction to Criminal Justice

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

There could not be a better time to study our criminal justice system. We are experiencing a time of significant change (much of it long in coming frankly). Each of you, as community members, can be a part of making those changes positive ones and I hope this seminar will help to inspire you to do just that. So... on to a few basic pieces of information about the seminar:

1. What are we going to be talking about?
The session will cover two primary areas: crime and criminal justice and our criminal justice system. We will be discussing things like: "why does crime exist?" and “is crime getting worse” and "why is there such a disconnect between communities and their police" and "do we really need police” and “do district attorneys and defense attorneys hate each other as much as they seem to on TV?" and, if time allows, "what on earth is going on with our prisons in the United States!? Why do we lock more people up than any other country?"...

Are you intrigued? Good!

We will be talking about current events and I recommend that you start plugging into news feeds from a variety of sources and perspectives. If you take the time to check out the news what we discuss will mean a whole lot more to you.

2. Will Professor Raffaelli just be a talking head?
I sure hope not! Bring on those questions and we will dig into them… I welcome and appreciate student participation and hope you save me (and yourself) from me just prattling on the whole time by myself. The criminal justice system is interesting (really!) and I look forward to hearing from you. I also hope that this class will result in more than a few of you looking further into a career in criminal justice. It is one of the places in this world that gives you an opportunity to make a difference in your community and society. Corny as it sounds there really is no better satisfaction than finding ways to help other people.

Facilitators

Elizabeth Raffaelli

Retired Deputy District Attorney, San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office (retired)

I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Social Psychology. I then attended Stanford Law School and graduated with my Juris Doctorate (JD). I passed the California State Bar and joined the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office where I served as a Deputy District Attorney... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Philosophy/Social Science/Law/Politics

8:55am PST

Neuroscience Crash Course: How Brains Perceive and Interact with the World...and What Happens When Things Go Wrong

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Neuroscience is a relatively young field in biomedical research, but it has revolutionized our understanding of how humans and other organisms perceive and interact with the world. Additionally, neuroscience research has elucidated some of the mysteries of brain disease that have long since eluded the medical field. In this intersession course, students will take a survey of the world of neuroscience, with a focus on how the brain perceives and interacts with its environment.

The session will be divided into two parts: 1) a lecture-based survey of neuroscience that tracks the anatomy and physiology of how the brain processes visual stimuli and then plans and executes movements. The session will use the simple example of hitting a baseball to highlight the complex visual and motor computations that that the brain performs in less than a few tenths of a second. 2) The second half of the lesson will be a practical experiment where students will measure their own visual-motor reaction times and to use that data to estimate the speed at which information is processed in their brains and whether we can experimentally modulate information processing.

Facilitators

Ryan Jones

Head of Corporate Development & Partnering, Xilis

Ryan is a neuroscientist with over a decade of neuroscience research experience. Ryan received his doctoral degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine, at UCLA and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF. Ryan's research has focused primarily on how neurons process information... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Human Biology and Medicine, Science

8:55am PST

What the Body Knows: Experience and Arts and Body Oriented Psychotherapy Interventions Including EMDR

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

What if talking was just a small part of psychotherapy? What if your body held more wisdom than your mind? Or if a set of postcards could help you discover connections you never noticed before? In this session, you’ll explore various psychotherapeutic techniques that integrate somatic awareness and creative expression, tapping into the body’s innate wisdom as a powerful resource for deeper self-understanding.

In the final third of the session, you'll be introduced to the art and science of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based therapeutic approach that uses bilateral stimulation to help individuals process and heal.

This is an experiential session, so please come ready to move, engage, and be open. Participants will take part in both group and individual activities involving movement and art. Curiosity and kindness are encouraged!

Facilitators

Tina Mizukami

Tina Mizukami, MA, LMFT, RYT-200, believes in the inherent ability of everyone to heal and move toward wholeness and resolution. With over 10 years of experience in private practice, Tina specializes in helping clients work through trauma, using approaches like EMDR to facilitate... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Wellness and Life Skills

8:55am PST

When It All Goes Wrong! An Intro to Crisis Communication

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Pandemics! Geopolitics! Economics! Bad behavior! These are turbulent times and businesses and other organizations are encountering lots of new challenges and even full-fledged disasters. When it all goes wrong, how should organizations think about communicating? What are the rules of the road? The common mistakes? Which audiences matter? What do you do when the New York Times calls or social media explodes? We'll talk about all of this and explore some scenarios.

Facilitators

William Moss

TSMC

William Moss, Head of Global Media Relations at TSMCWilliam is an experienced corporate communication professional who has worked in the US, China and Singapore. Currently, he leads global media relations for TSMC, the world's largest and most advanced semiconductor foundry. Previously... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Business and Finance, Literature/Communications/Performance

8:55am PST

Zombies, Zombies, Zombies

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Design, create and apply your own zombie makeup. Learn from Film FX Makeup Artist Elizabeth Fox how to make scary and gore heavy zombies. We’ll be using the same products used in feature films and television. You will learn the tips and techniques used by professionals. Not for the squeamish, this is Zombies like the pros make. We will be using non-latex prosthetics and build ups, fx makeup and work on zombie character creation. Up your halloween game, improve your short zombie films and scare the pants off your friends! A small makeup FX kit will be provided.

Facilitators

Elizabeth Fox

Elizabeth Fox has been a professional working makeup artist since 2000, with over 50 feature films to her credit. She began her makeup artistry in the theater and started working in television and film while living in New York City. After moving to Hollywood, Elizabeth worked primarily... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 11:30am PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

8:55am PST

Fabric Screen Printing from Start to Finish

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Students will learn the techniques of screen printing including screen preparation, using a manual printing press, printing a single color. Students will take their completed T-shirts home as well as their screens. Students will need to have an image ready in advance of class; image specifications to be provided.

Facilitators

Danae Lintz

Danae has been screen printing for 5 years and owns a small apparel business. She has developed her own methods for blending colors. She enjoys using ink in a non conventional way and designing and creating art that can be worn.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1-Day Intensive

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

8:55am PST

In-depth Metalworking & Jewelry Making!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST

TBA

In this 5 hour intensive, you'll walk away with a solid grasp of the knowledge you need to make jewelry! You'll get lots of practice soldering, shaping, and polishing metal to create little pieces of wearable art!

No experience whatsoever is necessary, but come with some idea of what you want to make, closed-toed shoes, and no flowy sleeves! Or, if you DO have experience from a past Jewelry Intersession or a WoW Workshop, you'll have the freedom to explore techniques you already know, get instruction on anything more advanced, or ask for advice on anything you're working on!

Interested in a shorter, less in-depth course where we'll just cover some basics? Check out the 2.5 hour Intro version of this class!

Facilitators

Sophia Hoermann

Sophia Hoermann is a Nueva alumni from the class of 2022 and she is now a junior in college at the University of Utah. She started making jewelry in middle school and didn't realize until she took a jewelry making Intersession sophomore year that Nueva had all of the tools needed... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1-Day Intensive

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts, Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering

8:55am PST

Introduction to Stained Glass

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Students will learn the fundamentals of stained glass to create a small stained glass suncatcher. In this all-day intensive, students will learn how to:
- use glass cutting tools and glass grinders
- cut specific shapes out of art glass
- choose from a dozen design templates
- choose from a large assortment of colorful art glass
- cut each shape to the pattern
- copper foil each piece
- solder pieces together to complete pattern

Please note, students will be cutting glass and creating lots of shards. Also, they will be using hot soldering irons. Safety protocols will be addressed at the start of class. Safety goggles, bandaids and gloves will be provided. Please note: we will be using leaded solder (tin 60%, lead 40%) and chemicals such are flux and patina.

Students will take home their project at end of seminar.

Facilitators

JaYing Wang

Alameda Art Lab

JaYing is the owner of Alameda Art Lab, a glass art studio in Alameda, CA. She teaches primarily stained glass, fused glass and mosaic classes.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1-Day Intensive

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

8:55am PST

MIG Welding

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST

TBA

MIG (metal inert gas) Welding: Get a hands-on crash course in what welding is, how and when to use it, and what you can do with it. Students will learn to cut, prepare, and weld metal autonomously, and will work together to create shop infrastructure to improve the space.

Facilitators

Peter McEvoy

Peter McEvoy is an artist, metal fabricator and product engineer based in Oakland, California. Peter has a wide range of industry experience, including; small metal casting for jewelry, sculptural bronze casting, architectural metal fabrication and welding, prototype engineering and... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 8:55am - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1-Day Intensive

Content Category Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering

10:15am PST

Artisanal Pizza Making with Luca, Rowan, and Kevin

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Facilitators

Luca & Rowan & Kevin

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Cooking

10:15am PST

Conservation Ambassadors: Wild America

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Some of the most amazing animals in the world are found right here in our own backyard. Meet animals found throughout in the USA from sea to shining sea. Learn about their significance to Native Americans and the impact they still have on all of us.

Facilitators

Conservation Ambassadors

34 years ago David established a non-profit rescue zoo in Paso Robles where he gives wildlife a permanent, loving home for displaced, abused, abandoned or permanently injured wild and exotic animals. Sharing these animal ambassadors helps us educate learners of all ages about conservation... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Environmental Citizenship

10:15am PST

Learn Archery!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Facilitators

Jordan Pituley

Instructor, Palomo Archery

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Athletics and Movement

10:15am PST

Precision and Performance: The Art of Convex Optimization

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Facilitators

Curious Cardinals

Eduardo Lopez

Curious Cardinals

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering, Science

10:15am PST

Science & Biology of Rabbits

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

Hands-on sessions covering the skeletal structure, digestive system, respiratory system, and other physiological aspects of rabbits. We will also discuss the natural habitats of rabbits, their role in ecosystems, and the importance of biodiversity.

Facilitators

Bunny Gurus

Our bunnies undergo hundreds of hours of dedicated training to excel in providing emotional therapeutic support. They are thoughtfully chosen representing a variety of breeds, ensuring a diverse and customized experience for those seeking fun, love, peace, happiness and emotional... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Environmental Citizenship

10:15am PST

Suturing

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

This lab will teach you the basics of surgery and how to suture a wound. Get the opportunity to learn valuable medical skills related to surgical professions. This class will also guide you through the steps nurses, doctors, and surgeons follow to clean, disinfect and anesthetize wounds prior to surgery and suturing.

Facilitators

Kimble Torres

Pathways to Medicine

Kimble Torres is a veteran biologist specializing in the human body and athletics. During his tenure in the biotech industry, Kimble worked for Nektar Therapeutics, Genentech, and Tycho Healthcare investigating product feasibility and managing lab operations. In 2014, his passion... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Human Biology and Medicine

10:15am PST

Weightlifting 101

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST

TBA

This class will work as an introduction to strength and conditioning, as well as weightlifting as a whole.

Topics will include general ideas and highly specific topics like how a muscle actually works. Other topics for example are, why people should lift weights, what benefits come out of it, why it is not exclusive to athletes, and why it can help athletes excel?

In addition we will work to help set goals within the weight room and how you can use these to track your progress in different ways.

Facilitators

Nicholas Hryekewicz

Nicholas is Nueva's Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Originally from Sacramento, I moved to the East Bay for college where I attended Saint Mary's College of California earning my bachelor's and master's degrees in kinesiology with an emphasis in health and human performance... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Athletics and Movement

11:30am PST

Bunny Petting Zoo

Wednesday January 8, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm PST

TBA

Need some pet therapy? Swing on by the bunny enclosures for some one-on-one time with these friendly creatures. Small groups will rotate through every 15 minutes.

Facilitators

Bunny Gurus

Wednesday January 8, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm PST
TBA

Lunch Activity

12:35pm PST

Advanced Math And Game Theory In The Old Testament

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

During this session, we will learn how a mathematical problem from game theory, whose solution was found by ancient Israelites over 2000 years ago but never recorded, was found anew by modern day mathematicians. Brace yourself for a wild ride.

P.S. I'll share the solution, promise!

Facilitators

Eyal Firstenberg

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Math and Games

12:35pm PST

How Humans Sense the World Around Them: Neuroscience Basics

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

How does the brain influence the way that we perceive the world? My research seeks to understand this question! Come by for a crash course on some basic neuroscience and fun experiments to get a taste of what it means to be a human with a brain and sensing organs.

No previous skills required! If you're interested in psychology, biology or human feeling/sensing/experience, this is definitely the place for you. I might ask for some participants in some experiments, if you’re willing!

Facilitators

Alisa Braun

University of California, Berkeley

Hi! I'm Alisa Braun. I work at NASA Ames research center. I'm excited about all things neuroscience and how that influences our everyday lives.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Human Biology and Medicine

12:35pm PST

Science & Biology of Rabbits

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Bunny Gurus

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Environmental Citizenship

12:35pm PST

Suturing

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Kimble Torres

Pathways to Medicine

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Human Biology and Medicine

12:35pm PST

Tech Beyond Coding: Foundations in UI/UX Design

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

In this class, we will seek to de-mystify what UI/UX design is, teach students how to get started in the field, and explain the merits & interests of pursuing UI/UX. We will have interactive time to work in Figma, as well as develop experience in the iterative design process. I will also talk about my background and experiences in UI/UX –– including a design internship abroad in Singapore, college coursework, online certificate program, and extracurriculars. This is a career option that would appeal to many students interested in the tech industry, creative jobs, and more, but often is not learned about until college or even later in the professional field.

Prerequisites: no experience necessary! Some interest in the world of tech or the tech industry would be beneficial but is certainly not needed.

Facilitators

Curious Cardinals

Michael Ma

Curious Cardinals

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Design Thinking/Technology/Engineering

12:35pm PST

Weightlifting Techniques, Practices, and Advanced Movements

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST

TBA

This class will focus on all the "dark arts" of weightlifting. Different modalities to help you progress through plateaus, and take yourself to levels never achieved before.

This class will also work to teach more advanced movements, like olympic lifts, to help expand the knowledge of anyone interested.

We will cover different periodization protocols, which set/rep schemes will help achieve certain goals, how to execute more complicated lifts, introducing accommodating resistance. Ultimately this should help you map out a training regimen to reach your goals, as well as give you more tools to help to get you where you want to be.

Facilitators

Nicholas Hryekewicz

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 1:50pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Athletics and Movement

12:35pm PST

1AMsf, Freedom of Speech and Public Art in Action

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Guests will learn to spray paint and exercise their freedom of speech by designing and painting a group mural. Students will also create an individual artwork using custom stencils and spray paint. A presentation of the process of making a mural and QnA will accompany the hand on art activities.

Facilitators

1AMsf

Founder, 1AMsf

1AM, short for First Amendment, represents the freedom of speech through urban art exhibitions, workshops, murals, and community events. Our mission is to progress the FREEDOM OF SPEECH THROUGH THE ARTS by cultivating a space and community of artists, art enthusiasts, and like-minded... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

12:35pm PST

Classic Card Game Tournament – Hearts, Spades, Euchre and Oh Hell!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

If you know how to play any (or all) of the classic card games Hearts, Spades, Euchre and/or Oh Hell!, come join us to test your skills against other Nuevans. We’ll be hosting a friendly tournament that promises to be a fun time and there will be prizes!

We’ll take a poll of everyone who joins the session and can mix and match different games to create one or more tournaments that appeal to everyone.

Everyone is welcome, from beginner to advanced. And encourage your favorite faculty and staff members to join the action. If you have never played or are a bit rusty, please join the earlier session in the day where we’re teaching folks to play all these games. And we’ll also have some video refreshers available (and live “coaching”) if you have questions as you go.

Feel free to email Dan Bomze (dbomze@gmail.com) if you have any questions in advance of signing up

Facilitators

Dan Bomze

Dan is a long time Nueva parent who loves learning new games and playing cards with friends and family.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Math and Games

12:35pm PST

Computing like it's the 80s!

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Giovanni Iachello

12:35pm PST

Conservation Ambassadors: Animal Behavior

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Do you want to learn how to train your teachers, your mom, and your dog? This seminar is all about learning how to understand and modify behavior. Animal behavior has fascinated humans throughout history. David and Lisa Jackson have trained everything from tigers to killer whales — and even their own parents — for over 35 years. Let them share their knowledge with you so you can create better relationships, happier pets, and less-annoying friends. This hands-on interactive experience will give you insight into how understanding behavior modification can positively change the world around you.

Facilitators

Conservation Ambassadors

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Environmental Citizenship

12:35pm PST

Culinary Explorations: Insights into the World of Restaurant Hospitality and Fine Dining

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Where did the concept of a restaurant come from? When did fine dining become available to those outside of the aristocracy? You’ll get a short history of the modern restaurant, its origins, some of the milestones in modern cooking and construct your own high-end dessert from an assortment of provided ingredients.

We’ll cover:
·       The origins of restaurants: taverns, inns, cafes, boarding houses.
·       The rise of fine dining in the late 19th century.
·       The impact of California, farm-to-table and nouvelle cuisine.
·       How technology is impacting modern dining.

Short topics will also be:
·       Formal dining settings.
·       When to eat with your fingers.
·       You’d be crazy to be a part of this industry.

No prerequisite, just an interest in the restaurant and dining out culture.

Facilitators

Russell Jong

I learned to cook because I enjoy eating. I am a Nueva alumnus, having attended Nueva a long time ago. I enrolled in cooking school after I earned my degree from Stanford University. After a few years of working in kitchens as a cook and having my own catering company, I took a break... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category History, Cooking, Wellness and Life Skills

12:35pm PST

Designing Die Cut Stickers: Digital Illustration

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Just like in college-level art school, we will spend our part of the day screen-free. We will start by learning about sticker culture, looking a great sticker art, talking about the importance of art in public spaces, and discovering what happens when we democratize our art for all to see. We will then start the design process by sketching multiple ideas, talking through our process, doing a real live art school critique, and choosing one idea to develop.

Then we jump off the paper. We will take an idea from part one, and bring it into the digital space. We will start by going over the basics of Adobe Illustrator software on your laptops. Then students will have the remaining time to work freely on their own projects. At the end of the class finished art will be "submitting to the printer" aka Christina. Finalized work will be printed by a professional printer and returned to the school when completed. Processing usually takes up to 2 weeks but ultimately students will have 25 die-cut vinyl stickers to give away, trade, or just have fun with.

Facilitators

Christina Krzaszczak

Christina Jewels Design

My name is Christina and I am a graphic designer from the San Francisco Bay Area. I graduated from the Art Institute in San Francisco, CA in 2009 and since then I have worked with corporate clients, non-profits, and recently launched my own line of die-cut stickers. I draw my influence... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

12:35pm PST

Designing Storytelling Games

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

In this session you'll learn how to design in-person storytelling games (including tabletop roleplaying games and larp). We'll play a few short games together and talk about processes and principles for game design. Then you'll design your own games and playtest them.

No prior play or design experience required.

Facilitators

Randy Lubin

Founder, Leveraged Play

Randy Lubin is an award winning game designer and entrepreneur. He makes beginner friendly roleplaying games and larps through his studio Diegetic Games. His consulting firm Leveraged Play designs serious games that help organizations explore the future and explain complex topics... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Math and Games

12:35pm PST

From Hostage to Healer: Sarah Shourd's Journey to Rejecting Mass Incarceration

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Sarah Shourd is a lifelong social justice activist, somatic practitioner and a leader in the movement to create safer communities through Reimagining Justice outside prisons and jails. She is an award-winning investigative journalist, acclaimed Pulitzer-presented playwright, author, producer and filmmaker. In 2009, Sarah was living in Syria when she was captured near the unmarked Iran-Iraq border and imprisoned by the Iranian government incommunicado in solitary confinement for 410 days. Learn how this horrific experience became a springboard for Sarah’s work for healing, justice and collective liberation for the last 15 years, delving into the deeper implications of mass incarceration and the widespread use of solitary confinement in prisons across our country. How can we think outside of the harsh and brutal paradigm of punishment and control? How can we heal our communities and ourselves? See http://www.sarahshourd.com for more information.

Facilitators

Sarah Shourd

Founder, End of Isolation

I'm an award-winning author, trauma-informed journalist, playwright and Stanford John S. Knight Fellow based in Oakland, CA. Over the last decade the majority of my work has centered around exposing the inhumanity of solitary confinement and how it enables mass incarceration in U.S... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Philosophy/Social Science/Law/Politics

12:35pm PST

Hot Glass - Cool Designs

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Douglass Brown

Half Moon Bay Art Glass

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

12:35pm PST

Learn to Make Cheese

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Do you love cheese? Under the guidance of Gillian Chao, founding member of the San Francisco League of Urban Cheesemakers, you will experience the entire cheesemaking process, starting from milk and ending with your very own batch of fromage frais, a delightfully creamy cow’s milk fresh cheese. Don't forget to bring your appetite! You'll also do some "learn by eating" as you sample a curated selection of several different kinds of cheeses, including some of Gillian's personal favorites.

Facilitators

Gillian Chao

Gillian Chao can usually be found stationed by the cheeseboard at parties. She fell in with a maker crowd as she took cheesemaking classes and somehow became a founding member of the San Francisco League of Urban Cheesemakers. When she’s not making cheese, she is usually feeding... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Cooking

12:35pm PST

Movie Makeup: Burns, Bruises, Scars! Special Effects Makeup

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Learn how to create realistic wounds for Film and Television. Join Makeup Artist Elizabeth Fox as we use professional grade products to make cuts, bruises and multiple other gore and wounds. Elizabeth will show you how to navigate using the correct product for the job. We will use silicone build ups for scaring and cuts, bruise wheels and tattoo palates to make burns and bruises and learn on set blood techniques, using multiple fake blood products. A small makeup FX kit will be provided.

Facilitators

Elizabeth Fox

Wednesday January 8, 2025 12:35pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

2 Blocks

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts

1:55pm PST

Advanced Math And Game Theory In The Old Testament

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Eyal Firstenberg

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Math and Games

1:55pm PST

Coalition Building: How Politics Can Shape and Change Public Perception

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

I will talk about why there is often a shift which states are "swing states" over time, as well as how politicians choose certain topics & themes to focus on in their campaigns based on what is politically viable. Example questions include: How did Barack Obama carry several states that are now considered strongly Republican? Aside from purely just changes in public opinion, why do political parties shift their political stances over time? This session will be taught in a non-partisan fashion and is intended to teach students about the salience of political issues and how campaigning works from a calculated standpoint.

Facilitators

Curious Cardinals

Michael Ma

Curious Cardinals

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Philosophy/Social Science/Law/Politics, Equity and Social Justice, Global Citizenship

1:55pm PST

College Art Portfolio Prep

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

This session is perfect for students of any grade who are looking to build an art portfolio, especially for applications to college or art school. If you want to study fine art/studio art as your major and become an artist, having a solid portfolio is an essential. However, regardless of whether art is what you want to study in college, an art portfolio can be a great supplement to applications. I’ll be talking about how to approach building a portfolio and the process of it. I’ll also cover practical skills like documentation of art work and writing about your art.

Facilitators

Ada Liv

Ada Liv is an artist from the Bay Area currently working in Los Angeles. With a love for organic materials, she creates paintings, sculptural installations, and textile work inspired by natural forms and biology. Prior to graduating from USC in 2024 with a BA in Art, she studied at... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Fine and Industrial Arts/Crafts, Wellness and Life Skills

1:55pm PST

Freshman Year of College for Dummies

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

This is an interactive boot camp for everyone who has questions about going to college! It's a crash course on everything you need to know to have a successful freshman year at college. I'll cover everything from making new friends to doing your laundry to choosing which courses to take/how to actually study for a midterm/final. It will be lighthearted and fun, so get ready to relieve your stress about college and get active!!! We'll also have food and drinks.

Open to all grades, but generally for Juniors and Seniors.

Facilitators

Mia Tavares

I'm a Nueva Alumni (class of 2023!) and a sophomore at Harvard College studying Chemistry. I write for the Harvard Undergraduate Law Review and the Harvard Independent. I also hold positions on the Harvard College Honor Council and Lowell House Housing Committee.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Wellness and Life Skills

1:55pm PST

How Humans Sense the World Around Them: Neuroscience Basics

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

Facilitators

Alisa Braun

University of California, Berkeley

Hi! I'm Alisa Braun. I work at NASA Ames research center. I'm excited about all things neuroscience and how that influences our everyday lives.

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Human Biology and Medicine

1:55pm PST

Privacy, Free Speech, and the Internet: An ACLU Lawyer's Perspective

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST

TBA

In this interactive session, participants will discuss some of the legal and policy issues underlying free speech and privacy rights, and the potential conflicts between the two with the rise of new technologies like the Internet. Real-life cases brought by the ACLU will be used to illustrate how public interest litigation cases are developed to create and change laws, and the potential clashes that can occur between competing civil rights and policy goals.

Facilitators

Aden Fine

General Counsel

Aden is a veteran General Counsel who has been working on cutting-edge technology and privacy issues for over twenty-five years. He is currently the General Counsel of Wheel, a leading telehealth company. He previously led Datavant, a health data technology company, through a... Read More →

Wednesday January 8, 2025 1:55pm - 3:10pm PST
TBA

1 Block

Content Category Equity and Social Justice, Philosophy/Social Science/Law/Politics