The Humanities program at NDP is often difficult to explain because so many factors contribute to how the class works. Humanities is a class that begins sophomore year, so freshman year students can experience a standard history class then decide if they’d prefer an alternative approach. Humanities, during sophomore year, combines history and English classes. During junior year, it combines religion, English and history. During junior year the English and religion classes are together, but the history class is taken as a separate class still in the Humanities format. During senior year, girls take a program called capstone. Emily Rekoski said, “Capstone is so much fun! I love working with a multiple teachers, and I’m so excited to start my independent project!” about her capstone class.  During junior year at NDP in the Humanities program, the classes vote on a topic for their capstone class. This year’s class chose the topic of fear. Throughout the year, the class will have different visitors come in and talk to the about fear in general, fear explained by science and personal fear. During the second semester students will work on an independent study project centered on fear. Humanities class is based on questioning everything and looking at certain subjects from several different points of view. To take this class, one must be willing to bend her thinking and debate vocally those ideas. Students learn certain sections of information like any standard class and then pull that information apart and piece it back to form a new perspective. When asked about taking the humanities class, Leslie Malick, a current junior at NDP, said, “The class forces us to think about our own actions and how they impact us even if we can’t see the impact short-term.” Sporadically through the year, the Humanities class welcomes visitors to teach the class art projects, to give lessons on music theory and to present other opinions that are relevant to the material being studied. The whole class looks forward to these visits which they consider a treat. The class is no more challenging than a normal class unless one has a fear of talking or procrastinates terribly. Humanities is not an easy class by any means; the course includes projects, homework assignments and tests just like any standard class in the courses of the year. Mr. Lopez, a humanities teacher, said, “The Humanities Program is a course of study that asks students to look beyond knowledge to understanding and then asks them to express their understanding in a creative, profound, and meaningful way.  It focuses on critical thinking skills and intentional living.  Demanding that students step out of the crowd and think for themselves, analyzing the world around them and the effect it has on our lives.  Most of all, however, I believe that the Humanities Program instills a love of learning and provides an exciting environment in which students learn to love questioning.” Humanities can be an experience worth having if one has an understanding of it and plenty of ideas to make it work.