Magazine of Latin School of Chicago

Global Online Academy: Learning Through Collaboration


Join upper school students Molly and Ella and Ms. Merrell, science teacher and Global Online Academy site director at Latin, to learn more about the GOA offerings and the benefits of taking a GOA class.

TRANSCRIPT

Amy Merrell  0:15  
Besides being exposed to a topic that isn't offered at Latin, so just exposure to different things, taking courses from teachers from different schools and with students from different schools, I think opens your eyes to different viewpoints, increases your collaboration, because you have to collaborate with people in different time zones and different schedules. And I think that's a skill that will help students even after Latin.

Molly 0:41  
The favorite part of my class was, you know, of course, the different community of GOA. I got to meet so many different people. But I also really enjoyed getting to take more control over my learning. And I think it helped me build more skills.

Ella  0:57  
So my class, because it was about specifically medical problem solving, we did a lot of kind of patient presentations where you would do some research into the symptoms and then present a possible diagnosis. And then also some group projects that we do a similar concept, but with people from around the country.

Amy Merrell  1:16  
Hi, my name is Amy Merrell. I am a science teacher and the site director for Global Online Academy here at Latin.

Ella 1:20  
I'm Ella Reese-Clauson. I'm a senior.

Molly 1:22  
And I'm Molly McKee, and I'm a junior.

Amy Merrell  1:23  
So Global Online Academy or GOA is a consortium of about 120 schools from around the world that offer a variety of online classes to students. And so the classes are taught by teachers from those 120 schools. So Latin students have the opportunity to take these courses, and learn from teachers from all over the world. And with students from schools all over the world. These courses are counted just like Latin courses are so they go for a grade and are on transcripts. GOA is started in 2012. And when it started, we had less than 15 students enroll. And we have just it has gotten progressively bigger interest has grown as GOA has gotten bigger. And so we are now at total for this year we have 62 students enrolled for both semesters. And so I think it's grown quite a lot. They've also opened summer opportunities as well. So that is another place that GOA has grown. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can take classes. And there is a wide variety of classes. So I'm not going to go over all of them. But they're some of the most popular ones are the psych classes. So Neuro Psych, Abnormal Psych and Positive Psychology. Prisons and criminal law is another really popular one, as well as there's a variety of computer science classes that students decide to take. And some new ones that students are in there's been growing interest in are Intro to Investments, and also Entrepreneurship, which are two kind of newer additions that students have taken.

Molly  3:14  
So I considered taking a GOA class just because well, first of all, I liked all the options, and after sophomore year, I wanted to pursue a similar topic, because I took Nazi Mind the first semester. And I was really interested in like everything that we learned about in that class. But I think the main thing that pushed me to taking a GOA was a COVID and the pandemic because it opened up so much free time in my schedule, and I thought GOA would be a great way to fill it.

Ella  3:44  
Adding on to that, I think that also like Ms. Merrell mentioned, the specificity of the courses was really appealing to me because I think that at Latin we have some really great general courses whereas GOA helps you to go kind of into more niche subject areas. I took Medical Problem Solving one which ended up coincidentally having Ms. Merrell as a teacher.

Molly 4:06  
I took Introduction to Legal Thinking, and I'm signed up for a criminal law one next semester because I liked the first one so much. GOA classes can fit into my schedule a lot and really nicely just because it's not as rigid of a structure like normal classes. It has a lot more independent learning and a self-regulated working pace, I guess. So it was like really easy to fit it into whenever I had free time.

Ella 4:33  
So my class, because it was about specifically medical problem solving, we did a lot of kind of patient presentations where you would do some research into the symptoms and then present a possible diagnosis. And then also some group projects that we do a similar concept, but with people from around the country.

Molly 4:53  
I think with GOA you get a much wider variety of project types than you would in normal classes. I had debates with other students or wrote example legal documents. And I feel like I never actually wrote an actual essay, which is something you would expect to do in a typical class. So it's nice to get a different variety. The favorite part of my class was, of course, the different community of GOA. I got to meet so many different people. And, I think it was also, at least in my class, it was everyone's first time taking a GOA. So, everyone was kind of like in the same boat and we were all experiencing the thing, this class for the first time. But I also really enjoyed getting to take more control over my learning. And I think it helped me build more skills.

Ella 5:44  
I really enjoyed the class I took. And I, like, Molly, really enjoyed the aspect of collaboration, especially with people from other time zones, which was very difficult to navigate, because we all had very different schedules. But it was really cool to meet people who had different kinds of work styles and schedules and being able to learn to collaborate. And then also, I was really interested in the course material. So I loved all these kinds of diagnostic presentations. I think that if you have a specific interest in one kind of genre, or subject, then I would absolutely recommend taking a GOA because it helps you to go much more in-depth into that one topic. And, it's just an all-around really great way to have a much more flexible class. And to learn that kind of whole new skill set.

Unknown Speaker  6:38  
The only challenging part of GOA I found was the time differences. I think everything else was really great. Especially with the material that I was learning about, I got to hear a lot of different perspectives and I feel learning with other people from different countries, you get a lot more out of it than you would with just taking the class with people from the US. Definitely agree with what Ella said, I think it's a great way to explore your interests further.

 

Podcast
 

  • Around School
  • Our Voices
  • Podcast
  • upper school
Global Online Academy: Learning Through Collaboration


Join upper school students Molly and Ella and Ms. Merrell, science teacher and Global Online Academy site director at Latin, to learn more about the GOA offerings and the benefits of taking a GOA class.

TRANSCRIPT

Amy Merrell  0:15  
Besides being exposed to a topic that isn't offered at Latin, so just exposure to different things, taking courses from teachers from different schools and with students from different schools, I think opens your eyes to different viewpoints, increases your collaboration, because you have to collaborate with people in different time zones and different schedules. And I think that's a skill that will help students even after Latin.

Molly 0:41  
The favorite part of my class was, you know, of course, the different community of GOA. I got to meet so many different people. But I also really enjoyed getting to take more control over my learning. And I think it helped me build more skills.

Ella  0:57  
So my class, because it was about specifically medical problem solving, we did a lot of kind of patient presentations where you would do some research into the symptoms and then present a possible diagnosis. And then also some group projects that we do a similar concept, but with people from around the country.

Amy Merrell  1:16  
Hi, my name is Amy Merrell. I am a science teacher and the site director for Global Online Academy here at Latin.

Ella 1:20  
I'm Ella Reese-Clauson. I'm a senior.

Molly 1:22  
And I'm Molly McKee, and I'm a junior.

Amy Merrell  1:23  
So Global Online Academy or GOA is a consortium of about 120 schools from around the world that offer a variety of online classes to students. And so the classes are taught by teachers from those 120 schools. So Latin students have the opportunity to take these courses, and learn from teachers from all over the world. And with students from schools all over the world. These courses are counted just like Latin courses are so they go for a grade and are on transcripts. GOA is started in 2012. And when it started, we had less than 15 students enroll. And we have just it has gotten progressively bigger interest has grown as GOA has gotten bigger. And so we are now at total for this year we have 62 students enrolled for both semesters. And so I think it's grown quite a lot. They've also opened summer opportunities as well. So that is another place that GOA has grown. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can take classes. And there is a wide variety of classes. So I'm not going to go over all of them. But they're some of the most popular ones are the psych classes. So Neuro Psych, Abnormal Psych and Positive Psychology. Prisons and criminal law is another really popular one, as well as there's a variety of computer science classes that students decide to take. And some new ones that students are in there's been growing interest in are Intro to Investments, and also Entrepreneurship, which are two kind of newer additions that students have taken.

Molly  3:14  
So I considered taking a GOA class just because well, first of all, I liked all the options, and after sophomore year, I wanted to pursue a similar topic, because I took Nazi Mind the first semester. And I was really interested in like everything that we learned about in that class. But I think the main thing that pushed me to taking a GOA was a COVID and the pandemic because it opened up so much free time in my schedule, and I thought GOA would be a great way to fill it.

Ella  3:44  
Adding on to that, I think that also like Ms. Merrell mentioned, the specificity of the courses was really appealing to me because I think that at Latin we have some really great general courses whereas GOA helps you to go kind of into more niche subject areas. I took Medical Problem Solving one which ended up coincidentally having Ms. Merrell as a teacher.

Molly 4:06  
I took Introduction to Legal Thinking, and I'm signed up for a criminal law one next semester because I liked the first one so much. GOA classes can fit into my schedule a lot and really nicely just because it's not as rigid of a structure like normal classes. It has a lot more independent learning and a self-regulated working pace, I guess. So it was like really easy to fit it into whenever I had free time.

Ella 4:33  
So my class, because it was about specifically medical problem solving, we did a lot of kind of patient presentations where you would do some research into the symptoms and then present a possible diagnosis. And then also some group projects that we do a similar concept, but with people from around the country.

Molly 4:53  
I think with GOA you get a much wider variety of project types than you would in normal classes. I had debates with other students or wrote example legal documents. And I feel like I never actually wrote an actual essay, which is something you would expect to do in a typical class. So it's nice to get a different variety. The favorite part of my class was, of course, the different community of GOA. I got to meet so many different people. And, I think it was also, at least in my class, it was everyone's first time taking a GOA. So, everyone was kind of like in the same boat and we were all experiencing the thing, this class for the first time. But I also really enjoyed getting to take more control over my learning. And I think it helped me build more skills.

Ella 5:44  
I really enjoyed the class I took. And I, like, Molly, really enjoyed the aspect of collaboration, especially with people from other time zones, which was very difficult to navigate, because we all had very different schedules. But it was really cool to meet people who had different kinds of work styles and schedules and being able to learn to collaborate. And then also, I was really interested in the course material. So I loved all these kinds of diagnostic presentations. I think that if you have a specific interest in one kind of genre, or subject, then I would absolutely recommend taking a GOA because it helps you to go much more in-depth into that one topic. And, it's just an all-around really great way to have a much more flexible class. And to learn that kind of whole new skill set.

Unknown Speaker  6:38  
The only challenging part of GOA I found was the time differences. I think everything else was really great. Especially with the material that I was learning about, I got to hear a lot of different perspectives and I feel learning with other people from different countries, you get a lot more out of it than you would with just taking the class with people from the US. Definitely agree with what Ella said, I think it's a great way to explore your interests further.

 

Podcast
 

Explore Our News & Stories

Varsity field hockey is headed to the final 4.

Latin’s athletics program has had an incredibly successful fall season. While we still have a few teams competing in the postseason, we wanted to share the impressive accomplishments our teams and individual student-athletes have amassed to date.

  • The varsity field hockey team earned a trip to the final four for the first time in the history of its program. The Romans will be taking on New Trier in the state semifinals on October 31.
     
  • The boys and girls cross country teams won their respective Independent School League (ISL) and regional championships, and will be competing at sectionals on November 2.
     
  • The varsity girls volleyball team won the ISL title, and will be hosting the regional tournament this week. Emma D. was named the ISL Player of the Year, and the team’s coaches were named the ISL Coaching Staff of the Year.
     
  • The varsity boys soccer team reached the regional finals and also earned the ISL Sportsmanship award.
     
  • Malia C. and Nicola K. from the varsity girls tennis team qualified for state after taking first place in doubles at the sectional tournament.
     
  • Jack Z. from the varsity boys golf team finished 13th overall at the state tournament.
     
  • The varsity girls swimming and diving team took third place and recorded a number of personal records at the ISL swim championships.
     
  • Caitlin C. and Gillian H. from the varsity girls golf team qualified for the sectional tournament.

We want to congratulate our fall teams on their achievements, and wish those who are continuing their postseason journeys the best of luck. 

Follow the Latin Athletic Department's Instagram page for the latest updates.

  • Athletics
  • upper school
athletesoftheweek2

Congratulations to our six Athletes of the Week for Sept. 27 - Oct. 25!

  • Abby Krasaeath ’25, captain of the varsity field hockey team, is a defensive powerhouse, stopping every ball that comes her way. Her leadership has propelled the team to their highest-ever #5 seed and into the Elite 8, with a big win over Parker. Recently committed to play field hockey at Brown University, Abby’s coach says that she is “truly the rock of the team.”
     
  • Emma Dumas ’25, co-captain of the volleyball team, has been outstanding the past couple of weeks, making key contributions in all areas of the court. She delivered eight aces, 22 kills and 13 digs across two intense matches last week, including a match point ace to secure a win against Resurrection. Emma’s all-around performance and leadership have been vital to the team’s success.
     
  • As captains of the girls golf team, Caitlin Creevy and Gillian Herman ’26 have shown exceptional leadership throughout the season. Both captains qualified and proudly represented the team in the regional tournament, setting a high standard for their teammates. Their dedication and leadership have been key to the team’s success this year.
     
  • Malia Chen ’25, a senior and captain of the girls varsity tennis team, has been a dedicated member of the team for the past four years. Her leadership and commitment to both her own performance and the success of her teammates make her a true role model. Malia’s integrity and support for her team have inspired those around her throughout the season, and she will help lead the team in postseason play at 1-Doubles.
     
  • Diego Delira ’25 has demonstrated remarkable leadership and resilience this season, battling through injuries to help lead his soccer team. In a critical game against Parker, he stepped up to score the only goal, securing a 1-0 victory. Beyond his performance, Diego’s ability to diffuse tense moments on the field shows that true leadership goes beyond wearing a captain’s armband.

Read our first installment of Athletes of the Week for the 2024-25 school year here.

  • Athletics
RomanRockstar-WilliamBowe

The Latin Alumni Department is starting a new series called “Roman Rockstar” in which we turn the spotlight on a graduate from Latin and get an update on their life as well as stories from their time at our school.

The first Roman Rockstar is William Bowe '60, retired Executive VP & General Counsel at Encyclopaedia Britannica.

In a recent interview with Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Kogan ’69 on his After Hours radio show on WGN-AM, William discussed his memoir "Riots & Rockets." The book addresses the race and anti-war upheavals of the Vietnam War era, former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne's role in upending Chicago politics and Encyclopaedia Britannica's advancement of computer technology early in the Digital Era.

William also tells us a bit about his experience at Latin.

Latin: How did Latin prepare you for life after high school and help to make you who you are today? 

William: Latin gave me a first-rate education from Junior Kindergarten all the way through High School.

Latin: What was your favorite Latin tradition? 

William: Homecoming.

Latin: Were you involved in sports teams/performing arts groups/clubs/etc? 

William: Football, basketball, and baseball.

To read a transcript of his interview on WGN Radio, click here.

Check out the next installment of Roman Rockstar in November at latinschool.org.

  • Alumni
RomanAmbassador_group photo

Our Roman Ambassadors are Upper School students who lead tours of the building, serve as shadow hosts and attend admissions events! Our Roman Ambassadors answer any questions prospective students and families may have about Latin. Meet a few of our senior leaders!

RomanAmbassador_Juliette

Juliette

  1. What school did you come from?
    I came from Latin–I have been here since JK.

  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    My favorite part of high school has been the diverse extracurricular opportunities I’ve explored at Latin. I have served on Student Government for four years, currently lead the Model Congress club, sing in 59 West A Cappella and have played field hockey, lacrosse and golf. I also serve on the Difficult Dialogues Council and the Roman2Roman Steering Committee, Latin's mentor program.

  3. What is your favorite part of being a Roman Ambassador?
    My favorite part of being a Roman Ambassador is how fun and natural it is for me to talk about all things Latin. Whether I’m leading tours, speaking on panels, or having genuine conversations, I love the opportunity to represent a school that has given me so much. It’s incredibly rewarding to share my passion for Latin while also welcoming new students and helping them feel at home.

  4. Why is Latin a special place?
    Latin is one of the most magical, welcoming, and supportive environments I’ve ever experienced. The sense of community here is unmatched, with people always ready to help you succeed. In the Upper School, I’ve been fortunate to have incredible teachers who truly know and understand me. The teacher-student relationship at Latin is uniquely special, with teachers and community members genuinely invested in your success.

RomanAmbassador_Danny

Danny

  1. What school did you come from?
    I came from Bernard Zell.

  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    I am involved in cross-country/track, the Latin School Investment Fund, the Harvard Model Congress and the Student Philanthropy Initiative, to name a few.

  3. What is your favorite class at Latin?
    I really enjoyed AP Physics: Mechanics. Not only were my peers and teacher in that class amazing, but I really enjoyed everything we learned about.

  4. As a senior, why would you recommend Latin?
    I would recommend Latin because it will provide you with a great community, wonderful opportunities and moments that you will never forget. You get unrivaled attention from your teachers, who truly want you to succeed, alongside peers who are always willing to help and it becomes a definitive formula for success.

RomanAmbassador_Myles

Myles

  1. What school did you come from?
    Bernard Zell

  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    The Forum, Model UN, JSC, Ultimate Frisbee, Cross Country, and the Roman Ambassadors Program.

  3. What is your advice for students applying to 9th grade?
    I would encourage incoming 9th graders to discover all of the great courses Latin offers and to take full advantage of our amazing clubs and sports teams.

  4. Why did you choose Latin?
    I chose Latin because of its unique and close-knit community that inspires genuine relationships between students and teachers that go beyond the classroom.

RomanAmbassador_Carla

Carla

  1. What school did you come from?
    St. Clement 
     
  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    I am one of the heads of Hope Squad, a part of the Difficult Dialogues Council, and Co-leader of We Will Vote Club. I currently play on the ice hockey team and previously played on the soccer team for my 9th and 10th grade years.
     
  3. What is your favorite class? 
    I really enjoy my Chicago Politics and American Politics class.
     
  4. As a senior why would you recommend Latin?
    I would choose Latin not only because of the incredible academic environment but because of the people. My teachers and classmates are what make the school such an amazing learning environment, along with their connections and dedication, which open up so many incredible opportunities.
Roman Ambassador_Avani

Avani

  1. What school did you come from?
    British School of Chicago

  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    Roman Ambassadors (senior leader)
    R2R
    Asian Student Alliance
    Young Women of Color
    Model United Nations
    Romans Volleyball
    Intersectional Feminist Alliance
    Marketing Club

  3. What is your favorite class at Latin?
    World Religions with Mr. Cruz.

  4. As a senior, why would you recommend Latin?
    Latin is foundational not only because of the strong academics, but because it prepares you for the future, teaching essential social skills, and nurturing intellectual curiosity. I feel ready for whatever my future holds for me because Latin has helped me discover more about my identity as well as useful skills like communication, self-advocacy, and drive. I recommend Latin for those who want to build on academic AND social skills and for those who want to explore new interests or delve deeper into existing interests. 

RomanAmbassador_Fowowe

Fowowe

  1. What school did you come from?
    Latin Lifer

  2. What are you involved in at Latin?
    Roman ambassador
    Bus
    Cyber patriot
    LIFE
    Computer science club
    SAGE
    Debate Club

  3. Why did you choose Latin?
    I chose Latin and stayed my whole life because of the lifelong connections you are able to make at Latin. Not only do I have friends from as early as kindergarten but some of my closest friends even came to Latin freshman year.

  4. As a senior, why would you recommend Latin?
    I would recommend Latin because I believe it is a school that offers a wide course selection with excellent academics. Latin also has many opportunities to get involved with your high school such as extracurriculars or service learning opportunities. I also think the people at Latin are such a draw to the school. Latin is an incredibly welcoming school that makes you feel at home from day one.

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  • upper school