Interim Term

INTERIM TERM 2026 COURSE offerings

 1.    Academic Super-Incredible Championships / Johnson
Students will learn the ins, the outs, and all the cool things about Quiz Bowl as we coordinate the 5th Annual EHS Academic Olympics. 

2.    Action, Color, Imagination: The Art of Asian Cinema / Milani
From Hong Kong action choreography to Japanese animation and color-driven storytelling, we’ll watch how Asian cinema expresses story through motion, color, humor, and wonder. Each movie inspires a quick creative challenge to remix those ideas using AI tools to create visual experiments of your own.

3.    Ask Away: Exploring Your Questions About Christianity / Tuttle
If you have taken a class with me, you know that I love good questions about Christianity. From quirky ones like “Did Adam have a belly button?” to deeper ones like “Why are there so many types of churches?”, this course is your chance to ask anything and everything. We’ll dive into open, honest discussions, exploring faith and how it connects to your life. No question related to Christianity is off-limits! At the end, you’ll share a short reflection on your favorite question and why it matters to you. Join us for a fun, judgment-free space to explore, connect, and discover. Sign up and let’s get curious!
 

4.    Becoming a Grill Master / Fox
Our "Becoming a Grill Master" course is designed to take your outdoor cooking skills to the next level. Whether you're a beginner eager to learn the basics or an experienced griller looking to refine your techniques, this course offers hands-on instruction and expert tips to elevate your barbecue game. Through a combination of demonstrations, practical exercises, and insider knowledge, you’ll learn everything from selecting the right cuts of meat to mastering the perfect grill marks. You’ll also discover the secrets behind creating mouth-watering marinades, rubs, and sauces that will make your grilled dishes unforgettable.
 

5.    Beginner Embroidery / Fuller
Ready to turn your creativity into something you can hold in your hands? Embroidery is the perfect way to express yourself through colorful threads and unique designs. In this hands-on course, you’ll learn the basics of stitching, from simple patterns to creating your own custom artwork. Whether you're into fashion, art, or just want to try something new, embroidery lets you bring your imagination to life—one stitch at a time!

6.    Build Your Own Electric Guitar / Ashby
Each student will make a fully functioning electric guitar capable of playing real music. Students will design, prepare, and decorate their guitar bodies with the colors and styles they choose; this includes sanding and adding layers of lacquer and/or paint and other decorations. After decorating, students will assemble the instruments, installing the electronics and other hardware, before adding the strings. Students will learn to regulate and tune the strings before spending some time learning to play or improving existing guitar-playing skills. There will also be a brief exploration of the electric guitar’s evolution and some of its legendary players. This course is not available to students who have taken it in a past Interim Term.

7.    Card Clash: Intro to Trading Card Games / Virani
Step into the exhilarating world of trading card games (TCGs), where strategy, lore, and fast-paced gameplay collide! In this class, you'll explore and learn the core mechanics, strategies, and unique play styles of three distinct TCGs—each offering a universe of its own. Whether you're a complete beginner or a casual player looking to sharpen your skills, this course will guide you through deck-building basics, turn-by-turn tactics, and the subtle art of reading your opponent.

8.    Card Sharks! Classic and Contemporary Card Games / Yen
Stuck in an airport for a long layover and want to save phone battery? What about a rainy day disrupting all of the vacation plans? A simple solution would be card games, but if your repretoire is small, it can get old fast. Join Mrs. Yen to expand your card game catalog for games that can be played solo, with one other person, two others, or more! We’ll learn card etiquette, advanced shuffling techniques, and a variety of games that can all be played with your average deck of cards.

9.    Co-Creating with AI: Exploring the Future of Human + Machine Collaboration / Owoyemi
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we learn, create, and work. This nine-day elective course introduces students to AI as a powerful tool for creativity, problem-solving, and productivity. Through hands-on projects and real-world examples, students will explore how humans and AI can co-create across diverse fields such as art, writing, STEM, communication, and entrepreneurship. By the end of the course, students will not only understand the fundamentals of AI but will also gain practical experience in using AI responsibly and effectively.

10. Confirmation and Baptism Preparation Class / Gilliland
For many students, high school is a time of owning your faith. For Christians, the first thing Jesus asks is that we are baptized, followed by a “mature profession of faith.” For Episcopalians, this mature profession of faith is done through the rite of Confirmation. If you are a Christian, or interested in becoming a Christian, and you have not been baptized or confirmed, then this class is for you! Join the chaplains during Interim Term for a class that covers the basics of the Christian faith. We will talk about the Bible, a little bit of history of the Episcopal church, how and why we celebrate Eucharist, how to pray, and more. Overall, the class will help you formulate your own confirmation of faith, and if you are interested in baptism, help lead you through the process.

11. Crochet Cuties / Bowman
Have you ever wanted to learn to crochet? We will cover basic crochet techniques and stitches and then apply the skills we have learned to the art of Amigurumi - the creation of small stuffed animals and dolls! This class is open to all skill levels but is designed with beginners in mind. All materials provided!

12. Disc Golf 101 / Herpin
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned player looking to refine your skills, Disc Golf 101 is for you! Learn the essentials—driving, putting, approach shots—and learn the rules like foot faults, scoring, and Circle 1 putting. Explore how disc flight numbers and shot selection influence your throws as you develop your game. The course wraps up with an exciting tournament to put your skills to the test, with awards and prizes for top performers. Perfect for all skill levels!

13. Don’t Believe Your Eyes: Sensation & Perception in Psychology / Guthrie
Do you think that you really know the world around you and that your senses will never lie? This course will show you how this assumption is not always true. Through the use of optical illusions, smell and taste labs (yes, there is food involved!), hearing “hallucinations,” and touch labs, you will learn not to always trust your senses and understand why “seeing is NOT believing”!

14. Dream Odyssey: Unlocking Inner Worlds / Avera
We spend roughly a quarter of our lives dreaming. What do our dreams have to tell us? How have they inspired artists and inventors to create, and can they do the same for us? Learn the basics of dream interpretation, discover the possibilities of lucid dreaming and astral projection, and understand how your brain works when it’s alert and when it’s resting. Watch the film “Inception,” and join in a conversation to decipher it. “Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?” -- Edgar Allen Poe

15. Exploring the Music in Movies / Beam
Dun, Dun, Dun!!!! Often, we don't even realize that there is music in the background of a movie. Here, we will explore some of Hollywood's greatest movies and their soundtrack composers. Have you ever paid attention to the music played in movies? There are some soundtracks that go unnoticed but can deeply impact the movie-watching experience. In this class, we will explore the significance of music in movies and shed light on some of the unnoticed yet impactful soundtracks. We will listen to soundtracks and watch clips from movies focusing on composers including John Williams (Star Wars), Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight), James Horner (Titanic), and many more!

16. Focus on Flora: Exploring Our Natural World Through Photography / Quarles
Do you love SWEET TREATS? So do pollinators! Sadly, monarch butterfly populations have dropped by over 80% in the past two decades. BUT, Houston’s native plants can help bring them back. Students will explore cyanotype printing, a photographic technique that uses the sun to create works of art - no drawing experience necessary! Throughout our photography projects, we will discover how native plants support healthy eco-systems. During our field trip, we’ll create photographs exploring local greenspaces. In our digital lab, we’ll use scanners as a tool to make the really small REALLY big! Merging art and environmental science, this course invites students to creatively express what it means to protect and celebrate the natural world around them.

17. Glow-Up: Craft Your Aesthetic / Vazquez
Why buy it when you can make it your vibe? 🎨 Create keychains, phone covers, and bookmarks that totally scream “you.” From beads to doodles, it’s all about customizing your world. 💖 Craft it, flex it, and show off your style everywhere you go!

18. Graphic Novels: Unveiling the World of Visual Storytelling / Kwok
Graphic novels remain a somewhat underappreciated medium within the United States. While they have gained mainstream recognition partly due to Hollywood adaptations, it's important to acknowledge that stories like "I Am Legend," "The Road to Perdition," and "The Addams Family" all originated in the world of illustrated narratives. In contrast to the U.S., many other countries have normalized this medium and even leveraged it as a tool to enhance youth literacy. Notably, numerous modern authors, be it in books, television, or film, kindled their love for reading within the colorful panels and word bubbles of graphic novels. In this class, readers of all proficiency levels will be introduced to this unique medium, providing an opportunity to explore and enjoy the art of storytelling through a different lens.

19. History of American Soccer / T. Smith
This course dives into the story of soccer in America, from its early beginnings to the excitement of today’s professional leagues and national teams. Together we’ll explore the big moments, players, and cultural shifts that shaped the game’s place in U.S. history.

20. Hollywood in the 20^th Century / Hickey
Do you love movies? Have you always wanted to know more about classic films but didn’t know where to start? Join us for two weeks of cinema bliss where we will be analyzing some of the most important films of the 20th century. We will explore key eras of American filmmaking such as the Golden Age of the 30’s/40’s, New Hollywood of the 60’s/70’s, and the Blockbuster era of the 80’s/90’s. If you have a passion for movies or just want to learn more about the art form, this course is for you!
 

21. How To Build Your Own Computer / Duncan
Do you want to build a computer? Do you ever wonder: How does my computer actually work? What is inside of the metal box? How much does it cost to build my own custom computer? If you have asked yourself any of these questions or if you just enjoy working with technology, then you will enjoy this adventure in assembly and problem-solving.

22. Intro to Machine Learning/AI / Smart
In this short, intensive, two-week course, students will explore the fundamentals of AI machine learning using MATLAB with a focus on K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Support Vector Machines (SVM). The course begins with a hands-on data collection activity, where students record percussion sounds using their smartphones. These recordings will then be processed in MATLAB to extract Mel-Frequency Cepstral CoeOicients (MFCCs), a common feature representation used in audio classification tasks. Students will learn how to organize data into training and testing sets, implement supervised learning workflows, and evaluate the performance of their models through accuracy metrics and confusion matrices. By the end of the course, participants will have practical experience in the full machine-learning pipeline—data collection, signal processing, feature extraction, training, and classification—applied to a real-world audio recognition project.

23. Keep Calm and Craft On / Blake
Do you love expressing your creativity through hands-on projects? This course offers the perfect opportunity to unwind and recharge through crafting! Students will explore a variety of engaging activities designed to promote relaxation, focus, and emotional well-being. From making clay magnets and friendship bracelets to painting and bedazzling canvases, each project encourages mindfulness and self-expression. The course will conclude with a personalized scrapbook that celebrates each student’s creative journey and artistic development.

24. Knightcore / Pike
Students will strengthen their core and sharpen their focus through mat Pilates movements designed to build both power and flexibility. Alongside their practice, they will study the history of Pilates and its evolution worldwide. This is where history, training, resilience, and confidence collide!

25.    Let’s Get Crafty! / Colson
Let’s Get Crafty will be a hands-on class where you’ll explore a variety of fun and beginner-friendly craft projects! We will build, paint, design and explore to explore our creative side. No need to be an artist-you just need to be willing to learn, try and participate.

26. Love is Hilarious / Matthews
Ice cream? A blanket? Tears at a predictable ending? If this setting feels familiar, come examine the romantic comedy through an intelligent and critical lens. We will identify the traditional structure of the modern romantic comedy, look back at some of Hollywood’s most memorable offerings in the genre, identify the modern classics, and find out exactly how Greek and Elizabethan theater birthed the movies that people love to cuddle up to today. With all of this new knowledge, each student will write an outline and do a fantasy casting of their very own romantic comedy.

27. Math and Science in the Movies / Sever
This course explores how mathematics and science are portrayed on the big screen, blending entertainment with discovery. Over Interim Term, students will watch and discuss films such as Hidden Figures, October Sky, Apollo 13, and The Martian. Together, we will reflect on how these stories highlight creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and perseverance, while also considering where Hollywood gets it right—and where it takes artistic license. The goal is not just to enjoy great films, but to spark conversations about the real-world impact of math and science in shaping history, innovation, and imagination.

28. Mind Games: Cracking the Code of Poker / Bradshaw
Get ready for a crash course in one of the coolest strategy games out there. Over nine days, you’ll learn how to use probability, reasoning, and problem-solving to outthink your opponents. You’ll practice making smart decisions with incomplete information, run the numbers on your odds, and see how quick thinking and creativity can flip the game. This isn’t about luck—it’s about learning how to think more sharply and faster while having a blast.

29. Multi-Media Master Class: Let’s Hype Up Interim! / Hutcheson
This exciting course will focus on capturing photo and video in order to document and promote Interim Term on EHS social media and the EHS website. Students will also collaborate to create a multi-media capstone presentation for the entire school at the end of Interim Term. Throughout the two-week term, students will develop strategies and skills for taking the best photographs, creating the most hype videos, and building the most engaging social media content possible. The source material? Interim Term. Class participants will actively follow all of the happenings of Interim—its electives, its Grade Level Learning sessions, and everything in between — in order to show our community what all the hype is about. No previous media arts experience required, and auxiliary equipment will be provided to all students. We hope you’ll join us for this fun adventure!

30. Papel Picado: Community Art Making / L. Hernandez
In this nine-day course, students will explore the Mexican folk art tradition of papel picado while learning about site specific works and community art making. Using traditional chisels and punches, students will design and punch out decorative paper banners that reflect themes of community. The workshop will culminate in a collaborative, site-specific installation on campus.

31. Playwriting / Sipe
Calling all young writers! We will read and watch contemporary plays and work on writing our own, looking closely at plot, character, and dialogue. The goal of the course is that students end with a polished first act of a play that they had fun writing and feel confident about. We will watch movie clips, read snippets of plays, conduct small- and large-group workshops, and debate plots and characters in popular culture

32. Pseudosciences and Media Bias: Conspiracy or Fact? / Framel
In the world of Cryptozoology, UFOlogy, and the Paranormal, photographic and video evidence of the existence of unknown creatures, lights in the sky, and ghostly images is compelling, and certain media outlets will take advantage of the conspiratorial nature of this “evidence,” but is it all a complete hoax? Students will discuss the characteristics of pseudoscientific claims and how to critically examine them, free of media influence. Through critical thinking and cultural context, students will recreate famous scientific and historical happenings through film to ultimately create believable “Mockumentary” forgeries that rival what is out there, using props, computer graphics, Adobe Photoshop software, and Final Cut Pro.

33. Rise and Shine / Raymond
Our class will focus on how to start your day off relaxed and focused through guided Christian meditation, stretching, walking, and foam rolling. We discuss strategies to find balance in life between work, exercise, spiritual life, and social life.

34. Robotics / Barham
Design, build, and program robots for racing and competition.

35.  Star Wars: Adventures in a Galaxy Far Far Away / Butcher
The Force has been with us since 1977. We will explore big questions about Star Wars. What is the myth of Luke Skywalker? How does the original Star Wars story shape the prequels and sequels? How has Star Wars shaped culture? Join Mr. Butcher for a fun examination of the world of Jedi,Sith, and Jar Jar Binks: It is your destiny.

36. Starch Madness! / Alarcon & Toriello
You love pasta. You enjoy cooking. You have lost friends and alienated family over that most divisive of questions: Should a proper alfredo sauce have cream? Now you can settle that question and practice your cacio e pepe skills with like-minded pasta nerds by joining us in Starch Madness!, a pasta-making class for noodle enthusiasts. We will make pasta, compare recipes, discuss the importance of technique, learn how to choose a good-quality dry pasta, and more. Be advised that we will be working with animal products and with ingredients that include gluten and nuts.

37. Surprise! / Drexel
Mr. Drexel will surprise you with a new skill or game each day. You may play his favorite games, watch his favorite movie, learn his favorite dance, explore his favorite albums, study his favorite Bible characters, and enjoy many more surprises!

38. That Puzzle is Really a Math Problem: The Art of Mathematics and Problem-Solving / Papakonstantinou
Come investigate some of the classic mathematics problems, explore their solutions, and learn how resulting discoveries are the foundations that underlie current research and still have a profound impact on current real-world applications in a variety of industries. You will learn how these seminal problems, some centuries old, were easy to state but were hard to solve. The resulting discoveries have had subsequent applications.

39. The Keys to Success / Eberly
Want to know what actually makes people successful? It’s not luck or natural talent – it’s mindset. In this class, you’ll discover the mental strategies that high achievers use to crush their goals. Learn how to bounce back from failure, build winning habits, and develop the grit to push through when things get tough.

40. Tiny Worlds: The Power of Close-Up Photography / Storlie
With perspective distortions and color abstractions, Tiny Worlds is meant to push the viewer (and photographer) to see the world in new and exciting ways! Students will experiment with cell phone attachments and digital cameras to create extreme close-up photographs (macro photography). We will practice on campus with various materials, including flowers, insects, liquids, toys, and even miniature sets! Students will then take what they've learned in the classroom into the real world with a photography field trip/expedition! This Interim Term class will culminate in an exhibition of photographs that will be shared with the EHS community in the USC gallery!

41. Unarmed & Dangerous: A Stage Combat Workshop / Magalhaes
Ever wonder how heroes and villains create those breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of conflict on stage? This deep dive into theatrical combat will show you how. You'll learn the techniques to safely perform staged violence, mastering everything from basic strikes and reactions to epic falls and dramatic chokes. We'll explore the art of physical storytelling, teaching you how to build trust with your scene partner and perform with conviction. This isn't just about fighting; it's about using conflict to drive a narrative and captivate your audience. Come learn to create the illusion of danger and bring your dramatic scenes to life!

42.  Visions of the Future / Flanagan
Visions of the Future explores humanity’s attempt to predict the future. In class, we will examine science fiction portrayals of the future in addition to the hard science and facts on technology, medicine, and possible cataclysms. The primary goal will be for student groups to develop their own vision of the near future. Daily programs will include discussions, movies/shows, future vision project work, and futuristic activities including a Virtual Reality field trip.

43. White and Blue China / Majithia
In this hands-on Interim Term course, students will explore the art of creating functional ceramics using a variety of industrial techniques. Inspired by the timeless elegance of Blue and White China, students will learn to decorate their pieces in this classic style, blending tradition with personal creativity. We will take a field trip to the Houston Guild Shop—a treasure trove of vintage inspiration! This is a great opportunity for students who want an introductory course in ceramics and love visiting antique stores! 

44. Women in Sports: Past, Present, Future / Bass
From the first female Olympians to today’s record-breaking athletes and game-changing advocates, women have transformed the world of sports. In this course, we’ll explore how trailblazers broke barriers, challenged stereotypes, and reshaped what it means to compete. We’ll dive into iconic moments, examine media and representation, and discover how female athletes are leading the next wave of change. Through discussion, film, and hands-on projects, we’ll see how sports reflect culture, power, and equality. We will discuss athletes along with journalists who are changing the game.

45. Yo-Sew-Sew: Hand Sewing Basics, But Make it Pirate / Bolman
Ever had to throw away your favorite shirt or pants because they had a hole, lost a button, or were otherwise unsightly? YO! SEW, SEW! Fight for freedom from fabric waste with your needle and thread! Learn the hand-sewing basics and build your own hand-sewing kit while sailing the high seas with Jack Sparrow and the rest of the Pirates of the Caribbean crew! Materials will be provided (black and white cotton/linen options available), but students are welcome to bring their own 2-3 yards of cotton for a colorful spin on a classic swashbuckler’s staple.