In the moments between classes at Morrow House, you might overhear a seventh grader debating the ethical implications of AI bias, or a group of sixth graders troubleshooting the gear ratio on a robot designed for a search-and-rescue mission. This isn’t just “school” in the traditional sense; it’s a laboratory for the next generation of leaders.
At The Elisabeth Morrow School, we believe that leadership isn’t a title — it’s a toolkit. Our curriculum offers several key programs that highlight our commitment to fostering intellectual courage, creative agency, and compassionate collaboration.
Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI
While many middle schools offer “business clubs,” the EMS Entrepreneurship Lab functions more like a dynamic innovation studio. In this elective, taught by Head of School Marek Beck, Ph.D., students don’t just simulate a business; they launch it. Students master the granular steps of a startup — from refining business models to analyzing the psychology of color in logo design.
Recently, our young entrepreneurs collaborated with leading AI specialists to use artificial intelligence as a thought partner. By leveraging platforms like SchoolAI to analyze real-time market data and validate marketing plans, students are learning that technology is an accelerant for human creativity.
For Ari S. ’27, this meant taking his environmental startup, Pollin8ive (formerly BeesNeeds), from a classroom concept to a digital and physical reality. After identifying the challenge of maintaining local bee-friendly greenery, Ari used AI tools to help build his company website and refine his brand.
“One of the coolest parts of this process was seeing the kits in real life. It wasn’t just a mental image or a project on a screen anymore,” Ari reflects. “Using AI to help build the Pollin8ive website allowed me to focus on the goal: getting these self-sustaining plants into the hands of local families.”
“By turning innovation into a series of manageable, strategic steps, we are ensuring that when these students encounter the unsolved problems of tomorrow, they won’t just ask for help — they’ll know exactly how to start building a solution,” adds Beck.
The Path of Ethical Leadership
One of the most critical leadership skills isn’t the ability to talk — it’s to listen. At EMS, we don’t just tell students what to believe; we empower them with the frameworks to analyze why they believe it. In Leadership Lab, our seventh graders participate in Ethics Bowl (taking place 6–8 p.m., May 27), where they master the fundamentals of logic and rhetoric, learning to navigate complex moral landscapes before they ever leave the middle school hallways.
For students in sixth grade through eighth grade who want to test their mettle on a larger stage, our specialized Ethics Bowl elective explores how history’s greatest philosophers defined “doing the right thing.” These students dive into surprisingly current dilemmas — from AI bias to environmental trade-offs. “It’s exciting to have these conversations about AI because it feels like answering questions that aren’t asked yet,” says Sadie P. ’27. ”We are the ones who will use it while growing up. It is important to understand how it works.”
Stephen H. ’27 found that the elective changed how he viewed disagreements and being a leader. “Being a leader doesn’t mean having everyone agree with you and listening to you; it means making agreements with your team,” he explains. “I’ve learned that a disagreement is not an argument, but a discussion. In a disagreement, you look at both sides thoroughly while keeping calm and always letting them speak. It makes you realize that maybe your point is incorrect, and it makes you think about both sides fairly.”
The results of this collaborative mindset were on full display at the Middle School Ethics Bowl at Kent Place School. Joining 13 other schools for an intensive day of philosophical inquiry, our Morrow House teams demonstrated remarkable intellectual courage, with one of our teams defeating the defending champions to finish with a 2–1 record. “Listening to opposing views was more interesting than listening to the same view,” Sadie adds. “It taught me how to understand different perspectives and ask questions instead of just arguing back.”
Head of Middle School and Director of Secondary School Placement Jed Silverstein, Ph.D., adds, “By instilling these foundational skills, we empower students to navigate complex moral landscapes. There is no greater gift than equipping the next generation with the tools to become conscientious, moral leaders.”
The Art of Creative Agency
Innovation is often messy, and we embrace that. Our Innoventions elective (a portmanteau of innovation and invention) is where student agency takes center stage. Led by our middle school technology integrator Samantha Morra, this class is a “toolbox of the future,” spanning from 3D design and virtual reality to electrical engineering. “It is a space designed to spark inquiry, experimentation, and creativity, encouraging students to move from being passive consumers of technology to active creators,” says Morra.
Students explore current and emerging technology by designing projects they are truly passionate about. Recent labs have seen students bridging the gap between code and the physical world, using Makey Makey kits to turn everyday objects into conductive digital game controllers. Others have mastered the intersection of physics and mechanics using Solar Power Vehicle Kits to experiment with gear ratios and chassis design, or testing the laws of tension and compression by building load-bearing popsicle stick bridges.
For Jai S. ’28, the elective provided a way to move beyond basic concepts. “I wanted to see what I could create with 3D printing, like my model of the Empire State Building,” he says. “This class made me think outside the box.” This culture of “making” often starts with simple materials and grows into complex collaboration. “Innoventions is creative, fun, and memorable,” reflects Yasin A. ’27, who recalls a group project building a detailed house out of cardboard. “We had to learn how to use specialized tools to create structural supports — it even had a secret door! It started with just a few kids, but eventually, everyone joined in to help.”
Whether they are using 3D pens to prototype functional models of human hands or utilizing high-tech printers to create intricate, flexible spiral structures, students are learning that a leader’s most valuable tool isn’t a specific software — it’s their own imagination. “It is my favorite elective because there are so many tools to help you expand on your ideas,” says Maggie L. ’27. “It is something I look forward to at the end of every week.”
The Science of Iterative Design
Step into our Robotics elective, led by middle school science teacher Jessie Samuel, and hear the hum of gears as students become innovative problem-solvers through the iterative design cycle. In this elective, students bridge the gap to high school computer science by moving beyond basic blocks into Python programming and data analysis. They aren’t just building; they are learning the “why” behind the code, focusing on sequential thinking and troubleshooting.
This technical mastery was put to the test when our students competed for the first time in the FIRST Lego League “Unearthed” competition. Facing off against 24 teams from across North Jersey, the team soared, taking home the “Best Robot Performance” award for their precision and research-backed 3D-printed tools designed to solve real-world archaeological challenges. True to our 4 C’s (Courtesy, Consideration, Cooperation, and Compassion), our engineers were also recognized for their sportsmanship—cheering for competitors and offering troubleshooting help to other teams in the pits.
The precision that won the day was rooted in a unique culture of peer-to-peer mentorship back in the lab. When Saro S. ’27 struggled with turning accuracy, he looked to his more experienced teammate, Daniel H. ’27, for a solution. “Daniel taught me a complex method called a ‘gyro turn’ to make our robot more reliable,” Saro explains. “Instead of just turning a set amount, which isn’t very accurate, we coded the robot to use the gyro sensor to track its exact angle. It proved to me that I could use code to solve problems that seemed impossible at first.” This logic-based approach allowed Saro to “solve puzzles from all angles,” eventually designing a 3D-printed attachment that could complete three missions in a single movement. “I kept trying different designs to be more efficient,” Saro adds. “It taught me how to compromise with my teammates and use every setback as a learning experience.”
For Daniel, the experience of designing and mentoring was equally transformative. “Spending countless weeks programming our winning robot proved to me that through hard work, many things are achievable,” he says. “This elective taught me how to cooperate better and communicate to handle tasks, and mastering these powerful robotics skills gives me the confidence to tackle higher-level science in the future.”
Building a Future Today
At EMS, we are intentionally moving away from rote learning to create an environment where students are expected to take the lead — as entrepreneurs, as philosophers, and as engineers. By the time our graduates leave Morrow House, they don’t just have a diploma; they have the confidence to see a challenge and say, “I know how to solve this.” The future isn’t just coming; at EMS, our students are already building it.
There's No Better Time to Support Your Child's Education
Every time you donate to one of Elisabeth Morrow's dedicated funds, you help enrich the daily experiences of our community on campus. STEAM spaces are enhanced, library catalogs are expanded, scholarships are funded, and teachers are hired. Every day, you can see the impact your generous donations have on campus.
