As the fall semester winds down, the energy at Watershed is rising - FAIR is just around the corner! On December 18th, our community will gather for one of the most meaningful traditions of the year: the Festival of Arts and Intellectual Reflection (FAIR). It’s an evening dedicated to celebrating student learning, growth, and the authentic expression of student passions, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with parents, families, and friends.
FAIR is not simply a showcase - it’s an invitation into the learning process itself. Students have spent the past semester exploring questions that matter to them and building projects they feel deeply connected to. Their work culminates in the signature Watershed tradition: ShedTalks!
ShedTalks
For FAIR, students are tasked with preparing and delivering ShedTalks: presentations that highlight academic work that they’re proud of and that has genuinely impacted their lives or the lives of others. During FAIR, every student steps forward to share their most meaningful project from the past semester with an audience of peers, educators, and families.
ShedTalks are powerful not because they are polished, but because they are personal. Students tell the story behind their learning - what inspired them, challenged them, frustrated them, and ultimately pushed them to grow. Parents get to witness firsthand the curiosity, creativity, and resilience that shape each student's academic journey.
This year’s exhibition will showcase a diverse range of student work, including projects that delve into personal identity, environmental and social issues, design thinking, community impact, and creative expression across multiple mediums.
Students will spend this week prepping and refining their projects and presentations, and there’s a lot to look forward to seeing. For example, Sam ’26 and Tesla ’26 will each present their projects from the Games for Change course, where students design games aimed at inspiring social change. Sam developed a game focused on sustainability and the endangerment of specific bird species, while Tesla created a game that highlights accessibility and the everyday challenges faced by wheelchair users as they navigate public spaces.
Fritz ’31 will present his final project from the middle school Photography class, highlighting how his skills have evolved over the semester. Through a curated sequence of images, he demonstrates his growing ability to select compelling subjects and make effective use of natural light. Another art project that’s being presented is by Lena ‘26, who captured a scene from a photograph of the war in Ukraine, featuring children in a park as war rages around them, in her Painting & Perception course. Lena’s work not only exhibits the honing of her oil painting skills from the semester but also explores a complex topic through a compelling lens.
Students who excel in math also have the chance to showcase complex problems they’ve solved—often applying their learning to real-world scenarios—which many choose to present. Other students have chosen to showcase work from their independent study projects. Sierra ’26, for example, is conducting a blood study examining how caffeine affects the effectiveness of the immune system.
Another popular project this semester was the Food Truck Challenge in the Business course. In this hands-on assignment, students designed and executed their own food truck concept, developing menus, managing inventory, creating marketing plans, and ultimately participating in a food truck fair. Brandon ’28 is among the students presenting on this topic; as a collaborative project, it required extensive planning, teamwork, and thoughtful engagement with the fundamentals of business. The array of projects is truly exciting for friends and family in attendance, who not only have the chance to see their student present their work but also have the opportunity to learn about the eclectic mix of topics presented by other students.
What Makes FAIR Special
FAIR is one of those evenings that captures the spirit of Watershed - students stepping courageously into their learning, families celebrating not just outcomes but journeys, and our community coming together around curiosity and creativity.
On December 18th, we’ll witness students presenting projects they’re genuinely proud of - projects that have sparked thought, effort, and personal meaning. We’ll hear their voices, see their growth, and celebrate the work they’ve done to make this semester meaningful.
We can’t wait to see you there!
