Sarah Marine '26 Writes Collection of Political Poetry for Independent Study

For her Independent Study project this past semester, MBS freshman Sarah Marine ’26 wrote and self-published her own collection of political poetry. Inspired by Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb,” Sarah researched current social issues and wrote a response entitled “The Hill We Hide.”

She explained that her work focuses on the fabricated image of progress and the acceptance of polarized thought in politics. Her collection also addresses subjects including gun control, racism, COVID-19, and the wealth gap in the United States.

For the project, Sarah worked with faculty advisor Brandon Jefferson of the Center for Teaching & Learning, and she published her collection of poetry through Kindle Direct Publishing. To read her poetry, please click here.

The Independent Studies Program at MBS has grown significantly since its inception in 2007. The program offers motivated and high-achieving students the opportunity to work with expert faculty in delving deeply into an area of interest. The student’s strong commitment is translated into projects that demonstrate active learning, creativity, intellectual curiosity and the ability to work on one’s own.

The Independent Study Program encourages students to expand their intellectual curiosity and explore an intellectual area in depth, under the guidance of a selected faculty member with a special expertise or interest in the field.