Little Hive Girls Build Their Own Winter Wonderland
While the weather outside is frightful, Ms. Hollingsworth and Ms. Aguilar’s Little Hive girls are staying warm and cozy in their own igloo built entirely from milk jugs.
What started as a spark of curiosity in music class turned into a hands-on engineering challenge in Ms. Hollingsworth and Ms. Aguilar’s classroom in our early childhood division. After a snow day, music teacher Heather Short incorporated the wintry weather into her class and sang songs about the season with the girls.
Winter, snow, and seasonal animals were all our youngest bees could talk about when they got back to their classroom. Ms. Hollingsworth and Ms. Aguilar then taught the girls about how some animals live underground while others inhabit igloos, which they were excited to hear about. Their interest grew from there, and our teachers knew they wanted to do more with igloos.
After our girls collected milk jugs from their families and neighbors for a month, their problem-solving skills were put to the test. They built and rebuilt their igloo three times, experimenting with different techniques to make sure it was sturdy. Now, they’re having a blast playing inside their igloo and gliding on a nearby "skating rink.” What a fun and creative way to experience the joy of winter!
This is a strong example of how our early childhood teachers follow the Reggio Emilia style, engaging the girls through hands-on projects and real-life experiences that are relevant to them. Following our girls’ natural curiosity and sense of wonder sets them up for future academic success and a lifelong love of learning.
Hutchison world language students participated in the 2025 U of M Language Fair, sponsored by The University of Memphis Department of World Languages and Literatures. Demonstrating their knowledge of Spanish and Chinese, Hutchison had nine upper school girls win awards at the fair.
Yes, egg prices are high, according to our fifth graders’ research! Their Mean Monday activity tracking grocery store prices was highlighted on WREG News Channel 3.
Carpe diem! Demonstrating their enthusiasm for Latin and Roman culture, Hutchison had several students win awards at the Tennessee Junior Classical League Convention.
Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—these are the five steps of design thinking that our lower school girls live by in the Design Lab with academic technology specialist Jennifer Stover.
Our innovative middle school STEM explorations class is designed to inspire young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through exposure to different types of STEM-adjacent careers and visits from professionals working in STEM careers, we hope to encourage the next generation of female leaders in these fields.
Louise Smythe ’06, who works as a storyboard artist at Pixar Animation Studios and contributed to “Inside Out 2” credits her time at Hutchison for building her confidence and skills.
Hutchison Now highlights graduates early in their careers who embody how a Hutchison education can lead anywhere you can imagine. We spoke with Margaret Shaul ’14, a senior experience strategist at Czarnowski, a full-service exhibit and event marketing company. Shaul was named to Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 leaders list in 2022.
While the weather outside is frightful, Ms. Hollingsworth and Ms. Aguilar’s Little Hive girls are staying warm and cozy in their own igloo built entirely from milk jugs.
“H” is for Honest, “U” is for Understanding, “T” is for Trustworthy… Hutchison’s beloved acrostic got a makeover in middle school this year, but the familiar character traits of the Ideal Hutchison Girl remain unchanged.
Caroline Orr ’12 has built a unique career that merges her love for art with business acumen. After working at Sotheby’s, she now works as an art services specialist at Bank of America, where she helps collectors navigate the art market with strategic advice.