Elective Leaders
Beyond our core curriculum, students at the Great Books Summer Program get the opportunity to explore personal areas of interest in our electives classes. Working in small groups with highly-talented teachers, each week everyone gets to choose a literature and an art elective to expand their horizons and to share their creativity through self-expression.
Our Elective Leaders
The Elective Leaders are both instructors and facilitators in this process as they nurture budding talents and encourage their students to try something new and fun.
Learn about our Elective Leaders :
Nicole Erhardt- Visual Art Elective Leader
Nicole Erhardt is a poet, visual artist
Jonathan Volk - Creative Writing Elective Leader
Jonathan Volk is an MFA candidate at the University of Massachusetts MFA Program for Poets and Writers, where he also teaches creative writing. He has work published in Black Warrior Review, DIAGRAM, Caketrain, and elsewhere. His honors include the Harvey Swados Prize in Fiction and a nomination for the Pushcart Prize.
Olin Johannessen - Music Elective Leader
Portsmouth, NH native Olin Johannessen currently holds the position of Grades 6 - 12 Director of Choral Activities for the Portsmouth School Department. Prior to his appointment, Johannessen received his Master's degree in Composition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he also received a Bachelor's degree in Percussion Performance.
Alex Demers - Theater Elective Leader
Alex Demers is an actor and theater creator and educator based in Los Angeles, California. A Massachusetts native, Alex made his way westward after his
Kaitlyn Burd - Creative Writing Elective Leader
Kaitlyn Burd graduated from Kenyon College in 2015, where she studied English and now lives and teaches on the southern coast of Spain. Her work has been featured in Clockhouse Review, Cleaver Magazine, Atticus Review, and elsewhere. She has also worked on the staff of Paper Darts Magazine.
Maia Nichols - VIsual Art Elective Leader
Maia Nichols is an artist and writer currently based in Los Angeles, California. She holds a BFA