Co-Curricular Classes
Our classes stand as the starting point for Country Day students as we provide the time and resources for students to develop their own path to dive deeply into co-curricular interests through constantly expanding and involving club programs. Inspired by our mission, students race solar boats at Rancho Seco, climb the peaks of the Northern Sierra, run affinity groups, travel to Model U.N. delegations and Quiz Bowl competitions, distribute winter clothing to unhoused members of our community, create all-school pig roasts, battle robots, and build go-carts. At Country Day, students have no limits as they seek to explore the creative depths of their critical thinking and compassion, and we provide the support to foster nearly all interests.
Internships
Coordinated by the high school office, our internship program exposes our students to real workplaces, involves them in projects and research, and reinforces our mission of helping students to have positive relationships and respect for others. Credit-earning internships with professors at CSU Sacramento are coordinated by the Science Department.
Mock Trial
Mock Trial at Sacramento Country Day School is a team academic competition where our students compete against some of the brightest and most articulate students in the state. It rewards teams and students who have worked to develop excellent public speaking skills, superior analytical skills, and the ability to think quickly on their feet.
Over the past three academic years, the team has been in the championship round for the Sacramento County Title. They won the Title in the 2023/24 and the 2022/23 competitions, and lost by the slimmest of margins in the 2021/22 competition. In addition to winning that team title, our students by far garnered more individual awards than any other school. The team went on to battle all of California’s county champions, finishing 4th in the state.
Over the past two academic years, our team has sent two students to the National One-on-One Gladiator Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. That competition annually attracts hundreds of applicants from throughout the United States but actually invites no more than 40 students. At this past summer’s competition one of our students, Grace Zhao, was one of the four semi-finalists.
Robotics
Our High School Robotics team "Hoot and Compute" competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) league events. FTC teams build and program an aluminum robot to navigate an arena while avoiding obstacles and moving objects to score points. This year's Robot Game, Centerstage, challenges teams to place plastic "pixels" on a backdrop, throw a paper airplane, and finish with a pull-up. Our team is coached by faculty members Yanling Lei and Tim Dobbins, with support from engineer Max Boykin and Middle School Robotics coach Cade Grunst.
Model UN
Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations, where students represent different nations in different UN committees. After researching their country's position, students work during the conference to debate and pass a resolution during committee, and have the opportunity to win awards, usually ranging from verbal commendation to best delegate.
The Octagon
The Octagon, Country Day's award-winning newspaper, is a yearlong journalism class is devoted to producing both The Octagon (the high-school print newspaper published 8 times annually) and The Octagon online (www.scdsoctagon.com). Staffers receive instruction in writing and editing news, features, sports, reviews, and editorials for both print and the Web. They also learn principles of page and Web design, effective use of technology, responsible leadership of their peers; and selling and handling advertising. Discussions concerning the role of the newspaper in both the school and society, including consideration of journalistic principles and ethics, are frequent. The staff attends local and national journalism conventions.
Medallion
The Medallion is Country Day's award-winning yearbook and this year-long class is devoted to its creation. Students learn to choose a theme; design layouts; research, write, and edit stories; photograph students and events; and master advanced computer skills necessary to complete yearbook production. Under the guidance of student editors, the staff collaborates on ideas and strategies for covering 14 grade levels across three divisions in order to thoroughly, accurately, and creatively tell the story of a year at Country Day.
