In response to a continual decline in student support for the Empathy, Balance, and Inclusion (EBI) program, Andover plans to adjust how and when meetings for lowerclassmen will take place for the 2025-2026 school year. According to the 2025 SOTA, 11.2 percent of students believe that EBI is effective.
In the past, EBI consisted of forty-minute sessions during lunch periods once a week, led by Uppers and Seniors who volunteer to plan the curriculum and facilitate meetings. The redesigned curriculum will move EBI classes out of lunch blocks and into a six-session curriculum per term in dorms, advisories, and class meetings, according to Brigitte Leschhorn, Director of the EBI program and Instructor in English. Leschhorn explained that a main focus in student feedback was the placement of EBI during lunch periods.
“It’s not just a change to the curriculum — it’s a change to the program overall. ninth and tenth grade [EBI] are no longer going to take place during the lunch period,” said Leschhorn. “EBI will be developing the curriculum, whether it’s the EBI Seniors or whether it’s me as the ninth grade course head with the help of other groups and student organizations. And EBI will be delivered in three different areas of the school per term. So, two advisory sessions per term, two dorm meetings, and two class meetings. That is the goal.”
Leschhorn continued, “When I say dorm meetings, I’m including the day student mentor meetings on Thursdays… That’s the equivalent for day students. We are not leaving day students out at all of the extra sessions.”
Ryan Baek ’28 commented on his dissatisfaction with the current EBI-9 program. After experiencing two terms of EBI, he hoped that the system would change to better meet the students’ needs.
“[It’s hard to] take away anything. It’s common sense that we take care of each other and take care of ourselves, and the philosophy that ‘When we need help we ask for help.’ Look at SOTA. A vast majority of the entire school thinks that the EBI is not effective… it should be a majority decision, and it seems the student body doesn’t want EBI. Administration should follow. If it’s mandatory, then they should do what the majority of the student body believes,” said Baek.
Magdalena Mercado ’26, who was an EBI Upper, believed that the change could be positive. Although she noted that a non-classroom setting might decrease the serious tone of the program, she highlighted that it can be more convenient for students.
“Now people have more time for their lunch, and they’re learning the same stuff during dorm gatherings rather than taking time out of their day for a class. In terms of convenience, I think it works better. It’s nice to have a classroom setting, though. It makes people take EBI more seriously because it’s taught as a course. In the dorm, it kind of feels like eco-leaders, but it feels more informal in comparison. Otherwise, I think it’s a good idea. I wish I were taught in the dorms,” said Mercado.
On the other hand, Matthew Wei ’28 commented that changing the location and timing of EBI would take time away from other students’ activities. He expressed his preference for the EBI schedule as it is, as each class was already integrated into the student schedule.
“Instead of [having EBI] during lunch, [the change] would be negative. The lunch break is long already, so having EBI that fills it up is fine. In dorms during study hours or after school, when you’re trying to relax, is negative because it’s a time that can be dedicated to something else,” said Wei.
Anticipating next year’s changes to the EBI program, Leschhorn acknowledged some difficulties that the new schedule could introduce, such as having EBI upperclassmen teach classes during advising period. She emphasized that EBI Uppers and Seniors will play an important role as Andover navigates the new program next year.
“There’s going to be a lot of logistical challenges because this is a new thing that we have yet to encounter, that we will encounter as we go, and we will resolve as we go. Our rising EBI Seniors are really excited for the change, and they’re going to be true pioneers in this because they’re going to have way more say than previous EBI Seniors in terms of the curriculum. They’re really going to determine what’s appropriate for which space, what order we do things, [and] what topics are a goal for which term [and which] are not. I’m going to give them much more freedom because I’m going to rely on their guidance as students, because this is still meant to be a peer-led program,” said Leschhorn.
