Arts & Athletics Update

Athletes Persisted in a Virtual Season

With Derryfield being home to a variety of committed and dedicated athletes, it’s no surprise that the cancelation of the 2020 spring sports season brought much disappointment to athletes and their families. However, despite the fact that sports could not be played together, the Derryfield spring sports teams still carried on. Coaches from every spring sport maintained contact with their team through weekly meetings over Zoom or Google Meet. For example, the boys’ and girls’ tennis and lacrosse teams broke down game films and discussed strategy, as well as new skills and drills. Fun games such as “2 truths 1 lie”, social media challenges, and Kahoot trivia games are also played. The crew team rowed on ergs at home and did virtual yoga in the mornings. Following suit, the nordic team was given roller skis to complete workouts at home. Lastly, the track team planed their daily core and flexibility workouts while also participating in virtual 5ks on the app, STRAVA.

30 Days to Fit participants earned a free t-shirt.

For Derryfield students not participating in a spring sport, Director of Athletics Chris Hettler as well as Jeff Hastings, Michele Leclerc, and Derek Lauteri were able to shift their workouts to a completely virtual model with Derryfield’s “30 Days To Fit Challenge” for all students. The challenge consisted of doing a 30-minute workout for 30 days, with the reward of a Derryfield strength and conditioning shirt. Workouts consisted of dynamic warmups, high-intensity training, agility and core workouts, yoga, and breathing exercises.

There were many fun challenges and games, such as hand-eye juggling challenges, wiffleball challenges, and bottle flip games. All the activities were prerecorded by members of the Health & Wellness Department. According to Hettler, “Overall, I thought the options that the school allowed us to present offered students a lot of flexibility in terms of how and when they could access those options. It might be a model we could continue to use once we are back to school full time.”

Members of the crew team competed in a virtual race.

Derryfield's First Radio Hour

The Derryfield School Theatre Company rose to the challenge of the times by presenting a first for the school—the premiere of The Derryfield School Radio Hour. The current situation did not dampen the creative spirit of the performance arts department, which presented a re-envisioned version of Orson Welles’ classic 1938 radio broadcast of H.G. Welles’ War of the Worlds. With the upper school play canceled, the acting company was determined to produce something for the community to rally around. They did so by transitioning from the stage to the broadcast booth, learning the new craft of radio drama. The production successfully aired on May 14 to over 120 views (with the number of actual listeners being much higher). The Derryfield community can still enjoy the broadcast by tuning in to anchor.fm/war-of-the-worlds.

Art Educator of the Year

Derryfield Creative Arts Department Co-Chair Becky Barsi has been honored as Independent School Art Educator of the Year by the Independent School Art Education group, a subset of the National Art Education Association. Dean of Academic Programs Lindley Shutz reflected on Becky’s impact on the Derryfield community.

“Dotted throughout the Derryfield School are the evidence of Becky Barsi’s magic as a leader of creative expression. It used to be that art at our school lived mostly in designated places: the art rooms, the gallery, key real estate outside of admission. Since Becky’s arrival four years ago, beauty and creativity and innovative design are everywhere throughout the school. From startling mobiles made of glass and LED lights in the Science and Innovation Center to portfolio exhibits in the Inspiration Loft, to a surprising gem in a hidden stairwell in need of jewel light, to Art the Cart (where students can borrow supplies on an honor code system), to Studio Art options after school, to field trips that have quickly become sought after traditions, Becky has found fabulous ways to energize even the self-described least likely to pursue the arts. At heart she is a maker—of her own work, of the life of an artist, of creating the opportunities for others to engage in making or interacting with art, and of genuine, caring relationships that allow others to feel seen in an inspiring way.”