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Building Community Connections
Derryfield students work on a Habitat for Humanity building site.
The Derryfield School’s founders knew that academic achievement had no meaning without strong connections to the community. Building those relationships helps make Derryfield students into tomorrow’s leaders.
“People who feel like they do important things in the community, either professionally or as volunteers, have lives of meaning,” said Head of School Dr. Mary Halpin Carter. “Generally we find that those people are not only happy but they are successful as well.”
For Derryfield students, finding their passions and purpose is an exciting journey that takes place on campus and off. It’s an exploration the School guides with intention to help students recognize which opportunities are best suited to them as individuals.
IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Hailey Ramundo ’23 reading to her ELL buddy in eighth grade.
Finding community connections begins in the Middle School. By design, the middle school Learner’s Portrait exposes students to a wide array of experiences while developing skills. “The aim is that our middle school graduates find themselves well positioned to understand their own unique blend of interests, talents, and even challenges as they enter into high school where they will have the opportunity to shape their own learning journey,” said Head of Middle School Mark Blaisdell.
Middle school students volunteering as part of the Costa Rica global trip.
Sixth-grade geography classes work with the English for New Americans program, meeting recent immigrants to learn what their lives were like, why they chose to seek refuge in New Hampshire, and how to help build their connection to New Hampshire. Eighth graders adopt ’buddies’ from among the English Language Learner (ELL) students at Beech Street and Webster elementary schools, visiting them frequently and hosting them at Derryfield for a celebration day at year’s end.
Students preparing to deliver Thanksgiving Baskets of food to local families in need.
Middle schoolers also participate in nonprofit fundraising events like the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk and volunteer opportunities like serving at New Horizons Soup Kitchen and Shelter.
Interests and goals are subject to change as students grow. That’s part of the process, and it highlights the value in building self awareness as each journey unfolds.
IN THE UPPER SCHOOL
Ms. Russell and Derryfield students work at a Habitat for Humanity site.
Upper school students are guided by a personalized Pathway, which is created for each eighth grader during one-on-one meetings with a faculty Pathfinder mentor. The Pathways Program encourages kids to explore in a way that’s personally impactful by helping them to see their gifts and seeking out their true interests. “We’re really looking for intellectual and personal fulfillment,” Dr. Carter explained. The Pathway serves as a guide for each student to explore which of the many opportunities Derryfield offers best match and further develop their own interests.
Mackenzie McCarthy ’22 said the program began with searching questions that help the Pathfinder get to know the student—and help the student know herself. “A lot of them had to do with what my passions were outside of school, what are the best ways that I learn and what I hope to do in my life,” she said. “What are some goals I have? They are questions that really help this person get to know you so they can build this Pathway for you that you can use as you move through Derryfield.”
Exploration courses challenge students to take risks and pursue new interests like beekeeping or personal finance. They all enable students to dedicate regular time and effort to passion pursuit activities like Robotics, Math Team, Model UN, and the Lamplighter.
Derryfield students have volunteered for Special Olympics for many years.
Derryfield’s class catalog is broadened exponentially by the School’s participation in the Malone Schools Online Network, a consortium of leading independent schools that offers upper level students courses in their particular areas of interest, from Arabic to Data Structure and Design, taught by experts across the U.S. “I’d been interested in forensic science for years and I had so much fun being able to take a fascinating course offered by Trinity Prep down in Florida,” said Sydney Sieper ’21. Students value their Pathways as a guide to navigating all these options. “I didn’t know what to take as an elective, which led me back to my Pathway, and I ended up taking composition of film,” said Mackenzie McCarthy ’22, “I really enjoyed it because it’s something my Pathway has suggested based on my answers.”
Some paths lead very far from campus. Global Education offers international travel opportunities and exchange programs. Students explore Nepal’s cultural and religious traditions while helping at remote medical clinics and schools in the mountain villages. Middle schoolers teach English in the Dominican Republic with a nonprofit Outreach 360. Upper schoolers enroll in South African high schools and live with host families. Students study politics and history in our nation’s capital and build homes with Habitat for Humanity in the American South.
Back home, Derryfield seniors avoid the infamous “spring slump.” Instead they’re given the tools and time to spend the semester exploring a passion with the Independent Senior Project (ISP). Students pursue internships in hospitals, financial firms, graphic design or real estate. They get their hands dirty by volunteering, perhaps working with those about to be deported or buying a decrepit car and restoring it.
Kevin Li ’20 speaking with community leaders at the Innovation Breakfast.
“Students are developing skills that are difficult to develop in a school environment, yet they still have that safety net of the Derryfield community,” said Head ISP Advisor Andy Myers. “It’s become such a part of the Derryfield culture.”
The ISPs, like many of the School’s other opportunities for community connections, are made possible by Derryfield’s vibrant and engaged community of alums, parents, faculty peers and others. This network is key to providing guidance and opportunities to students in every imaginable field of expertise. “It can’t be overstated how important it is,” said Dr. Myers Currently Derryfield is fine-tuning ways to better match students to the ever-growing number of opportunities on campus and beyond. The library is expanding and growing to include not only resources for reading and research, but also research for future opportunities for our students.
Kate DiTullio, Derryfield’s new Director for Research and Opportunity, is building a database of community connections to help students work along their Pathways. “When a student has interest in a future career, or a passionate cause and they’d like to volunteer, we have connections to provide opportunities like internships or a conference you’d like to attend,” Ms. DiTullio explained. “The library is where you go for opportunity and that’s really exciting.”
The College Counseling Office has also relocated near the library to create synergy between the real world passions and projects and their parallel opportunities in higher education. Using pathways as a guide, Derryfield counselors help students decode their interests to prep for higher education. “I was given a college counselor who wanted to learn about me as an individual, and see where I wanted to take my future, and help me figure out what colleges would do that best for me,” said Tristan Allard ’22. In all these ways the School is building on a long history of success in producing creative learners who are already engaged in their communities because they’ve discovered what’s closest to their own hearts.
“My teachers encouraged us to make our learning personal,” said Ellie Small ’22. “Derryfield offered me a plethora of leadership and service opportunities, as well as the professional skills to take meaningful action in the areas that I care about.”
