Assistant Director for Alumni and Parent Engagement
CONTRIBUTORS
Alex Budnitz
Russ Campbell (P’19) Photography
Jared Charney Photography
Dingjia Xiao ’25
Isaac Hugenberger ’24
Gabrielle Lipsitch ’24
Lachlan DeAtley ’24
Michele Levy P’19
DESIGN gokorodesign.com
The Cambridge School of Weston is an independent, all-gender day and boarding school for grades 9 – 12 and post-graduate study. Inquiries for admission should be directed to the Admissions Office at 781.642.8650.
The Gryphon welcomes class notes and photographs by alumni, parents, and friends. Please email submissions to alumni@csw.org, call 781.642.8619, visit www.csw.org, or send to: Alumni Relations
The Cambridge School of Weston 45 Georgian Road Weston, MA 02493
CONTACT
www.csw.org
To contact the editor, please send us an email at gryphon@csw.org.
Cover: Materials Lab at the Textiel Museum in Tilburg, NL, one of the educational visits by students in the Fashion, Textile, and Circular Economy class. Tufted art on table by artist Lizan Freijsen, inspired by fungi and microbes.
LEADING THOUGHTS
Dear members of the CSW community,
Our community deeply values exploration. It’s of personal interest to us all — whether we are learning about our immigrant neighbors throughout Greater Boston, visiting a high school in Okinawa, or studying in the tropical rainforests of Panama. Our students are independent thinkers who thrive when they can participate in meaningful, relevant work. They constantly seek to engage deeply, to understand thoroughly, and to act with purpose.
Exploration is not easy. It’s challenging to look outside yourself. It’s uncomfortable to examine history and power, and to acknowledge your role in both. From a practical standpoint, it’s complicated and expensive to take students and faculty off-campus. However, we invest in exploration because we believe it to be one of the most effective ways that we can help students build relationships, practice cultural responsiveness, and develop a commitment to global citizenship.
This issue of The Gryphon provides a glimpse into some of the immersive learning opportunities CSW offers to students and faculty off campus and in direct contact with a more diverse array of people, places, and ideas. I hope you enjoy learning about these adventures, and that they encourage you to consider how you are exploring your community and the broader world around you. I also want to thank the many people who made these trips and activities possible — our donors, faculty, staff, students, families, and community partners who share our commitment to understanding, civic engagement, and personal growth.
Wishing you safe and wonderful travels,
All my best,
Lise Charlier, Head of School
Textiel Museum in Tilburg
ON THE QUAD
Still Human
The 2024 Dance Concert featured eight original pieces choreographed by students and four by dance faculty Nailah Randall-Bellinger (chair), Matthew Hooper, and Jeryl Pilapil Brown . Nailah says this year’s title, Still Human, “speaks to our very essence of what it means to be human, through both triumphs and tribulations, and the life lessons that we gain from living them both.”
Thompson Gallery: Art Faculty Exhibition
Current and past members of CSW’s Visual Art faculty exhibited a spectacular collection of selected works in the Thompson Gallery this spring. The exhibition of work from Todd Bartel, Tony Loretti, Anne Rearick, and Alison Safford opened during Reunion weekend with a reception and gallery talk.
2024 Empty Bowls Fundraiser
Led by Community Service Committee leaders Makena Tingle ’24 and Maya Wilson ’24, the 2024 Empty Bowls Fundraiser was an enormous success. Through a celebratory evening of food, performance, art, and fun, the community was able to raise close to $4,000 for Rosie’s Place, the first women's shelter in the United States.
Spring Musical: The Prom
This year’s spring musical, The Prom, is based on a true story from 2010, when a student was denied the opportunity to bring her girlfriend as her date to the prom. Director Emily Ranii pointed out in the Director’s Note for the show that “there is nothing historical
or fantastical about the need for The Prom’s message”, dedicating CSW’s production to “all those students … who do not feel free to be their whole selves at school, at home, or in their community.”
Model UN
Members of CSW's Model United Nations attended the North American Invitational Model United Nations conference in Washington D.C. this winter. Over the four-day conference they represented four countries and served on a variety of committees discussing topics like trade, rights of women and children, migration, and the economics of small island countries. They were also able to fit in a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Rock/Pop
Student musicians stunned audiences this year as they took on the ambitious task of performing some of Queen’s greatest hits.
Heritage Fest
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging office hosted its annual Heritage Fest, a celebration of the diversity of heritages and cultures within the CSW community. Community members had the opportunity to learn, sample delicious food, snacks, and drinks, and participate in engaging activities and demonstrations. We also enjoyed a folkloric Mexican dance and a song to celebrate Mother's Day performed in Mandarin.
Earth Day
In observance of Earth Day, students in CSW’s Sustainability Committee, a group charged with creating and supporting a systematic and ongoing sustainability culture on campus, organized a series of workshops focused on the topics of sustainability and environmental activism. Workshops included “Animals & Ecology in the Mystic River Watershed: The Return of the Herring Migrations'' with the Math Department’s Anne Meinke; “Dye Where You Are Rooted: Indigenous Traditional Natural Dyeing” with Director of Library and Technology Integration Jenna Wolf; and “Tree Equity in Boston: What It Is and How to Grow It” with David Meshoulam P’25, ’27, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Speak for the Trees Boston.
Einstein’s Dreams
In March, the cast and crew of Einstein’s Dreams visited Wayland High School to compete in the Massachusetts Education Theatre Guild High School Drama Festival. In this statewide competition, the cast and crew must assemble their set in front of a live audience in under five minutes, and the show must be performed in under 40 minutes. Three students brought home awards for their efforts. Monty Butler ’25 and Luke Salzano ’26 were recognized for Technical Excellence in Prop Design, and Brayden Burman ’24 earned an acting award for his role as Einstein.
Athletics Update
It was a terrific spring for CSW Athletics! The Girls Tennis Team finished League Runner Up for IGC, and a number of our athletes were recognized with NEPSAC Individual Awards:
Boys Soccer
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Leo Chiasson-Aronoff ’25
Girls Volleyball
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Sofia Schultz ’26
ALL NEPSAC
Mabel Crain ’24
Girls Basketball
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Nia Fifield ’27
Cross Country
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Sophia Cornwell ’25
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Sage Yager-Elmore ’27
ALL NEPSAC and 1st Place Finish NEPSAC DIV4 Championship
Suri Kautz ’25
Girls Tennis
ALL NEPSAC Honorable Mention
Olivia Liu ’24
ALL NEPSAC
Emily Tran ’27
Lunar New Year
CSW celebrated the Year of the Dragon in February with food, games, art, and prizes.
PASSING THE TORCH
SUSTAINING THE FLAME OF CSW’S DANCE PROGRAM
This year’s inaugural Dance Conference, Passing the Torch: Sustaining the Flame of CSW’s Dance Program, was a true community celebration of dance. Following a keynote given by former Dance Department Chair Martha Gray, participants took part in four workshops taught by Malik Gomes Cruz ’19, Marcel Santiago Marcelino ’17, Ella Wechsler-Matthaei ’10, and William Huang ’19, and a “work-in-progress” performance and showcase. Conference organizers included Lindsay Gould ’18, EJ Wallman ’21, and Orion Douglas ’20 in collaboration with Dance Department Chair Nailah RandallBellinger and the Alumni Office.
OUR CHILDREN'S TRUST
In the Held v. State of Montana case, 16 youth successfully sued the state of Montana to protect their equal rights to a healthy environment, life, dignity, and freedom.
Each year, the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Series at CSW welcomes pioneering speakers with a strong foundation in social justice activism and civil engagement, informing and empowering students to actively promote justice in their communities and beyond. The 2024 Maverick Lloyd speakers were Mat dos Santos and Laura Gehrke of Our Children’s Trust, a trailblazing nonprofit organization that empowers youth to secure their legal rights to a life-sustaining climate.
Mat is Our Children’s Trust’s co-executive director and general counsel and Laura is the non-profit’s events manager. In their assembly presentation, Mat and Laura talked about their work on the groundbreaking Held v. State of Montana case, the first children’s constitutional climate case in history to go to trial — in which 16 youth successfully sued the state of Montana to protect their equal rights to a healthy environment, life, dignity, and freedom.
Mat and Laura shared insights from behind the scenes, talking about the organization’s mission and how they went about working with children and teens to make sure their voices were heard and elevated in support of promoting a healthy living environment for themselves and their families. They shared recent data and information on climate change, bios of some of their most important witnesses, and video clips from the trial. They also talked about the importance of partner organizations and community support, making clear that there are a lot of ways to support climate justice organizations, without necessarily serving as a plaintiff in a large trial.
In the afternoon, Mat and Laura met with faculty to offer a presentation on Trauma Informed Care, sharing some of the steps the team at Our Children’s Trust has taken to ensure the emotional wellbeing of the young people they work with. Later, Mat and Laura discussed the topic of intergenerational climate action with parents, guardians, alumni, and fellow members of the community.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN’S TRUST BY VISITING WWW.OURCHILDRENSTRUST.ORG
The Maverick Lloyd Speaker Series was established by Arthur Berndt '68 to honor and remember Henry Demarest Lloyd (1847 – 1903) and his daughter-in-law, Lola Maverick Lloyd (1875 – 1944).
FACULTY/STAFF SPOTLIGHT
DR. XIAOLING SHI
Language Faculty and DEIB Staff
Q Tell me a little about your background and path to teaching.
I was born and grew up in Wuhan, China, near the Yangtze River (although I never learned to swim!). My path towards degrees in China was quite unusual — I didn’t go through the college entrance exam because my parents sent me to a school that trains elementary school teachers. My experiences there shaped who I am, although the decision was definitely doubleedged. On the one hand, my school emphasized all forms of art, allowing me to cultivate creativity in my most impressionable years. However, without the opportunity to apply to colleges four years later, I could very well have remained an elementary school teacher, which did not fit my long term aspirations. Ultimately, I obtained my Ph.D. at the University of Arizona.
Q How did that path impact your current role at CSW?
In a number of ways. First, I found my calling as a teacher. I knew I wanted to nurture young people to realize their full potential. I also deeply empathize with students who lack opportunity. My parents put me on a path that could have limited my aspirations because they didn’t know much about college applications, and they didn’t have money. I was fortunate enough to have the second chance that forever altered my life — I want to be sure all students are challenged and supported to set and achieve ambitious goals for themselves.
Q What drew you to CSW?
My first experience with CSW was as a parent (my daughter Emily Li graduated in 2023). During Emily’s time at the school, I saw how she expanded her horizons with the guidance of her teachers. I was impressed with how the school is run, and how CSW implements its values as a student-centered progressive school. I very much respect the forwardthinking approach of the leadership team, which is aligned with my own philosophy. CSW is a supportive, inspiring place to teach. My department colleagues have been talking about curriculum design, how to improve students’ learning experiences, how to tackle the challenges of AI, etc. I know that CSW is a great place for me to continue working on my Digital Humanities Advancement Grant
(DHAG)* project to create an engaging digital curriculum for Intermediate Chinese language and culture.
Q What have you enjoyed about being a Language faculty member at CSW? What memorable teaching moment(s) come to mind?
I enjoy the freedom to design my own curriculum to pique students’ interest in Chinese language and culture, with the help and support of my wonderful department colleagues. I have been experimenting with Miro to create a learning environment that is visual, interactive, and collaborative, catering to our digital generation. I also started to experiment with community-engagement learning, with the help of Mandarin-speaking families. The main question I have been thinking about is how schools in general, and CSW in particular, could meet the challenge of AI — I have been using tools like Adobe Firefly or Suno in my classroom to add spice to students’ learning experiences. I am proud that CSW students have demonstrated the capacity to push the boundaries of language teaching. For instance, all students write beautiful poems, which is not expected by ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). Or, students talk about science or debate at the Novice-high or Intermediate-low level, which is usually reserved for Advanced-level students. I am confident that CSW students will continue surprising me as Chinese learners.
Q As a member of the DEIB Office, you have worked closely with CSW families whose primary language is Mandarin. What has the work entailed? What have you enjoyed through this role?
There is so much we can do for, with, and by Mandarin-speaking families. Our Mandarinspeaking families subcommittee set up a WeChat** account to share pictures/videos on school updates, students’ events, assemblies, etc. (Thanks to the CSW community for allowing us to record and publish in this special space!) Parents feel connected with CSW because they receive up-to-date information on their kids’ academic and social life. This WeChat account is where the sense of belonging starts to build. I truly enjoy
communicating what CSW does for Mandarin students to their parents — I get to know every parent in this WeChat group and do my best to educate them about CSW. They are also eager to understand and engage. This past year, I held four meetings with this group to help them know more about CSW, each lasting for 2-3 hours. I would like to extend my appreciation to the Academic Office and College Counseling team for providing supportive programming for Mandarinspeaking families. I enjoy our collaboration and the ways our combined strengths support our CSW community. This year, I also really enjoyed working with the Development Office, who graciously allowed me the space to be creative and develop strategies that work for Mandarin-speaking families by taking into consideration their cultural backgrounds. I thus also grow personally and professionally.
Q Is there anything else you’d like the CSW community to know?
I would like the CSW community to know that I came because there are amazing, extraordinary individuals here. I appreciate their open-mindedness and care for students, no matter the student's background — it’s in the school’s DNA. I appreciate the existence of CSW!
*The Digital Humanities Advancement Grants program (DHAG) is an award offered by the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH). It supports innovative, experimental, and/or computationally challenging digital projects, leading to work that can scale to enhance scholarly research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities.
**WeChat, or Weixin in Chinese (微信 ) (which translates to "micro-message" or "small message”) is a Chinese app that combines social media, instant messaging, and mobile payments into a single platform.
“Nebula and the soft Machine” by Tanja Smeets
NEW PLACES. NEW PERSPECTIVES.
ACORNERSTONE OF CSW’S PROGRESSIVE approach, place-based learning creates opportunities for students and teachers to travel beyond the classroom, allowing for highly immersive, hands-on, collaborative experiences that solidify the absorption of knowledge and build connections with new communities. In departing from the familiarity of campus, students learn to embrace new cultures, adapt to foreign environments, and problem solve real-world issues.
This year, following a concerted effort to increase offcampus learning opportunities for students — a practice unfortunately stalled due to the pandemic — students and faculty were able to partake in a wide array of stimulating campus excursions with communities at our doorstep and around the world.
JAPAN THE KAKEHASHI PROJECT
Thanks to Adrian Vele ’07, assistant for Cultural Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston, CSW was able to engage in the Kakehashi Project, a grassroots exchange program that aims to build new bridges of friendship and cooperation between Japan and the United States.
This incredible project is fully funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Center (JICE) Japanese Friendship Ties Program. Travel itineraries are typically organized around a specific theme or interest; CSW’s chosen theme was environmentalism and sustainability.
In October, CSW welcomed visitors from Naha Kokusai Senior High School and Nago Senior High School, both located in Okinawa. All students stayed with host families from the CSW community for two nights. During their visit, the Japanese students led an assembly presentation showcasing elements of their own culture, participated in CSW classes, attended the school’s annual Halloween dance, and explored Harvard Square.
In preparation for their trip to Japan, CSW’s Kakehashi Project participants visited Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, MA. They were met by artist and CSW alum Niho Kozuru ’86, an advisor to the PEM, and guided on a special tour by Karina H. Corrigan, Associate Director, Collections and the H. A. Crosby Forbes Curator of Asian Export Art.
Over Spring Break, it was CSW’s turn to journey across the globe to reunite with our new friends and learn more about Japanese culture. The trip began in Tokyo, where students visited the Hama Rikyu Gardens and a special exhibition at the Mori Art Museum titled “Our Ecology: Toward a Planetary Living”, an exploration of how contemporary art
site in the Ryukyu Kingdom of ancient times. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a detail Nate found particularly striking.
“For me, that forest exemplified the culture of respect for nature that we saw in Japan,” he says. “In the United States and in a lot of European countries, we tend to focus heritage sites around buildings and things that people built rather than the places that surround them. All of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Okinawa are focused around nature.”
Lachlan DeAtley ’24 also noted a demonstrable reverence for nature throughout Japan. He describes seeing a tree in Hama Rikyu: “It’s a 300-year-old tree that they've let grow without any restraint. And they've helped cultivate it along the way. I
“Our host families were eager to share their cultures with us; they were always ready and willing to teach us about what we didn't know, they were extremely accommodating.”
GARRETT JANCOURTZ ’25
responds to the environmental crisis. They then traveled to Okinawa to stay with local families and visit Naha Kokusai Senior High School.
Nate Brewer ’24’s host family brought him to see the Seibu Taki, a preserved forest in Nanjo City that served as a sacred prayer
thought that really symbolized their respect for nature —they keep these trees right in the center of their city and let them expand for centuries on end.”
PANAMA NEOTROPICS OF LATIN AMERICA
The 2024 mod abroad trip to Panama marked the 30th anniversary of this program, launched in 1994 with science faculty Steve Scrimshaw at the helm.
The course has since gone through many iterations. While the original trip was just 16 days, it now runs closer to 25 days, allowing participants to visit tropical ecosystems in Central America and conduct field experiments and projects.
From the beginning, the course has maintained a grassroots feel, with strong connections to local scientists, vendors, and families, affording students a highly immersive cultural experience. This year’s students were able to partake in a number of such experiences. They visited local farms and learned about native produce; took a Cumbia Panameña dance class; toured a produce processing plant; visited the Panama Canal and museum, attended a local mass service during Semana Santa, and connected with fellow students at the CADI Bilingual Academy. Between excursions, they were able to
practice their Spanish at local shops, sample regional cuisine, and explore some of Panama’s most beautiful landscapes.
“Now that I’m home, I can appreciate the progress I made, feeling comfortable speaking Spanish and talking to new people.”
NADIA HELSINGER ’24
Along the way, students were assigned readings related to the areas they were visiting so that they could understand the context and discuss in a group setting. Students also conducted two field projects.
In Cerro Punta, they were prompted to explore the way that humans interact with the natural landscape. Then, at the end of their stay, students stayed at the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC) and completed independent field research projects studying the lowland tropical rainforest. They worked in groups to develop a research question, devise a sampling method, collect, and analyze data, and write up their findings in a research paper. This year’s topics included: the relationship between water depth and coral/sponge population in the coastal reefs; golden silk orb weaver spider behavior; fiddler crab size and behavior; and feather duster worm distribution.
Visiting Panama was a formative experience for Gaius McCubbin ’24, who says his time away significantly changed his perspective on his own home and culture. “Having been away from the Boston area for almost a month, I have been able to look at it with fresh eyes and appreciate it in a new light,” he says. At the same time, he continues to cherish the time he spent in Panama and intends to “hold on to the wonderful connections and relationships [he] made on the trip.”
GREATER BOSTON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Community Engagement (“CE”) portion of CSW’s PACE: Promoting Awareness and Community Engagement program invites students to partner with local non-profit organizations to think critically about pertinent issues and collaborate on meaningful, sustainable solutions.
During the final three modules of the year, students meet every Wednesday in community groups to work on projects and develop skills in communication, long-term engagement, and creative problem-solving.
A critical component of the CE program is leaving the comforts of campus to get to know the people, organizations, and communities they are partnering with. Unlike more traditional school models, which expect students to practice service learning on their own time, CSW’s schedule builds time within the school day for students to engage in this important work.
A few examples from the 2023-24 school year:
Students involved with Rosa Amarilla, a movement that places volunteers in medical residential centers to connect with and
provide support for non-English speakers, conducted multiple visits to Hebrew SeniorLife in Brookline. Students toured the center, speaking with residents about technology, communication, and daily life at the center.
The Project Literacy group regularly visited the Watertown Free Public Library to work with adult immigrant English learners. Some students helped learners develop basic communication skills in English (such as applying for a job or receiving medical attention) while others helped learners prepare for the U.S. Citizenship Exam.
The Love Your Menses section organized a field trip to the Massachusetts State House in Boston, MA to meet with Chief of Staff Brendan Berger and discuss reproductive legislation in Massachusetts.
THE NETHERLANDS/LOWELL FASHION & TEXTILES — DESIGN SOLUTIONS IN A CIRCULAR WORLD
In 2018, Visual Art Teacher Alison Safford was named one of the inaugural grantees of the Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund for Teachers, a generous fund established by Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P’17, and Robert Willett P’17 (parents of Oliver Willett ’17), in honor of Alorie Parkhill P’85, ’87, GP’17.
Grants from the fund may be used for travel, study, and any form of learning and exposure that follows the recipients’ scholarly interests, with a goal of allowing recipients to grow their knowledge and background in disciplines and subject areas that excite and engage them, before bringing their learning back to students and colleagues at CSW.
Alison used her grant to study Social Design in The Netherlands. “I had gone to the Netherlands for an artist’s residency in 2013,” she says, “and I noticed how much design was a part of everyday life, and that it wasn’t just about making a product. With social design, it’s really about solving a problem, rather than making a problem.”
Her travels connected her with an array of makers and designers whose work left her energized and inspired; she knew she wanted to bring students back to meet with them. After plans for a trip were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, her vision came to life in Spring 2024 via a new course (cotaught with theatre faculty Calin Duke): “Fashion and Textiles: Design Solutions in a Circular World.” Through the course, students are challenged to look at fashion and textiles in a mindful way, considering where
clothing comes from before we wear it, and where it goes afterwards. Students create materials and wearable art, exploring natural dyes, bioplastics, and the art of repair. They then spend a week living and learning in Amsterdam.
While in Amsterdam, students lived together on a houseboat. They explored local offerings like the Noordmarket (a street market dating back to the 1600s) and visited the workshops and local studios of artisans and changemakers like tessellation artist Iris Nijenhuis and fiber artist Erna Van Sambeek. Students visited Waag Futurelab, a makerspace where creators were in the process of creating giant sheets of bioplastic, and traveled to Texel to visit the Museum Kaap Skil to see a dress recovered from a shipwreck that took place between 1620 - 1630.
Another highlight was attending a workshop with Joanna van der Zaanden, the mind behind the “Repair Cafe” movement. In the workshop, students were challenged to repair stained garments, and to create fictional narratives about how their garments got stained in the first place. While the students worked on their repairs, Joanna read essays on the meaning behind repair aloud.
“Before we left for Amsterdam, we spent a lot of time learning about sweatshops and all of the pollution caused by fast fashion. It was tough,” says Riley Simpson ’24. “But then we went to Amsterdam and met people doing things like, creating fully flexible forms of kombucha leather, and it was like, oh, there are people working on this! There is innovation happening!”
Alison agrees that meeting and seeing people in person went a long way to engage and inspire the students. “I had shown them several of these artists via PowerPoint presentations before we left the US, but they didn’t always make the connection that it was the same person until I pointed it out to them. It’s so important that they are exposed to more than just theory and images. These kids are so inundated with images, they hardly mean anything to them anymore.”
Having gone on the trip, Riley says she is not only more conscious and critical of the items she consumes, but that the experience overall changed her as a person. “It definitely solidified my independence. As I get ready to go to college, I think, Okay, I can do this.”
GUATEMALA MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH GUATEMALA’S HERO SCHOOL
Backed by the non-profit Long Way Home, Hero School is a pre-K through 11th grade school located in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala, whose “curriculum blends traditional Guatemalan education with UNESCO standards for Education in Sustainable Development (ESD), and green building.”
Its 20-building campus was built using 500 tons of discarded materials and over 25,000 tires. The school professes to employ a curricular model inspired by the writings of John Dewey. Like CSW, they value experimentation, community, collaboration, and a highly student-centered approach.
When former Head of School Jane Moulding heard about Hero School in 2022, she was struck by how similar its mission was to CSW’s, and volunteered to connect the two programs. Just a few months later, thanks to generous professional development funding provided by CSW, Spanish teacher Ben Ibbetson and math teacher Rashid Chatani were on their way down to Guatemala. Their goal? To visit Hero School and offer guidance on how the emerging program could offer a
progressive approach to teaching, while still adhering to Guatemala’s national educational requirements.
While Ben and Rashid traveled to Guatemala to offer their counsel and advice, the exchange was hardly one-sided. After spending a week visiting classes, talking to teachers, learning basic Kaqchikel, and
living in an earthship, they came back to the U.S. feeling inspired and energized by what they had observed: a highly unique educational program with an impressive commitment to progressive education, art, and sustainable living.
This past spring, Ben shared his experience with the community via an Earth Day Workshop at CSW, during which attendees were able to video chat live with Matthew Paneitz, the founder of Long Way Home. Ben co-presented with Erin Grogan ’25, who led a presentation on the Guatemalan school system, which she had prepared as part of History teacher Ryan Jacobs’s “Latin America: Rebels and Revolutionaries” course.
CSW remains in touch with Hero School and looks forward to what the future may have in store for this unexpected (but highly meaningful) relationship.
After spending a week visiting classes, talking to teachers, learning basic Kaqchikel, and living in an earthship, they (Ben and Rashid) came back to the U.S. feeling inspired and energized by what they had observed: a highly unique educational program with an impressive commitment to progressive education, art, and sustainable living.
Language Teacher Ben Ibbetson and Math Teacher Rashid Chatani with Hero School faculty in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala.
A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE AND CREATIVITY
The Patience Lauriat Society, CSW’s honorary planned giving association, has been busy! During reunion weekend, Sherrill Bounnell (long-standing assistant to the Head of School and CSW’s unofficial historian) gave a fabulous talk on the school’s iconic campus art. Inspired by a new student who inquired about installations around the quad, the talk was a wonderful reminder of CSW’s long legacy of excellence and creativity. Sherrill’s presentation can be viewed at www.csw.org/pls-april-2024.
REUNION 2024
Reunion 2024 was a glorious spring weekend on campus! We celebrated milestone years ending in 4 and 9 and were overjoyed to welcome alumni from all class years back to CSW. Highlights included the opening of the Art Faculty Exhibition in the Thompson Gallery with Todd Bartel, Alison Safford, Tony Loretti, and Anne Rearick, an interactive Environmental History Workshop with Rachel Hirsch, Empty Bowls painting with Tom Evans, and a special dinner in honor of the class of 1974’s 50th Reunion.
1. Lois Levin ’59, Meridith Mackay-Smith ’65, Justin Mackay-Smith ’64; 2. Faculty member Ben Ibbetson with Christopher Freeman ’79 at the End-of-Mod Art Show; 3. Rachel Welsch ’04, Alison Maurer ’04, Rachel Fischhoff ’04, Erik Bobilin; 4. David Meiselman ’84, Philip Greven ’84, Chuck Mock ’84, Bill Burleson ’84, Gordon Reynolds ’84, Norman Conklin ’85; 5. Justin McHenry ’14, Theo Smith ’19, Ruby Rose ’14, India Wood ’14; 6. Mark Roseland ’74, Jana Kaplan ’74, Carl “Schusch” Glauner ’74; 7. Clayton Burke ’04, Krishna Chavda ’04
SOCIAL JUSTICE DAY AT CSW
CSW was honored to welcome David Hogg to campus to deliver the keynote address at our 2024 Michael H. Feldman ’67 Social Justice Day. This year’s topic, as voted on by the CSW student body, was Gun Violence and Legislation.
A survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, David is the Co-Founder of March For Our Lives and Leaders We Deserve, as well as a New York Times best-selling author. In his address to the community, David briefly recounted his memory of the Parkland school shooting before transitioning into his origin story as an activist. In the days and weeks after the shooting, David shared that he often felt powerless, but refused to let the talking heads of the media speak for himself and his classmates. Together, they quickly became the faces of youth activism against gun violence, appearing on television and organizing a trip to Florida’s state capital to meet with legislators and demand change. They would eventually go on to found March for Our Lives, and lead one of the largest youth protests in the United States since the Vietnam era.
Though he has been able to make great strides as an activist, David told students that the journey has been far from easy, and that being a youth activist, in particular, has come with its own unique challenges. Young people trying to make a difference can expect to face doubt, put-downs, and even ridicule from older generations
who believe they know more, he said, and the only reason he and his fellow activists have been able to defy the naysayers is because they have had hope.
“Because we had the audacity to hope, we were able to make change,” David shared, telling students, “You have the power to challenge the status quo.” He also emphasized that young people have one critical and highly powerful asset that the generations ahead of them do not, and that asset is time. He encouraged students to make the most of the time given to them, even if it means taking very small steps towards a larger goal.
After David’s remarks, community members had the chance to ask questions like, “Do you believe meaningful change is possible within our current governmental structure?” and “How do you respond in the moment when people try to shut you down?” The rest of the day was dedicated to group workshops led by special guests. Workshops offered included “American Gun Rights Under the Second Amendment" (co-led by alum Jonathan Guest ’69), “Advocating & Testimony Writing,” and “Gun Safety Legislation in Massachusetts.” Full workshop descriptions and speaker bios from the series are available on the CSW Social Justice Day Landing Page at www.csw.org/social-justice-day.
CAPE & VINEYARD ALUMNI EVENTS
CSW was on the Cape and Vineyard this summer! Alum-hosted events were held at the homes of Lisa Wiesner ’67 and Carl ’63 and Sally Brotman ’63 in June. The gatherings were also a chance for alumni to hear from Head of School Lise Charlier to talk about the CSW of today and tomorrow and ask questions. Many thanks to Phil DeNormandie ’67 for helping make these events happen!
ALUMNI ULTIMATE FRISBEE GAME
The alum team triumphed at this year’s Alumni Ultimate Frisbee Game where they played against current students and faculty. Join us at next year’s game on May 23!
GRADUATION 2024
On June 9, the Class of 2024 capped off four extraordinary years with a joyful graduation celebration. In keeping with tradition, Board Chair Ann Gorson P’16 started the day with a warm welcome.
Head of School Lise Charlier spoke of the power of listening, as demonstrated through the graduates’ many local and off-campus experiences: “Your ability to persevere through adversity speaks volumes about your strength of character and your capacity to overcome obstacles in pursuit of your goals,” she said.
“Through these experiences, through actively listening, you proved to yourselves that while the world may have more than its fair share of thorny issues, there is still a lot worth saving, and a lot worth creating. As you move into new communities, and get to know new people and places…I encourage you to not only listen — but to take that listening one step further and share what you have seen and learned. Your storytelling can be visual, musical, spoken, written, movement-based — pick a medium that works for you, and help bring to life the stories you have heard and the ideas that come forth from that. Continue to live a life of curiosity, listen always, and speak up for those whose voices and messages must be amplified to create a more just and sustainable world for us all.”
This year’s faculty speakers (selected, as always, by the graduating class) were music faculty Gustavo Brasil and visual art faculty Tom Evans. In a speech littered with bits of pop music lyrics, Gustavo reminded the graduates of their impact on the world: “Sometimes people say that in the future, you’ll be helping to make the world a better place. Let me tell you something: You ARE already doing it! One of the most important things to make it better is making people feel better, and by feeling better they will naturally be inclined to do good things for themselves, their communities, workplaces, the environment, and the list continues. Your class DOES that and I witnessed it many times.”
Tom took the graduates and guests on a journey back through time, commenting that, “For billions of years so many events had to go perfectly for you all to get here with your amazing neurons firing away — with all your supporters waiting for the exact moment when your name is called. Like a big stone thrown in a pond, this moment is a splash and the ripples will expand.” He reminded the graduates that, “This moment has meaning because it is the connective link between an incredible past and an expanding future.”
The student speakers, also chosen by their peers, were Ma’ayan Rider Shacham ’24 and Nate Brewer ’24. Ma’ayan commented on the impact faculty have on shaping student interests into lifelong passions., “CSW’s faculty has been one of the main highlights of the past four years here — I think many of us will agree that we couldn’t have done it without you all. The wise, supportive, and incredibly humble people who teach here are what make CSW so uniquely special. Each and every one of them cares so deeply about the success of their students, and that shines through every class, office hours, and late-night last-minute begging-for-an-extension email conversation. They all want to see you succeed, academically, socially, and artistically, which is something that I’ve learned to cherish, and beg you all to remember as you thank them for your education.”
Nate spoke to the impact of being at CSW through COVID. “Our whole generation knew that there was more to life and our youth than sitting alone in our rooms. We began to seize every opportunity to reach out and form connections, as the world we found ourselves in necessitated it. The social skills and connections that had come passively as a byproduct of being a high school or teenager to other generations were not luxuries that we had. COVID transformed us, shaped us into a resilient and adaptable generation, defined by our actions rather than our circumstances: a generation that took on the development of our lives as an active process in a way that it never had been.”
I’ve been at CSW for almost 20 years now, and last night’s Senior Night, a celebration of the graduating class created by and for each other, was one of the warmest, kindest, and most loving that I’ve been part of. It is so clear that amidst the immense challenges they faced over the past few years, your children were busy building strong bonds with each other and building up strength, resilience, and tenacity within themselves. We use the word community a lot at CSW, but never have we tested its meaning and value as much as we did during the pandemic.
In writing the preliminary guidelines regarding COVID for our students, we stated that “being on campus means pledging to care for yourself, others, and your community.” I have not seen a class embrace those tenets so wholeheartedly as I have this one. This class leaves CSW having made an impact on our school in ways that are both unique to each student’s strengths and as a collective. This class is graduating so many skilled, engaged, and passionate leaders, a group whose commitment to social justice multiplied our affinity spaces and created an entire theater set out of recycled materials for the Fall Production. They wrote their own novels, documented sea life in the intertidal zone on Hurricane Island, traveled to Panama, Taiwan, and France, lobbied for inclusive health education at the State House in Boston, composed short operas, and won cross country championships. But most of all, they each developed a strong sense of their individual selves and they took care of one another.
Excerpted from a Toast to Senior Families Given by Jane Reynolds, Director of Residential Life and English Faculty.
2024 COLLEGE DESTINATIONS
It is with immense gratitude, pride, and celebration that we share the college destinations for the Class of 2024!
American University
Amherst College
Barnard College (2)
Bates College
Boston College
Boston University (2)
Brandeis University
Bryant University
Bryn Mawr College (3)
Case Western Reserve University (2)
Champlain College
Clark University (2)
Colby College
Colorado School of Mines
Cornell University
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Eckerd College
Elon University
Emerson College
Fordham University
George Washington University
Haverford College (2)
Hofstra University
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Kenyon College (2)
McGill University
Northeastern University (2)
Occidental College
Pratt Institute
Rice University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Simmons University
Skidmore College (2)
Smith College (2)
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University (2)
The New School
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of California-Riverside
University of California-San Diego
University of Cincinnati
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Rochester (2)
University of Toronto
University of Vermont
Vassar College
Villanova University
Wellesley College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (3)
CLASS NOTES
1940s
David Sanderson ’45 writes: Hello, Classmates! Typical news: Oldest grandchild married, youngest graduated from college (summa!). Best regards.
Larry Nathanson ’46 writes: I am still active and an eternal student at Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR), where I teach and learn. I owe my continued curiosity about the world – and even the Universe – around us in part to my CSW education. I had a career which comprised care, teaching, and research in Oncology, and although retired, I keep up with the exciting advances in this field.
My immediate family consists of a wife, three sons and daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren, all of whom are, of course, above average! I can't end without mentioning the political disaster which threatens all of us in the November 2024 election. Should Biden not win that election, together with at least the Senate, I despair!
1950s
Peter and Tim Rowan write: Ursula (Miskolczy) Rowan ’54 passed away this spring. Ursula was always creating and seeking beauty. Soon after arriving from Hungary, Ursula attended CSW. For Ursula, CSW
was a meaningful and defining experience in her life. She maintained friendships with classmates throughout her life. Ursula was a supporter of CSW and always felt a strong connection to the school.
1960s
Jeff Fine ’61 writes: Still living in Sacramento, CA with my wife Robin. Recently enjoyed a long trip to London, a city I hadn’t visited in many years. My daughter and 20-monthold granddaughter live in San Francisco so it’s not too difficult to visit. I remain in touch with Arthur Krim ’61 and he was recently here researching a project involving early freeway design.
Rachel Homer ’64 writes: To mark the 60th anniversary of the graduation of CSW class of 1964, a small group of us gathered. In attendance were Peter Deutsch ’64, Rachel Homer, Sarah (Hope) Chelminski ’64 Dinah Lane ’64 Lisa (Little) Leyre ’64, Justin Mackay-Smith ’64 and Meridith ’65, and Emilie Small ’64. Dinah Lane’s husband, John Ketchum, and Emilie Small's husband, Michael Segal, also came. We noticed much change on the school campus and rejoiced in all that we had gained from our experiences there. Astonished by the development adjacent to the school, we admire the difficult job of leading the school forward. During our
recent visit, we were cheerfully greeted by faculty, staff, and students. We are confident they can meet these challenges. Of course, the class of 1964 looks forward to seeing many friends at its 65th reunion in 2029!
Bob Fogel ’64 and his wife Betti became proud first-time grandparents in September 2023 with birth of Carter Daniel Fogel, son of their son Ben and Kristie Fogel. Bob also completed an 80-mile hike in May 2024 in the Wye River Valley in Wales.
Ann Barysh ’67 writes: I retired from the world of public education in 2021. Since then I have traveled and loved every minute. I have four grandchildren. I am involved in local politics and am working with my temple on topics relating to racism and the plight of immigrants. This summer my husband and I will be celebrating 50 years of marriage. I am working on becoming a storyteller and would love to "tell" on the MOTH. I am healthy, which is important to those of us of a certain age. Hello to my classmates.
Sandy Weisberg ’68 writes: Allan and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary having met the summer after graduating CSW. Our two kids have delighted us with four grandchildren ranging from ages 3-11, with one set in Houston and the other here in Newton. After getting my MLS, I initially worked in various business and medical libraries, but over the last thirty plus
years, as an archivist at Harvard on a joint program with the University of Sussex dealing with chemical and biological weapons and warfare arms control issues. Doing tai chi, book group discussions, travel, play going, and more than occasional pre-school pickups.
Anna Dibble ’69 writes: After 5 years of running an artists' collaborative I founded, directed, and raised funds for — that produced two large-scale ecology-arts installations here in Maine (Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay and Maine Maritime Museum in Bath) — I'm finally, at age 73, able in my life to paint full time. I currently have seven galleries and am looking for more. I co-curated a show at George Marshall Store Gallery in York, Maine, that will run from July 13 - August 18. My website: annadibble.com. My EcoArts website: gulfofmaineecoarts.com. And Instagram @anna.dibble.
1970s
Lisa Brodey ’76 writes: I'm writing this on Father's Day, having just started listening to a podcast about my father (sense-of-rebellion.com), which has led me to re-acquaint myself with a young Lisa, the one you may have known at CSW. Well, since those years, I married Sam Clark and mothered two daughters, Lucy and Mahalia. I became a shamanic practitioner (diving into unknown worlds
Bill Gruener ’62 visited the CSW campus and had lunch with Roger Fussa (CSW staff), John Thompson (CSW trustee), Rachel Hirsch (History teacher), and Meredith Mikell (Science teacher and new faculty trustee).
Bill's campus tour included a stop at the George Building to visit the room named in memory of his aunt Jennette R. Gruener. He was very impressed with the Fit (Health and Fitness Center), stating that “of the many things that CSW has done throughout the years, I think that center was one of the best.” Bill reports that he had a wonderful time visiting CSW, and that the campus looked great!
At the April 10th school Assembly, Nick Flanders ’70 presented his 1960s and 1970s CSW photo collection. On Zoom, Jon Hainer ’70 joined Nick from California to discuss the historical and cultural context of the photos — locally, nationally, and globally. It was fascinating to see changes and continuities at CSW and to learn some history from those dramatic years. (Thank you, Nick and Jon!) In addition to presenting at Assembly, Nick attended Ryan Jacob's history class and Dee Tran's art class. Sherrill Bounnell, assistant to the Head of School and CSW's unofficial historian, hosted Nick. Meeting him and his classmates on campus or via Zoom is always a pleasure!
Sandy Weisberg ’68 and her husband Allan
Class of ’74 photo of the half-century! Jim Braver ’74 takes a selfie with Sam Ogden ’75, Sarah Speare ’74, and Peter Berman ’74 at Reunion 2024.
Paintings by Anna Dibble ’69
and communing with spirits, dontcha know!?) AND a U.S. diplomat mostly focused on the environment, science, and technology. We lived all over, but mostly in Europe, fell in love with Italy, bought land, built a house, and now we are retired in Umbria, not far from Orvieto. We are olive farmers, and I continue with my shamanic work and mentoring people who are interested in heart-led networks. Reach out if you are in Umbria!
David Hannon '79 writes: CSW alumnus Billy Ruane '76 is featured in a documentary (The Road to Ruane) about his life as a music impresario in the Boston/Cambridge Rock scene. He was a singular force of nature and responsible for launching some of the region's best acts. It premiered at the Somerville Theater during Independent Film Festival Boston.
1980s
Michael Garber '80 and his wife Sue Carpenter are anticipating a move to a new address in Mt. Kisco, NY, and the release by Rowman and Littlefield of Michael's second book, about women songwriters of the era 19201960, in February 2025.
Deena (Steinberg) Parmelee ’83 writes: Living and working in south-central Pennsylvania for the last 14 years; glad to be out of academia but still proud of the Ph.D. my mother says I don't use; married nearly 40 years; grown sons both married, one grandson.
Mike Luce ’83 writes: Max Levine ’81 and I have been doing a podcast about movies for the last six years. We are approaching our 300th episode! Every week, we ask a poll question online and are able to connect with a bunch of CSW alums, including Charles Forsythe ’83, Chuck Mock ’84, David Meiselman ’84, Harry McCracken ’82 , Nick
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Everyone is invited to submit news to the Alumni Office. Visit alumni.csw.org to sign up for our new alumni hub and share your news with classmates.
Hofmann ’83, Tony Marill ’83, Seth Jacobs ’82 , Val Kuhns ’80, Dan Schaeffer ’80, and George Saulnier ’84. It's an all-for-fun, no-profit podcast that helps two CSW best friends keep in touch. "Max, Mike; Movies" is the show and we have a great time doing it. Our show has won numerous awards...in our minds, anyway! At the very least, it's great to know that folks from CSW are still in our lives.
Jenny Burkin ’87 writes: I have been living and working year-round on Martha's Vineyard for the past 10 years. I teach art to children, teens, and adults through the Island libraries as well as privately through my company, Art on the Go. I am also currently fostering a pit bull/German Shepherd mix from the Bronx named Lena. Lena has been the subject of a recent series of acyrlic paintings on canvas.
David Levavi ’89, of Manchester, New Hampshire, graduated from Touro University Worldwide in March 2024 with a Doctor of Health Science degree. His doctoral research focused on the development of habitual alcohol consumptionrelated, chronic nitric oxidedeficient hypertension in middle-aged non-Hispanic White men. For more information, visit dlev.net. Touro University Worldwide is the online campus of New York-based Touro University, the largest Jewish university system in the United States, serving more than 19,000 students across 35 campuses in four states. For more information, visit tuw.edu.
1990s
Megan Lynes ’95 is delighted to be the next settled minister at Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church in Harvard, MA. Megan is a single mom by choice and can hardly believe that her son, Jesse, is about to start kindergarten! Life is good! Love to all!
Elizabeth Roy ’97 writes: I’ll be taking up a new position as Middle School Visual Arts Teacher at the American School of Dubai for the 2024-2025 school year. If you live in Dubai, have children at the school, or are thinking of moving to Dubai, please reach out!
Mary-Lou Broderick writes: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beautiful daughter, Hilary Broderick ’98
2000s
Will Porter ’04 just completed his MFA in Acting at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, and is now teaching at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival in Kansas City. In July, his solo adaptation of David Copperfield will premiere at the Kansas City Fringe Festival in July.
Jesse Simmons ’06 writes: My wife and I welcomed our first child in December, a boy named Owen!
Sonia ("Sunny") McCallum ’09 writes: Hi CSW! It's been a long time (15 years!) since graduation. In the last few
IN MEMORIAM
Marcia (Stone) Reisman ’42
Phyllis Levenson Bloom ’53
Ursula M. Rowan ’54
Nina Meyers Susman ’55
Harley Holden ’56
Jane B. Swinton ’56
Mary Allen Desantis ’59
Terri Phillips ’59
Esther Pasztory ’61
Nicholas McClelland ’63
Doug Tishler ’63
Elizabeth S. Squibb ’66
Peter Carl Webber ’66
Neil Strock ’67
Benjamin Asher ’72
Louisa Marshall ’82
Hilary K. Broderick ’98
Ashley Pindyck ’99
Caitlin Kuhlman ’00
Joseph “Joe” Harkins ’07
Karam Ajalat ’22
years, I graduated/escaped law school (May 2021), got married to my wonderful partner Eli (May 2022), moved into a new home (January 2024), and had a baby! I'm so delighted to say that Maxwell Ezra was born healthy and happy in March of 2024 — decidedly the best part of the last 15 years. I'd love to get in touch with others still in the area. Reach out!
Documentary featuring Billy Ruane '76
2010s
Olivia Buntaine ’11 writes: I recently received the Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities grant from the Society for Classical Studies to produce the upcoming fiction podcast "Parthenos: Girls Like Us" based on my play by the same name. A collaboration between the production company Little Scorpion
Studios and my theatre company Project Nongenue, "Parthenos" is an audio drama about democracy, mythology, and the alternatingly terrifying and hysterical power of teenage girls. Keep your eyes and ears out for the project's release in late 2024!
Livy Strauss ’17 writes: On June 1st, my long-time co-worker and I became co-owners of Concord Teacakes in West Concord, MA!
see all
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of independent school
and seeing the amazing work they are doing as art
Emily Li ’23 won the Innovation Award at the Junk Kouture World Finals in Monaco for her design “Older Motions”. Junk Kouture is a global competition that challenges students from around the world to create wearable fashion pieces using recycled materials. Emily’s design was crafted from white pleather upholstery and VHS tapes, using CLO 3D to create a digital pattern. The Innovation Award celebrates those designers who explore original, innovative choices of materials and manipulation techniques.
While in Washington, DC, for the NAIS Civil Discourse Lab: Building a Plan to Foster Constructive Conversations During Election Season, CSW faculty and staff had dinner with a few local alums! From left to right: Dean of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Lisa Palmero, history teacher Rachel Hirsch, Rachel Loren ’20, Head of School Lise Charlier, Juliet Henry ’16, Assistant Head of School for Academics Diana Baruni, and Theo Illarianov ’23.
Visual arts faculty member Tom Evans was stunned to
the CSW connects at
meeting
art teachers this spring! Tom mentored several of them,
teachers was incredibly satisfying. From left to right: Liz Perry, former CSW student teacher from Mass Art; Iku Oseki P’07; Amy Walrod ’91; Tom; Arielle Drisko ’12; Melody Bartlett ’98; Nicole Stone ’96; and Nancy Popper, former CSW Summer Arts teacher.
Former faculty member — and one of the minds behind the mod system — Philip Parsons visited campus this spring! He is pictured (left) with Senior Leadership and Planned Giving Officer Roger Fussa.
COMMUTING FOUR HOURS AND GIVING UP A HORSE FOR CSW
“I hated middle school,” Janet Gordon ’89, a Patience Lauriat Society member, remembers. She missed over 30 days of 8th grade, and her parents, both professors, left the choice of high school to her: CSW or Beverly High School (BHS).
If she chose CSW, she would have to commute four hours by train; if she went to BHS, her parents would buy her a horse. Janet figured if she got an excellent education at CSW, “I could buy my own damn horses.” With her parents’ full support, Janet chose the commute. She joined her brother Dave, who was transferring into CSW as an 11th-grader.
To travel from the North Shore to CSW, Janet woke up at 5 AM and, in the winter, saw her house in the daylight only on weekends. Nonetheless, CSW was “magical.” Janet put CSW in her estate because she wants the same for future students.
“It was the first time in my life…I felt seen, and the first time that learning was interesting and fun,” she explains. Her amazing teachers included Holly Hickler, Trumbull Smith, Warren Carberg, and Marilyn Del Donno. They were teachers who
“wanted you to be learning” and made it engaging and fun. Janet did not miss a single day of the 9th grade.
At CSW, Janet played soccer, wrote for the literary magazine, got into weaving, served on a social justice day committee — and made lifelong friends. She also sat on a student committee charged with attendance issues. This committee spoke to the school’s ethos of student participation, and she graduated deeply believing that you need to participate to make your environment better.
After a bachelor’s at Earlham College, Janet earned a master’s at Vanderbilt University in human development counseling. She also has two master’s-level certificates: from Harvard University’s Program in Refugee Trauma and from Widener University in advanced counseling for transgender and non-binary clients. Janet has worked for over 20 years as a licensed professional counselor and focuses her practice on LGBTQAI+, trauma recovery, and grief and loss. Most of the year, she lives in Colorado with her two horses.
Janet works daily with teens. “Teenagers are amazing,” she remarks, “and theyʼre so cool and so dynamic, and they so just want to be
seen.” Speaking of CSW, Janet says we need “more lifelong learners,” and people who are “tuned into social justice…[and] building community.” Janet included CSW in her estate because it offers an education the world will always need.
Congratulations to Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P’17 and Ann Gorson P’16 for their work with the Metrowest Women’s Fund, a philanthropy investing in women and girls through community building, education, and grant making. The Fund was honored with a Presidential Award at the Massachusetts Bay Community College commencement ceremony on May 23, 2024.
Rebecca was also honored at the Massachusetts State House in June (with Metrowest Women’s Fund Co-Founder/Co-Director Rachel Sagan) as a 2024 Commonwealth Heroine. Each year, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) partners with state legislators to identify women who make outstanding contributions to their organizations and in their communities. Rebecca and Rachel were nominated by their individual state legislators in recognition of the 5th anniversary of the Metrowest Women’s Fund.
(L to R) Massachusetts Bay Community College commencement ceremony at Wellesley Hills Campus on May 23, 2024 in Wellesley, Massachusetts. MassBay President David Podell and Metrowest Women’s Fund Co-Founder and Co-Director Rebecca Parkhill. Photo by Ann Hermes.
My Five
1
DESCRIBE A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM YOUR TIME AT CSW.
When the whole community came out to enjoy the eclipse on the quad.
I would choose Danny DeVito because he seems kind and wise and we’d be a funny duo.
My senior year Lip Sync Battle during all boarders weekend. We sang “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, since the solar eclipse was that week, and dressed up with sunglasses and everything.
A memorable moment was when my friends and I took a picture the first day we met. We were making a star with our hands.
Heritage Fest in the Fit this spring. It was great learning about everyone’s background and seeing it proudly shared with the community.
DO YOU HAVE A GO-TO KARAOKE SONG? 3
WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE REALLY GOOD AT? 4
IF YOU COULD DESIGN A VIDEO GAME ABOUT ANYTHING, WHAT TOPIC WOULD YOU CHOOSE? 5
Either Tana Mongeau or Drew Barrymore without a doubt. Both of them just seem like such sweet and energetic people to be around, and I think they would have funny stories to tell about everything.
What Dreams Are Made Of by Hilary Duff. I’ve never actually done karaoke but my go-to song to blast in the car will forever be “Formation”, off of Lemonade by Beyoncé.
Relating anything to chihuahuas.
I’d make the Suite Life of Zach and Cody game into a VR version.
Public speaking and community building. Being a dorm leader, peer mentor, and admissions ambassador has brought me out of my shell,
I would probably do a choose-your-own adventure, because I used to love those books when I was younger!
I think a celebrity I would pick is Zendaya. I picked her because she's so gorgeous and she stands up for what she believes in.
Jaylen Brown. Not only is he an extremely wealthy and talented athlete, but his work ethic and his support of his community are inspiring. WHICH CELEBRITY WOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND? WHY? 2
Not really, but I listen to a lot of music. When I listen to a new song that I like, I tend to play it a lot but it changes often.
I'm really good at playing a video game called Star Stable.
My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas. It’s a crowd pleaser and really gets the people going.
Connecting with others. All it takes is a little effort, curiosity, and willingness to put yourself out there. Oh and a lot of talking.
A topic I would choose is ice skating. I love ice skating and I don't see a lot of good video games with ice skating in it. Squirrels. If anyone knows how to code let’s talk about it!
DEE TRAN Visual Art Faculty
AUDRIE ALVAREZ ’27 Student
MAX BREWER ’24 Student
TED HURLEY Athletics Associate and Residential Faculty
Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, Okinawa, Japan
45 Georgian Road Weston, Massachusetts 02493
Address service requested
TJ Hudner ’25 and Riley Simpson ’24 at the Textiel Museum during Fashion, Textiles, and the Circular Economy's study trip to the Netherlands. Textiles pieces by artist Sigrid Calon.
