Lise's Lens: April 4, 2024
I am reading Maame, by Jessica George, thinking about the important role Mod 5 plays in our school year, and listening to an interview about social media with one of our alums!
WHAT I’M READING
- I decided (again from my bedside pile) to read a novel that would take me into the life of a teen. I read Maame, a novel by Jessica George, a first time novelist. The novel follows Maddie Wright, a British Ghanaian woman, as she comes of age in London. Apparently the novel is loosely based on George’s own experiences, which made it particularly interesting to me. In several interviews, George shares how her diaries were useful to her in writing the book (shoutout to keeping a journal)! And in case you are wondering about the title, Maame, it means to be a woman or a mother (in this case, before her/your time) in Twi, a Ghanaian dialect.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- I am thinking about how important this time of year is here at CSW. For many, Mod 5 marks the transition into the “end” of the school year, or rather, the final third. But rather than focus on the end point, I hope we can mindfully acknowledge everything going on in our present, day-to-day lives. As I shared in a letter to parents and guardians this week, we have a lot of really exciting special programming happening this Mod, including visits from David Hogg and representatives from Our Children’s Trust. But Mod 5 is also a time when the Community Engagement component of PACE really goes into high gear, with students venturing off campus to partner with local organizations. It’s also when Senior Capstone presentations begin. As always, it’s going to go by in a flash, but I am confident that the benefits of our experiences will remain with us for much longer.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- It was exciting to hear CSW alum Evan Greer ’03 on WBUR as part of a conversation discussing the role and impact of social media, specifically in the lives of adolescents. By now, we are all well aware of the negative impacts these channels can have on mental health, but Evan also points out that for some kids, social media offers much needed community, support, and refuge from difficult home situations. In summary, it’s a highly complicated issue where things are not nearly as black and white as they may seem.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Our Neotropics of Latin America students are having a blast down in Panama. Yesterday they went for nature walks with the CADI School and enjoyed a delicious barbecue. Follow along with them on Instagram @CSWOffCampus
Campus News
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Photography Teacher Anne Rearick Releases New Book
Photography Teacher Anne Rearick has release a new book of photograpy, Gure Bazterrrak (Our Land). Published by the Deadbeat Club Press, the book will begin shipping this winter and will be available during Paris Photo at Polycopies, Porte de Solférino.Read More -
Anny '28 Wins International Film Awards
Read MoreThis past summer, Anny ’28, worked as executive director and cinematographer for two documentary films titled Shaolin Youth and Confined, earning multiple international awards for her efforts.Anny, a boarding student from China, spent her summer filming Shaolin Youth in the Shaolin Temple, a thousand-year-old temple, where she focused on different groups of Chinese teenagers, showcasing China's special martial arts program and the impact it can have on the growth of teenagers from low-income families. The film focuses on the stories of underserved families and troubled teenagers in rural China who are hoping to change their fate by learning martial arts, showing the dedication and love these teenagers have toward martial arts, and the influence martial arts can have on a person's growth. -
CSW Welcomes Students from Panama
Read MoreLast week CSW welcomed 12 students from C.A.D.I. Bilingual Academy in Panama, where our students spent some time during the mod abroad trip to Panama in mod 5 last school year! They were joined by C.A.D.I.'s Director and administrators. During their visit from October 17-21, 2024, they stayed with CSW host families and attended classes with student ambassadors. -
Mod Break Wilderness Trips are Back!
Read MoreMod break Wilderness Trips are back in action with the first one taking students to the White Mountains! During the 3-day trip, students were split up into two groups based on student preference. The introductory group made its foray into the Kinsman Mountains with History and English teacher/Wilderness Trip Guide Aidan Wang, while the advanced group tackled Mt. Garfield with Science teacher and longtime Wilderness Trip Guide Kevin Smith.
Meet CSW Students
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.