For the annual Middle School (MS) Diversity Day on Thursday, March 13, 2025, our MS students spent the day attending special activities and a variety of community-building workshops on topics of interest to D-E faculty/staff and affinity groups.
MS Principal Jonathan Davis P ’24 said this was the 6th year students have participated in Diversity Day. It’s an event that is “grounded in our mission of meeting the challenges of a changing world and making it better,” he said. It’s a day “away” from their scheduled classes at D-E, which he explained includes themes that are just as important as assignments and projects that students are graded on.
The day began in Schenck Auditorium with guest speaker Eboné Bell, a prominent media figure who advocates for LGBTQ women, who spoke on allyship and creating intentional change. Students then dispersed to the MS Building and a couple of other sites on campus to attend two of 16 available workshops.
“[It’s an event that is] grounded in our mission of meeting the challenges of a changing world and making it better.”
MS/Upper School Librarian Kat Sanford, who held a session on European folk songs, said when arriving at her workshop idea, “I immediately thought of a course I was taking on the folk songs of Ireland, Scotland, and England, and given that a lot of my heritage comes from those countries, it felt like a really authentic way to share a part of my culture with the students.” Ms. Sanford added that folk songs are meaningful because they have been sung for hundreds of years and passed down through oral tradition: “They’re songs that tell stories and are carried by communities rather than belonging to a single person.”
“I chose to host a piñata workshop because it is my birthday today!” exclaimed Lydia Scrivanich P ’27, a faculty member in the MS Art & Design Department. “My parents are from Guatemala, and we share a lot of customs with Mexico where piñatas are very popular,” she said. “I wanted to have a festive workshop for the students and teach them where this party staple originated… Now they will know the history and the work that goes into making this fun craft!”
Pooja Patel P ‘36, 7th Grade English and History Teacher, co-led a workshop on poetry, in which she encouraged students to write about whatever spoke to them in the moment. “Your words make this a better place,” she said.
“You don’t often realize the power you have as a group.”
MS Counselor and Jewish Affinity Group advisor Ariel Levitan helped organize a hamantaschen-making event for Purim in the MS Teaching Kitchen. She explained that the traditional Jewish cookie is fashioned after the hat of a villain that was defeated in an ancient story about the perseverance of the Jews. Lila W. ’29, who took part in the cultural activity, reflected on its significance. “It’s nice to get together as a community,” she said. “You don’t often realize the power you have as a group.”
Over in the Wharton Lessin Dining Hall, Chef Alex with help from our Cater to You team described the origin of beans, which he said is “one of the foods that can be found in more than one culture” and that have a common ancestor grown in South America. As part of his presentation, he brought in several varieties from the bean club he belongs to.
“Middle School is all about finding your place in the world and creating your own identity.”
And that’s not all! Diversity Day also included a yoga class in Hajjar Auditorium, a global dance party, group conversations on current events impacting students and families, and an Advisory scavenger hunt. The day concluded with a jubilant Holi celebration using colored powder on Graham Field, which DEIB Assistant Director Simone Henry Agblonon described as “an important piece of Indian culture.”
“Middle School is all about finding your place in the world and creating your own identity,” expressed Mr. Davis. “This is an opportunity for our students to know who they are and to give others the space to be who they are.”
