In the final days of the school year, D-E celebrated Pride Month with community-wide efforts to decorate the campus with Pride flags, banners, window decals, and a giant rainbow paper chain stretching from the Lower School (LS) and past the Upper School (US) to the Middle School (MS). The idea for the paper chain came from Dr. Danny Carragher, US Human Development Chair & Teacher, who is a faculty adviser for the GSA student organization, devoted to providing a safe space for LGBT+ students. “I wanted it to be something for the whole school that connected the three divisions,” says Dr. Carragher. The chain was a collaborative effort that involved both the US and MS GSA clubs as well as some LS students assisted by Simone Henry Agblonon, LS/MS Assistant Director of DEIB. “The Hyper 9 math students helped me figure out how long the chain should be,” said Dr. Carragher. “We kicked off the actual making of the chain at the Queer Family Affinity Group table at the Fall Festival… [and] the GSA kids worked on it on and off all year.”

“Rainbows show us that colors are unique and when you put them together, they are even more beautiful, like our D-E community,” continued Ms. Henry Agblonon. She added that initiatives like the rainbow chain “support the unique aspects of who we all are… and foster belonging for the entire school.” Happy Pride Month!