Music to our ears! A few of our Lower School (LS) students recently participated in a Piano and Flute MasterClass in the LS Music Room with music teachers Karen Littlefield and John Littlefield. “MasterClass is a supportive, small-group learning experience in which students perform a short, prepared piece and receive live coaching,” explained Dr. Sherronda Brown P’31, ’31, Director of D-E 360°. This is an exciting opportunity for our students, who receive real-time, age-appropriate feedback. This MasterClass included Wylde W. ’38, Vivienne Z. ’34, Lanna H. ’34, Scarlett S. ’33, Savannah G. ’38, Benjamin V. ’36, and Deborah L. ’34, performing songs such as “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “Barcarolle,” and “Harmony of the Angels.” Bravo to our students and the Littlefields for making magic in the music room! 

In what’s become a cross-divisional tradition, the AP Psychology class of Dr. Carragher (“Dr. C”), Human Development Chair, visited the Lower School for a fun experiment that tested Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Upper School students were partnered with a group of Kindergartners for the activity. Caden Wiener ’26 explained that he and his AP Psych classmates showed the younger students that they were pouring the same amount of water into two different-shaped vessels, and then asked if they could agree that there was the same amount of water in both the short and tall glasses, despite the visual illusion that one had more than the other. “Most of them seemed to get it,” he said.  The idea was also demonstrated using the same amounts of Play-Doh rolled into different shapes. Ella Mansager ’26 said Dr. C’s class ran this experiment last year with preschoolers, many of whom thought the amount of water or Play-Doh did change. Ella noted she was able to observe a shift in the perception of students who were a year older. “It’s really cool to see how much they’ve developed in a short time,” she said. Proof that small shifts = big results!

Way to go, Bulldogs! The Dwight-Englewood Fights Against Cancer (D-EFAC) club hosted its annual March Madness basketball tournament last week, raising almost $1,775 for the CancerCare organization, which provides free professional support services and information for people managing cancer. Teams of five students signed up to play, and spectators paid $5 for an entry ticket bracelet for the week and purchased raffle tickets for special prizes. Students also voted through cash donations on which faculty member would get a pie in the face during halftime of the final game—and the lucky recipient (and good sport!) was Mr. Bryant, Dean of the Class of 2028. The week also included a Lunch and Learn with a representative from CancerCare. “March Madness is a really important event for D-EFAC because we are able to get the whole Upper School involved in our fight against cancer through a fun activity,” said club leader Alden Stewart ’27. “Everyone looks forward to this event each year—it’s so rewarding seeing everyone supporting their friends and wearing bracelets throughout the week.” Congrats to all who participated in rallying for a great cause and “making it better”!