Senior student-athletes were recently honored during Signing Day, a special D-E tradition that recognizes their commitment to play at the collegiate level. Six members of the Class of 2026 gathered in the Myrna B. Sherman Gym for the ceremonial signing, surrounded by their families, fellow students, and D-E faculty and staff. “Today, we are celebrating the achievements and future endeavors of six of our outstanding senior athletes as they prepare to take the next step in their athletic journeys,” said Athletic Director JD Sand, who opened the ceremony, followed by Upper School Principal Kim Lalli, a former college field hockey player. Ms. Lalli shared a personal story about her transition from high school student-athlete to college athlete and underscored how important it will be to “build a family with your teammates.” Associate Athletic Director Dat Phan then introduced each of the following honorees: Grace Dalgetty ’26, intending to play track and field at Brown University; Sophia Espinal ’26, intending to play women’s soccer at Wellesley College; Austin Kim ’26, intending to play baseball at Swarthmore College; Piper Rosenberg ’26, intending to compete on the women’s rowing team at Stanford University; Alex Jachimowski ’26 intending to play men’s lacrosse at Oberlin College; and Cameron Gennardo ’26, intending to compete on the men’s rowing team at Trinity College. In the words of Mr. Sand, “We wish you all the best of luck and congratulations!”

In their Blue Era! Members of the Leaders for Equity & Diversity (LEAD) Program recently created identity-inspired cyanotypes, a printing process that uses ultraviolet light and water to produce a blue-hued photographic image. LEAD Advisor Mr. Joel Lee ’17, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for the Upper School, guided students through the steps of reproducing a photo or other physical memento onto botanical papers. “The goal is to engage students in an activity based on their own identities and experiences,” said Mr. Lee. They were asked to select a cherished photo or object for the cyanotype and to think about a person to whom they’d like to give this gift. Stanley Ma ’28 printed a photo of himself with his sister. “We’re very close,” he said. Adhara Blanc ’28 shared that she made cyanotypes for her coaches and a print of the cross she wears around her neck for herself, as the necklace belonged to her mother. Paige Barnes ’28 said she was inspired by beautiful spring flowers and used a handful of them to create one of her cyanotypes. Thanks to Mr. Lee for organizing such a meaningful project!

Upper School (US) World Language Faculty recently organized field trips that allowed our students to explore different cultures and traditions. During a workshop on Afro-Latino music, dance, and history at the Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center in New York City, the nonprofit arts and community organization Los Pleneros de la 21 guided both students and faculty through Bomba and Plena Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance. “The field trip was part of the curriculum for a new Spanish elective class, Afro-Latinidad: Language & Culture, I designed and am teaching for the first time this semester,” said US Spanish Teacher Dra. Collado, who collaborated closely with Sra. Levin’s Spanish 6: Language & Culture class and Dean Tuc’s Dance class. “This is one of the most fun and engaging field trips I’ve been on so far,” said Kenneth Seymour ’26. “I felt immersed in the activity as opposed to just observing, and it connected beautifully to the Afro-Latino history we’ve studied in class. It was very special to me to learn and play music deeply rooted in rich cultural tradition.” On another day, students from Mr. Burke’s Sixth Grade Latin and Ms. Brandow’s US Latin classes took a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to observe examples of ancient texts they’d been learning about. “My Latin students have been studying how to translate ancient Roman gravestones—a tricky skill because it involves more than just understanding the Latin grammar, but also recognizing common abbreviations,” explained Mr. Burke. “Despite the difficulty, studying this material is rewarding because it gives us a small glimpse into the lives of ordinary Romans.” While at the Met, students also examined other Roman art and artifacts. Here’s to bringing language and history to life, one field trip at a time!