SPOTLIGHT ON JAYLEN EVANS ’06
SPOTLIGHT ON CINDY DWYER
Jaylen Evans ’06 remembers well his first day at Waterside School. He was “very scared” on that opening day but, quickly, his nervousness gave way to a sense of excitement at the opportunity. Jaylen’s parents, Angela and Richard Evans, had heard about Waterside through the Childcare Learning Center and Jaylen had been accepted as a first grader for Waterside’s charter year.
Cindy Dwyer, current Waterside Board member and volunteer, first got involved with Waterside six years ago. She was looking for a worthy cause to dedicate her time to and had heard about Waterside through friends. She still remembers the day she first visited the School. While waiting to meet with the Head of School, she was greeted by a smiling first grade boy who approached her confidently and said “Welcome to Waterside.” She was instantly captivated.
Jaylen spent five years at Waterside and was a member of the School’s first graduating class. The years were happy ones with many lessons learned. Recollecting, Jaylen noted, “The most important thing I learned at Waterside was to work hard. I may not have learned it right away and I may not have always liked learning it but I did and it has made all the difference.” He recalled a time when he was almost asked to leave the school because he was not taking his commitment to Waterside seriously. He was given one last chance; leaned heavily on the support of his 3rd grade teacher, Jamel Keels, and Ms. Visage; and learned a valuable and defining life lesson. With his second chance, he changed course, took full advantage of the opportunity and, from that day forward, worked with a commitment to excel. After completing fifth grade and, disappointingly, failing to gain acceptance to an independent school, Jaylen returned to Waterside every afternoon, doing his own school work and asking for more. That fall, Jaylen applied to Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA and was accepted with a full scholarship. Despite his trepidation about going away to School and being away from home, Jaylen seized the opportunity, found hard earned success in the classroom and excelled athletically. With that success has come confidence, a growing maturity and a deep appreciation of the opportunity that allowed it all. Jaylen believes that Waterside definitely prepared him for success in boarding school and beyond. The study skills, the lessons learned by working through mistakes, the values practiced, the friendships made, the learning to believe in himself and hold himself to the highest standards — these were all parts of his Waterside experience and, now, these are all so obviously a part of him. In June of this year, Jaylen will graduate from Eaglebrook and head off to any one of a number of the boarding schools to which he has applied. In thinking about it all, Jaylen reflected, “I have really enjoyed Eaglebrook, everything about it. I am sure I will enjoy my next school as well. But Waterside will always be my school. I love it and always will.” With good reason, Waterside is very proud of Jaylen Evans.
From her tireless and generous efforts as a Board member, to volunteering three afternoons a week, Cindy’s involvement has spanned all dimensions of school life. She has worked with every grade level and has come to know the School nearly as well as any faculty member or administrator. Cindy has also been responsible for bringing a number of educational and athletic enrichment opportunities to Waterside. She and her husband, Andrew Dwyer, have funded a number of trips for Waterside fifth graders with the goal of enriching each child’s educational experience and broadening their horizons. Among those experiences have been a trip to Washington, D.C., including a visit to the White House, and a trip to Yale University to skate with the varsity hockey teams, followed by a visit to the Peabody Museum. These have provided cherished and unforgettable experiences for the children. Cindy has also worked to help provide Waterside students further opportunities in athletics. She inaugurated the swim program at Waterside with a donation from the Andrew K. Dwyer Foundation, a foundation started in honor of her son. As a direct result of the Foundation’s investment, all Waterside students receive instruction in swimming and all are accomplished swimmers by the time they graduate. This past fall, the Andrew K. Dwyer Foundation also made it possible for Waterside to launch its first-ever interscholastic athletic program, funding both boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. The teams competed with great enthusiasm in a league in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Both programs proudly honor the memory of Andrew K. Dwyer, his generous heart and his passion for sports. Over her time at Waterside, Cindy has seen great changes in the school. The school has grown in both scale and scope and its boldest dreams are now in the form of working plans. It has added grade levels, increased enrollment, expanded program and stretched the level of parental involvement. Most importantly she feels that the school is working harder than ever to prepare its students for life beyond Waterside. In Cindy’s words, “Waterside is a dream come true.”