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ON CHRISTIAN & ELM | NEWSWORTHY
Lessons from P.S. 154
Surely, we were a sight walking through the streets of the Bronx and Harlem: 18 students and two faculty chaperones proceeding in a large group, stopping at each stop light to regroup, and checking each street sign to confirm our navigation. No one would have guessed that we were taking part in an experience that would change hundreds of lives in a matter of five days.
sional district in the United States,” she explained. “And 98 percent come from families living below the poverty level.” Because of the limited funds and lack of a music program, she was excited by the possibility of a week-long introduction to music. “The week that our students spent with the Choate chorus was invaluable. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders made connections with your high school students that were personal and not soon forgotten. I was amazed by how much our students learned about music, how quickly they came out of their shells, and how engaged and excited our most reluctant students were.” Ms. Kegel strongly believes in the power of music education. Choate students “had an opportunity to give audiences a gift of incredible value,” she says. “This practice of courageous generosity will serve them and their communities throughout their lives.”
Choate students had an opportunity to give audiences a gift of incredible value,” she says. “This practice of courageous generosity will serve them and their communities throughout their lives.” Alysoun Kegel, the Director of Choate’s Choral and Vocal Program, asked me to assist her with this trip to New York City in March, when she and some members of the Choate chorus would teach music classes to public school students in the Bronx and Harlem. The rationale was simple: in these underfunded school systems, music programs are often cut. Thousands of school children have no music education at all: most could not tell you what “Do,” “Re,” and “Mi” means, let alone recognize a note on a music staff. But by the end of the week at P.S. 154 on East 135th Street, we marveled at the performance of 250 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders as they joined the Chamber Chorus in a confident musical performance. Dr. Alison Coviello, who has been at the helm of P.S. 154 for three years, remarked especially how the students who would not otherwise have participated with so much enthusiasm in their other academic classes were enthralled and captivated, especially those students with learning disabilities. “P.S. 154 is located in the second poorest Congres-
Choate students, too, have learned much about what it means to work and learn in communities with so few resources. Many students were visibly upset when Dr. Coviello told them that recess had been suspended at P.S. 154 for a couple of months this winter because students did not own snow pants and boots. Choate students activated a plan to provide aid and to formalize an annual program with P.S. 154. When our students were not working in the Bronx, they were teaching conducting lessons at music programs in Harlem, attending opera at the Met and other music performances, and enjoying a small sampling of Manhattan cuisine. Will our students pursue music education in the future? Social activism? Urban school leadership? We can’t know yet, but we do know that those who participated experienced the value of teaching, and they saw first-hand how music can change lives in unexpected ways.–Elizabeth Walbridge ’07 teaches in the English department.
Choate Highlighted at NAIS
Choate Rosemary Hall was highlighted as a school that exemplified “excellence” at the 2015 NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Annual Conference held in Boston in February. NAIS President John E. Chubb cited Choate and seven other independent schools for qualities of demonstrated excellence, efficiency, equity, and emotion. Last April, Dr. Chubb visited Choate as part of his first-year listening tour. During his time on campus, Dr. Chubb met with Headmaster Alex D. Curtis and students, toured the new the Cameron and Edward Lanphier Center, and also had the opportunity to hear presentations by Choate’s Director of Curricular Initiatives, Dr. Katharine H. Jewett, and the Director of Faculty Development, Thomas White III. The visit resonated with Dr. Chubb who praised the program-driven, studentcentric thought process that went into the construction of the Lanphier Center, the new i.d.Lab curriculum, and the professional development that would prepare faculty to teach in these “spaces of excellence.” At the conference, Dr. Curtis joined members of the SSAT Think Tank on the Future of Assessment for a workshop entitled, “Measuring What Matters in Admission and Beyond.” He and Dean of Faculty Katie Levesque also presented sessions on “Making Room for Innovation: A Structural Approach.” Choate’s Director of Sustainability, Katrina Linthorst-Homan, presented at a one-hour workshop entitled, “Measuring Best Practices in Institutional Sustainability.”