D-E Today 2022-2023 Spring

Based in Tradition, Defined by Innovation.

Philanthropy helps make D-E a great school.

The Annual Fund is the foundation of our school's culture of giving and donors like you make the critical difference.

“Like poetry, like education, the building of a school as unique as ours is never finished.”

- Jeremy Gregersen

Questions? Email us at: giving@d-e.org Can we count on your support? Please scan the QR code or visit www.d-e.org/giveonline

Installation Highlights

Dear D-E Families and Friends,

Dwight-Englewood School celebrated a major community milestone on May 7, 2023, when Jeremy Gregersen was officially installed as our new Head of School.

The Installation Ceremony was a wonderful, historic gathering that welcomed more than 400 guests to Leggett Field’s “big tent” and which was made even more memorable thanks to picture-perfect sunny skies. Attendees included current students and their families, current and former faculty/staff members, Trustees and Trustees Emeriti, alumni of Dwight School, Englewood School for Boys, and D-E, and friends of D-E.

The program was centered on the themes of honoring D-E’s past, present and future, and commenced with the ringing of the D-E Bell, bagpipers, and a procession which included a clear crowd favorite: flags carried by students and family members representing all 15 of the School’s class years (2023-2037)!

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The appreciative audience was treated to nostalgic glimpses into the School’s rich history and hopes for an ongoing legacy of learning, hearing from alumni, student and faculty readers and speakers, and executive officers of the Board including President Rob Miller and First Vice President Josh Peirez. Additionally, the program provided a fantastic showcase of our D-E student music ensembles: the All-School Orchestra, Upper School Orchestra, and Jazz Rock all were featured, the last of which provided a soulful performance of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

A highlight of the ceremony was when Mr. Gregersen provided his Installation Address remarks. Mr. Gregersen spoke eloquently to the ideas captured in the D-E mission statement and his own vision for D-E going forward, as well as sharing personal reflections. Having served as Head of School since January 1, 2023, Mr. Gregersen expressed sincere gratitude to all who have welcomed him and his family thus far to D-E and for “... truly making this year of transition a joy.”

Then, thoughtfully weaving together his perspectives as both a poet and teacher as well as an experienced school leader, Mr. Gregersen spoke to the writers who have inspired him and prompted a recent family trip to Concord’s Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Mr.

Gregersen then went on to speak both comprehensively and meaningfully to how, through instilling leadership and defying “conventional notions”... as well as through DEIB work, the arts, athletics, and academic programs... “we have to remain consistent only in our consistent desire to adapt... in the years to come, again we will survey the needs of the students in our care and do what is right to prepare them to meet the challenges of a changing world that has changed, and will remain changing.”

Mr. Gregersen concluded his remarks by quoting from poet Alice Fulton, and then noting “...Like poetry, like education, the building of a school unique as ours is never finished. Which means there’s no time like now to get started...”

Sincere congratulations to Mr. Gregersen and welcome again to him and his family! And to all in our community who were involved in the Installation Ceremony, thank you for being a part of this important moment in the life of Dwight-Englewood School! For more details about the Installation ceremony, including a highlights video and transcript of Mr. Gregersen’s Installation address, scan the QR Code.

DEIB Values Statement 2023

This year, the DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging) Office hosted a committee of dedicated parents, students, faculty, and staff to review and draft a new Diversity Values Statement. The statement aims to reaffirm our values as a school in tandem with our Mission Statement and emphasize our ongoing dedication to provide a safe and encouraging environment for all our community members. We also look forward to welcoming our new Director of DEIB Dr. Marcus Ingram this July. To read the new statement, and learn more about Dr. Ingram, scan the QR code to head to the diversity page (d-e.org/diversity). For additional DEIB program highlights, see page 24.

Design-based Thinking in Action

Shefali Nefdt), as well as fascinating cocurricular offerings such as Science Olympiad and Odyssey of the Mind, D-E students of all ages are experiencing research and innovation in fulfilling ways consistent with our mission to “meet the challenges of a changing world.”

For even more details and examples of ‘innovation in action” at D-E, scan the QR Code!

A Closer Look at STEM, Research and Innovation Initiatives at D-E

The features here are the first in a new D-E Today editorial series on STEM, research and innovation initiatives, in both teaching and in learning.

Thanks to how D-E’s STEM-related academic offerings are taught (see next page for conversations with just two of our Science Department faculty members, Hyo Kim and

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Founded in 1984, Science Olympiad is the premier team STEM competition in the nation, providing “standards-based challenges” to 6,000 teams at 425 tournaments in all 50 states. Colleen Larianoff, D-E Innovation Coordinator, explains, “Science Olympiad challenges students

to solve problems in STEM-related fields. There are approximately 20 events, which rotate yearly. Some require building, some require labwork, and some require master of content knowledge. For example, there is typically a vehicle-building event. Last year, the vehicle’s propulsion system had to be a mousetrap. This year, the propulsion had to involve elastic.”

Larianoff continues, “Students are challenged to go through the design process, defining the problem, designing and testing a vehicle, and going through multiple iterations. While the students build the car in advance, they do not know the target distance that the vehicle has to travel at the competition and have only a few minutes to modify their vehicle right before the challenge, so they have to truly understand the physics behind their propulsion system.”

The program’s lab event topically includes hands-on experiences. Larianoff continues, “For a “Crime Busters” lab event, students needed to learn forensics skills in advance, and then use critical thinking to apply these skills in a hands-on forensics challenge.” An example of a knowledge-based event is anatomy and physiology; each year several organ systems are highlighted and students need to study in advance and demonstrate their knowledge on a test.”

Larianoff concludes, “Our D-E ‘Student as Learner’ traits, which include creativity and collaboration, are clearly being flexed during these intense competitions; The building and lab events in particular require students to apply a set of skills to a novel situation and persevere through failure.”

The D-E Science Olympiad team ultimately achieved notable results in the Regional Invitational event at which they competed earlier this spring. The team earned 2nd Place overall while competing in the meet at NJIT, and special shoutout to the following students for their individual medals as follows:

Philip Levinsky ’27 and Selina Shen ’28 (Gold - Green Generation (environmental science));

Alexa Wanich ’28 and Selina Shen ’28 (Silver - Can’t Judge a Powder (chemistry));

Andre Valencia ’27 and Leo Gu ’27 (BronzeRoad Scholar (cartography));

Andre Valencia ’27 and Hudson Guzman ’27 (Bronze - Solar System);

Owen McBride ’28 and Lucy Meserole ’28 (Honorable Mention- (Anatomy and physiology));

Alexa Wanich ’28 and Ryan Lu ’27 (Honorable Mention - (Fast Facts (science trivia));

Jason Lee ’27 and Ryan Lu ’27 (Honorable Mention - (Meterology)); and

Sylvie Yao ’27 and Leo Gu ’27 (Honorable Mention- Roller Coaster Design)).

Kudos are owed as well to Chelsea Clarke ’28 and Chelsea Shen ’27, who competed in the event that nobody wanted, “Rocks and Minerals”, instead of their top choices, in order to benefit the team!

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND

In a nutshell, Odyssey of the Mind (OOTM) is a competitive problem-solving competition that combines STEM and the performing arts. Students choose one of 5 problems; the categories stay the same from year to year but the theme, criteria, and constraints change yearly. Students work together to solve the problem and present their solution.

This spring was the inaugural season in which D-E entered the OOTM competitive arena (and earned admirable, notable results, going to the intense OOTM “Worlds” competition hosted at Michigan State University – Lansing, in early May!).

Colleen Larianoff served as faculty advisor and shares, “D-E’s Upper School OOTM team chose the structure problem, which requires building a weight-bearing structure of balsa wood. This year’s structure had to be at least 8 inches, under 15 grams, and be comprised of 3 distinct parts that interconnect to bear weight.

They also wrote and performed an 8-minute scene incorporating the structure, 2 magic tricks, a poem, a vocal duet, a choreographed ballet number, and more. Additionally, they made all the costumes, props, and scenery.”

She continues, “The other part of the competition is called ‘Spontaneous’ Improv. In this portion, they enter a room and they have to work together to solve a novel problem as creatively as possible.” The team landed on an “Alice in Wonderland”- themed story for their dramatic interpretation.

Ultimately they placed 16th out of 43 teams in their final ranking, and placed 4th in the “Spontaneous” Improv challenge – a feat for their first time competing! Best of all, OOTM team members clearly strengthened their creative problem solving as well as collaboration skills.

D-E Robotics Team Critical Mass 207 Compete at “Worlds” in Houston!

Earlier this spring and halfway across the country in Houston, Texas, the D-E Robotics’ “varsity squad” – Team Critical Mass 207 – was busy at work at the highly competitive, intense, and exciting 2023 FirstTech Challenge World Championships. With a little bit of growth and grit, the team faced the world’s best ‘bot teams at the competition -- a bustling hub of innovation, young minds, and ambition.

D-E’s team, Critical Mass, has climbed to the World Championships two times before – in 2017 and 2018. Despite this accomplished record, Coach Chris Fleischl revealed that “none of [the] current members have competed at this level before.” There were several daunting obstacles for the team to overcome. According to one of the Captains, Khush Bafna ’23, Critical Mass “had to face some of the best teams in the world with a random partner”, while also tackling “bent poles, [which] made it very hard to keep the auton consistent”. Despite such challenges, however, the team

returned home with impressive results: 15th place in their division, 59th place out of 192 teams, and a 7-4 record. On the second day of the Championship, Critical Mass boasted five matches won in a row against one of their division’s strongest rivals.

In addition to their achievements, the team gained new skills and perspectives; the championship was also a learning experience. “As much as the World Championship is a competition, it is also a massive convention,” Mr. Fleischl expressed. Surrounded by “over 50,000 attendees” who are all passionately dedicated to “science, technology, engineering, math, and robotics”, D-E’s students were exposed to new ideas and innovations. According to Khush, members “saw a lot of designs that [they] had not even thought of”, which could be catalysts for new ideas and creations for builders for the next year.

Through all its triumphs and challenges, the championship most importantly highlighted the essence of the Robotics team: community and collaboration. “I don’t think the team would have gotten to Worlds this year if

we weren’t able to work together as well as we do,” Khush enthused. “Robotics isn’t just building, programming, and [going] home.” From the people to the memories, Robotics is a home for unforgettable experiences.

As senior members of Robotics are leaving D-E and moving onto college, the younger members are invigorated and “eager to fill their shoes,” Mr. Fleischl expressed. When asked what advice he would give to future Robotics members, Khush once again emphasized the

Science is a multidisciplinary field, requiring great care and creativity to teach. Pictured here is the annual 8th Grade “Rollercoaster Expo”, through which Middle School students learn physics principles like potential and kinetic energy. 8th graders worked in groups to create their own unique marble paper roller coasters, then invited parents, faculty, and fellow students to witness their creativity “in-motion!” See below for more details about this and how our Science Department faculty help make their pedagogical experiences come alive for our students.

Science Department Faculty

Hyo Kim, 8th Grade Science

In her third year at D-E, Hyo Kim has found her footing in Middle School. “I’ve taught almost all the grades in my career. Lower School is wonderful because everything is amazing; everything you do is brand new. While in the Upper School, you can really push students to understand concepts. With Middle School, you get the best of both worlds––maybe some more chaos, but I love it.”

Hyo channels her students’ high spirits into collaborative and thoughtful projects. 8th Grade Science is all about the physical with students learning about how energy is transferred. The first semester is dedicated to the macro aspects of physics, emphasizing on science principles they can actually see. The culminating semester project is the Marble Roller Coaster Project where teams of students create incredible paper “roller coasters” that demonstrate their knowledge of potential and kinetic energy.

This being the second year of the project for Hyo, she encouraged students to think about audience and narrative: What is the story behind the coaster? Who is your audience? Students came up with zany and colorful themes from anime to breast cancer awareness and expressed their knowledge and pride during the Roller Coaster Expo this past February.

Creating curriculum is a team effort as Hyo and 8th Grade Math & Science Teacher Julia Taazelar work to create a cumulative curriculum. As students move on from the first semester, they begin to learn about the micro aspects of physics like thermodynamics. Labs in 8th Grade are opportunities for hands-on learning, data collection, and practice in scientific writing. Hyo emphasizes that, “scientific writing is similar but different to English class writing. In science we use T.E.A. (Topic. Evidence. Analysis), and we want students to have practice in that structure.”

Inquiry and practice are core principles in the science curriculum. As the year progresses, Hyo plans to introduce chemistry and the periodic table to prepare students for Upper School and IBC I (Integrated Biology and Chemistry). When it comes to teaching science, having the appropriate expectations for students is crucial in fostering lifelong learning.

Fun fact:

Rollercoaster trains are able to move they do because of Newton’s 1st Law: an object in motion tends to stay in motion.

“It’s a place where you can feel safe making mistakes,” Hyo noted, “I like teaching 8th graders because they have a lot of agency, and I want any kid to have a place to find science in their lives.”

Shefali Nefdt, AP Biology & IBC II

With over 20 years in teaching science around the world, Shefali Nefdt is a seasoned and passionate science educator, “I’m not a teacher that believes in too much lecturing,” Shefali said, “I like to give ownership of learning to my students. So here I am a facilitator, a guide.”

Shefali would describe her upbringing as a “third culture kid,” having always traveled during her childhood and then as a professional. She has taught in Zambia, Ethiopia, Germany, and Kenya, teaching IB Chemistry and IB Biology. Shefali holds a BS in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Allahabad and graduate degrees from the University of Sheffield and Goddard College.

Now at D-E, Shefali brings her experience teaching IBC II (Integrated Biology and Chemistry) and AP Biology. Her arrival to the New York Metropolitan Area instigated a new, exciting project to bring to the classroom: studying oysters.

After reading about New York City’s Billion Oyster Project (BOP), a project aimed to restore oyster reefs in New York, Shefali took no time to receive her training the summer she arrived to D-E. BOP provided her with an aquarium and young oysters to grow and monitor. She aimed for AP Biology students to have a hands-on learning experience, learning how to measure pH, temperature, ammonia and nitrate levels, chemicals, and phosphates. All the data is then collected and fed into citizen-driven data: Public service and environmentalism meet in the classroom. Shefali laughs when students comment on how slightly colder her classroom is compared to others’ classrooms, as she needs to mimic the Hudson River’s temperature for the oysters’ sake.

Teaching biology and chemistry is Shefali’s bread and butter and she is excited that AP curriculum has shifted more towards scientific application, noting that “I would say I love the AP curriculum. I just wish sometimes I had more time since the course is incredibly fast paced.”

Despite its rigorous nature, Shefali centers in-class labs as an important site of inquiry. At the time of interview, AP Biology students were studying fruit flies, observing how both Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics occur in real time.

Fun fact:

Oysters are able to filter 50 gallons of water per day and remove excess nitrogen from estuary waters. Oysters reefs soften the blow of harsh waves while reducing erosion and flooding.

What grounds Shefali’s teaching is the principle of inquiry: that students learn best when they have agency in their education as she quotes the common verse, “you can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” And with that, the pursuit of scientific inquiry continues!

Innovation IRL (In Real Life)

Beyond just hearing about the importance of innovation in learning and thinking, students in all three divisions this year have been treated to “D-Edicated’ time spent on immersive innovation-centric, design thinking models IRL (in real life), thanks to D-E Innovation Days and various opportunities to present their research skills.

For the Upper School, this year’s D-E Innovation Day took place with various workshops around hands-on skills and technology. Both Middle and Upper School students enjoyed a keynote address from the extremely gregarious and inspiring entrepreneur, alumnus Alex Koren ’12. Alex shared memorable notes and advice about his own career path and

personal philosophy toward the process of innovative thinking (and problem-solving). In his words, “A problem for one person is most likely a problem for others; Every problem has a way through it. Every problem may not be a silver bullet, but small changes make real change! Finally, anyone can SOLVE problems.”* The rest of the day was split into Design Thinking and Innovation workshops where students learned about AI and tools like Canva, Photoshop, and Cricut.

Meanwhile in our Lower School, the 4th Grade hosted their Research Presentations in the small gym. Faculty, staff, and parents were invited to learn about a plethora of topics from The Hindenburg to the history of Hollywood. The presentations were the culminating piece to their Writing and Reading

Workshops for the Non-Fiction unit. Students were shining with pride, sharing their unique interests and hard work.

*Editor’s Note - to learn more about Alex Koren ’12, please visit Class Notes online; Scan the QR code below, or go to https://d-etoday.org/class-notes-landing/ and use this general password: connect

Beyond the Classroom

There have been so many opportunities over the past few months for our students, faculty/staff, and families to enjoy learning experiences far beyond the confines of the classroom. This is all thanks to robust, exciting student life and community service initiatives. From our youngest students involved in Affinity Group-led diversity awareness assembly programs and being mentored in hands-on STEM workshops... to Middle and Upper School student leaders of clubs that are focused on the arts, identity, community service and specific interest areas ... our mission is fully in action through D-E’s co-curricular offerings.

The D-E Garden Club, Jazz Rock, INSPIRE ( Introducing New Solutions to Promote Integrity & Respect Everywhere), WISE (Women in STEM Education), JADE (Jewish Awareness at D-E); GSA (Gender & Sexuality Awareness) and Spoonies ( a club dedicated to raising awareness about Chronic Illness) are just a few examples of clubs that have made a wonderful, positive impact on the School over the past few months.

The photos here provide just a sampling of these activities; please see the following pages for more specific examples of our students doing their part to ‘make it better’ through fundraising programs including V-Day 2023 and Art in Action, and affinity group activities celebrating differences.

For even more examples of the range of co-curricular opportunities at D-E, scan the QR code or visit d-e.org/clubs.

Co-Curricular and Affinity Group Highlights

Co-Curricular Events & Programs Build Community

out of their comfort zones and find the same empowerment in this event that I did”.

For Ms. Brainin, she learned to “sit back and let the students steer the ship”, something that is different from her usual third grade classroom. “Lots of magical things occur when [students] are empowered to make it happen”.

fill up 60 bags for the donation. When asked what important lesson was learned through this experience, Bodhi described how she had realized the “importance of meeting the true needs of local organizations as opposed to assuming what would be best for them”.

Connecting with the organization and working to truly help it, she expanded, allowed the club to successfully plan and donate the supplies. For Edalix, this project opened her up to seeing more of Dwight’s community...[“It was just really nice to see the way people responded and engaged with [our fundraising efforts]”.

V- DAY 2023

For years, V-Day has been a longstanding part of the D-E tradition. This year, faculty advisor Ms. Rachel Brainin and one of the V-Day Club’s student leaders, Delilah Brainin ’23, helped organize the club’s annual event on February 24. Each year, members have donated all of the funds raised by V-Day to the Women’s Rights Information Center (WRIC) in downtown Englewood and as Delilah shared, have “help[ed] foster a community of people who want to support and encourage each other to grow and express themselves.”

This year, V-Day organizers also invited performers from WRIC to “provide a way for the D-E community to interact crossgenerationally and cross-divisionally”, according to Ms. Brainin. Important issues to both girls and women were addressed in the assembly through dances, writing, songs, and visual art.

V-Day not only impacts the D-E community and beyond, but also influences those directly involved in its organization. Delilah further shared that “V-Day has pushed me in so many ways and helped me grow into myself as an artist and as a person… I have watched myself go from the youngest in the group, nervous to read my work out loud, to a confident leader striving to encourage others to step

ART IN ACTION

With one paintbrush, watercolor palette, and sketchbook at a time, Art in Action, a D-E student club, contributed to greater Englewood earlier this spring. The club – led by Bodhi Mather ’23 and Edalix Marin ’23— dropped off colorful boxes brimming with art supplies at the Women’s Rights Information Center in Englewood for the families and clients involved with the center and its art therapy program. “We are an art club, but service is also a very, very big part of our mission,” Edalix noted. Art in Action decided to contribute to the art therapy program specifically because it was held online and “people need[ed] to have supplies at home”, according to Edalix. “Having bags [of art supplies] would be really helpful to [the members]”.

The art supply drive was a collaborative effort, where the club worked together to organize, promote, and carry out this project. The leaders worked to draft proposals, determine the funds, obtain the supplies, promote the drive, and

Affinity Groups Raise Awareness of & Appreciation for Differences in Identity

to be seen as “other” or as a minority. It is a community built upon the acceptance, growth, and confidence of the self.

At D-E, affinity groups are tightly knit spaces of community, growth, and identity. Always striving to engage with other students, spread culture and awareness, and celebrate diversity, they are an essential part of school life and co-curricular opportunities in particular. Below are some of D-E’s affinity groups and their accomplishments, memories, and hopes for this year and beyond!

and enforce “solidarity between all groups of color”, explained Jason. From selling evil-eye bracelets with the Middle Eastern Affinity to organizing Multicultural Day, Black Affinity has worked towards their mission of building a hub of diversity within the school. Beyond working with other affinities, Black Affinity has also strived to spread Black culture and stories.

BLACK AFFINITY

Black Affinity this past year has made great strides towards their goal: to share Black culture and engage with the broader community. According to club leader, Jason Boyd ’23, Black Affinity has been busy reaching out to the rest of the D-E community, as well as collaborating with other affinity groups. “There were a lot of times in the past where we felt like we were kind of isolated; a lot of our issues. . . were talked about only amongst [Black Affinity], so we wanted to branch out”

“Our biggest accomplishment would be this year’s Black History Month assembly,” Jason expressed. In the assembly, the club shared “fun facts about black culture. . . to show the rest of the community about the truth and story behind Black people”. The group also raised $410 for the Black Film Allegiance in February to support Black artists and creators; by hosting the fundraiser, the group was able to “show the rest of the community the struggles of being Black in certain fields”. In Jason’s words, Black Affinity is a space to “not be the only Black voice or person” and

EAST ASIAN AFFINITY

Throughout the years, East Asian Affinity has grown to become a larger and more prominent presence in the D-E community. Today, the group offers an affinity space that is fun, fulfilling, and freeing to current East Asian students. One of the student leaders, Sasha Rhee ’23, expressed how the affinity space offers a “support system from people who can relate to you” and is a place to “really help kids” to grow “more comfortable with their own identity”.

One of East Asian Affinity’s proudest moments, and one of Sasha’s favorite experiences as affinity member, was the fashion show celebrating Lunar New Year. A show dedicated to expressing and spreading culture and creativity, students dressed up in traditional clothing from different countries. During the Lunar Year assembly, students also performed skits telling the origins of the Chinese zodiac signs. According to Sasha, joining the affinity group played an essential role throughout her high school career; “being able to help kids navigate their identity and learn to be proud of it and learn that it’s really important to have representation in high school” has been a rewarding and unforgettable experience. Bonding with a community of both under and upper classmen, Sasha – along with her peers -- built new friendships and learned to grow comfortable with their own Asian American identity.

SOUTH ASIAN AFFINITY

According to one of South Asian Affinity’s student leaders, Sujan Munver ’23, “affinity spaces are a fundamental item to create a sense of belonging”. Not only is the group a space for students who share a specific identity, but it is also a “safe environment” that “allows members to gain insight on how to most effectively share their experiences with the greater community and educate a broader group to foster a greater understanding of that identity”. Throughout the year, South Asian Affinity has been striving to build this safe space for students, as well as spread culture with the rest of the D-E community. This past year, South Asian Affinity hosted a color powder throwing celebration for Holi. This celebration was a proud moment for the affinity group, following a “multi-year hiatus from celebrating Holi at Dwight-Englewood”.

South Asian Affinity also hopes to continue commemorating Holi within the D-E community in the years to come. The club holds weekly meetings where members are given the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on [a] topic to discuss. When planning events for the school, they ensure that members’ thoughts and perspectives are always incorporated in designing and organizing such events.

A graduating senior, Sujan expressed his and his fellow leaders’ hopes that the South Asian Affinity Club will grow after he leaves D-E: “expanding awareness of South Asian culture and identity has been at the core of our ambitions as an organization. As the current leaders graduate and a new wave of leaders and ideas sweep over the club, we aim to continue to pursue this objective”.

NEURODIVERGENT AFFINITY

The Neurodivergent Affinity Club’s mission is to educate and inspire change. Founder and leader Red Nochomovitz ’25 “hope[s] to bring awareness about [neurodivergence]. . . to make the school more inclusive and [to build] a safe environment for everyone no matter how their brain works”. From conversing with students and faculty members about neurodivergence to holding weekly meetings that provide a safe space, the Neurodivergent Affinity has been working towards their goals all throughout the year.

Red hopes that the affinity group also inspires change amongst D-E’s policies; in their words: “we’re thinking maybe we [host workshops] for the faculty in [the Upper School] specifically surrounding neurodiversity and how to handle those specific situations with students.” As just one example, for this year’s Spring Carnival, the affinity hosted a “quiet area” as an escape from the heat and loud music. Red noted, “I hope that in terms of policy changes, the school, through Neurodivergent Affinity, becomes more aware of the fact that [it can do a better job of making sure that events are accessible] to everybody of all neurotypes, not just neurotypical people.”

The Neurodivergent Affinity Club has also been a place for Red and their peers to find unexpected friendships across all grades; it is a space that is built upon students always supporting each other. Red wishes Neurodivergent Affinity will grow beyond them, and will continue to influence and inspire for the years to come.

To learn more about D-E affinity groups, scan the QR code!

Arts Highlights

Performing Arts

CHORAL AND AFRICAN DRUMMING & DANCE ENSEMBLES D - ELIGHT AUDIENCES

D-E Performing Arts proudly presented several concerts earlier this year representing the culmination of our students’ learning in music performance. Choral ensembles from D-E’s three divisions, including Upper School A Capella, the 6th Grade and Show Choirs, and the All-School Chorus, as well as our Middle School African Drumming & Dance ensembles, all had opportunities to showcase their hard work. The audiences for these concerts were ‘D-Elighted’ to have opportunities to sing along, dance along, and yes, even drum alongside our student musicians.

The ensembles’ concerts all featured a range of familiar, classical, and seasonal tunes including when Lower School students performed a medley of songs for their Winter Concert, including “The Nutcracker in About 3 Minutes” and “Little People”. Old and newer pop hits prompted spirited audience participation, including the Show Choir and 6th Grade Choir’s Spring Concert performances of 80’s hits like “Material Girl” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, which were intermingled with “interviews” of students playing pop icons including Cyndi Lauper, George Michael and Olivia Newton-John.

In every concert attendees were also invited and strongly encouraged to join in performing with the 7th and 8th Grade African Drumming & Dance Ensembles. The ensembles performed traditional drumming motifs and dances including “Agbekor” (a traditional warrior dance ) and “Gahu” and “Kinka”, two recreational dances, all inspired by and according to the traditions of the Ewe people of southeastern Ghana.

Bravo to all our Choral and African Drumming & Dance ensembles!

“EAST MEETS SOUTH” ORCHESTRA EXTRAVAGANZA

The beginning of spring requires a lively flourish! The Music Department proudly presented the Orchestra Extravaganza Concert in April. The theme was “East Meets South” as the concert featured famous pieces from China and Colombia, featuring Upper School Orchestra, StringJam, StageBand, Middle School Orchestra, StageBand, Strings, & Percussion, and Lower School Orchestra & Band. D-E Concerto Competition Winners Oriana Huang ’26 and Matthew Zhu ’25 also performed. Finally, we were honored to have Latin Grammy winner, saxophonist Harlinson Lozano, play with our ensembles. “El Pescador” was a highlight of the show, demonstrating the music talents and finesse of D-E musicians. Congratulations on a fantastic concert by all our orchestral musicians!

LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC CONCERT INSPIRES MUSICALITY, MAKES MEMORIES

What sound does a frog native to Puerto Rico make? Coqui! Coqui! Our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Graders, led by Music Teacher Fiona Crawford, were incredible at this year’s Lower School Spring Music Concert. In their “Perfect Singing Postures,” students sang a diverse repertoire of songs from all over the world, including “El Coqui” from Puerto Rico and “Suliram”, an Indonesian Lullaby. 4th Graders also showed off their musical talents, playing the xylophones, glockenspiels, and percussion instruments as a part of their program.

STAGE BAND’S CABARET NIGHT WELCOMES TRUMPETER “EW” ALLEN

This year’s annual Cabaret Night carried the theme of “Basie Meets Cumbia” and featured our Jazz Workshop and Stage Band students. The ensembles performed songs like “El Pescador” and “Bessie’s Blues”. Joining the ensembles was special guest trumpeter Eddie (“EW”) Allen! Students loved the opportunity to rehearse and improvise with EW, who is not only a performer but also a composer and arranger.

Art & Design

SWARTLEY GALLERY EXHIBITS: SABRINA WELD, “HEADSPACE”

For our first exhibit of the 2023 year, we were thrilled to present ceramic artist Sabrina Weld and her exhibit “headSpace” in the Swartley Gallery. Sabrina’s larger-than-life works consist of sculpted figureheads that explore the surreal and whimsical. Sabrina’s work centers around exploring objects as actors, having worked in professional puppetry after receiving her BFA in ceramic sculpture from Alfred U.

Sabrina now mainly works with clay and paperclay, drawing inspiration from folk art, mythology, and fairytales. The animus in her sculptures in the Swartley Gallery was breathtaking!

The AP Art Gallery Wall showcased our AP Studio Art students and their unique visual perspectives. The ”2D, 3D, & Drawing Excerpts” Exhibit in the Swartley Gallery demonstrated a diversity in skillsets from incorporating motors into self-portraiture to employing crochet techniques into weaving family stories. The opening reception was a wonderful moment in celebrating student artistry!

DANIELA SOLOVEY, “CROCHET AND PLAY”

We love hosting alumni on campus, and this occasion was a special one. Daniela Solovey ’17 presented Crochet and Play, a colorful exhibit that transformed the Swartley Gallery Space into a exploration of texture, color, and nostalgia! Students appreciated the tactile nature of the art as the exhibit invited viewers to engage with the massive crochet blocks and pieces.

A New York-based product designer and Parsons School of Design graduate. Daniela hopes to bring her striking and colorful flair to the design world. Here’s to D-E alumni in the art world!

For more photos of D-E’s Swartley Exhibits, scan the QR code!

AP ART GALLERY WALL

Theatre

MAMMA MIA!

We were dancing in the aisles at the Upper School’s rendition of Mamma Mia! The cast were brilliant on stage, singing and performing some of ABBA’s timeless classics like “The Winner Takes It All,” “Voulez Vous,” “Dancing Queen,” and of course, “Mamma Mia”! The crew did an incredible job, making the stage feel like the perfect place for a paradise wedding in Greece. Bravo, bravo to all the faculty, staff, and students for an incredible weekend of performances.

WILLY WONKA,JR.

Oompa-loompa, doom-pa-dee-doo! Willy Wonka JR. was a smashing success filled with colorful sets, neon lights, and students in every division to make Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story come to life! Congratulations to our D-E thespians, stage crew members, faculty, staff, and patrons of the arts for an incredible show.

For more Theatre Arts photos and details of upcoming 2023-’24 productions, scan the QR code to visit d-e.org/arts

Upper School Spring Sports Recap

CONTENT AND PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

BY UMA RAJAN ’24

Varsity Baseball

The Bulldogs ended the season with a championship title thanks to their 9-1 league record. Junior Rhys Bowie ’23 led the team in pitching with 62 strikeouts and in batting with 32 and 33 runs. Fellow junior Everett Garber ’24 also contributed on the batting end, scoring a team-high 8 home runs and 32 RBIs. Coach Frank Salvano, Jr. received “Coach of the Year” honors for the NJIC’s Liberty Division. The Bulldogs ultimately ended their season with a record of 14-10, and also was recognized as NJIC League Champions for the Liberty Division. The team will miss the leadership of players Ben Friedland ’23, Zach Colosimmo ’23, and Seamus O’Reilly ’23, but they look to continue their winning ways next season!

Varsity Boys Lacrosse

Despite carrying a low number of players this season, Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse continued to impress with an 8-5 record (including 6-2 in league play). Sophomores Achille Pompidou ’25 and Gabriel Feldman ’25 led the team in goals (30) and assists (29) respectively. Thanks to this offensive prowess, the Bulldogs had a league high total of 153 goals in the regular season. On the defensive end, junior goalie

Jackson Clift ’24 is in the race for best goalie in Bergen County and Aidan Hunter ’23 was a consistent force on defense amassing 190 ground balls for his career. The Bulldogs ended their season with a record of 9-6!

Varsity Girls Lacrosse

Senior defender Jackie Spinnell ’23, junior midfielder Nora Mager ’24 and junior attacker Alexa Kobre ’24 all helped to lead the team to one of their best seasons in recent memory, winning five more games than they did last year. Alexa and sophomore star Dani Weis ’25 combined to score 84 goals. The team ended their season with a record of 6-11.

Varsity Golf

D-E Golf Team enjoyed a very successful season, finishing with a 16-3 record. The Bulldogs won the 2023 NJIC Tournament (Meadowlands division); Jaden Aroestry ’26 achieved 1st place (74) and Danny Lax ’24 won 2nd place (79)! Jaden also qualified for Dan Luciano Golf Tournament (see “Shoutouts” next page). The team qualified for the County Tournament, where they finished in ninth place. Lexi Trokhan ’23 finished second at the NJIC Girls’ Tournament; she finished 3rd her sophomore year and has finished second the past two years. Coach Dan Farinola received Coach of the Year honors for the NJIC Meadowlands Division.

Boys Varsity Tennis

The Bulldogs had another stellar season, including once again going undefeated to win the league, and they ended their season with an exceptional record of 21-4. Single players Asher Cohen ’24 and Josh Greene ’24, as well as doubles Kyle Lee ’25/ Sunjan Munver ’23 and Davide Orlov ’24 / Alex Soracchi ’24 were all top four in the county for their positions. The team made it to the Semifinals of the NJSIAA Boys Tennis Non-Public A Tournament, losing to Pingry but showing grit and D-Etermination! The Bulldogs ultimately finished the year being named BCCA NJIC League Champions for the Patriot Division and BCCA Team of the Year!

Track and Field

The Bulldogs had a historic season as the Boys’ team won the league title for the first time. The team racked up an enormous 38 “D-E Top 10” performances, including 10 school records. Colin McKoy ’23, Amari Boyd ’23, Noah Thomas ’24, Uma Rajan ’24, and Emma Hsu ’25 all qualified for the Bergen County Meet of Champions. Colin McKoy also won honors as the Male Athlete of the Week by NJ.com (see “Shout-outs” next page). Finally, Coach Orestes Medina was honored as Coach of the Year for the League (Patriot Division)!

Crew

D-E’s Crew team may consist of only nine members, but they have a lot of fun! Led by Coach Carroll, the Bulldogs regularly practice at Overpeck Park on the Hackensack River, and they competed in several competitions this season. The JV Girls Doubles team of Anna Ibarguen ’25 and Lauren Chu ’25 placed 25th in the Stotesbury Cup, which is the biggest high school regatta (race).

Ultimate

The “Plastic” Bulldogs finished third at the NYC Youth Cup, and ended their season with a record of 11-9 after placing 7th in the NJ State Tournament. Reece Davidman ’24 is the new D-E record holder for blocks, and Ben Tsirelman ’24 is now 5th in goals scored in D-E history!

Our Middle School Spring Sports Teams also had an amazing season!

• MS Girls Lacrosse finished the season with a record of 6-3!

• MS Baseball ends their season with a record of 8-1!

• MS Boys Tennis finished the season with a record of 3-6-1!

GO BULLDOGS!!!

Editor’s Note: Catch the latest from D-E Athletics and find all upcoming sports teams’ schedules, rosters,and more, online! Scan the QR Code or go to: d-e.org/ athletics

Athletic Teams Shout-outs!

Congratulations to Karina Pink ’23 and Amari Boyd ’23 for earning the NJIC Sportsmanship Award. This award honors the top student athletes from each school who best personified sportsmanship in their respective sports. In the words of Interim Athletic Director Bill Jaeger, “Karina and Amari have represented the very best side of D-E athletics during their years of competition.” Amari & Karina were honored at a luncheon held by the NJIC on May 31.

Girls’ Varsity Basketball Senior Players Make D-E History!

Cheers and congratulations to both Montana Nicks ’23 and Karina Pink ’23, D-E Varsity Girls’ Basketball standouts, for making D-E athletics history earlier this year.

Montana made her mark on D-E’s record books when she scored her 1000th point during the Bulldogs’ game against Leonia HS, playing at home in D-E’s Myrna B. Sherman Gymnasium. The Bulldogs won a decisive 66-23 victory over the Lions. Montana would go on to earn many more points for the Bulldogs before season’s end.

Karina scored her 1000th point (and then some) during the Bulldogs’ game against rival Tenafly High School. While the Bulldogs ultimately lost to the Tigers in a nailbiter, Myrna B. Sherman Gym was filled with huge smiles and cheers for Karina when she calmly and smoothly made her historic point.

Congratulations to Myles Bland ’23 who was selected as Dwight-Englewood’s recipient of the NJSIAA Scholar-Athlete Award. Myles was honored along with other New Jersey high school athletes by the NJSIAA at a luncheon on May 21.

Congratulations to Colin McKoy ’23, who was selected by North Jersey Media as the Male “Athlete of The Week” for Bergen County in early May. Colin earned this award through his performance at the NJIC League Championship, scoring 38 points for the Bulldogs. Colin won the 400m (53.04), Javelin (145-4) , anchor leg for the winning 4x400 Relay (52 split), and came second in the Triple Jump (41-5.5.) . Colin is now on our Top 10 list in D-E School Track history in the following events: #3 Javelin, #10 400IH, #10 400M, #2 Triple Jump; he also is our spring Triple Jump record holder!

Congratulations to Varsity Baseball Team’s Everett Garber ’24, who was listed as one of the Baseball Players of the Week in the NJIC on NJ.com in early May!

Congratulations to Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse Team’s Alexa Kobre ’24 who was named the NJIGLL Offensive Player of the Week in early May!

Congratulations to Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse Team’s Max Schiffman ’23, who was listed as a “Player to Watch” in the NJSIAA Boys Lacrosse Non-Public B Tournament on NJ.com!

Congratulations to Jaden Aroesty ’26 for being the only golfer in the NJIC to qualify for the Dan Luciano Golf Tournament!

Congratulations to Boys’ Varsity Tennis Assistant Coach Chris Chan, who won the Men’s National USTA Doubles Championship in San Diego! Coach Chan is also the Head Coach for D-E Girls’ Varsity Tennis.

Spring Teams Student Athletes All-League and All-County

Awardees

Boys Track & Field

 Colin McKoy: First Team All Division in 400M, JAV & 4x400 Relay; Second Team All Division in TJ

 Amari Boyd: First Team All Division in 110HH, 400IH, & 4x400 Relay

 Noah Thomas: First Team All Division At Large; Honorable Mention in HJ & TJ

 Davis Lee: First Team All Division in 4x400 Relay; Honorable Mention in 200M

 Max West: First Team All Division in 4x400 Relay; Honorable Mention in 400M

 Jack Park: First Team All Division in 4x400 Relay

Girls Track & Field

 Uma Rajan: First Team All Division At Large; Second Team All Division in TJ; Honorable Mention in HJ & 4x400 Relay

 Lena Most: Second Team All Division in 100M; Honorable Mention in 400M & 4x400 Relay

 Blasina Olowe: Honorable Mention in 4x400 Relay

 Natalia Valdez: Honorable Mention in 4x400 Relay

 Emma Hsu: Honorable Mention in 4x400 Relay

Baseball

 Matthew Civan: First Team All Division Pitcher

 JD Collins: First Team All Division Infielder

 Rhys Bowie: First Team All Division At Large; First Team All County First Base

 Everett Garber: First Team All Division At Large; First Team All County Outfield

 Ben Friedland: First Team All Division At Large; Second Team All County Catcher

 Austin Kim: Second Team All Division Pitcher

 Matias de Alba: Second Team All Division Outfielder

 Jimmy Burke: Second Team All Division At Large

 Zach Colosimo: Honorable Mention

Boys Tennis

 Josh Greene: All Division First Team Singles; First Team All County Singles

 Dylan Dennis: All Division First Team Singles

 Sujan Munver: All Division First Team Doubles; First Team All County Doubles

 Kyle Lee: All Division First Team Doubles; First Team All County Doubles

 Davide Orlov: All Division First Team Doubles; Third Team All County Doubles

 Ian Soracchi: All Division First Team Doubles

 Alex Soracchi: Third Team All County Doubles

 Asher Cohen: All Division Second Team Singles

 Adam Kim: Honorable Mention

Golf

 Jaden Aroesty: First Team All Division; Third Team All County

 Danny Lax: First Team All Division

 Zach Wolpov: First Team All Division

 Dawson Lin: First Team All Division

 Todd Merson: First Team All Division

 Lexi Trokhan: Second Team All Division; First Team All Conference

 Miles Krieger: Second Team All Division

Boys Lacrosse

 Max Chow: First Team All League Midfield

 Max Schiffman: First Team All League LSM

 Jackson Clift: First Team All League Goalie

 Aidan Hunter: Second Team All League Defense

 Gabriel Feldman: Second Team All League Midfield

 Alex Jachimowski: Honorable Mention

Spring Season Coaches’ Awards

Girls Varsity Track & Field

Most Improved – Blasina Olowe

Most Improved – Maya Rosenberg

Coaches’ Award – Emma Hsu

Most Valuable Athlete – Uma Rajan

Boys Varsity Track & Field

Most Improved – Noah Thomas

Coaches’ Award – Jack Park

Most Valuable Athlete – Amari Boyd

Most Valuable Athlete – Colin McKoy

Varsity Golf

Most Improved – Dawson Lin

Coaches’ Award – Alexandra “Lexi” Trokhan

Most Valuable Player – Danny Lax

Most Valuable Player – Jaden Aroesty

Varsity Ultimate Frisbee

Most Improved – Alex Sheffield

Coaches’ Award – Owen Montes

Most Valuable Player – Reece Davidman

Most Valuable Player – Ben Tsirelman

Girls Varsity Lacrosse

Most Improved – Daniela Weis

Coaches’ Award – Brooke Stempler

Most Valuable Player – Alexa Kobre

Girls JV Lacrosse

Most Improved – Emily Mills

Coaches’ Award – Brooke Rabinowitz

Varsity Crew

Most Improved – Isabella Morales

Coaches’ Award – Anna Ibarguen

Boys Varsity Tennis

Most Improved – Kyle Lee

Coaches’ Award – Sujan Munver

Coaches’ Award – Dylan Dennis

Most Valuable Player – Josh Greene

Boys JV Tennis

Most Improved – Rehan Shan

Coaches’ Award – Oliver Glezerman

Coaches’ Award – Gabriel Rhodes

Varsity Baseball

Most Improved – Matias de Alba

Coaches’ Award – Ben Friedland

Most Valuable Player – Rhys Bowie

Most Valuable Player – Everett Garber

JV Baseball

Most Improved – Mason Shapiro

Coaches’ Award – Jackson Chang

Coaches’ Award – Michael Meese

Boys Varsity Lacrosse

Most Improved – Ethan Steinmetz

Coaches’ Award – Maxwell Chow

Coaches’ Award – Aidan Hunter

Most Valuable Player – Max Schiffman

D-E Parents’ Association (PA) Provides Timely, Trending Parent Ed. Opportunities

The Impacts of Social Media: D-E Hosts Max Stossel, CEO of Social Awakening

Through a collaborative coordination between the PA’s Parent Education Committee and Office of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), D-E welcomed Max Stossel, CEO of Social Awakening and educator of technology and social media, to visit with both students and parents. Stossel’s presentations were focused on the impacts of social media.

Throughout the day, Stossel explored the various ‘faces’ of social media, from its “addicting” delights to its dangers, and educated the D-E community on how to smartly use social media in an era where its presence and power grows. Stossel spoke in a series of sessions including assembly programs and small group discussions for Middle and Upper School students and lastly, a presentation for D-E parents.

In all his discussions, Stossel covered indepth the mental and physical effects, including depression and sleep deprivation, of popular social media apps (e.g., Snapchat, Instagram, and Tik Tok) on students’ daily

lives in particular. Actively engaging with the audience through videos, sharing timely survey results, and encouraging discussion among students, Stossel unpacked the damaging “slot machine” psychology behind social media and emphasized how social media is not necessary to connect with friends nor as rewarding as it may seem.

To both students and parents, Stossel also discussed various solutions to break free from social media’s hold; a few are to turn off auto-play on platforms like YouTube— where videos justifying incorrect information and extreme conspiracies are often recommended, to rely on in-person interactions with friends, or to manage the amount of time spent on social media. Based on the positive and (to paraphrase D-E’s SEL Chair Lisa Wittner) “healthy” responses from all constituent groups who heard from him, Max Stossel will likely be returning to D-E for more presentations in the future.

“Angst” Screening Educates & Informs Parents

In May, our Parents’ Association & Parent Education Committee hosted a screening and discussion of the documentary, “ANGST: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety”. The documentary aims to open the conversation about anxiety, helping people understand and manage their symptoms. We had an insightful conversation with mental health providers and parents from all three divisions after the screening.

We are thrilled to have “ANGST” as a resource for parents. The film is still available to stream via the MyD-E Parent Resource Board; scan the QR Code to find this resource online.

(Please note that LogIn to MyD-E is required to view.) The documentary will be available until May 2024.

THANK YOU! Bulldog Bash 2023 Surpasses Goal!

The D-E community joined together in a big way to “go for the gold” for Financial Aid during this year’s Bulldog Bash! Parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends danced “through the D-Ecades” in Manhattan on April 29, and in the process raised a record-breaking $600,000 for D-E financial aid.

In the words of Head of School Jeremy Gregersen, who provided welcome remarks to the 400+ people in attendance, it was “heartwarming” and “amazing” to see the community come together for such a worthy cause.

Bulldog Bash Co-Chairs, Jennifer Goodman

P’20, ’22, ’25 and Tammy Mager P’22, ’24 were solid gold inspirational leaders who created enthusiasm and camaraderie among the Bulldog Bash Committee volunteers. Roseann

Todd P’19, ’23, our Auctioneer, along with Assistant Head of School for Advancement Pat Boig, had everyone bidding generously and even created a price frenzy for a coveted

(and impossibly difficult to secure) Rao’s dinner reservation.

Young alumna and current Yale University student Catalina Mahe ’22 and her mother, Paola Bettelli P’22, inspired attendees with their moving testimony about the life-altering difference that financial aid support makes to over 20% of the families in our D-E community.

We cannot thank the Bettelli Mahe Family enough for inspiring us to record-breaking levels of generosity.

Once again, thank you to all for your time, generosity and unwavering support. We look forward to seeing you at Bulldog Bash next year (Save the Date: April 27, 2024) and continuing to work together for the betterment of our school.

Celebrating Differences: D-E DEIB Program Highlights

dynamic and personable Dr. Michael “Mykee” Fowlin, a clinical psychologist, actor, and poet. Dr. Fowlin took listeners on a storytelling journey about combating bias and cultivating empathy with lively characters! Workshops included making Mexican hojalata art, making dumplings from around the world, and learning about disability justice and activism.

Ms. Agblonon continues. “I hope students [took away] that everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging and appreciate for all that they are.” Ms. Agblonon also expressed how such workshops play an important role in helping people realize that everyone and their personal contributions are “gift[s] to [D-E’s] community”.

LEAD Dialogue Dinners Promote Constructive DEIB Conversation

Middle School Diversity Day 2023

The D-E Middle School has been taking great strides to inspire diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within the classrooms and community throughout this year and beyond. The values of DEIB are crucial to supporting all students at D-E; according to Ms. Simone Henry Agblonon, Assistant Director for the Office of Engagement for both Lower and Middle Schools, “opportunities for growth and connection are endless and [DEIB] can therefore be utilized to prepare students to positively impact and successfully engage in our increasingly diverse society.”

To celebrate DEIB, the Middle School (MS) students participated earlier this year in Diversity Day, which was dedicated to a series of workshops especially for MS students to discuss about their identity and interests. According to Ms. Agblonon, “Students had the opportunity to engage in workshops related to DEIB’s presence and impact in sports, music, art, cuisine, personal narrative, and more, which hopefully allowed them to relate DEIB to one of their own passions.”

The day kicked-off with a presentation by the

DEIB at the Middle and Lower Schools will continue to inspire and influence D-E in the years to come. By strengthening her relationships with faculty and students, Ms. Agblonon hopes that DEIB efforts will be consistently included in the administration, classes, and community in all grades, from Pre-K3 to the Grade 12. Whether this evolves through more Diversity Days or further workshops, DEIB will continue to enrich and tighten D-E’s student body and faculty/staff as well.

Now having nearly concluded one full year as a D-E DEIB-focused offering, the “Leaders for Equity and Diversity” (LEAD) Program has evolved into an opportunity for students to not only encourage more open communication about DEIB within the school community, but also an invaluable, unique space for idea-sharing and peer conversation. Specifically, through “Dialogue Dinners”, which have occurred periodically throughout this year, LEAD is creating an environment where students listen to each other and are “invested in the conversation”, according to LEAD member Soham Bafana ’25. “We had a lot of other varying conversations. . . [where] I think people who walked out of that conversation knew a lot more than when they walked in, and that’s the goal of anything”.

Most recently, LEAD hosted a “Dialogue Dinner” on Andrew Tate and Red Pill culture, inspired by The Matrix movie series. Soham broke down the organization of the dinner behind the scenes: from writing a proposal for the idea and discussing the agenda to making announcements, hours of dedication and time are required to hold a dinner. All this hard work, however, is rewarding because of what follows it, according to Soham. “I personally love the conversations we have. . . after the Dialogue Dinner,” Soham enthused. “Everybody’s kind of decompressing, but the topic is still lingering in their minds… and then when it comes up, it comes up as a nuanced new idea. I love to see that change and I love to see people seeing [an idea] in a different way after only a few hours of discussion”.

By simply initiating conversation about students, the LEAD program continues to strengthen ideas and community one dinner (and dialogue) at a time.

*Editor’s Note: To learn more about DEIB at D-E, scan the QR code.

Save the Dates!

Dwight-Englewood School REUNION 2023

For all alumni with major milestone celebrations for class years ending with 3 and 8 OCTOBER 13-15, 2023

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE AS OF JUNE 26, 2023*

Friday, October 13

Saturday, October 14

Full Day of Activities, including private class gatherings and memorials. There will be tours of campus led by student tour guides.

Sunday, October 15

Faculty Room Dedications for Betsey Carson, Carole DeVito, and Doris Tannenbaum

* Schedule subject to change.

For the most current information about Reunion 2023 including any major reunion class parties, please contact Class Reps or the Alumni Office, or scan the QR code.

D-E today is published by DwightEnglewood School Communications and Publications, in partnership with the Advancement Office.

Comments are always welcome. Please address them to:

Editor: D-E today

315 East Palisade Ave. Englewood, NJ 07631 Phone: 201-227-3117

Fax: 201-567-1676 Email: tausne@d-e.org

Editor: Director of Communications and Publications, Liz Tausner

Contributors: Linda Binder, Asher Cohen ’24, Chris Fleischl, Simone HenryAblagnon, Colleen Larianoff, Jessica Leiken, Dawn Lozada, and Uma Rajan ’24.

Copyediting: Leslie Virostek

Layout: Bartosz Klemensowski

Features: Joel Lee ’17; Serin Koh ’21

Photography: Joel Lee ’17; Serin Koh ’21; DaYoung Jung; Bartosz Klemensowski; John McCabe, and Ayden Shapiro ’25. Additional photography supplied by D-E student and parent, faculty/staff, and alumni submissions.

Printing: Print Solutions, Englewood, NJ

Dwight-Englewood School

315 East Palisade Avenue

Englewood, NJ 07631

How do lenses work? Earlier this spring, Preschool 4 students visited the Hajjar STEM Center to explore the science of optics with Ms. Leiken’s Physics class. Filled with wonder, the little ones paired up with an Upper Student to analyze different stations of mirrors, prisms, and lenses. Giggles were contagious with inverted and distorted reflections! It was a wonderful moment in hands-on learning and an opportunity to create interdivisional connections. See inside for more examples of design-based thinking at D-E!