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D’Amour Center for Faith Service & Justice
SOCIAL JUSTICE SERIES RAISING AWARENESS ONE SESSION AT A TIME
It happened this winter and spring, and it was a powerful experience for the Canterbury community. Our 12-week Social Justice Series brought together students, faculty, and staff for thought-provoking sessions around issues critical to building a more fair, just, and equitable world.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the D’Amour Center for Faith, Service & Justice and to all the students, faculty, staff, and guest speakers who helped make the Social Justice Series happen. It was another exceedingly positive step toward making our world a better place, one Saint at a time.
A sampling of the compelling stories from these extraordinary events are on the pages that follow.
Bias and Discrimination discussion resonates
SARINA SHETH ’22
Dr. Jay Bauer’s experience with racial identity and bias was about as deeply personal as you can get—it came from his own family. Speaking to Canterbury students at a Social Justice Series event hosted by the School’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Council, Dr. Bauer shared anecdotes from his life as a person of mixed racial identity and the discrimination and bias he faced, even from his own flesh and blood.
Having learned that the white side of his family had long ago rejected any real relationship with his black relatives, he was determined to reconnect with those white relatives. He succeeded—only to find that, even today, they said speaking with him still violated their elders’ wishes. For the first time, he experienced the familial rejection and segregation that defined his father’s childhood. His story touched students in attendance. “As a person who lives at the intersection of many different identities myself, including racial identities, Dr. Bauer’s presentation truly resonated with me,” said Sarina Sheth’22. “It helped me to better understand, accept, and embrace the varied aspects of my identity. His story was eye-opening and inspirational as we heard about both the explicit discrimination and implicit bias that he faced even as a young child.” Using photos to visually illustrate the hidden aspects of race that we all embody in one way or another, Dr. Bauer spoke of how these preconceived reactions lead us on a path of continued bias and discrimination.
Attendee Kylee Henderson’25 came away from the presentation ready to make a difference. “It was great to see how much Dr. Bauer was interested in his family’s history and what he was able to learn from his family’s past,” she shared. “I am now even more determined to not judge someone by what they look like but by who they are on the inside. It really inspired me to want to make a change in our society and how we perceive one another.” Sarina was equally inspired. “A crucial takeaway for me personally was that the most productive way to engage in difficult conversations on race, identity, and discrimination is to truly educate yourself and others, exploring different perspectives and not jumping to conclusions or making assumptions,” she said. Dr. Bauer is an alumnus of Tufts University in Massachusetts and works as a dentist in Woodbury, Connecticut. He continues to lead these important conversations with students at institutions such as Colgate University, the University of Connecticut, Taft School, and The Frederick Gunn School.
SOCIAL JUSTICE SERIES (CONTINUED)
Female Trustees Advise and Inspire Students
Nell (Lennon) Williams ’81 Carol Lovell Carmody P ’18 Mary Coleman Lynn ’90, P ’22, ’23
There was plenty of laughter and learning when several of our female Board of Trustees members shared their stories with Canterbury students at an intimate Social Justice Series event hosted by Women of Canterbury in April.
Held in the D’Amour Center for Faith, Service & Justice, the event—“Inspired Leadership: A Discussion with Canterbury Trustees”—was moderated by Head of School Rachel Stone P ’23, ’24. It featured a wonderfully diverse and experienced group of professional women who sat with students both virtually and in person:
Carol Lovell CarmodyP’18, Consultant to the President, Simmons University
Karen (Becker) Casey’91, former Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, Project Director, and Clinical Nurse III, University of California San Francisco’s Institute for Health and Aging
Mary Coleman Lynn’90,P’22,’23, Owner, Mary Coleman Lynn, LLC
Nancy MulherenP’03,’13, GP’24, President and CEO, Rumson Management
Above left: Nancy Mulheren P ’03, ’13, GP ’24; Above right: Karen (Becker) Casey ’91
Nicole D’Amour Schneider’93, P’20,’22,’23, Vice President, Supermarket Operations, Big Y Foods, Inc.
Nell (Lennon) Williams’81, Senior Vice President (Retired), Marriott International
Attendees really connected with the panelists, who spoke about their challenges and successes while encouraging students to support each other and make their voices heard.
“My advice to women has always been to tell your story,” Nell told them. “When it is review time or when you are in the elevator and there is an officer from a group that you really want to work with—do not hold back or think you are bragging. You are just telling your story.”
And, Mary added, learning how to speak up happens long before you enter the workplace. “Advocating for yourself really starts here in the classroom if you have questions or you are not understanding something. It starts right here at Canterbury.”
Nicole wholeheartedly agreed. “It is part of what you’re doing here at Canterbury. How do you drive awareness and networking and knowledge and development for yourselves as women?” She urged students to take full advantage of everything the hilltop experience has to offer. “The leadership opportunities available to you at Canterbury are just the beginning steps to learning how to exert your presence and your confidence,” she said. “That skill set that you gain as a Proctor or Sacristan or on the Interfaith Council or in one of the affinity groups—all of those things are just the start of being a leader in whatever path you take.”
Role models are a critical component of that professional path for women, Carol said. “During the time I worked, one of the things I did not find very many of were female role models. I wish I had found more, because role models and your network of female friends in the business world are both really important to cultivate.”
That, according to Rachel, is something Canterbury is acutely focused on for its female students. “Our job as the adults in your world is to continue to connect you, whether it is the mentoring or the experience and perspective on the world,” she shared. “And now you have people—these Trustees— to connect with and build from.”
Thank you, Trustees, for serving as extraordinary role models and mentors for our Saints.
Nicole D’Amour Schneider ’93, P ’20, ’22, ’23
FATHER MARTIN TO STUDENTS: Open Your Hearts to the Excluded
The title of the talk Father James Martin, S.J. gave to students for Canterbury’s Social Justice Series—“Walking with the Excluded”— sounds simple enough. But Fr. Martin knows from experience that it is anything but simple.
A Jesuit priest and bestselling author, he has devoted his life to advocating for people who are ignored, forgotten, or rejected by society. During his Zoom presentation hosted by the Sacristans, Fr. Martin shared how he has worked with refugees, prison inmates, street gang members, and others who were “on the margins” over the years. Most recently, his personal ministry led him to connect with LGBTQ Catholics.
“I began this work right after the Pulse Nightclub massacre in 2016, when 49 people were killed at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida,” he recalled. That inspired him to write Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.
“In 2019, I met with Pope Francis to discuss LGBTQ Catholics and how he and the Church could reach out,” he continued. “And I’m going to be starting a website for LGBTQ Catholics called Outreach.”
Fr. Martin also shared three Gospel stories—about the Roman centurion, the Samaritan woman at the well, and Zacchaeus the tax collector—that perfectly illustrate how Jesus treated people who were excluded with compassion and dignity. “These stories show how this is foundational to the Gospel and rooted in Jesus’ ministry,” he said. “It’s not just some current thing, some woke or politically correct thing. It is a fundamental part of the Gospels.”
Such a calling hasn’t always been easy for Fr. Martin, or, he says, for Christians in general. “A lot of times being Catholic calls us to do the unpopular thing,” he explained. “It is helping someone who is poor, inviting someone who was excluded into the group even when it costs you. To be able to welcome someone in the face of opposition is really important. We all need to work toward more inclusion; it opens our hearts.”
Saints Spend a Blessed Week of Service, Faith, and Reflection
True to its Catholic heritage and interfaith values, Canterbury offered students and faculty of all faiths a range of opportunities for prayer, reflection, and service during Holy Week. The week included the Good Friday mass in the Chapel of Our Lady and a Community Passover Seder in Ragland Commons. “We are truly blessed to share this holy season of Ramadan, Holy Week, and Passover as a community,” said Tracy Garcia-LaVigne P ʼ14, ʼ16, ʼ17, ʼ20, ʼ23, Director of The D’Amour Center for Faith, Service & Justice.
The School intentionally sets aside time from noon to 3:00 PM for our entire community to either do work for others or spend time in quiet reflection.
Dedicated to Service
The generous response from our Saints was no surprise to anyone who has been around the hilltop. They performed a wide variety of service activities for our local community, from gathering and delivering donations to performing on-site volunteer work. These are a few of the many shining examples of our students’ service leadership: • Assembling and delivering lunches and baked goods for Loaves &
Fishes, which provides food and compassion to our most vulnerable neighbors • Gathering clothing items and baked goods for Dorothy Day
House, which offers love, food, and rest for community members in need • Getting their hands dirty doing raking, yard cleanup, and garden work for the local Senior Center and Village Crest Nursing Home
Opportunities for Reflection
Canterbury students of all faiths have every opportunity to reflect on their lives and be contemplative in prayer together. Holy Week is an ideal time for such reflection, and our Saints did just that in a number of ways. Here is a sampling: • Stations of the Cross and a
Confirmation Retreat • Contemplative hikes off campus, choosing from such peaceful locales as Kent Falls, White
Memorial Conservation Center,
Steep Rock Preserve, and Bee
Brook Loop • Guided meditations
With so many available activities and even more participants, Head of School Rachel Stone P’23,’24 was delighted to see the entire Canterbury family come together. “I am grateful to be part of a School that both observed Good Friday with afternoon acts of service and hosted a community Seder that same evening for Passover—remarkable activities that resonate wonderfully with our mission,” she said.
Canterbury’s long-standing tradition of spirituality and service is as strong as ever on the hilltop.
SEDER CELEBRATION HELD ON THE HILLTOP
Last April, the Jewish Student Association hosted a Passover Seder in the Ragland Commons, and the response from students and faculty was tremendous.
The Seder gave Jewish students an ideal venue to celebrate Passover on campus, and the entire community was invited to see what a Passover Seder is all about. “It is important for Christians to understand Passover because the Last Supper was a Passover Seder,” said Director of Information Technology Matt Glaser’81, who helped lead the experience. For their part, the Jewish students in attendance were happy to help advance that understanding. “We were able to share our culture with many non-Jewish community members,” said Matthew Lappin’23. “It is great that the Canterbury family supports our religious traditions.” Matt was pleased to see the devotion and enthusiasm displayed by students and faculty at the event. “We sang songs and learned about ancient traditions. Traditional food was prepared and, as is typical with the Canterbury community, everyone pitched in to make the evening wonderful!”
MATT GLASER ’81
STEPHEN KERSHAW ’22
THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND A SUCCESSFUL SHOE DRIVE
Walter “Stephen” Kershaw’22 knows how to make things happen! Before he even came to Canterbury, Stephen had already turned his passion for sneakers into a business, Nx Level Kicks, in which he resells apparel, mainly footwear. That passion plus a strong desire for community service led him to another worthy endeavor last spring at Canterbury—a campus-wide shoe drive to benefit the nonprofit Soles 4 Souls.
After conferring with Tracy GarciaLaVigneP ʼ14,ʼ16,ʼ17,ʼ20,ʼ23, Director of The D’Amour Center for Faith, Service, & Justice, Stephen planned the shoe drive, worked out the logistics of collecting donations and got the word out to the community, an effort that included a presentation to the School. “I made the announcement and followed it up with a video that Soles 4 Souls had done explaining the entire process—and that got a lot of people excited,” he said. “I was really happy with the level of support from the faculty; they donated about a third of the shoes. I remember going down to the mailroom and seeing this huge cartload of shoes. That was nice!”
And helping people in need wasn’t Stephen’s only motivation. “Another reason I did the shoe drive was that I am interested in sustainability,” he shared. “That is a huge market a lot of sneaker brands are going into— reusing materials to make shoes.” True to that purpose, Stephen is a member of the School’s Sustainability Club. In the end, the drive’s final tally was 315 pairs of shoes donated to Soles 4 Souls, which redistributes them to countries around the world.
Reflecting back on the experience, Stephen realized it was not only greatly rewarding but an opportunity to learn something about himself. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there,” he said. “This is the first time I have ever done something like this. It is important to try new things to further develop yourself.”
The next stage of his development? Attending Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to study business administration.
Best of luck Stephen, and thank you!
THIS SAINT HAS SUSTAINABILITY DOWN TO A “TEE”
Earth Day has special meaning to Sebastian Voskericyan’22, who grew up loving nature and developed a passion for environmental issues early in life. So it was important for him to raise awareness about the day on campus while also helping a worthy cause—and he knew just what to do.
“Whenever I think fundraisers, I like incorporating t-shirts because they are fun for students,” Sebastian said. “You can have a dress-down day and a cool design to make people want to wear it. Plus, the message is front and center when everyone has it on.”
Coming up with the concept was one thing; it took a lot of hard work and business savvy, by Sebastian— and plenty of help from his peers— to make it happen.
The first priority was making sure the shirt itself was true to its message, in keeping with the spirit of Earth Day. “I wanted to make the t-shirt sustainable, out of one hundred percent recycled material,” he explained. “I did some research online and looked up manufacturers who produced recycled t-shirts.” He ended up finding a company that was significantly less expensive than others but still make a quality shirt, maximizing profits for the fundraiser.
Next up, a design was needed. As a leader in the School’s Sustainability Club, Sebastian turned to his fellow club members
and Director of Sustainability Cammy Roffe P’12,’15 for ideas. After some discussion, Jerry Liu’22 started the framework of a design and Nathan Ruzzi’24 brought it to life. By all accounts, the end result was terrific.
Finally, Sebastian wanted to identify an ideal recipient for the proceeds. Thanks to a tip from a friend, he found one—the Sage Educational Center in Ghana, Africa, which gives students the chance to work with local teams to solve a community’s real-world challenges related to their academic strengths and interests.
The end result? Nearly 90 t-shirts were sold and more than $800 was donated to Sage to help incorporate solar panels into the education center there. Plus, students were wearing the t-shirts all over the hilltop. Message delivered; mission accomplished!
Now Sebastian has his sights set on the larger impact he can have on our planet. “I would like to get into green tech because that is the future. I want to be a part of finding a way to solve the problems our earth is facing today and make green technology more accessible and less expensive,” he explained. “I am going to Babson College (in Wellesley, Massachusetts) next year to learn the entrepreneurial mindset and skills I need for that field.”
For people as passionate as Sebastien is about our environment, every day is Earth Day.
SACRISTANS
John Bagg Erin Flaherty Luke Germain Rhea Khazzaka Lily LaVigne Anne Melich
Patrick Pannasch Amanda Regina Ava Ruisi Cadence Schneider Liam Teeking Avery Trach
Sacristan—it may be the most respected, valued, and trusted role on the Canterbury campus. Students who assume this essential position have the personal character, demonstrated faith, and leadership qualities to inspire a positive culture at the School. And so, we are pleased to recognize our upcoming Sixth Form students who have earned the title Sacristan beginning this fall: John Bagg, Erin Flaherty, Luke Germain, Rhea Khazzaka, Lily LaVigne, Anne Melich, Patrick Pannasch, Amanda Regina, Ava Ruisi, Cadence Schneider, Liam Teeking, and Avery Trach. Tracy Garcia-LaVigne P ʼ14, ʼ16, ʼ17, ʼ20, ʼ23, Director of The D’Amour Center for Faith, Service, & Justice, is looking forward to working with this amazing group of students in the coming year. “Our new Sacristans very much represent the range and diversity of our student body, each with unique strengths and talents,” she said. “I have no doubt that they will be extraordinary faith leaders for our campus and have a meaningful impact on their peers and the entire hilltop community.” In their roles, the Sacristans will live a life of faith and service, encourage the spiritual life of their peers, and contribute to the positive growth of Canterbury by exemplifying the School’s Five Values. They help organize retreats, offer daily reflections and prayers at School Meeting, serve at Mass, and inspire others to participate in service opportunities. Members of the Interfaith Council have also been selected for the coming school year: Veikko Eskelin’23, Beau Freedman’24, Noam Hoffman’24, Hannah Nash’23, Sofia Vial’24, Adam Zarif’23, and Michael Zarif’23. Together, they will work to create space on campus for students who engage in all faith traditions or who are exploring their own faith questions. They will also guide interfaith prayer services, events, and dialogue and work in tandem with Sacristans to lead retreats.
INTERFAITH COUNCIL
Veikko Eskelin’23 Beau Freedman’24 Noam Hoffman’24
Hannah Nash’23 Sofia Vial’24
Adam Zarif’23 Michael Zarif’23
