Volume 26, Issue 1
2022-2023
About U.S.
A Publishing Tradition of The Unquowa School
A Message From the Head of School
T
here is a Voices of Change installation that sits outside my
compelled to stop at such an installation and have thoughtful
office. Its stark beauty and subtle sadness provoke bits of
conversations about why its message matters.
ongoing conversation around climate science in kids - including
In her book entitled Finding the Mother Tree, forest ecologist
our very youngest - that I never get tired of overhearing. The
Susanne Simard asks and explores the provocative question, “Is
piece, Polar Express to Extinction, became mine a few years
cooperation as central to evolution as competition?” Simard’s
ago when the eighth grade artist who conceived of and built it left
question disrupts past assumptions, not only about behavior
it in my care when she graduated. A fairly small installation, it is a
between human beings but also about the decisions human
sleek black platform
beings make about
upon which rest five
their relationship to the
versions of a polar
earth’s ecology, both
bear perched on an
in altruistic and self-
iceberg. Its message
serving ways.
is crystal clear. The
It goes without
first iceberg is home
saying that students
to a full polar bear and
spend much of their
each one that “floats”
time here at Unquowa
behind it holds a
becoming strong
lesser version until the
readers, writers and
last is only a paw.
math and science
I have always
thinkers and that
been convinced that
they go on to high
we protect what we
school and college
love, and so I have
prepared to succeed
always operated on that premise
Pondering the meaning of Polar Express to Extinction by Claire Roberts’20
when identifying
academically - that is a given. But beyond making sure that
and supporting teacher-designed programs here at Unquowa.
academic base happens, we are compelled here at Unquowa to
That includes, of course, programs that encourage our kids to
support and guide our kids in becoming human beings who are
appreciate the natural world, to understand our place in it and
able to understand that creative, cooperative living and problem
to love and respect the other creatures we share it with. From
solving is ultimately central to our mutual evolution and survival as
observing birds and butterflies on our campus, to studying
human beings.
the water in our brook; from participating in the cycle of the
Which brings me full circle to the polar bears who live outside
whole food we eat in our dining room by growing things in
my office. In a recent interview with The New York Times,
our gardens to managing the compost that comes from our
musician and composer Brian Eno discussed what he feels is the
kitchen and cycles back to become soil for those gardens - all
hidden purpose of all art. He suggests that most importantly it
of these activities engender understanding and protection of
serves to allow humans to “multiply their feelings together.” Every
our natural world.
time a group of kids gathers around Polar Express to Extinction
So it is no surprise when our older kids have the opportunity
and chats about the issue it portrays and what they’re going to
to choose a topic for their Voices of Change project, that they
do about it, I hear the stirring of creative, cooperative problem
choose to draw our attention to powerful topics like climate
solving at its early stages…and I love it!
change, and it is no surprise that our younger students are
Sharon Lauer, Head of School