CSB AND THE SEED OF SCIENCE BY CHARLES POST ’02
science found me, and Ms. Ryan and Ms. Murphy made it exciting and fun. I learned about Mendel’s peas and punnett squares, the water cycle and wonders of physiology while reading Into Thin Air . I learned about trees and conservation, and why Julia Butterfly was so adamant about saving the redwoods under threat from “progress” at any cost. Those lessons and experiences planted a seed that would shape my life in fantastic ways. Settled and at home at CSB, and with my curiosity piqued, 8th grade came in the blink of an eye. For my final semester, I embarked on an elective semester, one shaped by the theme of environmental studies. We learned about coastal plants and animals, why exotic species like ice plant should be replaced with native species, and had a small hand in the early days of restoration at Crissy Field. I’ll never forget helping plant a coastal lupine near the base of a giant cypress tree on the south edge of the would-be tidal lagoon. I often return to
that site when I visit home as a bit of a pilgrimage to where it all started, the very place and plant that marked the first day of a lifetime spent interacting with and studying the natural world. After earning a Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s degree in Ecology from U.C. Berkeley, being recognized as a National Fellow at the Explorers Club, partici- pating in research projects across North America spanning groups from frogs and insects to fishes and trees, I look back on my time at CSB with joy and the deepest gratitude for everyone who offered a hand and word of encouragement. My love for science, fascination with the natural world, and acute appreciation for the bonds of community, both human and ecological, would not be what they are today without CSB. And in honor of CSB, I proudly wore my 8th grade tie on my wedding day. It now sits in my closet ready and waiting for the next jacket and button-up-worthy gathering.
THERE’S NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE FOREVER, when a particular experience will catch your gaze and pull you down a path you never knew existed, one with the potential to set your tack to a new wind and fill your sails. When I look back on my 32 years of life, there’s a clear delineation between life before and after CSB. As a 5th grade transfer student with a passion for nature and not a single friend or acquaintance in my class, I found myself welcomed with an embrace and enthusiasm I’ll never forget. I was surrounded by wonderful, kind, passionate humans from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures. Mr. Tacke, Mr. Mundy, Ms. Floyd, and Mr. Fox, Mr. Ferrebouef, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Breen, and Father Sawyer, Ms. O’Connor and Ms. Hilbrich, Mr. Korn and so many others made me feel immediately part of something special. Supported on all sides, my curiosity was allowed to bloom and lead the way. Soon,
16 | CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
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