RED & GOLD THE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE of CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
INSIDE: DESIGNING ROBOTS WITH THE HUMAN TOUCH INSIDE COVER LEARNING TO SERVE AND SERVING TO LEARN Page 14 KINDNESS COUNTS Page 21
ALL THE WORLD IS A CLASSROOM
DESIGNING ROBOTS WITH HUMAN TOUCH BY JIMMY SANTOSA, Instructional Technology
MESSAGE from the Headmaster
THE EXPECTATION THAT CATHEDRAL BOYS COMMIT THEMSELVES TO SERVING OTHERS has long stood as an essential component of our educational approach. We see this expectation enacted in any number of ways during the year—boys collecting food and clothing for the homeless, boys serving the elderly, boys working in the Bayview Mission, and boys mentoring younger elementary students in the public school system. As with anything, though, we continue to ask ourselves how we can improve. For the past year, as part of our strategic planning process, we spent time evalu- ating, researching, and often debating the future of our service program. This process led to a number of interesting observations and goals. We realized that it is easy to offer unin- tentionally patronizing justifications for service programs. It is easy to proffer explanations for service that stem from privilege—that “more is expected from those who have more.” This noblesse oblige ignores the reality of our common humanity and expresses service as a duty rather than as an aspiration. We also realized that it is easy to fall victim to approaches that separate students from those whom they are called to serve. While there are plenty of reputable programs that raise money for or donate items to worthy organizations, students often remain awkwardly separated from the actual influence of their efforts. Although there can be benefits to both approaches, each seems to miss two educational imperatives: (1) that the students learn about the human expe- rience from direct involvement with those whom they serve, and (2) that they develop an authentic and enduring interest in serving others.
da Vinci surgical robots. During the presentation, they offered intelligent questions to the engineers about the medical proce- dures, the design of the robots, and their limitations. Students heard firsthand how an idea needs to be tested rigorously and modified often based on the test results to improve it. They also saw how an engineer must communicate with the users of their product, think carefully about the effects their design may have, and behave responsibly. Technological advances often have intended and unintended effects on people and the environment. Upon their return to school, the boys were eager to explore the LEGO MINDSTORM kits further, and discover other ways that robots can be used. For a fun challenge, teams applied their programming skills in a Sumo-bot competition, where robots were designed to push each other out of a ring. Needless to say, the boys really got in to this competition.
IN SCIENCE CLASS, A PROJECT-BASED UNIT ON ROBOTICS inspired students to explore the connection between technology and human needs. To begin, students worked in teams of three to design mobile robots using LEGO MINDSTORM kits. They followed online tutorials to learn about the different sensors and programming at their own pace. The teams advanced through a series of physical challenges, which culminated in a maze. The robot designs were revised many times to make improvements, and students’ homework involved writing about the ways they persevered through the challenges. This was an opportunity for the boys to work on open-ended problem solving, to appreciate the value of technology, and also to realize its limitations. During Intersession Week, the sixth grade visited the company Intuitive Surgical to learn how surgical robots are helping the greater good. Students were able to get hands-on with several
Headmaster Jones addresses the Cathedral School community at Graduation
Recent conversations at Cathedral have implicated both how we should serve as individuals and as an institution and what we can learn from this service. We have realized that in order to achieve both goals, our programs should allow students to develop their own interests and, to the extent possible, work directly with those they serve. To put it in more prac- tical terms, rather than merely raiding their pantries for cans for the food drive, we want students to serve food to the homeless. Rather than having service opportunities thrust upon them, we want to develop programs that allow students to articulate their own interests and design their own approaches. Ultimately, the movement is away from a community service model, where students serve from afar, to a servant- leadership model, where the students proactively pursue their interests and
work in relationship with others to develop appropriate responses to human needs. It is through these types of experiences, we feel, that Cathedral boys will truly learn about the world, and, we trust, begin to develop an enduring and authentic commitment to the service of others. We have a long way to go, but we are working hard to get there.
All the best,
Burns Jones Headmaster
Getting a Sumo-bot ready for competition
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RED & GOLD THE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE of CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
Editor’s Note
I GREW UP WITH TWO CULTURALLY CURIOUS PARENTS. Curious about the world beyond the border of the small town my family had inhabited for five generations. Mom and dad wanted us to have a deep understanding of where we were from but also about places we might want to go eventually. Unlike their parents, my parents didn’t expect us to hang around after high school, so they opened up the world. We traveled, a lot. No matter where we landed, at least one day was designated as a “Culture Day.” This meant that mom and dad got to choose what they wanted to do, culturally, and they didn’t hold back. Hence, Culture Day was never spent at the kids’ museum or the zoo; their day catered to their interests. One Culture Day, while traveling abroad, we enjoyed Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Did I mention I was nine years old and my brother, six? For the rest of that trip, if my brother did anything to annoy me, I would pull out that famous line, “Et tu, Brute?” From then on, Culture Days offered promise. My parents’ interests were as diverse as they were deep, and their mandatory Cultural Days did more than just force the kids to do “boring” adult stuff. It was in an accumulation of these days that a curiosity about the world and its workings developed in me, and I came to realize that all the world is a classroom. The idea that “all the world is a classroom” seemed to be a perfect theme for this issue of the Red&Gold magazine. Inside and out of our school there are learning experiences-teachable moments. If we are open to what these experiences teach us, we develop as more complex human beings. Stories in the issue such as Learning to Serve and Serving to Learn by Tara Boland, Kindness Matters by Joanne Cohen, and Giving and Receiving by Holden Brown provide good examples of how the best learning experiences position us at once as teacher and as student. I hope you enjoy this issue of the Red&Gold and I would love your feedback on what you have read. Please email me your comments or story ideas for our next issue to ricejones@cathedralschool.net.
RED&GOLD TEAM EDITOR Katie Rice Jones COPY EDITORS Megan Brown Harrison Wilkes DESIGN Jenna Del Vigna PHOTOGRAPHY Katie Rice Jones Aaron Mullen Deb Rockwood John Stuart Riddle Sarah Roggero Nano Visser Kathryn Williams Kirsten Wolfe
Big and Little Brothers sharing a laugh at Grace Cathedral’s outdoor labyrinth.
OUR MISSION
IN THIS ISSUE 1 Message from the Headmaster 3 Editor’s Note 14 Learning to Serve and Serving to Learn 19 How Plan Becomes Action 21 Kindness Counts: Q& A with Author Leon Logothesis 24 ¡Hola! Nicaragua: A Field Trip Blog
34 Graduation: Class of 2017 45 Alumni News 48 In Memoriam 49 Alumni Events 53 Annual Report 72 School Events 74 Moving In, Up, and On 85 Faculty News
To provide an excellent education for boys at the elementary level. To attract a diverse student body of strong academic potential.
To provide a school committed to intellectual inquiry and rigor, centered in the Episcopal tradition, respectful of and welcoming to people of all religious traditions and beliefs. To develop social responsibility through exemplary programs of outreach and service. To create a community bonded by open-heartedness, hope, compassion, and concern.
Cathedral School for Boys, a department of Grace Cathedral, is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools, and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Episcopal Schools. As an institution with 501(c)(3) non-profit status, it relies on the generosity of individual and community support and an active Parents Association to fund its annual operating and capital needs. If you’d like to make a gift to the School or would like more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of the School and our boys, please contact James Schmidt, Director of Development at schmidt@cathedralschool.net. All gifts to the School are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law. CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS 1275 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 (415) 771-6600 www.cathedralschool.net
Happy reading,
COVER PHOTO John Stuart Riddle ON THE COVER: LEFT to RIGHT:
Katie Rice Jones Red&Gold Editor
Big Brothers Evan ’17, Greyson ’21, and Brandon ’17 (far right) with Little Brother Jackson ’25.
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WE LEARN FROM TECHNOLOGY Mr. Santosa hosts a Sumo-bot competition in his robotics Intersession class.
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WE LEARN FROM ADVERSITY Mr. Chris Waddell speaks to Lower School boys about the twist and turns of his life.
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WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER Three Upper School boys have fun discovering the fine points of computing during Study Hall.
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WE LEARN FROM CHALLENGING OURSELVES Headmaster Burns Jones commends the fifth- and sixth- grade winners at the Field Foundation oratory event.
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WE LEARN FROM WINNING AND LOSING Upper School boys play games of strategy during a rainy-day Recess.
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LEARNING TO SERVE AND SERVING TO LEARN BY TARA BOLAND, High School Counselor
In his graduation speech, Yash Patel ’17 said that one of the most influential experiences during his time at Cathedral was working with a fourth-grade student at Redding Elementary School.
Yash realized that in order to do his best work with the student, he needed to stop speaking in English (Yash’s second language) and switch to the student’s native language, Mandarin, which Yash was studying at Cathedral. Humbled by the language over which he has a tentative hold, Yash was putting himself on more equal footing with the younger child. Each boy spoke in his second or third language as they forged a working relation- ship. Yash explained in his speech, “Now, as I reflect upon these experiences, I realize that through these service opportunities I received more than I gave. Working with the children at these schools has been an unforgettable experience. I was there to teach but, instead, I was the one who was taught.” This is a beautiful example of a Cathedral student out in the community, working with and supporting a younger student, who
Most members of the Cathedral School for Boys community would agree that we want our students engaged in service. But with which populations should Cathedral students be working? Should the boys be supporting people in their immediate neighborhood or addressing one of the many inequities around the globe? Should boys be devoting their time or raising money (which some community organizations more desperately need)? How much time should be taken from their “academic” experience for service? Should there be a set sequential curriculum, or should teachers have the freedom to respond to student interest in any given year? Does it matter if students take unintended lessons and understandings from their service experiences? Or is it enough if students just get out into the community and have a chance to learn experientially, regard- less of outcome?
was learning to read in English. Yash spoke modestly about his contributions, recognizing that this moment wasn’t just about him. While he didn’t say this in his speech, his words tell me that, drawing upon his own life experiences, he gained a respect for the student’s challenge and that of the boy’s teacher, who is working with a group of English language learners. In addition to the gift of these connections with
Over the years, there have been many names for service in schools, reflecting evolving ideas about the philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings. While definitions vary, the foundation is built upon John Dewey’s ideals of experiential learning. The term “commu- nity service” has been replaced by “service learning,” with an emphasis on learning. The
“Public-private partnerships are built upon creating reciprocal relationships where there is sharing and learning from all involved.”
the fourth grader, we do not know yet what the longer-term implications may be for Yash. Will he seek out new opportunities to teach? Will he make education a priority in his life? In the future will he work to better support public education? Maybe he’ll have simply gained a little more empathy. A seed has been planted through direct contact with another student within the San Francisco community. This is service at Cathedral. As Cathedral adopts the 2017 Strategic Plan, the School will be expanding its service program. We will be building upon the 2010 Strategic Plan, which explored service learning and devel- oped a framework for projects. That framework for teachers stated that service projects should include a connection to significant content (curriculum); student voice and choice; active participation; and reflection and the sharing of learning. That framework will continue to guide classroom and school initiatives, but as the program expands, what should the next iteration of service at Cathedral look like?
learning is not just about the moment in which the student is engaged with a community partner, but in his preparation— learning about the community partner with whom a student is working, and reflecting upon and continuing the learning after the experience. However, the scope of a project need not be a semester-long commitment, especially for younger students. Paul Bertrand, Cathedral’s Director of Curriculum, explains that service projects do not always have to be grand projects, an aspiration that can bog down educators as they plan. Paul reflects, “In my experience, more frequent, smaller projects often have had greater meaning.” In order to maximize student learning in true collaboration, many schools are embracing public-private partnerships and developing reciprocal relationships. Paul explains, “This more recent model moves beyond service learning, which can still reinforce hierarchies, power indifferences, and stereotypes to relationships where there is sharing and learning from all
Upper School boys pack food in the School's gym for the Stop Hunger Now program.
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“Cathedral boys need to understand the challenges that confront and confound our world. They need to develop a sense of humility and context as they face profound issues and develop a sense of responsibility as future stewards of our world.”
involved. An example of this type of work would be partnering with a public or charter school and having Cathedral boys and their students working side by side on a common project, such as a garden, where all the students would be leaning on their strengths and sharing/teaching others about them.” As the School makes curricular and service choices, we can begin by defining how we want our graduates to think about community and service, and their obligation to each. The Cathedral School for Boys’ Mission, deeply rooted in the Episcopal faith, can be a guide. Drawing upon the School’s Mission, if we seek to shape boys who are “respectful of and welcoming to people of all religious traditions and beliefs;” if we seek to cultivate “social responsi- bility through exemplary programs of outreach and service;” if we intend to “create a community bonded by open-hearted- ness, hope, compassion, and concern,” then our boys need to be serving beyond our school walls. Cathedral boys need to be interacting with people of all faiths, races, and socioeconomic circumstances. The boys need to be working side-by-side as equals; not as part of noblesse oblige, as the privileged few who can transform a stranger’s world by giving an hour of their time. In age-appropriate ways, Cathedral boys need to understand the challenges that confront and confound our world. They need to develop a sense of humility and context as they face profound issues and develop a sense of responsibility as future
stewards of our world. They also need to learn that they are not always the saviors with the big ideas who lead from above. Often service means sweeping floors or washing dishes so that the real experts can better do their jobs. Among our peer schools, Cathedral is uniquely positioned adja- cent to the Tenderloin and Chinatown. We have the proximity, and perhaps responsibility, to work with our neighbors. Grace Cathedral already performs countless hours of service and has many programs in place. Cathedral’s Statement of Philosophy asserts that “(w)e set equally high standards in civic and social responsibility.” Civic and social responsibility cannot be born out of book learning alone. To breathe life into the final words of our Mission: “(t)o create a community bonded by open-hearted- ness, hope, compassion, and concern,” our boys must be out in the community learning more about the world they will inherit and for which they will be responsible. Before we get any further, it’s worth acknowledging that service at the elementary and middle school level is fraught with challenges. For starters, in many cases, it is the students who learn lessons at a cost to the partner organization. Young children have minimal skills to contribute. It can be messy as young people take on tasks with which they are not familiar or when they begin navigating relationships with other people. This can require a lot of adult support. An organization may need to devote many precious resources to enable one student project. And it can be hard for students (particularly younger students) to understand the needs that an organization is meeting. After all, what does hunger or homelessness mean to a student who has never known either? When an organization opens its doors to Cathedral students for serving learning, they are looking to the future and they are offering our community a service. The direct benefit to the organization is typically minimal. It’s not unlike parents teaching their child to wash the dishes: it’s far messier, takes much more time, and the outcome is inferior to just doing the job themselves. However, as parents, we know that the invest- ment is worth it, and in the future, hopefully we will wash fewer dishes and our kitchens will be cleaner. Organizations often make the investment without any hope of direct return for their individual organization. They place their faith in the hope that this experience will help shape children’s attitudes about serving and contributing to other organizations in the future. For service to be meaningful and for students to develop the mindset that serving is valuable, students need to make personal connections to their lives. If they are working with other people, those relationships should ideally be fostered and developed over a sustained period, much like Yash experienced. His partnership with that young student was made possible through Cathedral’s program with Redding Elementary School, led by the School’s chaplain, Father Mehrdad Abirdari, and
seventh- and eighth-grade history teacher Peter Mundy. However, a sustained commitment can be challenging with a school calendar with a rotation schedule. To help students better understand with whom they are working, why the need exists, and how they can best help, students need to be educated about the group they are serving. They need to learn how a polluted beach hurts the local wild- life if they are helping with an environmental clean-up. They should understand that some people do not have family to go home to on Thanksgiving if they are helping to prepare a Grace Cathedral Thanksgiving dinner. Preparation and reflection are critical. Students need to be able to ask uncomfortable ques- tions such as “Why does this problem exist?”; “Why does this person not have food or a home?”; or “Why are there so many more students in a classroom than I have in mine?” Teachers can help them better understand resource gaps and the inequi- ties in our world by facilitating these types of conversations. Without them, the result can be a cultivation of pity for those perceived as less fortunate and assumptions are made about others’ needs. Authentic relationships and mutual respect cannot be forged without an emphasis on our shared humanity. Unfortunately, unintended messages are common in service projects. They are almost always the result of very good inten- tions on the part of schools, teachers, and organizations. So how does a school avoid this outcome and align intent with impact? While the school community continues to support various chari- table drives (often initiated by students in response to the needs of other communities) and local organizations with which it has a long-standing relationship (such as Grace Cathedral’s Bayview Mission), a team of administrators and teachers have started working to expand the School’s community engagement and service opportunities. By exploring larger themes and addressing them through the lens of individuals, communities, and different cultures, the School hopes to move students from understanding their personal needs to the needs of others and the intercon- nectedness that exists for all of humanity on a global level. This team envisions a program that fully integrates “service” into the School’s human development and global education programs, and explores issues from personal, community, and global perspectives while providing developmentally appro- priate-learning activities.
One person on this team is Jim Schmidt, who explains that his involvement fits well with his role as Cathedral’s Director of Development in helping to create a culture of philanthropy and volunteerism at the School. Jim explains: “Altruism is a char- acter virtue that needs to be nurtured in humans from an early age and modeled through action as we get older. It begins with simple lessons such as learning how to share and understanding essential human needs such as food, shelter, and love, and then the lessons get more complex as we get older and our sphere of consciousness gets larger. Part of being an adult is the delicate balancing act of fulfilling one’s individual needs with the needs of others in our world, and this involves appreciating what we have been given, and sharing our gifts with others. “Take food. I think we can all agree that food is essential to human survival. However, there is a service tendency to tend to jump right to addressing a big issue like “world hunger” without fully appreciating how, on a daily basis, our individual and personal community needs are met. So, a first step in our Lower School is understanding the importance of daily nutri- tion and caring for oneself through healthy eating (in part through our lunch program). There is also the community aspect of sharing meals (whether at school or at home) and understanding where our food comes from and who prepares it for us. And then there is the opportunity of exploring how people around the world eat and how communities share meals. “Part of one’s daily service should be to eat well and help provide for one’s immediate family and community. This is part of the School’s philosophy in boys sharing daily communal hot lunches with teachers and faculty, and taking the time to acknowledge our gratitude for the food and hands that helped prepare it for us. In addition, there are parents and other adults who volunteer in our lunchroom each day and, as students get older, they support their own lunch program by helping out through their advisory ‘Lunch Bunch’ groups. “By understanding how food plays an integral part in our personal and school life, we have a strong foundation to begin exploring how food helps support other communities. This past year, we partnered with Grace Cathedral and boys helped support a variety of food-related programs, including monthly senior lunches and several Winter Interfaith Shelter dinners for homeless men. Our chaplain, Father Abidari, also arranged for
The Rev. Canon Nina Pickerell and Cathedral boys load up a truck with donations headed for the Bayview Mission.
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HOW PLAN BECOMES ACTION BY MICHAEL DUNN AND KATH TSAKALAKIS, Strategic Plan Co-Chairs, Trustees, and Seventh-Grade Parents
a representative from the SF/Marin Food Bank to visit an all- school chapel during our annual Lenten Food Drive to discuss how we can fight hunger in the Bay Area. “This year we introduced a new partnership with Rise Against Hunger, an organization that is working to eradicate global hunger. Through this program, our students committed to collecting change for a two-week period to help cover the costs associated with a 29-cent basic daily meal. The Upper School boys then packed 10,000 meals to be shipped to countries struggling with hunger. During the packing day, the boys learned that about 70% of these meals will go to schools and that the offer of free meals is enough to encourage fami- lies in these areas to send their children to school. So the act of providing meals to this community serves an even greater purpose beyond hunger by promoting education, improving student health/nutrition, addressing gender inequalities, and fighting child labor. “Through these opportunities, our goal is to engage the boys in meaningful ways so that they can begin to under- stand the connections between themselves and the larger world, and to witness the power of individual and collaborative contributions. Moving forward, our goal is to foster ongoing partnerships with a variety of organizations to engage with different communities through various activities and topics that address our shared humanity.” As Cathedral’s service program expands, the foundation must be laid within the classroom and by the teachers who work with the students day in and day out. As Paul Bertrand pointed out, it can feel daunting to take on such a Herculean project. But Cathedral teachers have been making service meaningful for students for a long time—the second-grade composting program, fourth-graders educating the school about our food waste at lunch, and the Upper School Green Team recycling textiles to name a few. In many ways, well-designed service projects will be no different from any other elegant curricular unit. They will help reinforce students’ reading, writing, math, history, and language skills, teaching them in more experiential ways. Think of Yash using his elementary Mandarin to commu- nicate with a struggling second -grader or a sixth-grade boy writing an email to a community organization after a fire to express his interest in putting together a coat drive to support the survivors. An effective service program can help students identify and develop their personal strengths and shape positive, global citi- zens for our ever-changing world. Cathedral graduates need to be thoughtful, reflective, and critical thinkers who can engage analytically and philosophically in the world; however, none of this will matter if they are not guided by a responsibility to the planet and their fellow people. If the Cathedral community is one “bonded by open-heartedness, hope, compassion, and
A large team of parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees spent the 2016-2017 school year working with the entire Cathedral community to shape the School’s strategic plan. The plan’s three goals—program, people, and place—are centered on the boys. They provide direction for the next five years. Each goal has top-priority initiatives with metrics to assess progress. During implementation, continued involvement from the Cathedral community is imperative, with regular updates and opportunities for feedback. The goals and initiatives form a plan that will guide us as we move forward. PROGRAM
PEOPLE Foster a community that attracts and supports talented educators and remains accessible to all qualified students regardless of background. INITIATIVES: l Attract and retain inspiring teachers by enhancing sala- ries and benefits provided to Cathedral staff. l Strengthen our professional growth program for teachers that includes training, evalua- tion, and observation. l Improve access for socio- economically diverse students of high academic potential.
PLACE Improve use of learning space, both on campus and off, to support new educational approaches and better meet the needs of boys and teachers. INITIATIVES: l Redesign our campus to support both current and emerging educational approaches and the learning needs of boys. l Explore off-site opportunities to enhance our educational program, for example, more field trips, and more space for athletics and team sports. l Design space for teachers that enhances both professional and personal lives, encourages collaboration, and offers high priority basic amenities.
Maintain our leadership in boys’ education so that we prepare boys for success at high school and beyond in an increasingly complicated world. INITIATIVES: l Capitalize on the educational advantages of Cathedral’s size by reducing class sizes in every grade. l Develop an excellent curriculum that provides the information, awareness, and skills for boys to succeed. l Create exemplary service programs that foster a life-long commitment to serving others. l Explore a more modern school calendar that is supported by the community and improves learning.
Upper School boys along with Father Abidari head to Redding Elementary for a day of service.
concern” as our Mission states, we must inspire boys to see the humanity in all people and feel a life-long sense of respon- sibility for the good of their individual selves, their families and communities, and the larger world. They may lead in formal roles, create policy, volunteer, teach, fundraise, or simply show up each day ready to help. Each Cathedral boy has a role to play. For anyone who believes deeply in Cathedral’s Mission, it is exciting to envision how service at the School will continue to grow and mature. While this may require more planning, time, and resources from our entire adult community, it can be truly transformational for all involved. If each Cathedral boy can graduate recognizing the challenges of the world around him, along with a sense of purpose to use and develop his personal strengths to serve and partner with others to meet those chal- lenges, then we will be graduating the open-hearted, hopeful, compassionate change-makers our world so greatly needs.
The Strategic Plan contains details on the research, rationale, and actions for each initiative. As one example, since serving others is so important to Cathedral’s Mission, it is exciting to envision how we might expand service learning for the boys. Existing tutoring programs such as those at Spring Valley School and Redding Elementary School, both in San Francisco, are wonderful examples of how the boys can have an impact locally. One of our Cathedral students, Holden Brown (class of 2018), describes his efforts at Spring Valley, and how the learning goes both ways. The Strategic Plan will help us build on our strong foundation and thoughtfully expand service programs throughout our school.
Please direct comments about this article to Tara Boland at boland@cathedralschool.net.
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KINDNESS COUNTS: Q&A WITH AUTHOR LEON LOGOTHETIS AND CATHEDRAL’S COUNSELOR, JOANNE COHEN
GIVING AND RECEIVING BY HOLDEN BROWN, Class of 2018
Holden Brown ’18 with Mr. Mundy at Spring Valley School
ONCE A WEEK, MR. MUNDY, our Upper School history teacher, escorts 10 Cathedral seventh-grade boys down the hill to the Spring Valley School. Established in 1852, Spring Valley is the oldest school in Cali- fornia. It was initially set up to educate the children of gold prospectors. My classmates and I visit the school as tutors. At the school, I work with the Spanish speaking kindergarteners on their use of English in Classroom Six. My support includes working with the kids on sentence structure. At first, I felt awkward tutoring the kids. Of course their Spanish was much better than mine. They have been speaking Spanish their entire lives and I have only studied the language for two years. But soon enough, I started to bond with the kids and felt at ease with them and the language.
Spring Valley is important to me because I get to provide educational support to its students. I consider myself an “extra hand’ to a teacher with a classroom of almost 20 kids. Perhaps for the kids, talking and playing with someone who acts a bit like an older brother is a fun and positive experience. That’s my hope, anyway. One of the more treasured activities at Spring Valley is working in the computer lab. In the lab, the students and I play educational games, including one very popular maze game. The kindergarteners love competing with each other to see who finishes the game the fastest. I have to admit the game is pretty fun. At times, one of the students isn’t very happy with the classroom activity. When this happens, I try to encourage him to stay positive. I tell him that the trick is to find
something to look forward to, like another class. I say, “When you get frustrated about your current class, think about what you will be doing in your upcoming favorite class.” That usually works. As for me, I get a lot out of my experience— it helps me with my Spanish, as I want to be able to have more complex conversations with the kids. It’s fun to spend time with the kids because they are cute, funny, and appreciative. Whenever I arrive at the classroom now, I am greeted with hugs, smiles, and shouts of “El chico alto está aquí otra vez.”(Translation: “The tall kid is here again.”) The kids always manage to make my day fantastic. I hope that I do the same for them. Classroom Six at the Spring Valley Science School will always be my school away from school and my home away from home.
Holden’s story is just one of many that we hope to create with our focus on service. While it will not be possible to implement every goal immediately, teams of Cathedral faculty and staff have already started planning on how and when the goals can be integrated. We eagerly look forward to the results of the strategic plan over the next five years.
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It was a real pleasure for me to have author Leon Logothetis with us at Cathedral this last March and it started with a comment made by a fellow educator on Facebook. She wrote, “[I’m] finding solace in watching the ‘Kindness Diaries’ tonight.” Her comment intrigued me as I was planning to teach the concept of kindness in our next Friendship Group. – JOANNE COHEN
“Kindness is most definitely a way of life” – LEON LOGOTHETIS
Joanne Cohen: Why did spreading kindness become your mission? Leon Logothetis: I looked at what the world needed and I looked at what I could offer. Kindness kept making its way to the top of both lists. To me, kindness has always been about listening and connecting with the world at large. The best way to do that is to go out into the world and meet it with open arms at every turn. JC: Can you tell us a little bit about your show on Netflix? LL: The Kindness Diaries is a 13 part Netflix series that docu- ments my trip around the world on “Kindness One,” my vintage yellow motorbike, relying solely on the kindness of others. But this show isn’t just about receiving kindness; it’s also about giving back. Unsuspecting good Samaritans that helped me and came fully from their heart had received life-changing gifts. The show is a testament to the power of human connection and the kindness that I believe is within everyone. JC: What are some simple things we can do each day to raise kind children who invite inclusivity? LL: Children often learn from example. Act how you would have them act and they will emulate without even noticing. Be the best example you can be in all aspects of life and children will grow into your image. If you want kindness and inclusivity, be patient and welcoming. Show them what most of the world will not and they will take notice. JC: How can you inspire kindness in our children? LL: I have had the fortune of being able to travel much of the world many times over, and I have seen the kindness of it first- hand. I can share with them the stories shared with me and I can attempt to imprint upon them what I have learned: that kindness can come from anyone, anywhere, at anytime, and that no one is ever incapable of kindness. JC: Is kindness a way of life? LL: Kindness is most definitely a way of life. It must be persis- tent and daily, otherwise it is just an empty gesture. The kindness of an hour is fleeting, but kindness of today and tomorrow is forever.
JC: Is kindness a mindset? LL: Of course! If kindness is a way of life, then it must also be a mindset. One without the other is hollow. To live one way and think another is not a way to live, in my opinion. JC: What can I do every day to live kindly? LL: See the people around you. Listen to what they have to say. Listen to their stories and embrace them with warmth. Make the attempt to be kind and see where it leads you. JC: Which children’s books on kindness do you recommend? LL: “The Giving Tree” is a great story by Shel Silverstein for the wee younglings. “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a great story - suitable for children and adults of all ages - that shows kindness through the act of gift giving. Some might say that gift giving isn’t true kindness, that giving gifts is a farce for the wealthy. This isn’t true. In fact, gifts are one of the strongest kindnesses we can share when we give them with consideration and thought. When you take the time to think about another person’s needs and you act via a gift, you can rest easy in the comfort that you have been kind. JC: The Buddha says that one needs to love oneself, first, before they can love anyone else. Do you find this to be true? If so, how can I develop a practice of loving-kindness for myself? LL: Indeed it is. To love someone is to see them for all they are and accept them through all their faults and missteps. It is the ability to connect with another and embrace them without reservation. This is impossible when we are blinded by our own self-loathing. When we do not love ourselves, we tear ourselves down. And eventually that kindness we might have once had for others turns to malice, envy, hate, apathy, or any of the other unproductive emotions that we are all prone to. It is only when we love ourselves that we are able to push back and grow instead of falling even further in our missteps. As for practicing kindness, learn to forgive yourself as you would others, realize that everyone makes mistakes, and take the time to witness the kindness all around you. But most importantly, never give up. Realize that though we may falter, it is our continued perseverance that makes us strong and kind beyond bounds. There is no limit if we keep on growing. Imagine kindness and become kindness.
High-fives all around for kindness.
“I see you everywhere.”
The “Kindness Diaries” is a TV series featuring a man named Leon Logothetis who travelled around the world relying solely on the kindness of others. The show’s concept and the man piqued my interest so I started watching the series. Soon, I became hooked and wanted to share this uplifting series with my Cathedral students. So, I decided to Facebook message Leon and let him know I was sharing his story of kindness with my students and guess what? He kindly messaged me back. It turns out he was on a book tour and suggested that he could pop by the School to meet our Cathedral boys. Wow!
Before Mr. Logothetis’ scheduled visit on March 28, 2017, my goal was to have every Cathedral boy see at least one episode of the “Kindness Diaries.” Needless to say, by the time Mr. Logothetis arrived he was a bit of a celebrity. He gave three inspiring talks to groups of boys throughout the day and one to families in the evening. Long after he was gone, the boys still had questions for him, and so did I. So Mr. Logothetis once again kindly agreed to speak with me and we sat down for an additional conversation to discover more about the concept of kindness. Our conversation is here for you to read.
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¡ HOLA! NICARAGUA
A FIELD TRIP BLOG
FEBRUARY 11, 2017
BY SARAH ROGGERO, Spanish Teacher AARON MULLEN, Director of Community & Inclusion
TOUCHDOWN IN NICARAGUA
Pollo a la plancha con arroz made for an amazing first meal in León. The restaurant was scenic and the food tasty.
We touched down in Nicaragua and bused to our destination, the city of León. En route to lunch, the boys got a beautiful view of Volcano Momotombo.
Last February, 33 students and four teachers headed to Nicaragua for Intersession. We partnered with Viviendas León, a local San Francisco non-profit who has spent more than 20 years providing opportunities for language learning, service work, and cultural exchange in and around the colonial city of León. During the week, we stayed with host families in the Fundeci neighbor- hood, stepping into downtown León each morning for language classes and cultural activities. We spent our afternoons in the rural Goyena commu- nity right outside of the city, learning woodworking and piñata-making skills to help with their community projects. For many, the week in Nicaragua was a highlight of the year. We drew upon our minds to consider the experience of others, our hearts to care for and support each other, used our hands to put service into action, and pushed our voices to speak in Spanish. The following is the running blog from our journey.
NEW CONNECTIONS The host families sweetly greeted the boys. A warm smile and hug brought light to a new connection.
THE SUN SETS After a full travel day and a few activities, the Cathedral squad is exhausted. We look to recharge for tomorrow’s trip to Downtown León and our community project work. Buenas Noches!
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NICKY S. POSTS: I love trying to speak Spanish, even though our homestay families may not understand me at all. I used some vocabulary from past Spanish classes, and I used my hands to express actions I didn’t know how to say. I haven’t talked much, but Cooper, my roommate, sure does! Mostly what he says is: “Mucho gracias!” and “Es muy perfecto!” This is hilarious to me and Baker, my other roommate, but at least Cooper is trying to communicate. (: I try to do my best speaking, and not sound completely dumb! (: P.S. I love you mom, dad, and sis!
FEBRUARY 12, 2017
WHAT A GREAT DAY! Guys seem happy, well fed, and rested after our long journey here. When we met up this morning, breakfast reports ranged from pancakes to gallo pinto. We began today with a brief presentation on the economic history of Nicaragua and I learned that the country was originally considered for the loca- tion of what became the Panama Canal. Currently, there’s renewed interest in a canal in Nicaragua, and some debate as to whether it would be beneficial. After that, we headed from our neighborhood to “downtown” León and attended Spanish class (Ms. Williams was the model student participating in class, while Mr. Mundy and Ms. Roggero found coffee and Mr. Mullen laid low to recover from his pre-departure cold). Then, we split into two groups to tour the Ortiz-Gurdian art museum which is located in a typical colonial adobe villa and visit the Cathedral, which included a walk (in sock feet) on its white- washed roof.
Judy H.S. Comments: We love you too, Nick!!
We had lunch (fish with rice, beans, and plantain chips) back at the Viviendas León building. We drove out to the Goyena community for service projects, splitting back into our groups. One group collaborated with locals to build planters and deco- rative shelves. The other weeded and tended to a tomato and pepper patch at a farm.
Laurie H. Comments: What a great story! And great job, Nick!!
We were glad to splash around in the pool to cool off at the end of the day. After a brief presentation by Indiana, the co-founder of Viviendas León, we returned to homestays for dinner. We then regrouped for some journaling time, during which we asked the boys to “describe a conversation you had with a new person and any strategies you used to communi- cate.” Read the next entries for boys’ responses.
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FEBRUARY 13, 2017
FEBRUARY 14, 2017
EVAN A. POSTS: My visit to Cerro Negro was a rollercoaster of emotions. First, it was excitement when we started to hike. Soon fear kicked in when the winds started to pick up. Then when Jackson and I slid down the mountain, joy came and stayed with me for the rest of the day.
HENRI Z. POSTS: Cerro Negro was amazing. I was glad to do an outside activity that included mountains (one of my favorite things in the world!) and a little more physical exertion than farming, but it was also very windy (we who were light were worried about getting blown away). It had a beautiful view of a forest almost like a large national park that you would see in the U.S. It was quite an experience to climb up a volcano, I quite enjoyed being able to learn about the craters and see firsthand how it exploded, how lava flowed, and how it affected the landscape. Overall, it was a very incredible and exciting experience. Meghan H. Comments: So excited for you Henri! What a great experience! We love you! M, P, & L
THE FUNDECI NEIGHBORHOOD The Fundeci neighborhood is a great place for homestays. We are all living within a city block of each other; however, unlike a traditional city block, there are footpaths that wind within allowing one access to houses inside the interior of the block that aren’t visible from the street. We have enjoyed meandering through the paths to visit the boys and see the similarities and differences in their homestays. The chaperones are less than five minutes on foot to any one house, which is the perfect setup. It takes us about 10 minutes after we pile into our bus to reach the Viviendas León office in the colonial city center; it’s another 30 minutes to Goyena where we work with the rural community. NICARAGUAN HISTORY This morning was full of Nicaraguan history with both a presen- tation from the former mayor, a guerilla fighter, and a walking tour of the murals in the León city center. After lunch (and song and birthday cake for Baker!), we headed to Goyena where we participated in three different projects: making soap, piñatas, and flowerpots. We continued Baker’s celebra- tion with a “Spider Man” piñata, which both the Goyena kids and CSB guys loved. Then we played fútbol with the Goyena team; however, as Ms. Williams said, we lost “valiantly.” No day is complete without time at the pool, where we wrapped up before taking boys “home.” We have an early morning depar- ture to Cerro Negro tomorrow.
Judy H. S. Comments: Wonderful, Henri! You make me feel like I was there!
NICKY S. POSTS: Driving to the volcano made me pretty nervous, and I thought that the whole idea of sliding down on sleds to descend the volcano was death defying. I did get some support when just talking to people around me, but it was scary when the really rough wind blew. We had to carry up our sleds to go down. The wind would push the sleds, and I almost fell a few times. As I look at the slope we were sledding down, and it didn’t seem so bad. While I was sliding down, I was going too fast and flipped off of my sled. I scratched my legs and head while flipping over, my hair and ears were full of sand. As I came to a stop, I realized how much fun I had, and that’s what really matters. Judy H. S. Comments: So cool, Nick! Can’t wait to hear more stories!! XO!!
Beatnik 24 Comments: Sounds so exciting! I can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home.
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FEBRUARY 15, 2017
FEBRUARY 16, 2017
TRADITIONAL ART The boys created Nicaraguan traditional art in the form of tapetes de aserrin. The art consists of large rectangle shapes filled with dyed sawdust.
A LOVELY SPOT We’re staying right on the water in cabins terraced into the hillside—it’s a lovely spot (with slightly different roommates than our boys expected ... a lizard here, a large bug there). Boys enjoyed swimming in the crater lake and relaxing on the patio during their free time.
LAST NIGHT IN LEÓN The boys enjoyed their last night in León with a full-fledged fiesta. Hosted by the homestay families, the celebration consisted of a live band, enchilada dinner, two piñatas, and plenty of dancing. BAKER M. POSTS: I turned 13 about two days ago. But this birthday wasn’t a normal birthday. It was a Nicaraguan birthday. It was celebrated by all of my friends and my teachers and we had lots of fun and cake. But it was very different celebrating in Nicaragua with my friends than at home with my family. I enjoyed spending time with my friends but I really did miss my family. The thing is, Nicaraguan people were so nice that each new place sang and wished me a happy birthday. I think I had the Spanish version of happy birthday sung to me at least three times, and I had a piñata. Even though I missed my parents, I was welcomed and celebrated by my friends and the Nicaraguan people.
FINAL GOODBYE We packed up early this morning to say a final goodbye to our host families.
STOP IN MASAYA On the way to Laguna de Apoyo, we stopped in Masaya, which is a quaint town with a large artisanal market. While this is mostly supported by the tourist crowd now, the market has been around for a long time. I have no photographic evidence of your sons’ bargaining and shopping. However, I think you’ll see the fruits of their labor in the gifts and souvenirs that they bring home. After the market, we headed to lunch for at an all-you-can eat buffet and then, finished our drive to Laguna de Apoyo.
LAST DAY AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER The boys were hard at work this afternoon. Tasked with the job to make hanging wall objects out of wood pallets. The boys banded together with the leadership of local college students to complete the task.
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