Lise's Lens: February 29, 2024
I am reading about the history of Spelman College, thinking about our seniors affected by FAFSA delays, and watching amazing footage from deep within the ocean.
WHAT I’M READING
- I was immediately drawn into historian and activist Elisabeth Griffith’s substack issue about the history of Spelman College. She was inspired to write the piece after news hit that Ronda Stryker, a white woman, had pledged to make a $100 million gift to the school — the largest-ever single gift to a historically black college or university. The article goes into the importance of supporting women’s education and “the possibility and power of interracial alliances.” It has been really exciting and inspiring to see women, specifically, making these large philanthropic gifts — like Ruth Gottesman’s $1 billion dollar gift to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx.
WHAT I’M THINKING/TALKING ABOUT
- I have been thinking a lot about our graduating seniors — many of whom are already (or will soon be) facing significant backlogs in receiving critical aid offers from colleges and universities due to delays associated with the rollout of the new FAFSA form. The college application process is nerve-wracking enough without such delays, and so I really feel for our students and families who now feel like they are in limbo. Thankfully, it seems as though most schools are adapting their decision deadlines accordingly. Still, I can only imagine how difficult it has been to have to adjust expectations and wait longer than anticipated. Uncertainty can be really hard to grapple with.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
- I was moved and amazed to watch this footage from a recent deep sea expedition off the coast of Chile. A highly specialized, deep sea diving robot was able to discover over 100 new species. It’s incredible to think about the richness of these unseen worlds that exist on our own planet. There is so much negative news about marine life these days, and so it was nice to stumble upon this glimmer of hope and excitement.
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Thank you to Emma Fedor for sharing her experiences on book writing and publishing with our students as part of our CSWrites series. If you haven't yet done so, grab a copy of her novel At Sea (Gallery Books) for your next read.
The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.