Lise's Lens: April 9, 2026
This week I am reading about the challenges young people are facing on the job market; thinking about the power of philanthropy; and watching our incredible robotics team in action!
WHAT I'M READING
There’s been no shortage of articles lately about the difficult job market young people are facing these days. And while most of our students are still years away from truly entering the workforce, many of them utilize their summers to get precious job experience. When our students come across such grim stats, it can make the idea of a job search feel all the more daunting. This being the case, we were really proud to be able to offer our first ever “Ambassador Job Fair” yesterday in the Fit, at which current sophomores got to interview with adults from various departments for on-campus jobs next year. As part of our PACE Program, students were taught how to curate resumes, dress professionally, and prepare for real interviews. Students interviewed in person for five different positions, and learned the importance of staying engaged, asking questions, and following up. It’s one small step, but I like to think it helps them feel more empowered and prepared in a world where they can often feel overwhelmed.
WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT
Day of Giving and the Spirit of Philanthropy
When I was a college student in Washington, DC, I spent a semester living with a family of career US diplomats who were avid listeners of NPR. They were extremely civic minded, and we would have lively conversations about the news reporting we heard each day. This had a huge impact on me and my understanding of not just the United States, but the world — especially coming from a country where the press was censored and primarily in service to the dictatorship. Since those days, I’ve continued to enjoy NPR programming. I find comfort in the routine and ritual listening to it affords me. And so it’s been important to me to support their endeavors.
Why am I sharing this? In my almost seven years at the helm of CSW, I have heard so many community members share how much they have come to rely on their experience and time at CSW as an invaluable piece of their life trajectories. At CSW, we are civic minded. Important conversations happen in and out of the classroom, around lunch tables, on the Quad, in our music and art studios, on the bus to athletic events, and in our dorms. And people remember these moments. They are grateful for them, as evidenced by the overwhelming show of support we experienced at yesterday’s Day of Giving.
Thank you to all of you who took the time to show appreciation, gratitude, and encouragement for the work we do here. We know that a CSW experience lasts a lifetime. Thank you for being a part of our community.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
CSW Robotics
I had the great fortune of watching our robotics team in action last weekend. If you haven’t yet attended one of these competitions, I highly encourage you to mark your calendars for next March. They are exciting nailbiters! The 25 students and faculty members involved have given up so many weekends and evenings in preparation for this competition season, and I am so proud of them. While the work is very much supported and encouraged by faculty advisors, it is our students who manage the key aspects of the build, design, and programming (which isn’t always the case at other programs). I am immensely proud of our performance at both competitions this year and was happy to be in the crowd cheering for them last weekend at WPI. Icing on the cake was the surprise visit from recent robotics alumni!
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
Check out our incredible 10th graders in action!
In the words of History Teacher Patrick Foley: Our 10th graders really shined today! You would have been absolutely proud to see their enthusiasm and professionalism in action. For those who couldn’t witness today’s Ambassador interviews, you missed an inspiring milestone. Our students arrived exceptionally prepared, fully engaged, and eager to embrace the challenge.
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.