CSW Graduates the Class of 2010

"What is the power of X?" Jane Moulding, head of school asked. "It is that collective power, sitting here in front of me, that visits us all today, that enters into our beings and reminds us that X is always worth solving for. Always."
The Cambridge School of Weston graduated the 76 seniors in the class of 2010, which refers to itself as 'X,' at its 124th commencement ceremony on June 11. Fifty-nine of the students had been at CSW all four years and 13 students count their family home in other countries.

 

With the sounds of Pachelbel's Kanon in the air, the class walked from the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art through a natural archway build by classmates and peers and settled on the quad for the ceremony.

 

"They enjoy each other’s company," said Jane. "This is the class that wanted to spend the night together on the quad, take a day off together and go to the boat dance—three days one after the other!"

 

This year, seniors elected two classmates, Chace Nolen '10 of Cambridge, Mass., and Helen Serrano '10 of Roslindale, Mass., who spoke on behalf of the class and Craig Dorfman, English, and Martha Fischhoff, history, to represent the faculty. In breaking with tradition, the senior class requested that Jesse McGleughlin '10 of Cambridge, Mass., speak for the board of trustees, having served on it for two years.

 

Jesse reminded the audience that the best skills learned at CSW were to think critically and connect with others, a sentiment shared by Chace and Helen, who explored the power of teachers and connecting with students and asked us to remember the heros in our lives who helped shape us.

 

"Of all the words in the beautiful French language, my favorite is an article, 'de," said Martha Fischhoff. "In my French-to-English dictionary, it was defined as 'of or belonging to' -- a phrase I have always found remarkably poetic. You are of or belonging to me, class of 2010. I am of or belonging to you. We are all of or belonging to The Cambridge School of Weston and vis versa. You are of kindness and generosity, of word and deed, both. You are of critical thought and impassioned discussions. You are of caring for each other. Of working toward social justice and beauty. Thos things will not leave you when you leave the Cambridge School."

 

In keeping with tradition, several faculty members were chosen by the senior class to award the diplomas: Brian Walker, English; Marilyn Del Donno, science; Todd Bartel, visual arts; Rachel Hirsch, history; Jane Berkowitz, English; Tom Evans, visual arts; Sophia Boyer, history; and Anne Rearick, visual arts. Jim Cook, maintenance, and Doug Healy, history, were chosen to read the names of the graduates.

 

"When you evaluate an idea or a claim, remember all those tools we helped you sharpen--the questioning, the curiousity, the trust of evidence and scientific method and analysis and collaboration--and use those first," said Craig Dorfman. "You should subject any bit of knowledge or understanding to relentless, merciless questioning. Demand evidence. Examine it. Examine the sources of that evidence. Consider the way that knowledge affects the flow of power in the world. The vast majority of the time, those tools will lead you to a useful, well-considered, and more or less true conclusion. So, before you 'just know' something, make all the efforts you can to verify it."

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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.