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CSW Announces 2026 Parkhill Grantees
CSW is pleased to announce that Spanish teacher Doralis Perez-Soto and science teacher Rose Rosenthal have been awarded 2026 grants from the Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund for Teachers.
Doralis, a Spanish teacher and residential life faculty member, will visit Spain and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, with a focus on the Dominican Republic. During her travels, Doralis will pursue an experiential exploration of Caribbean diaspora, colonial histories, and cultural exchange between Spain and the wider Caribbean. She plans to bring this firsthand knowledge back to CSW students by updating the “Spanish Caribbean” course and the “Music from Latin America and Spain” course with new historical, cultural, and musical perspectives. This immersive experience may also lead to the development of new courses, potentially centered on literature, Indigenous populations, or the study of diaspora. Doralis anticipates that her expanded understanding of Spain and the Dominican Republic will enrich all levels of Spanish instruction — from introductory courses to advanced electives — and spark deeper departmental conversations around curriculum.
Rose, a physics teacher and residential life faculty member, intends to further her study of astrophotography of deep‐space objects and to apply her skills to photographing the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, in Gijón, Spain. In her application, Rose described the profound impact of witnessing the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, an experience she found difficult to articulate to students through words alone. As she reflected, the emotional and visceral nature of that moment can be more fully communicated through imagery. With the Parkhill Grant, Rose will work with smart telescopes alongside manually captured DSLR images to build an astrophotography portfolio. These authentic astronomical images and her personal experience will continue to enhance the classroom environment in courses like “Astronomy” and “20th Century Physics,” inspiring curiosity and wonder among students.
Rose, a physics teacher and residential life faculty member, intends to further her study of astrophotography of deep‐space objects and to apply her skills to photographing the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, in Gijón, Spain. In her application, Rose described the profound impact of witnessing the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, an experience she found difficult to articulate to students through words alone. As she reflected, the emotional and visceral nature of that moment can be more fully communicated through imagery. With the Parkhill Grant, Rose will work with smart telescopes alongside manually captured DSLR images to build an astrophotography portfolio. These authentic astronomical images and her personal experience will continue to enhance the classroom environment in courses like “Astronomy” and “20th Century Physics,” inspiring curiosity and wonder among students.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!
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About the Fund
The Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund for Teachers was generously established by Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P’17 and Robert Willett P’17, in honor of longtime teacher and administrator Alorie Parkhill P’85, ’87, GP’17. Grants from the fund may be used for travel, study, and any form of learning and exposure that can then be shared with students and colleagues at CSW.
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.