CSW Celebrates Earth Day with Science, Art, and Action
On April 22, 2026, CSW celebrated Earth Day with engaging marine scientists, a multimedia performance blending science and music, and workshops centered on the environment.
The Earth Day assembly featured a performance by composer David Ibbett and cellist Johnny Mok of the Multiverse Concert Series, a program that blends science, music, and art into immersive performances that explore big ideas and new perspectives, bringing an artistic dimension to the day’s environmental themes.
The musical performance was broken up into 5 sections, each focusing on different topics like pollution, coral reef bleaching, and how icebergs and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate due to global warming, among other topics. Each performance was followed by guest speakers discussing their research.
Guest Scientists Shelby Gantt, Lili Vizer, and Ally Swank from Boston University’s Davies Marine Population Genomics Lab shared their research on coral reefs and the growing impact of climate change. They outlined four major threats to reef ecosystems and explained how rising ocean temperatures can cause coral bleaching, a process in which corals lose the algae they depend on for energy. The speakers highlighted the complexity of symbiosis, noting that some algae species are more resilient to heat, meaning some coral ecosystems may survive but will end up looking very differently in the future. They also explored similar relationships in sea anemones and the role of clownfish, emphasizing how climate change disrupts these delicate systems.
Guest Scientists Shelby Gantt, Lili Vizer, and Ally Swank from Boston University’s Davies Marine Population Genomics Lab shared their research on coral reefs and the growing impact of climate change. They outlined four major threats to reef ecosystems and explained how rising ocean temperatures can cause coral bleaching, a process in which corals lose the algae they depend on for energy. The speakers highlighted the complexity of symbiosis, noting that some algae species are more resilient to heat, meaning some coral ecosystems may survive but will end up looking very differently in the future. They also explored similar relationships in sea anemones and the role of clownfish, emphasizing how climate change disrupts these delicate systems.
Throughout the day, students, faculty, and staff attended a wide range of workshops on topics including bird watching and birdhouse building, composting and regenerative farming, coral reef science, aquariums, vegan diets, green building, environmental history, and natural dyeing. Other sessions explored issues such as climate-driven migration, data center energy use, and local flood solutions, offering both hands-on activities and discussions on sustainability.
The presenters encouraged students to take action in their daily lives, from reducing energy and water use to choosing reef-safe sunscreen, managing waste, and making sustainable seafood choices.
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.