Lise's Lens: October 15, 2026
This week, I am learning about the work of a famous CSW alum, reflecting on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and listening to an NPR Student Podcast Challenge winner.
WHAT I'M READING
One of my colleagues brought to my attention the release of a new book: Max Bond: The Life and Work of the People’s Architect by Brian D. Goldstein. Max Bond is a CSW graduate, Class of 1951! I plan on taking a few months to read his biography, as it seems rich with details and connections to all sorts of events and spaces in the USA and abroad. What was incredible from the start was that his parents sent him to CSW for a year before college (he was done with high school at the age of 15!). I’ve also learned that his parents were in the State Department and lived around the world, including in Haiti, in the neighborhood of Pacot, where I grew up! I look forward to learning more about this man, who was known to start some of his lectures with the phrase, “If architecture were for the people…” Indeed, he had an eye and a vision for what architecture should mean and deliver, and I look forward to digging into his legacy.
Fun fact: last weekend Max Bond’s work in Ghana was displayed and finally clearly referenced in a show at MOMA on post-colonial architecture in West Africa. I was so happy that I had started this biography; it amplified my pride at seeing his work displayed in such an important space!
WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Earlier this week, we recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day — a holiday known simply as Columbus Day for most of my life. Growing up, my school curriculum reduced this complex history to the same single paragraph memorized year after year, with only a passing mention in later chapters of how the Indigenous peoples of Haiti suffered and perished.
I am deeply grateful to our DEIB student ambassador, who thoughtfully gathers and shares meaningful resources with our community each year. Education plays a vital role in how we understand our past—both the histories that were told and those that were left out. At CSW, I appreciate that we value courses, lectures, and ongoing conversations that carry this learning far beyond a single calendar day.
WHAT I'M WATCHING/LISTENING TO
I recently listened to a winning entry from the NPR Student Podcast Challenge by high school junior Amit Biligiri, where he explores why we hold onto certain memories while letting others fade, and the vital role sleep plays in that process. The piece was sparked by a debate with his mother, who chided him for staying up late and forgetting daily tasks. Yet despite his everyday forgetfulness, Amit realized he still vividly remembered a quiet moment from when he was six years old: sharing French fries with his great-grandfather at a Burger King in India.
The piece is a moving reminder of why young people need dedicated outlets for quiet reflection. Audio storytelling, in this case, gave Amit the unique space to slow down, examine his identity, and process his lived experience. It is also a beautiful illustration of how storytelling allows students to preserve family heritage, deepen intergenerational ties, and reflect on what truly shapes who they are. He also highlights an important truth of which we should all be aware: late-night teen cycles are driven by biological circadian shifts, not laziness, and sleep is vital for the brain to process memory!
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE
We took our all-school photo this week, an important annual tradition. Can you spot anyone you know?
CSW — a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12 and PG — 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.