D-E celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, with assemblies that acknowledged the culture, history, and contributions of Americans with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central/South America. In the Lower School, students reflected on their favorite Hispanic creators (e.g. writer/journalist Gabriel García Márquez and actress Zoe Saldaña), leaders (such as NASA scientist Orlando Figueroa and aerospace engineer Nathalie Quntero), and athletes (including baseball players Jose Altuve and Dennis Martinez). Several students then performed a dance routine to Shakira’s 2026 World Cup song, “Dai dai,” choreographed by freshman Ella Gorcie ’30. In addition, the Upper School’s Latin American Student Affinity (LASA) group hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly, which included trivia on Latin American history, current events, and notable Latinos, as well as a game of “translate the song lyric.” Student leaders also presented information such as the statistic that one in five Americans are Latino. Some shared personal stories, including the challenges their families faced in preserving their language and cultural traditions amid pressure to assimilate. The assembly concluded with an authentic and engaging video featuring our Dining & Facilities Staff that offered a glimpse into the lives and backgrounds of these valued D-E community members. Here’s to celebrating Hispanic heritage and the stories that bring us together!

Seventh graders explored the power of identity, community, and service when Nana Eyeson P’31 visited the Middle School to share the story behind her nonprofit, African Health, and her commitment to supporting others in Ghana. “Nana shared the importance of community and finding people who share similar values to belong and feel seen,” explained 7th Grade English/History Teacher Ms. Pooja Patel P’36, who facilitated the opportunity with 7th Grade Dean Mr. Matthew Schade and 7th Grade English Teacher Ms. Miriam Butterman. Ms. Patel added, “She also emphasized finding passions aligned with each individual’s values, interests, and priorities.” Nana’s first mission was to help her father, and through this act of love, she was inspired to use her expertise in marketing and PR to support others in Ghana. “She showed the 7th graders that service begins with a deep introspection into who each of us is and the community in which we reside,” said Ms. Patel. “She underscored that action starts small, and we are not meant to fix the world’s problems, but we can certainly help one person and change one life—that is how service begins.” The goal is for students to be inspired to develop their own action plans for a small thing they can do to effect change about something that is important to them. This aligns nicely with the broader D-E mission to “make it better”!

The Lower School recently welcomed Charleston, South Carolina-based author and illustrator Jonathan Miller to speak to our students about the creative process. Mr. Miller is known for his “The Adventures of Sammy the Wonder Daschund” children’s book series, which follows a canine famous for his fact-checking abilities. Mr. Miller shared that he creates each illustration for these books by cutting and layering construction paper in a process that can take up to 25 hours a page! Following a reading, Mr. Miller answered questions from our inquisitive learners and debuted pages from his newest book, “The Weenie-Saurus,” in which Sammy goes back in time to get to know some dinosaurs. Through his book series, the author highlights the importance of critical thinking, fact checking, and conducting research rather than believing everything we read online. Many thanks to our visiting author for giving us lessons that extend far beyond the page!