Interim Head of School Sarah Pelmas welcomed parents and caregivers to campus this week for “Education and Beyond,” a talk focused on the current state of education. In addition to hearing from students and Pelmas herself, the evening provided an opportunity for parents and caregivers to connect, hear more about the work of students, and engage in meaningful discussions around teaching and learning at Beaver.
The evening began with two presentations focused on Student Directed Projects. Jasmine Idehen ‘26 shared “The Epigenetic Impact of Diesel Fuel on Plants,” her effort to address health concerns caused by the predominance of diesel powered generators in Nigeria. Aaron Westerling ‘28 discussed his research regarding the ethics of money in politics with “The Role of Political Action Committees,” a data-driven SDP on corporate political donations. To read more about Student Directed Projects at Beaver, click here!
Following the SDP presentations, Sarah Pelmas shared insights into how she is thinking about education; “I want to talk about what education is, what it’s for, and why it matters.” Throughout her talk, Pelmas weaved together narratives about philosophy, astrology, and science, illustrating the role education has played throughout human history. By connecting the past to the present, an emphasis was placed on the role students will play in shaping the future. “The early scientists analyzing the universe didn’t see everything–and we must acknowledge that this is true for us as well,” she mentioned. “The reason we need school is not to arm us with facts that will last forever, but to prepare us to rethink everything when the time comes.”
[Students] must be ready for anything and everything, because the world will shift again (and again) during their lifetime, and they must be able to embrace new worldviews as they discover them. But whatever their path and their goals, they must above all, be good humans.
Interim Head of School Sarah Pelmas
By hearing from Interim Head of School Sarah Pelmas and students directly, attendees walked away with a better understanding of how Beaver is thinking about and approaching education. To stay up to date on what’s happening on campus–including classroom, SDP, and student highlights–check out the Beaver Blog.