Congratulations, Class of 2018, and welcome to the Beaver alumni community!

Before you embark on your next adventure, we wanted to share a few highlights from the final weeks of senior year.

Commencement Student Speaker: Jack Saperstone

Good afternoon everyone. Welcome parents, family, friends, faculty, teachers, and of course, the class of 2018. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Jack Saperstone and I am honored to be here as your graduation student speaker. Those that know me know I love Beaver. Graduating from Beaver will cap off an amazing seven years spent at this school.

Everyone in the class of 2018 has worked tirelessly throughout high school for this moment.

Before we go any further I would like to introduce the Beaver Country Day School Class of 2018 to everyone. Together we are a group of 87 students. We have spent a combined 421 years at Beaver. That is 363,744 hours of class, 60,624 x-blocks and only actually 84 x-block attended, we sent out 812 college applications this year, completed approximately 284 pluses for Ms. Everson, and received 536 parking violation emails from Mr. Manning. We are creators, athletes, performers, designers, makers, and thinkers. We are loud, messy, hard to control, and teammates at the end of the day.

We have seen Beaver change throughout the years. We watched the coded curriculum become new basics, our beloved bibliotech transform into the Research and Design Center, and pasta lunch turn into honey bourbon glazed chicken thighs. Some of us have embraced new opportunities like laser cutting or 3D printing while the rest prayed it would not find its way into
their class.

Throughout our time at Beaver, we have all learned countless lessons that extend far beyond what we have been taught in the classroom. Whether it is in our everyday interactions with teachers and students, hanging in the lunch room and foyer, or pretending we are completely focused when working on our laptops, we are learning. In the classroom Beaver focuses on teaching based off the philosophy of what they’ve labeled the “New Basics.” These are sets of skills that Beaver tries to incorporate into each class. The Basics range from Creative Problem-Solving to Presentations Skills, Empathy to Visual Communication, and more.

As the class of 2018 we would like to give a gift to Mr Hutton and add some new skills to the current Basics. Our additional basics are, Present, don’t test, Persuasion, Failure, and Relationships. To show the importance of these I’d like to share with everyone a story from my senior calculus class this past year where I was able to learn from these additional New Basics.

The first new skill is “Present, don’t test.” As any Beaver student knows, assignments don’t typically involve traditional exams. To apply our knowledge we rely on the countless debates, presentations, and laser cut projects. These have allowed us to do amazing things in the classroom but also gave us a panic attack when the ACT and SAT’s came around. In this same way, back in my math class, instead of having a test for our assignment, we were tasked with creating a video showing a life scenario where we would need to use concepts that we’d learned in class.

My group’s original goal for the project was to determine the growth parameters of a expanding object and complete the assignment in hopes of getting an A. But, for this particular project, I added an additional goal – find my math teacher’s, Mr. Robinson’s, address. Yes I know, pretty creepy, but in my head, I was imagining him grading our video and suddenly noticing that wait… yep, the kids filmed their video outside my house. So my goals were set, time to
accomplish it.

I started my project by using the 2nd of our new skills, “Persuasion.” As Beaver students we have tried our hardest during certain opportunities to take small shortcuts or push our teachers in different directions than what they intended for assignments. A prime example is during prom when we were all ready to leave 20 minutes early to make sure we could, of course, be home to be tucked into bed by 10 a clock to get our full 8 hours. As we rushed to the doors there was a wall of faculty stopping us from leaving. We pushed and shoved with no teachers budging. Quickly acting on our feet, we started a countdown from 10 and by the time we got to zero the chaperones moved out of the way knowing we would not give up.

We also apply this in the classroom. For example in one of my middle school classes, language workshop with Ms Flanery, where a book that she intended to read in three weeks was stretched out to 2 months by the hard work of everyone in the class persuading her that the reading was just too much.

Applying this skill to my address hunt, I tried to persuade Mr. Robinson to simply jot down his home address, trying to take a shortcut to achieve my goal. Of course, he wouldn’t give it to me and he also added that this task was definitely very creepy and he did not condone it. So, I tried a new strategy, I sat in his class, refusing to work until I obtained his address. As only a
second semester senior could do, I talked out of turn and ended up amounting 13 and a half strikes in one class which, side note, I still have not seen any consequences for, but anyways Mr. Robinson would not budge. Here, whether I knew it at the time or not, Mr. Robinson was obviously testing me and my strengths as a student.

He wanted me to succeed and meet my goals, as all my Beaver teachers do, but he wanted me to use the skills and knowledge I developed from being a Beaver lifer and focus the rest of my time and knowledge into completing this goal. Why just hand me the answers if I could go through the process and find them myself, there are no handouts in life. While some of you may be thinking he was not helping because he did not want me to know where he lives, I’m almost positive it was because he knew what I was capable of. I tried a different approach and scoured the web while learning that the faculty information is nowhere to be found on PowerSchool or in the directory. I also googled and followed any links that I thought might give me an edge. I kept coming up empty. The name Joe and Robinson are too common for a specific google search. I needed more information! Still, I knew I couldn’t give up. My time down in the design level and at NuVu taught me never to surrender. Luckily one afternoon I overheard a conversation Mr. Robinson was having with one of his students about his drive home to his hometown! Suddenly I had a town to narrow my search.

Thankfully, being a Beaver student has taught me how to conduct strong meaningful research through our new R+D center. I took my research skills that I perfected this year and finally, I was able to find my location. I’d done it! But was getting the answer enough? All of us have been taught by Beaver to apply what we have learned, so I knew my goal was far from complete. Everyone knows that you truly don’t have an accurate solution in math without checking your answer. I couldn’t take my victory lap without knowing I had found his true address and applied the result to a real world situation. So what did I do? Well I did what any
normal high school student would do if they went on a mission to find their teachers address, I went to Edible Arrangements.com.
Now this was a key step for many reasons, but ultimately it would show Mr Robinson that I was able to finish the task and that seven years at Beaver have taught me the necessary skills to move into the real world. After hours of searching and reading different reviews I finally choose the assorted chocolate covered fruit with an attached note reading, “Excited for the test
on standards 5 and 6 tomorrow! Best, Jack.” The order was scheduled for delivery on Thursday night and I would see Mr. Robinson at 8am the next day for our double block and test period. I called the company twice that day, confirming the order was being delivered, and then again later that night for the delivery confirmation.

In class the next morning, I walked in ready to receive laughs and praise from my teacher but instead I got nothing, only a simple good morning. I asked him if he’d had a good night and he said yes and moved on, saying nothing about any fruit delivery. Suddenly, I was defeated, I had not reached my goal. After spending all this time and $36.43 I had nothing to show for my
work. It was here that I remembered we don’t always win. It’s hard for Bostonians born in the year 2000 to understand this with the success of our major sports teams and duck boat parades through the streets of Boston, but sometimes we come close and don’t reach the ultimate finish.

Yes unfortunately class of 2018, there will be times were we work so hard on a certain goal but just fall short.

Through the third skill, “Failure,” we have experienced our fair share of failed moments. The most recent was however not at our expense but our four legged creatures living at home. After discussing our killer senior prank as a grade to bring dogs into school, an upper school meeting, and around class, Ms McKnight, who loves to keep us all in line, got word of this plan. She sent a cheerful email showcasing a photo of her dog to remind us that dogs are not welcome at school, quickly foiling our plan. We took this failed prank and the next day during a lonely meeting with no dogs, took all the chairs and tables out of every classrooms leaving the rooms empty.

However, next year in college, where we will be exposed to brand new experiences, new situations, and lessons, there will be times where we succeed but there will also be times where we fail. I realized at this time, that when faced with failure we have a choice. We can let the moment define us and give up on our goals, or move past it and eventually prevail. The tasks and goals that we set for ourselves will be ambitious, difficult, and completely new territory and I hope for all us, we power through and keep reaching. Let’s not let failure push us down but instead fuel us and teach us as we move closer to our goal. In this instance, I took what’d I’d learned and stood strong.

I completed the math class like any other, returning to be a more engaged but quiet student, and at 10:05 packed my bags and started to head out. As I was saying bye to Mr. Robinson he asked me to stay back. I was expecting him to check in on me after I’d spent my first class in a while being pretty quiet, calm, and behaved. After the class cleared out Mr. Robinson pulled out his phone and showed me a video.

The video was of his kids, messy with chocolate all over their face saying, “Thank you Jack!!!” He told me that last night his kids were cranky and crying and he and his wife were having trouble calming them down. He said it wasn’t until a delivery man arrived at the door, with a gift he had trouble explaining to his wife, that his kids calmed down and were happy while they enjoyed the treats as a family.

It was here that I experienced the fourth and final basic “Relationships.” Through this basic, I learned to value the relationships I’ve developed at Beaver. We’ve had the unique experience to develop deep meaningful relationships that will last far beyond our days at Beaver.

Our teachers have not just been our teachers, they’ve been our coaches, our friends, and our counselors. The relationships may be as weird as sending gifts to a faculty members’ house or as normal as getting coffee together.

Whether a classmate, student, faculty, coach, or athletic trainer, the people we have gotten to know here at Beaver have shaped us into the people we are today. They care about our lives and are rooting for us to succeed. I have learned that the people at Beaver will always be here for us and waiting for us to visit as we soon transition to alumni.

Finally, I speak for the entire Class of 2018 as I say thank you. Thank you Beaver and the faculty and staff. The gifts you have given us will be treasured forever. You have guided us into young adulthood and given us the skills to attack the world. As graduates you are no longer our teachers, but now our friends and mentors we will look to in the future.

Lastly, thank you parents, family, and friends for supporting us and giving us the gift of Beaver. Through all the years of hard work, the college applications, the acceptances and denials, the tears and laughs, the A’s and the incompletes, you have been there for us.

I would like to leave everyone here knowing, especially the other Beaver students, that following graduation I will be selling Mr. Robinson’s address for $20 so feel free to find me. With that, fellow classmates, take a deep breath because we did it! We have one last task, don’t trip on your way to the stage and then for the last time at Beaver, seniors will leave first.

Thank you!

Senior Night 2018 Speaker: Joe Robinson

First, let me start with how you may know me. As a math teacher, I love to break down the numbers. Over the years, I have advised seven of you, taught sixty-seven members of your class, and served as the coordinator for your internships for all of you. Tonight you will hear stories of my experiences with you in those classes, advisories, or simply in the hallway. My hope is that you can see yourself from my point of view.

What is the most important thing you learned while in school? Did it help you figure out what you want to study? What are your plans for the future? These are some questions that you may be asked over the next few years. These types of questions are posed to you because others want to know what impact you will make on the world. They want to know how you will make change in the world. What’s funny about this for me, is it shows how much they don’t know about you.

From the start of this school year, you showed how you make an impact. Every year the school hosts the Aaron Hoffman Faculty/Senior softball game. This year was different from the rest. Your class not only beat the faculty for the first time in years, but showed up with such unity, spirit, and motivation. You cheered, made signs, played music, and had the strongest representation in recent memory. You were here to make a difference. However, true change comes from the way you enhance someone’s life. After really thinking about it, my life has been made better because you were a part of it.

You showed me how to think about teaching math differently. I thought the way I taught was good, but one member of your class pushed me to think deeper. She showed me how we could model math by 3D printing and laser cutting. She helped me, and others, visualize math in a new way. And since then, I’ve been inspired to make it a staple of my teaching.

You made me believe in the power of persistence. In the face of obstacles and struggles, many of you continued to seek me out every week to review, revise, and reiterate. Your passion and pursuit of excellence taught me that hard work does pay off. In one instance, I even remember pulling someone aside and thanking them for showing me that hard work is the foundation for success.

You showed me how to reflect about my life. Someone from your class posed a tough question and once asked, “What’s the hardest part of being a parent?” Not an easy question to answer, and you made me realize something. In everything I do, I never truly know whether my actions as a parent are the right choices or the wrong ones. Thankfully, that is not my worry for you. Your desire to know the answer to that question demonstrates that you are already heading in the right direction.

You showed me the meaning of compassion. I asked my classes to wear teal to spread awareness of Trigeminal Neuralgia for my mother-in-law. You responded by recruiting class support and athletic team support. You showed up the following day in teal shirts, pants, and ribbons. Your empathy for someone you have never met not only brought tears to my mother-in-law’s eyes, but also moved me and touched my heart in ways I cannot express.

You showed me that creative thinking and fun go hand-in-hand. We could play Pictionary, debate about who was the catalyst or source of rowdiness in a group, listen to music, make escape room plans, play “name that tune”, and even determine the legitimacy of Dr. Parmesean’’s academic degree. Regardless, you did this all flawlessly while keeping focused and engaged on learning.

These examples are just some of the representations of the change that you made here at Beaver. There are countless ways that each of you have left your mark on someone or something here at this school. Believe me when I say that I am not the same person, teacher, or advisor because of you. I spoke last year of the idea of taking risks, and you have encouraged me to take one here. Some time ago, I revealed to some of you that I love reverse poems. A reverse poem can be read top to bottom and have one meaning and then read bottom to top and have a different meaning. I decided that I wanted some of my final words to you to be from one of my own creations. The first reading is from the point of view of a mentor who is talking to you as a class.

Be the change!
I know how to
Show you
Let me
Light the path
You don’t need to
Believe me
Just
Listen, observe, and wait
I’ll show you how I already
Did it first, but
You
Follow my lead
Now
Let’s begin

(The following is response back from the class to the mentor)

I cannot thank you enough for the impact you have made on this school, our community, and especially on me. As you move forward, people may ask you how you are going to change the future. Please tell them from me, that you already have.

Feeling extra nostalgic? You can also re-watch the 2018 senior video here!

Remember to stay in touch. Email Katie Shore at kshore@bcschool.org with your updated email address so you’ll be in the loop on all  BVR alumni events.