CSGC Micro-Grant Reflections

For the past several years, Deerfield has participated in the Green Cup Challenge, an interscholastic energy conservation competition. The school that reduces its kWh usage by the largest percentage wins. The school that reduces GHG emissions by the largest percentage is recognized.

As an SYA member school, Deerfield is able to offer a wide range of study abroad options. In addition to spending school years living and learning languages in foreign countries, Deerfield students can also participate in faculty-led trips during the spring and summer, which allow students to use their language skills in practical settings, under the guidance of Deerfield language faculty.

Think 80|20 is Deerfield’s campus recycling program, which has the goal of changing our habits so that only 20% of our campus waste ends up in a landfill. Think 80|20 signs are posted in all campus buildings and on all recycling/compost/landfill receptacles to educate people on how to dispose of their waste appropriately.

The Energy Dashboard displays daily, weekly, and annual energy consumption information in a building-by-building format. In addition, you can track the performance of solar power systems on two buildings. The Dashboard is an integral part of coursework in many classrooms, and it is wildly popular during the Green Cup Challenge each year.

Environmental proctors are student leaders in sustainability efforts at Deerfield Academy. Working with the Sustainability Coordinator, e-proctors participate in a variety of projects, including dormitory recycling and energy conservation challenges, and promote sustainability around campus.

Upperclassmen can apply to become e-proctors each fall. E-proctors are required to attend biweekly meetings, be involved in one “project” per term, post sustainability announcements and educational materials in dorms, and be a role model for their peers. They will play an important part in helping Deerfield to be environmentally sustainable. A complete list of e-proctors’ duties is available online.

Language requirements vary by program. Consult individual program websites for more information.

Study abroad is available to all students from their sophomore to senior years, although typically students who choose to go abroad will do so during their junior year.

Deerfield has a wide net of international associations, and therefore has the ability to offer a broad spectrum of study abroad opportunities. Semesters abroad in Jordan, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas are highlights of Deerfield’s international programs, which also include Round Square service trips, a variety of School Year Abroad opportunities, exchange programs, and faculty-led trips to places such as the Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Colombia and China.

The annual Spring Term Community Event, hosted at the Deerfield Academy Track, draws the largest number of students to any one service event.  Each year, the CSGC Student Board determines which organization will be the focus of our fundraising and awareness efforts, and the spring term event is the culmination of this year-long effort.  In the recent past, the American Cancer Society and Cancer Connection of Northampton have been the organizations the Deerfield Academy community has supported.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is the service program with the largest participation, calling on approximately seventy juniors and seniors to serve as “Bigs” who spend Friday evenings with a child from Franklin County to serve as mentors and role models. Deerfield Academy also hosts several Red Cross blood drives, which collect blood for use in local hospitals, and students participate as donors and volunteers.

The legacy of Frank L. Boyden means that service is an intrinsic part of a Deerfield education. Every year students are reminded of the words of Mr. Boyden: “The test of the worth of any school is, in the last analysis, the record of her alumni… it is our sincere hope that the tradition of service instilled and nurtured here… may endure always to the lasting benefit of the country and the world.” With such a powerful call for service at the heart of its mission, Deerfield places a strong emphasis on service in all its forms. As such, there are a plethora of service opportunities at Deerfield, and students are enthusiastically encouraged to participate as much as they can.