The acclaimed author and naturalist kicked off a day of readings, workshops, and contests
Award-winning author and naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield had a timely message for the sea of teenagers that greeted her in Gideon Welles Dining Commons to kick off Cheshire Academy’s annual All School Read.
“Seek curiosity,” the keynote speaker urged the group. “Protect that part of your mind. It’s so easy to scroll. You need time to drift, time to dream.”
On Tuesday, February 25, Cheshire took time out for All School Read Day, a signature Academy program recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) for its immersive and infused approach. This year’s theme, “Underneath the Ice: Inspiring Curiosity, Exploring Awe,” meant a day of talks, walks, writing, and workshops geared to sparking an excitement for the world around us.
The event kicked off with readings and reflections from Bradfield, who read from her book Toward Antarctica, which the entire CA community read before the daylong events, and SOFAR, her latest work. Toward Antarctica recounts the story of Bradfield’s work as a naturalist on a ship, as told in the impressionistic 17th-century Japanese form of haibun.
Bradfield took questions from students and applauded the winners of student and faculty/staff poetry, writing, and photography contests around this year’s theme. Saying she likes to write in the moment, elevating the universality of work and what might seem mundane, she suggested others reveal the dignity in their pursuits through poetry and prose.
“I want to see more barista poems,” she said.
Students chose from about 25 creative workshops throughout the morning, exploring photography and restorative walks through the back fields, mural design, jewelry making, creative writing, and more. Gary Graham ’72 and his wife JoAnn presented on their trip to Antarctica, and author Jeff Nelson ’07 held a workshop on the hero’s journey to self-discovery.
Art Teacher François Poisson regaled listeners with tales of taking students dog-sledding in Canada and one group took a field trip to Marsh Botanical Gardens at Yale University.
Several faculty and staff helped plan All School Read: Allison Bass-Riccio, Madeleine Bergstrom, Caron Quantick, Kate Daly, Jason Mis, Elise Palmer, Nicole Beaudwin, Dave Samuels, and Sara Kelleher. Student committee members were: Avery Fowler, Ishaan Pandey, Lucy McDermott, Naomi Wolfe, Ally Pine Maher, Deanna Dixon, and Laney Paul.
Concluding her morning talk, Bradfield encouraged students to reconsider their assumptions about life and continue to draw inspiration from nature.
“It’s always been the thing that feeds me,” she said.
