If you wanted to hear sleigh bells jingling, fa-la-la-ing, or bells on bobtails ringing, there was no better place to do it last Saturday than Kraft Dining Hall, the site of the holiday pops concert presented by The Rivers School and The Rivers School Conservatory. The sold-out event—Kraft was filled to capacity and beyond—was a benefit for the RSC’s scholarship fund.

Rivers teams and athletes turned in an array of amazing performances during the 2019 fall sports season, performances that included a new girls’ cross-country record and an exciting Homecoming Weekend victory in football. In addition, the school saw four of its teams—field hockey, girls’ and boys’ soccer, and girls’ volleyball—qualify for the NEPSAC playoffs.

On Tuesday, November 13, thousands of high-school student-athletes around the country signed National Letters of Intent, committing to Division I college athletic programs. Four of those who signed are Rivers seniors, all of them thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue their sport at the next level.

U.S. Navy Lt. Mary Kaye P’20 had an important message for the students assembled in Benson Gymnasium Monday, at a Veterans Day gathering to honor those who have served their country in the military. Recalling her own unexpected entry into military service, while a student at Villanova, she knew there was just one word that made all the difference.

Over the years, Rivers has had the honor of hosting many significant athletic events. But Sunday, November 17, will be a first for the school, as Rivers has been selected to be the site of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) championship finals for girls’ field hockey.

What if The Boy Who Lived wasn’t Harry Potter, scion of a famous wizarding family, but Wayne Hopkins, an ordinary ’90s teen raised by his Uncle Dave in New Mexico?

Jazz was alive and kicking—and swinging—at the Rivers Jazz Festival this past Saturday. The annual event, a staple since 2007, brought jazz in its many and varied forms to Bradley Hall for a day-long series of concerts and workshops.

The metaphorical meanings of a bridge are manifold: It can describe connections between people, ideas, cultures, concepts, or countries. No wonder it seemed like the perfect new name for the student group formerly known as RICA, whose goal—according to its new mission statement—is to provide “a shared space where a diverse community of student voices discusses topics relevant to identity, inclusivity, equity, and social and environmental justice.”

When Elisa Goldsmith, chair of the language department at Rivers, was in high school, she spent three weeks living on a dairy farm in France, with a family that spoke almost no English. “It was very difficult,” she recalls—and life-changing. “You’re invited inside somebody’s lifestyle, you’re learning firsthand what that family’s life is.” To this day, she remains close to the family who hosted her.

Under a cloudless October sky, Saturday’s Homecoming unfolded with cheering crowds, thrilling games, food truck fun, and the dedication of the school’s new athletic complex, consisting of two state-of-the-art turf fields, new scoreboards, and a pavilion.

Homecoming Weekend kicked off with a literal roar this morning as students gathered in Kraft Dining Hall to celebrate school spirit, engage in a friendly sing-off, and witness the unveiling of a new bronze, 150-pound member of the community.

When Middle School humanities teacher Melissa Dolan ’98 addressed the student body on Coming Out Day in October, she did something that, by her own admission, was “counterintuitive.”

The Hall Family Speaker Series launched last Thursday, Oct. 3, with a visit from Eric Liu, an author, activist, and speaker who addressed a packed house of nearly 300 on the topic of civic engagement, power, and the meaning of citizenship.

A delta is many things: a Greek letter, a symbol for change, a place where a river meets the ocean. At Rivers, it’s now taken on one more meaning. Alumni Delta Talks, launched in late September as a joint effort by the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) and the Rivers alumni engagement office, celebrate the many ways Rivers alumni are creating positive change in the world.

The Rivers School has announced that its newest academic building, which will open its doors in January 2020, will be named The Revers Center for Science and Visual Arts. The name honors Daniel R. Revers, P’15, the single largest donor in the school’s history as well as the lead donor to FutureMakers: The Campaign for Rivers.

Kate Eselius ’20 learned something important about herself this summer: She’s not the type who gets queasy at the sight of blood.

Best-selling author and popular TED Talk speaker Eric Liu has a simple but powerful message for all Americans: “Democracy only works when enough of us believe democracy works.”

If longtime Rivers Faculty members Jim Long and Bruce Taylor spent the entire summer strenuously avoiding the classroom, it would be forgivable, even expected. But for many years, the two veteran educators have instead opted to spend part of their break teaching. And not simply teaching, but sharing their perspective, their experience, and their knowledge with a group of Boston students from challenged backgrounds.

When Rivers School student-athletes return to campus in September, they will have a couple of new things to get used to—namely, two new artificial turf fields to play on and a new athletics logo to embrace.

In today’s world, nearly everyone uses digital technology, yet only a comparatively small number of people know how to program the code that makes that technology work. Science teacher Michael Schlenker is looking to change that.

How can extracurricular activities augment classroom learning? This June, students of Mandarin, accompanied by faculty members Chloe Yang, Tim Clark, and Michael Girard, embarked on a journey to China to see for themselves.

For those who make them, for those who sleep under them, and for those who cherish them, hand-made quilts are more than just blankets.

It’s sometimes said that laws are like sausages: It’s better not to see them being made. A group of Rivers students recently got a rare glimpse of the lawmaking process and came away convinced that the reverse is actually true. Romy Arie ’21 said, “You feel like citizens have a big effect on what laws go into place. You can really change the laws of our country.”

The Rivers School’s 96th graduation unfolded under clear blue skies on Saturday, June 8. Friends and family gathered to celebrate the Class of 2019’s 90 members as they head out into the wide world.

Students and faculty were celebrated for their accomplishments—academic, artistic, athletic, and personal—at this year’s Prize Day, which was held on Friday, June 7. And while the outstanding achievements of the many prizewinners were recognized, Head of School Ned Parsons also noted, in his remarks, that “the creation of the community we seek to be requires the dedication of all of our students, faculty and staff.” He went on to “congratulate everyone on an outstanding year by every measure we can apply.”

Senior projects, on display this past Wednesday afternoon at Haffenreffer Gym, offer students the opportunity to chase dreams, pursue passions, engage in community service, tackle engineering problems, or fill cannoli, as the case may be.

Rivers students marked the penultimate week of school by packing a whirlwind of activity into 19 high-energy hours. For Rivers middle schoolers, three signature events—eighth grade portfolio night, sixth grade water-project presentations, and the seventh grade boat launch—left students wistful, thoughtful, and wet, respectively. And as if that weren’t enough, the hotly contested Red & White, pitting students against one another in good-natured battles of trivia, singing, and silliness, took place within the same time period. Here’s a look at how it all unfolded.

Come this fall, Rivers School athletes will have two new artificial turf fields to play on, thanks to a small group of donors whose generosity has made it possible for the school to undertake and complete the construction project in just four months.

The green in front of the Campus Center was especially verdant the past few Thursdays—and not just because warm weather has finally returned. The sixth grade has been holding its annual farmers’ market, an opportunity for the community to enjoy the fruits of the students’ labors in the Freight Farm and for the students to learn a little about literally growing a business from seed.

Two recent spring art shows underscored the strength of Rivers’s art program and celebrated students’ creativity and talent. Rivers students were honored with numerous awards at both the Small Independent School Arts League (SISAL) 2019 exhibition and the juried Page Waterman/Next Up! 2019 show.

Fittingly, given the work in question, the Middle School’s recent production of The Tempest was nothing short of magical. With music, song, dance, and poetry, the talented band of performers vividly conjured Shakespeare’s enchanted island within the confines of the Black Box Theater.

Boston’s venerable Jordan Hall, considered one of America’s most acoustically perfect performance spaces, was the site of a special Mother’s Day concert last Sunday, with three seniors from The Rivers School’s Conservatory Program performing as soloists with the Rivers Youth Symphony Orchestra.

How do you measure a life?

Last Saturday’s perfect weather set the tone for a festive Alumni Day and Reunion gathering on campus. From sporting events to musical performances to alumni awards to convivial meals, a full slate of fun kept returning alums busy as they reconnected with one another and celebrated their visit to campus.

What do we talk about when we talk about whiteness? That was the subject put before a group of about 60 parents and teachers who attended a talk and workshop at the Campus Center on Thursday, May 9, led by diversity educator and consultant Jenna Chandler-Ward. The well-attended event was the most recent in Rivers’s parent diversity speaker series, launched this year with the goal of encouraging and supporting conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Eleventh grader Aleisha Campbell is already active in pursuing social justice and committed to making an impact in her community. Ninth grader Hannah Lapides is just beginning to explore how to address societal ills and engage with issues she feels passionate about. But, as the inaugural recipients of a fellowship from Rivers’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE), both are looking to immerse themselves in the subject when they attend an intensive summer program for high school students, called “Leadership for Social Change,” at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life.

For the first time in several days, the sun came out on Monday, May 6—an auspicious sign for the 19th Annual Rivers School Golf Tournament to Benefit Financial Aid. More than 120 alumni, parents, and friends enjoyed an afternoon of fun and sportsmanship on the Robert Trent Jones–designed course at the Charter Oak Country Club in Hudson. In the process, they raised more than $75,000 to help students attend Rivers.

It was a gala evening of food, fun, festivities, and above all, generous giving when more than 350 members of the Rivers community gathered at MacDowell Arena for the annual Rivers School Parents’ League Auction last Saturday, May 4.

Kids and teens facing a range of challenges. Disabled athletes who want the opportunity to participate in sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and cycling. Immigrant families transitioning to a new life in the U.S.

For anyone who’s ever eaten lunch in Kraft Dining Hall or walked through the Campus Center between academic periods, a day of silence at Rivers seems nearly inconceivable. But the national student-led Day of Silence, observed on a recent Friday, is an annual occurrence with a serious purpose: To draw attention to the silencing—actual and metaphorical—of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

For Apsara Balamurugan ’20, the plight of refugees is no mere abstraction. Her parents came to this country from Sri Lanka, and their experiences were the inspiration for Balamurugan’s moving and ambitious musical composition, Displaced.

By her own admission, Jen Keefe ’08 was (and perhaps still is) a class clown—but with a caveat.

Head of School Ned Parsons has announced that Ava Archibald will take on the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion director at Rivers, starting in July. With the new hire, current DEI director John Bower steps away from the position to focus on his work as assistant head of the Middle School and assume the role of Middle School coordinator of DEI programming. Between Archibald, Bower, and Katie Henderson, who serves as Bower’s opposite number in the Upper School, the DEI office is now a three-person team, reflecting Rivers’s commitment to the work.

Students of classics and the ancient world dream of treading in the footsteps of Caesar, visiting the Colosseum and the Acropolis, and walking the streets of Pompeii.

At an age when many kids are just discovering the sandbox, Katherine Liu ’23 made her public performance debut. The gifted pianist was 4 years old and had been playing for a year. “I don’t think I was nervous,” she says, though she admits she barely remembers the occasion. “I was really just a toddler.”

For the sixth year in a row, all four of The Rivers School’s varsity winter sports teams made it into the NEPSAC playoffs, the only school in the Independent School League (ISL) able to make such a claim.

Over spring break, a group of 15 students traveled to San Francisco for an experience that brought them in contact with Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurship, the city’s struggles with homelessness, and a network of West Coast alumni eager to share and connect with them. This first-ever “alternative spring break” in the Bay Area was a resounding success.

In a windowless room behind the theater at Regis College’s performing arts center, Henry Muller ’19 is attempting to explain the difference between cold and a cold. It’s confusing, he concedes, because, as he tells his listeners, “When I have a cold, I might feel cold.”

What sort of a world will today’s Rivers students inhabit in 10 or 15 years? Apparently, one in which they expect to feel nostalgic for Red Sox and Patriots championships, scrunchies, turf, and fidget spinners.

Difficult conversations are just that: Difficult. Rivers is committed to engaging our community in difficult, courageous conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion—and to providing tools to facilitate those conversations. Toward that end, last Wednesday, February 20, saw the launch of Rivers’s Parent Diversity Speaker Series, sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

The students of Enrico Fermi High have all the typical teen concerns: classes, after-school activities, who’s dating whom, and, of course, zombies. In the Nonesuch Players’ recent production of Zombie Prom, mounted at Regis College’s performing arts center, those topics were animated (or reanimated) with color, style, energy, razzle-dazzle song and dance, and copious quantities of ghoulish humor.

A group of Upper Schoolers spent a recent lunch hour sorting essays into piles. “This one’s a no,” said one. “I thought this one had potential,” remarked another. “Maybe yes for this,” said yet a third.

The Massachusetts Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were announced recently, and Rivers students once again made a great showing. Overall, the students garnered 33 awards—six Gold Keys, nine Silver Keys, and 18 Honorable Mentions.

If you want to annoy high-school seniors, just ask them what they want to be when they grow up. The 20 alumni who returned to campus this week for “Rivers Connect: Life Beyond Winter Street” seemed to recall the feeling vividly.

On Monday, February 11, during the annual Day of Consideration, the Rivers community grappled with questions surrounding the American Dream and worked toward creating ways to make the dream work for all Americans.

The Rivers School’s inaugural Day of Giving, held on Tuesday, February 12, set an ambitious goal, one that would eclipse any previous such effort at the school: To garner 495 gifts – one for each currently enrolled student – in a 24-hour participation challenge. It would take effort, focus, and teamwork to get there.

Andy Delinsky ’93 recently became the newest member of The Rivers School Board of Trustees. The Delinsky family has deep ties to Rivers: Delinsky’s older brother, Eric, graduated in ’87, and their father, Steve Delinsky, served as board president during Delinsky’s years at the school.

Some days – maybe most days – the hardest question most of us face is choosing an outfit or deciding whether to eat that second cookie. The students in Julian Willard’s Exploring Ethics: Language, Literature, and the Brain, a senior interdisciplinary studies elective, are grappling with bigger issues: Organ transplants. Bias in artificial intelligence. Palliative care. Euthanasia.

Their shirts bore the words “Game Changer,” and that’s what the 10th grade students of Rivers set out to do last Sunday: Change the game for the 20 Massachusetts Special Olympics basketball teams visiting campus to compete in the state qualifying tournament.

Head of School Ned Parsons recently announced the creation of two new administrative positions: an assistant dean of faculty and a director of educational technology.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Words matter.

To be or not to be a part of the National Shakespeare Competition? That was the question answered in the affirmative by seven Rivers students recently as they each recited a monologue from one of the Bard’s plays, in hopes of capturing the school crown and moving on to the state semifinal round.

It’s been 15 years since David Tierney created a program that fills a special educational niche in the region. His brainchild, the Conservatory Program at The Rivers School, offers a unique blend of academic rigor and intensive music education, and on Saturday, January 5, a group of conservatory program alumni gathered to celebrate the program’s 15th anniversary.

Just prior to the holiday break, students in John Adams’s statistics class had a chance to video conference with a data visualization expert who made contact with the class after becoming a fan of the class’s Twitter feed, @RiversStats.