Helping Hands for Book Harvest
Dismayed by the thought of some children not having access to books in their homes, a group of fourth-graders sprung into action and rallied fellow Durham Academy families to do something about it.
“I believe all kids should have access to books,” said Aditya Agarwal ’31. “When I learned that one kid out of every five in the U.S. doesn’t have access to books, I thought, ‘We needed to reduce this number.’ ”
So he and fellow fourth-graders Caitlin Gottfried, Mack Kantz, Cameron Lang, Arden Perreault and William Zhang organized a book drive for Book Harvest, a Durham-based nonprofit committed to growing lifelong readers and learners by providing free books and literacy support to families and children.
In just two weeks, the drive resulted in the collection of 1,591 books for Book Harvest.
Water-Minded Student Artists Win Big
Durham Academy fourth-graders swept their division of the Durham Department of Water Management’s annual poster contest, which invites students to use their artistic talents to celebrate drinking water and promote water conservation. Participants were tasked with creating artwork inspired by the theme "Save Blue. Go Green."
Winning first place in the grades 3–5 division was Katherine Cerwin ’31, who went on to place second in a statewide competition sponsored by the NC Section of the American Water Works Association/Water Environment Association. Deeya Nanda ’31 placed second, and Maddy Misuraca ’31 placed third.
View all of the top designs at: durhamwater.shortstack.page/JhbhRK.
‘Folds of Freedom’
If you visit U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee’s district office in Durham, you’ll undoubtedly be struck by the beauty and poignancy of “Folds of Freedom,” a painting created by Lexie Chen ’25. Chen won third place in the Congressional Art Competition, which was open this spring to high schoolers living or studying in the 4th District. She was recognized at a Durham Arts Council reception in April.
“Origami is something that I really enjoy, and I have been making cranes ever since I heard the tale of 1,000 of them bringing good luck,” Chen said. “This work specifically is meant to emphasize the importance of freedom and the power of hope. In Japanese culture, cranes are a symbol of hope and healing, and they are often made by those who seek freedom and peace for themselves. This work is meant to reflect this desire.”
Lylah Camire ’26 is Advocating for a More Inclusive Future
Lylah Camire ’26 is Advocating for a More Inclusive Future An enthusiasm for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts was kindled in Lylah Camire ’26 when she played with LEGO bricks as a 4-year-old. Through that early exposure, she discovered “what I truly love, which is math and building things,” and she aspires to become an aerospace engineer.
But just as important to Camire as her career goal is her work to help make such aspirations accessible to all young people. She’s one of just 43 teenagers from across the United States who were chosen for the 2023 cohort of the Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew, a youth ambassadors program that is advancing equity for girls in STEM.
“What inspired me to be a part of this program is to be able to encourage other female and non-binary youth to become more comfortable in the field of STEM, where they are highly underrepresented,” she explained. “I want other kids like me to be able to experience this kind of escapism that STEM can provide. … I am very honored that I can be a part of something that is making STEM more inclusive for everyone. I am also so happy that I have the chance to change many young people’s feelings about STEM and maybe help them find the thing that makes them feel most like themself.”
Through the program, Camire and fellow Flight Crew members have participated in regular online calls in which they discuss their experiences in STEM with one another, and they’ve had the opportunity to talk with women who have reached great heights in STEM fields. This summer, the cohort will come together at Georgia Tech to meet with and be inspired by even more STEM leaders.
This isn’t Camire’s first experience coming together with like-minded young people for the good of others. For three years, she has been a part of the Children’s General Assembly — through which 80 youths from around the globe weigh in on what they wish for the future, and then voice their shared perspective with world leaders. Camire traveled to Billund, Denmark, to participate in the Children’s General Assembly in 2022 (which focused on making schools more accessible for all and making curriculum more inclusive) and plans to participate in Denmark again this year.
“This program has changed my life forever and has opened my perspectives on so many different things,” Camire said. “Communicating and becoming friends with people from all over the world is so eye-opening, and it really highlights that everyone leads such a different life. Although everyone’s lives sounded so different, we all found that our passions were so similar and that we all agreed upon so many things. This program has left me with so many great connections and with a more open perspective on the world.”
Watch the 2022 Children’s General Assembly live broadcast, which Camire co-hosted: https://youtu.be/gMICYEqiTM4.
Special Olympics Spring Games Return to Durham Academy Fields
Upper School students, faculty and staff hosted the Durham County Special Olympic Spring Games for the 38th year in April, with more than 260 athletes from 19 elementary schools participating. This was the first time DA was able to host the county’s Spring Games competition in three years due to health measures. There were competitive events like the softball toss and 25-meter dash, but also dancing, hula-hooping and face painting. Athletes were paired with DA Upper School students for a day of joy and community.
DA’s longtime commitment to Special Olympics was recognized in January when the Upper School was honored with the 2022 Organization of the Year Award by Special Olympics of North Carolina.
Omar Pasha ’23 is Striving to Find Common Ground
In a country that can seem more politically divided every day, Omar Pasha ’23 believes tolerance and understanding aren't just possible, but that such civility and open-mindedness are critical.
In his time at Durham Academy Upper School, Pasha sought to create opportunities for students to find common ground. He believes that Talk It Out — a club that he founded this year that creates a respectful environment for discussions of sometimes-contentious topics — will live on at DA well beyond his graduation.
“The point [of Talk It Out] is to go in, not necessarily trying to prove why what you believe is right, but explain what you believe, why you believe it, and then also go in with an open mindset to hearing what other people have to say, and what they believe and why they believe in it,” Pasha explained. “The goal is that we can look at each other as more than just parties or political ideas, but as people, and be able to have civil conversations with each other.”
Judging from the turnout at Talk It Out meetings — averaging 30–40 students — he isn’t alone in his desire for open, respectful dialogue. Topics discussed this year ranged from gun control and abortion to tax structure and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Among the highlights of the club’s meetings was a visit from Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, who represents Mecklenburg County’s District 38 in the North Carolina Senate. He spoke about the importance of considering what’s best for all people when deciding whether or not to support a particular policy, rather than toeing the party line.
For Pasha, who served as a page for Gov. Roy Cooper last summer and is interested in one day pursuing public service, Talk It Out interactions have been enlightening.
“The goal is not to change how people think, because everyone's raised differently, everyone has different values, whether those be religious or faith values, or whether those be personal, moral values. Everyone has specific beliefs,” he said. “What I've learned through this process is that there are fair justifications for beliefs that I don't agree with, or others don't agree with. And I think because of that, it's so important to figure out a way to work together, to find that middle ground.”
Rise Against Hunger Efforts Reach 350,000-Meal Mark
The Durham Academy community packaged over 30,000 meals during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service meal-packaging event, marking a total of 350,000 meals since the event was first held in 2010. About 150 volunteers from 45 families assisted. Students carried 50-pound bags of rice, carefully funneled ingredients into sealable bags, and loaded the packaged meals into the Rise Against Hunger truck for shipment to people in need around the world.
Middle Schoolers Top the (Book) Shelf
The Middle School Battle of the Books team, coached by Middle School librarian Jennifer Longee, won the Regional Independent School Championship (which the Lower School hosted). Competitors included teams from DA, St. Raphael Catholic School, St. Thomas More Catholic School, Immaculata Catholic School, Ravenscroft School and Triangle Day School.
JUST TRYAN IT
Durham Academy's JUST TRYAN IT triathletes were the embodiment of grit, compassion and good spirit at the Chapel Hill competition. The DA triathletes raised $11,216 — the second-highest total of all teams participating — for the nonprofit, which provides financial assistance to families with children in treatment for pediatric cancer. The triathletes had a blast in the process, even as the stormy weather resulted in the racers only being able to complete the run portion of the competition.
Caring for Heroes’ Hands and Hearts
Members of the Upper School’s Students for Troops Club created 245 care packages (including skincare products, handwritten letters and hard candy) for deployed troops in partnership with A Soldier's Hands this spring. Under the guidance of Upper School English teacher Jordan Adair, DA students have worked to support the efforts of A Soldier’s Hands — whose mission is to care for soldiers’ hands and hearts via personalized care packages — for the last eight years. A Soldier’s Hands founder Trish Shallenberger drove down to Durham from her home in State College, Pennsylvania, to help with the event.
Chess Program Rules the Board
Asha Kumar ’25 won first place at the 2023 NC K–12 Girls Chess Championship in March, earning the opportunity to represent North Carolina at the Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions this summer. Kumar took first place in the girls’ section and won all of the games in her Simultaneous Exhibition.
The DA chess program remains strong at all levels; in February, the K–5 team was named state champion by the North Carolina Chess Association.
Speech and Debate Team Brings Home National Championship
For the fourth time in the 19-year history of Durham Academy speech and debate, Cavaliers have brought home a national championship trophy. Alex Huang ’24 and Michael Hansen ’24 were named national champions in public forum debate at the JW Patterson Tournament of Champions in April. Their performance, along with outstanding showings by their teammates, resulted in Durham Academy winning the William Woods Tate Team Excellence Award, awarded to the tournament’s overall champion. The Tournament of Champions is known as the most competitive tournament of the three national championships in which DA competes.
“And the best thing I’m taking home isn’t the trophy or the photos; it is the fact that I watched these kids do it the right way — with compassion and kindness in addition to being there for one another. I’m so grateful for each of them, the host of friends who coached them throughout the year and the opportunity to call Durham Academy my home,” said Crawford Leavoy, director of DA’s speech and debate program.
Upper School Robotics Team Builds on Successes
In April, DARC SIDE (Durham Academy Robotics Club: Students in Design and Engineering) competed at the North Carolina FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) State Championship at East Carolina University and placed 10th out of 40 teams, advancing to the playoff semifinals. Next year’s team will be on the lookout for new leadership as the team’s three co-captains for the past two years — Ella Simmons ’23, Bryan Cornejo ’23 and Chris Morris ’23 — are all graduating seniors.
“I’ve gained confidence, technical skills and leadership practice, and, most importantly, I’ve found a community that has been the keystone of my high school experience … I’m applying as a mechanical engineer to colleges, and I aim to continue with mechanical engineering in the real world,” Simmons said in a Durham Magazine feature on local robotics teams.
FIRST Robotics Competition events are full of excitement, as can be observed in an in-depth overview video — featuring the 2021–2022 DARC SIDE team — created by YouTuber and materials scientist Brian Haidet.
Read the Durham Magazine article: bit.ly/3UZW4Qt.
Watch Haidet's Youtube video: youtu.be/BycqWYE3Ais?t=567.