By Mairin Hoffman ’25
Over the weekend of April 19, the Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy hosted the Highlander Summit: a series of presentations by seniors displaying their Civic Changemaker Projects and various Gunn scholar presentations. These students have dedicated their year to these projects, and the weekend was an opportunity for students to display all they have learned and also allow students to learn about the history of students at the Frederick Gunn School.
The Civic Changemaker project is a diploma requirement for all seniors. It emphasizes “civic action and acting on convictions” and is “an exploration of one’s vocation in the civic sphere.” Seniors may accomplish this project in whatever sphere they choose, ranging from civic media-making, alliance-building, applied civic projects, specifically internships and various service projects. Brainstorming begins as early as the spring of one’s junior year and allows students to reflect on their time at Gunn and the values they hold true to themselves. Gunn students who presented over the weekend included Henry Cruise, Bunny Borzilleri, Jack Nettleton, Spencer Pasquariello, Sarah Zhang, Logan Pasquariello, Juliet Denman, Sonia Romanenko, Alejandro Zafra Gutierrez, Caroline Marich, Layla Copen, Giovana Liu, and Bridie Bolger. The topics varied from community service to volunteering. Bunny Borzilleri’s project on the White Memorial Conservation Center, which focused on nature community service, and Layla Copen’s project on volunteering at the Gunn Museum, where she explored the history of Washington. Each slideshow had something valuable to offer students, reaffirming Frederick Gunn’s belief that a good person is always learning.
On the other hand, the Gunn Scholar is an endowed program that offers selected students opportunities to pursue a year-long research project in the Paula and George Krimsky Archives and Special Collections, focusing on an aspect of the school’s history. Each and every scholar has unearthed something new, either in the school’s archives or others, sometimes answering questions we have not even asked, debunking myths, clarifying events, and contributing to the Frederick Gunn School’s ongoing story. Gunn Scholars this year included Emma Eschweiler, Sonia Romanenko, TJ Addonizio, Bridie Bolger, Anna Damosy, and Erin Whitney. These presentations draw viewers into acknowledging the school’s history and are also a year-long project. One specific example is Emma Eschweiler’s project focused on the history of the architecture of the buildings here at Gunn. Her presentation included many historical photographs and information taken all the way back to the school’s origin in 1850.
Each project required immense effort and time. Their efforts certainly didn’t go unnoticed, as these presentations allowed students to view all the work they had completed during their senior years. The Highlander Summit exemplifies the Highlanders’ strength and dedication and how each team contributes to the legacy of the Frederick Gunn School. The Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy is excited about the future of the Highlander Summit and all the opportunities it offers students.
