CAMPUS CULTURE

Report on the Honor System: Survey Data & Trends

By: Honor Council

January 26th, 2019

OVERVIEW

This fall, the Honor Council sent out a Student/Faculty Survey on the Honor System. This report shows the answers from all students who responded to the survey. Based on this data, the Honor Council made recommendations for changes to the Upper School administration.

STUDENT INSIGHTS

STUDENT SURVEY DATA:

168 total responses, y-axis indicates number of respondents, not percentage

1 = Not at all; 5 = Very common

1 = Not at all; 5 = Very seriously

Purple = 6.5%; Blue = 2.4%

STUDENT SURVEY TRENDS:

1. Students feel the area where the Honor Council should most improve is visibility;

Trend supported by student ratings on the performance of the Honor Council, as well as 5 optional comments.

2. Twelve percent of the students polled feel “completely unfamiliar” with the Honor Code and its principles;

Trend supported by responses to the student question on this topic scaled from 1 (completely unfamiliar) to 3 (deeply familiar). 34% of respondents either answered “completely unfamiliar” or “somewhat familiar.”

3. Students do not think Honor Code violations are common, yet almost sixty percent of the students polled report having seen a peer violate the Honor Code;

Trend supported by the majority of responses to the student question on this topic (57.1% of students indicated they had seen a peer violate the Honor Code) as well as 3 optional comments.

4. Students feel peers take the Honor Code seriously, and less than a quarter of the students polled indicated they would not consider voluntarily turning someone in if they saw them violate the Honor Code;

Trend supported by the majority of responses to the student question on this topic which included the following responses: “Yes, and I have [turned someone in] before;” “Yes;” “Maybe;” “No;” “No, and I have had the opportunity [to turn someone in].” A combined 76.2% of students either have already turned someone in, would turn someone in, or would consider turning someone in.

Country Day Alumni back home from Italy: “Glad I got out of there when I did!”

By: Lisa Kick Gardner

As panic grows around the world, the impact of the coronavirus hits close to home. A Charlotte Country Day Alumni quarantined for 10 days says it’s a precautionary measure after his study abroad in Rome, Italy was cut short.

Maxwell Purdy graduated from Country Day in 2017. The junior at UNC Chapel Hill was in Italy to study economics and international relations. He arrived January 25th with the International Education of Students and was supposed to be there the entire semester through May 7th.

“We were carrying along the week before I was sent home. They were talking about continuing the program. We were told you are going to stay here,” says Purdy. “It happened really fast.”

“I was not as much afraid of getting it (the coronavirus). Even when I left, there were no confirmed cases in Rome,” Purdy told the Country Day Journalism Class. “I was more concerned about not being able to come back to the United States.”

Three days later, he was flying back home. Purdy says after a couple of short trips during his time in Italy, he was used to the thermal scanner at every airport. While he was there a short time, he had already taken in Budapest, Vienna and Portugal. Before boarding his recent flight to Charlotte, he was tested for a fever and was on his way.

“Glad I got out of there when I did,” says Purdy, and he’s not alone. His twin brother, Gregory, was also on that flight. A student at Washington and Lee, Gregory attended the same program. Maxwell says their parents were extremely worried here at home because of the news media reports.

“Mom and Dad were calling us freaking out,” says Maxwell. “It was more about how the US media covered it.” He says the media coverage up to that point in Italy seemed a lot more relaxed. “Even Italian media wasn’t causing people to freak out, grocery stores were still packed. People are more laidback in Italy.”

That was before the most recent travel restrictions were put in place. The twins were in Southern Italy, and Northern Italy is where the coronavirus spiked first. Maxwell is thankful to be home and for UNC’s quick action. “They were very proactive in the process,” he says. Maybe that’s part of the reason the family is following the advice of the school and self-isolating for 7-10 days.

“We are quarantined,” says Maxwell. “It’s not the idea of a law forcing us. It’s trying to be a good person, just in case.” Being a good person means no quick trips to Chick-fil-A or golf games with his dad during the quarantine, according to Maxwell.

For now, the Purdy boys are taking online courses and will continue to do so for the remainder of the semester. Maxwell has resigned himself to the fact that there is no going back, at least not in the near future. He may have to wait until after college graduation.

“It’s a huge bummer,” he says. “I had weekend trips all planned out. It’s probably not going to get better.”

Maxwell, Gregory and their parents should be out of quarantine Thursday, March 12.

[Journalism with Lisa Kick Gardner - Jake, Tyler, Sammy, Brandon, and Tori all contributed to this story.]

Gregory and Maxwell P. in Italy

El Comienzo de “By Immigrant Hands”

By: Laura S ('21)

I was sitting on a rusted, old metal chair at the Charlotte Greyhound bus station at 10:30pm on a Friday night. I decided I would spend all my Friday nights this way - in sweats, on dirty floors, with tired travelers and migrants. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. The exhaust was real, but the need was even bigger. Migrants were coming through the station more than five times a day. The buses were filled with hungry, weary, lost migrants. They hadn’t eaten in days, they didn’t know where they were, and most of them carried their future in a drawstring bag. It hurt. I didn’t understand why it had to be this way.

As I saw migrants get off the bus with a package that said “Please help. I don’t speak English,” I realized how privileged I was. Yes, my parents are immigrants. Yes, they came to the U.S. with one suitcase. Yes, they have been demeaned because of their accents. But they did not have to drink chlorinated water at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. They did not have to sleep on concrete floors with only a sheet of foil in a hielera (icebox). They did not have to go hungry for over two days. And they did not see their family get split up once they arrived on American soil like these families we were welcoming.

We welcomed them to Charlotte with food, drinks, snack bags, clothing, medicine, basic hygienic items, stuffed animals and coloring books for the kids, and most importantly, a big smile. As they were forced off the bus, because Charlotte is a mandatory stop for bus maintenance, I saw the relief in their eyes when they heard Spanish and saw food. We obviously wanted to feed them and give them warm clothing for the winter, but we also wanted to restore their humanity. They had not been treated like humans since they left their home country in Latin America.

I was privileged to meet some of the most amazing children at the bus station. We sat on the floor together to color, play with toy cars, and make up stories with stuffed animals. I have never seen such happy, well-behaved, and loving kids. Never. When they had to go, they were giving me the biggest hugs and telling me they were going to visit me soon. It was heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, and heart-fulfilling at the same time. These children inspired me to do more than I thought I could.

If I learned one thing from spending my Friday nights at the Greyhound bus station, it’s that the buses are never on time. But now that I look back, I am grateful for Greyhound’s lack of punctuality. The time between bus arrivals was when Manolo Betancur, the co-owner of By Immigrant Hands, and I were inspired to create our company. We realized we were both so passionate about the immigrant community and felt that the immigrant population was not respected in this country. Manolo created the motto “Made in America by Immigrant Hands” for his bakery (Manolo’s Bakery) since almost all his employees come from abroad. He shared this message with me and I gave it my own meaning: I was born in the U.S. to two immigrant parents. This was the start of it all.

We knew that this message needed to spread. It needed to spread far, and it needed to spread quickly. That’s when we started meeting consistently and creating our vision. After many meetings, late night design planning, and phone calls with Manolo, we started a company together.

Often, people tell me that they can’t relate to the message because their parents aren’t immigrants, but that isn’t necessarily true. At this point in time, any individual living in the U.S. is made by immigrant hands. With more than 17% of the workforce being comprised of immigrants, Americans could not live without them. Our message is about empowering the immigrant community, making sure that they know they are worthy, and sharing that message with others. We also donate to non-profits working for the immigrant community locally or at the border. My dream of giving a voice to the voiceless immigrant community came true. If they’re too scared to wear our shirts or hoodies around, I will wear them in their honor. They have changed my life, and so I hope to change theirs.

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @byimmigranthands and if you are interested in getting anything contact madebyimmigranthands@gmail.com or order on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/ByImmigrantHands?ref=l2-about-shopname

Lugo’s Top 10 List for Freshmen Success

By: Michael L ('20)

1. Join a Sports Team: By joining a team you become part of a larger group and if you play a fall sport you will start your year off with a handful of friends. Also, if you don’t make one team try out for another one (like football). Something new and exciting might be waiting for you.

2. Join the Theatre Program: It’s just like being on a sports team but with a little a less physical abuse (sometimes). No matter how you participate in the theatre program you will find welcoming students, staff, and faculty

3. Go Get Extra Help: Teachers are here to help, and you should take advantage of it. Don’t feel bad, or insecure, about needing help. Our teachers love to work even harder for us.

4. Attend School Events: From Friday Night Lights, to theatre productions, to concerts, to DAFs, there are lots of opportunities to participate and make friends. Get involved.

5. Sleep: This is a hard one to do as a CCDS freshman. However, students our age need 8 – 10 hours of sleep a night to function optimally. Use your time wisely. Put down the phone, gaming remote, … and get to sleep.

6. Join Clubs: There are a lot of different clubs to be involved in. When I first got here, I was a bit overwhelmed when it was time to sign up. Now I know a bit more about the options and I’m excited about how much there is to participate in.

7. Academics: Stay on top of your assignments. There is a lot of work coming at us and if you start putting things off it is HARD to catch up. Trust me I know.

8. Friends: Make friends. Also, be prepared for some friendships to end and allow others to develop. We’re growing up. Sometimes that means we grow closer together and sometimes it means we grow farther apart.

9. Develop Good Habits: As freshman we can shape how successful our next 4 years of high school will be. Right from the beginning you should be developing good student habits. Pay attention. Check PowerSchool. Be on time. Talk to your Advisor, especially if you have Mr. Tuttle. He’s the man.

10. Be Okay with Discomfort: When I arrived here as a freshman, I felt a bit insecure. I missed my friends. The work felt too hard. I was second guessing everything. I felt very self-conscious. Then things started getting better. Friendship. Football. Theatre. Studying. Grades. All of these allowed me to get more comfortable at CCDS. I’m not sure what will help you grow but don’t be afraid of the discomfort. We can flourish through adversity.

Do High School Students Benefit from a Later Start Time?

By: Griffin C ('20)

Delaying school start times positively affects student performance, according to a study produced by the University of Washington. Research says sleep positively correlates to performance in school, the more sleep deprived a student is the more likely they will not absorb information. Many Charlotte Country Day students agree. Charlotte Country Day student McNeil Upchurch says, “the quality of my work would definitely improve.”

Psychologist Dr. Jenny Yip concludes that only 15% of adolescents get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep needed nightly. At Charlotte Country Day School, in a poll taken whether or not to push the start time back from 8:00am to 8:30am, most students voted for a later start time.

Human psychology suggests that an adolescent's biological clock shifts back through teenage years. Horacio de la Iglesia, a biology professor at the University of Washington, conducted a study of sleep duration of adolescents with a later school start time. He found, “significant improvement in sleep duration” and performance. In 2014, The American Academy of Pediatrics, advised that junior high and high school should not start before 8:30am.

Senior Arden Davies, a strong student-athlete at Charlotte Country Day, relies on coffee as a crutch to wake up in the morning stating she recognizes she “always feels sleep deprived.” Arden estimates that she gets home around 6pm and on a heavy night doesn’t finish her homework until approximately midnight. However, when asked about an 8:30am start time she rejected the idea. She says she does not believe the quantity of sleep she gets would change. On the contrary, students Sylver Riddell and McNeil Upchurch affirmed the later start times. Both students thought their quality and quantity of sleep would improve.

Student, Charlotte Reardon, signing out from Ms. Carey in the front office.

On the contrary, students Sylver Riddell and McNeil Upchurch affirmed the later start times. Both students thought their quality and quantity of sleep would improve. Markland Whittaker, an avid golfer, spends two-plus hours on the course most afternoons. When asked if he was in favor to push start times back, he was indecisive at first. Currently, he can complete a round of golf and his homework nightly but was conflicted if he would be able to if the school day finished later. After more consideration, Markland concluded that he would prefer a later start time to accommodate for more sleep.

The opinions of students at Charlotte Country Day relate to the recommendations of AAP. Although performance and mood were not measured, the studies from the University of Washington and Dr. Yip paired with the totals from the survey indicate that Charlotte Country Day should push back the start time.

A Learning Experience Outside of the Classroom

By: Livi P ('22)

To experience new things, students often explore and travel to unfamiliar places or countries. Charlotte Country Day School (CCDS) offers an experience abroad for high school Spanish speaking students. Teachers Katie Jolly and Steve Wall lead the trip of students who will travel to Andalusia, the southern region of Spain.

Students will stay in locals’ homes in Málaga and Sevilla. “Living with host families will further immerse students in Spanish culture while allowing a safe opportunity to reach outside their comfort zones,” says David

Lynn, the Director of International Studies.

The schedule also includes cooking lessons, learning flamenco dances, hiking in Andalusia, and a day trip to Granada. The trip will allow for an immersion in the cultural aspects of Spain and communication of Spanish. Former Country Day student Will Jeffries (‘19) went on this excursion during his high school days. “The cultural immersion that one experiences is comparable to no other Country Day program,” states Jeffries, a current student at Williams College.

“The best way to learn is through experience,” he concludes. Will Jeffries believes this learning environment helped him expand his speaking and listening skills beyond the school classroom.

The trip will take place from May 30th to June 12th, 2020. For more information on this expedition and others, visit the Office of International Studies.

Being A Team Player

By: Zella T ('23)

Being on a state championship team as a freshman goalie was a very special thing that I got to experience. The upperclassman quickly became some of my best friends. From the first practice, they took the time to teach me the ropes while also making me feel comfortable and valued. They supported me both on and off the field. Off the field, they guided me through my first semester of high school. On the field, they would always congratulate me when I made a save or hype me up prior to the game.

Winning the state championship was probably the best feeling I have ever had. We put so much time and effort into everything this year and it payed off. The night before that game, we went onto the field and visualized the win that was soon to come. The 2019 field hockey team was the first field hockey team I had been on. It was my first time ever playing, and I didn’t realize that it would soon become my favorite sport.