Head of School Randall Dunn was recently joined by Netflix Vice President of Public Policy Dean Garfield for this year’s first installment of the Conversations with the Head event series. 

Current parents and guardians joined the two leaders for a thought-provoking discussion about the position that young people are in as recipients of the most information at the most rapid pace in history—and the ways that information providers, from schools to streaming networks, can put social impact first. 

Mr. Garfield and Mr. Dunn agreed that the deluge of information to which youth are subjected can represent either a daunting and risk-heavy reality or an exciting opportunity to teach youth about the potential of the future and the impact of their choices. They also shared their views on ways to encourage youth to discover their passions and pursue paths that realize those passions and serve the greater good. 

As graduates of Milton School, they reflected on the ways independent schools equip students with the skills and awareness they need to understand themselves and how their actions can have a greater impact. Reflecting on their own experiences, they credited their independent school education with providing them the guidance to discover and enact their social impact.

“Dean’s insight on cultivating a commitment to social impact in our youth is valuable. I am grateful he visited with me and Rye Country Day parents and guardians to consider the topic! As young people continue to receive a great deal of information from a staggering number of sources, nurturing self-aware, critical thinkers, and active community members is paramount. Indeed, this is at the heart of what we do at RCDS. Thinkers who strengthen these faculties are able to process any amount of information and ground their actions on greater impact.” 
– Randall Dunn, Head of School

As Vice President of Public Policy, Dean Garfield works to build and strengthen global public policy expertise, and accelerate social impact. As an independent school with an active commitment to the founding motto Not for Self, but For Service, Rye Country Day strives to cultivate engaged citizens who are champions of social impact. How the two arrive at social impact differs greatly–the screen and the classroom are not at all the same–nevertheless, a discussion about their approaches can yield thought-provoking concepts. 

Thanks to Mr. Garfield for her terrific contributions to an engaging Conversation with the Head.