Daniel Phan and Torey Van Oot

As part of its membership in Round Square, a worldwide organization dedicated to community service and fostering leadership in the world's youth, Deerfield sent delegates to attend the annual Round Square conference at the Schule Schloss Salem in Salem, Germany. The student delegates were Helen Lamphere '03, Killian Clarke '05, Julia Conway '05, and Charlie Straut '05. Wilson Visiting Fellow and English teacher Hilary Matthews, science teacher Andrew Harcourt and Headmaster Eric Widmer accompanied them.

The conference, which took place from October 10 to October 17, hosted 500 delegates. They hailed from member schools in five continents and 13 countries.

At the conference, the delegates heard various speakers from around the world. They included Dr. Rupert Neudeck, the founder of Cap Anamur, an international humanitarian aid organization; Robin Hanbury-Tenison, president of Survival International, a program that protects the rights of indigenous peoples all around the world; and Hans Koschnick, one of the most prominent German politicians in the last half century.

Kurt Hahn, the founder of Round Square, believes in the value of adventure as a means of reducing academic stress. As a result, the delegates participated in many outdoor experiences, including a hiking trip through the Austrian Alps.

The delegates are planning to form a Round Square Committee. The role of the committee will be to control fundraisers and any decisions pertaining to Round Square. "I am excited to see how we can implement Round Square's pillars into an active program at Deerfield," Straut said.

Round Square is based upon six values that are abbreviated by the acronym IDEALS: I for international understanding; D for democracy; E for Environmental Awareness; A for adventure; L for leadership; and S for service.

Every year Round Square organizes several community service projects, directed towards international development and volunteer work. Deerfield elects one student to attend a Round Square-sponsored community service project each year. In March, 2002, Daniel Phan '04 participated in a Round Square International Service Project in the Dominican Republic, where he helped build houses.

There is some controversy as to whether or not Deerfield fully lives up to the ideals of Round Square. In order to be a member school of the organization, it is important that the institution embodies the each of six IDEALS. Lately, there has been some inquiry as to whether Deerfield exemplifies the values of adventure, environmental awareness and service.

This year marks the first anniversary of Deerfield's inauguration into the Round Square program. Last year, the Round Square conference, which was attended by Tiffany Franke '02, Karl Moats '04, Haley Warden '04 and English teacher Joel Thomas-Adams, occurred in Alice Springs, Australia. The conference next year will take place in South Africa. Applications for the upcoming conference will be available in the spring. Contact Assistant Headmaster Martha Lyman, Mrs. Matthews, or the Deerfield delegates for more details.