What a truly unique experience I had attending Notre Dame Academy (NDA) on Staten Island. This High School campus is comprised of buildings over a century old and gardens, lawns and woods perched atop a hill with sweeping views of NY Harbor and the Verrazzano bridge.  We, the students, simultaneously had the experience of, “This is our community,” and “The world is wide and calling!”  A beloved feature of the Academic year was “Culture Day” where several times a year we chose an adventure dedicated to expanding our experience of theatres, museums, music, religions, history, food, and languages. Travel to a Spanish restaurant, order in Spanish, eat a food you never have and then see a film produced in Spain! Another highlight of the year was a chance to volunteer. Raise money, shop for groceries, prepare meals together in a commercial kitchen, serve people in a soup kitchen.  Learning was active and immersive, and it expanded our view. NDA knew about DEI  (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) long before there were letters to describe it. Life is enriched when we see diverse perspectives and are open to what can be.