Kyle Harty Strang Spirit of CAS Award, 2012

This Memorial Day was Berkeley High's CAS Graduation which included the presentation of the 2012 Kyle Strang Spirit of CAS Award. Kyle's fabulous 9th Grade English teacher, Amy Crawford, made the presentation. Following are here comments:

The Kyle Harty Strang Spirit Of CAS Award, 2012

In fall of 2007 I took the same leap of faith that every parent and guardian in here took, and sent my precious oldest son, Lou, to kindergarten,

I worried--

Would he use the bathroom when he needed to?

Would someone make sure he ate his lunch?

Would they notice if he got hurt on the playground?

Would he ask his teacher for help when he needed it?

That same fall, I was assigned to teach 9th grade for the first time in 10 years. I saw those youngest and most vulnerable high-schoolers in much the same way as I saw Lou--entering a totally new terrain with new rules, expectations, challenges and levels of independence.

And my job was clear: I needed to help kids coming from all over the place make a smooth transition that would set them up for success in school and in life, while bringing them on board with the CAS philosophy. A tall order, but definitely a worthy challenge, as a teacher and as a mom.

Among those amazing CAS freshies was a boy with big inquiring eyes named Kyle Strang. Kyle stood out from day one as a kid who was interested in ideas and in people. He took it all in, listened carefully, and was fearless about asking a question or voicing an opinion or belief, however unpopular it might be. He was a fierce friend who cast a wide net, and who made each of his many friends feel special, loved and listened to. There were many people who considered Kyle their “bestie” because of his ability to really listen, his brutal honesty and the way he openly shared and showed his love for people. His death during spring break of his junior year was one of the most difficult experiences many of his CASmates and CAS teachers had and have ever encountered. The hole he left was devastating, but through it he also inspired everyone who knew him to seize life, to live and love fully and truly. As his aunt wrote recently on a picture of Kyle and Leib that Kyle’s father posted on Facebook, “Kyle and his friends breathe life and hope into this world!”

And those words capture the reason we renamed the Spirit of CAS Award in Kyle’s honor.

Teaching the CAS ℅ 2012 reminds me of the fierce love I associate with Kyle. From the first day of school you showed the kind of caring community that only grew among Kyle’s class in the wake of his death. You aren’t afraid to share and show your love for each other. You listen to each other, you respect each other, you hold each other up when times are tough.

I saw your love for and trust in each other in the first writing workshop, when you shared your stories of heartbreak and loss and challenge and accomplishment and confusion and love.

I see it on Fridays in Author’s Chair.

I see it when you invite each other into discussions, when you encourage each other to be in class every day, and to complete school work, however difficult it may be.

I see it, and you know it drives me crazy, when you sacrifice a tardy to bring a hot lunch to your hungry friends who stayed in class to make up a test or catch up on homework.

You guys have created a loving community that is the truest honor of the Spirit of CAS, and the love and passion embodied in Kyle. You make my heart pound with love, both as a teacher, and, in truth, as a proud mother who is so excited for you to take this world by storm. You breathe life and hope into this world!

So when it was time to “vote” on who would win this important award this year, the decision was far from simple. Some people abstained from voting all together. Eli spoke eloquently and I thought quite persuasively about how actually, honoring just two people is antithetical to the whole CAS enterprise, and couldn’t the whole class just get the award? And while the plaque may not reflect that proposal, I think many of us believe in fact that it should.

We have, however, engraved the names of two of your CASmates on this plaque, the two names that came up the most frequently in your nominations:

The first goes to a young man who has grown tremendously over his 4 years in CAS. He oozes with heart and soul, and supports the CAS community with his bouncy energy. He is both a little boy who likes to goof off and run around with his friends, and a serious young man who thinks hard and raises important questions. He has matured tremendously in the classroom and in his focus on academics. He pushes himself to the edge of his comfort zone to build and strengthen his skills and habits. He reaches out to younger students, sharing wisdom and tips on how to succeed, and encouraging them to take risks and ask for help. He believes in working hard and he believes in CAS. He always stands up for the transformative power of hard work. His enthusiasm about the CAS ideals and his eagerness to be his best self is contagious, and has been a great source of motivation for his CASmates and CAS teachers alike. Please celebrate...Matthew Abangan.

The second goes to a young woman who has worked with great diligence and determination for all 4 years of her CAS experience. She buoys the spirits of all of us by bringing a positive and encouraging attitude toward her CASmates and her studies. She isn’t afraid to ask challenging questions, proved by her senior thesis. In it, she took a stance that was difficult to argue but that she really believed in. She worked incredibly hard, making time for multiple revisions and writing conferences, and in the end she proved her point through strong research and writing. She has balanced her studies and academic growth with her constant commitment to leadership--in CAS and at BHS--where she served in numerous capacities, including president of the CAS Leadership Club. She is grounded by her family, who has instilled in her an untiring work ethic and belief in the power of education. She is energetic, warm and socially adept, qualities she will take with her beyond CAS that will enliven and enrich her college and her community. Let’s honor...Leslie Gonzalez.