Letters from the Boys

Much of the reporting in the Chronicle is written from the perspective of the adults in the Cardigan community, highlighting what we feel is important and relevant to the strategic operations and educational goals of the school. But what about the boys? For the 230 boys who call Cardigan home during the school year, what do they care about? What informs their aspirations and goals? In “Letters from the Boys,” we want to capture the voices of our students, providing them with a platform through which they can share their thoughts and reflections. 

In this first installment, School Leader Sosuke Imaizumi ’26 shares his thoughts on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom. His reflections are in response to last spring’s Commencement speaker and Cardigan trustee Alva Taylor P’22, who compared many of life’s decisions to crafting prompts in AI: “What do we know about effective prompts? Lazy prompts lead to dull answers. The best prompts are bold and open-ended, rooted in values and full of examples—those lead to discovery...Don’t let the world make you an average AI output. Use what you’ve learned during your time here—integrity, curiosity, resilience—to be EXTRAORDINARY.” At the beginning of the school year, Sosuke and his classmates were asked by English teacher Marty Wennik P’15,’17 to reflect on their use of AI and what role it should have in the classroom. Sosuke’s classmates’ responses are also included alongside Sosuke’s more in-depth essay. 

It is worth noting that Cardigan recognizes the importance of AI and has taken the step to add language into its strategic plan that highlights the need to consider the technology’s role in education. The answers are few and the questions are many at this point, but Cardigan remains committed to preparing our boys for “responsible and meaningful lives in a global society,” which in the years to come will certainly include the use of AI in all its iterations and areas of influence.

Writing in AI: Authenticity Over Convenience

By Sosuke Imaizumi ’26, School Leader

Honestly, I used Google Translate for assignments when I was in seventh grade, my first year at Cardigan. I was indifferent to the process of work and honesty. The only thing that was in my head was finishing my work on time. At the time, I was desperate to bluff my way through assignments, to hide that I was getting behind my classmates. This action did nothing great for me. I started realizing how important it was for me to write by myself in my own words, even if I used vague grammar and word choice. For example, this year, I was able to write a graduation speech in English class without any help. I have begun to realize the joy of writing stories and essays about myself, and my writing confidence has grown.

Time at Cardigan goes quickly, and communication is crucial to a successful year. Why do people still keep using AI for assignments or essays? This is a current problem for all schools and educational institutions. Maybe it saves time and allows students to use their time more efficiently. AI tools are extremely useful when searching for solutions or getting advice. And when using AI, the dopamine hit comes from the instant satisfaction of a finished assignment and the pleasure of having the extra time to do other activities. It’s hard to stop using it since AI is helpful and convenient. 

The thing that I really want to share is that AI cannot create sentences that humans have written with emotion for a long time. Every speech is different, and word choice and quotes reveal a person’s personality and what they want to communicate. If I were to ask AI to write an essay for me, even if it could write exactly like it was written by a human, it would have a hard time expressing how I really feel and what I want to convey to everyone. Words that are written by a human are stronger and authentic. AI cannot create sentences that move people’s hearts. 

The reason why I think people should not use AI in communication is because then people are not sharing or talking with others. There are so many reasons why students come to Cardigan—to learn English, to play new sports, to get a better education. However, one of the things that everyone has to do, even if they have different purposes or goals, is to communicate and coexist within our Cardigan family. I think we cannot live here without that. Sharing something about yourself in your own words is the first step to making a trustful and great community. Essays or other writing assignments are one of the best ways that people can realize and understand something about you. If it’s made up by AI, it is not genuine and not what you actually want to share. Cardigan provides the best environment for students to have the best time. Why not give back to Cardigan, the school that gives you the best “now” with authenticity?

This article was originally published in the fall/winter 2025-2026 issue of the Cardigan Chronicle