From values to valedictorians: One family’s path to achievement

CORNWALL — “Matsudaira” can be translated from Japanese to mean “peaceful pine,” evoking a sense of enduring strength that reaches great heights.

The Matsudaira family of Cornwall has embodied this symbolism with a stream of six successful children.

Rachel Matsudaira, a current counselor at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, is the mother of six children who each attended the school. Her husband, Yoshihiro Matsudaira, died earlier this year before their youngest son graduated as HVRHS’s 2025 valedictorian.

The family resided in Japan for twelve years doing missionary work before receiving a grant to come back to the United States. They landed in Connecticut and began to thrive.

At HVRHS, each child placed in the top percentile of their classes and five of the six became either valedictorian or salutatorian.

While there were many factors that led to her children’s success, Matsudaira spoke of a few she felt were most important.

Firstly, the children were all raised close together as a family unit rather than as individuals, and looked to each other for inspiration and instruction. “The oldest one sets the pace, the tone, and they kind of all follow in suit,” Matsudaira explained. After her oldest son became valedictorian, the others also began to view that as a goal.

Many of their extracurricular activities were family oriented, such as every kid playing the same sports, which helped manage taking care of such a large family.

The family was raised to deeply value their Christian faith, reading the Bible daily and living by its scripture. One of their favorite verses is, “Do your best unto the Lord,” as it establishes a set of expectations for each child, not backed by just the parents’ wishes but by God himself.

Matsudaira also spoke of the multicultural influences on her strategy of raising her family. Not only did she live in Japan, she also met many other international Christians during her time there, allowing her children to experience a “third culture.” She was able to pick and choose strategies from the many cultures she encountered to raise her family the way she believed was best.

All having entered adulthood, the Matsudairas are now spread across the U.S. but still keep in close contact with each other.

Matthew, the eldest, lives in Florida, and works both as a consultant and as an independent oil painter.

Marina, the second oldest, attended Harvard University and tutors kids alongside her full-time job as a stay-at-home mom to three children of her own.

Manuella, or Ella, graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in architecture and is preparing for her architectural exams while, like her brother, oil painting.

Micah just received his degree from Springfield College and has moved to Boston, managing a gym and using his exercise science to manage sports facilities.

Melody is a rising junior at Davidson College, studying biology and tentatively interested in cancer research and treatment, or perhaps osteopathy.

The youngest, Manasseh, or Manny, is attending Harvard, potentially majoring in economics and environmental policy.

To those who are also raising children or considering it, Matsudaira advises thinking about the big questions. “There are so many things we think we value. I say this from experience that we don’t actually value it,” she said.

She also highlighted the importance of forming relationships with other people. It is the close relationships you have, such as the bonds between her family, that will support you in times of need.

“Make your relationships right, become the person that you’re going to value and that leads to a good legacy. You don’t have to be famous.”