Derryfield Today, Fall 2004

today

Derryfield

NEWS FROM THE DERRYFIELD SCHOOL

FA L L 2 0 0 4

Learning by Doing A Matter of Dress: 1965-1970 Founding NEMO

Bits and Pieces see details on page 5

contents Table of

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dianne Connolly Chair Windham, NH

DERRYFIELD TODAY

John Allard ’83 Manchester, NH

Annie Branch Editor

Bradley Benson ’78 Derry, NH

O’Neil Griffin Bodi Design

James Cahill Concord, NH

Puritan Press Printing

Steven Burke Treasurer, Corporate Secretary Bedford, NH

Jim Davis New Boston, NH

CONTRIBUTORS

Pamela VanArsdale Secretary Bedford, NH

William Davis II Hopkinton, NH

Cam Brensinger ’94

Arthur Coviello Vice Chair Hollis, NH

FALL 2004

features FEATURES

Celebrating 40 Years

10

Chuck Sanborn

Randy Richardson Head of School Concord, NH

Nigel Donovan Bedford, NH Dr. Louis Fink Bedford, NH Terry Flahive Bedford, NH Joseph Horton Manchester, NH Maria Holland Law ’75 Bedford, NH Paul LeBlanc Manchester, NH Donna K. Lencki Candia, NH David Lockwood Manchester, NH Lourdes Maldonado Manchester, NH Eric Nickerson Windham, NH Jeffrey Pollock Bedford, NH

Terri Moyer Faculty

Learning By Doing

16

Annie Branch Brent Powell Chair, History Department Randy Richardson Head of School

Founding NEMO Cam Brensinger ’94

Kathleen Rutty-Fey ’87 Director of Admission

Oh, the Places You’ll Go...

Chuck Sanborn Retired Faculty

Stephanie Solms McCusker ’84

ADVANCEMENT Annie Branch Director of Communications

33

departments DEPARTMENTS

Gail Gordon Advancement Assistant

Message from the Head

Alice Handwerk Director of Advancement

Around Campus

Tracey Perkins Director of Alumni Relations

Cougar Athletics

Jen Pierce Director of Annual Fund

Summerbridge Spotlight

Gay Shanahan ’76 Duxbury, MA

24

Update on Alumni Life After Derryfield Alumni Profile

2 4 12 14 18 24 33

FRONT COVER: Lab partners examine a sample in a Physiology experiment.

INSIDE FRONT COVER: Sarah Elfenbein ’06 and Connor Garstka ’06 in a scene from Soap Opera.

Derryfield Today is published by the Advancement Office at The Derryfield School. If you note errors, please notify us at 603.669.4524, ext. 123 or send an email to abranch@derryfield.org. Correspondence may be addressed to: Director of Communications, The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, NH 03104-1396. The Derryfield School welcomes students of any race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin. The School does not discriminate in its hiring, admission policies, or programs on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, or disabilities.

www.derryfield.org

BACKGROUND: The girls’ varsity first boat carries their shell to the water for New Hampshire Championships.

TOP: Seniors play cribbage with a Veteran on Make a Difference Day.

1

head

Message from the

Teaching Teachers s we at Derryfield look at new trends and move‑ ments in the wider world of education, we do so not only with an open mind, but also with a healthy dose of skepticism. We understand that the keys to our educational success, by philosophy and design, have not changed much over the School’s forty years.

Most importantly, we combine bright, motivated students with intelligent, enthusiastic teachers. We then provide a safe, comfortable environment and a cultural emphasis on kindness, respect, integrity, and high academic standards.

Our students and faculty take advantage of these opportuni‑ ties to create the connections and intellectual relationships that are the dynamic forces driving a Derryfield education.

A

“Derryfield’s expectations for effort, creativity, and excellence apply equally to every member of our community.”

However, we also recognize that there is more to educa‑ tion than great people and positive relationships. As a school and a faculty, we are committed to dynamic profes‑ sional development. We know that we can always learn more about the craft of teaching because creating a positive educational experience for all of our students is complicated and challenging.

In addition to the work we do every day as teachers, coaches, and advisors, we have exclusively dedicated a number of full days every year to thinking and learning about our craft at Derryfield. Our overall goal is to work even more effectively, as individuals and as a team, on

2

behalf of our students. We are also striving to be sure that we take time to reflect and to look beyond the walls of our classroom and the School. Highlights of the last few years include sharing teaching ideas through mock classes and open conversations, working with psychologist Michael Thompson to better understand child development and the implications for parenting and teaching, and improving our use of technology as an educational tool.

One of the great benefits of these professional develop‑ ment days is that we are modeling the type of learning we want to see from our students. We are not only reading, thinking, and talking about important ideas, but also creat‑ ing experiential learning opportunities. In the process, Derryfield teachers have taught new classes, worked with new computer programs, created new curricula, and put themselves in the role of their students. We have done so not only on these professional development days, but also through workshops, classes, and presentations throughout the school year and the summer.

The process of learning through these experiences has also reinforced the value of providing more and better expe‑ riential learning opportunities for our students, including labs, group work, debates, field trips, community service, and leadership opportunities. We have developed an even greater understanding of the fact that Derryfield’s expecta‑ tions for effort, creativity, and excellence apply equally to every member of our community.

Randy Richardson Head of School

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

JANUARY – APRIL

events VIEWS OF DERRYFIELD For more photos, visit our online gallery in the ‘What’s Happening’ section of www.derryfield.org.

calendar JANUARY Admission Open House

20

Summerbridge Saturday

29

FEBRUARY Winter Carnival

1-4

Jazz All-State Music Festival

3-5

Middle School Dance

11

40th Anniversary Forum Series

17

Summerbridge Saturday

26

MARCH All-Eastern Music Festival

3-5

Senior Blood Drive

8

Upper School Musical

10-12

Sophomore Spaghetti Dinner

11

Lyceum Gallery Reception

11

APRIL Admission US Ice Cream Social

5

Senior Dinner

6

Admission MS Ice Cream Social

7

Classical All-State Music Festival

7-9

Parents’ Association Auction

9

Founders’ Day

15

Middle School Dance

22

Summerbridge Saturday

23

WE BELIEVE!

Parents’

auction

Clockwise from top right: Glen Frieden ’06 during a cross-country race. n A youngster gets her face painted at Country Fair. n Connor Garstka ’06 and Rebekah Volinsky ’08 in Do Not Feed the Animal. n Allen Khayat ’10 displays his cowboy costume with pride on Halloween. n Andrew Todd ’05 and Tim Allen ’05 visit with a Veteran on Make a Difference Day. n Chris Pellegrini ’05 in class with grandparents.

www.derryfield.org

The Parents’ Association is busy plan‑ ning the upcoming auction, ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game,’ for April 9th at C.R. Sparks in Bedford. ‘We Believe’ was the motto for Red Sox Nation, and don’t ‘we believe’ in Derryfield?

3

campus

Around

STORIES

Leadership Donor Party

Adding Up

On the evening of Thursday, October 28th, several members of the Derryfield commu‑ nity gathered at the home of parents John ’83 and Karen Allard to celebrate the beginning of the 2004‑2005 Annual Fund year. Having surpassed last year’s goal of $300,000 by $37,944, this year’s Annual Fund aims to raise $365,000 to help fill the gap between tuition and the cost of a Derryfield education.

Randy Richardson announced that the Board of Trustees had followed the exam‑ ple set by the Faculty in September, and achieved 100% participation in the Annual Fund. Dianne Connolly, Chair of the Board of Trustees, then spoke about the impor‑ tance of giving to the School so that the younger generation could take advantage of all that a Derryfield education has to offer. The evening was a fitting way to kick off the new year and honor the generosity of those present.

Leadership Donor Party

Bits and Pieces A Journal from China Community Service Update Grandparents’ Grant

Members of the math team at the 17th Annual WPI Invitational Contest.

Make a Difference Day

Presidential Debate 10,000 Days A Busy Weekend Grandparents’ Day Reunion Country Fair

FIGURE THIS... n 31 seniors applied Early Decision/Early Action to college this fall. n

24 volunteers contribute 616 hours of invaluable assistance in the library each year.

n

The English department represents 132 years of teaching experience at Derryfield, followed closely by 128 years in the math department.

n

In the 8 years that the Maroon and White teams have been competing during Winter Carnival, the White team has won

7 of the contests.

4

Adding Up The Derryfield math team has had a suc‑ cessful start to the 2004‑2005 season. Sean Kehoe ’06, David Batchelder ’05, Brett McLarnon ’05, and Linda Paiste ’05 partici‑ pated in the first match, the 17th Annual WPI Invitational Contest, in which Batchelder placed joint first individually and the team placed third overall. These members competed with 85 other New England Schools. It is the fourth year in a row that Derryfield has placed in the top 10.

The entire team has since competed in two of the five competitions within the NH‑SMASH league. Derryfield placed first both in the small school division and over‑ all at a meet in October at Keene High School. They also placed first in the small school division at a competition at Salem High School in November. The math team, coached by parent Heather Evans, has three more competitions in their league before the end of the season.

Randy Richardson addresses guests as John Allard ’83 and Board Chair Dianne Connolly look on.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

AROUND CAMPUS

Cooper Cunliffe ’05 portraying one of his eccentric characters in Soap Opera.

Bits and Pieces For the first time, the performing arts department has split its two student productions between the fall and win‑ ter term. The play is now in the fall and the musical remains during winter term. The hope is that a greater num‑ ber of students will be able to partic‑ pate by giving them the choice of sea‑ sons.

The Derryfield Players started off the new schedule with a humorous and intriguing collection of short plays, entitled Bits and Pieces. A small but tal‑ ented cast of seven new and returning performers produced and performed in seven short plays that ranged in length from five to 35 minutes.

The evening started off with Sorry, featuring Stephanie Kruskol ’05 as a young actress who has just accidentally shot a secret admirer. In Vanities, Victoria Starr ’05, Rebekah Volinsky ’08, and Sarah Barlow ’08 gave the audience a glimpse into the life of a group of high school cheerleaders as they encounter a memorable moment in history. Connor Garstka ’06 led a cast of five in the centerpiece of the evening, Soap Opera. Garstka was

www.derryfield.org

cast as a desperate Maypole repairman in love with his washing machine, played by Sarah Elfenbein ’06. Cooper Cunliffe ’05 portrayed several eccentric characters throughout the play, as the repairman struggles with his obses‑ sion. No Skronking left the audience wondering, like Kruskol’s character, who tries with all her energy to figure out what skronking is. Captive Audience offered an intriguing look into the life of a couple who has been kidnapped by their television. Volinsky carried on a captivating conversation with a wordless Garstka in Do Not Feed the Animal. The evening ended with the most intense of the plays: Graceland, featuring Starr and Kruskol as two Elvis fans waiting in line to be the first admitted into Graceland. The two women share intimate moments of their lives with each other as they fight to be the first one into the mansion.

Members of this small cast,

Rebekah Volinsky ’08 and Sarah Barlow ’08 react to the death of the president in Vanities.

led by Director Nancy Brennan, por‑ trayed a wide range of characters with skill and flexibility. Bits and Pieces has set a high standard for future Derryfield performances, including this winter’s musical, Beauty and the Beast.

Stephanie Kruskol ’05 and Victoria Starr ’05 in a scene from Graceland.

5

AROUND CAMPUS

June 23rd

The Derryfield group gathers for dinner.

A Journal from China Seniors Ashley Travis, Wright Smith, and Chris Kiley traveled to China with Derryfield faculty members Terri Moyer and Jason Smith. The following are excerpts from their group journal.

June 19th-20th We arrived in a small village where we began our hike to the Great Wall. At our guard tower ‘hostel’ we feasted on fennel dumplings brought from a near‑ by village, then tried to sleep on our luxurious beds of padded blankets on a stone floor. We didn’t sleep well, but how many people can say they camped on the Great Wall?

At sunrise a thick blanket of fog rolled in. Morning on the Great Wall was so peaceful – there were no voices, no cars, no construction workers, nois‑ es we knew all too well after the previ‑ ous nights in Beijing. The pure serenity and beauty of those moments upon the wall will simply be unforgettable. At 7:30 a.m. we began our trek, and for the next five hours we climbed and con‑ quered part of the wall. Every guard tower brought new and exciting views.

A water wheel and cobbled streets marked the entrance to Old Town Lijiang. Lots of people and activity!

After settling into our quaint court‑ yard, we went down to the street for lunch. The old town feels like one huge pedestrian mall and outdoor café filled with umbrella‑wielding Chinese tourists. Some even asked for photos with us. Much of this town was destroyed during the 1996 earthquake.

Now rebuilt, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and destination for Chinese tourists. As the standard of living rises, so does the push to pre‑ serve these historic places and the minority cultures that define them.

June 24th Our second day in Lijiang, we visited the local teachers’ college. At the gate we were greeted by teacher Yang and her students. We gathered on the lawn for introductions, then headed off in pairs to talk as we walked to the arts building. We came upon two students practicing a traditional folk dance and stopped to watch. Our hosts then brought us to their music classroom, where we broke the ice with song, a shared passion between the Chinese and American students. Before we left we gave them Winter Carnival t‑shirts.

June 29th

The ride to Zhongdian wound and bumped along the moun‑ tain road through green fields and full‑sized trees we had yet Members of the Derryfield trip wave from the Great Wall of China.

6

Ashley hitches a precarious ride with Chris.

to see. The bus rose up to the Tibetan plateau with its different style houses, large fields, high mountain clouds, and thin air. At an altitude of 10,000 ft., a few of us had altitude headaches dur‑ ing dinner. The ambience at our hostel was peaceful as we sat by the fire around a large Tibetan‑style table. We even tried yak, and ate by candlelight when the power went out.

July 2nd Over dinner we got into a lively dis‑ cussion of environmental problems, in both China and the U.S. As China’s standard of living improves and more people buy cars, what will be the impact on the already polluted city air?

Can the Chinese government impose environmental standards to help con‑ trol the number of cars on the roads?

Should the U.S. step into China’s debate on environmental issues with a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude? What of our own habits and auto use? The conversation left us all with a number of issues to think about as we return to our comfortable and convenient lives.

We realized that there are global issues that will continue to challenge us all; the U.S. and China will be major play‑ ers and can be leaders in this ongoing discussion.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

AROUND CAMPUS

Community Service Update This fall has been full of community service opportunities and events avail‑ able to Derryfield students. There have frequently been times in which our active volunteers participated in sever‑ al events in one weekend. Two of the highlights of the season are described below.

Grandparents’ Grant During his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush called upon every American to get involved in community service, asking each of us to commit at least two years of our lives to the service of others.

This fall term, as part of their Civics curriculum, members of the seventh grade participated in a project with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). RSVP is working in coopera‑ tion with the American Red Cross to present ‘Preparing for the Unexpected’ to senior citizens. The goal is to teach them how to empower themselves in case of natural or man‑made disaster.

Last year more than 450 seniors par‑ ticipated in the program. This year the program has received a Grandparents’

Lauren Cross ’10 accepts a check from Wal-Mart for the RSVP project.

www.derryfield.org

Grant from Wal‑Mart, to be used to assemble disaster kits to use as door prizes at the presentations, attracting more participants to the programs.

On September 14th, students learned more about the project and began to work on purchasing for the kits and handing them out at presenta‑ tions for Manchester residents. The project was an opportunity for stu‑ dents to learn important civics lessons on helping others in the Manchester community and to be a ‘grandchild’ for vulnerable senior citizens.

Make a Difference Day Derryfield juniors and seniors spent the morning of October 20th participat‑ ing in the 2004 Make a Difference Day. For the third year in a row, students took time from their academic day to go out into the community to do work for others, fulfilling a long‑standing vision that Jennifer Melkonian has had for the School. Community service coordinator Kathy Hill noted that stu‑ dents seemed especially energized to volunteer having attended the 40th Anniversary Forum on Schools in Community given by speaker Lewis Feldstein the previous week.

Juniors were split between three projects around the greater Manchester community. A group led by physics teacher Jeff Cousineau worked on an outdoor clean‑up project at the Mental Health Center at 401 Cypress Street.

Other juniors visited patients at the Easter Seals Alzheimer’s Day Care Center with community service coordi‑ nator Kathy Hill. Students took part in

Juniors join patients in exercise at the Alzheimer Day Care Center during Make a Difference Day.

the patients’ daily exercise routine, and played games with them afterwards. A final group travelled to the Upreach Therapeutic Riding Center, where they helped to clean up the facility where disabled children learn to ride horses.

Math teacher Ed Lemire took a group of seniors to the Veterans’ hospi‑ tal, where they visited and carved pumpkins with the patients, while oth‑ ers worked on a landscaping project.

The remaining seniors worked out‑ doors at the Massabesic Audubon Center. Members of the National Honor Society and their advisor, Dennis Holland, spent the morning volunteering at the New Hampshire Food Bank.

The Class of 2004 was honored by CareGivers, Inc. last year for their com‑ mitment to creating this service day, which began as a one‑time project for the class their junior year. Make a Difference Day has grown and contin‑ ued to be a great success, giving those students who are not involved in Key Club an opportunity to participate in community service.

7

EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES

History

forum

“To decide what kind of school we want is almost to decide what kind of society we want...”

– Randolph Bourne In the aftermath of September 11th, the History Department began organizing forums in an attempt to make sense of the tragedy and the events that followed.

We place great value on these forums as they present opportunities for the whole community – students, faculty, and administrators – to come together to discuss the events and the ideas that affect us all. While the first forums were opportunities for students to hear teachers explain the issues, they have now evolved into largely student-centered exchanges, and the students are impressive. They prepare thoroughly and are well-spoken.

The audience consistently asks probing questions, pushing the speakers to their limits, and making us all consider ideas in new ways. I believe it is the mark of a great school to have the confidence in this kind of public, unscripted, free flow of ideas. The respect people show for one another and the acceptance of different points of view are exemplary. The forums tell us a lot about The Derryfield School and, in a small way, help

Presidential Debate Derryfield students had two opportu‑ nities to learn more about the views of the U.S. Presidential candidates in the month leading up to the election, right on campus. The History Department hosted mock presidential debates on October 14th and 28th, during which three students represented each candi‑ date and fielded questions from student moderators and the audience. The first debate featured responses to questions on foreign and domestic policy. Cand‑ idates responded to the moderators’ questions, but had limited time to engage in an exchange with each other.

The second debate featured the same issues, but allowed for more debate between the two candidates and for audience questions.

Over the two debates, President Bush was represented by Marty Topol ’06, Nick Nardini ’05, Chris Kiley ’05, and Ryan Audley ’05. Senator Kerry

define who we are.

Brent Powell Chair, History Department

PAST FORUM TOPICS: September 11th Afghanistan Affirmative Action and the University of Michigan The Role of the United Nations in the War on Terror Democratic Primary Key Questions on Iraq Mock Presidential Debate

UPCOMING FORUM TOPIC: Social Security Reform

8

Students representing John Kerry confer while the moderators listen to a question.

was represented by Victoria Starr’05, Alan Raff ’05, Chris Pellegrini ’05, Isaac Wheeler ’06, Josh Enos ’05, and Nardini.

Emily Fritch ’05 and Wright Smith ’05 moderated the first debate, while History Chair, Brent Powell, facilitated the second. Faculty members were impressed with the level of knowledge of the student candidates and the ani‑ mated exchanges between students.

10,000 Days On the morning of Monday, November 15, 2004, while most people were still curled up in bed, math teacher Dennis Holland went for a run. The unusual thing about this run was that it was the 10,000th day in a row that he has gone on a run. What started as a daily ritual in 1977 has taken on a greater signifi‑ cance. Not only does he run every day, he runs early enough to be at School answering the phones by 6:30 a.m. Mr. Holland explains that the morning is the best time of day to get things done – if you wait until the afternoon to do work, there are always more excuses not to do it. His reliability has proved useful to the School. Randy Richardson depends on his judgment of the roads when calling snow days in the winter.

Mr. Holland is secretive about his route and schedule, and is dismissive of any admiration of his accomplish‑ ment. To him, it is just something that is part of his day. It began as a way to lose weight and stay in shape, and the plan has worked. He has not missed a day of work since he started his run‑ ning spree 27 years ago.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

AROUND CAMPUS

Countless visitors attended the special events of the weekend of October 1, 2004. Grandparents and alumni roamed the halls, and activities ranged from an art reception to a dunking booth.

auditorium for a special assembly. In addition to musical performances by several students, grandparents enjoyed hearing from Randy Richardson and from Fred Lyford, Grandparents’ Chair of the Annual Fund. Prizes were hand‑ ed out to those grandparents with the youngest and most grandchildren, and those who had traveled the farthest. In addition, Elaine and Nat Kruskol were presented with a Derryfield umbrella, having come from Navarre, FL, where they had lost their roof to Hurricane Ivan. We hope that even more grand‑ parents will make the trip next year.

Derryfield’s history. Alumni enjoyed reconnecting with classmates and for‑ mer teachers, and were brought to tears of laughter by Bruce Berk’s roast of Ellie. For more images from the evening, see page 22.

Grandparents’ Day

Reunion

Country Fair

Over 200 grandparents congregated in the gymnasium on Friday morning to enjoy a breakfast while awaiting the arrival of their grandchildren. Once they were picked up, grandparents enjoyed a variety of classroom activi‑ ties, from being interviewed about their own childhood to creating sculp‑ tures from clay. After a busy morning and a filling lunch, everyone headed to the

A large crowd of alumni, faculty, par‑ ents and friends of Derryfield gathered on Friday night for a reception to cele‑ brate reunion and to honor Ellie Goodwin Cochran ’69 for her years of service to the School. After enjoying tours of campus and a stroll through an art reception in the Lyceum Gallery, guests gathered in the McIninch Room, which had been decorated with photos and newspapers from the first 40 years of

The entire community gathered behind the school on a brisk Saturday morning to participate in the annual Country Fair. This year drew the largest alumni crowd in recent memory, with kids in tow. Each grade ran several booths, one of which had to be a free activity.

The most popular booth by far was the sophomores’ dunking booth, which took in over $300. Both students and faculty vied for opportunities to dunk Carson Smith and Randy Richardson, among others.

Other big moneymakers were the hot air balloon and park‑ ing spot raffles, the break‑a‑ plate, cotton candy, and tie‑dye booths, and the juniors’ carwash. After a morning full of festivi‑ ties, people gathered to cheer on the girls’ field hockey and soc‑ cer teams.

Molly Lyford ’06 surfs the internet with her grandfather, Fred Lyford.

A Busy Weekend

Seniors Leslie Stonebraker, Nick Nardini and Julie Grimm work the cotton candy machine during Country Fair.

www.derryfield.org

Members of the Parents’ Association work the grill during Country Fair.

9

Celebrating

40TH FORUM SERIES Democracy’s Cornerstone: The Relationship of Education and Government The relationship between government and

years A Matter of Dress: 1965-1970 ‘FACULTY VETOES NEW DRESS CODE’ (LAMPLIGHTER, JANUARY 1, 1969)

schools has been the source of lively

‘DRESS CODE CHANGES UNDER REVIEW’ (LAMPLIGHTER, DECEMBER 19, 1969)

debate throughout the American experi-

‘DRESS CODE RELAXED’ (LAMPLIGHTER, FEBRUARY 13, 1970)

ence. At no point has this relationship been more compelling than now as we enter the 21st century with its wideranging challenges to traditional ways of educating young people for civic engagement and responsibilities of citizenship.

Critical questions need citizen debate: What role does government play in education? What role should government play in education? What role does education play in making democracy work? Who should be determining the structure, the goals and the practices of schools – educators or government officials?

Join this important conversation at the second forum in Derryfield’s 40th Anniversary Forum Series on February 17, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Auditorium. Please visit www.derryfield.org for the future announcement of the keynote speaker and panelists.

10

Given today’s fashions, it is hard to believe that until 1970 a tie and a jacket or sweater and dresses or skirts of appropriate length were required student attire at Derryfield.

The January 1, 1969 Lamplighter reported that this was “a source of some consider‑ able displeasure to a majority of students and that student efforts to change the code were unsuccessful.” Continued student efforts to change the dress code illustrate a new Derryfield wrestling with the roles of students, faculty, trustees, and administra‑ tion in student life issues, and the students’ quest for a voice and identity.

Derryfield opened in 1965 with no strict dress code, but in 1967 “a faculty‑trustee committee outlined a dress code ... to be developed and enforced by the faculty.” In response to student efforts in 1967‑1968 to modify the dress code, the Student Council “was told that nothing could be done because the faculty‑trustee committee of 1967 gave complete power over the dress code to the faculty.” In the fall of 1968, Headmaster Hugny invited student sug‑ gestions for changes and authorized a stu‑ dent dress code poll. Optional ties and

jackets was the top choice of students, with the existing dress code their last choice.

Faculty response was reversed. Mr. Hugny then asked the Student‑Faculty Coordinating Committee to present a compromise proposal to the faculty. When it was sub‑ mitted, however, one faculty member said that it was out of order because under the faculty‑trustee decision of 1967 “review of the dress code must originate within the faculty.” A vote followed – the existing

Members of the 1970 Student Council dressed in the skirts and slacks that fit the dress code of that period.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

AROUND CAMPUS

Jeans and t-shirts are common attire of seniors who help College Counselor Bruce Berk make an announcement in assembly one morning in 2004.

dress code was supported twelve to nine.

In September, 1969, “students were presented with a more relaxed dress code than they had been subjected to [previously]” but soon felt that the “new dress code, though less restric‑ tive in some ways, was setting new restrictions in other ways.” For exam‑ ple, boys could not wear bell‑bottomed pants and this was “restrictive in terms of keeping up to date with the fashions of the times.” By mid‑fall “student unrest on the issue was so advanced that the Student‑Faculty Coordinating Committee submitted a petition to Headmaster Scozzafava ... which would make the code more applicable to the modern student.” Mr. Scozzafava solicited suggestions from the wider school community and the Lamplighter reported: “The consensus is that if the administration will agree to the new dress code, relationships between the students and the administration will be much less tense than before.”

www.derryfield.org

In late December, 1969, Mr. Scozza‑ fava presented a new dress code giving “students more leeway in terms of dressing with the fashion.” Highlights included: “Clothing in all cases should reflect reasonableness and good taste.

Attempts to gain attention or recogni‑ tion through any extremes in dress or hair styles should be discouraged.

Specifically exempted are dungarees, tee‑shirts, outside boots, sneakers and sandals. Girls, in addition, will not be allowed to wear slacks or shorts ... Hair should be neat, clean, and combed at all times. Bizarre, eccentric, or ostenta‑ tious hair styles which in the eyes of the administration are not appropriate in a school atmosphere will not be

acceptable. Students must recognize that there must be compatibility between individual taste and reason‑ able decorum, in order that their school operates effectively.” With the new dress code in place, “The students are much happier and feel that they are being treated as responsible mem‑ bers of the school. As one student said, ‘It (the code) shows a compatibility and understanding between the students, the faculty and the adminis‑ tration.’”

(Note: all quotations are from the Lamplighter, V. 1 #1, #5; V. 2 #4, #5)

40TH ANNIVERSARY FORUM SERIES

schools in service to the

community

On the evening of October 14, 2004, members of the Derryfield and larger Manchester communities gathered in the Performing Arts Auditorium to hear the opinions of several community leaders on the importance of social capital and service in education as part of the 40th Anniversary Forum Series.

Leading the panel was Lewis Feldstein, President of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, who began the program by talking about the positive impact that creating ties within a community can have on the standard of liv‑ ing. He spoke of the feeling of trust that people must have in their neighbors in order to succeed in their community. Mr. Feldstein then opened the discus‑ sion up to the panelists, who represented New Horizons Soup Kitchen, City Year, Summerbridge, and Families in Transition. These leaders spoke of their own experiences working within different communities and answered a range of questions from the audience. The panelists spoke about why they chose their career paths, and the difficulties that they face in working for the com‑ munity. For more information on upcoming forums, visit www.derryfield.org or see the sidebar on page 10.

11

athletics

Cougar

AHILARY BUSY SEMESTER...

HAMER Hilaryipsum Hamerdolor ’07,sit a member of the lorem amet, consectetuer

Fall wrap-up

Amoskeagelit, Fencing Center of Nashua, adipiscing sed diam nonummy nibh recentlytincidunt qualifiedutforlaoreet and competed in euismod dolore magna

Boys’ Varsity Soccer

Boys’ Varsity Cross Country

the Summer National Ut Fencing aliquam erat volutpat. wisi enim ad

Season Record: 12-6 NH Championship Quarter-Finalists (Class M/S) Christian LaCroix ’07, All-State (honorable mention) Trevor Mathes ’05, Co-Captain, Class of 1970 Award Mark Sanford ’06, All-State (honorable mention) Evan Urtz ’06, All-State (1st team), All-Conference

Granite State Conference Champions (Class S) 7th at NH Championships (Class M/S) Team Invitation to Meet of Champions Doug MacKenzie ’05, Captain, All-Star, AllConference, 4th at NH Championships, Class of 1970 Award Glen Frieden ’06, All-Star, All-Conference, 3rd at NH Championships, Class of 1970 Award

Championships at Charlotte, NC. Almost minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation 3,000 fencers from lobortis all over the ullamcorper suscipit nislcountry ut competed in foil, andvelsaber.

Hamer aliConsequat.

Duisepee autem eum iriure captured her second straightvelit national dolor in hendrerit in vulputate essetile in the epee competition (Division molestie consequat, vel illum doloreII).eu

Girls’ Varsity Soccer

Hamernulla was the Division III national feugiat facilisis at vero eros et win-

Season Record: 11-5-1 NH Championship Quarter-Finalists (Class M/S) Alex Moser ’05, All-Star, All-State (1st team), AllConference Kayla Delahanty ’07, All-State (honorable mention) Kate Dewey ’05, All-Star, All-State (1st team), AllConference Emily Fritch ’05, All-Star, All-State (honorable mention), All-Scholastic, Class of 1970 Award Melissa Law ’05, All-Star, All-State (2nd team), AllConference

ner in 2003. accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue LAUREN PYES duis dolore te feugait nulla Lauren Pyes ’08 had a very successful year showing her new 5-Gaited American A BUSY SEMESTER...

Saddlebred, named 42nd Street Gal. She lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer won blue ribbons this year at Raleigh, adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh Roanoke, Eastern States, and Louisville. euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna Her win at Louisville was at the Kentucky aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad State Fair, which is also the World’s minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation Championship Horse Show for American ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut Saddlebreds. She won the Junior aliConsequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure Exhibitor 5-Gaited 13 and Under World’s dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse Champion and World’s Champion of molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu Champions. Lauren rides at Crickett Hill feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et Farm in Bedford, which is run by Lisa accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blanJensen-Richardson ’80. dit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla

A BUSY SEMESTER... lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna

12

Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Season Record: 14-2 NH Championship Quarter-Finalists (Class M/S) Laura Gelinas ’06, All-State (2nd team) Molly Lyford ’06, All-State (1st team) Heather Schofield ’05, Tri-Captain, All-Conference Alexa Warburton ’05, Tri-Captain, Senior Twin State Team, All-State (1st team), Class S Player of the Year, All-Conference, Class of 1970 Award

Boys’ Varsity Crew Boys’ Varsity Golf Season Record: 20-1 NH Champions (Class M/S) Glen Laaspere ’06, All-Conference, 2nd at NH Championships Mark McCormick ’05, 6th at NH Championships, Class of 1970 Award Kurt Schuler ’06, 5th at NH Championships Taylor Scott ’06, All-Conference, 7th at NH Championships

NH Championships: 1st boat - 1st; 2nd boat - 7th Head of the Charles: 1st boat - 8th Head of the Fish: 1st boat - 1st, 2nd boat - 20th Tim Jundanian ’06, Co-Captain, Class of 1970 Award

Girls’ Varsity Crew NH Championships: 1st boat - 4th; 2nd boat - 16th Head of the Fish: 1st boat - 8th, 2nd boat - 37th Emily Monty ’06, Class of 1970 Award

Girls’ Varsity Cross Country Granite State Conference Champions (Class S) 4th at NH Championships (Class M/S) Carolyn Goodwin ’05, Captain, All-Star, AllConference, 5th at NH Championships, Class of 1970 Award Leigh Cameron ’05, All-Conference, 14th at NH Championships

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

C O U G A R AT H L E T I C S

Clockwise from top left: Varsity soccer player, Noah Benton ’05 leaps for the ball. n Girls’ first boat does a power 20 during practice. n Rachel Romanowsky ’06 charges up a hill during a cross-country meet. n Melissa Law ’05 moves past a defender in a varsity soccer game. n Corey Davison ’05 in the stroke seat of the boys’ first boat in a practice this fall. n Diana Maldonado ’06 goes after an opponent in a varsity field hockey game. n Doug MacKenzie ’05 coming into the home stretch of a cross-country race. n Dan LaGuerre ’05 drives the ball long in a swing off the tee.

www.derryfield.org

13

spotlight Summerbridge

A BREAKTHROUGH

Here are some of the ways that you can support the program.

FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS n Provide a homestay during the summer

session for an out-of-town-teacher, ensuring that they will have a positive and safe experience away from home. n Volunteer for special events such as

Olympics, Workathon or Celebration n Host a faculty retreat or recognition

event at your home CORPORATIONS n Provide in-kind services or supplies n Endow student participation in the

program n Offer job shadowing or invite the pro-

gram in for an educational workshop FOUNDATIONS n Sponsor student and teacher involvement n Invest in the future of the program by

endowing key elements of our students teaching students model: after-school programming, alumni services, student sponsorship or teacher stipends SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS n Partner with the program in community

service events n Sponsor a local student’s or teacher’s

participation

Summer 2005 teacher applications are due February 21, 2005! Apply online at www.breakthroughcollaborative.org

14

The following is an excerpt of the keynote address that Benjamin Russell ’94 delivered at Summerbridge Manchester’s Visitors’ Day 2004. Ben was involved with Summerbridge for over eleven years as a teacher and member of the professional staff. here are more difficult programs and harder times than the Summerbridge Manchester experience. I have spo‑ ken with past teachers who have gone through Basic Training, Outward Bound, and Teach For America’s grueling training.

Summerbridge Manchester doesn’t really compare to a three day solo on a small island off the Atlantic coast with only a tarp for shelter. Teach For America tradi‑ tionally has its young teachers escaping in the dead of night, leaving only empty dorm rooms and the echoes of the fear of disappointment. We don’t aspire to such depths of suffering; there are no flagellants amongst our faculty or student body.

Still, that doesn’t stop each of the stu‑ dents and teachers in this room from falling under the skeptical eyes of their peers. For the students, Summerbridge car‑ ries a bizarre series of stigmas. You stu‑ dents may have been questioned by your classmates about what you’d done wrong in order to have to go for that program for stupid kids. For those students who knew that Summerbridge was for motivated stu‑ dents and who wanted to participate, who self‑selected to try their respective hands at

T

PROGRAM

the admission process, you may still have been sneered at by your fellows who sat through the same classroom presentations and yet didn’t see the appeal in two hours of homework each night for six weeks out of the summer. Teachers may have faced a more direct trifecta of interrogation: they may have been asked by incredulous friends what would be so wrong with them that they would a) spend a summer doing community service, b) work so much for so little pay, and c) spend their school holi‑ days in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Putting aside the answer to all of these impertinent queries for a moment, allow me to speculate about why Summerbridge Manchester inspires so much misconcep‑ tion. We don’t package well. We are a non‑ profit organization with a mission and a mission statement, and should therefore have a succinct and pithy way to describe our hopes, goals, and direction to the uninitiated. However, such simplicity seems beyond our scope, or perhaps beneath it. We have ‘summer’ in our name, but we support our students year‑round, for seven years of middle and high school.

We take our students from the complete spectrum of Manchester public schools, and similarly accept a broad palette of kids from the ethnic, skill, proficiency, and eco‑ nomic continua. There is no typical Summerbridge student, as we are a school,

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

SUMMERBRIDGE

and like a school, we teach to all. Add in the complication that our dual mis‑ sion seeks to support high school and college students in their professional ventures as well, nudging them towards the trade of Education, but supporting them with growth in responsibility, expression, experience, and a valuable toolbox of skills appli‑ cable in virtually any future job. But hopefully education.

Summerbridge is about the recogni‑ tion and fostering of potential. We ask fifth graders to make a commitment to their futures, futures they can barely picture or formulate at such a young age. We have them write essays and come in for interviews and we take students based on what they might be able to become, given the support and encouragement of family and educa‑ tional communities, and based on the power of their own will. We encourage them to move in a direction that they

Manny Adeeko creates a concept map for a Junior Great Books story at School After School.

summerbridge.derryfield.org

can’t even see through the haze of time. We take older students and we give them responsibility and authority and we train them briefly and we leave them to fulfill their potential as educa‑ tors, as advocates of the life of the mind and of the thrill of intellectual achievement. Our teachers are students who have lived and thrived in the Educational System, and we trust that they will teach the skills of how to suc‑ ceed, that they will pass on the secrets and the shortcuts and the acceptance that sometimes there are no secrets and no shortcuts, but there is just hard work.

“Summerbridge is about the recognition and fostering of potential.”

And then we continue to support and believe, but we can’t necessarily see the results. Our teachers will stay up nights, trying to craft the most ele‑ gant, rococo lesson plans that will speak to each student individually, that will meet the needs of each eager mind in their small classes. They will pour sweat and stress and fever dreams into this summer, and they may never see if the students take the skills that they have received and apply them. It is a short summer, and some of our teach‑ ers may go back to California or Montana or Arizona and never see their students have the clean, crys‑ talline moment of realization that justi‑ fies earlier effort. But of course, our teachers are building upon the thin

Molly Platt '06 assists students Marcel Robinson '09, Alysha Phaneuf '09 and Faith Cutting with an osmosis lab at Summerbridge Saturday.

calcium layers that our students’ previ‑ ous teachers had constructed.

Education is about belief in potential, even if we are never around to see that potential realized.

And that is perhaps the hardest work of all. Harder than being screamed at by drill sergeants, harder than the current mountainous leg of the Tour de France, harder than dia‑ mond. We ask our faculty to create an ideal school, and then to stand back with the possibility that they might never see these ideals come to fruition.

There is no immediate reward. And we ask our students to work towards a goal that they can’t really see, that will only become clearer with time. And that directionless staggering can be as frustrating as any struggle known to mankind. Sure, basic training might be tough, but the work here is harder because the risk is greater. The risk of hope.

15

doing

Learning by

A BUSY SEMESTER... lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliConsequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla

A BUSY SEMESTER... lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliConsequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla

Challenging teachers and students with hands-on learning.

A BUSY SEMESTER...

lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh

euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna

C AT E G O R Y

eachers at Derryfield always strive to create a more dynamic learning environment for their students in order to effectively commu‑ nicate new ideas to students with vastly different learning styles. Profes‑ sional development opportunities at Derryfield play a critical role in allow‑ ing faculty members to expand their own knowledge, and as a result create innovative ways to convey that knowl‑ edge to their students.

Last summer, biology teacher Jack Sanford set up a laboratory in his class‑ room and set about creating a series of experiments that would enable his stu‑ dents to experience first‑hand the scientific theories they hear about every day in his class and on the news. Labs have always been a part of science classes at Derryfield, but the experi‑ ments created by Dr. Sanford are more advanced, and do not always have a predetermined outcome. He wanted to add another level of sophistication to these experiments, while being restrict‑ ed to a 40‑minute period. The seniors in his advanced biology class are now learning first‑hand about new tech‑ niques for studying nucleotides in DNA, and his freshmen are studying the differences between sickle cell and normal hemoglobin. The time he spent

T

www.derryfield.org

developing these projects has enriched his students’ understanding of biology.

Derryfield has several endowed funds, including the Nancy Kamborian and Nancy S. Boettiger Funds, that exist to support the faculty’s pursuit of professional enrichment. This money allows teachers like Dr. Sanford to develop curricula that enrich their stu‑ dents’ education. In turn, these positive learning experiences often inspire teachers to more actively involve their students in the learning process.

The English and Visual and Perform‑ ing Arts departments have repeatedly collaborated on courses including ‘Shakespeare for Performance’ and ‘Modern Theatre’ that explore both the literary and performance aspects of various works. This fall, the English department took a professional devel‑ opment day to participate in a Shakespeare workshop, learning how to activate different learning styles through the interactive study of plays.

Head of Upper School Jennifer Melkon‑ ian notes that, “we provide students with a variety of teaching styles and writing expectations, balancing this with the language and literature.”

One of the most exciting develop‑ ments has been a move towards service learning. Middle School history

teacher Rick Zeller used faculty enrich‑ ment funds to plan the inclusion of a service project with Cultural Café into his geography class. The seventh grade civics classes wove volunteerism into their class work, and discovered the needs of senior citizens in their com‑ munity through a project with RSVP (see story on page 7). Upper school teachers are investigating ways to incorporate service learning into their classrooms, as well.

Learning by doing is an extremely effective way to understand new mate‑ rial, and Derryfield is proud to provide its faculty with the freedom and resources to develop curriculum that allows students to get the most from their education.

OPPOSITE: Dr. Sanford displays a technique to Advanced Biology student Emily Fritch ’05.

TOP: Students perform a scene in Modern Theatre.

ABOVE: English teachers in the Shakespeare workshop.

17

alumni

Update on

Class Correspondents Are you curious what your classmates have been up to since you last saw them? Are you the one people go to for all the latest

The news contained in this section covers the period of June 16, 2004 – November 29, 2004. For more recent news, or to post a note, please visit the Alumni Community at www.derryfield.org.

news? Do you want to stay connected with your classmates without having to ask for money? The alumni relations office is looking for volunteers to collect class news.

Class correspondents will be responsible for gathering and writing news about their class for the Class Notes section of

Derryfield Today published three times each year. For more details, please contact Tracey Perkins at tperkins@derryfield.org or 603.669.4524, ext. 136.

Career Advisory Network The Derryfield School Alumni Association is sponsoring a career mentor section in the Parent and Alumni Communities of

1968 Mary Jane Peabody writes, “I arrived in England in early September and we have been looking for a house to live in. I can now drive to the left, which makes everything easier. We are in the Lancaster, Lancashire area, up north of Manchester (UK that is) and not far from the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes District. I am only about 45 min‑ utes from where Rebecca Millimet is liv‑ ing – we met for lunch when I was here for a first visit in March, and she looked well, and happy too. Love to you all.”

1969 REUNION RECAP Ellie Cochran reports, “The 35th reunion kicked off at the all‑reunion party on Friday night at Derryfield. It was great to see many of the Founders, alums, and fac‑ ulty, and Barbara Novak Platt was floored when Mr. Holland remembered her. We were able to catch up wirh some of our classmates through their parents who attended the gathering. I am still trying to get over my “roasting” by College Planning Director, Bruce Berk, who dressed in drag as me! He obviously had inside information from my family, as some of my high school secrets were revealed. (Great pictures on www.derry‑ field.org.) Saturday was a full day with the

www.derryfield.org that will launch on January 1, 2005. All alumni and parents with available career information will automatically be included in this database.

Career and education information, as well as email and business address will be posted to the site. If you do NOT want to be included in this listing, please contact Tracey Perkins at 603.669.4524, ext. 136, or tperkins@derryfield.org by December 30, 2004. We hope that the Career Advisory Network will be a valuable resource for all members of the Derryfield community.

18

1969 (L to R): Barbara Novak Platt, Nancy Ford Huckins, Pam Pappas Goode, Ellie Goodwin Cochran, and Joni Taube.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

Country Fair and our reunion party at Pam Pappas Goodes’. Although we had only a small turnout, it was a won‑ derful evening of reminiscing and get‑ ting reacquainted, and did we laugh!

Barbara, Nancy Ford Huckins, Joni Taube, Pam, and our spouses enjoyed a fabulous dinner. By the end of the evening Barbara was so enthusiastic about our trip down memory lane that she agreed to chair our 40th!” n In other news, Ronda Silberberg Canter writes, “By way of a personal update, our daughter Alexis is living in New York, working in a contemporary art gallery in Chelsea and designing jewelry (she has a web site: www.alex‑ iscanter.com); our son Zachary is a sophomore at Wesleyan University and is their starting quarterback and loving every minute of it. Jon’s new novel just came out, Lucky Leonardo (Source Books) and is available everywhere. He is so excited. And as for me, I have left my law firm (Goulston & Storrs) and have joined Jon’s law practice. We are thoroughly enjoying working together – who would have thought! n Scott Green has also recently had a book published. Pulp is a collection of sci‑ ence fiction poetry.

1974 REUNION RECAP On Saturday November 27, 2004, Hilary Chaplain, Jeff Weston, Cindy Sadler, Fred Hoadley, Josh Shane, and Bill McKellar gathered at Cotton

www.derryfield.org

1974 (L to R): Jeff Weston, Cindy Sadler, Hilary Chaplain, Fred Hoadley, Josh Shane, and Bill McKellar.

restaurant in Manchester, NH, to cele‑ brate the 30 years since they graduated from Derryfield. Hilary reported, “It was great to see everyone – and those that did not make it, sorry you were too far away!”

1983 David Tyrie was recently promoted at Putnam Investments to a job in which he will be overseeing three depart‑ ments. David and his wife, Sally, have recently welcomed a fourth child to their family – a baby girl named Reese!

1984 REUNION RECAP Steff Solms McCusker reports, “Greetings! It was great to see so many of you back here in October. For those of you who weren’t able to make it, here’s just a quick recap of our ‘Club 12 12 12’ Reunion. Friday night started out with a quick tour of campus and a

cocktail party with faculty and other reunion classes. Following this gather‑ ing, we all met up at ‘Club 12 12 12’ (well… sort of) in a private function room at the Radisson. Thanks to Dave and Kelly for organizing this. There were about 25 of us, and a handful of (courageous) spouses and partners.

With Matt’s mixed music in the back‑ ground, we ate, drank, and talked for several hours. Even Patrick Rutty made an appearance of sorts – thanks to Dave for bringing the life‑size photo!

(Patrick was in the process of moving back to the States from Saudi Arabia.)

The dancing kicked in at some point, thanks to folks like Tricia, Martha, and Mary who ‘still got it.’

I confess to having gone home before the after‑party began. The danc‑ ing continued at a local bar called The Brimmer. A handful of us managed to get our kids out the door in the morn‑ ing to attend Country Fair (I highly recommend this as a ‘must do’ for your family next year or in years to come!

Who wouldn’t want to throw a wet sponge at Mr. Berk?), and then thirteen of us – families in tow – showed up on

19

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

Saturday evening at Martha’s parents’ house in Amherst for a cookout. Dave flipped the burgers, Matt played his mix of music, and a much more sub‑ dued group of us talked and hung out and watched all the kids roll around in the grass, jump rope, and play soccer.

Rick Wirth gets the ‘farthest traveled’ award (Florida!), and his wife, Carol, and my husband, Dave, have both decided they’d like to be honorary members of our class. Thanks to every‑ one who came. See you all at the 25th, if not before!

1986 Heather Koerber Nunes writes, “We’re still bopping about Boston’s Metro West – teaching, sewing, doing triathlons, and raising chickens, chil‑ dren, and a garden full of weeds. We get to see Karen Callahan and her beautiful daughters Abella and Makeba each summer as they escape the heat of Las Vegas to the charm of New England. They are amazing!”

1987 Class Correspondent: Kathleen Rutty-Fey krutty@derryfield.org

Robert Kuftinec and Daneil Copertino Kuftinec welcomed the birth of their son, Hunter Zlatko, in early October 2004.

1988 Samantha Foster Villegas is still living in Fairfax, VA. She and her husband, Roger, had a son, Max, on December 6, 2003. n Juliana Graf Lear, her hus‑ band, Brett, and son, Jack (3), are thrilled to announce the newest addi‑ tion to their family: Matthew Driggs was born in July 2004.

1989 REUNION RECAP Cynthia Richmond Umscheid reports, “We started the night at Unwine’d, a wine bar in Manchester, and had a

1984 (L to R): Kim Kamborian, Allison Reilly, Karen Loughlin, Dave Larrivee, Martha Starke, Kevin Johnston, Mary Downes, Sheryl Jewell Atkinson, Matt Purington, Tricia Neville-Carey, Rick Wirth, Ayn Whytemare, and Steff Solms McCusker.

20

solid turnout of 21! Jim Markham won the award for traveling the farthest (from Philadelphia). It was great to catch up and to meet people’s signifi‑ cant others and find out what everyone had been up to for the past five years.

We were having too much fun to leave each other when we were asked to leave our private room at 8:00 p.m., so we were all delighted – and felt like we were back at Derryfield – when Jim announced his parents were away for the weekend so we could all head over there for pizza and beer! We spent the rest of the night reminiscing about the old days – really good times!” n In other news, Janice Mosher Danis writes, “I haven’t moved far from my childhood home in Bedford. I currently reside in Goffstown with my amazing husband, James. I work as a Recruiter for Fleet Bank/Bank of America. We have one child, a chocolate lab, Bailey, who seems to run this household! We are looking forward to starting a fami‑ ly in the near future. (yes, me as a mom... can you imagine?) I am hoping to visit with alumni at the 15th reunion in October. (Wow, that makes us sound old.) My brother, Bill ’96, is doing well, living in Washington, DC, and enjoy‑ ing city life. I doubt that he will move back to New Hampshire, as he finds the city to offer a bit more entertain‑ ment and excitement (you think?).

Drop me a line and let me know how you are! n Heather Wilding‑White Wilding wrote, “My husband, daugh‑ ter, and I welcomed Cameron into our lives when he was born on July 11, 2004. The two of them are looking for‑

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

CONGRATULATIONS

alumni

parents To Robert Kuftinec ’87 and Daneil Copertino Kuftinec ’87 a son, Hunter Zlatko, in October 2004.

To Juliana Graf Lear ’88, and her husband, Brett, a son, Matthew Driggs in July 2004.

To Samantha Foster Villegas ’88 and her husband, Roger, a son, Max, on December 6, 2003.

To Heather Wilding-White Wilding ’89, and her husband, Keith, a son, Cameron, on July 11, 2004.

To Ray Campanile ’92 and his wife, Camille, a daughter, Francesca, on August 28, 2004.

To Matthew Hurlbut ’92 and his wife, Anne, a son, William

1989

Dawson, on June 1, 2004.

To Heather Newton Kyemba ’92 and her husband, Henry, a

Front row (L-R): Erin Perry Bourgeois and Jon Bourgeois, Alex Sturke, Kimberly Frederick. Back row (L-R): Neil Cremin, Jim Markham, Cynthia Richmond Umscheid, Brenda Silva Gonzalez, Janice Mosher Danis, Eric Noyes, Leigh Lambard Gillespie, and Garrett Gillespie.

daughter, Sophia Nakiyuka, on July 28, 2004.

To Faculty Member Kristen Reimold and her husband, Raymond, a son, James O’Brien on July 15, 2004.

ward to their new house, which we are building in Bedford. We returned to New Hampshire last year, after many years away, to enjoy the more rural life.”

1990 Stephanie Goss reports, “On June 7, 2003, I married Jonathan Brooks. I have two great stepdaughters, McKenzie (8) and Morgan (6). We are currently liv‑ ing on Forest Lake in Cumberland, ME. We just bought a second home on Forest Lake. (If you know anyone who wants to rent a waterfront house for a week this summer, let me know!) We spend lots of time waterskiing, knee‑ boarding, and swimming. In the win‑ ter, we all love to skate. After college and two moves to Colorado and back, I went to graduate school and got my Master’s of Education in counseling and am working as a high school guid‑

www.derryfield.org

ance counselor. I love it!” n Maura Duval Griffin writes, “Hi there! I’m now living in Los Angeles with my husband. We recently bought a house, and it hasn’t fully bankrupted us (yet).

No kids yet, either. I am still working in the music industry at an indie label called Nettwerk. Hope you’re all doing well. If anyone is wondering what hap‑ pened to Eric True, he now lives in Lyon, France, with his wife and two gorgeous daughters.”

CELEBRATING

alumni

weddings Stephanie Goss ’90 to Jonathan Brooks on June 7, 2003.

Amily Dunlap ’93 to Tyler Moore on June 19, 2004, in Biddeford Pool, ME. Ryan Tuttle ’93 to Leslie Helmstaedter on October 30, 2004, in Princeton, NJ. Michael Wall ’94 to Autumn Johnston on August 7, 2004.

1991 His family is happy to announce that James Galluzzo was selected for pro‑ motion to Major in the United States Army, effective next spring. n Cathryn Vaughn writes, “I just moved back to New Hampshire after graduating from law school. I have started work as an attorney in Manchester at the McLane

Sarah Reynells ’97 and Adam Brown ’97 on October 16, 2004, in New Boston, NH. Katherine Lombardi ’98 to Matthew Josef on August 8, 2004, in Meredith, NH. Faculty member Annie Briggs to Richard Branch on May 22, 2004, in Norwich, VT. Faculty member Jeff Hastings to Wendy Pichette on July 31, 2004, in Meredith, NH. Faculty member Joss Stubblefield to Brenda Evans on August 8, 2004, in Whitefield, NH.

21

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

Reunion Weekend Derryfield alumni, parents, and faculty gathered on the evening of October 1st to celebrate Reunion Weekend and to honor Ellie Cochran ’69 for her years of service to the School. Guests were treated to an array of old photographs, newspapers, and yearbooks, in addition to an entertaining spoof of Ellie by College Counselor Bruce Berk. For more images from the evening, visit the ‘What’s Happening’ section of www.derryfield.org. For recounts of individual class gatherings, see the alumni updates.

law firm.” n Tyler Emley reports, “I am currently in my fourth year of training in urological surgery at the Indiana University medical center in Indianapolis. Stacey, my wife of eight years, and I reside in Indianapolis with our two dogs, Romeo and Hamlet. On those rare occasions that residency pro‑ vides a break, we enjoy traveling to our family’s cabin in South Fork, CO.”

1992

Clockwise from top right: Jason Rheaume ’92 and Chris Coulter ’92 look over an old copy of the

Lamplighter. n Perennial volunteers Brad Benson ’78, Maria Holland Law ’75, and Bennett Freeman ’70. n Ellie Cochran ’69 and Bruce Berk dressed as Ellie. n Founder Jean Nelson signs Ellie’s scrapbook n

Becky Grosso ’79 displays her old Derryfield uniform.

22

Matthew Hurlbut is teaching humani‑ ties at the New Bedford Global Learning Charter School. He and his wife, Anne, live on campus at Tabor Academy, where Anne teaches English.

They had their first son, William Dawson, on June 1, 2004. n Heather Newton Kyemba writes, “My hus‑ band, Henry, and I are now proud (albeit tired) parents. Our daughter, Sophia Nakiyuka Kyemba, was born on July 28, 2004. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces. After a six‑week maternity leave, I return to work tomorrow. I’ve really enjoyed my time at home, getting to know the newest member of our family. We send our greetings and best wishes for the new school year.” n Ray Campanile reports, “I am living in Waitsfield, VT, with my wife, Camille, and our beauti‑ ful baby girl, Francesca. Our daughter was born on August 28, 2004, and already owns several soccer balls and has been to 18 soccer games at 10 weeks old! I’m playing a ton of soccer and have started a soccer club,

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

Mandible, for both youth players and amateur men. Camille, Francesca, and I are looking forward to a winter full of skiing and soccer.”

1993 Amily Dunlap writes, “Tyler Moore and I were married on June 19, 2004, in Biddeford Pool, ME. My sisters, Sabrina ’00 and Rebecca, were my co‑ maids of honor. Ashley Stearns Burr ’94 and Avery Holland ’94 were both bridesmaids, and my brother, Nathaniel Dunlap ’94, was a grooms‑ man. We spent our honeymoon in Virgin Gorda and are currently living in the South End of Boston in our new condo. I work for Harvard University’s Alumni Affairs and Development office as an event planner. n Ryan Tuttle reports, “I am getting married on October 30th, and Brant Hughes, Mike Spector, Jim Rich and my sister, Lisa ’95, are all in the wedding. We are getting married in the Princeton University Chapel. n Stacy Denham writes, “Things are going well on my end. I’m living outside Baltimore and going to nursing school at the University of Maryland. I hope every‑ one from our class is doing well – keep in touch.” n Katherine Hurlbut Chappell reports, “My son, Brady, will be 18 months old this week – how time flies! My husband and I are still teach‑ ing at Roxbury Latin and we are finish‑ ing up our Master’s Degree at Dartmouth, with hopes to finally grad‑ uate this June. I hope everyone is

www.derryfield.org

Several Derryfield alumni took part in the wedding of Ryan Tuttle ’93 to Leslie Helmstaedter, including Mike Spector (far right), Jimmy Rich (2nd from right), Brant Hughes (4th from right), and Lisa Tuttle ’95 (2nd from left).

doing well!” n Mike Spector writes, “All is well in Atlanta. I have been with Smith Barney since 1999, and my wife, Rachel, works for The Kellen Company, a trade association manage‑ ment company. No kids yet, just a yellow Lab! I’m looking forward to Tuttle’s wedding this month. Hope everyone is well.” n David Botsford writes, “Hey everyone, I’m working on the second year of my PhD in sport/clinical psychology and living in Tempe, AZ, with my dog, Tucker. I’m still working on growing up – no girl‑ friend, but I bought a motorcycle last spring. I hope everyone has a great holiday. Cheers.”

1994 Class Correspondent: Ashley Stearns Burr ashleyburr1@hotmail.com

REUNION RECAP Thank you to those who came to reunion weekend and others who wrote with their news. Avery Holland is living in Boston and working at Bernstein Investment Research and management. She enjoyed catching up with many alumni during our ten year reunion. After their August 7, 2004 wedding, Mike Wall and his wife Autumn have finally settled down in the Chicago suburb Oak Park. Mike is a senior software developer for Riverside Publishing, an educational testing company. Dina Solomon continued on page 28...

23

LIFE AFTER DERRYFIELD

Founding NEMO

by Cam Brensinger ’94

Cam heading out from base camp on Denali with 125 lbs of gear.

Cam Brensinger graduated from Derryfield in 1994. He went on to study physics, studio art and writing at Middlebury College. Cam developed a passion for outdoor adventure in col‑ lege. After graduation, he took a year off, which included co‑leading a trip on Denali and traveling to India with his friend and Derryfield classmate, Sanjay Madan.

Cam had a lot of ideas about how to improve outdoor equipment, and teamed with Sanjay to write a prelimi‑ nary business plan for their own gear company. Cam attended the Rhode

24

Island School of Design to study prod‑ uct design. In the summers he interned at Black Diamond Equipment, and later with a team at MIT funded by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts to design spacesuits for human explo‑ ration of Mars. Cam graduated from RISD with distinction.

For his thesis project, Cam part‑ nered with Sanjay to found NEMO Equipment, Inc. NEMO’s mission was to create the most innovative and high‑ est quality gear for outdoor adventure.

One week after Cam’s graduation, Sanjay quit his job and they opened an

office space in Nashua, NH. Most of the first year was spent developing inflatable tents, the company’s first product line. After an exhausting sum‑ mer of securing investments, Sanjay decided to leave NEMO and study law in the fall of 2003. Cam resolved to stick it out and finish the product development and raise funding.

As 2004 draws to a close, NEMO has blossomed. The staff has grown and the company is due to begin sales of its revolutionary line of backpacking and mountaineering tents in May 2005.

Some of the tents use low pressure AirSupported technology instead of poles. The company has nearly 20 patent pending technologies and has won several major international design competitions, including the overall 2005 ISPO BrandNew Award which recognizes the most innovative compa‑ nies in the outdoor industry through‑ out the world. NEMO is on a roll due greatly to Cam’s focus and commit‑ ment. He is resolved to make of his life what he will, a lesson that began with the story that follows. here was already a lot on my mind before I watched my plane fold in half and the pilot and two passengers squeeze out through a crumpled window and sprint back up the Kahiltna glacier. A new vision for my life had already been taking shape over the last 15 days, and this narrow escape was the last bit of affirmation I needed. I had always worked hard and done well, but I went through four years of Middlebury with no real sense

T

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

LIFE AFTER DERRYFIELD

of what would happen after I graduat‑ ed. My only plan after college was to climb Denali with three of my good friends, and if I thought that would be a good time to think about what to do next, I had no idea what the gravity of that experience would actually be.

Everything started out perfectly. We left within days of graduation, flew to Anchorage and took a shuttle to Talkeetna, the last town before the end‑ less wilderness around Denali National Park. We chartered two small prop planes to take us the 35 minutes or so to Kahiltna base camp. By the clear

“Even though we shared food and tents and were never more than a rope's length apart, I have never felt more alone in my life.” skies and beautiful views, you would have had no idea that it was the sum‑ mer of El Niño. I remember looking out the window over what seemed the emptiest landscape I had ever seen.

The first couple days slogging up the West Buttress were fun and easy.

The sun was out, the views were beau‑ tiful, and mozzarella cheese never tast‑ ed better. Even though I was combina‑ tion carrying and pulling by sled over 100 lbs of gear, my body felt strong. It was my first big mountain, but I had a lot of experience nonetheless. My senior year at Derryfield, I spent 23 days in March and April, in three long trips, tackling the toughest sections of the Appalachian Trail in New

www.derryfield.org

Hampshire with my classmate, Chris Swift. All through college I was a Middlebury Mountain Club guide, rock climbing instructor and even taught a course on winter survival. My friends considered me a leader and unstoppable.

The trip turned for the worse a few days into it, when the El Niño weather arrived with us at the 10,000’ camp. We were trapped in our tents for four days. It snowed so much that every four hours, one of us would have to get all our gear on and shovel out both the tents lest we be buried. I vividly remember waking up at 2:30 a.m., 30 minutes after my tent‑mate Justin was supposed to shovel us out and imme‑ diately panicking and wondering, “why the hell is it dark in here?” When I asked Justin what was going on, he was slow to respond. By the time he dug us out, the snow on top of the tent was 8.5’ deep. The tent had nearly col‑ lapsed and we were asphyxiating.

Things never really got better for me after that. At the 14,300’ camp, I started getting headaches. We left the well‑ worn path of the Buttress and started breaking trail on the West Rib. Still, I was supposed to be the tough guy, so I did a lot of the trail breaking. We spent a night at 16,800’ and said that if we awoke to clear skies the summit would be ours. We would make one big push over the top at 20,300’ and back down to the safety of the 14,300’ camp. I was still exhausted and not feeling well, and I laid awake all night trying to decide whether I wished for clear skies or not.

The psychology at play on that mountain is a hard thing to appreciate now. We had high expectations of each other and ourselves. We were still young and had a lot of lessons to learn.

I am the kind of person that talks through tough times, and my tent‑ mate was the kind who puts on his walkman and sorts out his problems in his own head. Even though we shared food and tents and were never more than a rope’s length apart, I have never felt more alone in my life. I could feel an end coming and I didn’t know The skies briefly clear during the push up the West Rib. Cam is out in front placing wands.

25

LIFE AFTER DERRYFIELD

Justin and Cam (right) play chess to pass the time while waiting out a four-day storm at 10,000’.

whether it was my own demise or just 21 years of being young and without real responsibility.

The skies the next morning were clear. Somewhere between high camp and the summit, I collapsed and nearly went unconscious. We had been break‑ ing trail slowly up the rib in rope teams, not sure that we were in the right spot, in dubious avalanche condi‑ tions. Justin was in the lead, literally dragging us behind him. I don’t know how it happened, but my body just gave out. I was humiliated and relieved at the same time. As they short‑roped me down the rib back to the 14,300’ camp, I felt profoundly and irreversibly humbled. Then I fell into a crevasse.

My pack wedged in the narrow hole and saved me from going further than my waist. But after pulling myself out, I looked down into the hole and it was dark and bottomless. When we got

26

back to the 14,300’ camp, I had already resolved to leave by myself the follow‑ ing morning. My friends understood and they ended up staying for several more days, two of them summiting by way of the Buttress.

“I told myself that with one shot at life, I had better not die doing something I didn't really believe in to begin with.”

When I left camp the next morning, I had a single‑minded purpose of get‑ ting off that mountain as fast as possi‑ ble. But, traveling alone on a glaciated mountain in zero visibility is danger‑ ous. Near the 10,000’ camp, a voice came out of the interminable fog to tell me that I had lost the trail and was heading for a crevasse. Climbers leave a trail of wands in the snow to mark a

safe path for whiteout conditions, but I was impatient to the point of despera‑ tion, so when I reached a wand and couldn’t see the next one, I gambled and took a few more hopeful steps. In this case, I lost the wands completely and was lucky to have passed a group of Frenchman dug in, much as we had been, waiting out the storm at the edge of the camp.

Again around 9,000’, the visibility was zero and I reached a wand where I couldn’t see the next one. I had vowed to myself to setup camp and wait for clear weather if this happened. I dumped my pack and set up my tent.

The problem was, in order to travel light, I had brought only a couple days’ worth of food and fuel. I had no idea how long it would be before the skies cleared. I was miserable and lone‑ ly. A few days before, I had finished my book and traded it with my friend Andrew for Krakauer’s Into the Wild. It is the height of absurdity that with all the things going through my mind, I was lying in that tent by myself in a whiteout, without enough food and water to last for very long, reading a book about a young guy who goes into the Alaskan wilderness and starves to death. And the irony is that he went for no good reason.

It was while lying there reading that book that I changed my outlook on life. I told myself that with one shot at life I had better not die doing some‑ thing I didn’t really believe in to begin with. I thought about Denali and why I was there, and I realized that I hadn’t thought enough about it before jump‑

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

ing on the plane. I realized that a lot of what I had done up until then in life was for someone else’s reasons, or had‑ n’t been fully considered. That would change. I was going to take complete control of my life and live it my way. I wasn’t afraid of danger or of risking everything, but I wouldn’t do it again without being absolutely certain that it was what I wanted to do.

Within twelve hours, I finished the book and the weather cleared. I stuffed everything into my pack and tied the sled to the back of the pack, so that I could run down the mountain without the sled nipping at my heels. In many places I could ride the pack and sled.

When I arrived at base camp, my feet were a mess. I had such terrible blisters I could hardly stand up. But, I had al‑ most finished the first and hardest leg of my journey back to home and reali‑ ty. It had taken me only about six hours of hiking, running and sledding to do what had taken us ten days going up.

There were a lot of people waiting to get off the mountain. The weather that summer was the worst in memory and several people had died while we were on the mountain. The small prop The crumpled remains of the Hudson Air Cessna.

www.derryfield.org

planes with skis that shuttle people back and forth from Talkeetna had been coming sporadically because of the low visibility. Right behind me in line to get off the mountain was a Rainier Mountain Guide and a female client with altitude induced cerebral edema. When the plane that was sup‑ posed to take me off the mountain landed, the pilot called for two people to hurry up and board. I didn’t want to split up the guide and client, so I offered them my place, not really knowing how long it would be until the next plane arrived.

By that time in my trip, my conclu‑ sions were made. I felt a deep confi‑ dence growing inside me that was born from a certainty of purpose.

When their plane sped down the glacier and the ski fell off, the wing dipping into the snow and bringing the plane to a violent halt in a crum‑ pled mess, it didn’t really shake me at all that I should have been on that plane. We were all there together with the same purpose of getting home. It was random chance that it happened to them, not me. I learned my next big lesson: that some things, despite my efforts, would always be outside my control and not to sweat those things, but to face uncertainty with resolve.

The three of them kicked out a win‑ dow and ran up the glacier away from the plane, afraid that the plane might explode. Later that morning, Jay Hudson, owner of Hudson Air and famous for his daring rescues and unmatched skills as a pilot, flew in a larger six passenger plane and took the

The summit still looks far away above the tents at the 14,300’ camp.

two climbers, the other pilot and me off the mountain together. For a minute, I had weighed the idea of walking the thirty or so miles back to Talkeetna, but I trusted Jay and thought about the grizzly bears and decided it was the better alternative.

I wasn’t afraid. I remember calmly looking down at the fast approaching runway as the plane pitched back and forth while Jay explained at length how, with the wheels protruding only a few inches below the skis, taking off from a glacier was actually much less dangerous and more forgiving than landing the plane on tarmac. It should have been the last thing I wanted to hear at that moment, and I imagine it was for the shaken guide and his client, but there was nothing I could do about the outcome. If I wanted to do something about it, I would have to fly my own plane from now on.

27

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

1994 (L to R): Katie O’Brien, Cam Brensinger, John Slocum, Tyler Charlesworth, Riley Decker, Brian Decker, Robbie Holland, Avery Holland, Elizabeth Hickok Holland, Doug Tepe, Akiyo Marukawa, Mark D’Ambruoso. ...continued from page 23

graduated from a Master of Social Work program at San Francisco State University in June. She is the Clinical Supervisor at a group home for older adolescents who are wards of the state and/or wards of the court in Berkeley, CA. In addition to playing the berim‑ bau she has been training in the Afro‑ Brazilian martial art form called Capoeira for about five years now. She has also been doing some activist work supporting the autonomous Zapatista communities in Chiapas, Mexico.

George Brown and his wife, Katherine, report things are great with Highlights magazine, and recently spent a week vacationing in Prague. Nate Emley is living in Ithaca, NY, working on his PhD in nanotechnology at Cornell University. Mark D’Ambruoso and his fiancé are living in upstate New York, near Albany where he is working for GE, engineering power plants. After spending 5 years in San Diego, Erik Lofgren has moved to Oahu, HI. He has recently joined a partner and opened his own hot tub store in Maui.

28

He speaks with Than Dunlap in Salt Lake on a regular basis, as well as Jen Roach up in Girdwood, AK. Sanjay Madan is in law school down in Washington, DC. After graduating from RISD Industrial Design in 2002, Cam Brensinger founded NEMO Equipment, Inc. (see story on page 24 or visit www.nemoequipment.com to learn more). He writes, “Prior to founding NEMO, I worked with a team of people at MIT funded by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts to design the next generation of space‑

suits for human exploration of Mars.”

Outside of work Cam and his girl‑ friend do a lot of rock and ice climbing and mountain biking. Elizabeth Hickok Holland and her husband, Robbie, bought a house in Gilford. She has done two sprint triathlons since March and looks forward to doing more – maybe even a high ironman next year. She reports, “I am still work‑ ing as an occupational therapist on an early intervention team and this past year I added a second job working at a private occupational therapy clinic spe‑ cializing in sensory integration dys‑ function.” Ashley Burr recently caught up with Tyler Charlesworth and Jonathan Kfoury in New York City.

Tyler is living in the city working in commercial real estate and engaged to be married this June. Jonathan has recently moved from Massachusetts and settled in Greenwich, CT. It is great to hear from all of you – ten years has kept us all busy. Please con‑ tinue to share with us your plans for 2005!

Several Derryfield alumni were present for Amily Dunlap ’93’s wedding to Tyler Moore. (L to R): Nathaniel Dunlap ’94, Jonathan Kfoury ’94, Sabrina Dunlap ’00, Avery Holland ’94, Stacy Denham ’93, Margaux D’Auteuil ’93, Ellie Cochran ’69 (in back), Amily and Tyler, and Ashley Stearns Burr ’94.

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

1995 Laura Mackey LeGower writes, “Hi all! I currently work at Independence Blue Cross as a Senior Communica‑ tions Specialist in the Provider Communications department. Now doesn’t that sound like a fun job! I live in the Philly suburbs with my husband of one year and our four‑year‑old baby (golden retriever), Riley. I also recently graduated from the University of Phoenix‑Philadelphia campus with an MBA. If anyone is visiting the Philly area, drop on by!” n Lisa Tuttle writes,”I currently live in Manchester, and am engaged to be married to Matthew Hultgren in June 2005. We are relocating to Cincinnati for my pro‑ motion to H/R Manager. My brother Ryan ’93 got married on October 30th in Princeton, NJ.

1996 Carver Woodbury writes, “So great to see all the girls in Cape Cod for Becca Jones’ wedding over Labor Day week‑ end. For anyone who doesn’t know what I’m up to these days, I’m living in Madison, WI, with my boyfriend of two years, Byron Scott, and our Jack Russell Terrier, Barney. I just started two new jobs in Madison, a full time position with PharmacyWeek (www.pharmacyweek.com) and part‑ time mentoring of student athletes at the University of Wisconsin‑Madison.”

www.derryfield.org

Matt Hurlbut ’92 with his father, former Headmaster Marcus Hurlbut, and son, William Hurlbut.

1997 After three years working in Boston as a Development Officer for Joslin Diabetes Center, Abby Silverman will be a first‑year MBA student at the University of Michigan. n Sarah Reynells and Adam Brown were mar‑ ried in the fall of 2004 at the New Boston Community Church. The cou‑ ple honeymooned in Alaska and will live in Vero Beach, FL.

1998 Katherine Lombardi and Matthew Josef were married on August 8, 2004, in Meredith, NH. n Faculty member Paul Keiner reports that Dana Keiner has begun a part time job assisting at a local veterinary hospital. She is still volunteering at the library, and is also assisting a local Girl Scout Troop. n

Timothy Sidore writes, “I just wanted to say hi to everyone. After college, I spent some time back in New Hampshire, Texas and then law school, I am now living outside of Phoenix, and working as a real estate agent.

Everything is going well out here; the weather is very different from home.

Sad to hear about Manoukian. I look forward to seeing some of you at Murphy’s wedding in December. Long live the Cabin Support Group!” n Elizabeth Stefany reports, “I am going to sea again for the winter as Assistant Engineer for Sea Education Association. I will be traveling Mexico, Tahiti, and Hawaii. If anyone is around there, look me up.” n Gerard Murphy is getting married on New Year’s Eve of this year to Elizabeth Kay. He is expecting some Derryfield classmates to be in attendance, including Andy Young.

29

C AT U P DAT EGO E ROYN A L U M N I

2000 Class Correspondent: Laura Hunter hunterl@dickinson.edu

Each year a group of past and present cross country girls and moms gather to run the Tufts 10K for Women in Boston. (L to R): Current parent Kathryn Frieden, faculty member Terri Moyer, Holly Katz ’01, Hanna Melnick ’03, Jenna Sirkin ’00, and Sarah Murphy ’05.

1999 REUNION RECAP Chris Norwood and Hannah Arnold report, “Twenty‑five members of the class of 1999 gathered at Jillian’s in Manchester on October 2nd to catch up and discover what their classmates have been up to for the past five years.

Class members reported on marriages and engagements, graduate school, and the working world along with retelling great high school stories.

Highlights from the event included a slideshow by Chris Norwood, a prize for Natalie Lebel who traveled all the way from California to attend, and vis‑ its from Mr. Berk and Mr. Lemire. In true class of ‘99 fashion, Derryfield alumni could be spotted at various Manchester venues far into the night.

Those who could not make it were greatly missed and those in attendance are already looking forward to 2009.”

30

n

Meredith Steele writes, “Hi Everyone. I have traded the Middlebury Cougars for the Colorado State Rams! It is my first experience attending a school with a football team. (I am still partial to soccer, maybe because I understand it!) As it turns out, my degree in music and English provided little preparation for the medical world. I am taking a vari‑ ety of sciences classes to prepare for a Physician’s Assistant graduate school program. Thanks to Mr. Bradley, Organic Chemistry is really not that bad. I have reverted to being a science dork again, just like high school. I love Fort Collins, which is a beautiful front‑ range city an hour north of Denver. I have little distractions here aside from my wonderful two mutts, who contin‑ ue to grow and get into trouble. I hope all is well with all of you.”

Faculty member Bruce Berk reports that Anja Wallace moved out of Boston for the summer and is bicycling across the country for two months with a program called Bike and Build (www.bikeandbuild.org). She raised $4,000 for affordable housing projects, and a group of 21 people are cycling from coast to coast to spread the word about the affordable housing issue in the U.S. She says she’s having a blast and building really strong quads. n Kendra Rozett writes, “Congrats to all the recent graduates and newly engaged! Though I am not engaged yet, I am indeed a recent grad, and the newest employee of SELCO, as Helpdesk Specialist. Who would have thought: me, a government employee and a computer geek. I am enjoying the perks, and getting settled into life in Shrewsbury, MA, with my boy‑ friend. A big hello to all of Derryfield!” n Paul Barney married Georgiana Mitrus on June 16, 2004, at the Bedford Village Inn in Bedford. Ross Barney ’02 was the best man, and fellow alum‑ ni David Jensen ’00 and Alex Moerlein ’01 were ushers.

2001 Faculty member Paul Keiner reports that Matthew Ostrowski is consider‑ ing seminary with a focus on counsel‑ ing upon graduation. He worked as an

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

aide/intern for a New Jersey Senator over the summer. Mr. Keiner also reported that Justin Liu is on schedule to graduate in June with a double major after transferring from VMI to George Washington University. He takes his classes mostly at night and works as an N.C.I.S. analyst in the day.

He wishes to pursue this as a career upon graduation. Lastly, James Keiner is on his third deployment. He has some internet access this time for the first time, which has been a positive thing for all parties concerned. If any‑ one wishes to write to him or send him packages, his address is: James Keiner 6th BN, 26th BDE/TF TR(3) APO AE 09391.

2002 Julie Jorgensen became the first Army women’s soccer player to earn academ‑ ic All‑America honors at the Division I

The 2004 New Hampshire Championships alumni boat consisted of (L to R): Maggie Tomaswick ’00, Emily Landon ’01, Liz Cockrell ’01, Allison Messier ’02, and Christina Hancock ’99.

level with her appointment to the 2004 ESPN Academic All‑America University Division third team. Ranked in the top five percent of her class for the past two years, Julie registered the highest overall grade for core mathe‑ matics this fall. Last spring she was inducted into Pi Mu Epsilon (Math Honor Society) and the American Society for Women in Mathematics.

2003 Steven Flagg writes,”Another semester is moving along well. It’s not nearly as exciting as going to Airborne School, but what is?” This past summer he had the opportunity to jump out of air‑ planes down at Fort Benning, GA, at Airborne School. He is now a U.S. Army‑qualified paratrooper. n Marc Morgan’s parents report that Marc is doing extremely well in his second year at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL.

1999 Back row (L to R): Chris Nickerson ’01, Bitsy Jorgensen, Amy Loveless, Katie Barrett, Kat Jones, George Papanicolaou, Stacey Starner, Sara Schwartz, Kate Davis, Lauren Abrahimzadeh, Natalie Lebel, Porter Weeks, Anne Miner, Ben Kinder, Julie Aguiar, Mike Vrakatitsis, Pike Severance, Gill Roberts, Erik Shaka, Ben Pignatelli, and John Arnold ’00. Front row (L to R): Laura Reis, Hannah Arnold, Chris Norwood, Dan Levenson, and Vickie Brenner.

www.derryfield.org

31

U P DAT E O N A L U M N I

Lost in Space THE FOLLOWING DERRYFIELD ALUMNI ARE LOST IN OUR RECORDS. DO YOU KNOW WHERE THESE CLASSMATES ARE? IF YOU DO, PLEASE LET US KNOW OR HAVE THEM CONTACT TRACEY PERKINS AT 603.669.4524, EXT. 136 OR TPERKINS@DERRYFIELD.ORG. Steven C. Joy ’68

Thomas Murray ’75

David A. Trust ’82

Kristina W. Wheeler ’90

Richard Koehler ’69

Carla Salls ’75

Sheila Bhattacharya ’84

Catherine Castaldo ’91

Sheila Daly Spence ’69

Bradford Daland ’76

Andrew Carle ’84

Michael Chapman ’91

William Theodosopoulos ’69

John Ebert ’76

Christina A. Carter ’84

Danielle Lacroix ’91

Richard A. Tzudiker ’69

Christian P. Holland ’76

Frank DiPrete ’84

Michael MacEachran ’91

Cathryn Berdechowski Brett ’70

David T. Jambard ’76

Annika Kristenson ’84

Rachel Cobb ’92

Ellen Harvey ’70

Steven R. Norman ’76

Bradley McMaster ’84

Tracey E. Cowenhoven ’92

Georgia Maltezos ’70

Patricia Joy Stewart ’76

Jeffrey Reese ’84

Christopher Townsend ’92

Chris Meyer ’70

Kate McNally Allen ’77

Kristen Bucknam ’85

Mr. Jeremy Anda ’93

Karl Pomeroy ’70

Valerie Cooper ’77

Marian Garcia ’85

Jeff Burgess ’93

Stephen Clarke ’71

Robert Fisher ’77

Peter Johnson ’85

Colin Copeland ’93

Thomas Davis ’71

Paul Fons ’77

Andrew Tinklepaugh ’85

Matt Craig ’93

Richard Jardine ’71

Jonathan D. Hamblett ’77

Grenville Clark ’86

Tom DePuy ’93

Mark White ’71

Karl A. Heinzelmann ’77

Jennifer Gilmore ’86

Jessica Eaton ’93

Mark Zechel ’71

Lisa Quinn-Berger ’77

Meghann E. Harris ’86

King Luk ’93

James D. Bailey ’72

Maria Turner ’77

Sharon McKenna ’86

Laura Peltonen ’93

Susan Gilman ’72

Robert Hickey ’78

Stephen Medrick ’86

Ben Ritter ’93

Richard P. Laverdure ’72

Howard Moseley ’78

Abigail Rogers ’86

Aubrey Rosenthal ’93

John Adams ’73

Martina Turner ’78

Stephanie Wolff ’86

Emma Wasserman ’93

Arthur Chakofsky-Lewy ’73

Lauren Chaplain ’79

Anita Bhattacharya ’87

Eugene Fillios ’94

Bill Davison ’73

George Gallo ’79

Jennifer Kerr ’87

Tobin Shulman ’94

Eric Heinzelmann ’73

Bradley Hubbard ’79

Yvonne Rich ’87

Brian J. Dahlmann ’95

Deborah Larson ’73

Edwin Jackson ’79

Seth Turner ’87

Michael C. Noyes ’95

Julianne Perron ’73

Gail Taylor Miller ’79

Kevin Callahan ’88

Ian L. Whittle ’95

Stuart Rockwell ’73

Carolyn Anderson Reynolds ’79

Wangchuk Dorji ’88

Paul Abrahimzadeh ’96

D. Scott Williams ’73

Mirth White ’79

Jennifer Neilson ’88

Brian B. Stewart ’96

Daniel M. Darling ’74

Colleen D. Berry ’80

Roger Shattuck ’88

Brieghan L. Gardner ’97

Peter J. Davis ’74

Elizabeth E. Capowski ’80

Danielle Lucia Willette ’88

Melissa Kelley ’97

Cynthia Dolman-Fletcher ’74

Lawrence McGlinn ’80

Jennifer Ambiehl ’89

Alden T. Kasiewicz ’98

Dorothea Gikas ’74

Harry A.B. Shapiro ’80

Steven Bucknam ’89

Dan Shiber ’98

Dianne Scozzafava Heavens ’74

Amanda Chase Graham ’81

Stephen A. Murray ’89

Daniel Boisvert ’99

Kevin Hokenstrom ’74

Brett Hanson ’81

James Richards ’89

Christopher Roberts ’99

Susan Gross Jackson ’74

Darla Khazei ’81

Lee E. Sallah ’89

Nikki Kincaid ’00

Anne Lown-Hecht ’74

John Van Duyne ’81

Scott Barklow ’90

Diane Shooman ’74

Adena Tsiaras English ’82

Richard A. Curtis ’90

E. Forbes Smiley ’74

Susan Morse ’82

Kristina Warren ’90

32

Derryfield Today – Fall 2004

O H , T H E P L AC E S YO U ’ L L G O …

profile

Alumni

Stephanie Solms McCusker ’84 Returns to Derryfield t is no secret that Derryfield teach‑ ers are extraordinarily fond of their students, keeping track as gradu‑ ates move on through life. It is a special thrill however, for Derryfield to wel‑ come one of its alumni back into the fold, whether as a new parent, or employee. Stephanie Solms McCusker ’84 is both. Of course, saying that Steff is back in the fold is a little bit like con‑ vincing yourself that the sun stopped shining, but is once again aglow.

Steff joined Derryfield as an eighth grader in 1979. Paul Statt said that she was such a great, earnest, smart stu‑ dent that it was “embarrassing to be her teacher.” This was borne out when Steff received both the Middle School’s Faculty Award and Athletic Award as a new student. By ninth grade, Steff wanted to experience a larger, more diverse student population. Her sopho‑ more year, Steff attended Northfield Mount Hermon School as a boarding student, and while the large student body appeased her craving for diversi‑ ty, it posed negatives as well, and she soon yearned to be home again. The next fall, Steff was back at Derryfield.

Steff likes to joke that she had to beg to get back in, but the testimonials from her teachers indicate that she was

I

www.derryfield.org

an incredibly hard worker, well worthy of re‑admittance. Frequently, she was the glue that held her class together.

Betty Jipson recalls that when her class went through the be‑nasty‑to‑each‑ other times, Steff was the one who sug‑ gested a class trip to the beach. “She was the kid who got along with all the different characters in that class.” Steff received many awards in her final Derryfield years, including (but not limited to) the Dartmouth Book Award, the Mayor’s Award, and the Ralph J. Scozzafava Head of School Award.

After Derryfield, Steff attended Dartmouth College, receiving a B.A. in English and a Private Schools Certif‑ icate in 1988. At Dartmouth, Steff met a rather handsome, occasionally mis‑ chievous, but personable fellow, David McCusker, who swept her off her feet.

Coincidentally, David would eventual‑ ly serve as Derryfield’s Director of Development from 1994‑2000.

From 1989 to 2004, Steff wore more hats than many of us can fathom, working the independent school circuit as a teacher, coach, and advisor, includ‑ ing a two‑year return to Derryfield, where she taught math, coached field hockey and lacrosse, and advised a dozen students. Amid her busy life,

Steff made room for the birth of her two sons, Colin and Cameron, as well as a part‑time career as a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader.

No matter where she went, Steff always remained connected to the School. A perennial volunteer, Steff has been a steady force in the fund‑raising for her class, and is currently the Co‑ Chair of the Alumni Fund. In recogni‑ tion of her efforts, Steff received the Alumni Service Award in 1998.

Just when you would think that all roles have been exhausted for Steff, she has donned two more ‘hats’ this year.

In March 2004, Colin McCusker was accepted to Derryfield’s incoming 6th grade, casting Steff in the role of new parent. This fall, we were once again lucky to welcome Steff officially back to Derryfield, this time as Assistant Director of Admission.

On a personal note, I am energized

by Steff’s presence in the admission office. I was a freshman when Steff was a senior here, and she has always been a role model for me. To be working alongside her now is a joy. From her long‑term knowledge of Derryfield, to her innate ability to connect with ado‑ lescents, Steff just has ‘the right stuff.’

– Kathleen Rutty‑Fey ’87

33

Ready, set, go!

Juniors Diana Maldonado, Jess Friedenberg, and Lejla Kadic test out their mouse trap cars in Mr. Cousineau’s physics class.

Parents of alumni: If your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Advancement Office at 603.669.4524 of the correct mailing address. Thank you.

2108 River Road Manchester, NH 03104-1396 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID MANCHESTER, NH PERMIT NO. 290