Martha Starke ’84 Owner, PulpArt.Etsy.com, Saratoga Springs, NY
About Martha: Graduating from Derryfield in 1984, Martha earned a B.A. in English from William Smith College in Geneva, NY. “I have always loved writing and reading. I journaled in my diary every day when I was a kid. I loved not just the writing but the feel of pen to paper. Turning the thick pages inside of a handmade journal gave me as much satisfaction as writing down my thoughts. I became a newspaper editor in my twenties and merged my love of paper with a fascination with words—not just their meanings but how they look on the page. I would stay late at work to help the Layout Department design the pages, learning about how white space can be important in a story. So, I loved the look of the written word as much as its meaning. When I was engaged to be married, I took a class in paper-making and I was hooked. Words, paper, torn up and combined with water to make a new crisp sheet of paper ... it thrilled me. I made all of my own wedding invitations from my handmade paper back in 1994 and have been making paper by hand ever since.”
About Pulp Art and green initiatives: Martha uses 100% recycled paper scraps, junk mail, and old school papers to make handmade paper using traditional paper-making techniques first developed by the Chinese. Recently, she started adding perennial seeds to the pulp to make an even greener product. Now after her paper products are used, they can be planted to begin a perennial flower bed. Martha specializes in wedding products— especially place cards, favors, and invitations—but loves making all kinds of paper-based art.
www.pulpart.etsy.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: Steve Bradley (former biology teacher). He made everything fun.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Watching basketball games, particularly when the guys borrowed our field hockey uniforms and acted like cheerleaders.
Best thing learned at Derryfield: The best learning happens when you feel you are part of a large family.
Cam Brensinger ’94 Founder & President, NEMO Equipment, Nashua, NH
About Cam: Cam is a combination businessman, artist, engineer and passionate outdoorsman. He studied physics, studio art and creative writing at Middlebury College and industrial design at RISD. He graduated with distinction from RISD, receiving the Thomas Lamb Scholarship award. Prior to founding NEMO, Cam worked with a team at MIT funded by the NASA Institute of Advanced Concepts to design the next generation of spacesuits for human exploration of Mars. When he was a student at RISD, Cam served a summer internship at Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. where he helped design the company’s first generation of headlamps. Cam has spent a lot of time in the outdoors, and some of his experiences include: co‐leading a successful team on Denali, leading a group to the bottom of 1168 foot deep Neff’s Canyon Cave, a canyoneering first descent in Zion, 5.12 rock climbing, ice climbing The Weeping Wall and The Black Dike, and many other adventures. Cam is married to Caitlin Brensinger and they live with their 10 month old daughter, Vivian, and 110lb Malamute, Tsuba, in Arlington, MA.
About NEMO and green initiatives: NEMO Equipment, Inc., headquartered in Nashua, NH, is a designer and manufacturer of revolutionary, high-end equipment for outdoor recreation, rescue, and survival. NEMO offers both commercial and military high-end tent models many of which include their proprietary AirSupported Technology®. AST™ is a system of low-pressure inflatable ribs, or airbeams, which replace conventional tent poles. In addition to tents, NEMO produces sleeping pads, pillows, bags and other products, all of which have unique innovation that set them apart in the market. NEMO’s corporate message is to “love your life and protect the people and places that make adventure possible.” NEMO is proud of its GRN™ program, or “Green Rethinking by NEMO” which includes many initiatives focused on environmental and social sustainability, ranging from upcycled and recycled products to the company’s adoption of Jenness Beach, and donations to many major conservation groups. Core to the GRN™ program is NEMO’s Ditto™ product line. “Ditto™” products are constructed with up-cycled manufacturing rejects and old product samples, fabric scraps and donated production remnants. Ditto™ products include wallets, tote bags and backpacks. Every Ditto™ product shares the quality and innovation characteristic of the NEMO brand, but offers the customer the additional satisfaction of diverting material from the waste stream.
www.nemoequipment.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: Mr. Sanborn for his integrity and love of knowledge, Mr. Anthony for his loathing of cliché, Mr. Berk for his energy and humor, and many others.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Creative Assembly
Best thing learned at Derryfield: Passion for learning and the rewards of hard work.
Liz Stefany ’98 Owner, Carrabassett Valley Jewelry and Equinox Therapeutic Massage both located in Carrabassett Valley, ME (Sugarloaf Mountain)
About Liz: Liz graduated from Derryfield in 1998 and then attended Bates College, where she majored in environmental studies, graduating in 2002. Currently, Liz manages a jewelry business and a sports massage business. She’s also a mountain biker, camper, cook, gardener, and telemark ski instructor at Sugarloaf Mountain.
About Carrabassett Valley Jewelry and green initiatives: I started my business, Carrabassett Valley Jewelry, in April of 2006. I have always been environmentally conscious, so finding myself in an industry not exactly known for its green practices presented a bit of a challenge. I recently amped up my effort to make environmentally conscious decisions, the most impactful of which is that I now source all my sheet silver and wire from a company that uses reclaimed metal. Mining is a destructive industry, and I feel better knowing that I have cut it out of my supply chain. I am also switching my packaging material to recycled boxes. My customer base consists mainly of “outdoorsy people” and I tend to have better sales at craft shows in the mountains and lakes regions where the clientele largely includes people who value nature. They tend to make environmentally conscious decisions in their own life, and are willing to spend their money with a company that has similar values.
www.cvjewelry.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: I enjoyed advanced math with Mr. Holland so much that I decided to fill my senior year schedule with A.P. Calculus and Statistics. I seemed to absorb knowledge just by sitting in his classroom. Mr. Moerlein advised my independent study in jewelry. His guidance and support through an entire trimester of trial and error certainly helped build the foundation for my business.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Throwing wet sponges at Mr. Berk during Country Fair. It just never got old!
Best thing learned at Derryfield: How to write effectively. Each one of my jewelry design sets comes with a story to describe the design. Many are poetic in nature, and I often get compliments on the writing. People say, “Well, you went to Bates, of course you’re a good writer.” But I tell them that Bates had nothing to do with it, and that I attribute my writing ability to things I learned in high school. In my business, the process of writing marketing text in a small amount of space has led me to realize the real-world importance of being concise.
David Henry ’01 Graduate student, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, New Haven, CT
About David: David graduated from Derryfield in 2001 and attended Haverford College. Dave says, “I think fondly of Derryfield, and especially my days with Conservation Club! Here’s a picture of me relaxing after a day of data analysis this summer.”
About David and green initiatives: David is a Master of Environmental Science student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Most of his course work has focused on the economics of environmental regulation, with particular attention to air quality. “This summer, I researched the cap and trade system of sulfur dioxide emissions to see if trades between power plants worsened human health by moving emissions into more densely populated areas. After I graduate in May, I hope to work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency looking for ways to improve regulation to better protect the public’s health and pocket book.”
Favorite Derryfield teacher: It’s a three-way tie between Mr. Mathes, Mr. Holland, and Ms. Moyer. Mr. Mathes and Mr. Holland kept my interest up in math for five years! Ms. Moyer coached me through cross-country and made Conservation Club a success.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Country Fair
Best thing learned at Derryfield: Calculus. In so many classes since high school, having a good grasp of derivatives and integrals has been crucial.
Joe Cahill ’04 Solar Technician, Bella Energy, Louisville, CO
About Joe: Joe attended Derryfield’s Upper School and graduated in 2004. He went on to study at the University of Vermont, graduating in 2009 with a B.S. in natural resource planning. During this time he also studied at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME, and the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.
About Bella Energy and green initiatives: Bella Energy designs, sells, and installs photovoltaic solar arrays for commercial buildings. Joe started out working on several residential jobs while Bella was still servicing that sector. He has worked on residential jobs ranging from 2-10 kilowatts in generating capacity; commercial, 30-100 kW. The company’s biggest project thus far is still in the planning stages, and will be the largest roof-mounted solar system in the country, at 2.6 megawatts, on the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. Most of Bella’s commercial projects generate about 60% of a building’s energy demand, while most residential projects generate more energy in a day than the house will actually use; the excess watts are fed back into the energy grid, creating profit for the home owner. “The most gratifying part of my job is activating a competed residential system, watching the house’s utility meter slow down, and eventually run backwards. This energy we harness is free, non-exclusive, clean, and bright!”
www.bellaenergy.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: Mr. Haight—he was my advisor, history teacher, and baseball coach. He cared a lot about what he did at Derryfield and that’s why he did it so well.
Favorite Derryfield tradition: Leaving school to go to ski races.
Best thing learned at Derryfield: The only thing separating a young student from an older student is a short corridor with heated tile floors. In life, as with Derryfield, I’ve found that we are all part of the same school, ultimately seeking knowledge, and practicing for a bright future.
Audrey Morgan ’08 Student, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY Vice-President, Slow Food on Campus
About Audrey: Audrey graduated from Derryfield in 2008 and is currently attending the Culinary Institute of Arts (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. She is the vice president of the CIA chapter of Slow Food on Campus. Audrey will be travelling in Italy for three weeks this spring as part of her Food, Wine, Agriculture class. “I believe it is very important to support our local farmers and it is important to know where your food comes from. In the end, the food just tastes so much better. I go to farmer’s markets as often as possible to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and, while they cost a little more, they are worth the price for the value and quality.”
About Slow Food on Campus and green initiatives: Slow Food is an international organization started in Rome and we are an on campus chapter of this group. It is a club designed for students who are interested in and committed to recognizing the origins of food, supporting sustainable farming practices, and spreading the word about the importance of farming locally and supporting local farmers. We organize farm tours, tastings of local products such as cheeses, breads, and produce, as well as tasting comparisons between local products and store bought products and we host special guests to talk to the students about what they do in the Hudson Valley to promote their sustainable beliefs and efforts. We currently have two garden plots that will be planted with an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the next couple of weeks and we intend on selling them to students as a “farmer’s market.”
audreycia.blogspot.com
Favorite Derryfield teacher: Ms. Coombes and Senorita Tarallo. Ms. Coombes was my advisor for freshman year and well as my math teacher and Senorita Tarallo was my advisor and Spanish teacher for junior/senior year. They were so supportive of my decision to go to culinary school rather than a liberal arts school after graduation and always enjoyed talking about food with me. I felt I could go to them for anything. I believe I owe both of them a 5-course meal for all they have done for me!
Favorite Derryfield tradition: I always did love Winter Carnival! It was an excuse to dress up in wacky outfits and be super spirited. GO MAROON!
Best thing learned at Derryfield: I learned the importance of being involved in extra-curricular activities. Not only is it a break from the stress of school, but it is a great way to meet new people, visit cool places, and have experiences and opportunities you may not have otherwise been exposed to. It broadens your horizon and makes you a more well-rounded person.