SPRING 2018
“Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys” Headmaster LaRocque to Retire in 2019
AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL Established 1927 Headmaster Kenneth H. LaRocque
Associate Headmaster John T. Gardner
Editor Morgan C. Cugell
Designer 2k Design www.2kDesign.com
Alumni Notes Alexis Lee
Printer Benchemark Printing, Inc., Schenectady, NY. The Avonian is published for the alumni, parents, and friends of Avon Old Farms School. It is distributed to approximately 7,000 readers. All rights reserved.
Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Road Avon, CT 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4100
Admissions (800) 464-2866 admissions@avonoldfarms.com
Alumni We enjoy hearing from you! Please send us your latest news and notes: Email: leea@avonoldfarms.com Phone: (860) 404-4213 Fax: (860) 404-4631
Email Members of the administration and faculty can be emailed by using the following formula: last name plus first initial @avonoldfarms.com. The directory on the school website also includes email links. Avon Old Farms School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disabilities, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
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FEATURES
FROM THE EDITOR…
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Dear Readers,
Inspiring Boys, Building Men The Campaign for Avon Old Farms School
12 “Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys” Headmaster LaRocque to Retire in 2019 by Morgan C. Cugell
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tradition that holds strong at Avon Old
Featured Artist: Alvaro de la Cruz ’18 by Morgan C. Cugell Athletic Spotlight: Casey Rogers ’18 by Morgan C. Cugell
36 Student Spotlight: Jason Gong ’18 by Morgan C. Cugell 38 Alumni Spotlight: Mike Lech ’88 and Chris Stone ’88 by Morgan C. Cugell
Farms School as well as the pursuit of excellence we seek every day. Also of note this year: Headmaster Ken LaRocque announced that he will retire from Avon Old Farms at the end of the 2018–2019 school year. Those who have been fortunate enough to work with Ken over his nearly four decades on campus will agree that his dedication to and passion for Avon are unrivaled. And though he will certainly be very missed, we are eager to celebrate the LaRocque legacy, to wish him well on his next adventure, and to remember
DEPARTMENTS
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students and faculty in the classroom,
Class of 2018 exemplified the history of
34 Faculty Focus: Art Mehos by Morgan C. Cugell
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highlighted by the superb efforts of our
fields, and in the community. The
SPOTLIGHTS
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year—a banner year by all accounts,
on the stage, in the studio, on the
54 The Last Word by Ken LaRocque 4
Once again we are at the end of a school
the enduring and incredible impact
2 Headmaster 4 Village Green 8 Athletics 42 Alumni
he has had on all of us in the Avon community. Be sure to check out page 12 for more about Ken. Check your mailbox later this summer for your next issue of the Avonian, where you’ll find memories from the late spring—Graduation and Reunion, among other events—as well as the complete 2017–2018 Annual Report. As always, I welcome your feedback.
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Aspirando et perseverando,
Cover photo by Seshu Photography
Morgan C. Cugell cugellm@avonoldfarms.com
Find past issues of the Avonian online at www.avonoldfarms.com/avonian
Are you following us?
860-404-4239
/AvonOldFarms @AvonOldFarms /AvonOldFarmsSchool Search Group: Avon Old Farms School Alumni Association
Cert no. SW-COC-002935
From the Headmaster by Kenneth H. LaRocque
I have been writing my “From the Headmaster” essays in this publication for a couple of decades and now find myself writing about my own retirement in an Avonian with my photograph on the cover. I notice that my image in 2018 differs sharply from my image on the Avonian cover in 1998, when I became headmaster. My emotions swirl these days as I go about living life and fulfilling my responsibilities as headmaster of this special school. The catalyst for these constantly changing sentiments is realizing that my days at Avon are numbered, that substantial pressure will be lifted from my shoulders soon, that the honor of leading our students and faculty will cease before
long, and that the need to re-create myself in another life will be my truth shortly. I find myself asking the question, “Am I ready for this change?” No one is ever ready for the kind of change I will experience in the next year. I have spent 38 years at Avon, 37 of them in a significant administrative position and 21 of them as headmaster, well over half my entire life in the Village of Old Farms, and life before Avon is a distant memory. Working at a boarding school is an experience that, unless you have lived it, is difficult to describe in terms of its intensity. When school is in session, working in a boarding school requires total immersion, especially if you are leading a school like Avon. In the past several years, I have relied on meditation to help free my mind from obsessing on school matters at all hours of the day and night. Avon Old Farms completely captures those of us fortunate enough to work here and compels us to passionately embrace our mission of helping build young men of substance. Like the vast majority of people who are a part of this school, I feel so privileged to have spent my career as a member of this community. However, all good things must come to an end, and I have worked with our board chairman, Marty Cole, to put together a succession plan that works for Avon Old Farms and for me.
Avon Old Farms School strives to be the best college preparatory school for boys by cultivating young men of integrity, who honor wisdom, justice, inclusion, service, and the pursuit of truth. — AV O N O L D F A R M S S C H O O L M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T
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FRO M THE HE A DMA S TE R
Marty’s vast leadership experience at Accenture and on corporate boards makes him an important mentor for me and resource for Avon as the process of change unfolds at school. As I look to next year, I am prepared to savor each day I serve as headmaster and intend to cross the finish line in full stride! This Avonian includes the exciting news that we have made impressive progress during the quiet phase of our capital campaign, Inspiring Boys, Building Men, and are optimistic about attaining our goal of $50 million by June 30, 2019. Board members Bill Austin ’92, Ken Winemaster ’83, and John Edwards have teamed with Jim Detora, our director of development and external affairs; Robin Delnicki, our associate director of development; and our entire alumni and development team to achieve remarkable headway in a relatively short period of time. I look forward updating you about our campaign progress this fall. This March, we broke ground on two important projects identified in our strategic plan. The Riddle Refectory remains an iconic building not only on the Avon campus but also in the United States. However, the servery and kitchen attached to the Riddle Refectory need attention and are currently undergoing an almost $5 million renovation. When complete at the end of the summer, this renovated space will be a state-of-the-art facility and will improve the quality of life for all on campus.
The Jennings-Fairchild Hockey Rink was last renovated in 1989, almost a generation ago. Though our present rink is the setting of many fond memories of exciting victories for players and fans, everyone is in agreement that it needs a major renovation. As soon as the youth hockey groups finished their season in March, we began phase one, which includes all new locker rooms and public spaces as well as new bleachers and other enhancements that will improve the fan experience. As with the kitchen and servery, we expect the rink renovation to be complete by this summer’s end. If your travels take you anywhere near Avon, Conn., in the next few months, please make the effort to find your way back to campus; I promise you will be happy you did. A visit to the Village of Old Farms always brings a smile to one’s face and peace to one’s soul.
We’d like to hear from you! Do you have any special Avon anecdotes? Memories of your time at the Farm? Please send in any thoughts on your Avon experience for possible inclusion in future publications.
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Village Green FEATURED ARTIS T
Alvaro de la Cruz ’18 By Morgan C. Cugell
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lvaro de la Cruz ’18 is a promising filmmaker who has harnessed his creative energy through video storytelling. As part of the Afternoon Independent Project (AIP) program offered at Avon Old Farms, Alvaro dedicated his fall afternoons last year to capturing and presenting feature snippets of his classmates—other Men of Avon. Working with the Communications Department to make content for the school’s website and social media accounts, Alvaro produced four videos he dubbed the “Man 2 Man” series, “a way to showcase Avon students who have different personalities but have the drive and ambition to do what they are passionate about. For my own video, I wanted to show who I was as well as what it is like to be a boarder at Avon, including the opportunities it has to offer. I tried to produce content that I found interesting and that people could relate to.”
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Alvaro hopes to “gain more experience as a cinematographer and learn more about the social media marketing aspect of digital storytelling” as he pursues a future career in filmmaking. Alvaro is quick to note that his passion for filmmaking began only recently, a result of his time spent at Avon. “It is not about the technology or how much equipment a person has—it’s all about what type of story you can tell,” he observes, noting that he began watching different creators on YouTube before attempting his own projects. “After a few months learning about cameras and making short videos, I decided to go to a film camp. After producing two films there, I discovered my passion, and when I came back to Avon during my junior year, I decided to do a five-minute short film, Purgatory, as an AIP. AOF gave me the support and mentorship to successfully achieve my goal. “The sense of brotherhood that I have found has given me great friendships
and limitless opportunities to grow as a student, a leader, and a filmmaker,” he states. Alvaro was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is currently completing his fourth year at Avon Old Farms. At times, being so far from home has been a challenge—especially in the wake of 2017’s devastating hurricane, which left his family safe but without their home. When he’s not hard at work on a film project, Alvaro can usually be found working on a project helping people in need. “When the hurricane destroyed my home, I was very scared,” he recalls. “My family was safe but some of the people close to us could not be found or contacted because the cell towers were down. Since we had no contact with them, I was so worried, not knowing whether or not they were OK. Instead of panicking, I decided to do something to help my home, as well as make myself feel better, by helping those in need
who are thousands of miles away.” Alvaro organized a fundraiser and sold burgers and nuggets in the Hawk’s Nest, donating proceeds to hurricane relief efforts. “I have always had a passion for helping others,” he notes. That dedication extends to his many involvements on campus, as Alvaro is an integral part of the student body. As president of both the Red Cross Club and the International Club, he spends much of his free time planning and executing events such as the international food festival, raising money for a student in China whom the club sponsors, or the annual blood drives on campus with the Red Cross. Alvaro has been able to combine his passions by creating a short commercial for a local nonprofit organization, Healing Meals Community Project. Their mission is to serve healthy, organic
“The sense of brotherhood that I have found has given me great friendships and limitless opportunities to grow as a student, a leader, and a filmmaker.”
meals to clients and their families who are struggling with a health crisis. These meals are provided free of charge and delivered to the client’s doorstep by volunteer Delivery Angels. All of the meals are prepared by youth volunteers, ages 14–24, who are given the opportunity to learn how to cook and eat healthy food as well as understand the power of their food choices to build healthier communities and a healthier environment. Alvaro is also a three-year member of the swim team and a dormitory monitor in Elephant 3. Also an accomplished student, he has received an AP Spanish Book Award and a Bowdoin College Book Award. He hopes to study both film and business in college and obtain internships in media before pursuing a career as a film director and producer. To see some of Alvaro’s work, visit his website at www.alvarodlcruz.com.
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Prepare
Support
Young men dream bigger and see further when the Avon community rallies behind them.
The minds of tomorrow deserve exceptional faculty today.
COMPLETED
I N S P I R I N G B OY S , B U I L D I N G M E N
ORDWAY GALLERY celebrates the visual arts. | COMPLETED AUGUST 2016
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FORGE transformation creates Avon’s STEM program, launching the robotics team and engineering curriculum. | COMPLETED AUGUST 2016
IT STARTS WITH AVON. Avon is a place where boys become exceptional men. It is a community that fosters personal and intellectual growth. Avon is home to the newest citizens of a global village, a school forever rooted in a character driven curriculum that trumpets our core values of brotherhood, scholarship, integrity, and sportsmanship. This is our Avon, and to this we owe a mission of service that pervades everything we do. Coming this fall, Inspiring Boys, Building Men: the Campaign for Avon Old Farms School, supports our unwavering commitment to the people, programs, and campus that are the heart of the Avon experience, and distinguish us as the best school for boys.
Maintain
Nurture
Remarkable achievements require remarkable spaces.
Community makes us stronger.
IN PROGRESS
AIMS TO RAISE $50 MILLION
Renovation renderings are subject to change.
KITCHEN & REFECTORY preserves Mrs. Riddle’s aesthetic and renovates the servery to expand culinary offerings | OPENING SEPTEMBER 2018
JENNINGS/FAIRCHILD RINK renovations will improve the player/fan experience and rally the Avon Army. | PHASE 1, OPENING 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR. PHASE 2, TBD.
For more information contact Director of Development and External Affairs Jim Detora at detoraj@avonoldfarms.com or (860) 404-4209.
Athletics Casey Rogers ’18 By Morgan C. Cugell
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asey Rogers ’18 has been at Avon Old Farms School for only a year. A postgraduate from Syracuse, Casey has made a big impression in such a short time, representing what some may consider a dying breed: the tri-varsity athlete. As a standout on the varsity football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams, Casey is a triple threat who has chosen not to specialize in just one sport but to instead harness his athletic abilities and dedicate himself to being a Winged Beaver year-round. “To wear a Winged Beaver jersey is an honor,” Casey states. “I’m honored to be a part of the brotherhood. Although the competitiveness is similar to public schools, there are a lot more developed athletes in the prep school leagues.” At tight end, Casey was an integral part of last fall’s exceptional varsity football team, which was undefeated in the regular season. Earning all–Erickson League honors, Casey helped lead the squad to an Erickson League championship title and a position in the NEPSAC Bill Glennon New England
“To wear a Winged Beaver jersey is an honor,” Casey states. “I’m honored to be a part of the brotherhood. Although the competitiveness is similar to public schools, there are a lot more developed athletes in the prep school leagues.”
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Championship Bowl. Although Choate ultimately bested the team, Casey’s performance all season helped secure his spot next year: he’ll play football at the University of Nebraska, where he plans to major in communications and pursue a job in broadcasting—or perhaps even continue his football career. In the meantime, he got to work on the wrestling mat and on the lacrosse field, helping his teammates to big victories along the way and learning a bit about himself as well. He notes that his willingness to compete in multiple sports has
been a crucial part of his development. “The skills I have learned in each sport have helped me become the man I am today,” he says. “Each sport has taught me different things that I have been able to use in life. I have never been scared of failure.” And though he will be on our campus for only one year, Casey knows that Avon was the perfect choice to help him prepare for a tough transition to college life. “Avon has provided me with the skills to become a very successful college student,” he says. “Coming to Avon is the best thing I have ever done. It has changed my life in a way that I will forever be grateful for, and it will always be a part of my life.”
Avon Sophomore Competes in National Track Event
On
Friday, March 9, just days into the March break, Elijah Gordon ’20 was in New York City at the New Balance Track and Field Center competing in the New Balance National Indoor Track and Field Championship. The event hosts more than 3,500 of the country’s best track and field student-athletes from 40-plus states and Canadian provinces—all of them looking to run, hurdle, jump, throw, and walk their way to titles and All-American honors in 48 boys’ and girls’ championship events, plus 40 more Emerging Elite and Freshman events. Elijah is the first athlete in Avon’s history to qualify for an individual event at NBIN. He ran in heat three of seven for the men’s Emerging Elite 60 meter dash. He finished with a time of 7.05 seconds, third in his heat and 13th overall.
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“Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys” Headmaster LaRocque to Retire in 2019 By Morgan C. Cugell
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inslow Homer’s Snap the Whip hangs on the wall of Headmaster Ken LaRocque’s office. It depicts a group of boys in front of a little red schoolhouse, engaged in a spirited game of snap the whip, requiring teamwork, strength, and courage.
Ken is quick to analyze the painting. “It’s a perfect portrayal of boys and particularly life at this school. Boys are active; they’re physical. They play. They compete. They’re throwing caution to the wind, and they don’t know where they’re going to end up—they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” He also notes the girls watching from afar in the background of the painting, who are looking on in disbelief, not understanding the boys or their nature at all. It’s clear the artwork is special to Ken. “I’m taking that with me when I go!” he jokes. And go he will. But not until June 30, 2019, when he will retire after nearly 40 years of service to Avon Old Farms School, with more than half those years spent at its helm as headmaster. While the search is on for someone to fill those very large shoes, Ken reflects on what has changed—and what has stayed the same—as he and the school have grown together. The Avonian Spring 2018
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was raised in the tightly knit blue collar community of Chicopee, Mass., the son of a barber and a factory worker. He planned to attend state college—as was the typical practice of most in his town—and would be the first of his family to attend college. The family dentist, Bob Rafferty, encouraged Ken to consider other options. “Bob had graduated from Harvard, so he took me up there for an interview, and he took me to Exeter for an interview,” Ken explains. “I ended up going to Exeter for a post-graduate year.” The experience at Exeter, though brief, proved to be instrumental for Ken. “I always look back at it fondly,” he says. “I knew that it was a very satisfying educational environment for me.” A scholar-athlete at Exeter, Ken matriculated to Harvard College, where he got his first exposure to working with students. As part of his financial aid package, he participated in work-study programs. “I could have worked in the library or with one of my professors, but I decided I wanted to be off campus and get into the city.” He spent much of his college career working with troubled young people through various programs, including the Cambridge YMCA, the Department of Youth services in Massachusetts, and the Charles River Academy in Central Square in Cambridge. He received his B.A. from Harvard in 1975 and went to work at the Rectory School that fall. He attempted to join the Peace Corps first but wasn’t admitted with his government degree. “It didn’t qualify me to be useful there,” he says. “So instead I ended up going to work for John Green, a former Avon administrator, who was then at Rectory.” So began Ken’s career in independent schools. After four years at Rectory, Ken left for graduate school, earning his M.Ed. from Harvard in 1981. Throughout his graduate studies, he continued his exploration of adolescent development, an interest piqued during his undergraduate workstudy years. “I knew I was going to work with young men by then. I probably knew it before then. But I don’t think there was any moment when the switch was flipped, and I realized it was my life’s work,” he observes. “I just found working with adolescent males very satisfying, and the idea of working in the corporate world never appealed to me. I think it goes back to enjoying my childhood. I always had strong friendships, and I’ve always been involved in and done well in school and athletics, so I’m in an environment where I see young men struggling with a lot of the same issues I’ve struggled with, and my close friends have struggled with, and I think that it is very satisfying to be involved in this endeavor of helping boys develop into men.” 14
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Ken talks the talk, but more importantly walks the walk. The differentiator for Avon, which is embodied in Ken, is the emphasis on not only academic excellence but also values. Ken is ethical, warm, funny, understated, kind, intelligent, sympathetic, flexible, genuine, dignified, loyal, and consistent. He sets the bar high for a headmaster and thereby reflects the values that are distinctive to Avon. It was a privilege to serve as a trustee on his watch, particularly because I didn’t qualify as a student—he didn’t arrive in time for the Class of 1958!” Stephen Lash ’58, Board of Directors (Hon.)
Over the last 20 years, as a parent, board member, and board chairman, I've watched Ken lead Avon Old Farms. He is an authentic leader, striving to make a positive contribution each day in the lives of our students, their families, and the broader Avon community. His tenure has been transformational for our school. His impact has been both obvious to many and less visible to most. Ken has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of our school, including the academic programs, arts and sciences curriculums, faculty and staff, facilities, athletic teams, and our endowment. Each day, he is focused on how our school can be the best college preparatory school for boys." Marty Cole H’16, P’04, Chairman, Board of Directors
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Ken came to Avon in 1981, after meeting then-Headmaster George Trautman at an NAIS conference. He was hired as a math teacher, coach, and dorm head, with a promise of consideration for an administrative position. Over the years, he has taught regular and honor sections of mathematics; coached football, basketball, and lacrosse at various levels; was dean of students and director of college counseling; and was provost (assistant headmaster) for five years prior to being named head in 1998. He and his wife, Heidi, were married in 1990 and raised three children in a blended family: son Nicholas ’01; daughter Lexie, who graduated from the Ethel Walker School in 2001; and son Benjamin ’10. To this day, Ken’s early experiences continue to resonate in his educational approach. “I was always a scholarship student, so I take a look at those boys, and I understand them, and I relate to them, and I think I connect with them very well,” he comments. “And while some people think my expectations for them are too high, I certainly don’t, because I’ve been there. I just want to make sure they take advantage of the opportunities that we have here. And it really is fulfilling when you see them make it.”
In
There are a few people I respect as much as Ken, but there is no one I know personally that I respect more. He is a role model for boys, young men and society. I’ve known Ken as a parent, board member, and friend. As I was thinking about how he fills all those roles with such presence, it made me ponder how many other hats Ken wears? And how many other people he interacts with—on so many levels—who walk away in awe of how he handled the situation. Whatever hats Ken wears in the next chapter of his life—and I’m sure there will be many—I know he will don them with distinction. He’s that kind of guy. “Thank you, Ken, for all you have given to Avon Old Farms School. Your legacy is everlasting. Fortunately, you can’t retire from being my friend! I hope that friendship continues for many years to come.” Kitty Ordway P'04, Board of Directors
Ken, Heidi, and their son Ben take on the Snake River in Wyoming with Kitty Ordway and her husband, Jim Sadler.
his very first Letter from the Headmaster, in the fall 1998 issue of the Avonian, Ken acknowledged the enormity of his charge with reverence, respect, and the promise of forward progress: “In the future, we certainly need to continue to integrate technology into all aspects of life here. Surely, we also need to continue to take advantage of the exciting new research being done in the field of boys’ education and male learning styles. And yes, we need to complete a strategic planning process, which will help us identify facility and program needs as we head into the 21st century. Then we need to find a way to fund our needs. “But most of all, we need to continue to be a place where our students can prepare themselves to become responsible citizens and leaders of society. We must be a place concerned with building character, helping students build an ethical framework to guide them through the moral maze life will present. If we fail to teach our students the important lessons of life, we fail them utterly. It doesn’t matter what college they go to or how much money they make. Without the proper values, they will fail as people. “At Avon, our job is to connect our students with each other, with positive adult role models, and with a community built on values and mutual respect. We need to nourish our students’ souls, and that can happen only by helping them become part of a nurturing, connected culture. … Together with the faculty and staff here, I promise to continue to care about and to cultivate the moral and ethical development of our students above all else.” In the last two decades as headmaster—and, indeed, in his close to 40 years at AOF—Ken has made good on that promise. He’s helped transform the campus with exceptional new facilities to the meet the needs of today’s students; spearheaded a $60 million capital campaign that brought in $72 million; bolstered the academic, arts, and residential life programs so that our students receive not only an academically superior experience but also a character-driven education; and worked to further the winning tradition of athletics that has long been synonymous with Avon Old Farms School. The Avonian Spring 2018
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Good leadership requires a clear commitment to the principles of both the overall program and the daily progress of the people. It can be said that leadership is not only about translating vision into reality but also about making other people better. Ken has paid careful attention to both objectives, as his influence has not only driven Avon to be a special school and community but also improved the lives of thousands of Avonians. This combination leaves a powerful legacy, and I will be forever grateful to know him as a mentor, colleague, and friend. “While Ken’s overall vision and routine guidance has inspired Avon to be the ‘best school for boys,’ it is the manner in which he responds to crises that I find so impressive. Unfortunately, as headmaster, there are some difficult days and serious circumstances that require clear thinking and composed responses. It is in
these moments when people look to the leader for clarity and guidance. I have witnessed Ken lead the school through fires, floods, and super-storms; I marveled at his composure in directing the community on 9/11 and the many difficult days that followed; I admired his commitment to mission when dealing with mistakes made by valued members of our community. It was in these particular moments, that his strength of character, humanity, and commitment to our mission gave an uncertain community the confidence and direction it needed to move forward. Put simply, we all knew we would be OK because of Ken’s skillful words and measured actions. “These difficult moments are balanced by times I treasure as so much fun! Ken has a playful side to him that is irresistibly charming. When he sheds the coat and tie and you see him wearing a Hawaiian shirt, be prepared!”
Robert Dowling ’91, P’21, Provost
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Ken has made every effort to maintain the close relationships between students and the faculty, who teach, coach, and run the dormitories. In that way, the faculty are able to get to know the students so well, which helps instill what I called ‘school spirit’ and what Ken now refers to as ‘brotherhood.’ The faculty become incredible role models and mentors for the students, and that’s how schools become successful—and Ken fully supports that. The fact is, the school wouldn’t have been able to thrive without his leadership as headmaster. He is thoughtful and intelligent and has a mental toughness unlike anyone else.” George Trautman ’98H, P’75, ’81, GP ’01, Major Gifts Officer, Former Headmaster, Avon Old Farms School
Ken is the quintessential headmaster, and that is not a label I generously offer. His moral compass is always properly calibrated, and he governs without fail by asking the question, ‘Is it mission appropriate?’ His close relationship with the students, their families, our alumni, and our employees is truly beyond comprehension. While his shoes will be very large to fill, Ken leaves the school in an incredibly strong place, and his legacy will live on for a long time to come. It has been an honor to work with Ken, even when he chastises me almost daily for enjoying too many of the famous Avon Old Farms cookies!” Robert Orenstein, Chief Financial Officer
“I love the school. And I think that is the essence of why I want to be headmaster,” he said at the time of his investiture in 1998. “I understand our mission and our school culture. I understand our core principles and values and they are very much in line with my own, so it’s a match. I believe very strongly in single-sex education and I know that the culture of this school really serves boys developing into men. “We have always talked about teachers being role models for students,” he continued. “And I think that is absolutely true, and it’s one of the benefits that we have because of our small size and the rapport that exists between students and teachers. But I think, conversely, students also have been role models for teachers and for administrators. And every single faculty member here, I’m sure, can look back over his or her years of service and point to some boys who just were really inspiring figures for them. I certainly can. Every single year, there are those young men you see every single day stretching themselves, putting themselves at risk in the classroom, on the playing fields, in the dormitories, standing up for what’s right, speaking out when it’s not popular, and that’s really inspiring. And you look at yourself and you say, OK, well if they’re putting themselves out on the line, certainly I ought to be able to do that.” The give and take relationship between students and faculty has guided Ken throughout his career, particularly during his years as headmaster. “I really see myself in terms of a leader empowering the faculty, other administrators, and the students,” he explains. It’s his job to figure out how best to empower them. He starts, of The Avonian Spring 2018
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What I admire most about Ken—and what I’ve had the privilege to witness over the many years spent working with him—is his ability to handle the complexities of running the school with such strong leadership. He has to make so many decisions at such a fast pace, from the daily operations to larger scale challenges. At times, it can best be described as organized chaos. But every decision he makes always goes back to the mission of the school and what’s best for the boys—and those decisions are influenced by his personal values as well. He is unafraid to take a stand and do what’s right. Ken has a moral compass that never wavers. He is kind, generous, and humble. He possesses tremendous courage. He is a champion of every student, faculty, and staff member. Ken embodies, in his heart, all the core values of AOF, and future generations will benefit from his impressive legacy.” Anne Townsend, Assistant to the Headmaster
course, with the students. Ken’s impact extends far beyond the buildings, programs, and fundraising. In fact, he’s most proud of the way he has helped transformed Avon Old Farms School into one of the leaders in the education of boys. He has spent the better part of his career studying boys and the ways they learn best. Avon Old Farms is a sustaining member of the International Boys School Coalition (IBSC); Ken served on its board for eight years and each year sends several faculty members to its annual global conference. At Ken’s investiture in 1998, Rick Hawley— another sustaining member and the first president of the IBSC—was the keynote speaker. Hawley, the leader of the boys’ school movement and a renowned author on the subject—including the oft-referenced Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys—has been an inspiration to Ken over the many years he has dedicated himself to what he explains is one of the most important of his personal missions: “to explode the myths that abound about boys’ schools and masculinity.” It’s clear that Ken’s focus is, and always has been, making Avon the best school for boys. That has never wavered. “We want to focus on the reason we exist,” he explains. “We’re student focused, of course, but our students are boys. That’s how we want to identify ourselves. We want to be the best school for boys, and articulate what that means. We want to dispel old myths of masculinity and allow the boys to re-create it. Boys becoming good men is a part of our culture. “We really do push boys to grow and become independent. It works, and it’s what boys need,” says Ken. “We’re not going to solve 20
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all their problems for them. We’re here to support them and serve as role models. Hopefully, in simply being there for them in those ways, we empower them to find their own solutions. Our mission is to provide young men with opportunities to stretch themselves and to challenge them in every aspect of their lives, certainly in the classroom. Our philosophy has always been to push our students hard. We are essentially asking them to take risks because they’re not always sure they’re going to make it. But just as we ask a lot of them, we support them in every way possible. What they discover is that they can take these risks—academic, athletic, social—and succeed. Once they have experience with their own success, their confidence grows naturally. Once students become comfortable with the culture and develop a genuine sense of belonging, they begin to embrace the school philosophy. When that connection is made, they develop a sense of pride, not only in their school but most important, also in themselves. “Our mission is shared, and our strength is in our community,” states Ken. “We share that mission because we are such a strong community. From the teachers and administrators to the parents, the Board of Directors, the alumni, and the staff from dining services to maintenance and everyone in between, we are all working together to make this school the best it can be and do what’s best for the boys. I’m the one who is charged with articulating our mission to our entire constituency, and I try to do that consistently throughout the year. I remind the faculty at our opening meeting; we talk about it at the meetings with the new students and the returners each year.
I was a member of the AOF Board of Directors back in 1997-1998 when we were looking for a new headmaster to follow the legendary George Trautman. Ken was the clear choice for the Board for many reasons, and it was obvious that he was the right man at the right time to lead the school into the new millennium. “Ken and I spent several hours together talking about the opportunities open to AOF and how to galvanize the school to move boldly into the future. AOF was steeped in tradition, but our conversations focused primarily on the need for and importance of core values, both for him and for the school. Ken quickly grasped the centrality of strong, consistent, ethical core values as the basis for the school’s mission. I recall him looking at me during one of those conversations and saying, ‘Then everything we do educationally, socially, athletically … everything we do every day has to reflect, support, and amplify our core values because they are the foundation for all we do.’ He is smart and he got it instantly. “I smiled and asked him to see if he would make a
short, tight list of core values that reflected the traditions and fabric of AOF to set the stage for all the actions he, as headmaster, would undertake to lead the school forward. Ken was … and is … amazing. He crafted a list of core values that has stood the test of time. He fostered and reinforced them with faculty, students, parents, and the Board. He cemented these core values on top of the AOF traditions he had come to understand and love. And, in so doing, he provided the guiding principles of what have been two decades of unparalleled leadership at AOF. “Many things have changed at AOF over the more than 30 years I will have been connected to the school as a parent, faculty husband, board member, and next year as a grandparent. Things will continue to change, but the core values Ken has established will remain the basis for all that will be done going forward. And, when the boys become men, they will reflect these values in all they do because they will hear them echo and resonate in their minds: ‘Now we gather, men of Avon, men of honor, men of will.’ They will be true Men of Avon, who were taught and lived by solid core values established by Ken.”
Les Custler P’91
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I have had the opportunity to work with, observe, and appreciate Ken from a singular position since returning to Avon in 2009. Having served as a headmaster myself, I know, full well, the challenges that he has faced during his long tenure. What impresses me most is Ken’s ability to handle myriad responsibilities with balance, tact, and grace. That he knows each student by name and can rattle off details regarding that boy’s family, academic status, sports involvement, and extracurricular activities sets him apart from his counterparts. While in his current post, Ken has grown the school, the endowment, the academic offerings, the physical plant, and Avon’s reputation. What more can be said ... he is respected by his fellow headmasters throughout the nation and beyond. As he departs, he should do so with a definite sense of accomplishment and pride. That he has earned all this and more cannot be doubted.” Dr. Henry “Skip” Flanagan, Dean
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We discuss it at family weekend with the parents. We are always placing that emphasis on our core values. “The way I see it, if you're going to lead a school or an organization, you better make sure you agree with that mission and it is one that you all believe in.” So, what does Avon do differently? Over the last 20 years, Ken has made a number of changes designed to better serve the needs of boys and elevate Avon Old Farms School. He was the driving force behind the school’s first major capital campaign—the result of a strategic planning process spearheaded by Ken—which surpassed its $60 million goal, raising $72 million in 10 years and providing the funds to transform the campus and its programs with the additions of the Ordway Science and Technology Center, the Beatson Performing Arts Center, the Brown Student Center, the Field House, many of the athletic facilities, and more. He won’t take any credit for those buildings, of course, but instead applauds the many people involved in helping get those monumental projects off the ground, so to speak. He was also an integral part of the creation of the most recent capital campaign, which launched its public phase this spring and will once again dramatically improve many aspects of life at Avon, from physical changes on campus to enhanced faculty support to raising the school’s endowment, which will provide more financial aid for more students. The goals are lofty, but they reflect Ken’s philosophy with regard to change. “When I want to do something, I want to do it well and do it right. At times, that means spending more time or more money,” he explains. He recalls standing in his office, overlooking what was then the Board Room, beginning the strategic planning process with the Board of Directors. “Here I was, the new headmaster, talking on and on about everything we needed to accomplish. New buildings. Faculty housing. Endowment. All of it requiring all this money. And I looked around and it was just dead silent. “Reed Estabrook spoke first,” Ken continues. “He said, ‘My God, Ken, I don’t know if we should cry or clap! But I think we should clap.’” It was just a glimpse of what was to come and of Ken’s passion, dedication, and persistence in doing what’s right for the school and for the boys—such as the shifting dynamic toward a more multicultural student body. “Increasing scholarship and increasing diversity have always been a part of our mission, and I think we’ve been really successful with that. We want people understanding and appreciating each other. I think we need to do more of that. We need to hear each others stories.” He also encouraged a transition to a vertical housing system, as a result of his work with the IBSC, to embrace what Australia and the United Kingdom refer to as the pastoral part of residential life. “We want to empower all the upperclassmen to mentor younger students,” he notes. “The idea is that they will then pay it forward. We give the students—all the students, not just the dormitory monitors—the responsibility to be leaders and teach each other what it means to be a Man of Avon.”
Ken LaRocque and Peter Evans catch a Winged Beavers game.
I have long thought that Ken as headmaster has been a master of change without change. During his tenure, we have updated almost everything we do, but we have done it without changing who we are as a school. We have tinkered with the Mission Statement, but the mission itself remains the same.” Arthur Custer P’04, ’05, ’10, Dean of Curriculum and Instruction
I have worked closely with Ken LaRocque as a colleague and as a friend for more than 30 years, first in college counseling for some 10 years and then in development for more than 20 years. Ken is easily one of the most morally upright people I have ever known, invariably driven by instinct to do the ‘right thing,’ regardless of whether or not it is the ‘hard thing.’ He is the quintessential good man, an outstanding role model for 400 boys as well as all who work within the Avon Old Farms community. “Leading Avon is akin to running a small country, constantly dealing with a myriad of issues and challenges while maintaining effective relationships with multiple constituencies: students, faculty, parents, alumni, trustees, other schools, and the town of Avon. Ken has been brilliant in this capacity, and Avon has soared impressively under his leadership over the past two decades. In addition to spectacular and, indeed, transformative new facilities built under his watch— Ordway Science and Technology Center, Brown Student Center, Athletic Complex and Field House, Beatson
Performing Arts Center, Woodworking and Digital Arts Center, Carrioulo and Ryan Fields—he’s also helped to introduce exciting new initiatives such as Robotics and Engineering and Intersession. Our academic programs have advanced in all disciplines; Avon athletics have continued to be a force in the independent school world; and the rapid evolution of the arts—visual, musical, and dramatic—has been stunning while providing us with a vitally important programmatic balance. Ken has presided over all of these changes while carefully securing the fundamentals that nurture a wholesome and inclusive school community and make Avon the unique boys’ boarding school that it is. “It all starts at morning meeting. I cannot imagine another secondary school headmaster knowing every student by name, as well as something about each one of them, and greeting them—all 400—at the door before morning meeting every day. He then speaks thoughtfully to the school community about values and important relevant issues, both within and outside the school. This is where his powerful leadership starts.”
Peter Evans P’98, Dean, Principal Gifts Officer
There is a saying in the East: ‘The teacher appears when the student is willing to learn.' I think of Ken’s ascension to headmaster as a derivation of that saying. If we look back at the history of AOF, there have been three distinct periods, each defined by the headmaster. The first phase, the building phase, was led by Don Pierpont. The next phase, I will call it the growth and strengthen phase, was led by George Trautman. These first phases established Avon as a credible boys boarding school. They created the foundation for greatness. What Ken did in his tenure was make Avon truly great. It is a well respected, well rounded, worldrenowned school for boys. Never in our history have we been so balanced with academics, sports, arts, and inclusivity. Ken led this metamorphosis.
"I have spent countless hours with Ken over the years, and the things that impress me most about him are his integrity, his work ethic, and his empathy. Ken is an amazing combination of those traits, and the result is a headmaster who knows all of the boys names by the second week in school. He is usually the first up for breakfast and the last one walking the campus at night. He sets examples for the rest of the community. He not only manages the affairs of the school, but also leads the school through his actions and words. "While I will greatly miss him in his role as headmaster, I am forever grateful for what he has done for our school. But I am also grateful that in Ken I have a lifelong friend. I want to thank him sincerely for both, as they are gifts that I will always cherish.”
Brian Conroy ’82, ’13H, Former Chairman, Board of Directors
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The performing arts at Avon is now an award-winning program reaching new heights and seeing performances at venues such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and sending students on trips around the world. The visual arts program is thriving as well, with considerable recognition at the state and national level each year. We’ve added programs such as woodworking—complete with a state-of-the-art studio—so boys learn to use their hands, and the poetry recitation contest, so they are free to explore their emotions through literature. Clubs and student-run organizations on campus give boys the chance to take on leadership positions typically held by girls, such as on the yearbook or student newspaper. Ken instituted Headmaster’s Dinners to help students begin to find their voices and then use them in classrooms, on the athletic fields, in their clubs, and in meetings. One of Ken’s top priorities has been to ensure that the character education boys receive at Avon is of equal importance to the academic one; he often cites an Emerson quote that has guided him throughout his life and as an educator: “Character is higher than intellect.” He’s organized programs and guest presentations that speak to boys and their unique personalities while also addressing larger issues, from race and gender equality to bullying and substance abuse. He’s also helped expand the school’s roster of outreach opportunities, from Toys for Tots—a program he began some 30 years ago that, today, regularly raises tens of thousands of dollars for a local organization—to tutoring students in Hartford to Special Olympics to Relay for Life. “There’s something for everyone,” he observes. There’s no community service graduation requirement for Avon students; “that’s the wrong way to do that,” states Ken. “But still, the boys all participate. They want to be a part of something larger, and we understand that. We help them reach out and find the opportunities that speak to them.” No discussion of change would be complete without mentioning the extraordinary strides Ken has taken to ensure that Avon’s academic experience continues to move forward and becomes more competitive with each passing year. “We’ve made a paradigm shift with regard to who teaches here,” he observes. “It’s a definite balance of veterans and new teachers. This past year, we had one entry-level teacher. We’ve enhanced our performance review program, which extends all the way to coaches and in residential life; we’ve strengthened the role of the department heads, so they’re more involved in observation, curriculum development, and content. We’re taking major steps to improve the quality of education that is delivered here, helping support teachers with professional development opportunities and helping them identify measurable ways they can improve in the classroom. “The academic program has been improved dramatically and thoughtfully, with attention to best practices specifically for boys, who we know are relational learners,” Ken says. And, he jokes, “we’ve done it all while our athletic teams continue to flourish throughout the seasons.” He’s not wrong there — during the LaRocque years, the Winged Beavers captured six of their eight New England hockey championships, a historic first New England track and field title, a national high school squash title, and dozens of conference or division titles
For me, Ken LaRocque’s time at Avon Old Farms School has a profound personal dimension. When I was a student, he was my teacher, coach, and college mentor. In this capacity, like he has done for so many over the years, he changed the course of my life. Years later, and for over a decade now, as a trustee, I have had the privilege of working with him as he has fulfilled enormous responsibilities in his role as headmaster. I have witnessed firsthand his leadership, work ethic, and strength of character and his incredible resolve and determination as he charted a visionary course to modernize the school’s academic and extra-curricular life and spearheaded the historic physical plant renovations—initiatives that will enhance the educational experience of future Avonians for generations to come. In the long and proud history of Avon Old Farms School, few men have made a more enduring contribution or will have a more lasting legacy. Avon Old Farms School prides itself on being the best school for boys in the nation—and it is, in no small part, because of Ken LaRocque.” Dean Graham '84, Former Chairman, Board of Directors
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Ken learned how to become a headmaster from the legendary George Trautman during the 17 years Ken served as a teacher, coach, and dormitory head; director of college counseling; and dean of students. He has held onto the belief that young men should be kept busy, and boys are expected to sit down together for meals, and attend morning meeting or chapel during the week and Vespers service on Sunday evenings. They’re required to be involved in a team sport, school play, yearbook, or an approved afternoon activity and, of course, are assigned a school job. “Ken is one of the few headmasters who will take the time to get to know every boy by name and greet the boys every morning as they enter the theater or chapel for morning meeting. He believes that the real base of power in a good school is with the boys. If you could work with the boys, you were really the headmaster. One of the hallmarks of Ken’s tenure has been to expect a certain kind of behavior from the boys:
whether it relates to how you treat each other or adults or what kind of sportsmanship you show on the field—you treat all with respect. Avon’s core values of brotherhood, scholarship, integrity, and sportsmanship have been a main focus on the campus, and Ken has stressed the importance of teaching this on a daily basis and making sure it is part of the moral fiber of every Avonian. “Ken has followed in the footsteps of two great headmasters (Don Pierpont and George Trautman), and the school has not skipped a beat with him at the helm. He has continued to dedicate himself to the mission of making Avon Old Farms the best boys school in the nation, and as an Avon alum, I believe we have reached that lofty goal. The legacy of Kenneth LaRocque will forever be etched in the history of the school for not only the additions made to the physical plant and the academic achievements but also perhaps his best accomplishment: the way he served as a positive, hardworking, and morally strong role model for thousands of Men of Avon.”
Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’07, Alumni Relations Officer
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and postseason appearances in soccer, football, baseball, and lacrosse. Avon’s teams have won more than 30 league and New England championships combined over the last 15 years. For as much as Ken has worked tirelessly to improve the experiences of the students, he is also incredibly dedicated to the faculty and staff, who he cites as the heart and soul of Avon Old Farms School. “The triple threat model of the independent school model flourishes here. The same people who teach our students also coach them, work with them in the arts, advise them in the dormitories, eat with them, chaperone them on weekend activities, greet them in the morning, and say good night to them when they retire. From early in the morning to late at night, our students enjoy a rich array of role models from which to choose. These individuals work 12 and 14 hour days and commit themselves enthusiastically to our students. The relationships that are forged are rich and lasting. “I can honestly say to you that I don’t know of another school that focuses on community more than we do,” Ken notes. “All of our programs are designed to nurture the spirit of community. We are a family and believe that coming together each day is important. The whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. We all know each other, we have a sense of belonging, we have a sense of pride, and that makes us effective in all that we do.” The sense of community—of togetherness—fostered here in what Ken fondly calls our “village” extends equally to the faculty, the staff, and the many families (and dogs!)
Peter and I have known Ken both as a trusted and hardworking colleague and later as a wonderful headmaster who worked hard to know each student as well as staff and faculty family members. We knew he would be a good headmaster before he took on that job in 1998. We had no idea then, though, what a great headmaster he would prove to be. I remember his first day as headmaster; he got to morning meeting extra early to greet each student and faculty member. I thought to myself, ‘What a great way to set the tone for the school and lead from the front.’ But that habit of Ken’s happened not just at morning meeting on his first day as head but every day thereafter. He often knows not just the boys’ names but also how they are doing and something about their habits—for example, ‘If you are looking for John, he tends to come late!’ It is a supreme juggling act to be a headmaster, and Ken has handled the job with grace, grit, and aplomb. I liken being headmaster to ruling a small country; he must make so many decisions each day! His decisions are based on what is best for the boys, but he also always considers parents, alumni, and faculty and staff. “Ken asks the boys about the Golden Rule when they first arrive on campus at the new boys’ meeting. He lives it himself. One of the qualities I admire most in Ken is his empathy for others. He has always made himself accessible, and he really listens and cares about others. As a faculty member, you know where to find him, and you know he will always listen. “He will be a very hard act to follow!” Sue Evans P’98
I have had the privilege of working with many accomplished people throughout my business and academic career; however, none of those people better exemplify the qualities of integrity and character, which we hold so dear at this school, than Ken LaRocque. In addition to serving Avon Old Farms School in my academic capacity, I also served as Ken’s interim chief financial officer and director of development. I came to know, respect, and admire his courage to make tough decisions as well as his unremitting conviction to make those decisions in the context of what was best for the young men of this school. Though we will long remember Ken’s accomplishments in helping to secure the financial future of Avon Old Farms School while concurrently enhancing its academic, artistic, and athletic achievements and prestige, his legacy will remain the scores of young boys who grew into honorable and accomplished young men under his leadership and tutelage.” Glenn Sieber P’17, Chairman, Department of Mathematics
who call campus home. He is eager to make this a home for all. He has extended the tuition remission program to include staff children; he hands out Christmas presents to every single AOF employee; faculty and staff members present their sons with diplomas at graduations. Faculty salaries are comparable to other ABOPS schools; the benefits packages are unparalleled. Huge progress has been made in faculty housing. “The truth is that individual recognition isn’t the spirit of this community,” Ken observes. “Team spirit reigns at Avon. Everyone here knows that we pull together, always, and go above and beyond the call of duty to serve our students, and that spirit is special.” The relationships that develop are particularly important on the harder days, of which there have been a few throughout Ken’s tenure. The 2001 commencement ceremony comes to mind, when Ken’s own son, Nick, was graduating: family were coming into town, parties were being planned, and Ken was struggling with the emotions of the impending day. Michael Thompson, the author of Raising Cain, was the graduation speaker, and the forecast showed a chance for rain, so Ken had to decide whether or not to hold the ceremony outdoors. He got a call at 5:30 a.m. on Commencement morning that a student’s father had died. “All of a sudden, the angst about the weather, the commotion about the family and graduation—that all just stops. And you know that you have to knock on his door and tell him that his father died. It put things in perspective.” On a school-wide scale—when ‘pulling together’ becomes of 28
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paramount importance—Ken mentions the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the 2007 Brown House fire as two of the biggest challenges. “People felt violated” he explains. “We needed to help the community mourn while also forming the appropriate institutional response. “In a crisis, that's the burden of leadership,” he observes. “In tough times like that, it’s on your shoulders. You know that you need to work with others, but ultimately, you need to be the leader; you need to form the institutional response in terms of this community. That can be tough when trying to handle my own personal feelings at the same time.” On the whole, the years at Avon have been good to the LaRocques, and leaving will be bittersweet. What will retirement look like? At the moment, that is unclear. They’ve purchased a home in Saratoga Springs, New York, and will head there when the time comes. Ken wants to travel with Heidi—without having to work and raise money. He’s considering community service projects. And of course, there are the grandkids. At the advice of other former headmasters, he’s pledged not to work for an entire year. “They’ve all told me, ‘Ken, do yourself a favor; give yourself the chance to breathe and ground yourself and take a fresh look and perspective before you make your next steps.’ And that’s what’s important to me. “When life gets to be about me, I know something needs to change,” he states. “As long as my life is other-centered, I’m going to be happy.”
Ken LaRocque was the right man in the right place at the right time. His leadership brought Avon to new heights and made Avon ‘the best school for boys.’ Ken’s legacy is how Avon has taken its rightful place in the arts, music, sports, and academics. By promoting new and updated academic programs, Ken ensured that Avon students will be prepared for the world of tomorrow. When you look back at all the changes that took place over Ken’s tenure, his career at Avon has been truly remarkable. Working with Ken was an honor and a pleasure.” Rolf Olson ’59, Former Chairman, Board of Directors
On
his very first day as headmaster, Ken LaRocque stood outside of morning meeting and took the time to greet every student. As the year drew on, he learned each and every one of their names; soon, he would know details about them, like what sports they played or where their families were from or what they worried about in class. Now, 20 years later, his mornings remain the same. He offers a smile or a handshake, asks a question about yesterday’s game, offers a comment on a particular choice of tie—or a firm suggestion that, perhaps, an outfit change is in order. Throughout the day, he is on the phone; he is in meetings. He wanders the dorms, he eats his meals in the Refectory, he cheers on the sidelines alongside the Avon Army. He walks the campus alone or with Heidi or any number of the family dogs that have been lucky enough to catch a ball on the Village Green, undoubtedly with each step both getting his exercise and also thinking about what’s next on his never-ending to-do list. In nearly 40 years, the campus has changed; the students have come and gone. The challenges have been many; the triumphs, extraordinary. Through it all, Ken has led the community with conviction, with integrity, with composure. And always with passion. When the day comes to say good bye, he will leave Avon Old Farms School having impacted the lives of thousands of students, faculty members, and friends and transformed the school into the powerhouse it has become today—and this Village will always welcome him home.
From the Headmaster‌
A Special Tradition
As
I look back over my years as headmaster of Avon Old Farms and the different traditions I established, our Headmaster’s Dinners stand out as one of the important traditions that has become engrained in our school culture. For my first several years as headmaster, these dinners were smaller and were held in my living room (thank you, Heidi!). Since 2008, they have been held in the Commons Room to relieve pressure on our food service staff as larger groups can be accommodated. I host these dinners
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during the winter term to provide our students and their advisors the opportunity to enjoy a special meal together away from the Refectory. We begin these gatherings with a reception, including hors d’oeuvres, mocktails, and the chance to mingle and enjoy each other’s company. During dinner, students sit with their advisors while the dormitory and day student monitors sit with me. The monitors decide on which questions I will pose to the students following dessert. The valuable part of the evening for all involved, but especially for the boys, takes place after dinner when we introduce ourselves and reflect on the questions that the monitors have chosen. When you are 14, it is no easy task to stand up confidently in front of The Avonian Spring 2018
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dozens of students and faculty; introduce yourself; share with the crowd your name, your class, and your hometown; and then answer a couple of questions with which you have just been presented. The questions I encourage our monitors to search for are questions that will elicit a unique response from each student. Among the questions asked this past winter were the following: “What is your favorite chapel talk and why?” “If you could dine with any person in the world, alive or dead, who would it be and why?” “What is one fear that you have that is preventing you from being as successful as you want to be, and how might you overcome this fear?” “What is one thing that you are involved in at school today that you would never have imagined yourself doing prior to attending AOF?” 32
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Our boys and faculty participate in these dinners courageously, answering questions honestly, taking risks, exposing themselves and their vulnerabilities, and in doing so, they share their stories with each other. One of the valuable lessons learned at the Headmaster’s Dinners is that while strong relationships develop at Avon, they are often school-based, depending on our dormitories, teams, classes, or clubs, but that in order to truly know their brothers, students need to share each other’s life stories. Headmaster’s Dinners are not only an opportunity for students to share their stories, but also an opportunity for students to find their voice. I end most dinners by thanking the boys for their efforts, acknowledging that public speaking is
not an easy skill to develop for anyone, and that it is extremely difficult for some. I let them know that they all have unique gifts, but that those gifts will remain a secret until they find the courage to share them with the world. Therefore, overcoming one’s fear of public speaking and gaining comfort with one’s public voice is a giant step to becoming a man. There are enduring traditions at Avon that distinguish the unique experience that our boys receive during their time in our community. Over the past 20 years, new traditions have emerged, such as poetry contests and Headmaster’s Holidays, and among them, the Headmaster’s Dinner may be the most valuable in building community and promoting personal growth. The Avonian Spring 2018
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Faculty Focus
Art Mehos By Morgan C. Cugell
W
hen Art Mehos graduated from Boston University in 1987, he was certain he was headed for a career in sports. “As a lifelong sports enthusiast, my first professional interest after college was to get into sports media,” he comments. “I took a job out of college with a radio station on the South Shore of Massachusetts. They were an emerging sports radio station, and I had all the duties of a first-year employee. I was, however, given the opportunity to be on the air and host the show, and there was a call-in aspect, so that was fun. “While in college, I was the sports director at WTBU,” he continues, “and I broadcasted the hockey games while I was a student. The hours I had at the radio station were 5a.m.—2p.m. I took a basketball coaching job in the afternoon and after three years realized that I liked the coaching more than I liked the radio business. Helping kids is what I decided to do with my professional life.” Though these days he can, at times, be found talking sport, it’s not as a journalist or a commentator, but as a teacher, coach, and mentor for the many young men who come through Avon Old Farms School and find a pal—or fellow doughnutlover—in Mr. Mehos. In the fall of 1989, then-Headmaster George Trautman offered Art a position after he had contacted several private schools looking for work, which was appropriate given his own educational background: he attended Lawrenceville for three years. “That first year at Avon, I taught juniors and sophomores and coached JV football, thirds basketball, and JV baseball,” he notes. “It was in this year that I was blamed for a 73-8 victory my basketball team had over Canterbury’s thirds team. From then on, a one-sided victory from an Avon team was called a ‘Mehos.’ George was not happy.” Despite the incident, Art was named head varsity basketball coach the following year, holding the position until 1999. “We had some great teams over those years,” he recalls. “That first year was really fun—good players and great chemistry. Scott Fanning was my assistant. Rob Dowling ’91 played on the team. We won the Kingswood Invitational Tournament, which was the first and only time in school history we did that. The team finished 18-5
“This is the type of environment I wanted to be in. The relationships available at a place like Avon—with students, faculty, and staff— are special. Community is part of the structure of Avon, and I decided that was the place I wanted to be.”
and lost in the semifinals of the New England Tournament.” In addition to his work as a coach, Art served as the dormitory head in Elephant Dormitory when it was home to 80 boys. Over the course of his years at Avon, Art has been a presence in history classes of hundreds of students and also served as chair of the History Department for five years. He has taught many different classes, including U.S. history, world history, America in conflict, modern presidency, modern Middle East, modern world history, early U.S. history, and Western civilizations honors. He also teaches an Intersession course on the presidency and founded the Young Conservatives Club. He even put his background in radio to work as the head
“Helping a student find his passion and develop his talents, all while having a good time, is a special opportunity.”
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of the school radio station for a few years. Art is currently the head of Jamerson Dorm, where he resides. Art left Avon Old Farms briefly to get his M.A. in history, also from Boston University, and simultaneously worked at St. Mark’s as head varsity football coach and a dorm head. He headed next to Pomfret, where he served as a history teacher and as head varsity football coach. In 2007, Art returned to Avon, and despite the hiatus, it was like coming home again. “What brought me back were the people, collegiality, and community atmosphere available here at Avon,” he explains. “This is the type of environment I wanted to be in. The relationships available at a place like Avon—with students, faculty, and staff—are special. Community is part of the structure of Avon, and I decided that was the place I wanted to be. I have been to other places, and the community here is powerful. I enjoy being part of it, and realized after some other experiences that Avon was where I wanted to be.”
When he’s not on campus, Art heads to his beach house in Newburyport, Mass., and enjoys going to the beach to read the paper or walk his dog each day. He also still often indulges his inner super-fan: “There has never been a free ticket that I have refused, and I go to a lot of college basketball and MLB baseball games,” he says. With the many relationships he fostered over the year— particularly with the underclassmen—it’s not surprising that he is frequently offered those opportunities. “Working with the younger students at Avon is something I really enjoy,” he observes. “I now coach thirds football and JV baseball. My classes are filled with freshmen and sophomores. I get them, and I understand I have a role in integrating them into life here at school. It is a responsibility I take seriously and one that I enjoy. “Helping a student find his passion and develop his talents, all while having a good time, is a special opportunity.”
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Student Spotlight
Jason Gong ’19 By Morgan C. Cugell
“O
ne of my favorite Chinese writers Lu Xun once said, ‘Time is like water in a foam. If you squeeze harder, there’s always more,’” comments Jason Gong ’18. “I totally agree with him. I like being busy. I seldom idle around.” You could say that! Jason is one of the busier students on the Avon campus, and he seems to excel at most everything he decides to dedicate himself to, from the classroom to athletics to his community involvement. A four-year Headmaster’s List student, he has distinguished himself as one of the top scholars in the Class of 2018. He has been honored with a Harvard Book Award, an Award for Excellence in World Religions, an Award for Excellence in Chamber Ensemble, an Award for Excellence in Spanish I, and an Award for Excellence in Advanced Placement Calculus BC. He also stands out on the stage: a four-year member of the Chamber Ensemble, Jason started playing the flute almost 12 years ago, and the passion he feels for both music and the instrument itself are unparalleled. Often a featured soloist during Avon’s concert performances, Jason recalls the challenge of finding his confidence on stage as a younger student but notes that the more time he spends alone in front of the audience, the more his poise—on and off the stage—grows. “I enjoy playing all kinds of music with this instrument, although it is always considered a classical instrument,” he observes. “I truly believe the flute can be different every night. I enjoy sharing my expression of music with the audience. People always think music notes are dead. They aren’t. They are alive and unique in the hands of different musicians. I spend a very long time preparing for the concerts, and knowing the time I spend pays off is always exciting.” When he isn’t studying for an exam or practicing for his next solo, Jason is probably attending a club meeting or a swim team practice. He’s the president of the Environmental Club, leading Avon to three consecutive Green Cup Challenge wins in the last four years, and he’s also the president of the Peer Tutoring Club, matching tutors with students seeking support and assisting in subjects including chemistry, U.S. history, Mandarin, and calculus. Jason is on the robotics team,
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“I enjoy playing all kinds of music with this instrument, although it is always considered a classical instrument. I truly believe the flute can be different every night. I enjoy sharing my expression of music with the audience. People always think music notes are dead. They aren’t. They are alive and unique in the hands of different musicians.”
contributes to the Avon Record, and is a member of the Model UN. He also enjoys his role mentoring younger international students as a dormitory monitor in the Brown House Annex. One of the top breaststroke swimmers on the varsity swim team, Jason was one of only two four-year swimmers on this year’s squad and helped lead his teammates to a second-place finish at the NEPSAC championship this winter. He earned the Coach’s Award this season, a fitting farewell to a sport—and a coach—he has been dedicated to throughout his entire time at Avon. “When the final race was over and Coach Burnham and I hugged, tears just burst from my eyes,” he recalls. “Coach Burnham was the only coach who’s been there all four years. The effort and dedication we’ve put into this program is just unimaginable. Maybe I’ll never be on a team more united— maybe I’ll never hear Mr. Burnham’s pool deck coaching anymore—but the spirit of AOF swimming lives on in both our souls.” Though it can be challenging for some students to manage time with such a busy schedule, Jason seems to thrive on it, thanks to a finely honed method, a conscientious work ethic, and the belief that he is setting himself up for greatness. “When
I want to finish a task, I focus 100 percent on it,” he states. “After finishing one task, I will attack the next one. Academic commitment shouldn’t stop us from doing more extracurricular activities. Instead, the more intense the schedule is, the more productive we actually are. Avon’s schedule is perfect preparation for us going into college, because it shapes students into more disciplined and well-managed young men.” Born and raised in Beijing, Jason has been at Avon for four years. Though he is an integral and extraordinary member of the student body, that didn’t come without struggle—from developing his confidence on stage and in the pool to learning to overcome the challenges of distance. “Being 7,000 miles away from home, I seldom have chances to see my family,” he comments. “At first, I would FaceTime my family very often. However, as the workload increased and I was more adjusted to boarding school life, the level of homesickness decreased accordingly. Now, I help many other foreign students with homesickness. I believe this will not be a challenge for me anymore in college, and I’m grateful for the Avon experience, which prepared me well for the next four years of my life.” Jason will attend New York University this fall, with plans
to major in business and political science. “I’m really passionate about two major issues: improving the urban air environments of China and lifting people out of poverty in rural China,” he explains. “I really see myself as a public policymaker in the future, to help make better living environments for urban Chinese and for those who are less fortunate.” Jason cites his own devotion to Buddhist teachings as crucial to his success everyday—“faith plays a relatively big role in my life,” he says—and Avon’s commitment to a diverse and plentiful curriculum and roster of faculty members as imperative to his success in the bigger picture at school. “It’s important for us to have a true liberal arts education at this stage of life: to try as many interests as possible,” he states. “I’m also extremely grateful for the wonderful faculty at Avon. They feel more like friends rather than teachers. I think close relationships with faculty members are tremendously important for the growth of young men, because we always tend to have someone to look up to as boys. I’m very fortunate to have had many Avon faculty members influence me positively.”
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Alumni Spotlight
Michael Lech ’88 and Chris Stone ’88 By Morgan C. Cugell
Michael Lech ’88 of READCO Portfolio, with Chris Stone ’88 and David Fox of Stone Fox Architects
W
has nurtured the evolution of READCO Portfolio’s full-service hen Mike Lech ’88 and Chris Stone ’88 first real estate development, management, and service companies, attended Avon Old Farms School together operating throughout the Northeast, mid-Atlantic region, and more than 30 years ago, they bonded over the Carolinas. In addition, he has acquired and developed a their shared love of art and design. Little balanced portfolio of commercial real estate that includes retail, did they know back then that their paths would cross once entertainment, office, industrial, and medical office properties. more as professionals—and that friendship would endure and A 1994 graduate of the Rhode Island School of transform into a partnership. This spring, they returned to Design, with a B.A. in Architecture, Chris also studied at campus to celebrate their 30th Reunion—and perhaps even the American University and squeezed in a business meeting Parsons in Paris, where he in person, as progress continues focused on Gothic architecture on their joint venture in as seen through the work of Charlotte: a 20,000-seat open-air the architect and theorist amphitheater that converts into an Viollet-le-Duc. He began his enclosed 10,000-seat auditorium career as a project architect with and offers luxurious, elevated Rafael Viñoly Architects on experiences at every price point. Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center Mike graduated from Syracuse for the Performing Arts and University in 1992. As a part Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2002, of a third-generation real estate Chris and his husband, David development family, he spent his Fox, founded their practice summers as a teenager working on StoneFox Architects, based in construction sites, which laid the Chris Stone ’88 foundation, so to speak, for his New York City. Their work is future professional endeavors. In centered on the fine art and 1997, Mike founded READCO performing arts communities: as an extension of his family’s business. That grew into the designing homes for collectors, commercial galleries, private READCO Portfolio, headquartered in Old Lyme, Conn. Mike museums, and, most recently, performing arts venues.
“I think the feeling of community is my most treasured and lasting experience,” Chris observes. “Spending all your days among friends, playing, working, and learning, is not something that you can easily repeat in a lifetime.”
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“I got to know Mike as a fellow student in the Art Department at Avon,” recalls Chris. “Our shared appreciation of art and design has remained a point of common interest. Over the years, we discussed the idea of working on projects ranging from community building charities to residential development.” Those discussions eventually morphed into ideas, until one day, Chris got what he describes as “the call that nearly knocked me off my chair.” “I’m building a 20,000-seat amphitheater in Charlotte,” Mike said. “Would you be interested in designing it?” “Not only because the project has such great potential but also because the friendship that started at Avon allowed for a high level of trust, I eagerly agreed,” explains Chris. “What followed was a free flow of ideas with Mike often stunning the team of acousticians, engineers, music executives, food services experts, and hotel operators with ideas that seemed, at first sight, outlandish or impossible, but with a little patience and creativity, they proved their beauty. Our most recent iteration started from a text message that I received while on vacation in southern Sicily. Mike sent me a diagram that looked like a Mobius strip in orbit with a dozen satellites. I couldn’t help myself; I had to call Mike to see what this was all about. And so I started sketching a vision for the amphitheater of the future, on a piece of hotel stationary, texting photos back to Mike as the image evolved. “With Mike’s determination and my creative push,” notes Chris, “this concept has attracted the attention of some of the largest entertainment and hospitality groups in the world, and we are positioned to build not one but three amphitheaters.
As Mike will tell you, this is just the start. And if only for the reason that I, my partner David Fox, and the whole StoneFox team get such a kick out of working with Mike, I hope he is right. It’s been a great pleasure.” The feeling, it seems, is mutual. “I’m a huge Chris Stone fan, dating back to Mrs. LaFerriere’s art classes,” explains Mike. “Chris is a gifted artist whom I greatly admired while at Avon. It was apparent back then he was destined for greatness. During our 1984 to 1988 period at Avon, we had an NHL Hall-of-Famer, a Grammy-winning superstar, and Chris Stone. He’s that good.” “I’ve watched Chris’s explosive growth in the Aspen market and the work he and his partner, David Fox, have done with the Aspen Museum of Contemporary Art,” he continues. “This project’s goal is to rethink the traditional amphitheater for the world’s largest concert promoter. The big buzzword today is VIP Heavy. When I think luxury, I think StoneFox. “The collaborative experience working with Chris is one of the best of my career,” notes Mike. “There’s an immediate comfort and trust because of the depth of shared experience. There’s no restraint; we can be creative and take risks that typically take collaborators months or years to develop. Both our companies heavily value the Avon experience. And we both employ fellow Avonians: Andrew Corrigan ’98 at StoneFox, and Roy Hubbard ’07 at READCO. The Avon experience permeates much of what Chris and Mike are doing these days—and both are quick to credit that experience as transformative and integral in
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“The collaborative experience working with Chris is one of the best of my career. There’s an immediate comfort and trust because of the depth of shared experience. There’s no restraint; we can be creative and take risks that typically take collaborators months or years to develop. Both our companies heavily value the Avon experience.” Michael Lech ’88
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their development both as people and professionals, particularly because of the challenges they each faced as students and the faculty members who equipped them with the tools they needed to overcome them. Chris recalls his first impression as clearly as if were yesterday. “I remember arriving through the north entrance and first seeing the water tower and gatehouse,” he says. “I was immediately captivated by the architecture. Walking through the Diogenes Archway into the quad flooded with students changing class, I was struck by how friendly everyone was and how clearly they were enjoying themselves. The whole experience was completely different from the institutional environment other schools offered. Upon entering the Cotswold Village, as Theodate had imagined it, through Eagle archway and seeing the Refectory, I was immediately convinced that Avon was the right place, and the community of friends I would make kept me there. “I think the feeling of community is my most treasured and lasting experience,” Chris observes. “Spending all your days among friends, playing, working, and learning, is not something that you can easily repeat in a lifetime—not as an adult. I’m sure I’m not alone in this feeling, but I also must admit that I was hugely challenged in ways that left me overwhelmed at times. I had my struggles. “While I was certainly challenged by many of the core requirements at Avon, there was still a time and place for
students to fully explore their innate abilities,” he recalls. “For me art, architecture, and design had long been interests that I developed into mature skill sets in the Art Department. Under the guidance of Gail Laferriere and Rich Connell, the creative process became and remains an unlimited resource for problem solving. Mrs. L’s words ‘be creative’ emerged as my mantra. Whenever I read the Avonian or return for a visit, I’m grateful to the enduring work of the faculty in preserving the Avon community experience, but I also wonder how we can help today’s boys succeed as they reenact many of our experiences and take on new challenges. Regardless of how remarkably we succeeded or deeply we struggled, Avon Old Farms School remains the home of our adolescence and the opportunity to help today’s students shouldn’t be missed.” Mike agrees, also noting the powerful impact the faculty have on the students during that critical time in their lives: “The friendships I forged those first few years are my lasting and treasured bonds with our school. Ken LaRocque was my advisor and a friend. He taught me to find my own Avon, set my own goals, and pursue my own path. I was never the strongest student nor the greatest athlete, so at times Avon was a challenge for me. During these times, there was always a friend or a mentor to encourage and inspire me. Kevin Driscoll was my algebra and geometry teacher. These classes did not come easy, but Kevin never let me slip. I was at his home during study hall or sitting at his table for lunch, cramming for an
upcoming quiz. Looking back, he was teaching me how to work hard and how to put in my all. Junior year, I had Art Custer for U.S. history. I received a B+ with a glowing recommendation. I remember the smile Ken gave me: ‘See, I told you you could do it.’ I was proud. “Ken had taught me how to aspire, and Kevin taught me how to persevere,” states Mike. “Today, at the start of any development project, we aspire to very specific goals. Some projects take months to complete while others take years; it’s having the perseverance to stay the course that makes us successful. Those early Avon lessons in aspiration and perseverance created a strong foundation for my professional approach.” Both men return eagerly to campus as often as they can, to visit with old friends and faculty and honor the campus that gave them their start. This spring, they celebrated their 30th Reunion with classmates and once again left renewed with the spirit of the Avon brotherhood that propels so many young men throughout the rest of their lives. “I’ve been back to campus many times over the years and am so impressed with the improvements to the campus,” says Chris. “I think the school is more beautiful than ever, but it’s the students’ commitment to creating a welcoming community for an increasingly diverse group of boys that I am most impressed by and deeply grateful for. The positive experiences that they create together will last a lifetime and continue to bring them back to our school as supporting alumni.”
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’03 and an ’75, P in the tm u ra T Tim sailing . rgen ’66 Chris Ca , October 2017 s e in d a n Gre
Please send us your personal notes! Class Notes can be submitted to Alexis Lee at Leea@avonoldfarms.com The deadlines for Class Notes submission are fall issue: September 1, 2018 spring issue: March 1, 2019
Knick Curtis ’63, and Tony Zins Dick Bennett ’63, ser ’64 got to gether for dinner in Ar lington, Va . October 2017 .
Class Notes 42
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RUSSELL HUNTER, Head Class Agent
100 Sarah Ln., 15B, Simsbury, CT, 06070
50 H ARV EY RUBIN, Head Class Agent
102 Barbour Cir., Newport News, VA 23606-2201 harvo2516@verizon.net
51 CARL A. CANDELS, Co-Head Class Agent
6 Mountain View Ave., Avon, CT 06001 WARREN T. FORD SR., Co-Head Class Agent 115 Center St., Wolcott, CT 06716 jodir@aol.com
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CLEON M. SHUT T JR., Co-Head Class Agent 511 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117 chipsamerica@hotmail.com
I have taken up creative writing. I put essays on my blog at cereflections.com and recently published a medical crime novel called Dissection, which is available as an ebook at smashwords.com. I now split the year between Portland, Ore. enjoying the proximity of children and grandchildren, and Quonochontaug, R.I., indulging a passion for the ocean and striped bass fishing.”
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CH ARLES R. SCAGLIONE, Head Class Agent
CH ARLES W. DAV IS, Co-Head Class Agent
3328 Eagle Nest Point, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 scag3328@gmail.com
6905 West 99th St., Overland Park, KS 66212 cwdavis@waretec.com
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DOUGLAS B. M ARSH ALL , Co-Head Class Agent
EDWARD J. H AW IE, Co-Head Class Agent
138 Hampton Point Dr., St. Simons Island, GA 31522-5426, ehawie@bellsouth.net
AUSTIN CH AMBERS, Co-Head Class Agent
317 Flanders Rd., Stonington, CT 06378-2109 susan.chambers3@aol.com
SETH F. MENDELL , Head Class Agent
STEPHEN R. HOLT, Co-Head Class Agent
232 Tellidora Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33908 sethalicemendell@gmail.com
75 Bridge St., Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 stephenholt@comcast.net
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R. PETER MOGIELNICKI shared, “After a career teaching and practicing internal medicine at Dartmouth (now Geisel) Medical School and the White River Junction Vermont Veterans Hospital,
DOUGLAS H. M ACPHERSON, Head Class Agent
5405 Dranes Tavern Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030-4603 dhmacpherson@verizon.net
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
2 Berkshire Rd., Bloomfield, CT 06002 douglas.marshall@raveis.com
60 RICH ARD L . W ILLI AMS, Head Class Agent PO Box 218, South Orleans, MA 02662-0218 rclumberclan@aol.com
61 GEORGE F. HENSCHEL JR., Head Class Agent
101 Seminary Rd., Bedford, NY 10506 gfhjr@aol.com
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ALAN D. ROZINSK Y, Head Class Agent
HARRIS H. BUCKLIN III, Head Class Agent
13620-B Via Flora, Delray Beach, FL 33484
3004 Margaret Jones Ln., Williamsburg, VA 23185 hbucklin3@aol.com
THOM AS B. BY RNE III, Head Class Agent 31 Helena Rd., Avon, CT 06001-3433 tbyrne@thomasbyrne.com
63 JACK R. STOKV IS, Head Class Agent
25 Pine St., Haworth, NJ 07641-1926 smarts@galaxy.net
64 W. B. H ARWOOD III, Head Class Agent 24 Overhill Ave., New Britain, CT 06053 wbhtcc@aol.com
65 PERRY BENSON JR., Head Class Agent
2135 Naudain St., Philadelphia, PA 19146-1218 pb2@jacobswyper.com
66 MICH AEL D. BARKER, Head Class Agent
40 Bay Hill Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002-2376 barkermike@aol.com
67 JAMES W. CORRIGAN, Co-Head Class Agent
826 Gould Hill Rd., Contoocook, NH 03229 jwc915@gmail.com W ILLI AM F. ROBERTS JR., Co-Head Class Agent
786 Brownsville Rd., Sinking Spring, PA 19608 wfroberts@fast.net
71 TIMOTHY R. BEEBLE, Head Class Agent
63 Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 tbeeble@aol.com
72 KEVIN J. DRISCOLL, Class Agent
500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 driscollk@avonoldfarms.com
73 CHRISTOPHER L. ATKINS, Head Class Agent PO Box 706, Hilldale, NY 12529-0706 catkins702@gmail.com
74 GEORGE J. GI ANNONI, Co-Head Class Agent
36 Twilight Dr., Granby, CT 06035-1212 ggiannoni@cox.net EDWARD P. MOLLOY, Co-Head Class Agent
6 Winhart Dr., Granby, CT 06035 e.molloy@cox.net ROBERT M. SULICK celebrates his 40th graduation anniversary from the College of Wooster this year with PATRICK D. HURLEY ’74; JAMES “JEB” BELL ’74, P’14; EDWARD
J. COOKIE BOY D III lives in Whitefish, Mont.,
“NED” THOMPSON ’74, P’03, ’08; BARRIE L .
and writes travel articles. He recently published a book, Life In Montana: A Love Story. He encourages any alumni who venture out to northwest Montana to stop by for a visit.
W ILSON ’74; and ALAN R. SPENCER ’74. He shared that in the spring of 1973, Dean John Green called them into his office and said, “You don’t have to apply to any colleges. You are all going to the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.” Robert said, “I think I speak for all of us when I say that his foresight brought us all a college experience that added positively to the bond we had created at Avon Old Farms. I see several of my AOF/ COW colleagues quite often and recently joined
68 GEORGE L . PURNELL , Head Class Agent
4822 Brighton Lakes Blvd. Boynton Beach, FL 33436 glpluvssports@gmail.com
69 DAV ID F. COLEM AN, Class Agent
35 Adelaide Ave., Barrington, RI 02806 davidcoleman1150@gmail.com DOUGLAS A. MACLEAY retired in December from his job as a TSA program manager. He retired to Florida and plans to travel; his first big trip will be next year to Australia. He has two children and two grandchildren. He hopes to have his grandson attend Avon, possibly the class of 2036.
TIM L. TR AUTM AN ’75, P’03 and his partner, Joan Blanchard, also an alumna of the College of Wooster, for dinner at my restaurant, Mulberry Street, in Manchester, Conn. Time passes, but the friendships and foundation of Avon Old Farms continue to guide us. It has been a great journey with more to come.”
TOM B. BY RNE is happy to report all is well in
family and life. Tom plays basketball a few times a week with a group that includes his nephew and JOE R. SY LV I A ’12. Joe started a career in the insurance business at Tennant Risk Services in West Hartford, Conn., and has been hard at work passing his exams and learning the ropes. Tom also keeps up with nephew, NICK P. M ALINOSK Y ’00. Nick has experienced substantial success in the high-end real estate business in southern Florida. May 2018 brings the 30th anniversary of the formation of Thomas Byrne Associates, an accounting and finance placement firm Tom has successfully operated in Farmington, Conn. DAV ID M. JACK shared the following:
“I announced the publication of Lila’s Dream, a children’s book for 6- to 9-year-old readers endorsed by No. 1 selling author Sheri Fink. Also, five percent of profits from the sale of Lila’s Dream will be donated to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy when purchased at BookBaby. Lila’s Dream is the third book published by my company, Sightline Media Entertainment LLC, following The Furnace Room and The Treehouse Adventure.” In February, David was honored to be invited to conduct a workshop at Camp Mariposa, a national addiction prevention and mentoring program for youth. The program is funded by the Moyer Foundation for youth who have been impacted by substance abuse in their families. Lila’s Dream was used as the foundation for the discussion about believing in yourself and your dreams. David said, “The kids were polite, attentive, talented, and genuinely interested in writing down or drawing their goals and dreams. I was inspired by the dedication of the counselors and mentors working with these kids. They perfectly represent Avon’s motto to aspire and persevere!” On the home front he shared, all is well in Florida. He enjoys semi-retirement with his wife, Tammy. Emily, his daughter, graduates in May with a master of fine arts degree and his son, Greg, receives his diploma a day later with his undergraduate degree in criminal justice. David said, “I’m proud of my kids—both are honor society, straight A students. We must have done something right.”
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Class Notes
Eduardo Naj ri-Molini ’95 welcomed hi s fir st son, Felipe, on December 19, 2017.
Nigel Mendez ’91, and his son, Theo, the day he was admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court.
, P’06 and William Cher ry ’80 6, took a P’0 ey ds Lin e, his wif Nairobi, m fro trip 30-day road wn, South To pe Ca to a, ny Ke 2017. Africa, in October
Andrew “Andy” Brown ’95 shared a recent photo of his family. From left to right: Ryder, Stephanie, Andrew, and Molly.
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ALEX ANDER N. WORLEY, Head Class Agent
THOM AS E. DAV EY JR., Head Class Agent
20 Shore Grove Rd., Clinton, CT 06413 alexworley@sbcglobal.net
6806 Joyce Way, Dallas, TX 75225-2718 thomas.davey@ge.com
GREGORY T. FISH, Head Class Agent 32 Castlewood Rd., Simsbury, CT 06089 gtf324@yahoo.com
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W ILLI AM C. CHERRY and his wife, Lindsey,
JORGE E. CONSUEGR A JR., Head Class Agent
5 Andrews Rd., Greenwich, CT 06830 jconsuegra29@gmail.com
78 JOHN M. GARV EY, Head Class Agent
389 Haines Ave., Long Beach, CA 90814 jmgarvey@garvspace.com
79 ANTHON Y M. GR AY, Co-Head Class Agent
6212 Wagner Ln., Bethesda, MD 20816 tgray@tonygray.net SCOT T B. LINKE, Co-Head Class Agent
16 Eleven Levels Rd., Ridgefield, CT 06877-3011 scottblinke@comcast.net
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
finished an epic 30-day road trip from Nairobi, Kenya, to Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2017. They visited mates all along the way, in Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Malawi. The trip ended in Cape Town, and the goal was to see the All Blacks rugby team play rival team Springboks. Other highlights included the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, the Skeleton Coast, Etosha National Park, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and, of course, Victoria Falls in Zambia. They would also like to report that their son, ALEX STEFAN- CHERRY ’06, and his wife, Ashley, had their first son in December 2017.
81 SAMUEL C. BOOKBINDER IV, Head Class Agent 213 Midland Ave., Wayne, PA 19087 samuel.bookbinder@wfadvisors.com
83 W ILLI AM E. ESCHERT, Co-Head Class Agent
24 Westland Rd., Avon, CT 06001-3197 billeschert@yahoo.com RICH ARD C. GREGORY, Co-Head Class Agent
30 Walnut Farms Dr., Farmington, CT 06032 rick@rcgregory.com
84 JOHN S. GORDON, Head Class Agent
246 Nacoochee Dr. N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30305 falconatlfan@gmail.com THOM AS W. ADAMS is in his second year as the head of school at the Grosse Pointe Academy in Grosse Pointe, Mich. He enjoys being the head of school and living in the Midwest. His sons are also doing well. His oldest, Logan, is a junior at Lynchburg College, where he is a starting attackman on the lacrosse team. Colin is a freshman at Rollins College, and his youngest, Griffin, is a seventh grader at the Grosse Pointe Academy.
Jack Eiff ’89 attended the November 4, 2017, Avon Under the Lights varsity football game with his daughters, Elle and Avery; son, Jack; and wife, Mary. He said, “It was a pleasure to see everyone. Avon’s physical footprint has changed dramatically while its character remains resolute; both are dramatically apparent and impressive.”
two sons, Theo (8), and Oliver (6). He shared the following: “Lots of ice fishing, hockey, Cub Scouts (I’ve taken over as the cubmaster for our pack of 100 boys), and camping. Life is good. Would love to see any Avonians in the area!”
92 DAMIEN J. EGAN, Head Class Agent 52 Brookview Ct., Groton, CT 06340-5528 degan2@hotmail.com
Nine Avonians attended the fune ral service for Lorri Driscoll, wife of Jim Driscoll ’77 in Acton, Maine. It was a bea utiful service celebrating Lorr i’s wonderful life. Back row: Blaise Driscoll ’08; Joe Driscoll ’72, P’06; Tish Dris coll P’06; Ed Driscoll; Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; Tuck er Bradshaw ’77; Kathleen Dris coll; Jim Driscoll ’77; Peter Curr y; Paul Curr y; and Mar yanne Driscoll. Kneeling: Tom Driscoll ’79, P’06, ’08, ’09, ’11; Stu Beath ’77, P’06, ’07, ’09; and Jorge Con suegra ’77, P’11. Not pictured but in attendance, John Driscoll ’75.
93 TRAVIS MERRITT, Class Agent 121 Rumson Rd., Little Silver, NJ 07739 merritttravis@yahoo.com
94 GR AH AM C. FULLER, Co-Head Class Agent 2937 Morris Rd., Ardmore, PA 19003-1832 grahamcraigfuller@gmail.com PAUL M. GOZZO, Co-Head Class Agent
1 Country Farm Cross Road Stratham, NH 03885-2536 11pgoz@gmail.com
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SAM L . RUBENSTEIN, Head Class Agent
SH AW N E. ATKINSON, Co-Head Class Agent
1148 Apollo Gardens St., Henderson, NV 89052 richmondsr@aol.com
428 Ridgewood Ave., Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 shawnatki@gmail.com
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PETER D. REED, Co-Head Class Agent 91 Butternut Ln., Southport, CT 06890 pdreed18@gmail.com
STEPHEN R. GORM AN, Class Agent
13 Smith Ln., Burlington, CT 06013-1201 stephen.r.gorman@gmail.com
87 H AROLD R. BEACH AM JR., Class Agent
6 Pleasant St., Dover, MA 02030 hal.beacham44@comcast.net PETER W. M AHLER shared that he has fond memories of listening to the band Rush during his sophomore year at Avon, especially with classmate JOHN A. COOPER ’87. During the 2017 holidays, Peter watched a 2016 documentary of Rush’s final tour and was amazed and surprised to see a brief interview clip of John at a Rush concert. Peter hadn’t spoken to John since his Avon days, but he gave him a call and was glad to hear that John is doing well and still listening to Rush.
89 ROBERT M. W ILEM AN, Head Class Agent 7425 N.E. 97th Terr. Oklahoma City, OK 73151-9121 rmw@wilemanagency.com
90 PETER J. DECKERS, Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 deckersp@avonoldfarms.com
91 MICH AEL M. MULLIN IV, Head Class Agent
8 Nickerson Ln., Darien, CT 06820 NIGEL H. MENDEZ practices law and lives in
Minnesota. He was admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2017. He enjoys life in the “bold North” with his wife, Stephanie, and
CH AD J. DLUGOLECKI lives in Byram, N.J., a few houses down from GARRETT TRULL ’94 on the shore of Lake Hopatcong, where they get together pretty much every day with their kids. Chad is the head coach of the Jersey Hitmen under-18 hockey team and also assists young players with their development through his advising firm Elite Hockey Management. He is currently three years in remission from leukemia. BRYAN R. DONAHUE is a third-generation United States Marine. While in the Marine Corps, he was diagnosed with a chronic, life-threatening illness that has no cure. He credits his victory over the illness to his upbringing, the power of positive thought the Marine Corps instilled, and the loyal support of his family and friends. Bryan is the author of the book On Borrowed Time: How I Built a Life While Beating Death. He is a partner in Hero Gear, a motivational speaker, a veteran advisor to Mohegan Sun’s Vets Rock event, a recent recipient of the Boston Bruins 8-Spoked Salute to Military Veterans, and a successful senior mortgage banker for the past 15 years. He resides in North Haven, Conn. with his wife, Lia, and two children, Lily, and Brooks. He lives life with no regrets.
95 ANTHON Y D. SILV ESTRO, Head Class Agent 4 Haskell Rd., Andover, MA 01810 tony.silvestro@insperity.com
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Class Notes s with 8 visited campu Jesse Carlton ’9 ns, Finn so in tw eir th d his wife, Kiley, an daughter, Maisy and and Tucker (4), r the ber 4, 2017, fo (2), on Novem ll ba ot fo ity rs va s Under the Light eter. game against Ex
Corey Salvatelli ’00 at the baptism of his twin daughters, Reese and Taylor, with godfather, Mike O’Neill ’00. The baptism was held at Holy Martyrs Church in Fal mouth, Maine, on February 4, 2018.
’03 Ryan Malfitano dra at the an ss Ca d rie mar sort Maui Re s on as Four Se 17. 20 on October 3,
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M ARK A. CARUSO, Head Class Agent
GEOFFREY R. BARLOW, Co-Head Class Agent
MICH AEL J. O’NEILL , Co-Head Class Agent
124 Westminster Rd., Chatham, NJ 07928-1364 mcaruso@gmail.com
500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 barlowg@avonoldfarms.com
16 Old Colony Dr., Dove, MA 02030 michaeloneill27@yahoo.com
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J. A. CORRIGAN, Co-Head Class Agent
DANIEL J. SEIDEN, Co-Head Class Agent
78 West 85th St., Apt. 5B, New York, NY 10024 jamesandrewcorrigan@gmail.com
76 Crabapple Ln., Asheville, NC 28804 seidend@gmail.com
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COREY SALVATELLI and his wife, Julie,
TIMOTHY B. STAY, Co-Head Class Agent
2024 Upland Way #205, Philadelphia, PA 19131 timothystay@gmail.com K Y LE R. YOUNGQUIST, Co-Head Class Agent
DAV ID R. GRY BOSKI, Co-Head Class Agent
14 Wychview Dr., Westfield, NJ 07090-1821 bigkyleyoungquist@gmail.com
101 South Bay Blvd, Suite B-3, PO Box 732 Anna Maria, FL 34216-0732 dgryboski@tampabay.rr.com ANDREW M. KUNISCH, Co-Head Class Agent 1431 33rd St. NW, Apt. 2 Washington, DC 20007-2851 kunisch23@yahoo.com STEPHEN A. ZAPPONE, Co-Head Class Agent
71 Hartwell Rd., West Hartford, CT 06117-1912 zappones@yahoo.com
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
welcomed twin girls, Taylor and Reese, on May 4, 2017. Big brother Jack (2) was super excited to meet his new sisters.
Jackson Howard, ’05, and his wife, Roxana Howard, of Washington D.C., at the Young Professionals, in Foreign Policy event.
At a ceremony hosted by the Ambassador of Chile, Jackson receiv es an award from the countr y’s pol ice attaché. He is standing next to Colone l Miguel Jara.
Jamie Tang ’03 hosted Helen PedersenKeiser P’02 and her husband, Robert Keiser, along with their family friends at his restaurant in New York City.
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CHRISTOPHER D. COLEMAN, Co-Head Class Agent
JAMES T. TANG, Head Class Agent
DANE G. LEMERIS, Head Class Agent
210 Foote St., Barrington, RI 02806-2943 christopherdcoleman@gmail.com
300 East 84th St. Apt. 2A., New York, NY 10028 jamesttang@gmail.com
795 Columbus Ave., Apt 7D, New York, NY 10025 dlemeris@gmail.com
NICHOLAS H. LAROCQUE, Co-Head Class Agent 1072 College Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306 larocque.nicholas@gmail.com
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JACKSON O. HOWARD received an award from the Carabineros de Chile (the Chilean national police force) for his support of the institution in 2017. He works for the Embassy of Chile to the United States, and he assisted the colonel who serves as police attaché to the United States, ensuring partnerships with local and state police agencies across the country.
02 W ILLI AM N. PALMER, Head Class Agent
4736 Terrace St., Kansas City, MO 64112 wnpalmer@gmail.com
M AT THEW H. MOR AN, Head Class Agent 1605 Sansom St. #206, Philadelphia, PA 19103 matthew.h.moran@gmail.com
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Class Notes
mar ried Peter Theis ’06 on ald er zg Caitlin Fit 17. November 4, 20 Brad Lipkvich ’06 married Molly Martinez on August 20, 2017, in Newport, R.I.
Clarke Rettaliata ‘16 visited Mike Knowles ‘16 in Naples, Italy, while doing a semester abroad at the Trinity College Rome campus.
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JOSHUA P. PAVANO, Co-Head Class Agent
M AT THEW R. COZ, Head Class Agent
60 Forest Hills Dr., Farmington, CT 06032-3017 jpavano@gmail.com November 4, 2017, in Atlanta, Ga. The reception took place at the Wimbish House and was a black tie affair. Peter described the day as perfect with temperatures in the mid-70s and lots of sunshine. Kevin Driscoll ’06 was his best man, and Garett Kerr ’06 was a groomsman. BR AD V. LIPKV ICH married Molly Martinez, who graduated in the Class of 2006 from the Berkshire School, another New England preparatory school. The wedding took place in Newport, R.I., at Ocean Cliff on August 20, 2017. They met at Endicott College where they both played lacrosse. Brad’s best man was his brother K Y LE LIPKV ICH ’08, and his new father-in-law is also a Winged Beaver, JOE J. M ARTINEZ ’69.
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
09 JOHN (BEN) BEATH, Head Class Agent 1152 Rue laVille Walk, St. Louis, MO 63141 beathj@gmail.com
KEV IN T. DRISCOLL , Co-Head Class Agent 252 E 61st St., Apt 3BN, New York, NY 10065-0350 kevin.t.driscoll@gmail.com
PETER THEIS married Caitlin Fitzgerald on
Pictured from left to righ t: Kevin Driscoll ’06, bes t man; Peter Theis ’06, groom ; Garett Ker r ’06, groom sman.
172 Webster St., Boston, MA 02128
07 CASEY R. COONS, Co-Head Class Agent
37 Bradford Rd., Watertown, MA 02472 caseycoons4@gmail.com T Y LER C. H ADDAD, Co-Head Class Agent
81 Brookside Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106-2319 tyler.c.haddad@gmail.com
08 W ILL H. HENDRICKS, Co-Head Class Agent 3818 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 willheatonhendricks@gmail.com KEV IN S. SISTI, Co-Head Class Agent
64 Pinnacle Rd., Farmington, CT 06030 kevin@oldlimeproductions.com
11 OLIV ER K. ROTHM ANN, Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 rothmanno@avonoldfarms.com MICH AEL J. BARROS married Ling Jiang on August 3, 2017, at the Barker Tavern in Scituate, Mass. COOPER L . O’CONNOR ’11 officiated, Mike’s brother DAV ID A. BARROS ’11 was the best man, and his sister, Catie, was the maid of honor. Other Avonians who attended the wedding were DREW J. LYONS ’07 and H ARRISON M. LYONS ’11.
Mike graduated from Stonehill College in 2015 and works at Schneider Electric in corporate communications. Ling grew up in Shandong Province of China in a coastal city called Qingdao
Matt Williamson ’14 and Brady Williamson ’16 with George Springer ’08 at ESPN.
At the start of the new year, a small gathering organized by Matt and Jill Newman P’17 took place at Bears BBQ in Hartford. The following attended, pictured from left to right: Jessica Lynch P’17; Brendan Lynch ’88, P’17; Ted Brennan Jr. P’17; Connor McKernan ’17; Michael Doody ’17; Burke Magnus ’17; Teddy Brennan III ’17; Nate Newman ’17; Jack Lynch ’17; Leslie Doody P’17; Jason Doody P’17; Matt Newman P’17; Jill Newman P’17; and Mary McKernan P’17. Not pictured but in attendance: Colleen Magnus P’17.
Mike Barros ’11 cutting the cake at his wedding with wife, Ling Jiang.
David Barros ’11 was his brother’s best man, and their sister, Catie, was the maid of honor. Pictured from left to right: Ling Jiang, Mike Barros ’11, Catie Barros, David Barros ’11, Megan Barros, and Jenna Raleigh.
Varsity tennis Coach Henry Coons ‘71 met up with former varsity stars Sahil Sinha ‘16 and Saagar Sinha ‘14 in Winter Park, Florida.
and came to the United States to attend the University of New Hampshire. Presently, she works as a researcher at Boston Consulting Group and is in the process of applying to MBA programs. Mike and Ling live in Dorchester, just outside downtown Boston.
12 JOHN D. SH AMBURGER, Head Class Agent 4345 Brookview Dr., Atlanta, GA 30339 shamburgerd@gmail.com CAMERON R. METZ accepted a job as an arson
investigator with the Louisville Metro Arson Bureau in Kentucky. He is responsible for investigating fires that occur within Jefferson County. JOE R. SY LV I A started a career in the insurance
business working for Tennant Risk Services in West Hartford, Conn. He is hard at work passing his exams and learning the ropes.
RYAN D. PHILLIPS, Co-Head Class Agent 621 Allen Ct. NW, Atlanta, GA 30327-3511 ryanphillips@utexas.edu
15 W ILLI AM C. DAV IS, Co-Head Class Agent 11 Parker Road, Avon, CT 06001 cdavis7@me.com
13 W ILSON P. MEY ER, Head Class Agent 106A Galt Ct., Columbus, GA 31905 wilsonpmeyer@gmail.com W ILLI AM M. W HITE is now a second lieutenant
in the Army infantry. He currently attends Ranger school. He is married to his college sweetheart, second lieutenant Kristi Carrigan-White.
14 MICKOY R. NICHOL , Co-Head Class Agent 174 Upper County Rd., Apt. # 2-3 Dennisport, MA 02639 mnichol@bates.edu
CHRISTIAN E. DIANTONIO, Co-Head Class Agent 520 Dingleton Hill Rd., Cornish, NH 03745-4521 diantoniochristian@gmail.com
16 M AT THEW T. HORTON, Co-Head Class Agent 41 Ironwood Road, Guilford, CT 06437 horton_matt@bentley.edu ALESSIO M ARCOGLIESE, Co-Head Class Agent
590 Kindersley, Mount-Royal, CANADA, H3R 1S4 alessio.marcogliese@gmail.com
17 KEV IN A. SIEBER, Head Class Agent 7 Whitman Pond Road, Simsbury, CT 06070
The Avonian Spring 2018
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Jupiter
Avon Move on the
The Gozzo home. Hosted by Skip and Pam Gozzo P’11, ’12 February 9, 2018 Skip Flanagan GP’16, ’19 and Jonny Gozzo ’12
Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08 and Andrew LeBuhn ’85
Nick Pacquee ’04 and Skip Gozzo P’11,’12
Scott Pumper P’19; Lisa Pumper P’19; Greta Graff P’82, GP’12, ’15; Paul Graff P’82, GP’12, ’15; and Sue Evans P’98
Skip Flanagan GP’16, ’19; Peter Evans P’98; Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; Kendall Cheatham ’96; Sue Evans P’98; Riordan Cheatham ’93; and Anthony Tattersfield ’81
Jim Detora P’12 and George Purnell ’68
George Purnell ’68 and Jim Corrigan ’67, P’98
The school has learned of the deaths of the following:
DW IGHT H. ELLIS ’32
C. J. STUART ALLAN ’46
NORM AN M. HOW E ’54
JOSEPH C. V ECCHI ARINO III ’71
GEORGE E. LIEBLER ’34
R ANDOLPH R AY NOLDS ’46
HUNTLEY G. DAVENPORT ’56
DAV ID S. CARTER ’75
KENNETH H. ROOD ’34
LORRIMER ARMSTRONG JR. ’50
ROBERT F. VOYTERSHARK ’57
DANIEL J. FEGAN ’81
GEORGE E. STEPHENSON ’38
CR AGIN C. CURTIS ’50
DUNCAN K. FINLAYSON ’59
M AURICE C. THOMPSON ’84
ALEX ANDER PARKER ’39
C. W HIT NEY BANKS JR. ’51
W ILLI AM BR ADFORD ROSS ’60
DAVID V. MAITLAND ’96
HELLMUT WOHL ’44
HENRY R. BURT ’53
W ILLI AM R. FELTM AN ’68
Y USUKE KOH AM A ’00
ROBERT L . PERKINS JR. ’45
M ARK A. HESSION ’53
ASHBY B. ALLEN ’70
JULI A A. PRICONE, Past Staff Member
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
Boston
The Fours October 25, 2017
Pat Wallace ’12, Joe Colton ’12, and Will Ryan ’12
Pat Wallace ’12, Harrison Wasserbauer ’12, RJ Fiondella ’12, and Will Ryan ’12
Peter McGinley ’13, Jordan Blackington ’13, Rob Higgins ’13, Pearse McEneaney ’13, and Kurt Weisenburger ’13
Richard Woodwell ’08; Tim Trautman ’75, P’03; and Cooper O’Connor ’11
Chris Miller ’97, Ashley Widger, Drew Widger ’98, and Luke Archambault ’04
Ed Wallace P’08, ’09, ’12; Don McCarthy P’05; Kevin Driscoll ’71, P’08; Peter Evans P’98; and Skip Flanagan GP’16, ’19
Pearse McEneaney ’13, Rob Higgins ’13, RJ Fiondella ’12, Rob Willett ’12, Kurt Weisenburger ’13, Brendan King ’13, and Tadas Jalinskas ’13
Brian Mahoney P’05, Christian Smith, and Brendan Mahoney ’05
Avon Move on the
Christmas Hockey Classic Reception Avon Old Farms School December 15, 2017 Myles Keroack P’18; Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; George Trautman ’98H, P’75, ’81, ’82, GP’03; Peter Evans P’98
Coach John Gardner and Richard Gordon P’90, GP’21
Laura Louder P’20, Magaly Aslanidis P’19, and Tasos Aslanidis P’19
Ken LaRocque P’01,’10 and Connor Wells ’05
Henry Coons ’71, P’07; Bridget Overcash P’18; and Tim Overcash P’18
1ST ROW: Devin Patel, Noah Patel, Mason Gordon, and Olivia Gordon, 2ND ROW: David Gordon ’90, P’21, Alex Patel, Dee Gordon P’90, GP’21, and Richard Gordon P’90, GP’21
Dottie Graham P’84, ’85 and Gerry Graham P’84, ’85
Chevy Chase The Chevy Chase Club Co-Hosts: Dean Graham ’84 and Debra Graham; Adam Stifel ’99 and Laura Stifel December 6, 2017
Foster Kelly ’10 and Cara Peters
Jamie Hayes ’88 and Dustin Lowery ’01
Shane Lieberman ’97 and Charles Franklin ’97
Dean Graham ’84; Debra Graham; Adam Stifel ’99; Ken LaRocque P’01, ’10; Jim Detora P’12; and Brian Lemek ’98
Tom Mapes ’07, Will Sieber ’07, Sam Orr ’05, and Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08
Jackson Howard ’05; Tim Trautman ’75, P’03; and Jim Howard ’76
Ken Greenberg ’72; Henry Coons ’71, P’07; and Dustin Lowery ’01
Dick Bennett ’63, P’04; Jamie Hayes ’88; and Peter Evans P’98
Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; Gwen Holliday; and Stu Holliday ’84
Mac McDonald ’04 and Jennifer McDonald
The Last Word A chapel talk given by Ken LaRocque in 1998
G
ood morning! Starting today and continuing each Thursday that we hold chapel, a member of the faculty will address you. Our hope is that, by the end of the year, you will have embraced at least one of the ideas presented here and that you will be a better person for having done so. You should know that you are a tough audience. After all, you aren’t here voluntarily, some of you have yet to shake the cobwebs out from last night’s sleep, and many of you who are awake and alert have other concerns that are demanding your attention, like the test you have next period, or your weekend slip that is due by lunch. So, if I don’t have your attention, I forgive you… I forgive you. Forgiveness. Forgiveness is the idea I am going to explore this morning. That doesn’t sound very interesting or important, does it? Well, I contend that forgiveness is one of the most empowering virtues a person can develop over the course of a lifetime. I also contend that no other virtue is as challenging to cultivate, or is as vulnerable to attack from yourself or from others. You probably have heard the old cliché “to err is human, to forgive is divine.” There is a lot of truth to that statement because forgiving is not an instinctive human reaction. The dictionary defines forgiving as ceasing to feel resentment against an offender. People don’t simply forgive offenses on a whim or an impulse. In fact, our first reaction to an offense is almost always emotional and defensive. Forgiving is an approach to life taken by the rare individual whose natural disposition and unusual insight into human relationships allows him such a gift, or it is taken by the individual who has been burned in the past by his aggressive, defensive reaction to offenses and who is now interested in moving ahead, and in expanding his horizons. Such a person doesn’t have the time or the inclination to dwell on the past or on the shortcomings or mistakes of others. Mahatma Gandhi, the great leader of the Indian independence movement, once said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.” If you know
anything about Mr. Gandhi’s life, you know that he [was] extremely well qualified to speak on the topic of forgiveness. People who are unwilling to forgive, who would rather hold onto grudges, are doomed to a life enslaved by anger and remorse. They will be forever chained to the past rather than being free to pursue their dreams and to explore their potential. History clearly speaks to the power of forgiveness. Take, for example, president Abraham Lincoln. At the end of the Civil War, the bloodiest war in our history, when the bitterness between the Union and the Confederacy was at its zenith, he focused not on punishing the insurgent confederates, but on forgiving them, and on moving the country ahead and leaving our national nightmare behind. He urged the people to have “malice toward none and charity for all,” and wanted simply to “bind up the nation’s wounds.” Lincoln’s forgiving posture allowed healing to begin in the darkest period in our country’s history. Had Lincoln held onto his anger, the reunification of this country may have never been successful, and we might still be experiencing the inner conflicts which have plagued other countries like Ireland for decades. The liberating potential of forgiveness is personified in Nelson Mandela, the president of South Africa, who spent 30 years in jail as a political prisoner. While his fortitude allowed him to survive his cruel incarceration and his separation from his wife and children, it was his forgiveness that allowed him to work with his former enemies to achieve his goal of cleansing his country of the sin of apartheid. President Mandela’s story is inspiring and is testimony to the power of forgiveness. Unfortunately, it often requires a tragedy before unforgiving people recognize the futility in living with unresolved anger. “For never was a story of more woe. Than this of Juliet and her Romeo,” from Shakespeare’s famous play of tragic romance, illustrates the painful consequences that result from holding onto anger and continuing grudges and feuds. You remember that the families of Romeo and Juliet were ancient enemies and therefore forbid the marriage of the two. Ultimately, the
“Forgiving is an approach to life taken by the rare individual whose natural disposition and unusual insight into human relationships allows him such a gift, or it is taken by the individual who has been burned in the past by his aggressive, defensive reaction to offenses and who is now interested in moving ahead, and in expanding his horizons.”
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refusal of both families to reconcile their differences cost them their most prized possessions; one family lost their son and the other their daughter. Only upon finding the lifeless bodies of Romeo and Juliet do the feuding families find forgiveness in their hearts. A very good friend of mine who, in fact, used to work here, had gotten into a very serious argument with his father several years ago, and since then, neither person had communicated with the other. Despite numerous attempts by other family members to intervene, father and son were prisoners of their anger and would not forgive. Well this summer, my friend’s youngest sister was killed tragically in an automobile accident, and my friend’s and his father’s overwhelming grief and need for emotional support reunited them. It took a cruel misfortune before they forgave each other and finally understood the cliché “life is too short to carry a grudge.” Listen to this scenario, because you probably will be involved in such a situation at sometime this year: bases are loaded; the score is tied. There are two outs. The batter hits an easy grounder to the shortstop, which should end the inning. But the ball takes a funny hop and bounces off the shortstop’s glove; the runner from third scores, and the game is over. While all the players on the losing team will be stung bitterly by the defeat, some of them will handle this adversity in stride. They will not blame the shortstop for the loss. They will forgive him and will support him, knowing that their teammate will need confidence to come back the next game and help the team to rebound strongly. However, other players will allow their disappointment
to overwhelm them and they will point to the shortstop as the culprit, degrading him with their comments. Forgiveness will not enter into their thoughts. Anger and resentment will instead dominate. These self-centered, weak individuals will be a cancer, which will infect the team and eat at its spirit. When you are faced with that kind of situation this year—in the athletic arena, in the classroom, in the dormitory, in the [Riddle] Refectory, or wherever—are you going to be the forgiver or the placer of blame? Are you going to dwell on the mistakes of others, or are you going to forgive them and move ahead? The Old Farms community is as close-knit a society as anyone could imagine. More than 360 students and 50-plus faculty members and their families, all coexisting within a few acres. Add to that living arrangement the fact that we are charged with your overall development into responsible adults, always pushing you past your comfort zones, and it becomes painfully obvious that substantial room for conflict exists here.
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You will be involved in conflicts this year and your reaction to them will, in a large way, define your career here. Recognize that we are all going to make mistakes, faculty and students alike. Sure, you are going to be angry, embarrassed, and hurt at different times over the next several months. Don’t obsess on those emotions; try to forgive your offender as quickly as possible and move on. No one wants you to be a doormat. Being a forgiving person doesn’t mean you are weak—just the opposite. You all have your own reasons for being here, and you all have goals you want to achieve. Being able to handle adversity, forgiving
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the trespasses of others, will free you to achieve your goals and to live your dreams. To spend your time here bogged down in conflict, feeling persecuted, angry, and picked on, will only guarantee mediocrity and won’t resolve anything. When you leave Avon and head off to college and adult life, having cultivated your ability to forgive will pay large dividends. The world is simply not a nurturing place. Everybody is looking to get ahead and if you are in his or her way, watch out! Offenders abound; you will be bombarded everywhere you turn. The unforgiving people you meet will far outnumber the forgiving ones. But if you look carefully, you will notice the forgiving ones will be happier and more successful people. I hope you will choose to be among this group!
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID 500 Old Farms Road Avon, Connecticut 06001 www.AvonOldFarms.com
Change Service Requested
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Parents If this issue is addressed to your son or to your family, but your son no longer maintains an address at your home, please reach out to us with the correct address.
Email us at: alumni@avonoldfarms.com or use our form online at: www.avonoldfarms.com/UpdateAddress
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Inspiring Boys, Building Men The Campaign for Avon Old Farms School
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Spring 2018 The Avonian
Avon, CT 06001 Permit No. 12