SPRING 2019
A Fond Farewell HENRY R. COONS ’71, P’07 RETIRES AFTER 43 YEARS
SPRING 2019
contents FEATURES
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Honor a Legacy: T H E L A R O CQ UE FAC ULTY FUND
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The Alumni Hockey Game BY R I C H A R D VA LENTI NE ’64
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A Farewell to Henry Coons ’71, P’07 BY M O R G A N C . CUGE LL
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The Last Word BY H E N RY CO O NS ’7 1 , P ’07
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
CORRECTION In the fall 2018 “In Memoriam” section of the Avonian, we misidentified alumnus Justin Starr Imperatore ’15. We apologize for the error. The Avon Old Farms School community continues to grieve for the tragic loss of our brother and send thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
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from the EDITOR Dear Readers,
SPOTLIGHTS
DEPARTMENTS
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3 4 18 50 64 69
FEATURED ARTIST:
Taylor Stolworthy ’19 BY M O R G A N C. CU GE LL
20 ATHLETIC SPOTLIGHT:
Jared Hunter ’19 BY M O R G A N C. CU GE LLL
38 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Jack Eschert ’19 BY M O R G A N C. CU GE LL
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Headmaster
Village Green
Athletics
Class Notes
The Last Word
Parting Shot
FOLLOW US
FACULTY FOCUS:
/AvonOldFarms
Glenn Sieber P’17
@AvonOldFarms
BY M O R G A N C. CU GE LL
46 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:
Brett Jefferson ’84 BY M O R G A N C. CU GE LL
/AvonOldFarms avon.old.farms
Search Group: Avon Old Farms School Alumni Association avonoldfarms.smugmug.com
Once again, we are at the end of a school year. The outstanding Class of 2019 bids farewell as alumni who have left their marks and raised the bar for generations to come. Also bidding farewell: Headmaster Ken LaRocque, who retires this spring. 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 excited about what’s in store with Jim Detora at the helm. Speaking of goodbyes, two faculty members, Henry Coons ’71 , P’07 and Glenn Sieber P’17, are celebrating their retirements this spring as well. For more about them, turn to pages 26 and 42, respectively. Although we’re looking back at several prominent careers, we’re also looking ahead to the fall—and the newest class of Avonians poised for greatness. We can’t wait to greet them. We have a busy summer of programs, camps, and renovations planned, and we will continue to forge ahead toward the end of our capital campaign, Inspiring Boys, Building Men. Be sure to check your mailbox in September for your next issue of the Avonian, featuring the 2018–2019 Annual Report. As always, I welcome your feedback. Aspirando et perseverando, MORGAN C. CUGELL, EDITOR
cugellm@avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4239
Established 1927
HEADMASTER
Kenneth H. LaRocque ASSOCIATE HEADMASTER
John T. Gardner EDITOR
Morgan C. Cugell ALUMNI NOTES
Alexis H. Lee The Avonian is published for the alumni, parents, grandparents, 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:
archambaultL@avonoldfarms.com WEBSITE:
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Members of the administration and faculty can be emailed by using the following formula: last name + 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.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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FROM THE HEADMASTER
SIGNING Off
IT
Detora and his team, and to reconnect with old friends. is with a swirl of emotion that I write my final Retiring with me are two colleagues who contributed “From the Headmaster” essay. In a few weeks, greatly to our success over the years and who supported Heidi and I will be settling into dramatically me ardently during my tenure as headmaster. During his different lives than the ones we have lived for decades. time at Avon, Glenn Sieber P’17 became a favorite faculty This is an exciting time for us, and it is one to which we member with our students as a mathematics teacher and have been anxiously looking forward. The opportunity to a respected mentor. He served as our interim CFO and re-create oneself does not occur often in life, and we plan then as our interim director of development; I am forever to fully embrace it over the coming months. in his debt for his “stepping up” in our time of need. His Of course, we leave knowing that we are going to miss presence on campus will be sorely missed next year. the Avon community, which has been the center of our Henry Coons ’71, P’07 is the only faculty member to lives for so many years. Seniors graduate and new students experience three different headmasters: Don Pierpont, enroll each year, and we are accustomed to the continual George Trautman, and me. Henry came to campus as a changes in our student body. What never changes is the sophomore in 1968, when Mr. Pierpont led our school; he energy and enthusiasm with which our boys saturate our graduated while George Trautman was headmaster. In community. I will miss their inspiration, which has fortified 1976, Henry returned to campus to teach and coach and me throughout my Avon career. We will also miss our has been here ever since, serving Avon in a variety of colleagues and friends on the faculty and staff at school, as roles. Henry and I coached together back in the early well as their families. Mrs. Riddle strove to create a village 1980s and were next-door neighbors for 17 years and when she designed this school, and she succeeded colleagues for almost 40 years. Henry’s contributions to exceedingly well. My life has been rich with quality our success over more than four decades have been relationships forged over the past 38 years. Heidi and I will be supported and sustained by the memories we enjoy and the blessings and As headmaster, I have enjoyed the chance to connect wisdom they will provide us for years to with numerous alumni and parents of alumni around the come. Our village overflows with quality people today, and it has been so since I country and world, and building relationships with so arrived on campus in 1981. Building many people is a gift for which I will be forever grateful. relationships with so many people is a gift for which I will be forever grateful. invaluable, and he will always be an iconic figure in the A former board member and mentor school’s history. predicted that I would meet some of the finest people In closing, I offer Jim Detora—and the faculty, staff, and in my life through my work with our Board of Directors. administration who will join him as of July—my very best He was absolutely correct, and my life has been enriched wishes for continued success and good fortune. Heidi and I through my interactions with this selfless group of also thank, sincerely, the entire Avon Old Farms family people, whose altruism and passion mark them for supporting and befriending us during our as unique and special. stay on Mrs. Riddle’s beautiful campus. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to have been a part of this wonderful school, and it will forever color my Aspirando et perseverando! character and my world. Heidi and I look forward to returning to campus over the years to celebrate Jim KENNETH H. LAROCQUE P’01, ’10
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ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT
village green The AIP was a massive success that proved that boys who are truly motivated and desiring artistry, creativity, and a challenge can achieve it no matter the difficulty of circumstances. —C R I S T I N A P I N T O N , C H A I R , V I S U A L A R T S D E PA R T M E N T
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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THE AIP
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hen Cristina Pinton, chair of the Visual Arts Department, founded the Afternoon Independent Project (AIP) program in 2014, it was to meet the needs of several advanced art students who she felt would benefit from a sustained length of time in the afternoons to dedicate to their arts portfolios. “They were all-AP art students and so incredibly talented and motivated and at the top of their classes and yet not attracted to sports,” she recalls. “Even at that time, AIP was something that I realized students at AOF were yearning for.” Since then, the program has evolved to include students interested in pursuing opportunities outside the arts. Each day, when classes are over, instead of heading to sports or theater, AIP students spend the afternoon diving headfirst into their projects. With a diverse group of students and interests, the program thrives, and has afforded many talented Avonians unique opportunities to immerse themselves in a specialization, often working with masters in the field. Several students over the years have completed an intense AIP in non-traditional darkroom photography with local artist Ty Morin. “They studied the collodion process,” explains Cristina, “which is a direct mix of artistry and chemistry. The AIP was a massive success that proved that boys who are truly motivated and desiring artistry, creativity, and a challenge can achieve it no matter the difficulty of circumstances. “This year, as I’ve been pushing over the past few years, we have such a diverse group of AIP students that cover the academic and artistic disciplines in such inspiring ways that the presentations in the spring will be a beautiful culmination of intense work,” Cristina continues. “Polam Fung ’20 hopes to go into medicine; he has pursued an internship at UConn Health and is working with a doctor in osteosarcoma with the UConn high school research program. Gabe Gross ’19 has a dream to work in sports marketing and communications; he’s interning behind the scenes at the Hartford Wolfpack games, volunteering almost every Friday and Saturday night and loving every minute of the experience. We have Symien Jemison ’20 working in a music production lab near AOF, finally able to dedicate a few hours every day
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VILLAGE GREEN
I think the AIP program is extremely important because it allows students to have experiences in the real world and in their interests, which may become their careers. —P O L A M F U N G ’ 2 0 ( P I C T U R E D A B O V E )
to his passion for music and recording. Austin Gatesman ’20 and Mark Schadt ’20 are working with faculty member Dr. Jack Sanford and a visiting Wesleyan professor in the lab, both at AOF and Wesleyan, investigating how genes are expressed or how portions of genes are turned on and off in response to environmental changes. And Eugene Kim ’20 and Matt Son ’20 are working toward an illustration contract for a children’s book that alum Trace Alford ’85 proposed to the school. Noah Matalon ’20, after taking the digital media course and interning with the Communications Department last summer, has decided he will pursue film in college; he’s using his AIP to write narratives for films that he will work on to add to his portfolio.” Jiaxing Zhang ’20 completed two AIPs over the past two years: one in photography and the second this spring as the first Avonian intern at the Hill Stead Museum, in archiving and history. “The AIP is essential in fostering balanced, well-rounded students. Non-athletes can explore and further develop their talents in various fields. Given the current schedule and our schoolwork, we simply don't have 10 extra hours a week to spend on our passions," he explains. "The AIP really rewards students with a solid product that can even be used to supplement a college application.” Alvaro de la Cruz ’18 agrees; he completed a project in filmmaking with artist Robert Abbot. “Because of my AIP, I was able to pursue my passion for filmmaking, and it was
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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We have so much room to grow and expand and hope to network with more alumni to offer opportunities to our most engaged, motivated boys. —C R I S T I N A P I N T O N , C H A I R , V I S U A L A R T S D E PA R T M E N T
my first time creating a film entirely,” he recalls. “I learned many skills about planning and organizing that I still use today. Thinking back to my time at AOF, the AIP stands out as an influential part of my experience, as well as helping my future career as a filmmaker.” Polam Fung ’20 says, “I think the AIP program is extremely important because it allows students to have experiences in the real world and in their interests, which may become their careers. It also gives students a competitive edge in the application process for college.” Other past AIP participants include Robert Aughtry ’19, in fashion design and marketing; Sam
Xie ’17 and Tony Liu ’19, in computer programming and software design; Trey DiBona ’19, who wrote short stories, which were published and received silver and honorable mention awards from Scholastic Writing; and Pengyu Si ’19, Daichi Ono ’19, Bon Bhakdibhumi ’19, and Graham Deckers ’20, who completed advanced oil painting with Greg Calibey. “I am so very proud of the support for this program at this school and have seen so many faculty support the boys, help in transportation, and offer their expertise,” observes Cristina. “We have so much room to grow and expand and hope to network with more alumni to offer
opportunities to our most engaged, motivated boys.” The AIP program was established in 2014 to support the pursuit of academic and artistic excellence and the depth and diversity of talents and interests of our students. The program is available only to upperclassmen and only once per academic year. Students wishing to complete an AIP must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. They apply for projects in their areas of expertise and provide evidence that they have already achieved a certain degree of knowledge in that subject. All AIPs culminate in a public performance, demonstration, or exhibition of work at term’s end.
GABE GROSS ’19
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VILLAGE GREEN
STUDIO UPDATE
TYLER PUMPER ’19 GOLD KEY
SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS
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his January, Cristina Pinton, Visual Arts Department chair, learned that a record-breaking 25 works of art— more than from any other school in the state—had been accepted into the 2019 Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards. The art was displayed at the Silpe Gallery at Hartford Art School from January 13 through February 9, and all Gold Key award winners automatically went on to national adjudication. As the visual arts program continues to soar at Avon Old Farms School, so too does the amount of student artwork on exhibit.
Record Number of Art Awards Earned
The Avonian // SPRING 2019 BELOW, LEFT: PENGYU SI '19 GOLD KEY
PENGYU SI '19 GOLD KEY GRAHAM DECKERS '20 GOLD KEY
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BELOW, RIGHT: MATTHEW JENSEN '19 GOLD KEY
ARTIST
MEDIUM
TITLE OF PIECE
AWARD
BHAKAPOL BHAKDIBHUMI ’19
Painting
Self Portrait
GOLD KEY
CHRISTOPHER CALCINARI ’19
Digital Art
Dream Series—The Bird
SILVER KEY
SEHOON CHANG ’20
Design
Are You Perfectionist?
SILVER KEY
SEHOON CHANG ’20
Fashion
Modern Doublet
GOLD KEY, JERRY'S ARTARAMA OF CT BEST IN FASHION
GRAHAM DECKERS ’20
Drawing & Illustration
Boy Toy
GOLD KEY, AMERICAN VISIONS, CAEA VEST DRAWING
GRAHAM DECKERS ’20
Ceramics & Glass
Earth-Toned Tea Set
GOLD KEY
GRAHAM DECKERS ’20
Drawing & Illustration
Gesture of Love
SILVER KEY
GRAHAM DECKERS ’20
Jewelry
The Promise
GOLD KEY, AMERICAN VISIONS, BEST IN JEWELRY
GRAHAM DECKERS ’20
Ceramics & Glass
Triptych—Self Portrait on Three Tiles
SILVER KEY
MATT JENSEN ’19
Photography
Off to Somewhere
GOLD KEY
MATT JENSEN ’19
Art Portfolio
Worlds of the Unreal
GOLD KEY, SCHOLARSHIP
PEIQI LIU ’19
Drawing & Illustration
Shame on You
GOLD KEY
DAICHI ONO ’19
Painting
Marina
HONORABLE MENTION
DAICHI ONO ’19
Drawing & Illustration
The Offering
HONORABLE MENTION
DAICHI ONO ’19
Painting
Self Portrait in Chair
SILVER KEY
TYLER PUMPER ’19
Photography
Hold Your Breath
HONORABLE MENTION
TYLER PUMPER ’19
Photography
unidentified
GOLD KEY
PENGYU SI ’19
Painting
A River Scene Near Home
GOLD KEY
PENGYU SI ’19
Drawing & Illustration
Men’s Dressing Room
SILVER KEY
PENGYU SI ’19
Art Portfolio
Observations
GOLD KEY, WADSWORTH ATHENEUM PRIZE
PENGYU SI ’19
Drawing & Illustration
The Reveal That Led to Nowhere
GOLD KEY
PENGYU SI ’19
Art Portfolio
Studies of Subjects
SILVER KEY
ANDREW SUNG ’20
Mixed Media
The Great Machine Gate
SILVER KEY
JIAXING ZHANG ’20
Photography
Artist’s Inspiration
HONORABLE MENTION
JIAXING ZHANG ’20
Photography
Isolation & Peace
HONORABLE MENTION
JIAXING ZHANG ’20
Photography
Only Here I Am Myself—appearing from the silver of darkness
GOLD KEY
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VILLAGE GREEN
JACK NEEDHAM ’19
EMERGING YOUNG ARTISTS 2019 JURIED EXHIBITION AT UMASS DARTMOUTH
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ore than 350 pieces of art were submitted for this highly competitive New England juried exhibition, and this year juror Dean Laura Franz selected 80 works for the exhibition. Four artists from Avon Old Farms made the cut: seniors Robert Aughtry, Bon Bhakdibhumi, Jack Needham, and Daichi Ono. Needham was awarded first place, and Bhakdibhumi earned an honorable mention. “To have four of our boys accepted into this competitive show is a true testament to their hard work—this is a blind judgment, which means the juror did not know who the artist of any piece was or where it came from,” comments Cristina Pinton, Visual Arts Department chair. “[She] simply chose it for the art.”
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
BHAKAPOL BHAKDIBHUMI ’19
ROBERT AUGHTRY ’19
DAICHI ONO ’19
To have four of our boys accepted into this competitive show is a true testament to their hard work. — C R I ST I N A P I N TO N , C H A I R , V I S U A L A R T S D E PA R T M E N T
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VILLAGE GREEN
AT A GLANCE
INTERSESSION 2019
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heodate Pope Riddle, the founder of Avon Old Farms, strongly believed in the kind of education in which students work alongside their faculty mentors to produce meaningful work. Intersession honors that tradition by encouraging students and faculty to delve deeply into a single topic that interests them and to produce something tangible and valuable with their efforts. During the week, students and faculty devote all their academic
attention to one course; it may explore a traditional academic topic in great detail, or it may focus on an area outside the traditional curriculum. The idea behind Intersession is to broaden the curriculum while creating opportunities for excursions, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary work. Beyond that, AOF hopes that the Intersession experience will influence how students and faculty approach their work in the traditional curriculum.
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During this year’s Intersession, Avonians: learned blacksmith techniques at the new Nimrod cabin honed their photography skills pitched sustainability ideas to the Shark Tank meditated in the Copper Beech Institute labyrinth studied sports journalism with John Anderson toured the Hartford Police Department visited art galleries in New York City, Boston, and New Haven participated in a Bikram yoga session toured Goldman Sachs in NYC heard tales from a Roman legionnaire helped stock a local food pantry toured UConn’s Gampel Pavilion baked fresh bread conducted genomics experiments helped out with winter farming … and much more!
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VILLAGE GREEN
FEATURED ARTIST
TAYLOR STOLWORTHY ’19 BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
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ince Taylor Stolworthy ’19 arrived at Avon Old Farms School as sophomore, he’s been on the stage. “I’ve participated in seven shows at Avon Old Farms,” he states, “and I have enjoyed every single one.” Taylor is fresh off his performance in this winter’s Noises Off, which he counts as the hardest production of his Avon career. “Timing, doors, words, falls, sardines … they all were extremely hard to coordinate and get
right,” he recalls. “What was really fun about the performances was the fact that things didn’t always go according to plan. On the first night, during a scene when things were supposed to go wrong, a lot did. The first-aid box I carried opened up on the stairs; the box and bag I carried fell off the set; the bottle in the box rolled down the stairs. Even though it didn’t mess anything up, we didn’t plan on it! The important part was whether the audience liked it, and
judging by their laughter—and mine, because I couldn’t keep a straight face when all of this happened—they clearly did.” Despite all his success and the fun he’s having on stage—he even dyed his hair orange for his very first role at Avon, in the musical Into the Woods—Taylor has faced many challenges as an actor that’s he’s been able to meet, such as learning to speak with an accent for Cripple of Inishmaan. He also recalls learning to
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It was incredibly difficult to hit some of the high notes, and I struggled, but I was encouraged by Mr. Lea, Avon’s fantastic choral director, and he helped me hit the notes, much to my surprise and excitement!
send his naturally baritone voice into a tenor register for a solo as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls. “It was incredibly difficult to hit some of the high notes, and I struggled, but I was encouraged by Mr. Lea, Avon’s fantastic choral director, and he helped me hit the notes, much to my surprise and excitement!” Taylor also performs with the Riddlers, Avon’s elite chorale group. This year, he took on the coveted role of Jester in the annual Boar’s Head
Festival—one of his most treasured memories from his time at Avon. “It was an honor to do so and was an amazing experience, especially with the fact that this year’s Boar’s Head was Mr. LaRocque’s final one,” he recalls. Off the stage, Taylor serves both as the treasurer and one of three leaders of the Red Cross Club, an organization about which he has grown increasingly passionate. “During my time with the club, I’ve
worked at multiple blood drives and even got CPR/AED training,” he notes. “I even had the honor to represent AOF at the Red Cross school conference. My experience with the Red Cross at Avon has been great, and I wish to continue with it in college.” A day student from Southington, Conn., who fits Mr. Doyle’s description of a “boarder without a bed,” Taylor’s many commitments have him on campus from breakfast in the Refectory until after enrichment hour, where he is a regular visitor for help with his schoolwork. He relies on the support of his family— “especially when it comes to picking me up from school at 10:30 after a long night rehearsal!” Though Taylor is unsure of his future plans, he hopes to discover his career path at college. Those he leaves behind at Avon will surely miss his stage presence—and hope he continues to perform!
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VILLAGE GREEN
HONOR A LEGACY
THE LAROCQUE FACULTY FUND
Faculty at Avon Old Farms are the heart and soul of our success. —KEN LAROCQUE P ’01, ’10
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
NO ONE
has embodied Avon’s mission to cultivate young men of integrity who honor wisdom, justice, inclusion, service, and the pursuit of truth more than Headmaster Kenneth H. LaRocque. But when asked who he thinks is the real heart and soul of the school, he without hesitation will say, ‘The faculty.’ The LaRocque Faculty Fund was established in 2018, as Ken headed toward his final spring before retirement, to honor the legacy of a beloved headmaster and celebrate his unmatched dedication to the AOF community. “I have been here for 38 years, and so many things have changed during that time—the campus has improved dramatically, the composition of our student body has become more diverse,” Ken states. “But the one thing that has been an absolute constant throughout my tenure is the important role that our faculty plays in the lives of our students and our success as a school.” Dedicated teachers and staff are at the heart of the Avon Old Farms experience. The goal of the LaRocque Faculty Fund is to hire and retain extraordinary educators, to enhance
their professional development opportunities, and to provide comprehensive and unique benefits for Avon’s faculty families. The faculty’s selfless commitment to their students is inspiring and distinguishes Avon from other schools. The faculty at Avon Old Farms are the difference makers: supporting them is critical to the school’s future.
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on the field, with the idea that hard work would pay off in the end.” Now, he notes, is the time to pay it forward, and he encourages his fellow alumni to do the same. “The reason the fund is so important is because it continues his legacy as a headmaster and the emphasis he has placed on the continual development of our faculty,” explains Bill. “His dedication to that mission has really served the school well over his tenure as headmaster. “The better faculty we have, longer tenured faculty we have, the better boys we are going to be able to recruit and be able to keep, who are going to graduate and go on to do great things in life,” Bill continues. “Things are super competitive right now, both in boys’ schools and coed. It really does start with the experience the faculty
The reason the fund is so important is because it continues his legacy as a headmaster and the emphasis he has placed on the continual development of our faculty. His dedication to that mission has really served the school well over his tenure as headmaster. —B I L L A U S T I N ’ 9 2
Bill Austin ’92 has already given a generous gift to the fund in recognition of Ken’s impact when Bill was an Avon student and beyond. “Ken was the dean when I was there, and he was super influential in my development, always pushing me to work my hardest in the classroom or
provides, and Ken has done such a nice job of listening to everyone—the board, alumni, students, the faculty— he’s constantly pushing the envelope and creating a better curriculum at the school so we can be the best school we can for boys.”
Please honor Ken LaRocque’s 38 years of service to Avon Old Farms by contributing to the LaRocque Faculty Fund. Our goal is to create a lasting fund to pay tribute to Ken’s life, legacy, and enduring commitment to education. For more information, visit CAMPAIGNFORAVON.COM/LFF
SPRING 2019
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athletics
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ATHLETICS
athletics at avon ATHLETIC SPOTLIGHT
JARED HUNTER ’19 BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
Being a Winged Beaver and competing for Avon means carrying all of the history that is associated with Avon athletics. This comes with a lot of responsibility, and it makes playing for Avon much more enjoyable.
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ared Hunter ’19 is a triplet. He also has a younger brother. As one of four, he may have found it easy to blend in to a group. But that just isn’t the case with this three-sport varsity athlete and four-year senior from Cohoes, New York—although it did take some work. “When I first came to Avon, I struggled with becoming independent,” he recalls. “Growing up as a triplet in a small school and supportive environment, I never had to worry about feeling alone. At first glance, this was a good thing; however, in some ways I was never forced to become independent.” Jared quickly found his place on the athletic fields, breaking the mold of the specialized athlete and instead choosing to embrace the multisport athlete model. He’s a member of the varsity cross country, varsity B hockey,
and varsity track and field teams. “As I am a three-sport athlete, I believe that it is important to commit yourself to multiple activities,” he observes. “Playing one sport all year round can become stressful, and it can also limit your athletic ability. Many of the skills and muscles used in different sports complement each other. I feel as though I am a much better all-around athlete because I play multiple sports. “Being a Winged Beaver and competing for Avon means carrying all of the history that is associated with Avon athletics,” he continues. “This comes with a lot of responsibility, and it makes playing for Avon much more enjoyable. It is fun to know that you are following in the footsteps of talented athletes.” Jared is the founder and president of the Debate Club, co-president of
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Peer Tutoring, a monitor in Diogenes Dormitory, and a member of the Big Brother Club. Though he spends much of his time dedicated to his many commitments, Jared has become especially passionate about the Red Cross Club, of which he is president, as he hopes to one day become a doctor. “Coordinating blood drives and seeing how willing people are to donate warms my heart,” he observes. “I also enjoy knowing that through all of the donations at our school, many lives will be saved.” Though Jared remains focused on his successes in the classroom and preparing for college—he’s taking four AP courses and hopes to maintain his Dean’s List status—he’s also hoping to excel on the track, with the goal of earning All-New England and All-Founders League status. He plans to pursue a pre-medicine track in college and eventually hopes to become a pediatrician. “After my four years at Avon, I can confidently say that I can rely on my peers as my family. But my parents have always been my biggest inspirations,” he states. “As they both immigrated to America from Jamaica, their determination to always persevere is present in anything they do. Their drive for higher education has inspired me to do the same. I wish I could repay them for the infinite amount of work they have done for me and my siblings. My number one priority is to make them proud.”
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ATHLETICS
THE ALUMNI HOCKEY GAME: A History BY RICHARD VALENTINE ’64
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his February I returned to Avon for the 47th annual alumni hockey game amid much fanfare about renovations of the Jennings Fairchild Rink. Very impressive! In 1960, my freshman year, the NHL had six teams. We had a natural rink located directly east of the Village Green. Only the biggest and richest schools had an artificial rink. If we wanted ice, we were required to flood the rink in the middle of the night when the temperature was cold enough. The fire hose was located in the tunnel entrance on the northeast
corner of what is now the headmaster’s office. The system was haphazard at best, as people found it hard to get out of bed when awakened for their shifts. During warm spells, sometimes we didn’t have ice for weeks. When it was cold, often the first exercise for practice was to shovel the previous night’s snow off the rink. There were 8- to 10-foot piles of snow all the way around the rink. We also had hazards. On sunny days, the southwest corner got reflected rays, which softened the ice, and if you weren’t careful, you might find yourself skating in sand. It
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
If we wanted ice, we were required to flood the rink in the middle of the night when the temperature was cold enough. was always good policy to let the other team chase the puck into that corner! Some schools had makeshift rinks. For example, Wilbraham Academy had 1- by 3-inch rectangle chicken wire fencing stapled to two-by-fours sunk into the ice on a pond. Better than nothing. With the advent of the Jennings Fairchild Rink in 1972, Toby Harwood ’64 and Seth Mendell ’52, then with the History Department, scoured records for available alumni to start a tradition. The first game was played in 1971; Chuck Kohn ’62, P’93 refereed some of
the earliest games. The alumni originally played the varsity and later the JV team before adopting the current format of odd versus even years in 1987. The second alumni game was my first among many, and I learned how badly out of shape I was at the time. Now, even though I try to skate twice a week, the alumni game always makes me feel thoroughly outclassed. But that’s all right because George Giannoni ’74 and I are going to set the bar high for returning hockey alumni!
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ATHLETICS
GOLF
17-0 T H E VA R S I T Y G O L F TEAM'S RECORD THROUGH THE MONTH OF APRIL, INCLUDING A CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OUT OF
HIGHLIGHTS
spring ’19
10 TEAMS COMPETING AT THE SUFFIELD INVITATIONAL
LACROSSE
8 SENIORS ON THE VA R S I T Y L A C R O S S E T E A M W I L L P L AY F O R
TENNIS
15 Varsity tennis defeated Taft
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS
COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS NEXT YEAR
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BASEBALL
6 HOMERUNS HIT BY C A P TA I N W I L L G E R S K Y ' 1 9
IN THE FIRST PART OF THE BASEBALL SEASON
TRACK & FIELD
105.5 POINTS SCORED IN THE TEAM'S HOME M E E T V I C TO RY
OVER TAFT, CHOATE, AND HOPKINS
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A FOND FAREWELL
A Fond BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
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Farewell Henry Coons embodies our school motto aspirando et perseverando. He is a tireless worker who has always served our school and our boys with complete commitment. Henry has done it all at Avon—from teaching, to coaching, to leading Eagle Dormitory, to leading our alumni programs, he has willingly and effectively shouldered whatever responsibility he has been assigned. Henry is a true Man of Avon. —HEADMASTER KEN LAROCQUE P’01, ’10
HENRY R. COONS ’71, P ’07 RETIRES
After 43 Years
his spring, Avon Old Farms School will say goodbye to Henry R.Coons ’71, P’07 who will retire after 43 years of service to the school. Few in Avon’s history of long-serving, extraordinary faculty members can offer the same perspective: Henry not only dedicated his career to bettering Avon through his years spent teaching, coaching, and, eventually, fundraising, but also attended the school— under three different headmasters—before returning to make it his life's work. Along the way, he got married, raised a family, and helped change hundreds of lives. Henry spent his formative years in Port Washington and Huntington, Long Island, and most of his teenage and early adult years in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He came to Avon Old Farms School as a sophomore in the fall of 1968 and graduated in 1971. Henry’s father had attended Taft School, but Henry found his place at Avon.
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A FOND FAREWELL
Henry Coons has given his heart and soul to Avon Old Farms and he exemplifies the meaning of what it takes to be a member of the Avon Old Farms Brotherhood. — K E V I N D R I S C O L L ’ 7 2 , P ’ 0 8 DEAN, MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER
I worked closely at Avon with Henry Coons from the 1970s until my retirement. The ultimate team player, Hank quietly helped to make Avon a better place for over four decades. In the classroom, in the athletic arena, in the alumni office, in all areas of school life, Hank had a positive impact, decidedly making a meaningful difference, during his long tenure at Avon. — P E T E R E VA N S H ’ 1 8 , P ’ 9 8 FO R M E R CO L L E AG U E
“As soon as I walked through Diogenes Archway, I knew that Avon was the right school for me,” he recalls. “Avon became my home away from home, and I was fortunate. Avon was transformative for me as I was able to play sports, and I began to find a passion for history and started to enjoy writing.” While at Avon, Henry served as head monitor in Elephant Dorm annex and played varsity football, basketball, and baseball; he was captain of the varsity football and baseball teams. Henry’s experience as a student was colorful—despite then-Headmaster Trautman’s attempts to “resist the counterculture movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.” Henry recalls an emphasis on short haircuts, a strict dress code, sit-down meals, and chapel three times a week—all standards that hold true for today’s boys. It was the late sixties, however, and Henry recalls the challenges of the time: “Drugs were around,” he states. “Social life was also really different; with only one phone per dormitory, communication with the girls’ schools was sparse. We had some dances on campus and one or two at other schools but not a whole lot of social interaction. Snail mail pretty much ruled the day. “We did live operations on rats that were kept in the basement of the science building,” he continues. “My poor rat woke up during my operation as my lab partner, who was supposed to keep it sedated, fainted and could not keep the animal under.” Henry also recalls several particularly
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challenging moments the entire community endured during his years as a student—most notably when Headmaster Don Pierpont suffered a heart attack and passed away not long into Henry’s first year as a student. Henry spoke about it in this year’s chapel talk (see “The Last Word,” page 64). After Pierpont’s death, the school hired interim headmaster Allen McMillen before George Trautman arrived, which means Henry was a student under three different headmasters before joining the faculty, first under George and then a fourth, Ken LaRocque. The school also suffered the loss of a student, who died of a heart attack during a football game when Henry was a sophomore. And in 1971, the roof of the gymnasium collapsed under the weight of a blizzard; fortunately, no one was in the gym at the time. Though times have certainly changed
since then, and despite a somewhat traumatic series of events, Henry remembers fondly the many teachers who were influential in his development. “My science teachers were outstanding: Bill Kron in chemistry, Bruce Billings in biology, and Frank Leavitt, who was a very good geology teacher,” he says. “Courtney Bird and Seth Mendell were great history teachers, and Sid Clark was an outstanding English teacher who gave me the confidence to write and appreciate good literature.” Also important was his football coach, Harry Rice, whose coaching methods have stayed with Henry through his own decades of coaching on campus. “As I was captain and quarterback of the team my senior year, he and I were very close. His coaching philosophy of ‘practice for perfection, play for keeps’ has always been at the core of my coaching style.” Henry matriculated to Muhlenberg College,
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A FOND FAREWELL
Henry Coons is the epitome of a gentleman. His strength and integrity have made an indelible impact on countless Avonians. We owe Coach Coons a debt of gratitude for his selfless service to our school; he has always been a lynchpin for our alumni community. — DA N S E I D E N ’ 0 0 , F O R M E R C O L L E AG U E
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where he majored in history, minored in education, and lettered in varsity football and baseball. After Muhlenberg, Henry started his teaching career at the Searing Tutorial School in New York City. During a spring trip back to Avon in 1976 for his five-year reunion, Headmaster Trautman offered Henry a contract to teach and coach. And the rest, as they say, is history—which is, of course, the subject Henry taught until 1998, earning a master’s degree in history from Trinity College along the way. His course load over the years included European history, United States history, United States government, the modern presidency, and economics. Growing up, he already had a keen interest in the subject: “When I was a young boy, my mother shopped at a grocery store in Port Washington, and they had a special offering for a young person’s encyclopedia—Art Linkletter’s Picture Encyclopedia for Boys and Girls, which was an illustrated encyclopedia,” Henry recalls. “Every week, you could purchase one of the 18 volumes. For some reason, I loved those encyclopedias and devoured every entry. There was a lot of history in those volumes.” He also enjoyed teaching European history because of his personal family history: his grandfather fought in World War I in several pivotal battles, including the Second Battle of the Somme, and his father landed on Normandy Beach on D-day. He also loved teaching the colonial era, the founding of the United States, and the Civil War. Henry explored the history of Avon Old Farms School for his master’s thesis at Trinity. “I focused on the founding of the school and the educational philosophy of Theodate Pope Riddle,” he explains. “It was very similar to the
educational philosophy of John Dewey, who believed in the practical nature of education: faculty and students should learn from each other. Theodate had the boys work in the woods and on local farms. She really believed that the sons of the wealthy should experience what those who are not as fortunate have to deal with. And of course, we frequently recall her concept ‘the ways in which we differ are far more important than the ways we are alike.’” For his first 20-plus years on campus, Henry lived and breathed the traditional triple-threat model of boarding schools that was so prevalent at that time. “I was single for my first three years at Avon,” he recalls, “teaching four classes, coaching three sports, on a duty crew, and with study hall duty twice a week. I lived in
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A FOND FAREWELL
Coach Coons has been a steady force at AOF over five different decades. He has inspired literally hundreds of Avonians to become better men. I know, because I am one of them. — B R I A N C O N R OY ’ 8 2 , H ’ 1 3 , P ’ 2 0 FO R M E R C H A I R M A N O F T H E B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S
three very small but cozy apartments near or in the quadrangle.” He met his wife, Marie, at a Christmas party held by one of his former Avon colleagues, and the two were married in November 1980. “Raising a family and living in the quad—Eagle Dormitory—was pretty special,” Henry observes. “All of the larger apartments in the quad had families. For my two girls, Christina and Brittany, boys were just those smelly things that lived a door away from our bathrooms. As a father of two girls, I liked that aspect!” “For my son, Casey ’07, it was always great to have someone to kick a soccer ball or throw a lacrosse ball with when the boys made their way to the refectory each night,” Henry continues. “Marie and I are not pet people, but our children got to be buddies with all of the dogs on campus, which was great.” Of raising their family on campus, Henry notes, “I was extremely fortunate to marry a woman who was so supportive and rolled with the challenges of being a faculty spouse at a school like Avon, where faculty work long days supporting the students in every phase of school life. “In addition to taking the lead while raising the children, Marie was a well-respected girls’ gymnastics judge in New England and also worked on campus in Baxter Library for many years, where she always seemed to sense when a boy needed someone to talk to about an issue." As the kids got older, Christina headed to Taft School and Brittany to the Ethel Walker School. Casey attended Avon Old Farms, a varsity athlete and a good student who earned Order of Old Farms honors. Though there were moments where a balance needed to be found, the experience was wholly beneficial to both father and son.
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“I think it’s always a little uncomfortable for children of the faculty to be at a school where your dad or mom works,” Henry observes. “Some kids think that faculty brats get special treatment for teams and courses, but Marie and I never tried to pull strings in those situations. We did our best not to ask too many questions or get too involved in his daily life at school. “Casey’s Avon experience was really good and transformational. Part of it was that he was very close to the Custer family,” Henry continues. “He was like their fourth son, and many of his qualities—such as his of love for animals, respect for the environment, and simple kindness—were fostered through his interactions with Art, Michelle, Charlie, Tim, and Ben.” Casey agrees, noting, “Growing up in the heart of campus was such a unique privilege that yielded many of my fondest memories. I owe this privilege to Coach Hank Coons, or as I call him, Dad. It’s hard to find someone more immersed in Avon as he always has an Avon hat, jacket, tie, shirt, or belt on; is keeping tabs on the football or hockey score; and will sing the school’s praises to anyone within earshot. His 40-plus years of unwaver-
ing dedication helped shape Avon into the school it is today and helped shape me into who I am today.” Throughout his tenure, Henry was fortunate to explore another of his passions in his more than four decades on campus: coaching. He has coached sub-varsity and varsity level football, basketball, and wrestling.
Growing up in the heart of campus was such a unique privilege that yielded many of my fondest memories. I owe this privilege to Coach Hank Coons, or as I call him, Dad. — C A S E Y C O O N S ’ 0 7
Most notably, Henry has been the head varsity tennis coach for 39 years, developing hundreds of boys into talented tennis players, many of whom went on to play at the collegiate level—quite a feat for someone who never played competitively until he was an adult! During the summers from 1981 through 1998, he served as manager and head
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Henry Coons comes from the ‘old school,’ and stands as one of Avon's oaks, built from the same tough and durable material that Theodate Pope Riddle built Avon Old Farms School. Henry has been a strong, stable personality, doing his job and meeting his commitments without fanfare, since the day he arrived on campus in the fall of 1968. Henry and his family have dedicated their lives to Avon. Indeed, it is upon the shoulders of men like Henry that our school was built. —T I M T R A U T M A N ’ 7 5 , P ’ 0 3 , M A J O R G I F T S O F F I C E R
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tennis professional at the Hartford Tennis Club; he biked the commute, 16 miles a day, for 12 of those years, and when he left, the club made him an honorary member for life. He still plays there as often as he can during the season. “I won a couple of club championships, but nothing big, as I have never really trained for serious competition,” he observes. “It’s something that I plan to do when I retire in the 65-plus age group in Maine!” Athletics has clearly always been a part of Henry’s life, so it’s unsurprising that the storied Winged Beaver tradition resonates so strongly with him. “Ken LaRocque says it best when he starts every sports award ceremony with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt; ‘The Man in the Arena’ pretty much says it all,” Henry claims. “The lessons learned in pursuit of achieving are valuable, and in pursuing athletics, whether winning or losing, the feedback is immediate. How one reacts to that immediacy becomes a key component to the character of that person. “It does not matter if it’s Special Olympics or the Super Bowl,” explains Henry. “Character is revealed. Though I was fortunate to be part of many victories, I have always been more motivated by losses than victories. Even during off years, Avon has sustained a reputation of strong athletics with an overall winning percentage that is pretty amazing. Families and young men are attracted to schools that have successful programs. Overall, school spirit is better at schools with good athletic programs, and students who are in those programs seem to have more confidence to try different things, such as singing, art, technology, and other pursuits.”
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A FOND FAREWELL
Henry Coons is not just the consummate school man, he is the consummate Man of Avon. An alumnus who attended during both the Pierpont and Trautman Eras and a parent during the LaRocque Era, he has spent better than four decades serving his school. Highly skilled at every aspect of the triple-threat model (he is a history teacher, a winning coach, and an effective dorm master), he turned to administration because that is where the school needed him, and he has spent the last 20 years doing a great job keeping other alumni connected to the school. —A RT C U ST E R P ’ 0 4 , ’ 0 5 , ’ 1 0, D E A N O F C U R R I C U LU M A N D I N ST R U C T I O N
In the mid-1990s, Henry shifted gears toward alumni and development. He currently serves as director of alumni giving, helping to raise capital gifts, and is active in stewardship and alumni relations. “I always tell people that working at Avon is pretty much like having a new job every new school year,” says Henry, “with so many changes in terms of courses, sports, kids, and the changes in your own children’s lives. In 1992, I was asked to focus some of my attention on alumni relations, when the head of the department, Seth Mendell, retired. Over the course of the next eight years, I transitioned
out of the classroom but still ran Eagle Dormitory and coached football and tennis. I was asked to work for the Alumni and Development Office full-time starting in the 1999–2000 school year. “My main focus has been alumni engagement and the pursuit of raising money for capital and annual fund campaigns,” he explains. “For many years, I did the class notes, wrote for the Avonian, coordinated phone call drives, and was in charge of reunion, the alumni road race, and the alumni hockey and lacrosse games. I helped with the creation of the National Council and worked on creating a planned giving program.”
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As the school began to break more ground on some of the most innovative projects in the last 20 years, including the Ordway Science and Technology Center, the Beatson Performing Arts Center, and the Brown Student Center, Henry was instrumental in connecting many of the men, mostly alumni, who helped with the construction and financial support of the projects. Although at times Henry finds himself missing the classroom, he knows how important his job is, and he takes it seriously. “The work is vital,” he states. “Only a small percentage of families in the United States can afford an Avon Old Farms School education, and to attract students, a school like Avon must have facilities that are state of the art. What used to be a luxury 10 or 15 years ago is now, in 2019, a necessity. Tuition does not pay for new facilities or new programs; those things come from the generosity of parents, alumni, and friends of the school. “When people ask me why I spend countless hours connecting with alumni and asking them to support Avon financially, my answer has always been the same,” Henry explains. “I believe in the mission of Avon Old Farms School, and if a young man who comes to Avon meets us at least halfway, his life will be enriched for the rest of his life. Fortunately, most of our students meet us halfway or more. “The work has been rewarding, and I have had the perspective of working not only with men who were here in the 1970s but also with their children who followed in their footsteps. I believe that Avon has worked hard to keep the traditions that have kept us strong and the recognition that students from all backgrounds and economic circumstances are valuable to the community as a whole.” Even now, with retirement around the corner, Henry remains focused on the tasks at hand for Avon to continue to thrive. “The challenge over the next eight to 10 years will be
to have a blockbuster centennial campaign, so our endowment begins to rival those of schools that have been around for 100 to 200 years. “Having been involved with capital and planned giving for many years, I believe that there are some transformational gifts that will come to the school over the next decade or so,” Henry observes. “This will place our endowment in a more favorable position, and help support our dedicated faculty as well as ensure that families who need financial aid can receive it.” Having spent most of his life here on campus, it’s not surprising that Henry is so firmly invested in the future of the school—if not a little worried about how he will adapt to the transition. “Avon has been my home, pure and simple, and leaving Avon will be an adjustment,” he says. “I will remain close. My dream would be to have my grandsons, Nico and Henry, attend during my lifetime."
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Jack Eschert ’19 BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
“I
’ve always known somewhere in the back of my mind that I’d wind up at Avon,” recalls Jack Eschert ’19, a lifelong Avon resident and son of alumnus Bill Eschert ’83. “I pursued private education because I recognized that I thrived in smaller classroom settings with close attention from the faculty,” he observes. “Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity. “Ultimately, I chose Avon because I felt comfortable on campus and saw numerous opportunities for personal growth,” he continues. “Attending the same high school as my father is truly a special experience; while our routes did overlap, I know that I have forged my own path here rather than directly following in his footsteps.” Indeed, Jack has made his own way, with a fresh perspective on his own growth as a student and a young man, transforming into a leader and role model of the student body—though it happened only because of his dedication and willingness to take a risk.
“Prior to my freshman year at Old Farms, I was a very quiet and self-conscious person. Talking in front of an audience or to new people terrified me,” Jack recalls. “I wanted to overcome this fear, so I auditioned for the fall play my freshman year at AOF. Because of this experience on stage, I developed self-confidence; once I persevered past my initial panic, I found a new appreciation for public speaking. Acting inspired me because my private fear had become a public success.” A four-year Headmaster’s List student and an exemplary scholar, Jack has earned a University of Pennsylvania Book Award and a Hamilton College Book Award, along with class book prizes in physics, early United States history, modern world history, and Mandarin Chinese 1. Athletically, he is a member of the varsity cross country, swimming, and track and field teams. He is also a day student monitor, a member of the Riddlers, and a two-year admission ambassador.
Under Jack’s lead as the co-editor in chief of last year’s yearbook, Avon's Winged Beaver won first place from the American Scholastic Press Association for high schools with fewer than 500 students, along with a gold medal from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. He is also a two-time winner, at the class level, of the all-school annual poetry recitation contest. Although Jack’s contributions on campus are many, his service to the greater community is perhaps where he shines brightest. He is an Eagle Scout in the town of Avon and president and founder of Helping Hands for Connecticut, a charity he started that has since developed into a club on campus. “I was inspired in seventh grade, after learning about my aunt’s work as a social worker with people who are less fortunate,” he explains. “I began by collecting school supplies for inner city children at my middle school. But when I entered high school, I shifted my focus toward collecting hats and gloves for a women’s shelter; my aunt
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“
There is no better feeling than watching younger guys take part in everything this school has to offer, especially as you watch them warm up to you, knowing you’ve been a key part in their progression here.
’’
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Scouting gave me lifelong friends as well as a strong moral compass. I learned to always do the right thing even when it is not the easiest option or even if nobody else is watching. I hope to carry this skill forward in my life so I can positively impact other people’s lives as a sound role model.
recommended I deliver the items I collected to the Cornerstone Foundation because she recognized the shelter was in need of support. “I was thrilled my work would benefit a women’s shelter because of the struggle my grandmother faced earlier in her life as an immigrant and widowed single parent in Queens, trying to work and raise my mother at the same time,” he continues. “I chose hats and gloves because they are essential for a person’s well-being during the winter; additionally, they are frequently found around peoples’ homes but are also inexpensive to purchase.” Jack set up collection drives on campus, encouraging his peers to donate items. As senior year approached, he developed the initiative from an individually run project to a school sanctioned club with student officers and a faculty advisor. Recently, he partnered with the Miss Porter’s service group Concordia
to collect formal attire for underprivileged students to attend proms. Jack has already elected a successor to ensure the charity’s work continues after his graduation this spring. Though it seems nearly impossible that he could have any free time remaining, Jack has also been a dedicated member of the Boy Scouts since age six; until he turned 18 and aged out of the program, he was the senior patrol leader of his 85-member troop, planning and leading events with the adult leaders. He recently attained the prestigious Eagle Scout rank. “I wanted to craft a product that
would leave a lasting impact on my community as a whole,” he notes. “I chose to construct three Kearney Fire Department SCBA Training Modules for the Avon Fire Department. These modules are giant plywood boxes made of standard CDX plywood and two-by-fours. Each module is a variation of its parent function. I built three modules in total: one with a split floor in a V-shape down the middle, one with a plastic drainage tube in the center, and the other with a reduced opening via an installed window. “My Eagle advisor, who is also a fireman, suggested I consider this plan
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because the nearest training facility with these modules is in Suffield,” Jack explains. “Thus, my project better equips my town’s department to protect its citizens as well as train the surrounding communities. “Scouting gave me lifelong friends as well as a strong moral compass,” he continues. “I learned to always do the right thing even when it is not the easiest option or even if nobody else is watching. I hope to carry this skill forward in my life so I can positively impact other people’s lives as a sound role model. Leadership is not always about having a commanding presence or the loudest voice; scouting taught me that the strongest leaders are those who lead by example. I look
forward to becoming an adult leader, in the future, when my children decided to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.” It’s clear that Jack will take with him the lessons he’s learned at Avon and in the community and continue to make an impact, but he is quick to credit several strong examples, both at home and on campus, who have helped guide the way. “Recognizing that my parents were sacrificing a lot to send me here, I promised myself that I would take advantage of every available opportunity for growth so I could become the best person I could possibly be,” Jack explains. “My mother instilled in me the importance of empathy, hard
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work, and self-exploration. Moving to the U.S. as an immigrant from Taiwan with a widowed mother at the age of four, her life was a constant uphill battle. But despite those obstacles, she earnestly persisted and earned her law degree. Her life story is incredibly inspirational because it reminds me to appreciate the life and privileges I have that most people aren’t fortunate enough to enjoy.” Once on campus, Jack learned to rely on the teachers who could help him follow through with those goals—such as Mr. Detora, no longer a classroom teacher, who welcomed Jack into his office for early-morning extra help, and Mr. Tumperi, who supported Jack with advice and care both in and out of the classroom. “The faculty here can dramatically change your life,” he states. “I didn’t count on developing close relationships with my teachers. It felt a bit unusual at first, but I ultimately realized that these people truly cared about my success, both as a student and as an individual. Without their dedication, I would not be the man I am today. “Ultimately, I owe everything to Ms. Barzun. She changed my life. She has been my personal and college advisor for the past three years and a true mentor and role model. She is someone I know I can talk to about anything, and she has helped me overcome numerous obstacles. I feel very fortunate to have been her advisee and student throughout my time at Avon.” Jack will attend Middlebury College this fall, with plans to pursue the pre-dental path.
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2
Blood drives Glenn and the Red Cross Club host on campus each year
FACULTY FOCUS
2012
Glenn was honored with the Cashion Faculty Award
2017
The year Glenn’s son, Kevin, graduated from AOF
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Years Glenn spent in the financial services industry
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Glenn Sieber P’17 BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
W Today Glenn retires after spending six years serving as the chair of the Math Department and director of strategic planning
hen Glenn Sieber P’17 retired young, after a successful career in the business world, he knew he would likely pursue teaching. “I had always talked about becoming a teacher in my second career,” he recalls. “My career focus really changed from ‘success’ to ‘significance.’ I really wanted to do something more significant than run an office, a department, an industry, or a business.” What he didn’t know, however, was just how much of a home he would find at Avon Old Farms School—or how much of an impact he would make. Now, as he prepares to retire more permanently, he looks back at the years he spent at Avon— and the number of roles hes played. Glenn attended Virginia Tech, where he earned a bachelor of science with a double major in economics and management. He retired from Accenture, a global management consulting, technology, and outsourcing company, with more than 24 years of experience in the financial services industry defining and managing large transformation programs for Fortune 500 companies, primarily in the insurance industry. He was the global managing partner of Accenture’s
insurance industry practice as well as the global managing partner of Accenture’s financial services merger and acquisition practice. Of his teaching choice, Glenn explains, “I chose mathematics because the fact that I had had a relatively successful business career gave me some instant street cred with my students! I could use some of my business world experience to help my students know what is important in mathematics and when they will use certain tools and techniques.” Glenn joined the Math Department faculty in 2007—and he jumped in with both feet. While teaching, he earned a master of arts degree in education with a concentration in curriculum and instruction design from the University of St. Joseph, where he also earned his Connecticut state teaching certification. For the last six years, he has served as the chair of the Math Department. Glenn founded the Junior Achievement Club for aspiring entrepreneurs and also started the Understanding Personal Finance and Investments Intersession course. In 2012, he was the recipient of the Cashion Faculty Award. “My original vision when leaving Accenture was to teach in
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FACULTY FOCUS
“
I could not imagine a more significant, impactful, and honorable career than helping young people learn about the world they live in.
’’
an inner-city school,” Glenn explains. “However, as I was doing all of my classroom observation work for my teacher certification, I became more and more disenchanted with the public school system: the teaching to standardized tests, large classrooms, teacher unions, etc. did not excite me. “After Ken offered me a job at Avon Old Farms, I thought I would be here for one year and then transition back to the public school system,” he continues. “But within my first few weeks of teaching at AOF, I fell in love with the school and my students. I knew I was here to stay: the small classroom size, the all-boy environment, and the flexibility to teach what is important in real world applications rather than teaching to standardized
tests all made me never want to leave AOF. And I have been here ever since.” Right away, students responded to Glenn and his fresh perspective. He recalls a student giving him a Red Sox coffee mug at the end of his first year of teaching. “He knew I was a fan, and he bought it with his own money,” Glenn recalls. “When he presented it to me, he said, ‘I just want to thank you for all you did for me over the last year. You were one of my best teachers ever, and I really enjoyed learning about mathematics with you.’ “I knew then that my teaching career was going to be far more rewarding than any of my accomplishments during my business career,” Glenn states. “To this day, that mug sits on my desk at home, where I display it with great pride.” Clearly, Glenn and Avon were a good match. He believes in the school’s mission and does his best to embody it. “I love the fact that this school and its Board of Directors are committed to maintaining a small student body and committed to being all-male. It makes us so unique and enables teaching that can truly motivate and inspire a young man,” he observes. When the time came for Glenn’s third child, his son, Kevin, to attend high school, the choice was clear. Eventually, he even had Kevin as a student. “Having my teenage son in my class was, without question, a bucket list item for me,” Glenn says. Kevin, who graduated in 2017, was elected Warden of the student body his senior year. “Seeing Kevin mature from a young boy to a young man was an experience I will never forget and will always cherish,” Glenn notes.
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observes. “Barbara and I bought a home in Naples, Fla., where I will plan on spending most of the winter months. My summer months will be spent at our beach house in Connecticut. I hope my future holds a lot of time with my children and grandchildren. And, if I am being honest, I am hoping I have a little more time to play golf.” Throughout his career, Glenn has remained heavily involved in his community, serving as the 1990 tournament chairman for the Canon Greater Hartford Open as well as the 1988 president of the Greater Hartford Jaycees. He has served on many local boards of directors. Glenn has also served as chairman of the board of the Greater Hartford Chapter of the American Red Cross and on its board of directors. His passion for the organization led him to create the Red Cross Club on campus, for which he is the faculty advisor, which has thrived in recent years. In addition to his classroom and extracurricular responsibilities, Glenn has been equally essential in many important developmental decisions at Avon Old Farms. While teaching mathematics and chairing the department, he also served the school as interim director of alumni and development from 2015 to 2016. Furthermore, he was serving as the interim chief financial officer in 2011 when he was first asked to coordinate the strategic planning initiative for the Board of Directors. For the last six years, he has served as director of strategic planning. “AOF is all about ‘inspiring boys and building men,’” he states. “I have
thought that phrase was the most accurate description of what we do since we started using it for the campaign several years ago. “AOF enables boys to be boys; to grow and learn in a confident, supportive, and welcoming environment; to be inspired as a boy and to grow into a confident and caring man.” Glenn has had to lean on that supportive environment himself: this winter, he lost his wife, Barbara, to cancer she had been battling for several years. Through it all, Glenn found a second family in his colleagues and the Avon community. “She loved Avon and what it provided for Kevin—and for me—as much as I did,” Glenn states. “I will never forget the support, love, flexibility, and cooperation I received from my colleagues at AOF. I could not have been with Barbara as much as I was without their help. My entire family was truly inspired by the outpouring of love, kindness, and compassion during Barbara’s illness and her services.” Since Barbara’s death, Glenn is approaching his retirement with much less certainty. “I plan on seeing where the next year takes me and then decide on next steps,” he
Of course, Glenn will remain connected to Avon Old Farms, as he will join the Board of Directors in June. He hopes to continue to contribute in meaningful ways to the school that has meant so much to him and his family. “My teaching career at AOF was more significant to me than I could have ever hoped,” Glenn states. “While I do feel that I have been able to give back to my community, in actuality, it is AOF that has given me some of the most fond and memorable experiences of my entire life. “I could not imagine a more significant, impactful, and honorable career than helping young people learn about the world they live in.”
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Brett Jefferson ’84 The Edward A. Russell ’84 Scholarship Fund BY MORGAN C. CUGELL
I’m very happy to do what I can— and I think it’s something I’m supposed to do. You’re supposed to help out if you can. I want my three children to see that.
W
hen Brett Jefferson ’84 graduated from Avon Old Farms, he knew that the school had made a big impact on him; he always planned on giving back, despite a tough start. “Honestly, I didn’t love it at first,” he laughs. “I didn’t like being told what to do. But after a while, I saw that it was helping. When you go to a public school, you don’t really look around and have role models outside of your
parents; in boarding school, you’re with them all the time. You’re seeing your teachers, of course, but also the upperclassmen you’re living with, and having them as role models— great students who were also great athletes, and really personable people—all of a sudden, you realize, ‘Wow, I could do a lot more.’ “People were focused,” he continued. “That was a really good thing. My ambition increased because I was surrounded by people with big ambitions. It was a great environment that allowed me to really transform myself as a person and learn that if you set your mind to things, you can do them.” That perspective obviously proved wildly beneficial in the years that followed: Brett is the founder and president of Hildene Capital Management, an asset management firm specializing in structured finance investments. He oversees all firm investment decisions and strategies. With more than 25 years of combined experience in the structured finance market and the option arbitrage industry, Brett has led Hildene to Barron’s Top 100 Annual Hedge Funds list for six consecutive years—including the number two spot in 2013. Brett graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and a master's of management degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to founding Hildene, he was a senior portfolio manager of the Marathon Structured Finance Fund, which had no down
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
months during his tenure. Prior to Marathon, he worked in the Structured Credit Products groups at Salomon Smith Barney and Chase Securities. Brett’s success has afforded him the opportunity to give back, and his foundation has enjoyed supporting the schools and coaches who helped him get where he is today. “My job is to go in and make money. I’m an investor. It’s not like I create a product,
or I’m a doctor and can go somewhere and volunteer or a lawyer who can do pro bono work,” he explains. “I’m given money, and I invest. And I really like it, and I’m good at it. With that, I’ve done OK—and we started a foundation and we want to give back where and when we can make a difference. “I think it’s selfish for people to think, when they have success, that it was all them. I’m very happy to do what I can—and I think it’s
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
THE AOF ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 1984 VARSITY LACROSSE TEAM
something I’m supposed to do. You’re supposed to help out if you can. I want my three children to see that.” Now, with his nephew Cole Bailey ’21 a student at Avon, and the memory of Avon’s enduring impact still fresh in his mind, Brett and his family foundation have sponsored a scholarship fund to honor a dear friend—and to give someone else a chance at the life Brett knows he’s fortunate to live today. The Edward A. Russell ’84 Scholarship Fund is named in honor of Brett’s close friend and former varsity lacrosse teammate Eddie, who died in a car accident in 1995. The fund will provide full scholarships to recipients who should “embody part of what made Eddie special: a talented athlete with contagious energy, a creative thinker, deeply loyal to family and friends, who had a passion for adventure and the outdoors and brought joy and humor to those lives he touched.” “When he passed away, it was right before cell phones and internet,” recalls Brett. “I was finishing business school in Chicago, I had started a business, and I had just had a son. I didn’t find out until two months after the fact.
And that was really hard. After the reunion in 2004, when our 1984 lacrosse team was inducted into the AOF Athletic Hall of Fame, I reached out to Eddie’s brother. I wanted to do something for Avon in Eddie’s memory. We worked together with his family to make sure we did it the right way. “The school did a lot for me,” he states. “There’s a value system that comes out of Avon. And Avon has been very good to me. I don’t know where I would be without it. Places like Avon don’t just survive on their own. This was the time I could do it, and I didn’t need it named after me.” Athletics, of course, was of paramount importance during Brett’s Avon career. Lacrosse has always been and remains today a huge part of his life. He started playing in eighth grade and fell in love with the game. “I knew I wanted to play in college,” he observes. “I also knew, if that was going to happen, that I needed to be more disciplined. I didn’t know how to be a student. That’s when I realized I should go away for high school.” In 2004, Brett and the 1984 varsity lacrosse team were inducted into the Avon Old Farms
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
Athletic Hall of Fame, cementing the team’s position as one of the standouts in school history. They finished with a 14-2 season record and outscored their competition by a 107-55 margin. After Avon Old Farms, Brett, a goalkeeper, matriculated to Syracuse University, where he played on the 1988 NCAA Division 1 championship team. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Tewaaraton Foundation, which annually awards the Tewaaraton Trophy to the best college lacrosse player in the nation; he is also a board member of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), a tour-based professional lacrosse league featuring the best players in the world. Fellow Avonians Dean Graham ’84 and former head lacrosse coach Henry “Skip” Flanagan Jr. serve on the Tewaaraton board; Avon alumnus Connor Kelly ’14 was a finalist for the award last year. In addition to supporting the Russell Scholars, Brett has been privileged to watch his nephew’s Avon experience rival his own. “My nephew is there now; he needed what I needed,” Brett says. “Before my dad passed away, he told me to make sure the kids were going to be OK. So, I sat down with Cole and said ‘I’ve only got one place for you!’ “It’s really sort of cool,” he continues. “Cole calls me up; he tells me about his hockey team, how he loves this teacher or that one, and how he’s really enjoying doing this or that. It’s great to see him grow as a person.” Brett has also enjoyed experiencing, through Cole’s time at Avon, how the school has progressed over the years. “The one cool thing I saw when I went up to look at the
school with him was that Avon had changed, but it hadn’t changed,” he explains. “The world has changed in the 35 years since I left there, and Avon has changed with it. When I was there … you were an athlete. There were a lot of athletes. Now around campus I hear them saying, ‘I’m a football player’ or ‘I’m a lacrosse player’ but also ‘And I was really excited to be in the play this winter.’ It’s great to see more opportunities in the arts.
The school did a lot for me. There’s a value system that comes out of Avon. And Avon has been very good to me. I don’t know where I would be without it. Places like Avon don’t just survive on their own. This was the time I could do it, and I didn’t need it named after me. “We have our identity,” Brett states. “It changes as the times change. Avon has done a great job of changing with the times but not changing what it is.”
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class notes 40s
’56 CHARLES R. SCAGLIONE
Head Class Agent 3328 Eagle Nest Point Virginia Beach, VA 23452 scag3328@gmail.com
’42 RUSSELL HUNTER
Head Class Agent 100 Sarah Ln., Apt. 112 Simsbury, CT 06070-1985
’58 AUSTIN CHAMBERS
Co-Head Class Agent 335 Lake Dr. North St. Petersburg, FL 33710-7751 susan.chambers3@aol.com
’43 RICHARD E. DOREMUS is mentioned in a note from JOHN M. MENDEZ P’91, who wrote,
“I was pleased to read my copy of the fall 2018 issue. To my surprise, I saw a picture of my friend
’58 STEPHEN R. HOLT
Co-Head Class Agent 75 Bridge St. Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 stephenholt@comcast.net
RICHARD E. DOREMUS ’43,
who is now 92. I play golf with Rich quite often over the winter in Florida. He is doing very well and is excellent company.”
50s
’59 CHARLES W. DAVIS
JOHN MENDEZ P’91 AND RICHARD DOREMUS ’43 ARE READY FOR A ROUND OF GOLF AT LEMON BAY GOLF CLUB IN ENGLEWOOD, FLA., ON FEBRUARY 7, 2019.
’59 DOUGLAS B. MARSHALL
’50 HARVEY S. RUBIN
Head Class Agent 102 Barbour Cir. Newport News, VA 23606-2201 harvo2516@verizon.net
’52 SETH F. MENDELL
’55 EDWARD J. HAWIE
Head Class Agent 232 Tellidora Ct. Fort Myers, FL 33908 sethalicemendell@gmail.com
Co-Head Class Agent 138 Hampton Point Dr. St. Simons Island, GA 31522-5426 ehawie@bellsouth.net
’54 DOUGLAS H. MACPHERSON
’55 CLEON M. SHUTT JR.
’51 WARREN T. FORD SR.
Co-Head Class Agent 115 Center St. Wolcott, CT 06716 jodir@aol.com
Head Class Agent 5405 Dranes Tavern Dr. Fairfax, VA 22030-4603 dhmacpherson@verizon.net
’51 CARL A. CANDELS
Co-Head Class Agent 6 Mountain View Ave. Avon, CT 06001
Co-Head Class Agent 6905 West 99th St. Overland Park, KS 66212 cwdavis@waretec.com
Co-Head Class Agent 511 Garrison Forest Rd. Owings Mills, MD 21117 chipsamerica@hotmail.com
Co-Head Class Agent 2 Berkshire Rd. Bloomfield, CT 06002 douglas.marshall@raveis.com
60s ’60 RICHARD L. WILLIAMS
Head Class Agent PO Box 218 South Orleans, MA 02662-0218 rclumberclan@aol.com
Boston OCTOBER 3, 2018
More than 50 Avonians, parents, and friends of Avon gathered at The Fours in Boston for a fun evening of lively reminiscing. PAT DUNK ’13, CHRISTIAN DIANTONIO ’15, KURT WEISENBURGER ’13, JIM DETORA P’12, KYLE STANTON ’13, TADAS JALINSKAS ’13, SAWYER ROTHMAN ’14, AND GEORGE TRAUTMAN H’98, P’75, ’81, ’82, GP’03
SEE WHO WAS THERE: WWW.AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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GRANVILLE “GRANNY” TOOGOOD ’61, SAM CHEW ’61, AND BILL DAVID ’61 MEET FOR DINNER IN PALM BEACH, FLA., IN FEBRUARY 2019.
LANCE S. CARSON is 76 years old and living in the northeastern part of Los Angeles, Calif. He still runs his surfboard business, which has built surfboards for more than 45 years. Carson specializes in creating sixties style longboards. He was recently notified that he will be inducted into the Surfboard Shaper’s Hall of Fame in September 2019. Check out his website at www.lancecarsonsurfboards.com.
’61 GEORGE F. HENSCHEL JR.
G. GREELEY WELLS reached
Head Class Agent 101 Seminary Rd. Bedford, NY 10506 gfhjr@aol.com
a milestone birthday recently, turning 75. He is feeling great, happy, and creatively alive after 50 years as a painter and the last 10 years filled with filmmaking. He invites readers to go to greeleyandfriends.com to preview his work of short nature films, many with poems attached. He has lived off the grid, using solar, hydro, and a backup generator, on the West Coast for the last
’62 ALAN D. ROZINSKY
Head Class Agent 13620 Via Flora, Apt. B Delray Beach, FL 33484 rozinskyb@gmail.com
28 years and shares that nature has become his real passion. His home is on a beautiful creek in the mountains, and most of the photos on his website come from the picturesque areas surrounding him. ’63 JACK R. STOKVIS
Head Class Agent 25 Pine St. Haworth, NJ 07641-1926 smarts@galaxy.net
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CLASS NOTES
New York OCTOBER 23, 2018
Avon’s reception at the Harvard Club was well attended by alums from a great mix of class years, parents, and friends of Avon. The room had great energy as attendees toasted Ken LaRocque’s last year as headmaster. JACK COURAGE ’11, JIM DETORA P’12, KIERAN MORRIS ’11, PATRICK LEDDY ’11, AND RAY WIACEK ’11
SEE WHO WAS THERE: WWW.AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
G. GREELEY WELLS ’62 HOSTED A THREE-DAY PARTY TO CELEBRATE HIS 75TH BIRTHDAY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN SEPTEMBER. HE IS PICTURED HERE WITH SOME OF HIS STILL ART HANGING IN THE BACKGROUND.
’64 W. BRADFORD HARWOOD III
Head Class Agent 24 Overhill Ave. New Britain, CT 06053 wbhtcc@aol.com
’65 PERRY BENSON JR.
’66 MICHAEL D. BARKER
’67 JAMES W. CORRIGAN
Head Class Agent 2135 Naudain St. Philadelphia, PA 19146-1218 pb2@jacobswyper.com
Head Class Agent 40 Bay Hill Dr. Bloomfield, CT 06002-2376 barkermike@aol.com
Co-Head Class Agent 826 Gould Hill Rd. Contoocook, NH 03229 jwc915@gmail.com
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IN MEMORIAM
WINSTON MCKELLAR ’69 (LEFT) AND STANTON PERRY ’74 (RIGHT) CELEBRATE THE 65TH BIRTHDAY OF JOHN MARTINSON ’73 (MIDDLE) IN JANUARY 2019.
THE SCHOOL HAS LEARNED OF THE FOLLOWING DEATHS:
EDWARD P. PHILLIPS ’41 ’67 WILLIAM F. ROBERTS JR.
’72 KEVIN J. DRISCOLL
Co-Head Class Agent 786 Brownsville Rd. Sinking Spring, PA 19608 wfroberts@fast.net
Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 driscollk@avonoldfarms.com
’68 GEORGE L. PURNELL
’73 CHRISTOPHER L. ATKINS
Head Class Agent 4822 Brighton Lakes Blvd. Boynton Beach, FL 33436 glpluvssports@gmail.com
Head Class Agent PO Box 706 Hillsdale, NY 12529-0706 catkins702@gmail.com
’69 DAVID F. COLEMAN
’74 GEORGE J. GIANNONI
Head Class Agent 35 Adelaide Ave. Barrington, RI 02806 davidcoleman1150@gmail.com
Co-Head Class Agent 36 Twilight Dr. Granby, CT 06035-1212 ggiannoni@cox.net
70s
’74 EDWARD P. MOLLOY
’70 HARRIS H. BUCKLIN III
Head Class Agent 3004 Margaret Jones Ln. Williamsburg, VA 23185 hbucklin3@aol.com ’71 TIMOTHY R. BEEBLE
Head Class Agent 63 Grassy Plain St. Bethel, CT 06801 tbeeble@aol.com
Co-Head Class Agent 6 Winhart Dr. Granby, CT 06035 e.molloy@cox.net WRIGHT “HUNTER” LOGAN
has moved south and reports that after spending many years as a New York City banker, he is transforming into a Georgia redneck. He now toils on his tractor and in his spare time races stock cars, with an eye on Lime Rock Park here in Connecticut or even Watkins Glen. He is also enjoying photography, a hobby he recently
turned into a business. His ties to AOF go beyond his school years— his grandfather was a dean in the 1930s, and his mom lived on campus during her early childhood years. Hunter hopes to attend his 45th reunion in May and combine his visit with some research on the local racing circuit as well as some time with family still in the area. ’75 THOMAS B. BYRNE III
Head Class Agent 31 Helena Rd. Avon, CT 06001-3433 tbyrne@thomasbyrne.com TIM TRAUTMAN, major gifts
officer at Avon Old Farms, wrote that his mother passed away earlier this year: "Mary Lee Trautman died peacefully on January 1, 2019. Mary Lee was married to Headmaster George M. Trautman from 1954 until 1984 and served Avon Old Farms School as the headmaster's wife for 16 years and as assistant to the Director of Admissions Frank G. Leavitt ’52 for seven years. Mary Lee actively participated in faculty and student life at Avon and was quite fond of many of the boys. She performed her role as a headmaster's wife
RICHARD B. RILEY SR. ’50 WILLIAM M. STRUMLAUF ’52 HARVEY MOYSES ’53 KENNETH W. WATSON ’55 JOHN H. MURPHY ’56 CARTER D. CAFRITZ ’57 ALEXANDER H. CARTER ’58 PORTER O. DANIEL JR. ’60 JOSEPH M. WELLS III ’60 JOHN G. BRONOS II ’67 JAMES T. SLOAN ’69 DAVID P. HOTZ ’76 JOHN GARVAN, PAST FACULTY MEMBER
MARGARET M. HENNESSEY P’77, ’77, ’78, ’84, PAST STAFF MEMBER
MARY LEE TRAUTMAN P’75, P’81, GP’03, PAST STAFF MEMBER
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CLASS NOTES
MARY LEE TRAUTMAN P’75, P’81, GP’03
TODD LADY ’93, DUSTIN GRAY ’14, TONY GRAY ’79, AND SCOTT LINKE ’79 COMPETE AT THE WORLD POND HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE CANADIAN VILLAGE OF PLASTER ROCK, NEW BRUNSWICK.
with grace and dignity and also provided encouragement, support, and occasional advice to the headmaster; it was actually Mary Lee who suggested Frank Leavitt ’52 become the director of admissions following the sudden death of Harry Rice. Mary Lee is survived by her daughter Emily Wood and Emily’s husband Steve; son Timothy ’75, P’03 and his partner Joan Blanchard; son Courtney ’81 and his partner Sherwood Hughes; and three grandchildren: Matthew Trautman ’03; Maggie Trautman; and Jordan (Trautman) Umar and her husband Nick Umar; as well as a great-granddaughter, Hudson V. Umar
RANDAL A. BECKER begins year 11 as administrator of the Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care clinics. He works with a great team of people, and the challenge to grow the company is an enhanced experience. In 2018, Little Spurs opened the 10th clinic in the San Antonio metro area. With the two locations in Houston, the company now has a total of 12 locations. Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care is one of the latest organizations to earn the nationally recognized Urgent Care Association’s Pediatric Accreditation, the highest level of distinction for urgent care centers. The pediatric accreditation distinction affirms the company commitment to providing quality care focused on patient safety and excellent clinical outcomes. The accreditation project was a company-wide challenge. This project offered great team-building experiences, involved all employees, and resulted in the ultimate accomplishment of accreditation. Randy serves as treasurer on the board of directors for the San Antonio Medical Group Management Association, is a member of the national MGMA and the Texas MGMA, and sits on the Community First Health Plan Advisory Committee. Randy’s wife, Rebecca, continues her success with N2
Avon N OV E M B E R 1 0, 2 0 1 8
AOF alumni came from near and far for homecoming weekend to cheer on the varsity football team as the Winged Beavers triumphed over Salisbury School 31-28.
ANDREW KUMMING ’98, MARK HURRIE ’98, TED RULISON ’98, AND ANDREW CORRIGAN ’98
SEE WHO WAS THERE: AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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WILLIAM CHERRY ’80 JOINS HIS CLASSMATE GARY SHICK ’80; HIS SON, ALEC STEFAN-CHERRY ’06; AND HIS GRANDSON, TOBIAS STEFAN-CHERRY IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLA., IN DECEMBER 2018. IN THE PHOTO, GARY HOLDS ALEC’S SON AND FUTURE AVONIAN, TOBIAS.
Publishing as an independent publisher and a regional content director. Daughter Sara is a member of the National Honor Society at Health Careers High School, won the spokesmodel competition at the National American Miss pageant, and is currently considering colleges. Daughter Leslee moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., to teach cello and remodel homes. Jordan Becker is on full-time active duty in the U.S. Air Force. ’76 ALEXANDER N. WORLEY
Head Class Agent 20 Shore Grove Rd. Clinton, CT 06413 alexworley@sbcglobal.net
’77 JORGE E. CONSUEGRA JR.
Head Class Agent 5 Andrews Rd. Greenwich, CT 06830 jconsuegra29@gmail.com ’78 JOHN M. GARVEY
Head Class Agent 389 Haines Ave. Long Beach, CA 90814 jmgarvey@garvspace.com ’79 ANTHONY M. GRAY
Co-Head Class Agent 6212 Wagner Ln. Bethesda, MD 20816 tgray@tonygray.net ’79 SCOTT B. LINKE
Co-Head Class Agent 116 Eleven Levels Rd. Ridgefield, CT 06877-3011 scottblinke@comcast.net
80s ’80 THOMAS E. DAVEY JR.
Head Class Agent 6806 Joyce Way Dallas, TX 75225-2718 thomas.davey@ge.com WILLIAM C. CHERRY, currently
based in Amman, Jordan, runs CARE International’s humanitarian aid and response operations to support vulnerable Syrian refugees inside Syria from Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey and inside the Kurdish area of northeastern Syria. ’81 S. COLEMAN BOOKBINDER IV
Head Class Agent 213 Midland Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 samuel.bookbinder@wfadvisors.com
S. COLEMAN BOOKBINDER IV
received the Philadelphia Five Star Wealth Managers award for highest in service and overall satisfaction. Recipients are selected through nominations from peers or firms, and awards are based on ten objective criteria, including client retention rates, client assets administered, firm review, and favorable regulatory and complaint history. The recognition confirms Coleman’s distinguished career of service to his clients. We applaud him for this professional achievement.
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CLASS NOTES
’82 GREGORY T. FISH
’85 SAM L. RUBENSTEIN
’88 PETER D. REED
Head Class Agent 32 Castlewood Rd. Simsbury, CT 06089 gtf324@yahoo.com
Head Class Agent 1148 Apollo Gardens St. Henderson, NV 89052 richmondsr@aol.com
Co-Head Class Agent 91 Butternut Ln. Southport, CT 06890 pdreed18@gmail.com
’83 WILLIAM E. ESCHERT
’86 STEPHEN R. GORMAN
JOHN L. MICEK started his
Co-Head Class Agent 24 Westland Rd. Avon, CT 06001-3197 billeschert@yahoo.com
Head Class Agent 13 Smith Ln. Burlington, CT 06013-1201 stephen.r.gorman@gmail.com
’83 RICHARD C. GREGORY
’87 HAROLD R. BEACHAM JR.
Co-Head Class Agent 30 Walnut Farms Dr. Farmington, CT 06032 rick@rcgregory.com
Head Class Agent 6 Tower Dr. Dover, MA 02030 hal.beacham44@comcast.net
’84 JOHN S. GORDON
’88 SHAWN E. ATKINSON
Head Class Agent 246 Nacoochee Dr. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30305 falconatlfan@gmail.com
Co-Head Class Agent 428 Ridgewood Ave. Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 shawnatki@gmail.com
sixth year as opinion editor of PennLive/The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa., in January, and January 18, 2019, was his last day. He was hired as the editor in chief of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, a new journalism operation covering Pennsylvania’s state government. It’s part of The Newsroom, a politically progressive nonprofit organization that has launched similar newsgroups in nine other states. In 2018, John picked up multiple solo awards for his work in opinion journalism. He also shared in a Mid-Atlantic Regional
IN JANUARY 2019, JOHN MICEK ’88 BEGAN A NEW JOB AS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CAPITAL-STAR.
JASON MURGIO ’94 RECEIVES AN M&A ADVISOR AWARD FOR CORPORATE/STRATEGIC DEAL OF THE YEAR ($250–$500 MILLION) FOR HIS WORK ON WHITE MOUNTAINS’S ACQUISITION OF A MAJORITY EQUITY STAKE IN THE NSM INSURANCE GROUP. LEFT TO RIGHT: ROGER AGUINALDO, FOUNDER, M&A ADVISOR; JASON MURGIO ’94, CEO; AND PAUL PROCOPS, VICE PRESIDENT, M&A SERVICES, INC.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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Avon DECEMBER 14, 2018
This year’s Christmas Hockey Classic was even more exciting because the Winged Beavers played in the bright new rink! Win or lose, Avonians love their Avon hockey.
TODD WISHART, JOHN HARKER ’80, AND MICHAEL SYMES ’81, P’16
SEE WHO WAS THERE: WWW.AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
Emmy for a series of videos on Pennsylvania’s opioid epidemic, and he was a co-winner of a Freedom of Information Award for his columns and editorials on the unnecessary government secrecy surrounding Pennsylvania’s emerging medical marijuana industry. His syndicated column, now in its third year, appears in hundreds of newspapers nationwide. He remains a regular panelist on Face the State, a weekly public affairs show broadcast by CBS-21 in Harrisburg. Avon alums in Philadelphia can occasionally catch him on Radio Times on WHYY-FM, and he continues to make regular appearances on the Pennsylvania Cable Network and Pennsylvania Newsmakers, which is broadcast throughout the Keystone State. He’s also a frequent co-host on WHP-580 AM in Harrisburg. Canadian alums can catch him at least twice weekly on CTV News, where he’s been a political contributor since 2016. John enjoys catching up with Hank Butler in the halls of the Pennsylvania capitol. John lives in suburban Harrisburg, Pa., with his wife and daughter.
’89 ROBERT M. WILEMAN
’94 GRAHAM C. FULLER
’95 ANTHONY D. SILVESTRO
Head Class Agent 7425 N.E. 97th Terr. Oklahoma City, OK 73151-9121 rmw@wilemanagency.com
Co-Head Class Agent 2937 Morris Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003-1832 grahamcraigfuller@gmail.com
Head Class Agent 4 Haskell Rd. Andover, MA 01810 tony.silvestro@insperity.com
90s
’94 PAUL M. GOZZO
’96 MARK A. CARUSO
Co-Head Class Agent 1 Country Farm Cross Rd. Stratham, NH 03885-2536 11pgoz@gmail.com
Head Class Agent 124 Westminster Rd. Chatham, NJ 07928-1364 mcaruso@gmail.com
JASON C. MURGIO, the CEO
’97 TIMOTHY B. STAY
and principal of Merger & Acquisition Services, Inc., received the Corporate/Strategic Deal of the Year ($250–$500 million) Award during the 17th Annual M&A Advisors Awards Gala at the New York Athletic Club in November 2018 for his role in advising and the acquisition of a majority equity stake in NSM Insurance Group by White Mountains (NYSE: WTM). It was a $388 million acquisition of NSM Insurance Group. In addition to winning the award, Jason was also named one of eight finalists for the 2018 Investment Banker of the Year. Jason; his wife, Tricia; and children, Colt (9) and Britton (6), live in New York City and Mystic, Conn., and on Grand Cayman Island.
Co-Head Class Agent 2024 Upland Way #205 Philadelphia, PA 19131 timothystay@gmail.com
’90 PETER J. DECKERS
Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 0600 deckersp@avonoldfarms.com ’91 MICHAEL M. MULLIN IV
Head Class Agent 8 Nickerson Ln. Darien, CT 06820 DAVID C.F. WILLIAMSON
received his PhD from Temple University and is now an assistant professor of management at Southern Vermont College. ’92 DAMIEN J. EGAN
Head Class Agent 52 Brookview Ct. Groton, CT 06340-5528 degan2@hotmail.com ’93 TRAVIS MERRITT
Head Class Agent 121 Rumson Rd. Little Silver, NJ 07739 merritttravis@yahoo.com
’97 KYLE R. YOUNGQUIST
Co-Head Class Agent 14 Wychview Dr. Westfield, NJ 07090-1821 bigkyleyoungquist@gmail.com ’98 GEOFFREY R. BARLOW
Co-Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 barlowg@avonoldfarms.com ’98 J. ANDREW CORRIGAN
Co-Head Class Agent 78 West 85th St., Apt. 5B New York, NY 10024 jamesandrewcorrigan@gmail.com RORY H. SMITH, who serves in the U.S. Marine Corps, was promoted from captain to major.
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CLASS NOTES
Avon FEBRUARY 8, 2019
Alumni spanning 1964 to 2014 returned to the Avon ice to relive their glory days at the Alumni Face-off games.
SEE WHO WAS THERE: WWW.AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
’99 DAVID R. GRYBOSKI
Co-Head Class Agent 101 South Bay Blvd, Suite B-3 PO Box 732 Anna Maria, FL 34216-0732 david@ghgdevelopment.com ’99 ANDREW M. KUNISCH
Co-Head Class Agent 4037 Mansion Dr. NW Washington, DC 20007-2851 kunisch23@yahoo.com ’99 STEPHEN A. ZAPPONE
Co-Head Class Agent 71 Hartwell Rd. West Hartford, CT 06117-1912 zappones@yahoo.com CHRIS GATEMAN and his wife,
Kim, are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, James Hunter Gateman, born August 29, 2018. In keeping with family tradition, James Hunter will be called by his middle name—just like his big brother, John Colton. Chris and Kim are planning to return to AOF this spring for his 20th reunion and look forward to reconnecting with many friends as well as introducing Colton and Hunter to the beautiful Avon campus. RODMAN BLACK ’99 PLACES FIRST IN THE MASTERS PHYSIQUE IN THE SUBCATEGORY MASTERS OVER 35 AT THE 2018 NPC EAST COAST CUP IN OCTOBER 2018.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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CHRISTOPHER VAN DUSEN ’99 IS PICTURED WITH HIS WIFE, SARA, AND HIS DAUGHTER, SAWYER (FOUR YEARS).
CHRIS GATEMAN ’99 SHARES A PHOTO OF HIS SONS, JOHN COLTON (TWO YEARS, 10 MONTHS) AND JAMES HUNTER (FOUR MONTHS).
MATTHEW KOWALCHICK ’99 AND MATTHEW TRAUTMAN ’03 SPEND THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS SKIING IN BRECKENRIDGE, COLO.
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CLASS NOTES
Jupiter MARCH 15, 2019
Avonians, spouses, parents, and past faculty members gathered for conversation and cocktails at the home of Skip and Pam Gozzo P’11, ’12.
DON TOREY P’09, KEN LAROCQUE P’01, ’10, HEIDI LAROCQUE P’01, ’10, AND JENNIFER TOREY P’09
SEE WHO WAS THERE: WWW.AVONOLDFARMS.COM/EVENTS
00s ’00 MICHAEL J. O’NEILL
Co-Head Class Agent 16 Old Colony Dr. Dove, MA 02030 michaeloneill27@yahoo.com ’00 DANIEL J. SEIDEN
Co-Head Class Agent 117 Willow Oaks Ln. Summerville, SC 29483 seidend@gmail.com ’01 CHRISTOPHER D. COLEMAN
Co-Head Class Agent 210 Foote St. Barrington, RI 02806-2943 christopherdcoleman@gmail.com ’01 NICHOLAS H. LAROCQUE
Co-Head Class Agent 1072 College Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306 larocque.nicholas@gmail.com ’02 WILLIAM N. PALMER
Head Class Agent 5835 Cherokee Dr. Fairway, KS 66205 wnpalmer@gmail.com
’03 JAMES T. TANG
Head Class Agent 300 East 84th St. Apt. 2A New York, NY 10028 jamesttang@gmail.com ’04 MATTHEW H. MORAN
Head Class Agent 1605 Sansom St. #206 Philadelphia, PA 19103 matthew.h.moran@gmail.com ’05 DANE G. LEMERIS
Head Class Agent 795 Columbus Ave., Apt 7D New York, NY 10025 dlemeris@gmail.com ’06 KEVIN T. DRISCOLL
Co-Head Class Agent 252 E 61st St., Apt 3BN New York, NY 10065-0350 kevin.t.driscoll@gmail.com ’06 JOSHUA P. PAVANO
Co-Head Class Agent 60 Forest Hills Dr. Farmington, CT 06032-3017 jpavano@gmail.com ’07 CASEY R. COONS
Co-Head Class Agent 50A Oak St. Wakefield, MA 01880 caseycoons4@gmail.com
OWEN O’NEILL, THE SON OF MIKE O’NEILL ’00, AND JOHNNY O’BRIEN, THE SON OF TED O’BRIEN ’93, COMPETE IN THE NEEDHAM YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION. THE BOYS HOPE TO PLAY FOR LEGENDARY HOCKEY COACH JOHN GARDNER, JUST AS THEIR FATHERS DID.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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RICHARD DOANE ’05 STILL LIVES IN AVON WITH HIS WIFE, MONALISSA, AND THEIR SONS, NATHAN AND GABRIEL.
KEVIN SISTI JR. ’08 IS A MEMBER OF THE PRODUCTION TEAM FOR THE FILM THE BILL MURRAY STORIES: LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM A MYTHICAL MAN, NOW AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX. THE FILM FEATURES INTERVIEWS WITH EVERYDAY AMERICANS AS THEY RECOUNT THEIR MEMORABLE INTERACTIONS WITH COMEDIC ICON BILL MURRAY.
’07 TYLER C. HADDAD
’09 JOHN (BEN) BEATH
Co-Head Class Agent 81 Brookside Dr. Longmeadow, MA 01106-2319 tyler.c.haddad@gmail.com
Head Class Agent 1152 Rue laVille Walk St. Louis, MO 63141 beathj@gmail.com
’08 WILL H. HENDRICKS
Co-Head Class Agent 3818 Highland Ave. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 willheatonhendricks@gmail.com ’08 KEVIN S. SISTI
Co-Head Class Agent 64 Pinnacle Rd. Farmington, CT 06032 kevin@oldlimeproductions.com CASEY COONS ’07 AND HIS WIFE, KRISTEN, WELCOMED THEIR BABY BOY, HENRY JOHN COONS, TO THE WORLD ON JANUARY 8, 2019. HENRY HAD HIS FIRST SKATE AT AVON AFTER THIS YEAR’S ALUMNI HOCKEY GAME.
10s ’10 MATTHEW R. COZ
Head Class Agent 172 Webster St. Boston, MA 02128 ’11 OLIVER K. ROTHMANN
Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 rothmanno@avonoldfarms.com HARRISON M. LYONS went backcountry snowboarding in the Bridger Mountains of Montana.
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CLASS NOTES
WEDDINGS
RYAN PETERSEN ’07 MARRIES NICKI PETROSINI IN WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., IN DECEMBER 2018. IN ATTENDANCE ARE CASEY COONS ’07, ARMAND WILSON ’07, BRUCE PETERSEN P’07, BILLY SABIA ’07, KENNY TRENTOWSKI ’07, MICKEY SHAW ’07, DEVIN KEOGH ’07, AND MIKE RECCHIA ’07.
CHRIS WOLFEL ’08, EVAN PIERCEY ’08, DAVID HOLLADY ’08, RYAN JENNINGS ’08, PETER HOLST-GRUBBE ’08, W. BRADLEY HIRST ’78, CAROLYN MATOS MONTES, ERIK HOLST-GRUBBE ’03, AND ROBERT PATTERSON ’08 POSE TOGETHER AT PETER’S WEDDING IN DECEMBER 2017.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
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GAVIN C. TOUPONSE is finishing his senior year at Emory University as a chemistry and physics dual major. He is certified in EMS and works for the Emory EMS as supervisor of operations. He plans to apply to medical school in 2019. ’15 WILLIAM C. DAVIS
Co-Head Class Agent 11 Parker Road Avon, CT 06001 cdavis7@me.com
HARRISON LYONS ’11 ENJOYS BACKCOUNTRY SNOWBOARDING IN THE BRIDGER MOUNTAINS OF MONTANA.
’15 CHRISTIAN E. DIANTONIO
Co-Head Class Agent 520 Dingleton Hill Rd. Cornish, NH 03745-4521 diantoniochristian@gmail.com
It was a nice break from his job with Suffolk Construction, where he is a member of the project management team overseeing the construction of a $400 million ultra-luxury ski-in, ski-out lodge in Big Sky, Mont.
WILLIAM S. SANFORD has
’12 JOHN D. SHAMBURGER
Head Class Agent 4345 Brookview Dr. Atlanta, GA 30339 shamburgerd@gmail.com ’13 WILSON P. MEYER
Head Class Agent 355 Brook Mead Dr. Clarksville, TN 37042 wilsonpmeyer@gmail.com
BRADLEY M. TOUPONSE
’14 MICKOY R. NICHOL
Co-Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 nicholm@avonoldfarms.com
’16 MATTHEW T. HORTON
Co-Head Class Agent 41 Ironwood Rd. Guilford, CT 06437 horton_matt@bentley.edu
’14 RYAN D. PHILLIPS
Co-Head Class Agent 935 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94109 ryanphillips@utexas.edu
’16 ALESSIO MARCOGLIESE
Co-Head Class Agent 590 Kindersley Montreal, QC H3R 1S4 alessio.marcogliese@gmail.com
BRADLEY M. TOUPONSE
graduated from Texas Christian University in May 2018 with a B.S. in biology. He works for a marketing company in Dallas, Texas, as a team leader in direct sales with aspirations of becoming a manager in the next six months. He loves the energy and city life of the DFW metroplex and is still with his high school girlfriend, Kiera Jury.
been selected for membership in the St. Lawrence University chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, a national mathematics scholarly society. He is a member of the Class of 2019 and is majoring in environmental studies-mathematics. Membership eligibility for Pi Mu Epsilon varies by class year, but all students must have taken a qualifying number of mathematics courses and have achieved minimum grade-point averages in those courses, as well as overall, depending upon one’s seniority.
’17 KEVIN A. SIEBER
ARDEN COLEMAN ’16 (FAR RIGHT) AND HIS MIDDLEBURY MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD TEAMMATES NATHAN HILL, JIMMY MARTINEZ, AND JONATHAN PERLMAN EARN ALL-AMERICAN HONORS AT THE 2019 NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BOSTON, MASS. THE PANTHER TEAM OF HILL, COLEMAN, MARTINEZ, AND PERLMAN STOPPED THE CLOCK WITH AN NCAA-WINNING TIME OF 9:56.54, CLAIMING THE NATIONAL TITLE BY 2.21 SECONDS.
Head Class Agent 7 Whitman Pond Rd. Simsbury, CT 06070 ksieber@friars.providence.edu ’18 KEVIN E. HUVELDT
Head Class Agent 96 Four Mile Rd. West Hartford, CT 06107-2703 kevinhuveldt4@gmail.com
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The Last Word
A CHAPEL TALK
Given by Henry Coons ’71, P’07 NOVEMBER 15, 2018
O
n May 7, 1915, Theodate Pope Riddle found herself in a bit of a jam when a German U-boat torpedoed the ship on which she was a passenger. The Lusitania went down and—spoiler alert—she survived. And thank goodness. Even though the school nearly closed several times in the 1930s and was closed between 1944 and 1949 to serve as a rehabilitation center for more 800 servicemen who were blinded in World War II, we got through those difficult times. Fast forward 103 years, and our school is known as one of the premier boys’ schools in the country. My historical perspective is broader because I have been associated with Avon for 50 years. I want to talk about that perspective today, and hopefully you will have a little better understanding of how special and unique your school is. I first set foot on Avon’s campus in February of 1968. I was 15 years old. It was midwinter weekend, and back then everyone was off campus for the three-day break. I had looked at Taft, where my father attended, and the Berkshire School, but once I stepped through Diogenes Archway, I knew that Avon was the school for me. The campus seemed solid, nurturing, and welcoming, and that’s exactly what I needed at that point in my life. My parents divorced when I was 10 years old, and as the oldest of four boys, I had to grow up fast, as the divorce was bitter and I had to take on the partial role of parent for my three younger brothers. Coming to Avon was one of the best decisions that I ever made.
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
Between my acceptance to Avon and the beginning of what would be my sophomore year, the United States was suffering through one of the most turbulent years in our history. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed in March, and Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June. The counterculture movement of hippies and younger Americans experimenting with mind-altering drugs was growing fast. The madness of the Vietnam War was becoming even more of a quagmire. So as I packed up my one duffle bag and made the trip from Huntington, Long Island, to Avon in September of 1968, my country was in turmoil, and I was leaving home and my friends and my teammates to start a new adventure in the woods of the Farmington Valley. The campus was very different than what it is today. The student body comprised about 235 students. There was no hockey rink, and the school store was down a ramp in back of the refectory. It was called Greasy Ed’s in honor of faculty member Mr. Ed Saxby, who taught economics and ran the store. Seniors were allowed to smoke cigarettes on the ramp leading down to the store, and all of the underclassmen would have to walk by a nasty cloud of cigarette smoke (which is probably why I have never smoked a cigarette in my life). I can recall the first morning chapel of the school year, standing at my seat a little hunched over. All of sudden, I felt a whack on the back of my knees. The headmaster had hit me with his walking cane, encouraging me to stand up straight. In my immature mind, I must have thought something like, “Go to Hell.” It turns out that he was just messing with me. That was his nature. Two days later, during our next chapel service, I made sure that I was standing up straight, but Mr. Pierpont never showed up. We were informed that morning that, tragically, Mr. Pierpont had died of a heart attack while in Boston the night before. I figured that I was somehow responsible,
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For me,Out theofmost significant aspect our [Avon] will come men of marked schoolfor is that our heritage, from the start, has greatness, men touched with genius, morphed, and evolved what we mentransitioned, whose kindliness will be ainto boon to all are today, it all be bathed in our whoand come in seems contacttowith it… motto—to ‘aspire and persevere.’ D O N A L D W. P I E R P O N T, HEADMASTER FROM 1948 - 1968
having cursed him under my breath a few days earlier. He was 61 years old and very much responsible for keeping Avon going for 20 years. Many of the alumni of that era called him Daddy Don, as he was very much a father figure. It was a common occurrence for Pierps to lend his car to seniors for quick jaunts off campus to grab a burger and fries at a local Ho Jo’s, which was located near the present-day Max a Mia in Avon. He gave boys confidence in themselves. Out of all of his memorable quotes, he believed in one with all of his heart: “Out of [Avon] will come men marked for greatness, men touched with genius, men whose kindliness will be a boon to all who come in contact with it. …” All of this was during a time when the school had no endowment and more than a few of the beds were filled with young men who had [made] unscheduled departures from their previous schools. Translation: they got booted. Following Mr. Pierpont’s death in September, the school hired Mr. Allen McMillen, who had recently retired as the head of a girls’ school. That year, the school pretty much hung together by the force and willpower of experienced faculty, including Seth Mendell, Brad Mason, Bruce Billings, Bill Kron, Frank Leavitt, and the chairman of our Board of Directors, Reed Estabrook. It was also during that year that a number of independent private schools were folding, and many singlesex schools were transitioning to co-ed schools. Before coming to Avon, all I ever wanted to do was play baseball, basketball, and football.
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THE LAST WORD
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Whenever I see a group of Avon boys on campus or competing in the athletic arena, I usually see potential, energy, and teamwork.
’’
Achieving academic success was always less important than playing home run derby at Southdown Elementary School. On my first day of classes, I was a minute or two late to biology class with Mr. Billings, and he kicked me out. The two-hour mandatory study hall each evening was torture for me. It seemed to last for eight hours. One night, I experimented by being really focused and starting with the subject that I despised the most. Those two hours flew by. After that experiment, my grades started to improve. I had begun to reach out to my teachers and really started to enjoy history, literature, and the sciences. During the summer of 1969, following my sophomore year, we learned that the Board of Directors had hired George Trautman as the new headmaster. He had come from Tabor Academy as a teacher, coach, and administrator to a school that had recently lost a very popular headmaster and was pretty much reliant on families who could afford the $4,200 tuition which, at that time, was close to the top of the range among New England prep schools. In August, before returning to campus, we all received a letter from the incoming head of school. We were told to come back in September with short haircuts. If our hair was too long, Mr. Trautman would either drive us to the barber or to the bus station or airport. My room was in Dio Tower, and I personally witnessed Mr. Trautman driving boys off campus. I believe that the majority were driven to the barber. While our nation was going through a counterculture revolution, Mr. Trautman took a hard right toward maintaining tradition. As part of his belief in tradition and his own personal educational philosophy, Mr. Trautman immediately began to emphasize all athletics at Avon. He hired men like Harry Rice, who was an outstanding football and hockey coach before his untimely death in 1971, along with a host of future coaching
legends, including Coaches Gardner, Evans, Driscoll, Flanagan, Detora, McElheny, Roller, Dowling, Deckers, Rice, and many others. Early athletic success led to keen interest in Avon, and that led to a student body that nearly doubled. Mr. Trautman used our success in athletics as a springboard for developing academic programs along with the performing and visual arts. Mr. Trautman’s first two years at the helm were marked with some great achievements in the athletic arena and other aspects of school life but also two very tragic events, including the untimely death of a sophomore football player by the name of Tim Cotton, which occurred during a home game in 1970 against Hopkins Grammar, and in January of 1971, the old gym roof collapsed under the weight of heavy snow. Following my graduation from Avon, I attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I majored in history, earned my teaching certificate, and played football and baseball. One year after I graduated from college, I came back to campus for my fifth reunion. At the time, I was teaching at a tutorial school in midtown Manhattan. I was standing next to Mr. Trautman watching a varsity baseball game and, on a whim, I asked him if he needed someone to “teach a little history and coach a little football.” He told me to come to his office that night after dinner to sign a contract. He must have been desperate, but I was excited for the opportunity. At the time, I figured I would teach and coach for a year or two, then go to business school to eventually get involved in the world of investments. But once I met my amazing future wife and got married, I began to understand that I could really make a difference in the lives of the young men in my classes, in my dormitory, and on the teams that I coached. I was hooked, and chasing dollars on Wall Street was less attractive. The years have flown by, yet every year is
The Avonian // SPRING 2019
unique and memorable because of new students, new challenges, new opportunities, new faculty, new programs, winning teams, losing teams, unpredictable weather, new facilities, the evolving stages in our children’s lives, tragedies, and triumphs. When Mr. LaRocque first arrived at Avon, he and I coached JV football and I knew right from the start that he would go far and become an outstanding head of school when the time came. He took the strong foundation that Mr. Trautman had built over 29 years, and through a series of capital campaigns and strong board leadership, new facilities were built, new academic programs were created, more named scholarships were established, and our endowment grew to new levels. Having coached with Mr. Detora in football and having him as my boss for the past two years, I know that he will be a strong and effective leader. I truly believe that he will continue to embrace the traditions that have made us strong while continuing to be relevant in today’s world and change the things that need to be changed. For me, the most significant aspect of our school is that our heritage, from the start, has morphed, transitioned, and evolved into what we are today, and it all seems to be bathed in our motto to “aspire and persevere.” I have always believed that our school is
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authentic and effective because we embrace who we are. We embrace our not-so-perfect past, and we do not aspire to be like any other school but AOF. In 2027, we will be celebrating our centennial. Ironically, my grandson Nico will be 15 years old then, and hopefully he will be an Avon student. That would be my dream come true. Schools like Avon stay strong because of excellent leadership and sustainable financial support. In the future, you will be asked to support Avon. Some of you will come back to teach and coach. Some of you will have sons who will attend Avon. Whenever I see a group of Avon boys on campus or competing in the athletic arena, I usually see potential, energy, and teamwork. I am reminded of a quote from an American writer named Og Mandino, who once said, “I am here for the purpose to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth I will apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.” Because of our school’s uniqueness, our heritage, our growing pains, our sense of who we are, our consistent and strong leadership, our dedicated faculty, and our pride of place, you, too, can become that highest mountain. If you want it, take action and grab it.
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I have always believed that our school is authentic and effective because we embrace who we are.
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The Avonian // SPRING 2019
PARTING SHOT Thank you, Headmaster Ken LaRocque, for your 38 years of dedicated service to Avon Old Farms School. We wish you and Heidi all the best in your retirement and in the years to come!
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Avon, CT 06001 Permit No. 12 500 Old Farms Road Avon, Connecticut 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com
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