Bement Bulletin, Fall 2018

bulletin BEMENT

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R A L U M N I , FA M I L I E S , A N D F R I E N D S

C U LT I VAT I N G

ATHLETES

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Ninth graders perform a song in the musical Mary Poppins Jr. See more images on page 24.

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Contents F E AT U R E S

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| Innovation in the Classroom

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Teachers deepen their creative and engaging teaching methods.

| Swapping Schools

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The ninth-grade cultural exchange trip breaks down barriers.

| Cultivating Young Athletes

Lower school physical education classes prepare students to be lifelong athletes.

20 | Alumni Spotlights

Three alumni are excelling in their pursuits, and they credit Bement for giving them the tools to succeed.

MORE INSIDE

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A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS

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CLASS OF 2018

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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RETIREMENTS

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NEW FACES

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CLASS NOTES

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IN MEMORIUM

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ALUMNI EVENTS

ON THE COVER

Katie Dong ’19 and Anne Ott ’19 demonstrate teamwork at a relay event this spring. Beginning in lower school, Bement’s physical education program emphasizes teamwork and other values and skills to cultivate lifelong athletes.

The Bement Bulletin is published yearly by the communications office for current and past parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of The Bement School.

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Michelle Brito FA WRITERS

Alex Bartlett ’87, FA Sara Becton Ardrey P’22 ’24, FA Janice Currie P’99 ’02, FA Rose Gage P’10, FA Frank Henry PTT, FHS, P’03 ’08 Amie Keddy FA Emily Lent Hemingway FA Megan O’Brien ’95, FA Megan Tady FR EDITORS

Sara Becton Ardrey P’22 ’24, FA Emily Lent Hemingway FA Amie Keddy FA Kimberly Loughlin P’18, FA Megan Tady FR

a message from the head of school

I

am pleased to present to you, our Bement family, this annual Bulletin magazine. In its pages, I hope you will see that so much of Bement is familiar to you: the timeless care and love that our teachers provide to our students; the depth and breadth of relationships between students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and the beautiful setting and striking resources of our campus and surroundings.

DESIGNER

Penny Michalak P’14 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tim Young ’61, FA Megan O'Brien ’95, FA

KEY ’GB

’00 TT PTT P GP FA PF FR HOS FHS GGP

Alumna/us from Grace Bement era (1925-1947) Alumna/us Class Year Trustee Past Trustee Parent Grandparent Current Faculty or Staff Past Faculty or Staff Friend of Bement Head of School Former Head of School Great Grandparent

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While we honor and uphold the values and approach that have been successful for many years, we are also committed to a strong and innovative future. Our campus is growing alongside our program, with the integration of Pine Hill during the past school year. Our students are designing bridges at Pine Hill, exploring the American Southwest and the immigrant experience in Tucson, and digging up mock archeological finds they designed in art class and then buried for their classmates. Our faculty are growing and discovering, modeling the openness and lifelong learning that we hope our students will carry with them when they leave us. We’re also offering Innovation Grants to support new ideas and initiatives by faculty and staff members, which you can read more about in this issue.

As you look through these pages, I hope that you will see yourself in the young people pictured here. Their wonder, creativity, and passion for learning are contagious. If you haven’t lately, please come visit us in person to catch a glimpse of Bement’s preserved past, our vibrant present, and our evolving future.

Warm regards,

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B E M E N T. O R G

Christopher H. Wilson P’26 ’28 HEAD OF SCHOOL

in the classroom

BY AMIE KEDDY, UPPER SCHOOL HEAD

Innovation in the Classroom This year, in so many classrooms and corners of our school, we’ve watched and been inspired as teachers created new and innovative additions to the curriculum or continued to reinvent existing lessons. These additions and inventions broaden and deepen our students’ daily experiences in meaningful and fun ways. Here are just a few examples of the kinds of projects and explorations that have happened this year across our lower and upper school divisions!

SIXTH GRADE

Global Innovation and Inspiration Conference (GLII) Students jump into the “shark tank” in sixth grade——meaning they invent, develop, and pitch a product that solves a real-world problem. This capstone project of the sixth-grade information literacy course teaches design thinking, and asks students to create a prototype for their solution, along with the marketing elements they’d need to launch their project: a product name and slogan, business cards, an advertisement, and an elevator pitch. Students present their prototypes to their families, teachers, and classmates at the Global Innovation and Inspiration Conference (GLII, pronounced “glee”) in Bement’s Barn.

INVENTION SPOTLIGHTS

Casey Kittredge’s “Sea Your Ski” water-ski attachment makes finding dropped skis easier. “I love water skiing and always have run into the problem of not being able to find my ski after I drop it to slalom ski.”

Toler Poole’s “Your Blend” smoothie maker churns out delicious beverages without the fuss. “I developed Your Blend because I realized that every time I make a smoothie it takes a while and fruit can go bad and then you have to clean everything up.”

Evelyn Lee’s “Buddy Me” dog-washing device helps clean dogs without getting dirty. “My mom inspired me to make this invention because she struggles with washing our dog, so she spends a lot of money at the dog grooming shop.”

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in the classroom

NINTH-GRADE SYMBOLIC SELF-PORTRAIT PROJECT

“Who Am I ?”

As our ninth graders near the end of their time at Bement, they are more able than ever to answer this central question. Why do we ask them to find out? Because knowing themselves well will give them the confidence and composure to excel in life after Bement.

Part of this exercise in self-discovery is a much-loved rite of passage: the ninthgrade symbolic self-portrait project. Every year, Arts Department Chair Deb StewartPettengill P’01 ’03 asks students to visually show the school who they’ve become by creating a self-portrait in the medium of their choice. The process includes students choosing a personal symbol that reflects their identity and answering writing prompts related to their symbols. The writing connects with students’ personal monologues and essays in drama and English, and ultimately becomes their artist statement.

This project also allows students to practice their public-speaking skills. Students first present their pieces to their classes for formal critique, and then, during a highly anticipated event, unveil their portraits to the entire upper school community.

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B E M E N T. O R G

in the classroom

UPPER SCHOOL

Math Magic

How interactive is the new projector in Ann Dubie’s math classes? Ms. Dubie can touch the whiteboard to resize a graph projected onto the wall, showing her students how an equation changes over time. Or she can scroll through websites, zoom in on and rotate images, and easily allow students to draw on the board themselves—all elevating her ability to visually reinforce complicated algebraic and geometric symbols and drawings.

Ms. Dubie acquired the Epson Brightlink 695wi interactive projector thanks to an Innovation Grant from Bement. She connects the projector to SMART Notebook software, and she uses DESMOS, a web-based graphing program, to quickly and efficiently create graphs. To increase their math literacy and tech skills, students also work on individual Chromebooks provided by Bement. In the future, Ms. Dubie hopes to use the projector to save class notes and export them as PDF files to Google Classroom—a paperless platform to support instruction. She will present her learning during Bement’s Phoenix Academy, a professional development forum where faculty share their ideas and innovations with colleagues.

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in the classroom

SIXTH GRADE

Field Research

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As part of Martha Price P’07 ‘10’s sixth-grade science class, students put on their sleuthing caps to track down artifacts hidden by their classmates at Pine Hill. Part anthropologists, part archaeologists, students had to use correct excavation methods during this dig day, which was the culmination of their final project. At the outset, students were divided into two groups and charged with creating a human population and culture complete with artifacts and a Rosetta Stone.

As students unearthed the artifacts, they had to decipher language codes to gain clues about this buried history.

in the classroom

news FIFTH GRADE

With skillful guidance from their teacher, Rose Gage P’10, fifth-grade students have created a newspaper they have aptly named The Phoenix Flyer. As newly minted reporters, they chose topics of interest to Phoenix Flyer report on; conducted interviews; drafted, edited, and revised their articles; and met deadlines for submission. They also learned newsroom terminology, the importance of clear communication, and the many parts that comprise a newspaper.

Throughout the process, students were invested and engaged. To bring the learning full circle, they toured the Daily Hampshire Gazette for a behindthe-scenes look at the various components of producing a daily regional newspaper.

Spring Fling Edition

Spring Fling

By: Elena & Campbell

KINDERGARTEN–SECOND GRADE

Keith Coders This year, Kara Barrett and Marcia Bernard received an Innovation Grant to launch a coding curriculum in grades K–2. Students have been working online using the code.org curriculum to learn the fundamentals of computer science and computational thinking.

They use their computer lab time and the classroom iPads to work through a series of puzzles. In addition to the online work, a number of unplugged activities enhance the skills they are learning.

To bring coding to life, students have tried being “human robots,” programming each other to move around obstacles. They have used Dot and Dash robots, Mouse robots, Puzzlet, and Cubetto, all of which reinforce programming basics. The students employ drag-and-drop block programming, a kid-friendly way to introduce concepts without having to navigate complicated syntax. In addition to the many activities that fill their day, from academics to arts to projects at Pine Hill, our youngest students learn that developing their coding skills is much like studying math or a world language: it requires persistence, grit, and practice.

They also learn to be flexible in their thinking as they grapple with problems that have multiple solutions.

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Spring Fling is right around the the corner! Spring Fling is when mammal. ​Males can whole Bement community gets 5,000 lbs. The white together at the Mary Hawks House usually consists of tre games. and activities fun of lots for fruits, grass, and lea This year there will be new activities rhinos don't really toss like a photo booth, a basketball natural predators as a game, a popcorn machine, and when they are juvenil as cotton candy machine, as well some natural predato and traditional activities like a raffle Fling crocodiles, big cats, Spring at Tank The Dunk tug a dunk tank! “There used to be a and hyenas. White r the of war between the faculty and grow about three inch it Field Day students [a long time ago] and and they can grow u Elena & so Campbell By: would take place over the brook in total. water! the the losers would fall into The last male Another day coming up is Butler, John on school, Former head of Field Day! Field Day will be (Ceratotherium Sim suit by evening white hosted a is in Day would dress June first. Field died on Marc the Mr. Dobosz and Mr. Paulding at Sudan for the tug of war, and usually He died of an infecti into the recess fields, with exciting students won so he'd get pulled His death was as a waterslide, a of 45. the water at the end! The ​funny activities, such two remaining a blow-up obstacle course, gaga The connection to now is that we have named Na are ball, water balloons, sponge left dunk tank and Mr. Wilson volunteers dunk Najin and Fatu are c the dodgeball and a homemade to get dunked, to continue tank! It is only for the Lower Pejeta Conservanc tradition of Heads of Bement getting School. Three cheers for Field White rhinos are wet on Spring ​Fling!” says Mrs. Day! because East Afri and Ardrey, The Director of Alumni their horns would cu Development at Bement. Spring White Rhinos: Near they cure nothing. P Fling will be on Friday, May 11th white rhino skin, iv Extinction Come us. and we hope you all join for products.

By: Luka and Miles We hope and have some fun!!

Have you ever heard of a learn more! white rhino? White rhinos are a

Continue

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STUDENTS FROM IMAGO DEI MIDDLE SCHOOL TOOK A TOUR OF OLD DEERFIELD WHEN THEY VISITED BEMENT.

Bement’s new ninth-grade cultural exchange program with a school in Tucson, Arizona, introduces students to new people, places, and perspectives.

SWAPPING

BEMENT STUDENTS HIKED THROUGH THE DESERT WHEN THEY VISITED IMAGO DEI IN ARIZONA.

SCHOOLS

It seemed, at first, like a straightforward challenge. Each group of students had five wooden boards, a hammer, nails, and a diagram that gave tips on how to create a basic bird shelter. Their assignment, they were told, was to work together to build a birdhouse that could hang at Pine Hill, Bement’s new outdoor education center, or another part of campus.

But as the teams started to pick up their supplies, it became clear that the real task was something bigger——and something far more complicated.

Each group of four included two ninth graders from Bement and two eighth graders from the Imago Dei Middle School, a tuition-free, independent school for low-income students in Tucson, Arizona. They were all part of a cultural exchange that is Bement’s new ninth grade trip, creating a model for how to push past the divisions that underlie many of the toughest conversations taking place in the United States today. The trip (the first exchange of its kind for the school and unique to Bement) allows students to visit STUDENTS FROM BEMENT an entirely different section of AND IMAGO DEI WORKED TOGETHER TO BUILD the country and interact with BIRDHOUSES TO BE HUNG students and faculty before AROUND BEMENT’S CAMPUS. hosting them on the Deerfield campus.

Five months earlier, the Bement students spent a week 10

B E M E N T. O R G

BEMENT STUDENTS HOSTED THE IMAGO DEI GROUP IN APRIL.

visiting Imago Dei and the surrounding area. They had joined the Arizona students on hikes, played soccer, and visited the U.S.-Mexico border. And they started to talk head on about the differences they saw within their newly formed group——including race, income, national origin, and world perspective. Imago Dei’s student body is 96% minority, with the majority of students being Latino, followed by refugees from African conflicts, African-American and mixed-race students, Native Americans, and others.

It was a profound experience, says Ava Clarke ’18.

But not just because they were confronting all of those socio-economic and demographic divides, she says.

The trip to Arizona was life changing because of what it taught her about herself.

“This trip totally changed me,” she said. “This ninth grade year in general, and the Tucson trip in particular—— it’s helped me be the person I want to be.”

Now, the Imago Dei students were on Bement’s turf.

They were recovering from a cancelled flight and a lost night’s sleep; they were bundled up against the cold early New England spring (versus 80 degree temperatures at home); they were facing culture shock in a new part of the country, which few, if any, had seen before, and an entirely different type of campus.

And now they had to build bird houses.

“I think it’s like this.”

“No, what if we put it here?”

“Hey, have any of you guys ever used a hammer?”

“Ms. Keddy, I think there’s something wrong with our boards!”

Amie Keddy, head of Bement’s upper school, watched as the students struggled together with their construction projects. She restrained herself from giving them too many tips on how to hammer in nails.

Both Bement and Imago Dei students seemed frustrated at first. They weren’t communicating well. But as they spent more time together, they started to joke and laugh. They began fitting the pieces together. The houses weren’t perfect, but they were complete: new, collaboratively-built habitats for future seasons.

The groups gave each other high fives, and rushed over to the fire pit, where Bement and Imago Dei faculty were helping to roast marshmallows——a sweet reward after an arduous task.

FIVE DAYS IN TUCSON The best schools, says Bement Head of School Christopher Wilson P’26 ’28, give students opportunities

to connect with people who are different, ranging in geography, ethnicity, and socioeconomic or family backgrounds, and then help students learn and grow from CHRISTOPHER WILSON INTRODUCED AND THANKED CAMERON TAYLOR, those exchanges. In the IMAGO DEI’S HEAD OF SCHOOL, AT AN ALL-SCHOOL MEETING IN THE BARN. past ten years, Bement students had this experience at La Suiza Orphanage in the Dominican Republic, where they tutored, built a library for and played with young children for one week each year.

With the needs of the orphanage changing, Mr. Wilson, Ms. Keddy, and the ninth-grade advisors sought an opportunity to provide a similar experience here in the United States. As they began talking about what would be most impactful for students and would further Bement’s goal of spreading good throughout the world, a new itinerary began to take shape in the form of a cultural exchange trip.

“A service trip implies that one group of people is providing more value in some ways than the other group of people,” he says. “I believe that these moments of contact, for schools and for students, with a different community are a real opportunity for an equal-value exchange.”

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Ava Clarke ’18 found the experience to be profound because of what she uncovered about the socioeconomic and demographic divides that exist across the country, and also what she learned about herself.

Mr. Wilson pitched the idea to Cameron Taylor, head of school at Imago Dei, a member of the NativityMiguel Coalition (a network of tuition-free independent schools that provide excellent education to low-income students). This would be a new cultural exchange that wouldn’t be about the privileged coming in to serve the underprivileged, but one in which students on both sides would learn from each other, and then work together to tackle some of the big problems in each of their communities. Both sides would travel outside their comfort zones; both sets of students would get a chance to host.

Mr. Taylor was cautious, but impressed. He had no interest in wealthier, primarily white, East Coast students coming to his school offering charity. But he sensed that Bement was a special community, and that this was a different sort of proposal. He agreed to host Bement students for a visit.

The Bement ninth graders flew to Arizona in November. It was Cammy Howe ’18’s first time on an airplane.

“It was awesome,” she says. But the trip would get even better, she adds.

The ninth graders agreed to put away their technology for the entire trip, and Howe says that she and her classmates quickly started to bond in a new way.

BEMENT AND IMAGO DEI STUDENTS MADE ORNAMENTS AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE IMAGO DEI MIDDLE SCHOOL.

The Imago Dei students were more friendly and welcoming than they could have imagined, ninth graders recall, and after their initial hand shakes the two groups of students went on a walking tour of Tucson and to Playformance, an indoor play and fitness facility. By the end of the evening playing games together, the handshakes had turned into hugs.

The students were together for five days. They spent a lot of time in the bus together, driving to different sites in southern Arizona.

“We were singing, having so much fun,” recalls Adrien Fountain ’18. “We weren’t looking at the differences, but were just being there. We all wanted to just be with each other.”

This was particularly true after visiting the U.S.– Mexican border in Nogales, AZ. Both sets of students watched families try to talk to loved ones under the watch of armed border agents and protesters from different political sides; they saw how new Plexiglass barriers installed by the U.S. Border Patrol made it so families could no longer touch each other through the fence. Ninth-grade advisor Nancy Ames, who helped coordinate the trip, remembers that for a little while afterwards, the bus was quiet. But the students—— American-born and from other countries, new immigrants and refugees——seemed particularly relieved to be together.

FIVE DAYS AT BEMENT In April, as the second half of the exchange, the Imago Dei students visited Massachusetts for five days, spending time on Bement’s campus, touring Historic Deerfield, and traveling to other towns and cities. The Imago Dei students helped the ninth graders rehearse for their musical. They listened to ninth graders and their second-grade reading buddies present Make Way For Ducklings, a preview of a field trip to Boston.

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TOGETHER, STUDENTS CREATED T-SHIRTS TO COMMEMORATE THEIR EXCHANGE. IMAGO DEI STUDENTS DESIGNED THE FRONT OF THE SHIRT (SEEN LEFT), WHILE BEMENT STUDENTS DESIGNED THE BACK (SHOWN ABOVE).

STUDENTS FROM BOTH SCHOOLS VISITED THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER IN NOGALES, AZ.

(LEFT)

BEMENT STUDENTS WENT TO THE HISTORIC MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC NEAR TUCSON.

The exchange between the kids is incredible. I’m so impressed with the culture of Bement.

(BELOW)

STUDENTS VISITED THE BUENOS AIRES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. THEY ALSO VISITED THE TOHONO O’ODHAM NATION (IN BACKGROUND).

Cameron Taylor, head of school at Imago Dei

And again, they bonded over the unexpected. Mr. Taylor remembers watching one of his students, a recent immigrant from east Africa, struggle with the knife and fork he was given in the Bement dining hall. The student simply hadn’t used them at home, Mr. Taylor says, and was now getting increasingly flustered.

“It was bad,” Mr. Taylor recalls. “I started getting really nervous.” He worried what the other students would say and do.

But before he knew it, some of the Asian Bement boarders swooped over to give a lesson in Western-style cutlery. They, too, knew what it was like to have to adjust to a new cultural norm. Before long, the boys were laughing together.

“Our community and this community, on the face of it, seem really different,” Mr. Taylor says. “But the exchange between the kids is incredible. I’m so impressed with the culture of Bement. It could easily have been different. But you have this beautiful, open, diverse community. What’s happening here is pretty amazing.”

(BELOW)

IMAGO DEI STUDENTS TOURED HISTORIC DEERFIELD WITH LOWER SCHOOLERS.

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C U LT I VAT I N G

YOUNG ATHLETES

BY EMILY LENT HEMINGWAY, LOWER SCHOOL HEAD

The same conversation occurs almost every day at lower school lunch. At some point during our family style meal, one student turns to another and says, “What’s for P.E. today?”

This question is particularly important to the students because the activities change every day. The possible answers seem infinite. It could be a traditional game, like kickball, or a fan favorite, ga-ga ball; sometimes it’s a more collaborative activity, like parachute games, and other times, it’s a day at the track doing events such as long jump and the 100-meter dash. Our students meet each activity with absolute enthusiasm.

What they may not fully realize is that, in addition to being a lot of fun, these activities are strategically designed to cultivate young athletes who are gaining a foundation 14

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in sports. Embedded in fun-filled P.E. classes are the basic tenets that will help students learn teamwork and sportsmanship and build strength and skill.

Physical education is not an unusual program for an elementary school, but it is a rare school that is able to commit to having P.E. class every single day for every student. This philosophy stems back to the school’s founder, Grace Bement, who was ahead of her time in recognizing the importance of movement in brain development for children. She emphasized outdoor activity every day as a way to develop hardy, resilient students.

To develop this hardiness, P.E. teachers Jerry Dobosz and Will Paulding have created curriculum that capitalizes on young children’s natural need and desire to move. The curriculum turns their raw enthusiasm into the athletic skill, motivation to work hard, and sportsmanship that allows our students to perform so highly on upper school sports teams.

The hope, Mr. Paulding and Mr. Dobosz both say, is to inspire young students to become lifelong athletes who enjoy being active. As Mr. Paulding notes, the benefits of a strong foundation in fitness don’t stop there. “I am incredi-

bly lucky to work at a school that truly values the importance of daily physical education, not only as a means by which to create healthy lifelong habits, but also, as countless studies have shown, a way to improve academic success,” Mr. Paulding says.

It’s no coincidence that daily lower school P.E. classes build competitive upper school athletes. Mr. Dobosz and Mr. Paulding help students hone skills that are the building blocks of athletic competition—swinging a tennis racket, throwing a baseball, kicking a soccer ball, and doing long jumps. Each day, students warm up, learn or practice a key athletic skill in isolation, and then apply that skill to real-life movement in a group game or activity. Each grade plays the same game on a given day but works on a different level of skill appropriate to the students’ age and development.

Starting each class with a focus on these skills means that students are thinking about their own performance and how to improve, rather than simply what to do to win. Mr. Dobosz always tells the students, “We’re here to do the best we can.”

During a student’s six years in lower school P.E., Mr. Dobosz and Mr. Paulding try to introduce students to as many different sports and games as they can so that students

swimming program at the Deerfield Academy pool. Twice a week for the month, students work in small, leveled groups with a certified instructor to become stronger, more confident swimmers.

For some lower schoolers, these lessons are their first formal swimming instruction, and by the time lower schoolers are ready to move to the upper school, they all have the basics down.

Individual growth is a major emphasis in lower school P.E. Over the Great athletes rely course of the school year, Mr. Dobosz on their brains, as and Mr. Paulding track student perZack Schonbrun ’01 formance and show the children their has discovered in his own improvement over time through book The Performance routine evaluation. Students are tested Cortex: How Neuroscion movement and strength through ence is Redefining Athletrunning events, upper body strength ic Genius (see page 21). through push-up and hang tests, agility and jumping ability through the long jump, and other metrics. Students look forward to the chance to see what they can do, knowing that there will always be opportunities to keep improving. They often cheer for each other, showing compassion and support of their fellow classmates’ hard work.

The hope is to inspire students To become lifelong athletes who enjoy being active. are comfortable learning how to succeed in many athletic situations.

Allison Kandel ’19, who plays soccer, basketball, and lacrosse in the upper school, says she was ready to compete after P.E. classes in the lower school. “We played every sport and game you could ever imagine and ones you could not even imagine.”

Kanle Yao ’19, who runs cross country and plays squash and tennis, also appreciated the chance to try different sports in the lower school. “It helped me understand each sport and made it easier for me to choose the sports in the upper school that best fit me.”

Jörgen Sweeney ’19 says P.E. “sparked my passion and dedication for cross country and track and field.”

Some competitive sports, like basketball and soccer, translate easily to a lower school setting. Others, like swimming, are more complicated——but that doesn’t stop our P.E. teachers. Every April, Mr. Dobosz and Mr. Paulding work with several lifeguards from the local YMCA to create a

“Every student here graduates an athlete,” explains upper school Athletic Director Alex Bartlett ’87. “There is an inclusive environment where kids can make mistakes, try new sports, and find what they enjoy.”

Our physical education program goes deeper than simply recognizing athletes with talent in a particular area. We strive to cultivate well-rounded, lifelong athletes who value in themselves and in each other a high level of skill, hard work, and sportsmanship. Ultimately, these characteristics help our students succeed in any activity on or off a sports field at Bement and beyond.

As Ngoni Maodzwa ’19 explains, “P.E. in the lower school helped me in tremendous ways. I learned how to run faster and stay in shape for sports. I also learned how to train and to tend to my body when I am feeling pain.”

As our lower school athletes move on to the upper school and then play sports in high school and college, they will always fall back on what they learned playing tag, taking swimming lessons, and wondering, “What’s for P.E. today?”

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ATHLETICS highlights

FALL 2017 BOYS VARSITY SOCCER | It was a season of delightful surprises for the boys varsity soccer team last fall. Out of 16 players, 13 were new to the squad, and eight players came from our seventh grade. We needed extra grit and determination to compete against mostly bigger and older teams. From the start, this team loved working together and took the schedule in stride, and our 4–6–2 record reflected an incredible effort with late season wins against Eaglebrook and the Brattleboro ninth-grade team. We said farewell to Adrien Fountain ’18 and Benny Wu ’18, who captained the team with poise and intensity. Our team will be largely intact for next year, so this will be a group to watch!

MVP: Sho Fraser ’19 LEADERSHIP: Benny Wu ’18 COACHES’ AWARD: Will Sussbauer ’20

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER | The Bement

girls soccer team enjoyed a tremendous season, finishing with a record of 12–0–1.

The undefeated campaign was highlighted by winning the first-ever New England Junior School Championship, defeating Indian Mountain 1–0 in the final game.

The offense was led by Allie Kandel ’19 (55 goals) and Kelly Howe ’18 (36 assists), while an impenetrable defensive line was anchored by Ryan Blanchard ’20, Ireland O’Connor ’19, Avery Rymes ’19, Anne Ott ’19, Eve Andon ’19, and Kaelin Creagh ’20.

The season was characterized by a strong team ethos, great competitive drive, contributions from all team members, and excellent sportsmanship.

MVP: Allie Kandel ’19 LEADERSHIP: Kelly Howe ’18 MOST IMPROVED: Ireland O’Connor ’19 COACHES’ AWARD: Mariam Kokosadze ’21

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FIELD HOCKEY | The field hockey team had a successful season, measured by the players’ progress and improvement in skills and working as a team. Our older players mentored new players, teaching and encouraging them as they learned the game.

The highlight of the season was tieing for third place in the 42nd Bement School Jamboree, as the girls saw gradual success improving throughout the day. The team as a whole improved in fitness, stick skills, and in passing the ball. Rather than voting on an individual MVP, the girls designated the top-player award to the entire team.

CROSS COUNTRY | Our 2017 cross country team met with considerable success, with a strong and talented pack of runners racing consistently well at the front in every meet, and other boys and girls accepting the challenge of self-improvement willingly. The brightest highlight came at the Mass Middle School Championship, where seven boys from Bement managed to finish fourth in the small-school division, in a crowd of 22 teams! Our finish represented an improvement of three places from last year’s race, and it speaks powerfully to this team’s skill and ability to challenge each other.

MVPS: Margaret Melnik ’21, Jörgen Sweeney ’19 LEADERSHIP: Chase Cherewatti ’19, Aaron Burstein ’20 COACHES’ AWARD: Keira Lewandowski ’20, Gabe Zaccheo ’19

WINTER 2018 SQUASH | This year's squash team finished with a record of 3–5. As the season proceeded, the team improved with each match, highlighted by impressive victories over Williston and Suffield. Giles Gordon ’18, Jay Zhou ’18, and Sam Thiel ’18 displayed good leadership for the younger players, and they will be missed. The reigning MVP, Ryan Liu ’20, returns to lead next year's team with seven returning players ready to play hard on the courts.

MVP: Ryan Liu ’20 LEADERSHIP: William Yang ’19 COACHES’ AWARD: Logan Peloquin ’19

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL | The 2017–2018 boys basketball team proved to be a fun team to coach and watch play.

With athletes ranging in experience and abilities, we competed hard against tough competition in neighboring schools. The team was led to a great season finish through our eighth-grade leaders: Joey Brook ’19, Gabe Zaccheo ’19, Luke Shields ’19, and Ngoni Maodzwa ’19. We look forward to having all of our players return for next season.

MVP: Ngoni Maodzwa ’19 LEADERSHIP: Gabe Zaccheo ’19 COACHES’ AWARD: Joey Brook ’19

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL | The girls varsity basketball team wrapped up the season with a dominant 9–2 record.

Big late season wins against Northfield Mount Hermon and Charlemont helped solidify all their guts and determination, even as we lost two of our starters to injuries. New players stepped into the spotlight and rose to the occasion. In our last game against NMH, Grace Arcoleo ’19 scored 35 points and went 7 for 16 from the three-point range to mount an incredible comeback. On and off the court, this team was excellent to one another and provided encouragement and inspiration for the JV team, as many of those players will fill varsity spots next season.

MVP: Grace Arcoleo ’19 LEADERSHIP: Kate Loughlin ’18 COACHES’ AWARD: Morgan Moriarty ’18

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SWIMMING | We concluded the 2018 swim season with great success by winning several meets thanks to the talented and willing group of swimmers on this year’s team—the largest in Bement’s history, with 31 swimmers. All swimmers improved their times and technique throughout the season and swam new events. The highlight was the Eaglebrook Pentathlon, in which we won the girls’ division and also had the highest team total.

Jason Shi ’18 and Clarese Gardiner ’18 won the Eaglebrook Pentathlon, with Jason breaking the school record of 50 freestyle at 24.3 seconds. Margaret Melnik ’21 broke the school record for 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:18.

MVPs: Jason Shi ’18, Clarese Gardiner ’18, Margaret Melnik ’21 MOST IMPROVED: Mike Wu ’21 LEADERSHIP AWARD: Clarese Gardiner ’18

SKI TEAM | The racers’ hard work from dry-land training in December paid off, and we are very proud of all members of the Bement ski team, who showed impressive unity all year long. Both the boys and girls JV team ended the season with the first place team trophy, and the varsity teams had racers who took home personal trophies. Three girls ended the season in

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the top five spots: Eve Andon ’19, Ryan Blanchard ’20, and Keira Lewandowski ’20.

Shane Bussard ’22, a pioneer in our first year welcoming fifth graders to our racing squad, ended in second place in the boys JV division.

MVP: Ryan Blanchard ’20 LEADERSHIP: Eve Andon ’19 UNSUNG HERO: Benny Wu ’18

SPRING 2018 TENNIS | This team finished 4–1–4, and

each player built a solid foundation as the season progressed. Our players had the added benefit of learning from tennis pro Tom Suchodolski, who offered expertise on serving, slicing, net play, and many other techniques. Each player also received a private lesson with Mr. Suchodolski, where they worked on a specific skill together.

Thanks to their dedication on the court, every member of the team won at least one game and improved their skills. Additionally, we focused on etiquette of play, including shaking hands and communicating with opponents about controversial points. They became a solid team and had an excellent season overall.

MVP: Quan Zhou ’19 LEADERSHIP: Kylie Kittredge ’18 COACHES’ AWARD: Lucas Lin ’19

GIRLS LACROSSE | Finishing 13–1–1, the girls wrapped up a three-year run with a record of 34–1–1. For the second year in a row, the team won the prestigious Pine Cobble tournament, which boasts many elite club teams. The final game of the season was a thriller against MacDuffie School’s varsity team, with the seventh and eighth graders rallying for a 14–5 win. The team was led by co-captain Allie Kandel ’19, who shattered all school scoring records en route to her second-straight MVP season. Co-captain Kate Loughlin ’18 was also a force, tallying 50 goals and 15 assists, and Lourdes Klem ’18, a first-year player, saved 94 shots as a goalie. The defense was led by Riley Carroll ’19 (74 ground balls), Eve Andon ’19 (68 ground balls), Cammy Howe ’18, and Paige Bernier ’19.

Coach Kandel P’18, who retired after three seasons, wishes the best to all 12 players moving on to play high school lacrosse at outstanding schools: Groton, Taft, NMH, DA, Williston, and Blair.

MVP: Allie Kandel ’19 LEADERSHIP: Lourdes Klem ’18 UNSUNG HERO: Paige Bernier ’19

ULTIMATE FRISBEE | Many new players joined the squad this year, bringing desire and openmindedness to the season. They became the backbone of the team, led by several seasoned returning players. In practices, we fine-tuned our throwing and catching skills, as dropped catches and weak passes can determine a game’s outcome. Our strategy was to play long possession points, with excellent passes and receptions and good communication, rather than scoring quick points on turnovers. As we focused on advanced play later in the season, we began working on linking passes and seeing the play unfold so that players could move into open space and anticipate the disc.

MVP: Will Sussbauer ’20 LEADERSHIP: Dahlia Riddington ’18 COACHES’ AWARDS: Sho Fraser ’19, Nicole Zang ’19

GOLF | It was a fantastic golf season for this Bement team. During the first four weeks, we contended with rain and snow, but when we couldn’t get out on the course, we worked on our fitness levels by throwing the ultimate disc and practicing yoga. We also honed good techniques for putting and swinging, exploring body rotation, ball position, and club speed. With the help of John “Boo” Jackson ’00, our beloved golf pro and coach at Crumpin-Fox, the kids benefited from first-class instruction on the range and the course. Despite two rainouts, we played four matches and posted a 3–1 record for the spring. Number one and two golfers Nate Blanchard ’20 and Jason Shi ’18 led the way with scores in the low- to mid-forties, which is quite impressive.

MVP: Nathan Blanchard ’20 LEADERSHIP: Jason Shi ’18 COACHES’ AWARD: Thaddeus Conner ’21

BOYS LACROSSE | A small number of players made up this mighty squad, with each player bringing varied experience and ability. Players were asked to be versatile, flexible, and determined, and we used a creative subbing strategy to keep fresh legs on the field. In an impressive victory, the team took the first-place trophy at the annual Pine Cobble Tournament, toppling four competitive middle school programs. Great job to every player this season. We couldn't be more proud of this team’s hard work and accomplishments.

MVP: Ngoni Maodzwa ’19 LEADERSHIP: Chase Cherewatti ’18 UNSUNG HERO: Logan Peloquin ’19

TRACK AND FIELD | Our intrepid track team found all kinds of success, both as individual athletes and as a team, even as weather cancelled our showcase meet, the Bement Invitational. For our two ninth graders, peak moments came in meets at Amherst and Eaglebrook near the end of the season. Younger athletes had two more meets, including the full squad at Mohawk and sixteen qualifiers at the Mass Middle School Championships in early June. For a small school like ours to garner 14.5 points on the girls’ side and 30 points for boys says a lot about the talent this squad possesses. Most importantly, so many athletes grew in their proficiency.

The coaches had a great time working with this group, and we look forward to seeing many of them back again next spring.

MVP: Benny Wu '18, Ella Foulkes '19 LEADERSHIP: Tim Fan '18, Ella Foulkes '19 COACHES’ AWARD: Eric Tarpinian-Jachym '19, Julie Moser '19

A New Home Course for Golf Team This spring, Bement’s golf team began teeing off at a new home course: Crumpin-Fox Golf Club in Bernardston, MA, which is renowned for its world-class facility. The course is owned by Tim and Wendy ’88 Van Epps P’21 ’23 ’25, creating a natural partnership for Bement.

Athletic Director Alex Bartlett ’87, who co-coaches the golf team with French teacher Linda Brown, says partnering with Crumpin-Fox will help elevate students’ golf games. The team of eight golfers received expert instruction from John “Boo” Jackson ’00, a golf pro at Crumpin-Fox, who is also the son of former Head of School Shelley Borror Jackson and Rob Jackson PF. “I’m extremely excited about developing our golf program with Crumpin-Fox and giving our players the individual attention they need to grow,” Mr. Bartlett said. “It’s rare to have an opportunity to practice and play on such a premier course.”

Mr. Jackson is a PGA-trained instructor, and Crumpin-Fox caters to the highest level of golfer with a commitment to upcoming junior golf tournaments, such as the U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier and the Massachusetts Junior Championship in 2019.

“We’re taking personal and in-depth care for the students’ development of this great game,” Mr. Jackson said. “Learning the right way to practice is the only way to properly understand this game, and hopefully we can expedite that process for the team.”

As the season progressed, Mr. Jackson sent emails to parents detailing his focus in practices and matches, including developing players’ swings, learning body rotation, and creating club speed and power.

Thanks to the partnership, Crumpin-Fox is offering year-round access to all Bement students, as well as discounted memberships for the Bement community. The club also hosted Bement’s spring sports awards and banquet in May. “The culture at Crumpin-Fox feels like a family, and they have opened up their doors to us with open arms,” Mr. Bartlett said.

BY MEGAN TADY, FR

BEMENT BULLETIN 2018

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A LU M N I S P OT L I G H TS

PROFILES Three alumni trace success in their lives to lessons learned at Bement.

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The Mind of an Athlete ZACH SCHONBRUN ’01’s NEW BOOK EXPLORES THE BRAIN’S IMPACT ON ATHLETIC PROWESS.

Sports journalist Zach Schonbrun was thumbing through Columbia University’s alumni magazine (he earned his master’s in journalism from the school) when a short article about two neuroscientists caught his eye. The scientists were working with Major League Baseball teams to research how cognitive training impacts sports, which got Mr. Schonbrun’s own mind spinning. He wondered: How does the brain produce star athletes?

Mr. Schonbrun contacted the scientists and then spent the next three years steeped in neuroscience—interviewing experts about motor control and traveling to laboratories around the world. His work usually fits in column inches for The New York Times or ESPN The Magazine, but this story deserved multiple chapters. In April 2018, Mr. Schonbrun published his book on the subject, The Performance Cortex: How Neuroscience is Redefining Athletic Genius.

“I got hooked onto this idea of trying to understand how the brain controls our movements,” Mr. Schonbrun said. “And what is the brain doing in great movers among us? It became an exploration into the motor system, and it’s really been an amazing journey.”

It’s easy to see why Mr. Schonbrun got hooked.

He’s written about and watched the best athletes perform, covering five NCAA Final Fours, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA postseason, US Open tennis, and championship golf. These days, he’s less interested in covering sporting events and more keen on discovering fascinating stories—like interviewing a 7’7” seventeen-year-old basketball player in Ohio.

“What I’m interested in is finding the unique, human-interest stories that I think only something like sports can give me,” he said. “What keeps me in sports writing today is the amazing

“

No question, I think I developed as a writer just by the amount that I read and the interest that I took in reading at that age. ”

and interesting places sports can take me and the personalities that I can meet.”

Seeing his byline in The New York Times is becoming old hat, but he’ll never forget his first story for the paper—a 300-word news story about an injured athlete that he has framed in his house.

“In the scheme of things, it’s not a very memorable article, but it was a huge deal for me,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to continue to have that relationship with The Times. I try not to take it for granted. I cherish the paper, and I feel very strongly about it.”

Long before Mr. Schonbrun was writing about sports, he was playing them, though he quickly discovered that he “wasn’t going to play second base in the Major Leagues.”

At Bement, Zach was a “sports crazy” lower school student with sports stickers on his Trapper Keeper and Ken Griffey Jr. posters on his bedroom wall. His love of the written word developed at Bement, and he remembers devouring books from Bement’s library—R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series and Matt Christopher’s sports books.

“No question, I think I developed as a writer just by the amount that I read and the interest that I took in reading at that age,” he said. “Bement did a great job at making sure that we read a lot, and read interesting things. I always tell young writers to read more. You’re not going to improve as a writer by watching TV or playing video games or scrolling through Twitter.”

When his nose was out of a book, Mr. Schonbrun also clearly remembers conducting science experiments in Bement’s stream. “Just the idea that you could go out the door of your classroom, find a stream, gather a tadpole, bring it back in—Bement did a great job of taking advantage of its surroundings and fostering an interest in science and the environment,” he said.

Could Mr. Schonbrun predict then, watching a tadpole swim, that he’d write a book about science 25 years later?

“No, but looking back, I’m sure that if I hadn’t had that experience then I probably wouldn’t be so interested in biology, anatomy, and the way the human body works,” he said.

“That’s obviously what’s enabled me to pursue this book.”

Mr. Schonbrun’s book is available on Amazon and in Barnes & Noble bookstores. Read more about his work at: www.zachschonbrun.com.

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Connecting the World’s Companies SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH TECH CEO JAGER MCCONNELL ’91 Jager McConnell is the CEO of Crunchbase, the leading platform used by 40 million entrepreneurs and investors looking to develop and fund the world’s next groundbreaking tech companies. Before taking the helm in 2015, Mr. McConnell spent 11 years at Salesforce, where he was the vice president of the Sales Cloud product line. After Bement, he attended Deerfield Academy followed

by Carnegie Mellon, which he left to become an entreprenuer. Now living in San Francisco, Mr. McConnell can trace his problem-solving abilities—and his habit for dreaming big—to his time at Bement.

Under your leadership as CEO, the company Crunchbase has grown immensely. How did you achieve this growth?

That willingness to listen is so important to our ability to be successful. And to reap the benefits of being able to listen, our employees need to feel comfortable talking and expressing ideas openly. We encourage every employee to think like an entrepreneur, to not confine their problem-solving skills to just their job description. We stress the importance of "radical candor" where we can always say what's on our mind, even if it's not popular, and endeavor to say it in a way that's not confrontational. All of us are in this together—and that desire to win is what pushes us to toward the finish line and to work past our differences. We have an incredible team of problem solvers and dreamers pushing for 400 million users in the next few years.

How does the Crunchbase platform help companies?

People use us to track start-ups and the investors that have funded them. We help entrepreneurs do market research to figure out if their business idea already exists, to understand their competitors, or to find potential investors. For investors, we help them find the next start-up that they should fund to fit their investment thesis.

We help sales people find companies in their territory that have recently been funded so they have the money and growth to buy their product. And, we help job seekers identify hot new companies where they may want to work.

Why are you passionate about your mission?

Connecting the world's companies is a pretty exciting mission to me. My entire career has been in enterprise software, so I've seen firsthand how hard it is to find companies to buy from, sell to, invest in, acquire, partner with, work at, etc. It is one of the big unsolved problems of the internet, and that gets me personally fired up to help solve it.

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What do you enjoy most about working in the tech industry?

The speed of innovation is thrilling for me. Specifically in software, it's remarkably easy to have an idea and realize it with very little cost. That means a kid with a 10-year-old laptop with six months of self-taught programming experience can build the next big thing.

We've only scratched the surface of what happens when massive computing power intersects with an increasingly interconnected world.

Crunchbase has a strong reputation for hiring women and people of color. How does staff diversity improve your company?

I have no doubt (and there have been countless studies that confirm) that a diverse company functions better, is more creative, and is more productive than one that's monotone. You need completely different life experiences and perspectives to bring something unique to the creative process, and the companies that are winning are the ones that have figured that out. Ultimately, the strategic and tactical reasons are the minor part of the story.

Helping to undo millennia of social injustice and giving people who have been historically disadvantaged from the opportunities I've taken for granted is the least I, as a CEO, can do.

What stands out to you about your time at Bement?

At the risk of oversharing, my home life had a number of challenges and Bement was unwittingly put in a position where I needed it to help me as a young boy manage through them. I needed role models in my life. I needed unbounded patience when I hadn't done anything to deserve it. I needed people to believe in my potential and to not give up on me when I gave them every reason to do so. I didn't fit in—but I was welcomed anyway. Bement not only gave me the support I needed, but helped shape who I wanted to be when I grew up. I left believing that I could achieve anything I set my mind to.

How did Bement impact your path after you left?

The skills I use the most in my career boil down to common sense and the ability to dream. From Mr. Johnson's algebra class, Mr. Young's programming class, and Mr. Duane's science class, I was taught how to approach problems with an open mind. It's easy to draw a line from those hours in Mr. Young's classroom to my career in technology today—for which I'll always be appreciative. But the creativity was also an important part of the experience and equally critical. I can remember countless fond memories of Ms. Hawks' English class and Ms. Gordon's drama class as I learned the importance of dreaming about how you want the world to be. That ability to look at things differently and effectively communicate those ideas translates not only into career success but also compassion, philanthropy, humility, and leadership, which are so important in today's (and tomorrow's) world.

Taking a Gap Year JIYOUNG JEONG ’13’S ONLINE GAP YEAR GUIDES After taking a gap year that included traveling around and teaching in China, Jiyoung Jeong joined forces with a fellow Stanford University student to launch their own online gap year guides, called No Crap Gap Guides (NCGG). According to the website, NCGG is “the first-ever resource that offers extensive firsthand reviews of gap year experiences and free support for potential gapper parents as well as students who are considering time off from school.” Ms. Jeong and her co-founder have been invited to present their website at the annual conference hosted by the Gap Year Association and the Association for Experiential Education next November in Florida.

Ms. Jeong says that traveling on her own was a transformational experience.

“Spending a couple nights in a new city by myself endowed me with a surprising amount of confidence and a new kind of curiosity when meeting people,” she explains. “I’m now a lot more patient with both myself and my surroundings when I newly arrive at a place, and I am more willing to try new things. In my transition to college, I’ve found it much easier to focus and engage in projects both in and out of college, be it academic or personal.”

Of her time at Bement, Ms. Jeong says, “Many of my interests and passions that I still pursue started with encouragement and help from teachers at Bement, and I truly could not have been luckier to have had such a supportive and memorable experience there. Despite having graduated five years ago, it feels as though I were just there yesterday.”

Learn more at ncgapguides.com.

Do you have an alumni story to share?

Want to suggest alumni we should feature?

Contact us at alumni@bement.org.

BEMENT BULLETIN 2018

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NINTH-GRADE MUSICAL

MARY POPPINS JR.

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BACCALAUREATE

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FAREWELL EVENING CLASS OF

BEMENT BULLETIN 2018

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COMMENCEMENT CLASS OF

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FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018

CLASS OF 2018

MATRICULATION LIST Ava Clarke NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON

Tim Fan MILTON ACADEMY

Adrien Fountain NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON

Clarese Gardiner NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON

Giles Gordon DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Philips He DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Cammy Howe DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Kelly Howe DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Kylie Kittredge DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Lourdes Klem DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Kate Loughlin TAFT SCHOOL

Morgan Moriarty DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Maddie Poole DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Dahlia Riddington DUBLIN SCHOOL

Jason Shi WESTMINSTER SCHOOL

Justin Shi KENT SCHOOL

Sam Thiel DEERFIELD ACADEMY

Benny Wu THE GOVERNOR’S ACADEMY

Jess Zheng KENT SCHOOL

Jay Zhou CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL

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New Board Leadership

Bement appoints a new board president and vice president At a board of trustees dinner this spring, Bement celebrated the fiveyear tenure of Charles Sanford P’12 ’14 ’17 ’19 as the board president.

Mr. Sanford joined the board in 2009 and served three terms, completing nine years of service.

His second term finished at the end of June, and he passed the torch to Kwame Harrison ’85. Kimberly Petelle Butz P’19 will be the new vice president of the board.

Mr. Sanford was best known for his calm, steady approach and his financial expertise. He helped guide Bement during a particularly vibrant time as the school grew its endowment, built new dorms, acquired Pine Hill and nearby land, and increased enrollment. Additionally, he helped steer Bement through a leadership transition as it hired a new head of school. A resident of Amherst, MA, Mr. Sanford is the co-head of Barings Investment Grade Corporate Credit Group. He is responsible for the portfolio management of the firm’s investment grade corporate credit strategies.

As he departs, Mr. Sanford says he has full faith in Mr. Harrison’s leadership. “Kwame’s experience on the board, his love of Bement, and his wit and generosity make him a wonderful choice as board chair,” Mr. Sanford said. “The fact that Kwame is a Bement alumnus is a wonderful commentary on the quality of people——well educated, compassionate, and dedicated——that the Bement experience can

LONGTIME BOARD MEMBER RETIRES After nine years serving as a trustee on Bement’s board, Andy Beall P’15 completed his third term this spring. Mr. Beall was instrumental in leading the 2016 head of school search committee, which recommended the appointment of Chris Wilson to the position.

He was also a member of the finance committee, helping the school make many important decisions, including the construction of the second dormitory on the north end, renovations to the dining hall entry and Mary Hawks House, and the purchase of the Pine Hill property. Mr. Beall’s time on the finance commit28

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produce. The board and the school are in very capable hands with Kwame at the helm.”

Mr. Harrison is the Gloria D. Smith Professor of Africana Studies at Virginia Tech University, where he has received an Alumni Teaching Award for teaching excellence, and he regularly publishes about popular culture and social anthropology. By stepping into the leadership role, Mr. Harrison becomes the first alumnus to be chair of Bement’s board. He’s served as a trustee for 11 years and has shown outstanding stewardship over the school.

As Mr. Harrison helps Bement continue to grow and thrive, he also says he has enjoyed learning from Mr. Sanford’s gentle leadership.

“Charles’s gracefulness embodies how I imagine Grace Bement founding and leading our precious school through those early, formative years,” Mr. Harrison said. “It resonates with my own memories of attending Bement in the 1980s.

It’s a meaningful point of departure for me as I assume the responsibilities of board presidency. I am fortunate to be working with such a competent and committed board. It’s also reassuring to know that, although he has moved on from the board, Charles will always be a part of the Bement family and only a phone call away.”

The board is also grateful to Kimberly Petelle Butz as she assumes her new role as vice president. Ms. Butz, who has served as a trustee for three years and is co-chair of the risk management committee, is the parent of Brendan ’19. She is the director of ITS and is the computer science department chair at Deerfield Academy. To her new post as board vice president, Ms. Butz brings a deep knowledge of marketing and innovation and will help Bement remain forward-thinking.

tee has been noteworthy in his ability to ask hard questions and raise issues for the committee to consider in the decision-making process. Mr. Beall’s son, Charlie ’15, attended Bement from kindergarten through fifth grade, and he will be a senior at Pomfret School this fall, which is Mr. Beall’s alma mater.

A resident of Amherst, MA, Mr. Beall is the president of Bindertek/Empire Imports and serves as the board president for the Rotary Club of Amherst Massachusetts.

The Bement School Board of Trustees NEW TRUSTEES JOIN BOARD Timothy Van Epps P’21 ‘23 ‘25 With three children currently attending Bement—Aiden ’21, Aaron ’23, and Ashton ’25—Mr. Van Epps joined the board this spring, bringing a wealth of management and financial experience, fundraising enthusiasm, and a genuine appreciation for the Bement experience. Mr. Van Epps is the president of Sandri Companies, a family-run energy enterprise that has become one of the largest energy distribution companies in the Northeast. Prior to joining Sandri, Mr. Van Epps was a senior financial advisor for Sovereign Bank and a senior vice president for Mellon Financial. He and his wife, Wendy Van Epps ’88, own and run premiere golf courses in Bernardston, MA, and East Haddam, CT. They live in Northampton, MA. He also sits on the board of trustees for the YMCA of Hampshire County and serves as board president of the It Takes a Community Foundation. .

DoHyun “Tony” Chung P’19 Bement welcomed Alex Chung ’19 to the eighth grade last year, and Alex’s father, Mr. Chung, to the board of trustees this spring. A resident of Seoul, Korea, Mr. Chung is the founder and CEO of Dominus Investment. He is a committee member of The Republic of Korea Financial Services Commission and sits on the advisory council for the Korea Electric Power Corporation. Mr. Chung earned his bachelor’s degree at Williams College and a master’s at Harvard University before taking executive-level courses at Stanford and the London School of Economics. An ardent supporter of Bement, he’s sharing his enthusiasm for the school with other prospective parents in Korea and beyond, helping to host Bement events in Korea and Jakarta.

2018–2019 Riché Barnes P’15 Kimberly Petelle Butz P’19, Vice President Stephen Chen P’12 Raymond Chen P’15 ’17 DoHyun “Tony” Chung P’19 Mary Cohn P’03 ’06 John Gardiner P’14 ’18, Secretary Caroline Haines ’04 Anthony Kwame Harrison ’85, President Christine Hart P’02, Treasurer Bob Howe P’18 ’18 Lisa Kittredge P’06 ’18 ’21 Pamela Klonaris P’11 ’13 Niki Lankowski P’20 ’22, Bement Parents Association President Sheehan Lunt Jenkins ’00 Ladimer Nagurney P’09 Jane Plager P’12 ’16 Rebecca Pond ’95, PF Rich Shuman P’10 ’14 Timothy Van Epps P’21 ’23 ’25 Tell White ’GB, Bement Alumni Association President Wayne Wilkey P’11 ’16 Christopher Wilson P’26, ’28, Head of School HONORARY TRUSTEES

Joseph T. Bartlett ’49, P’80 ’82 ’87 Cathy Esleeck ’GB, P’62 Mike Kittredge P’06 ’18 ’21 Xing Ping “Simon” Lu P’09 Stephanie McLennan ’85 Bill Polk ’52, PF Joseph Peter Spang

“

It is a privilege to serve as a trustee and I am very grateful for the opportunity. The work we do strengthens my connections to the place, the people, and our collective mission. I am so excited about all that is happening at Bement, and all of the opportunities we have before us.”

—KIMBERLY PETELLE BUTZ P’19, VICE PRESIDENT

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R E T I R E M E N T S

FOURTH GRADE TEACHER

Theresa Mullens

THERESA MULLENS WON MANY HEARTS.

Ask any third, fourth, or fifth grader about Nuzzle Waa?, Are You Smarter Than a Drakester?, or the Hoops Coding Concentration Game, and they will immediately howl with excitement. These are just a few of the fun, silly, and engaging morning meeting games that Mrs. Mullens designed for students to start their day with smiles. Mrs. Mullens was always looking for creative ways to make learning memorable and lively. This year, we said goodbye to our beloved fourth grade teacher, colleague, and friend, Theresa Mullens, who spent more than 26 years teaching at Bement.

Theresa and her family first joined the Bement community in 1989 when her daughter, Amanda ’99, started kindergarten. Once it was learned that Theresa had teaching experience, she stepped in to substitute teach in the lower school. It was immediately apparent that she had talent for and commitment to making learning fun while also holding students to high standards of academic and personal growth. She later assumed the role of teacher in both third and fourth grades.

Over the years, Theresa collaborated with and mentored new teachers and inspired many colleagues with her sense of humor, positive outlook on life, and strong work ethic. Sounds of laughter and smells of delicious food emanated from her classroom, and the walls in the hallways were always adorned with her students’ work.

Theresa had a knack for sharing the excitement of learning with students, colleagues, and parents.

During her tenure at Bement, Theresa was instrumental in developing curriculum and designing projects that incorporated project-based and place-based learning.

Imagine taking a trip around the world and traveling to far away places. Imagine constructing a rocket out of recycled materials and launching it into orbit. Imagine meeting a storybook character and sharing a conversation. This was Theresa’s signature: teaching students how to imagine.

Her long-standing relationship with Historic Deerfield paved the way for students to study and experience life during colonial times. Many fourth graders will remember visiting, researching, and writing a report about buildings on “The Street.” They cherish the memories of dressing up in period costumes for the Colonial Ball, an event rich with music, dance, and food that represented this historical period.

Her family story project invited children to learn more about their families and friends, which lives on in beautiful handmade books. She was passionate about children’s literature, had a talent for choosing age-appropriate books that tapped into students’ interests and reading levels, led the lower school reviews and selection of math programs, helped institute the KBAR and Fundations programs, and was instrumental in mini-term planning.

Theresa’s masterful, creative approach to teaching will resonate with children for a lifetime. Affectionately known as the “Queen” by her students, it is safe to say she won many hearts. She leaves a legacy that will long be remembered at Bement.

By Janice Currie P’99 ’02, FA and Rosemarie Gage P’10, FA

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BUSINESS MANAGER

Ken Cuddeback

KEN CUDDEBACK BELIEVES IN THE PHOENIX.

Ken served Bement with distinction for far longer than he ever imagined. He leaves Bement for a well-deserved break from the relentless schedule and endless requirements of a nonprofit business that also must feel like a big, sometimes squirrely, family. While “no” may not have been his favorite word, he was compassionate, caring, and concerned enough to say it when he had to, and he sometimes said “yes” when all he had was faith in his head, in his trustees, and in Bement’s potential donors.

My experience with Ken spans his full term, and over that time I have known Ken to be ceaselessly motivated by his love of the students at Bement, always repeating, “Well, let’s think about the kids.” He may have been business manager, but he also was alert to the ebb and flow of campus sentiment, and I admired his devotion to the welfare of the school. His wanderings around campus and attention to detail in construction have improved the safety, aesthetics, and durability of the physical plant.

I was always humbled by Ken’s humility. He was often the first to arrive and assist with morning drop-offs, swept or shoveled around the front of Bement House, and was the last to leave after yet another finance committee meeting, going back to his office to sort out how we would pay for it all when enrollment numbers fluctuated. He probably picked up scraps of discarded wrappers on the way.

Notorious with the spreadsheets, Ken always helped Bement meet its goals, including raising salaries and increasing financial aid. One year, the finance committee approved

seven different budgets! One remarkable performance was during the financial crisis in 2008 when he managed salaries equitably and did not lose a single employee. And come the last day of the fiscal year, almost without exception, there we were, able to bank a little, repair a little, and revise a little with the surplus.

I have maintained that one of the best professional development opportunities I ever had was my year as interim head of Bement. Much of the value of that year was my time with Ken. He was a mentor in finance, a sounding board for difficult decisions, a counsel on policy, and a reliable friend when my own frustrations would bubble over.

One particular shared affection was for the gingko tree just at the door of Bement House. Every fall I watched and waited for the gingko to turn yellow and then drop those magnificently simple golden fans in a complete blanket around its trunk. Then I discovered Ken waited for the same moment with the same excitement and wonder—and he always emailed the faculty and staff to announce what he called “Gingko Day.” Long after forgetting the finance committee meetings and chats about Bement’s future, I will share this memory with him.

My gratitude to Ken is trivial when I think about the gratitude that Bement and all the Bement family must feel for Ken’s incomparable service over the last 17 years. At last, he will be able to cycle through the village and wave and sail on by, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped to reposition some cones or stop a few cars to allow students to cross safely.

By Frank Henry PTT, FHS, P’05 ’08

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New Faculty & Staff Appointments | 2017–2018 MICHELLE BRITO

DYLAN KORPITA

Secondary School Placement Officer, Communications Manager, and Dorm Parent

Director of Finance and Operation

Ms. Brito has spent much of her career helping students from various backgrounds prepare for independent schools and post-secondary institutions. Ms. Brito holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Middlebury College and a master’s in education administration from Emmanuel College. Prior to her arrival at Bement, Ms. Brito served as assistant director of admission at Groton School (where she attended high school). Previously, she served as principal and director of secondary school placement at Mother Caroline Academy in Boston. Ms. Brito has also taught English, history, and Spanish, and she has developed equity and social justice programming at multiple schools.

SUSANNAH CONWAY Fourth Grade Teacher, Dorm Parent

Ms. Conway hails from Cleveland, OH, and she is an avid fan of Cleveland sports teams. She earned her bachelor’s in psychology at Colorado College and her master’s in education at Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Before joining Bement, she taught first and fourth grades at Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, CT, and most recently taught third grade at Shore Country Day School in Beverly, MA. Ms. Conway is passionate about project-based learning, as well as weaving socio-emotional learning into all aspects of curricula. In her free time, she loves to bake, sing, and go on outdoor adventures. Ms. Conway is joined by her fiancé, James Dickison, and their fluffy cat, Watson.

Mr. Korpita grew up in Deerfield and attended Deerfield Academy and Princeton University, graduating in 2001 with a degree in operations research and financial engineering. After a career in finance in New York City as a commercial mortgage bond trader and investor, he returned to the area in 2013 to pursue a path of public service. He volunteers with and donates to local charities and serves in positions on local boards and committees. Mr. Korpita brings his academic skill set in operations management and professional expertise in finance and accounting. He is passionate about building community and culture to help further enhance the Bement experience for students, parents, faculty, and staff. Mr. Korpita lives with his wife and daughter in Sunderland, MA.

KATRYNA NIELDS Upper School Chorus Director

Ms. Nields has spent her adult life performing with her sister and husband in the band, The Nields. She has played in 44 states, Canada, and Mexico, released 19 albums, and co-written a book about making music as a family. In 2006, Ms. Nields developed HooteNanny, a music program for families with young children, and in 2012 she became the choral and a cappella leader at the Academy at Charlemont. She loves nothing more than to teach a group of people to sing together. She plans to bring a wide variety of music and as much joy as she can to the upper school chorus.

ASHLEY PINAKIEWICZ Director of Bement in Shanghai

AMANDA HOWE P’18 ’18 Learning Specialist

Ms. Howe grew up in Vermont and has worked at independent schools as a teacher and a learning specialist for over 25 years. She and her family moved to Deerfield in 2016.

Ms. Howe earned a bachelor’s degree from Earlham College and a master’s in education from Castleton University. Her two youngest daughters graduated from Bement in 2018. In her free time, she enjoys rollerblading, cross country skiing, reading, and swimming in the Deerfield River.

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Ms. Pinakiewicz is an educator with a background in English literature and design thinking. Before partnering with The Bement School to direct the Bement in Shanghai program, she was the founding seventh grade English teacher at Girls Prep Bronx Middle School, where she created a classroom environment that was both rigorous and responsive to students’ individual needs. Ms. Pinakiewicz also works directly with schools to prepare teachers to develop creative solutions to classroom problems. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Georgetown University and a master’s in education from Harvard University.

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JACOB “JAKE” SHEPERD

BREE WISNIEWSKI

Buildings and Grounds Associate

After-School Coordinator, Dorm Parent, and Adjunct Faculty

Mr. Sheperd joined Bement’s buildings and grounds team in the fall of 2017. Previously, he worked for a local sales company in the service, installation, and product assembly departments. At Bement, he ensures buildings function safely and helps to maintain our beautiful campus setting. He particularly enjoys the carpentry projects included in his work at Bement.

Mr. Sheperd loves spending time with his wife and four children, as well as camping and golfing.

Ms. Wisniewski started working in the after-school program in January of 2017, but she is not new to Bement. Since 2012, she has worked with the Bement Summer Program as a junior camp and an adventure camp counselor. Ms. Wisniewski loves to see the students grow and mature as the years pass. In her free time, she enjoys doing puzzles, practicing yoga, and waking up at the crack of dawn to go to flea markets.

DORM PARENTS Dorm parents who joined Bement last year (left to right): Hank and Rachel Sadler P’27, Donnell Jackson and Emma O’Neal, and Emily Rich P’24 ’28. New dorm parents not pictured: Hannah Dancer, Eli Jarvis.

Highlights of dorm parent life?

Countless adventures with boarding students that included snow tubing at Berkshire East, seeing The Nutcracker ballet, visiting Mass MOCA and the Mystic Aquarium, rock climbing, and rafting down the Connecticut River.

They can’t wait for the adventures next year will bring!

DINING SERVICES STAFF Dining Services staff who joined Bement last year (left to right): Leslie Rockwell, Marianne Espinel, Rodolfo Sauma, and Mary Cichanowicz.

Their philosophy? Ms. Espinel says, “Bement provides a unique taste experience every day for our students, faculty, and staff. With a lot of hard work, creativity, inspiration, and a love of detail, the kitchen team designs seasonal menus with a flair of international flavor, making sure our diverse and international community enjoys local, healthy, and delicious food.”

“We all look forward to welcoming the new faculty and staff at Bement as they join into the fold of a tremendous community!”

—Niki Lankowski P’20 ’22, Bement Parents Association President

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F A C U LT Y

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S TA F F

N E W S

INNOVATION GRANTS

Our Innovation Grant program encourages faculty and staff to develop creative educational ideas and initiatives.

Innovation Grants are awarded as Fellowship Grants or Recognition Grants, and they are funded through Annual Fund gifts, endowment funds, and operating funds.

FELLOWSHIP GRANTS

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Fellowship Grants cover additional time, materials, or support for conference fees and travel. Grants were awarded to:

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FALL 2017 MARCIA BERNARD AND KARA BARRETT

Keith House Coders ANN DUBIE

Technology in Mathematics SUMMER 2018 JILL CRAIG AND MARCIA BERNARD

Pine Hill GPS Project HANNAH DANCER

Integrated Social Thinking

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ROSS FEITLINGER

Lego Robotics

FRANK MASSEY

English Enunciation RECOGNITION GRANTS

Recognition Grants support a faculty member’s innovative work and are awarded at the end of the school year.

Grants were awarded to: KATIE MCCALLUM

Pine Hill Bog Bridge DAN BENSEN ’01

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Secondary School Data Trends

Milestones

Faculty & Staff Notes

5 YEARS

Sara Becton Ardrey P’22 ’24 Director of Alumni and Development Toni Costa Upper and Lower School Executive Assistant, Registrar

David “Doc” Potter Associate Director of Admission, Director of Summer Programs

10 YEARS

Kimberly Caldwell Loughlin P’18 Assistant Head of School, Director of Admission 15 YEARS

Willmore Paulding Lower School Physical Education Teacher, Boys Varsity Basketball and Boys Varsity Lacrosse Coach

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5

20 YEARS

Silvia Ribes-Mugnani

Upper and Lower School Spanish Teacher

With a final stop in Oregon, Nancy Ames (1) this summer completed the last leg of her personal quest to travel to all 50 states. Stephanie Hanes Wilson P’26 ’28 (2) published her book, White Man’s Game: Saving Animals, Rebuilding Eden, and Other Myths of Conservation in Africa, which offers a probing examination of Western conservation efforts in Africa. Upping his expertise on the slopes, Dan Bensen ’01 (3) took the PSIA LEVEL III Skiing Exam to work toward additional ski instruction certification. Martha Price P’07 ’10, (4) a member of the American Legion Band in Brattleboro, VT, attended a national competition in Minnesota this summer. Doc Potter (5) married Jesse Rose Littlefield at Winona Camps for Boys in Bridgton, ME, on September 2, 2017, where the couple has spent a combined 30 summers.

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A NEW GIVING PAGE ON BEMENT.ORG

Give back to Bement automatically with recurring monthly or quarterly gifts.

Sign up at bement.org/onlinegiving.

ALUMNI STRINGS

Bement alumni musicians are invited to perform in an alumni orchestra on Saturday, May 11.

Share memories, make music, and enjoy delicious baked goods. For more information, email alumni@bement.org or visit bement.org/alumni.

THE PHOENIX SHOP

Buy Bement gear and apparel online at bement.org/phoenixshop.

THE ALUMNI PEN PAL PROJECT

As part of letter-writing curriculum, Bement fifth graders are seeking alumni pen pals! To find out more information, email alumni@bement.org or visit bement.org/alumni.

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D E V E L O P M E N T

O F F I C E

It’s the power of community that makes Bement.

Thanks to our donors and volunteers, we are able to offer: • Engaging and challenging learning experiences • A co-ed, diverse community • Athletic games, team uniforms, and equipment • Adventures of discovery at Pine Hill • Professional development opportunities for teachers • Student financial aid awards

This year, we exceeded our alumni participation goal: 104 alumni gave back.

Returning and new families gave at a participation rate of 85%.

Our Annual Fund grew by 47% from last year to a total of $734,000.

We’re truly grateful for your support!

Your Legacy, Our Future Help ensure that Bement remains strong for years to come by making a planned gift to the school. Planned gifts, which can be allocated in a trust, will, or retirement plan, help fund improvements to Bement in your honor. Past planned gifts funded the creation of our new website and supported capital improvements to our buildings, such as new windows in Keith Schoolhouse and external cleaning and painting of Barton House.

WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE?

To learn more, please contact Bement’s alumni and development office at 413.774.3021 or email: giving@bement.org.

THE PHOENIX SOCIETY

Rise with Bement as a member of The Phoenix Society, which includes donors who make planned gifts to Bement. These generous donors, listed in the Report of Giving each year, help the school attract and retain inspiring teachers, offer financial aid to students, and make campus improvements. Thank you to the members for your thoughtful generosity!

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Class Notes Keep in Touch! Recent marriage? Exciting adventure?

New baby? Keep your classmates updated on the latest happenings in your life. All Class Notes also appear in the magazine’s online version. To report your entry, you can contact us via phone, email, or fax. PHONE: 413.774.3021 FAX: 413.774.4256 EMAIL: alumni@bement.org

’GB Nate Tufts ’GB writes: “Rosalind and I are celebrating our 66th anniversary this year, living quietly and happily on our pond in West Northfield. We have frequent visits from two of our four daughters who live nearby.

I do miss my sport flying days. We have a fine French pointer dog with whom I hunt the ‘wily grouse’ and woodcock each fall. Life is good and we are grateful.

Bement teachers, specifically the Snivelys, Johnny Friedman, Lidy Keith, and of course the magnificent Grace herself, were part of my psyche before I entered Deerfield Academy and Yale University. A lover of the sea, I enjoyed six years as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve, finishing as a teacher of emergency ship handling in Newport, RI. We of course would welcome Bementers who might stop by for a swim or a reunion libation.”

Martin Bovey ’GB sent Bement a framed letter and photo from Wendell Willkie (the 1940 Republican nominee for president who lost to incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt), which he received when he was a boarding student at Bement. Martin reports his time at Bement helped begin a lifelong love for and career in nature and documentary photography. He recalls taking great photos of sports while on campus. During college, he won a photography cash prize from the Lowell Sun newspaper, which helped jumpstart his career. He says the atmosphere at Bement was second to none, that Menty was like a mother to him, and that the quality of life at Bement was fabulous. Martin has four children and lives in Minnesota.

Class Notes key ’GB

Alumna/us from Grace Bement era (1925-1947)

’00

Alumna/us Class Year

TT Trustee PTT Past Trustee P Parent

Susan Conant Holden ’GB writes: “The Bement School seems many years ago, but I remember my two years there vividly. It is always a pleasure to visit the school. I have really enjoyed the Alumni Pen Pal program and corresponding with a fifth grader. The handwritten letters are amazing, and I look forward to their arrival and learning the activities and interests of a 10-year-old boy. I keep busy with my family, including six grandchildren ranging from 10 to 22 years old, and I’m involved in patriotic societies. I am now the recording secretary for three of them. Occasionally, I talk with Barbara (Bondie) Bond Nutt ’GB and keep her up to date on all the wonderful things that continue to happen at Bement.”

1960s John Neilson ’63 writes: “I’ve been lucky enough to have done many things in this life, and I am finally retiring from 32 years of commercial lobstering.” (4)

1970s Lauren Capaci ’77 writes: “I’m thrilled to be expecting my fifth grandchild in January. I am the former VP and COO of the Mental Health Association in Morris County and the current CEO of Lauren Capaci Consulting. I think fondly of my Bement days often.”

1980s Emet Davis (Lisa Carr) ’80 visited Bement last summer with her family, Jill and Sam. She showed them the brook on campus and explained the fun of Spring Fling.

Daralyn Coppola Killman ’85 is currently living in Houston, TX, with her husband, and she came back to visit fellow classmates and previous teachers while in the area. She was especially excited to go with fellow classmate Jennifer Gibbens ’85 to see Marianne Bourbeau PF. (1) Jonathan Bardzik ’88 came back to campus for a day in Februrary to speak at an all-school meeting about his Bement experience and how that has impacted his career.

After, he helped the 3-5th graders make more than 300 dumplings in celebration of Lunar New Year! Jonathan is a storyteller, cook, and author living in Washington, D.C. (7)

GP Grandparent FA

Current Faculty or Staff

PF

Past Faculty or Staff

FR

Friend of Bement

HOS Head of School FHS Former Head of School GGP Great Grandparent

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1990s Raphael Rosenfeld ’97 lives in Germany. He came back for a visit this spring and loved connecting with faculty and past classmates. (10)

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Zeb Congdon ’95 stopped by Bement for the first time in 23 years as he took a cross-country trip. He met up with fellow alumni Gee Grandonico-Chiavaroli ’95 and Kate Golding ’96. Zeb is currently living in Philadelphia, PA. (6) Zerah Jakub Burr ’99 writes: “I can’t believe it’s already been six years since I moved from Boston to Virginia to work at George Washington’s Mount Vernon in the education department. I took on a new role in our department last fall and now oversee all of our communication with teachers across the nation. I also work with external partners to share Mount Vernon’s materials and the story of George Washington. I bought a house and got married in 2016 and now my husband, Kevin, and I are expecting our first child this August.” (3)

2000s

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ture Book Art on the third Saturday of the month at 3 p.m. The show is perfect for kids ages 5–11 and their families. I am also in a few adult troupes that perform locally at The Shea Theater and on the Happier Valley Comedy show schedule.” (2) Charles Hu ’01 writes: “I graduated last year with a PhD in materials science and engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Last year, I also got married in Napa Valley, CA, and we just moved back to Hong Kong.” (8) Mike Currie ’02 writes: “My wife, Ali, and I welcomed our daughter, Sydney Marie Currie, on October 29, 2017. My parents adore being grandparents and my brother, Matt ’99, loves being an uncle. It was great to see many familiar faces at this year’s Bement graduation, and I was especially thankful to wish Mrs. Mullens a happy retirement.” (5)

Tim O’Brien ’00 welcomed a new baby girl to the family with his wife, Tiffani. Maeve was born on June 11 and parents and big brother, Quinn, are excited to have her here. (9)

Mollie Bensen ’02, according to her father and past faculty member Ben Bensen, “buys wine for ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar in Washington, D.C., a restaurant that bottles its own cider. You can buy the cider locally at Ryan and Casey Liquors in Greenfield, MA.”

Sally Ekus ’00 writes: “I am on the board of Happier Valley Comedy, which is a local nonprofit dedicated to bringing more laughter, joy, and ease to Western Massachusetts (and the world). We serve up the happy through improv comedy shows, classes, workshops, and professional and personal development services. I specifically produce a monthly improv show called ‘The Happier Family Comedy Show’ at the Eric Carle Museum of Pic-

Emily Rand ’02 writes: “I have been living in London for the past 13 years, and I run a Mexican pop-up restaurant called RANDE Pop Up (www.randepopup. com). After I attended Goldsmiths University in South East London, I became a real estate agent in South Kensington. I worked there for eight years before working at my restaurant full time. RANDE pops up in weird and wonderful places, like warehouses, distill-

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eries, and hipster shoemaker shops. We turn up with an entire kitchen of camp stoves, deep fryers, and hot plates, plus tables, chairs, plates, etc.” (15) Wendy Tataro P’03 ’05 writes “Coligny ’05 was married last year and will be expecting her first child in October. My son, Tom ’03, recently had a beautiful daughter who joins two other children ages 3 and 6.

How my family is growing and I love every single one of them!”(14) Chad Wrisley ’05 is a police officer for the Deerfield Police Department. He is doing well and loves his job.

Chad was assigned to our campus for safety duty on Bement Day last fall. (13) Tao Tao Holmes ’07 writes: “I’m currently director of trip design and operations for a Brooklyn-based company called Atlas Obscura, which is a digital media company dedicated to exploring cool and unusual places. I’m part of a small but quickly growing trips team, and my job has me working with some really neat people around the globe, whether in Transylvania or northern Utah. In my spare time, I try to get outdoors as often as possible or dig into some good reading or arts and crafts. Sending my best to everyone!”

Hannah Cho ’07 writes: “I have recently been admitted to the New York State Bar Association and began practicing as an attorney in general commercial and securities litigation. I am excited to start my career and to see where life will lead me. I also had a chance to reconnect with Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00 and to meet the Bement’s current head of school at an alumni event in New York. It was a wonderful evening, and I cannot wait till the next one!”

Cody Sienkiewicz ’07 writes: “I am a project manager and carpenter at Ellsworth Design Build, a construction company in Savannah, Georgia. I live with my girlfriend, Emily, and our two dogs, Norman and Pilot.”

Sara Mellas ’07 writes: “Since finishing my master’s degree three years ago, I’ve been living in the San Francisco Bay area. I’m currently a conductor and music teacher for the San Francisco Boys Chorus, a position I absolutely love. Working with kids, I think of Bement often, and I strive to provide my students with the quality of education the school provided me.”

Jack Gobillot ’07 is living in Brooklyn, NY, where he’s the proud parent of two new kittens. He splits his time between working as a barista and pursuing a film career. Last year, he co-founded an independent production house with a friend, and he plans to return to Deerfield to shoot a short film. In other news, he just got back from Kiev, where he was lucky enough to watch Real Madrid and Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Final.

Emily Zea ’07 writes: “Things are great up here in Vermont. I’m earning my MFA at the Center for Cartoon Studies.”

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Jill Chaffee ’07 and Christina Seretta ’07 are currently thriving as roommates in South Boston. They recently attended a Bement alumni event and loved catching up with past teachers and alumni. Christina works in human resources for a malpractice insurance company and ran her first marathon this past year in Chicago.

Jill is currently in finance at a private equity firm and enjoys playing pick-up field hockey weekly to continue her love of the sport. Mel Bete ’06 and Amy Simmonds ’06 also play.

Arisa Fuji ’07 is working in Tokyo as a financial controller at an automobile brand. She is also involved in a business development project to implement a new shared mobility solution by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

She enjoys driving her GLA and going home to Kagoshima to spend time with her family. She would love to revisit Bement and reunite with everyone.

Lisa Kong ’07 has been working in New York City as a tech-enabled auditor at PWC for the past three years.

She was recently promoted to a senior consultant role and is pursuing a master’s degree in IT management.

While in NYC, Lisa reunited with Hannah Cho ’07 and Justin Gong ’07 and is excited to plan another gathering with other Bementies soon.

Cooper Magoon ’07 writes: “I’ve graduated from St. John’s University in Queens, New York, gotten lost on the New York City subway, and I now live and work in Brooklyn.”

Justin Gong ’07 writes: “I graduated from the University of Chicago in 2016 after completing two years of military service, and I have been working at an investment bank since then in Midtown Manhattan. I’ve lived on the Upper West Side and just moved to Roosevelt Island with two new roommates last week.”

Gus Price ’07’s mother and faculty member, Martha Price P’07 ’10, says after graduating cum laude from Keene State College in 2013, Gus worked for a year at a transitional school for boys on Penikese Island until he won a place at William James College in Newton, MA, to pursue a PhD in neuropsychology. In June, he attended a worldwide conference in San Diego, when he

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16 presented his dissertation among 500 other students.

Upon returning to Boston, Gus learned that he had won the Student Poster Presentation GreiffensteinKaplan Award. In September, Gus will marry Sarina Kauffman in Greenfield, MA, and his brother, McCallum ’10, will be his best man. (12) Daniel Kang ’08 writes: “Upon graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, I am living in the Washington, D.C. area, and working as a financial analyst at Capital One. My wife and I just celebrated our second anniversary and have a new family member, Mango, a golden retriever. As an avid soccer fan, I enjoyed the World Cup and like to spend my leisure time reading, writing, playing soccer, hiking, and much more.”

Anna (Reid) Zilinski ’09 writes, “Here is a photo taken at my wedding on June 16 at Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod. It is a mix of Bement alumni from Class of ’09 and David Belcher P’07, FA, and my three brothers, Will ’03, Sam ’01, and Nate Reid ’98, and my dad, Bob Reid ’68.” (11)

2010s

Sol Ahn ’16 wrote to Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00 that her first year of high school was spectacular. She has made many great relationships with the teachers and students. Her junior year was tougher than sophomore year, but she cherished it and now she can’t believe she is a senior! She thinks it seems like just a few months ago she was a seventh grader!

McCallum Price ’10 joined the Bement trip to Iceland this January, along with along with alumni, students, parents, grandparents, and faculty. He graduated cum laude from Keene State College in 2016 and is an environmental safety engineer for Amec Foster Wheeler, a global company based in Scotland. He works out of the Chelmsford, MA, office. (16) Grace Wilky ’16 and Soohyun Ahn ’16 visited Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00 in NYC. (17) Ben Plager ’16, Jason Cooper ’16, Ben Michalak ’14, and Matt Plager ’12 all returned to Bement this summer as Adventure Camp counselors, as many alumni before them have done. (not pictured: CITs Kate Loughlin ’18 and Morgan Moriarty ’18) (18)

Osaretin Igbinedion ’10 is attending Northeastern University this fall and will major in international business.

Jiyoung Jeong ’13 writes, “My experiences during my first quarter at Stanford were beyond anything I’d expected. My friends and I have had a blast exploring various parts of campus and San Francisco; my roommate is absolutely hilarious and sweet; and my classes were awesome. One of my classes, a 16-person psychology seminar, was taught by Professor Carol Dweck, who authored Mindset—and I later got to work as her research assistant. Outside of school, I’ve created an online gap year resource called No Crap Gap Guides with another Stanford student: www.ncgapguides.com.”

In Memorium Margery B. Avirett ’GB Craig Bernier P’25 O. Stuart Chase ’GB Arline Cohn GP’03 ’06 Francis Collette GP’16 Brewster Conant ’GB, GP’13 Lindsay Crosby PF Jack Gardiner GP’14 ’18 Mary Grover GP’22 William Hatfield GP ’97

Edward H. Hobbie ’GB, P’79 ’80 ’83, GP’23 Ensa McLean P’19 Carroll Pettengill GP ’01 ’03 Patricia “Patsy”(Howard) Pittore ’GB Nancy Sadick GGP’26 ’28 Donald Saxman ’69 Robin Wyman ’64

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BEMENT DAY OCTOBER 2017 (1) The original BSAA board members at the Bement Day reception (left to right): Alex Bartlett ’87, FA, Josh Rosenblatt P’05, PF, Tell White ’GB, Rachel Hobbie ’79, Kate Reade Rosenblatt ’73, P’05, Rich Herchenreder ’75, Gary Therian ’78 (2) Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28 and Marianne Bourbeau PF, at the Bement Day alumni reception in October at the Deerfield Inn. (3) (left to right): Bernardo Carvalho ’96, Megan O’Brien ’95, FA, Bobby Barrett ’96, Dave Belcher P’07, FA, and Dan Bensen ’01, FA

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(4) Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28, addresses the group gathered at the the Pine Hill dedication on October 8. (5) The Pine Hill plaque dedicates this outdoor space to Grace Bement and her belief in the importance of giving a child the best possible experience at the earliest possible age. Thank you to all the donors who have supported this effort.

(6) It’s official! Pine Hill gets its own sign to match other campus signs.

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(7) Susan Conant Holden ’GB and her brother, Brewster Conant ’GB, GP’13, talk with Megan O’Brien ’95, FA about the fifth-grade pen pal project. (8) We always celebrate with a piece of cake! (9) Trustee and Board Secretary John Gardiner P’14 ’18 welcomes alumni and members of the Bement community at the dedication of Pine Hill. (10) Brewster Conant ’GB GP’13, Susan Conant Holden ’GB, Tell White ’GB, BSAA president, and John Reloj ’23

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SAN FRANCISCO FEBRUARY 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. FEBRUARY 2018

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(1) Bement alumni reconnected in San Francisco (2) Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28 and Jager McConnell ’91

NEW YORK CITY FEBRUARY 2018

This event was made possible by the generosity of the H. Boone and Violet M. Porter Charitable Foundation.

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(3) Alumni, Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00, and Rob Jackson P’00, PF gathered for Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28’s welcome. (4) Jesse Lambert ’87 and Macha Ross ’89 (5) Caroline Haines ’04, TT and Hannah Cho ’07 (6) From the Class of 1985: Nicole Kaldes, Kathy Kronenberger Shanahan, Dakkan Abbe, Steffani Bennett, and Kwame Harrison TT

BEIJING JUNE 2018

9 (7) Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28 and Matt Drake ’96 (8) Amanda Mullens ’99, Jalika Saidy ’99 (9) Amanda Mullens ’99, Matt Drake ’96, Jalika Saidy ’99, Noah Epstein ’96, Nicholas Makinster ’04

10 (10) Stephanie Hanes Wilson P’26 ’28, Eddy E ’14, Jimmy Zhang ’15, Christopher Wilson HOS, P’26 ’28. (11) Eddy E ’14 and his mother, Kemin “Cissy” Zhang, with Kim Loughlin P’18, FA

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BEMENT BULLETIN 2018

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94 OLD MAIN ST., P.O. BOX 8 DEERFIELD, MA 01342

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PARENTS OF ALUMNI

If this publication is addressed to a child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Bement Alumni and Development Office with a new mailing address. Call 413.774.3021 or email alumni@bement.org. Thank you!

2018 & 2019

SAVE THE DATES

2018–2019

MAY 10 & 11, 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

Alumni Events

Spring Fling 2019

A Grand Day at bement

Fitzwilly’s Restaurant & Bar

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Grandparents and grand friends are invited to spend the morning at Bement.

NORTHAMPTON, MA

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2018 AT 6:00 P.M.

The Yale Club

NEW YORK CITY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019 AT 6:00 P.M.

Alumni and their families are invited back to Bement for fun and games at Spring Fling.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Bement’s spring athletic teams compete in games against nearby schools; evening BBQ at the Mary Hawks House.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT BEMENT.ORG/ALUMNI FOR MORE DETAILS AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT DATES!

Durgin Shields '21 with his grandparents, Linda and Kevin Callahan GP'19 '21 '25

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Alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, past faculty and staff, and all Bement friends may be included.

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Please forward address changes to: The Bement School 94 Old Main Street, P.O. Box 8 Deerfield, MA 01342 413.774.7061 alumni@bement.org