The Bement Bulletin Fall 2022

FALL 2022

The Bement Bulletin of The Bement

MANAGING EDITOR

Megan Tady FR

DESIGNER

Penny Michalak P’14

WRITERS

Marcia Bernard FA

Cate Dembkowski PF Alice Gearhart FA

Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00 Katie MacCallum P’29, FA Megan Tady FR

EDITORS

Sara Becton Ardrey P’22 ’24, FA

Katie MacCallum P’29, FA

Emily Mikolayunas Rich P’24 ’28, FA

Jamie Nan Thaman FR

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sara Becton Ardrey P’22 ’24, FA Alex Bartlett ’87, FA

Dave Belcher P’07, FA Anna Casey FA

Katie MacCallum P’29, FA David Michalak P’14

Jeffrey Pilgrim FA Matt Plager ’12, FA

Emily Mikolayunas Rich P’24 ’28, FA Ana Rueda-Hernandez FA

Maddie Sabelawski ’24

Sarah Schatz P’23 ’25 ’29

Terry Shields P’19 ’21 ’25, FA

Brad Walker P’24 ’27

Eliza Wilmerding P’25 Tim Young ’61, PF Bement era (1925 –1947)

There’s Always Someone Faster

In my previous life as a track coach, I used to regularly share with my athletes a coaching adage passed down to me from my collegiate mentor: “There’s always someone faster.” As a young athlete, I heard this as a warning to stay humble and maintain perspective. But in my coaching days, I offered it as much to keep my athletes grounded as to remind them of the potential of embracing continual challenge. The thought that the value of a particular accomplishment or progress diminishes quickly if dwelled on for too long was a meaningful one for me as an athlete, as well as later in my professional life. Seeking challenge as an impetus for healthy growth is a mindset that drives excellence everywhere, especially when thinking about the evolution of a school.

Learning and growth that come when outside one’s comfort zone have long been woven into the fabric of the Bement experience. From their earliest days in kindergarten, our students step onto the Barn stage to perform, developing a sense of voice and agency right out of the gate. It’s no surprise, then, when our oldest students wow their families with their commencement speeches and musical performances or, as they did during this past academic year, advocate articulately for their peers around issues like Bement’s dress code or current events. My hope as head of school is that they learn these vital leadership skills from their teachers, advisors, and dorm parents, as well as from living and learning together in a community that models the same mindset.

Institutional humility and the quest for progress has led us to undertake thorough examinations of Bement’s practices, policies, and traditions through the lenses of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, which you will read about in the pages ahead, as well as undertake a comprehensive strategic planning process to chart a course for Bement’s second century. Those parallel conversations have engaged community members in deep and powerful ways, and posed challenging, exhilarating questions about Bement’s identity and future.

“There’s always someone faster” is essentially a lesson in resilience, one of Bement’s core values. How we respond to the challenge of serving the next generation of energized, insightful students will demonstrate that resilience and continue to model the humility, optimism, and commitment to continuous improvement that we hope to inspire in all members of Bement’s extended family.

MIKE SCHLOAT P’24 ’26 Head of School MESSAGE FROM

Building a Community of Readers

Each year, the School of Education at Salem State University nominates 25 books for the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (MCBA) with the goals of promoting reading for pleasure in the middle grades (grades 4–6) and determining a favorite book of the year. Recommendations are submitted by librarians and teachers throughout the state.

This voluntary reading program begins in June, just in time for summer reading, and culminates in a vote in February for a winning title. The MCBA season gives students a chance to be part of a reading frenzy. It also means the opportunity to participate in a fierce Battle of the Books, an end-of-season party with cake, and a chance to make varsity. It could even mean a trophy.

At Bement, reading or listening to five books not only qualifies students for a chance to vote but earns them a spot on a Battle of the Books (BOTB) team, where they will face off against other gradelevel teams to see who knows the most MCBA book trivia. This year’s champions were fourth graders Cora, Mari, Adriana, Lucy, and Emma. BOTB is open to parents and employees as well, who have their own tournament and compete in an exhibition match against the student champions.

By reading a minimum of five books, students also receive a ticket to the Stories in Action party, where elements of the nominated books are brought to life for an afternoon of games, trivia, experiences, and food. Learning to box like Muhammed Ali, searching for downed UFOs, and drinking La Llorona’s tears were all

part of this year’s party. The Bement votes are tallied, and the winner is often announced on a cake reveal!

Students intrepid enough to read at least 20 out of 25 books earn the title of Varsity Reader and take home a trophy. In this, our 10th MCBA season, we had 51 participants read five or more books, with 14 gaining Varsity Reader status, for a total of 614 books read altogether.

The MCBA program has become a highly anticipated right of passage for our middle-grade students. Teachers and staff across the campus read from the list. Families share the stories via audiobooks on the daily commute to school. This year’s list was the most diverse in MCBA history, opening doors and windows to our readers. Perhaps the best reward for participating in MCBA is the shared experience of reading with a community.

Designing Board Games

INa weeks-long design thinking challenge, third-grade students, working alone or with partners, created their own board games, complete with playing boards, pieces, and rules. Inspired by games they love, students drew up mock versions of new game ideas and gathered feedback from classmates. Then they got to work—drawing boards, molding clay pieces, and designing draw cards.

With Sharpie markers and cardboard, their games came to life. Students’ personal interests shone through: one game was themed around Roblox and another around horses. One game featured drawing cards that included physical tasks, and another required players to collect creature powers in order to venture through different natural landscapes from the popular PBS show Wild Kratts

When games were ready to be workshopped, classmates were invited to play and give feedback. Was the game too hard or too easy? Too short or too long? Too complicated or too simple? Students took this feedback into consideration to make tweaks. Finally, after weeks of preparation, their games were ready to be shared with students’ eighth-grade buddies, who were invited to come play. As students reflected on the experience, their sense of pride and accomplishment was clear. They had produced physical board games to play with friends and family!

UPPER SCHOOL

Applied Math

In Jeremy Galvagni P’24’s precalculus class this year, students studied how to use trigonometry to solve triangles. To “solve" a triangle is to find the missing angles and side lengths from the calculations already known. A triangle has three sides and three angles. The class learned that if three of those six values are known, they can find the remaining information.

Using this knowledge, Mr. Galvagni took his students outside to survey areas of campus. For one investigation, he put stakes into the ground on both sides of the playground area. To make this a true trigonometry challenge, students measured the distance between the two stakes without crossing the playground. With a few more stakes and a measuring tape, they were able to create several triangles, learning the values of the angles and the other side lengths to discover the distance between the original stakes.

For another investigation, the class calculated the heights of trees and buildings using a measuring tape and a tool called a clinometer, which measures the angles of elevation. Students used this tool to solve other triangles. According to Mr. Galvagni, “Students enjoy real-world applications that involve leaving the classroom. Using the natural world makes the work authentic. It brings academics to life and is a valuable part of the learning experience.”

THIRD GRADE

CSI: Bement

Separately, each is innocent enough, but to Mr. Pilgrim’s eighth-grade science class studying forensics, they are all clues to who committed a crime.

To start the forensics unit, students honed their observation skills, first trying to recall objects in the classroom without looking, then performing the same exercise with I Spy books. After doing this every day for a week, students developed strategies for observation and increased the number of recalled objects.

Just like forensic detectives, students learned how to collect evidence, first conducting hair analysis. Every student supplied a hair sample, which the class analyzed for thickness, color, shape, and structure. After learning about the differences between human hair and dog hair, students had to look at several varieties of dog hair to determine which dog ate Mr. Pilgrim’s puppy’s kibble (it was the German Shepherd!). Next, Mr. Pilgrim created a fake crime scene, including hair samples from faculty members, and students compared hairs to determine who was at the scene.

In addition to hair analysis, the class explored finger-printing. Sergeant Brian Ravish of the Deerfield Police Department came to campus to talk with the students about the methods police employ to lift fingerprints off different substances. Students learned about whorls, arches, loops, and other identifying markers, called minutiae, that make each individual’s fingerprint unique. They practiced dusting and pulling latent prints off objects, and they were again sent to a fake crime scene—someone drank Mr. Pilgrim’s Diet Coke!—where they gathered prints to deduce the offender.

In the unit’s final assessment, teams of four processed a fabricated crime scene in its entirety, utilizing all of their new skills to find the perpetrator. Cleo ’23 said that the forensics unit provided useful skills beyond the classroom: “It taught people how to draw conclusions based on evidence, and how to be careful and examine the smallest details with great precision.”

EIGHTH GRADE

A strand of hair lying on the ground . . . a tipped-over coffee mug . . . a handwritten note.

Red Gate Farm

This spring, fifth graders at Bement visited Red Gate Farm in Ashfield, Massachusetts, for a three-day residency, where they learned what it takes to run a modern-day farm. Bement has had a relationship with the educational center since 2018 thanks to the connection made by retired faculty member Louise Smith P’95 ’97, and this spring marked the first time students have been back since the pandemic began. “We wanted to support a local educational nonprofit that got students working and collaborating together,” said fifth-grade teacher Rosemarie Gage P’10.

Braving the bitter winds of midspring, students arrived each morning for a full day of farm chores, project work, and choice activities. Divided into three groups, students rotated through the days’ activities. Morning chores included collecting eggs, shoveling manure, refilling water containers, feeding animals, cleaning under the main barn and chicken coop, and walking the goats, Wallace and Gromit. Larger projects centered on collaborative improvement work. Students worked to enlarge the corral for the oxen, Jack and Thor, and to dig out invasive multiflora roses from their grazing area. They also cut down a tree to make a trellis for tomatoes growing in the garden and enlarged the fencing area for the sheep. Afternoons were a time for electives, such as Knots and Forts, Beekeeping, and Art around the Farm, which this year entailed painting a mural. Holding the baby animals was a highlight for many. For their final project, students built a

campfire on Friday afternoon. Using sticks, they roasted marshmallows and dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, a sweet reward for a full three days of meaningful contributions. After the trip, students had many takeaways about their accomplishments. When asked, “What surprised you?” one child said, “Everything!”Another student shared that it was “definitely one of the top ten experiences in my life!”

1982–1983 Penny Hamilton’s kindergarten class

2021–2022

Kara Barrett’s first-grade class

SECOND GRADE

Pen Pals in Malta

When one of Ashleigh Wall’s second graders relocated to Malta with his family for six months, she reached out to his new teacher, Ms. Root, at the QSI International School of Malta. Would her class like to connect? The answer was yes, and an international collaboration was born. Bement’s second graders in both Ms. Wall’s and Janice Currie’s classes were going to be writing to Maltese pen pals.

As soon as the students heard the news, they were excited to start learning about the island country. Each second grader was paired with a student from Ms. Root’s class, whom they met on a Zoom call. Students on both sides of the Atlantic introduced themselves, and Bement students were excited to learn that many of their pen pals were from other countries, such as Greece, England, and Russia. Next, Bement students sent letters and bookmarks to their pen pals in the Mediterranean. They soon heard back, to the second graders’ immense excitement, receiving responses, bookmarks, pencils, and coloring books.

The pen pal project taught students how to properly compose a letter. Along with that valuable lesson, Ms. Wall said, “the most meaningful part was students getting to connect with students on the other side of the world. They were excited to discover that they have some of the same hobbies, pets, favorite books, and family structures. At the same time, they were curious to learn different aspects of their new friends, like what they were studying in school.”

Before the year wrapped up, Bement students created a video for their pen pals, wishing them a nice summer and thanking them for corresponding. Learning about people in a different country was a highlight of the students’ year, just as learning about the world through global connections is part of the fabric of Bement.

FIRST GRADE Now Boarding…

The boarding gate looked similar to that at any international airport—tall windows, red seats, and excited travelers awaiting their flight, their boarding passes and carry-ons at the ready. Passengers handed over their documents to the gate agent and took their assigned seats. But, unlike other tourists, those leaving Bement International Airport only just learned of their destination, and they wouldn’t begin to learn about the country they were visiting until their in-flight video played. That’s when the thrill of excitement took over the classroom!

Students in Kara Barrett’s first-grade class had the opportunity to virtually journey around the world, receiving a passport that filled up with stamps over the course of the unit. When they “disembarked” from their flights, they were free to explore by researching the new location using PebbleGo, an emergent research database for K–2 full of articles, or Epic!, a digital reading platform. Students learned about the country’s geography, topography, and wildlife; read traditional folktales; and studied the country’s culture and traditions, with an emphasis on the lives of children their age.

In Japan, where the first graders landed this past March, they learned that kids walk to school alone at a young age, help get lunch ready, and wear matching hats when they go on field trips. Students virtually visited tourist attractions like Snow Monkey Park and the Cherry Blossom Festival, after which they made a cherry blossom craft. Whenever able, Mrs. Barrett tried to incorporate parental or collegial involvement and include the heritage of students in the class. She invited classroom visitors with local expertise, tying in as much real-world experience as possible. Bement librarian Marcia Bernard’s granddaughter, Miyo, who lives in Japan, sent the first grade a video showing them how to make an origami spring that will bounce. She answered questions about school and taught them to count to 10 in Japanese.

Throughout each visit, students kept a travel journal, where they stored their boarding passes and wrote facts about each country they toured. In addition to Japan, students visited Germany, Mexico, Australia, Egypt, and Brazil before returning home to Deerfield.

Bement Athletic Highlights

FALL 2021

CROSS COUNTRY

COACHES: DAVE BELCHER P’07, DAN BENSEN ’01, AND ANA RUEDA-HERNANDEZ

Bement’s cross country team had an enormously successful season with the team’s biggest roster ever: 34 runners. In early meets at Deerfield Academy and Eaglebrook School, runners set times that became benchmarks to beat as the season unfolded. In the final three meets at the Western Massachusetts Championships, Valley View School, and the Massachusetts State Middle School Cross Country Championships, 22 of the team’s 34 runners eclipsed their best pace. Getting fitter and faster is what this program is all about, and having fun and making new friends are added benefits.

MVPs: Liam ’24, Flora ’23

ROLE MODELS: Henry Rich ’22, Sophie ’25

MOST IMPROVED: Jay ’23, Sophia ’25

FIELD HOCKEY

COACHES: AMANDA CARTER AND KAYTLIN SKIATHITIS ’09

The field hockey team finished with a 4–3 record, playing some games 7 on 7 instead of 11 on 11, which gave athletes room to grow. Instead of bunching in the middle of the field, players worked on passing the ball more efficiently and using the wing to move the ball up the field. With the challenges of competing during a pandemic, the players faced each game with enthusiasm. All the excitement led up to Bement’s annual Jamboree, where the team made it into the second-highest bracket. Even in postseason scrimmages, the players were always eager to play, learn, and improve.

MVP: Amber ’23

ROLE MODELS: Campbell Ardrey ’22, Skyler Jeon ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Livia S. ’26

GIRLS SOCCER

COACH: JEFFREY PILGRIM

The girls soccer team enjoyed another successful year despite having only 14 players, finishing the season 9–2–1. The squad worked daily on passing, dribbling, ball control, and trapping skills. The culmination of the season was the Junior Boarding School tournament hosted by Indian Mountain School. Even though the team finished fourth overall, the players gave it their all with class and dignity, taking home the Sportsmanship Award.

MVPs: Daisy ’23, Charlie ’23

ROLE MODEL: Maya ’23

MOST IMPROVED: Cleo ’23

BOYS JV SOCCER

COACHES: MATT PLAGER ’12 AND ZACK MAZZONE

Made up of primarily fifth and sixth graders, with a few swing seventh and eighth graders from the varsity team, JV finished with a record of 4–2–1. Most players were familiar with the game but had not played on an organized team. The beginning of the season was spent on footwork, basic ball skills, and positioning. By late October, the team was able to pass the ball with relative ease and put plenty of shots on net each game.

MVP: Aiden ’25

ROLE MODEL: Gabe ’25

MOST IMPROVED: Sebastian ’25

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER

COACHES: ALEX BARTLETT ’87 AND JACK GOBILLOT ’07

With 24 total players in both varsity and JV squads, the teams often practiced as one group and saw overlapping rosters for games, finishing the season 9–3–1. Possession, control, and crisp passing were the focus for all players. Much progress was made in clearing the ball on defense and executing firm tackles on the defensive end. The capstone of the season was the Eaglebrook tournament, which is always full of stealthy competition. The team held its own, competing mightily in every game and losing a heartbreaker by penalty shots in the final game.

MVPs: Gordon Guo ’22, Fumi Kimura ’22

ROLE MODEL: Luka Kokosadze ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Ying Kay ’23

ALPINE SKIING

COACHES: DAN BENSEN ’01 AND ANA RUEDA-HERNANDEZ

This was a remarkable season for a relatively young ski team. Bement had the number one team and individual skier in the Mount Institute Ski League (MISL) JV division, along with three skiers who competed at the varsity level in the MISL. The entire team showed incredible progress over the course of the winter, especially in slalom. And for the first time ever, Bement sent a full team to the NEPSAC Alpine Skiing Championship, and while the team was the only middle school competing in the race, the girls placed third, and the boys finished sixth out of 12 teams.

MVPs: Wylie ’24, Ying Kay ’23

ROLE MODELS: Campbell Ardrey ’22, Ying Kay ’23, Hayden ’24

MOST IMPROVED: Sophie ’25, Finn ’24

BOYS JV BASKETBALL

COACHES: JEFF CADY P’31 AND MARIO CALCATERRA

JV basketball had a successful season, finishing with a record of 5–4. Over half the team had never played organized basketball, and the first weeks of practice were spent on skill development. After suffering losses in the first two games, the team pulled together and began playing with focus and purpose, winning five of the next six games. Each player experienced tremendous growth over the course of the season.

MVPs: Ethan ’24, Gabe ’25

ROLE MODEL: Amitav ’24

MOST IMPROVED: Ezra ’24 2022

BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

COACH: WILL PAULDING P’32

The season started off with a bang: a victory over Williston Northampton School at home. But Bement struggled after that initial game, ending the season with a 1–5 record. The athletes continued to show up and push hard. During practices, the team focused on establishing a halfcourt offensive set, running inbound plays, being aggressive on defense, and honing individual skills, including shooting, dribbling, and passing. Every player elevated their level of play.

MVP: Richard ’23

ROLE MODEL: Luka Kokosadze ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Henry ’23

GIRLS BASKETBALL

COACH: MATT PLAGER ’12

With a squad of 16, each member of the team improved dramatically over the course of the season. Practices focused on learning basic offense, player-to-player defense, and communicating on the court. The team finished the season with a 3–5 record, with incredible group efforts made in all games, especially against Stoneleigh-Burnham School and Williston, which ended in a nail-biter, 25–23, with Williston finishing on top.

MVP: Maya ’23

ROLE MODEL: Ella ’24

MOST IMPROVED: Sophia ’25

SQUASH

COACHES: ALEX BARTLETT ’87 AND JEREMY GALVAGNI P’24

It was an exciting winter term for Bement squash on many fronts. It was with great gratitude that Bement was able to use the Deerfield courts not only to practice but to host home matches. Also, expert coaches from Amherst College, including head squash coach Busani Xaba, offered top-notch instruction. Practices were structured and focused, providing the opportunity to learn real strategy and technique. The team ended the season with a 3–3–1 record, with major strides made by all players. The sportsmanship, fun, and camaraderie made coaching this team pure joy.

MVP: Flora ’23

ROLE MODEL: Neo ’25

MOST IMPROVED: Gordon Guo ’22

SWIMMING & DIVING

COACH: EVAN MACZKA Swimmers and divers returned to the pool with a small and inexperienced team and a new coach. Despite a 0–6 season (most meets were against high school swimmers), there were still many highlights, with all swimmers and divers improving. Plus, the team really came together to cheer one another on. Whether it was first, last, or somewhere in between, they enjoyed their season.

MVP: Josie ’23

ROLE MODEL: Miyu Nakamura ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Larina ’24

WINTER TRACK

COACH: DAVE BELCHER P’07

While the COVID-19 Omicron variant forced the winter track team to head outdoors, the team adjusted well, finding myriad ways to get exercise and enjoy the endless beauty of winter in the Pioneer Valley. The season culminated with a memorable hike on the Pocumtuck Ridge along a favorite trail. Along the way, students laughed, joked, and reminisced.

SPRING 2022

GIRLS LACROSSE

COACHES: ROSELLE GARRO P’25 AND MATT PLAGER ’12

This spring, the girls lacrosse team enjoyed a host of new recruits. The team worked on basic skills of throwing, catching, and shooting, as well as on improving fitness levels and learning basic defensive positioning and strategies. By the end of the season, players were able to effectively move the ball up the field and into the goal. Each member of the team improved as a lacrosse player and grew as an athlete.

MVP: Campbell Ardrey ’22

ROLE MODEL: Campbell Ardrey ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Iris ’24

BOYS LACROSSE

COACH: JEFF CADY P’31

With the majority of players new to the game, the team spent the first weeks learning the fundamentals of passing, catching, cradling, fielding ground balls, and dodging. Players also focused on team concepts, including offense and defense positioning, rides and clears, and face-offs. Moving forward, the team built on these basics with more technical and nuanced drills. The team’s 7–3 record was a testament to the athleticism and teamwork of all the players.

MVP: Massimo DiBari ’22

ROLE MODELS: Henry ’23, Hayden ’24

MOST IMPROVED: William ’25

GOLF

COACHES: RACHAEL CARTER AND TERRY SHIELDS P’19 ’21 ’25

The Bement golf team had a stellar season. Students on the developmental team learned the mechanics of swinging and transitioned from chipping in the backyard of Mary Hawks House to driving on the range, setting their sights on playing holes at CrumpinFox next year. On the competitive team, players practiced their swings and improved with repetition and advice from golf pro Jamie Ballard. Though bested in stroke score, players held their own and competed well in several matches with high school teams. In a dual home-and-away matchup with Valley View School, Bement players excelled, winning many of the holes and the matches overall.

MVP: Neo ’25

ROLE MODEL: Larina ’24

MOST IMPROVED: Emily ’25

TENNIS

COACH: ALEX BARTLETT ’87

The team ended the season with a 4–4 record, including terrific wins against Williston twice, as well as MacDuffie School and Valley View, and two losses each against Deerfield and Eaglebrook. Opponents and coaches praised the team for its competitive play and sportsmanship. Expert local tennis coach Mike Kolendo attended practices on Mondays to share his sharp expertise, helping players elevate their games. The team took care of one another and competed with vigor.

MVP: Luka Kokosadze ’22

ROLE MODEL: Lauren Chan ’22

MOST IMPROVED: Justice ’23

TRACK & FIELD

COACHES: DAVE BELCHER P’07, MARIO CALCATERRA, AND ANA RUEDA-HERNANDEZ Spring 2022 marked the return of Bement’s track team to interscholastic competition for the first time in three years. It was an opportunity to develop young talent, and it turns out that Bement has a lot. The season culminated the day after commencement when six team members traveled to the Massachusetts Middle School Track and Field Championship Meet at Gardner High School. The team’s point total of 19 earned a 12th-place finish out of a total of 39 schools in the small school division.

MVPs: Fumi Kimura ’22, Michelle ’23

ROLE MODELS: Gordon Guo ’22, Josie ’23

MOST IMPROVED: John ’23, Maddie ’24

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

COACHES: ZACK MAZZONE AND PATRICK MILNE

The sport of Ultimate Frisbee returned to Bement this spring. The team focused on the fundamentals of the game, including throwing, cutting, and running formations. With all athletes new to the sport, the team made impressive progress and every player improved. The outlook for next year is good as players return for another competitive season.

MVP: Coleman ’25

ROLE MODEL: Cleo ’23

MOST IMPROVED: Katherine Sun ’22

BY

An Ongoing Pursuit

Bement deepens its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

When George Floyd was murdered in police custody in 2020, Americans everywhere faced a reckoning, with schools, institutions, businesses, and individuals motivated to better educate themselves about race and racial justice. Many at Bement wondered how the school could and should respond to the energy of the moment to intentionally ensure that the school continues to be an inclusive community that stands for justice for all.

In Bement’s nearly 100 years of education, the school has been guided by a commitment to serving children and families from all walks of life. Beginning last year, Bement formally launched a process to deepen its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) on campus and in its curriculum, and to assess how this work can continue to anchor the community. Head of School Mike Schloat P’24 ’26 appointed Director of Student Experience and Inclusion Terry Shields P’19 ’21 ’25 to lead the effort to formulate a DEIJ vision and action plan.

“DEIJ is necessary and urgent work in all schools,” Mr. Shields said. “Many schools are looking to build their understanding, programs, and responses to DEIJ. We are asking, ‘How do you get the community to move in a direction in which everyone is feeling that they are part of the work and being heard?’ My job this year has been to set the course for where we are going, which will be an ongoing effort.”

“DEIJ IS NECESSARY AND URGENT WORK IN ALL SCHOOLS.”

The school assembled a DEIJ Task Force consisting of eleven faculty and staff members representing both upper and lower schools. Subcommittees have focused on further integrating DEIJ into Bement’s curriculum and developed a set of norms for how the Bement community interacts and communicates with one another. In a letter shared with the community at the outset of the year, Mr. Shields wrote, “We will embark

on a process to identify strengths and successes, acknowledge gaps and limitations, and address barriers that lead to opportunities for growth.”

“Bement’s core values—compassion, respect, integrity, resilience—align in important ways with the principles of work in the DEIJ space,” said Mr. Schloat. “Our mission, as well as our duty to our alumni, demands that we challenge our school community to live up to the promise of those values and extend the essential qualities of a Bement education to all our students and families, inclusive of their background, gender identity, or ethnicity.”

The task force is prioritizing professional development to train and educate faculty and staff on DEIJ topics. And with this year’s focus on gender equity and gender inclusion, faculty and staff participated in a gender inclusion workshop with Randi Reinhold, coordinator of Equity and Inclusion at

Boulder Country Day School. Reinhold also spent a day with Bement students and held a Zoom session with families.

Members of the task force also participated in an AISNE cohort on gender inclusion; a workshop on integrating social justice standards into the curriculum; and webinars on the history and context of various aspects of identity, including race, culture, and gender.

It was through this gender lens, at the beginning of the school year, that Bement created gender-neutral bathrooms for students and employees. The task force also crafted gender inclusion guidelines for employees to refer to in their daily practice.

Upper school English teacher and task force member Rachael Carter says she’s serving as an advocate for students: “My daily interactions with students inspire me to take action and speak up because they’re the people who are the

—Terry

Randi Reinhold meets with upper school students and faculty

Using Picture Books to Teach Civil Rights

By Librarian Marcia Bernard and former Visual Arts Teacher Cate Dembkowski

Last fall, the two of us visited the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, where we saw Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through Children’s Books. The exhibition, curated by children’s book author Andrea Davis Pinkney, was powerful and moving. It inspired us to explore ways we could bring the experience of learning about the civil rights movement through picture books to the entire school community, which we called Inspiring Civil Rights Discussion with Picture Books.

The aim of this project was to use picture books to educate students on

topics of civil rights and to inspire meaningful conversations, as well as to use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to deepen our understanding and appreciation of art as a visual language and as a vehicle for driving critical thinking.

The picture books we chose for this project are powerful metaphors for mirrors and windows. Their stories invite selfreflection and empathy while offering perspectives on others’ lived experiences. We knew we wanted to create meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to discuss the people and events of the civil rights movement while also connecting

recipients of all of it. Their feedback and experience are really valuable.”

Listening and responding to students has a profound impact, Carter said. “I think it’s important to show our students that we see them, we hear them, and we value them. When students feel safe, happy, and protected at school, that’s when they’re going to be the best athletic version of themselves, or they’re going to accomplish more in art and in music, or contribute to the community. For all kids to be able to do their best, they have to feel like they’re being seen and respected for who they are.”

The task force recognizes that many of Bement’s students share Asian heritage. “How do students with Asian heritage feel like the DEIJ conversations that we’re having resonate with their lived experience, too?” Mr. Shields asked. “As we evaluate the curriculum, we’re working to ensure that it’s inclusive of students of Asian heritage.”

it to our personal experiences and current events.

With the help of Director of Student Experience and Inclusion Terry Shields P’19 ’21 ’25 in the upper school, and Lower School Head Anna Casey in the lower school, students read a new picture book each week for eight weeks. Faculty used VTS to engage small groups of students in discussion around anchor images selected from each book, asking the questions, “What is going on in this picture? What makes you say that?”

Students then participated in activities and reflective journaling around the

“FOR ALL KIDS TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR BEST, THEY HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE BEING SEEN AND RESPECTED FOR WHO THEY ARE.”

—Rachael Carter FA

Task force member Meg O’Brien ’95, who teaches eighth-grade history, said she developed her curriculum this year through a DEIJ lens. As she guides her students through different time periods and pivotal historical moments, she teaches about important figures beyond famous generals and white men. “I think it’s important to provide a narrative for all the stories that are in a time period,” she said. “Let’s talk about women. Let’s talk about the African American troops in the Civil War. And the Chinese Americans and their role in World War I. When we talk about westward expansion, how did that impact Indigenous people?”

Ms. Carter, too, is continually updating her English curriculum to reflect DEIJ and an ever-changing world. “Part of my job over the last two years has just been to meaningfully select texts from authors of various backgrounds and different forms of identity in order to expose students to more through literature than perhaps

they’ll experience living in this part of the Connecticut River Valley.”

As the year drew to a close, the task force shared its Vision and Action Plan for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice at Bement with employees, with plans to publicize it more broadly to the entire Bement community.

“This work at Bement has always been happening, and now we’re in a position to be intentional and purposeful about how it will continue,” Mr. Shields said. In his letter to the community, he wrote, “Our commitment is not realized by accomplishment and achievement; that is, we cannot afford to think that we are ever complete in our work. Rather, rooted and guided by the core values of respect, compassion, integrity, and resilience, our commitment to promote and act for justice is an ongoing pursuit that influences how we, as individuals and in the collective, speak, act, and behave every day.”

Ms. Carter agrees that DEIJ work has no finish line. “Every person is always growing, changing, and learning, so there’s always going to be another step that you could take to further your own growth and understanding,” she said. “It’s important for us as a school to always be looking inward as well as externally at all the different components of a Bement education through the DEIJ lens to ensure that we’re endeavoring for diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging for all members of our community.”

topics presented in the stories and pictures. Like any successful collaboration, there were so many individuals who helped bring this project to life for students, and we hope to continue this important work in the coming years.

“WE KNEW WE WANTED TO CREATE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO DISCUSS THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.”

On the Stage and Beyond

Bement’s drama program aims to instill confidence, poise, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

BY MEGAN TADY FR

Itwas springtime at Bement, and ninth graders were rehearsing for the musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. They practiced their lines and songs, blocked their movements, and put finishing touches on costumes and set designs. When the curtain finally went up, these ninth graders stepped onto the stage in front of the school community to deliver their pinnacle performance, which has become a beloved rite of passage for students.

“The first time I saw the musical, I was a tiny kindergartner sitting in the Barn, and I was awestruck,” said Campbell Ardrey ’22, who played Cinderella in the musical. “It just seemed so much larger than life, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for years.”

While the drama curriculum at Bement changes by grade, the lower and upper school programs are guided by one overarching mission: to instill confidence in students so they can stand up and speak up in front of others—whether they’re singing in the spotlight in ninth grade, delivering a speech, or answering questions with grace and poise in secondary school interviews.

“No matter what career or life path you choose, you’re going to have to speak in front of people, even if it’s a small group,” said upper school drama teacher Casey Ahern P’31. “We’re getting students used to what it feels like to stand in front of a crowd, starting from kindergarten. Our goal is to teach kids the power of storytelling and help them feel comfortable using their own voice to tell stories.”

Stomping Like Elephants

It all begins with stomping like elephants in kindergarten. Sue Robertson, who teaches K–2 drama classes and has a background in creative movement, leads her students with movement games. “I want to get students moving and expressing themselves with their bodies, which actually develops coordination and gross motor dexterity,” she said. “We talk a lot about animals and how animals move, and we talk about our emotions and how to move when we’re feeling certain emotions. If we want to show strength, we have to step down hard with our feet.”

According to Ms. Robertson, this process allows students to connect to the world around them, learn about personal space, and build their sense of self. “We do an exercise where students pretend to be inside bubbles,” she explains. “What happens if you get too close to another bubble? Your bubble will pop. All of this helps students understand their place in physical space and physical boundaries.”

Ms. Robertson then uses storybook theater to create dramatic productions. Each grade chooses a storybook, with students acting out the characters and scenes they can see on the page. “We talk a lot about action within the story. What are the characters actually doing? How can we do these same actions with the emotional intent of our characters?”

She’s also on stage with her students, narrating the production and helping students with their lines. Her students resonate most with slapstick humor and inhabiting characters that require big, dramatic movements, like falling down and springing back up again.

“The storybook approach is great for our younger students because they can actually see the pictures and experience the story,” she said. “It’s more concrete, which helps them relate to it more fully.”

While the books provide a loose guide, Ms. Robertson gives her students a lot of creative license. When a kindergarten class embarked on the classic tale of The Mitten, in which different animals all snuggle inside a mitten for warmth, students wanted to pick their own characters, each more outrageous than the next, including a nutcracker, Darth Vader, and David Bowie. ‘Can David Bowie fit in the mitten with his microphone?’ Yeah, sure,” she said, laughing.

Ms. Robertson is also the visual arts teacher for grades K–2, and she incorporates elements of set and costume design into her classes for second graders. “Sometimes it involves making ears for their characters, or choosing the fabric for their wings, or deciding together that we want to create trees for our background,” she said. “It’s a very collaborative process.”

When Christian ’26 started at Bement in the second grade, his only exposure to public speaking was with show-and-tell at his former school. Through his drama class with Ms. Robertson, he made an exciting discovery. “I love the stage!” he exclaimed. “And I love the teamwork, with everyone putting their ideas together to make something awesome.”

From Shy to Fearless

By the time students move on to third grade, they’re ready to embark on different challenges with Ms. Ahern, whose curriculum introduces new concepts each year, like improvisation games, physical and vocal expansion, drama history, scenic action, monologues, and ensemble performances.

“There’s so much variety to what we do, from technical theater to acting, from comedy to serious plays,” she said. “There’s something for everybody in drama class. Some students really latch on to using the lightboard, and other kids want to have an outlet to be silly and play improv games. One thing that’s consistent across the

board: students relish taking a bow as they finish their plays. They experience a sense of pride having accomplished something together.”

For Ms. Ahern, one of the joys of teaching is watching students transform throughout their time in the drama program. “I have students who were fearless in lower school and then become a little bit more reserved and self-conscious in upper school,” she said. “It’s nice for me to get to work with them, because I can say, ‘Remember in fifth grade when we did this? Let’s try that again.’ Then I have the opposite students who were terrified to get up on stage in lower school and grow into

these major performers and become more extroverted.”

No matter which grade students start at Bement, they gain quick exposure and experience to critical life skills in their drama classes.

“Most of our students are so used to texting that they don’t ever get on the phone with anyone,” Ms. Ahern said. “We’re teaching the students how to look each other in the eye and communicate with each other interpersonally, and be in a space together without technology.”

The COVID-19 pandemic increased students’ reliance on technology for entertainment, and Ms. Ahern sees the

drama program as a way to show students that nothing can replace live theater.

“There’s nothing like being in the room with the people who are performing and witnessing true emotion on stage, and seeing the real moments, even if it’s because someone forgot a line,” she said. “They’re appreciating the humanity of a performance and not a polished piece of edited material that they’re used to watching on screens.”

When Justice ’23 and his classmates returned to campus after the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, he noticed his friends struggling with public speaking, himself included. But participating in drama classes

shifted things. “It seems like we all had a harder time presenting, just in general,” he said. “Then we did a play in drama, and I began feeling more comfortable being in front of people in all of my classes again.”

So much so that Justice went out of his comfort zone last year and played a character with a British accent—or rather, a shark with a British accent. “It was a lot of fun, but there were days when I thought, ‘This sounds genuinely bad,’” he said. “But by the end of the play, it felt like I wasn’t forcing it too much.”

Since second grade, Christian’s love of the stage is only growing. Last year, he played a monster with a Brooklyn accent,

Third-grade performance of The King and Queen Are in Double Trouble!, adapted from a play by Terence Patrick Hughes

and in fourth grade he recorded the play’s theme song. He’s ready to keep challenging himself each year, and he urged his classmates to do the same.

“It’s like food,” he said. “You don’t know if you’re going to like it until you try a big bite. You can’t have a tiny part, say two lines of dialogue, and be like, ‘I tried it. I don’t really like it.’ You have to take something big on. You might not like it, or you might have a great time.”

Lifelong Appreciation

Campbell was one of those students who experienced a transformation: shy in lower school, she came out of her shell in upper school—so much so that she wanted to audition for the lead role in the ninth-grade musical.

“Maturing definitely helped, but it was also the experience I was gaining in drama,” she concluded. “Each year we’re learning, not just new things but harder things. And

we’re challenging ourselves, so we gain more courage.”

To prepare for her audition, Campbell rehearsed for hours, downloading the music from Cinderella to her Spotify playlist so she could listen to the music throughout the day. But she also drew from an earlier experience in drama—one that had nothing to do with acing her lines and everything to do with personal growth.

In seventh grade, her class performed Julius Caesar, and Campbell recalls that everyone was vying for the part with the most lines. She didn’t get it. “I was annoyed and bitter at first, but then I was able to see that maybe I wouldn’t have done so great at the part, and it was better for someone else,” she said. “I found myself thinking about that during the musical audition, too. I was like, ‘I really want this part, but if I don’t get it, that’s okay. I’ll have another part that I’ll have fun with. And that will be good for me.’”

The ninth-grade musical is almost a fabled experience at Bement. It’s one of the only performances presented to the entire school. Alumni from recent years often come back to campus to watch it, and younger grades eagerly anticipate their time in the spotlight, with eighth graders asking Ms. Ahern, “What’s our musical going to be?” It’s also a performance that combines the entire fine arts department: drama, dance, music, and visual arts.

“It is one of the last things the ninth graders do together before graduation,” Ms. Ahern said. “They’re coming together to design costumes, paint the set, memorize their lines, sing, dance, act, and put together everything that they’ve learned through their fine arts curriculum.”

At the beginning of rehearsals, Ms. Ahern likes to remind her ninth graders of one thing: “The musical is a gift that we’re giving to the rest of the school.”

Each year, the musical selection—as well as other plays—spark important conversations about gender and diversity representation in the works. Ms. Ahern tweaks outdated productions to better reflect the times, like casting same-sex couples or a male student in a traditionally female role.

“We have such teachable moments from the scripts,” she said. “It’s great that students feel comfortable enough in my class and at Bement to look at a script in which a boy is called a ‘sissy’ and say, ‘Can we change this, because this is not okay to say anymore?’”

Above all, when students graduate from Bement, Ms. Ahern believes they’re taking with them a respect for the arts because they’ve been active participants in them. “Our students will be able to go to a music concert or a theater production or a dance recital and have an appreciation for the work that went into it,” she said. “Bement is creating students who will be lifelong appreciators of the arts.”

The kindergarten class answering audience questions after their performance

Casey Ahern P’31, FA

Drama Curriculum

K–2: Storybook Theater

• Play movement games

• Choose a storybook

• Identify the action and emotions within each stor y

• Be on stage with a teacher

Third Grade: Reading Scripts

• Memorize lines

• Be on stage without a teacher

• Choose costumes from costume shop

Fourth Grade: Short Plays

• Write a short play

• Focus on hero’s journey

• Learn “stor y mountain” structure

• Choose own char acter

• Deliver mini-monologues

Fifth Grade: Extended Plays

• Act in a 30-minute play

• Memorize more lines

• Design sets and costumes

• Learn some elements of stage lighting

Sixth Grade: Intro to Theater

• Review drama-related careers

• Understand the pr ocess of producing a play

• Learn dr ama history

• Practice set, costume, light, and sound design

Seventh Grade: Shakespeare

• Choose a Shakespearean play

• Watc h a filmed version of the play

• Create a pr esentation about the play’s histor y/themes/characters

• Act out short scenes

• Learn stage combat and sword fighting

Eighth Grade: Scene Studies

• Learn Stanislavski’s “method” acting

• Ask: What does my c haracter want? What are the obstac les?

• Practice basic acting skills in two-person scenes

• Perform a play using skills

Ninth Grade: Capstone Year

• Practice improv

• Deliver monologues

• Perform in the ninth-grade musical

“Each we’re not just new things but harder things. And we’re challenging ourselves, so we more nothing like being in the room with the people who are performing and witnessing true emotion on stage. love the stage! love the with everyone

BY MEGAN TADY FR

Shining a Spotlight

Anthony Kwame Harrison, PhD, ’85, PTT examines topics from underrepresented angles.

February, Professor

Anthony Kwame Harrison traveled to Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, to teach a two-week course called The Sociology of Skiing as part of the Virginia Tech Presidential Global Scholars program. His students examined the sport from various angles, debating many questions: How is downhill skiing gendered? Does skiing tax the environment, or is it part of being in nature? How does race influence how people think about who belongs on the slopes?

Harrison is a professor in the Department of Sociology, with a half-time appointment in the Africana Studies program at Virginia Tech. He also holds the title of Edward S. Diggs Professor in Humanities. He is past president of the General Anthropology Division of the American Anthropological Association and serves on the Advisory Board of the Race in the Marketplace research network. He also served on Bement’s board of trustees for 10 years, including three years as the president of the board.

At Virginia Tech, Harrison’s teaching and research interests vary, from racial identification to hip-hop music to qualitative research methodologies and social space. He’s always driven to explore “places where a spotlight hasn’t been shined.”

“I choose topics that get me excited and interested,” he said from his home in Blacksburg, Virginia. “I like to look at things that are on the margins, and by looking at them, we can gain new understandings.”

Hence, skiing—a sport he personally enjoys and traces back to his time at Bement. Over the years, as he skied in various places around the country and the world, he often had a similar experience: white skiers treating him a bit like an oddity, constantly asking how he’d come to the sport.

He began to research the impact that everyday racism has on the representation of Black skiers, and in 2013, he published a paper

“I LIKE TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE ON THE MARGINS.”

in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues titled “Black Skiing, Everyday Racism, and the Racial Spatiality of Whiteness.”

“This idea of inclusion and exclusion in skiing stretches all the way from folk ideas about Black people not liking the cold to some really powerful stuff around real estate,” Harrison said. “It’s this idea called ‘exclusionary amenities.’ If you create a real estate development that requires people to pay extra fees for specific things, and you know these things only cater to certain people and not to others, you’re essentially creating a legally segregated community.”

Since publishing the paper, Harrison’s become one of the nation’s go-to experts on the topic. The New York Times quoted him in a February 2022 article titled “Who Gets to Ski?” The article explores the uptick in the number of skiers on beloved mountains and how comments about overcrowded slopes with inexperienced skiers can often be directed at people of color. “I don’t think a majority of skiers are racist,” Harrison said in the Times. “But if longtime skiers become frustrated because they are seeing ski areas being crowded, when you look at that crowd, who do you immediately identify as being most out of place?”

Long before Harrison was a soughtafter commentator, he was completing his bachelor’s degree in anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He said he landed on anthropology by a quick process of elimination.

“I picked up a course catalog and started with the A’s, and I was like, ‘Wow, that sounds great,’” he recalled. “My father had lived in Ghana in the sixties and helped establish a handicrafts export system for the government, so there was African art in our house. When I read about anthropology in this classic sense, it connected to me in that way. Once I got into the major, what really resonated with me was the idea of taking nothing for granted and questioning things we think are normal.” Harrison then earned his master’s degree and a doctorate in cultural anthropology at Syracuse University.

He has continued this questioning in his career, authoring several books, including Hip Hop Underground: The Integrity and Ethics of Racial Identification, which is an ethnographic study of hip-hop practitioners in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recently, he co-edited Race in the Marketplace: Crossing Critical Boundaries, which won an American Marketing Association Award for Responsible Research in Marketing.

But the award closest to Harrison’s heart remains the Edward S. Diggs Teaching Scholar Award, which he received in 2011, when he was a relatively new professor. “It started to give me confidence in what I was doing as a teacher, and the idea that rather than following a script of what a good teacher should be, I should follow the things that I believe in,” he said.

Harrison said he was on the receiving end of great teaching while he was at Bement, and he named many faculty members whom he “treasured and loved,” including Sharon Young, Mary Hawks ’GB, and Tom Falcon. “I had a really solid foundation from Bement,” he said. “It was a beautiful setting, and it was great to be able to walk on campus between classes. I also loved going to school with kids from different parts of the country and the world. I made real, genuine friendships.”

In 2011, thanks to the encouragement of Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00, Harrison joined the school’s board. His term as board president concluded last fall, and he passed the baton to Kimberly Petelle Butz P’19. As he reflected on his time, he said his proudest accomplishment was helping steer Bement through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When you think about where we were in April 2020, our head of school had resigned,” Harrison said. “We had lost access to our health services and sports facilities. We had transitioned to remote teaching on the fly. I’m proud we got through it, and I’m proud of the role that I played. So much credit goes to the leadership team, and to the extraordinary faculty and staff. I’m tremendously proud, and I think Bement has a really bright future.”

Photos courtesy of Anthony Kwame Harrison ’85,

“I HAD A REALLY SOLID FOUNDATION FROM BEMENT.

. . . I LOVED GOING TO SCHOOL WITH KIDS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.”

COMES FIRST

BY MEGAN TADY FR

Baltimore City Council member Zeke Cohen ’01 is listening and responding to his community.

When Zeke Cohen ’01 was growing up in Northampton, Massachusetts, his parents instilled in him a sense of civic duty, reciting the adage: “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

Photos © Nicholas Mackall

Cohen took that sentiment and ran with it, graduating from Goucher College to become a teacher in West Baltimore, where he was awarded the Elizabeth Lawrence Prize for Excellence. He then earned a master’s in public policy from Johns Hopkins University before starting The Intersection, a nonprofit that helps young people learn community organizing and civic leadership. And in 2016, he was elected to the city council in Baltimore, guided by the belief that “community comes first.”

“Every legislative achievement that I’ve accomplished has been built by the community,” he said. “I do not think I’m smarter than anybody else. It’s been about building coalitions, building consensus, and working with young people and advocates. I get the privilege and honor to be the voice or put in the bill, but it’s really the community that pushes the work.”

Long before he ran for office, Cohen attended Bement, where he said he was an “odd duck.” “I do not think this would’ve been the path that my teachers would’ve necessarily predicted,” he laughs. Still, his experience had an impact. “There was a real sense of community at Bement,” he said. “The teachers and staff were really intentional about building relationships and connecting with the young people there.”

In Cohen’s own career, he’s made it a point to connect with young people and folks who haven’t had a voice in creating policy and shaping city government, and his legislative track record reflects that. In April 2019, Cohen sponsored the Gender-Inclusive Single-User Restroom bill, which requires all single-user restrooms to have gender-inclusive signage.

“I heard from a number of folks in our trans and nonbinary community here in Baltimore that restrooms were a place of fear, anxiety, and danger,” he said. “I am a cis-hetero white male who has more or less benefited from every system of privilege and power that there is. It’s my responsibility as a lawmaker to uplift folks who have not benefited and who have actually been harmed by systems and structures.”

Cohen is most proud of the Elijah Cummings Healing City Act, making Baltimore the first city in the country to comprehensively legislate trauma-responsive care. The bill is designed to help residents heal from generations of trauma, racism, and violence.

The bill grew out of a hearing that Cohen and his colleagues held about gun violence in schools. Many adults in attendance suggested more metal detectors and an increase in police presence. Then it was time for the youth to speak.

“The young people wanted nothing to do with that conversation,” Cohen said. “They were like, ‘We don’t want to hear about how you’re gonna better police us. We want you to prevent violence from occurring in our lives. And specifically, we want you to address the daily instances of trauma that we face.’ They named every adverse childhood experience in the book: experiencing homelessness, seeing community violence, having a parent who was addicted to a substance. And they talked about what it was like to be Black in this city.”

Cohen was profoundly moved. He approached the students after the hearing and suggested that they join forces. “We, with the students, launched a yearlong listening tour,” he said. “We listened [to young people] in libraries and in laundromats, in rec centers and in classrooms all across our city. And we tried to figure out together how we could reduce trauma from the perspective of a law.”

At the same time, Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) was tackling this work federally, and he held the first congressional hearing on childhood trauma. He returned to Baltimore with a mandate. “He called a bunch of us together and he said, ‘I’m not going to be here that much longer, so you all need to take this on, because I’m so tired of seeing generational trauma in my neighborhood.

If Baltimore can’t solve it, then who will?’ We really saw that as a challenge, and we all pulled together.” Congressman Cummings died in October 2019.

On February 20, 2020, then Baltimore mayor Jack Young signed the bill, named after Congressman Cummings. The bill created a citywide task force to identify ways to reduce trauma for children, and it calls for each city government agency to get trained in traumainformed care.

“I’ve been trying to make this legislation meaningful so that we’re living out the legacy of Elijah Cummings and addressing this monster that impacts all of us,” Cohen said. “Whether you are in Baltimore or in Deerfield, many people have been exposed to some form of trauma. And we know enough about the science to know that it is real, it has a lasting impact, and we have the capacity to heal from it.”

A number of cities have expressed interest in Baltimore’s bill. “Across the country, we’re in a real mental health crisis postpandemic,” Cohen said. “Being able to mediate, being able to de-escalate, being able to be more in tune with our bodies, and being able to be more mindful and be in better relationship with each other is really critical, not just for Baltimore but for the United States and for the world.”

“EVERY LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT THAT I’VE ACCOMPLISHED HAS BEEN BUILT BY THE COMMUNITY.”

A F a m i ly

T r a d i t i o n

BY MEGAN TADY FR

When Hannah Cho ’07 and her parents were exploring boarding schools for her— the family hails from Korea—they toured Bement. She said they instantly felt at ease on campus. So much so that Hannah’s sister, Tina ’09, also came to Bement, followed by their brother, Brian ’10. Attending Bement, Brian said, became a family tradition, giving the siblings a strong foundation as they embarked on separate paths to establish successful careers and pursue their passions.

HANNAH

Hannah attended Milton Academy, followed by Johns Hopkins University, and then received her J.D. at Columbia Law School. She is now an associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco, and she’s a pen pal with a fifth grader at Bement.

TINA

Tina also attended Milton followed by Yale University, where she earned her bachelor’s in political science and government. Tina is a product marketing manager at Kustomer, a startup acquired by Meta.

BRIAN

Brian attended Milton, graduated from Brown University with a degree in biophysics, and finished medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. He started as an orthopedic surgery resident at Mount Sinai in July 2022.

WHAT IS YOUR CAREER, AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR CAREER PATH?

Hannah: I am an attorney. Specifically, I do securities litigation and white-collar defense. I wanted a career path that was intellectually challenging and interesting but could also allow me to help other people. Being a lawyer was the perfect fit. I get to work with some of the most brilliant but nicest people, and I get to service our clients who are in need of help. I find doing pro bono work to be especially rewarding.

Tina: Both our mother and grandmother ran their own businesses throughout their lives, which inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship. I currently work in product marketing at Kustomer, and my goal is to one day start my own softwareas-a-service business.

Brian: I decided to pursue a career in medicine after volunteering at a hospice center in Korea and realizing how important health and wellness was for people’s lives. I hope that by becoming an orthopedic surgeon I will be able to help patients go back to whatever activities bring them joy without pain or limitations.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST NON-PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS?

Hannah: Most recently, my proudest accomplishment is that I managed to raise a puppy. Training her involved lots of blood, sweat, and tears from all of us involved, but it’s amazing to see her growing up happy and healthy. Strangers on the street have commented on how well-behaved she is, so that was a proud mama moment.

Tina: Investing in my mental health and sticking with therapy for multiple years has really improved my day-to-day life, not only in terms of how I view myself but also in how I interact with others.

Brian: I am most proud of the network of friends and mentors I’ve developed in the Northeast region throughout my adolescence, many of whom I still keep in regular contact with. As someone who spent a lot of time away from home, staying close to my friends has been essential for not only growing as a person but also learning how to be someone who is fun to be around.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF BEMENT?

Hannah: I loved Wednesdays during the winter term. I loved going snowboarding with all of my classmates—it provided a different context to bond with my classmates that I really appreciated. The boarding students then headed to Ms. [Shelley Borror] Jackson FHS, P’00’s house for dessert, hot chocolate, and Project Runway. I still remember the amazing banana pudding, and all of us sitting around the TV admiring the gorgeous costumes and the display of creativity. The entire day was filled with so much joy and fun. Life could not get much better than that.

Tina: I don’t consider myself a foodie, but somehow the top two are food related. First, going to Ms. Jackson’s house for dessert after study hall—that’s how I discovered apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Second, having cheese stromboli with tomato sauce at lunchtime. Out of all the schools I attended, Bement had the best food.

Brian: My favorite memory at Bement is staying over with my day-student friends’ families during Thanksgiving and winter break, and playing tag football and sledding down their backyard slopes. I also really enjoyed learning how to snowboard and getting hot chocolate at Ms. Jackson’s house.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE SIBLINGS AT BEMENT?

Hannah: I was quite an independent child from early on, so I thought I was doing fine on my own when I first got to Bement. When my sister joined me two years later, I was surprised to find myself relying on her presence and emotional support a lot more than I had expected. Prior to coming to Bement, when we used to live in Korea together, we did not always see eye to eye. But once she got to Bement, our relationship significantly improved from the shared experience of coming abroad and interacting with each other outside the home environment. Having my siblings also made traveling more bearable when it took us nearly 24 hours to get from our home in Korea to Bement.

Tina: Although we were all in different dorms, I think knowing that my siblings were also at Bement made a huge difference, especially at such a young age. Sharing the experience of studying abroad and belonging to the same community served as an anchor for me and helped me navigate new challenges, such as learning English and trying out sports.

Brian: Having my sister with me at the same school at such a young age was very helpful as I adjusted to studying abroad in the American school system. It was fun to meet new people who would recognize me from how similar we looked. It also didn’t hurt to have someone to carpool with from JFK!

IN WHAT WAYS HAS YOUR BEMENT EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR LIFE TODAY?

Hannah: First and foremost, Bement showed me kindness. I was bullied a lot in school in Korea, but none of my friends and teachers at Bement had any meanness in them. The classmates took me into their friend group immediately, and their parents hosted me at various sleepovers and even family trips, which really helped me integrate into American society on a cultural level. Being surrounded by such warm, friendly, and welcoming people has inspired me to bring people under my wing whenever I can.

Tina: Bement has taught me the importance of community and inspired me to create a similar friendly and caring environment wherever I go. I had so many amazing teachers at Bement who truly cared about me and helped cultivate my writing skills and sense of humor. I aspire to be a kindhearted adult like them.

Brian: I am glad I was able to be at Bement during my early teen years, as the loving community of teachers, dorm parents, and friends were instrumental in making me a more thoughtful and caring person, even while I was away from home. Through my day-student friends, I was exposed to many aspects of American culture, such as Thanksgiving, mall trips, and football—which all help me relate to my patients and colleagues on a daily basis. I have also developed a fondness for s’mores after the countless times we made them behind Ms. Jackson’s house and during our dorm camping trip.

“Bement has taught me the importance of community and inspired me to create a similar friendly and caring environment wherever I go.”

CELEBRATING CLASS OF

CLASS OF 2022 MATRICULATION

baccalaureate

WE DID THIS TOGETHER!

Bement believes in making a difference through service to our community.

Holiday Cards were made for our local

A Winter Clothing Drive

was held to benefit the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals, Inc., and Franklin County’s Communities That Care Coalition’s PEER Ambassador Program.

Over $1,000 raised for Habitat for Humanity

Students participated in the Gingerbread Build at Home fundraiser.

Supper for Six

Bement families filled 115 grocery bags of food to donate to the United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region.

Over $3,000 raised for Make-A-Wish Bement’s Student Council hosted a series of fundraisers: Penny Wars, Bake Sale, Hoodjama Day.

Over $400 raised for Voices for Children by dressing as a book character to honor World Book and Copyright Day.

volunteered in the month of December as part of the Bement Gives Back Challenge 2021.

MARK YOUR

Bement families decorated holiday cookies that were distributed to local families, and boarding students helped prepare meals that helped feed our neighbors in Franklin County. HOURS

Stone Soup Café

BY

A Bittersweet Farewell

Silvia Ribes de Mugnani, Upper School Spanish Teacher and Advisor

With unparalleled humor, energy, and passion for Spanish, Silvia Ribes de Mugnani encouraged Bement students in their study of the language for 24 years. Her devotion to her students and her support of colleagues made her a deeply valued member of our community and meant that her retirement at the end of the 2021–22 school year was bittersweet.

Mrs. Mugnani’s career as an educator stretches back 50 years to her native Argentina. During her time at Bement, she taught students ranging from kindergartners to ninth graders with equal patience and skill. Stephanie Schonbrun LaBonia ’04 wrote of her, “You are the reason I studied Spanish in college and continue to love the language even still. We always looked forward to your class each day, and I still reflect back on you as a teacher 20 years later.” Carol Chan, mother of Lauren Chan ’22, wrote, “Under your guidance, not only has Lauren made tremendous improvement in her Spanish

within a short period of time, you have helped her to develop a strong foundation and a genuine interest in Spanish.” Because of Mrs. Mugnani, numerous Bement alumni have pursued further study of, and even careers in, Spanish, and their early start with Mrs. Mugnani surely laid the strongest of foundations in the language.

As renowned as she was for her skills as an educator and her passion for the Spanish language, Silvia Mugnani was just as well known for her joyous and caring nature and her hilarity.

Through plays, telenovelas, and projects, Mrs. Mugnani made sure she was infusing her students’ learning with fun. Her classroom was usually full of decorations and preparations for performances on stage in the Barn, birthday celebrations, songs, and puppet shows, and every production was unfailingly energetic and amusing. Former faculty member Deb Stewart-Pettengill P’01 ’03 remembered that “Mrs. Mugnani’s . . . love of drama and costumes enhanced the experience for students and audience members alike!”

Sylvia Mugnani’s humor and energy extended beyond her classroom to advisory, electives, morning meetings, and, most notably, Farewell Evening, where her loving roasts of students usually earned the biggest laughs of the night (and always involved the wildest props).

Fueling the humor, though, was always the deepest care for her students. Brie Duseau ’12 said, “I remember on Farewell Evening . . . she made me a blanket with soccer and basketballs on it that I brought with me to college and even still have with me now! It’s always a good memory to think back on how well known and supported I was in middle school because of people like her!”

Those who have had the good fortune to work with Silvia Mugnani describe her as warm, pleasant, supportive, whimsical, and positive. As a colleague, she was always so thoughtful and willing to go above and beyond to support and help others. Ever the caretaker, she once turned a very early morning drive to a professional development workshop for the World Language Department into an impromptu party when she pulled an entire dulce de leche cake out of her purse and began serving pieces from the backseat of the car while regaling everyone with stories of her travels back to Argentina. It turned an otherwise dreary drive into a time of laughter and camaraderie. There was never a dull moment when Mrs. Mugnani was around!

While her retirement brings her time at Bement to an end, Sylvia Mugnani’s legacy will live on in the love of Spanish she has instilled in countless students and in the memories of all the laughs and joy she brought to our campus. While we will miss her greatly, we know that she will make the most of her well-earned retirement. Muchas gracias y buena suerte, Sra. Mugnani!

BY SHELLEY BORROR JACKSON FHS, P’00

Every now and then, one person really does make a difference. Nowhere was this truer than in Tell White’s return to Bement as one of the most impactful volunteers a school could hope for.

Tell and his sister, Sheila Lummis ’GB, came to Bement as five- and seven-year-old siblings, and there they spent their academic lives until it was time for high school. Tell was adamant that this was the best thing that could have happened in his childhood.

Tell’s return as a volunteer at Bement was a near miss. Newly retired from 41 years at Container Corporation of America in 1999, he was at loose ends. He soon placed a call to see if Bement could use any help. He left this message with whomever answered the phone, but that important message was never delivered. When Tell’s call wasn’t returned, he called again. This time, the right person (Cynthia Hinckley PTT, P’97, PF) answered, and the proverbial “the rest is history” began.

Tell’s first assignment was to help with the school’s 75th reunion. Grace Bement was no longer living, and that generation of alumni had no head of school to whom they could return. Coincidentally, I was in my first year of Bement headship, didn’t know a single alum, and was completely intimidated by this looming event. Tell and his era needed a head, I needed alumni, and we joyfully adopted each other. A robust group of Grace Bement alumni returned for the reunion, and Tell welcomed them as only he could do. He led them through hours of poignant stories with a common thread of abiding love for Grace Bement and the remarkable school she started. I was enchanted.

The storytelling and reconnections were magical, and the need for a more formal alumni association emerged. Who better than the charismatic, charming Tell White to lead that new group? As president of the alumni association for roughly 15 years, he also sat on the Bement Board of Trustees, a role that meant the world to him. When Tell chose to speak at a meeting, what he said was worth hearing. He suffered no fools, was always focused on the school’s mission, and found courage when others couldn’t.

Upon learning that Tell had passed away, an outpouring of messages from fellow trustees included these words to capture their cherished friend: loyal, elegant, positive, creative, outgoing, optimistic. They noted his “boundless love” for the school, repeatedly referred to him as a gentleman, and, most of all, called working with him “an honor.” Craig White TT, P’03, a former chef at Bement, fondly remembers Tell’s penchant for cookies, often snitching a few from a platter in the kitchen and then wrapping up a few more. Tell’s love of cookies was celebrated this past winter at

Bement on Tell White Cookie Day to remind everyone of the power of a cookie in one’s pocket.

Something special happened every time Tell set foot on campus; he had celebrity status. One of his many gifts was the immediate friendship he extended to everyone he met. Kindergarten children knew Mr. White, middle school kids thought he was a cool old dude, teachers welcomed him into their classrooms. He was an open ear and wide shoulders for alumni who wanted to share their stories.

Another dear Bement friend recently asked me what Tell’s greatest gifts to the school had been. I was surprised by the speed with which I could answer that. Tell brought Grace Bement back to life. Through Tell, we reaffirmed her passion for literature and the arts, her understanding of child development, her deep respect for play in the outdoors. Her students weren’t tested, assessed, and evaluated, but Tell would often say, “I learned everything that matters in life from Grace Bement.” She observed her students keenly and sent their parents lengthy letters about the children’s lives at Bement. One of Tell’s letters shared her pride over his ability to “accept frequent pummeling at recess by his peers,” something I can’t imagine any head of school writing today but something Tell assured me developed his equanimity and resilience.

Most of all, Tell taught us that Grace Bement created a school where children were loved. Time and again he referenced that this is where he felt most loved in his youth, and when he returned for his countless visits later in life, he became a happy little boy again. Tell taught us that childhood is sacred and that returning to its place matters, the stories matter, and certainly the people who love us matter. Tell proved Thomas Wolfe wrong; we really can go home again.

The Bement School and I were forever changed when Tell returned in 2000. We both gained one of the best friends we could ever have.

Tell White’s obituary may be found at seacoastonline.com/obituaries/p0185648.

Going Home Again the life of the charismatic, charming Tell White ’GB, PTT

class notes

’GB

SUSAN CONANT HOLDEN ’GB writes: “Still busy trying to keep up with my children and grandchildren. And my various patriotic societies. I periodically call Barbara Bond Nutt ’47, who was my roommate when I was at Bement. I have enjoyed being involved in the Pen Pal Program, corresponding with a fifth-grade student. It has been a delightful experience and fun learning about Bement today.”

1950s

SUZIE COMINS MEIJERINK ’51 stopped by to visit in June. She’d love to connect with any classmates or those in surrounding years! If you’d like to be in touch, please email alumni@bement.org and we will connect you. Suzie remembers making butter in kindergarten, when Grace Bement was the head of school. She went on to the grammar school and came back to Bement for 7th and 8th grades, when Kay Bartlett and Gug Drexler were heads.

Recent

Exciting

New

Visited fellow

Keep your classmates updated on the latest happenings in your life.

To submit news, you can visit bement.org/alumni or contact us via phone or email.

Phone 413.774.3021

Email alumni@bement.org

Keep in Touch! Bement (1925

ROBERTA FINVER ’52 stopped by the dorms in May and chatted with MINJI CHO ’12, FA and CARLIN TINDALL FA and recalled the goats on campus.

NICHOLAS HAYES ’55 visited campus for the first time in 60 years with his partner, Sheila.

NYC—a career that lasted more than 45 years, starting as an assistant and ultimately running my own studio. The photographs are from my advertising, corporate, and personal work, all giving me the opportunity to travel the world. Most of the images have their own backstory describing what actually happened while working with a crew, models, athletes, celebrities, and executives. Many of them are funny, even if it was at my own expense. There are also outtakes and group photos to show how many talented people are involved in making every photograph successful. It is available for purchase through my website, skiphine.com.”

JAMES COCHRANE ’67 writes: “Living in Connecticut and Florida. Would love to hear from all during my Bement days in the early to mid-’60s.”

1970s

ELIZABETH (LEE) HARDING WILLIAMS ’55 writes: “I am now living in Alexandria, VA, but hopefully before the year ends I will be back in Tulsa, OK, where my son, my grandkids, and a lot of my friends live. I have a new email: Marbleheadtutu@gmail.com. With love to all at Bement. It was important in my life.”

1960s

SKIP HINE ’67 writes: “I published a book that is the result of positive feedback from my Facebook postings and the encouragement to compile these photographs and stories. It took me 14 months to rescan images, write the copy, and lay out the design. My story reflects on my years in school and my ultimate destination,

CYNTHIA (TINTI) WHITE ROSSINI ’70 writes that she moved to Greenwich, CT, and retired in July 2021. “Send me an email if you are in the area: Tinti2541@gmail.com.”

PHIL ROOSEVELT ’71 lives in New York and works as a writer and editor.

KATE READE ROSENBLATT ’73 writes: “My husband, Josh, and I are happily retired and have lived in Easthampton, MA, for a whopping 20 years now. We enjoy a less frenetic pace of life to be sure. Happily, we are very near our young granddaughter, who delights us with each and every smile and new word! When not at home we’re often at our family’s historic house on Martha’s Vineyard. We enjoy taking drives up the Valley and driving through Historic Deerfield, my hometown. Seeing Bement brings back so many wonderful memories! I look forward to the next Bement alumni gathering!”

Cynthia (Tinti) White Rossini ’70

Elizabeth (Lee) Harding Williams ’55

Suzie Comins Meijerink ’51

© Cate Hewitt/CT Examiner

Skip Hine ’67

1980s

PHIL BARREDA ’82 writes: “I continue to work as a full-time maritime cargo insurance adjuster for Seaboard Marine Ltd., and things are going well. After two difficult years working from home, I am finally back to the office full time. Had a great Father’s Day with my (now 15-year-old) son, Victor, who is a 10-year leukemia survivor. He started his freshman year last year, and my wife and I are proud of him for being a straight-A high school student. He recently made nationals in a debate competition. I’m now 55 years old, and I took three months off to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. During this time, I took time to do a lot of writing and a lot of meditating.”

DAKKAN ABBE ’85 came to campus in the fall to direct a video for Bement’s Annual Fund about “opening doors at Bement.” As an alum, he was able to capture the great moments that happen every day on campus. Dakkan’s film company, Trivium Films, is now based in Northampton, MA.

DEB HILLS ’88 writes: “I’m living in Dover, MA, with my husband and two teenage daughters (8th and 10th grades). I am currently in between jobs and enjoying spending time with my family. My daughters play a lot of basketball, so we are regularly found shuttling between tournaments on the weekends.”

1990s

ELY BUENO ’91 and TINA BRLETICH ’91 write: “Tina traveled two hours from her coastal Florida home to see Ely when she visited Orlando this past December. Our friendship that we forged at Bement, only a few years ago, is still going strong!”

HEATHER MCGHEE ’94, an author and activist, visited with Head of School Mike Schloat at the TABS conference last fall 2021, where Heather was the keynote speaker.

NICHOLAS READ ’94 shared that he has many fond memories of his time at Bement as a boarding student in Barton House in fourth and fifth grades, telling Bement Admission Assistant Michelle Conant that it was “the best two years of my life. Bement was so warm and home-like, and it molded me in lifelong ways.”

REBECCA POND ’95 writes: “I hope all is well with the Class of 1995 and beyond. I’m doing well in Watertown, MA, having survived a rocky two years, and I changed jobs twice in the meantime. I left Tripadvisor in 2020, joined Facebook (Meta) for a short time, then took some time off. After looking far and wide at numerous companies, I am working at Tripadvisor again. I see my sister AMY (SNOW) ’92 and her family quite regularly, and I get to Western Massachusetts to visit my parents (Nancy and David) in Greenfield. I keep in regular touch with ALEC BARDZIK ’95, CAROLINE HAINES ’04, TT, and SHELLEY BORROR JACKSON FHS, P’00 as well. I had the opportunity to catch up with Shelley at TELL WHITE’S ’GB, PTT service earlier this year. I was grateful to attend Tell’s beautiful memorial service. He had become a good friend, and has been an inspiration to me in countless ways. His spirit will no doubt live on at Bement forever.”

DREW CATANESE ’97 visited campus last fall when he traveled to his reunion at Suffield Academy.

2000s

SALLY EKUS ’00 is the co-owner and lead agent at The Ekus Group. She writes: “For the past 40 years, The Ekus Group has listened to the heartbeat of the culinary industry and adjusted to its changes, providing successful PR, literary, media training, and talent services. On its 40th anniversary, the agency’s innovation

is on display once more as it welcomes new leadership, a name change, and its newly created self-paced online cookbook writing course: How to Write a Cookbook: A Course on Pitches, Proposals, and Publishing by The Ekus Group. To learn more about The Ekus Group, visit www.EkusGroup.com.”

MIKE SILIPO ’04 writes: “I have spent the past year working as the associate head coach at Boston University for the men’s lacrosse program. This is my sixth year with the program, and right now we are #14 in the country and 7–1. I live in Charlestown with my fiancée, Jess. We are getting married in Newport, RI, on August 6. Wishing everyone in the Bement community a wonderful 2022.”

JILL ’06, JOANNA ’06, and JUSTINE ’04 PASIECNIK Jill Pasiecnik writes: “I’m currently living in Los Angeles and am an associate producer for a podcasting company, AYR Media. I’ve been working in podcast development and producing for a few years now, and I love it. I’m excited to be able to run our family’s farmstand this summer with my sisters, though of course there’s a lot I can’t do from L.A., so I visit when I can. Joanna is in Atlanta and is an editor at a TV network and the producer of J and J Productions, a production company we started together. Justine is in Deerfield and works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is, admittedly, doing most of the work for the farmstand. We loved our time at Bement, so we’re always happy to share what’s going on with us anytime.”

Sally Ekus ’00 and mom, Lisa Ekus P’00 ’04

Mike Silipo ’04

Phil Barreda ’82 and son

Mike Schloat HOS, P’24 ’25 and Heather McGhee ’94

Ely Bueno and Tina Brletich

ANDY (TSZ CHIU) CHAN ’06 writes: “I recently published a book in January titled Dynamic Balance. It was ranked a #1 New Release on Amazon. www.tszchiu.com.”

2010s

MAKAI MASON ’10 visited campus over Thanksgiving break 2021.

YURI LEE ’12 is in her second year of dental school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. She will graduate in 2024.

WILDER MCCOY ’12 is three weeks away from finishing an MSc in water management and governance in the Netherlands. He recently took a job working for Climate Fund Managers, the world’s largest blended finance facility currently raising money to leverage more investment into the water sector globally. He says: “The work is simultaneously challenging and impactful. I hope to continue the work abroad and build off these experiences.”

of fun. A personal highlight was playing pickup baseball in the common room with a stick and balled-up T-shirt. Looking forward to when they come back in the fall! Outside Bement, I am currently pursuing a master’s in professional writing at NYU. I also moonlight as the drummer for a Baltimore post-punk band called Welsh Commons.”

SAM BELCHER ’07 married Rachel Frenkil on June 25, 2022, at the Seven Hills Inn in Lenox, MA. Among those in attendance with Bement ties were his parents, Dave FA and Sue; his good friends HOWIE HARRISON ’92, DAN ’01, FA, and RACHEL BENSEN; and his best man, JEFF GREEN ’07

JONATHAN FRIEDMAN ’12 writes: “After working in the culinary industry for two years, I attended the Greystone campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA. I competed in a food and wine pairing competition, bASH 2019, and earned first place for People’s Choice. While in school, I worked for a Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant, Cook St. Helena. In 2019, I completed my internship at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY, and the chef offered me a position upon completion of my associate degree in 2020. From November 2020 to April 2021, I worked at the Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, MT, as the sleigh ride dinner chef. I have returned to the Culinary Institute of America, this time at the main campus in Hyde Park. I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in food business administration with a concentration in wine and beverage management. My long-term goal is to return to Massachusetts to open a restaurant within seven years.”

JACK GOBILLOT ’07 shared that after living in Maine and Brooklyn over the past decade, he returned to Bement this year, coached boys soccer in the fall, gave snowboard lessons in the winter, and has worked on the residential life team throughout the year as an adjunct dorm parent. When he’s not on campus, Jack works as a freelance writer, playwright, and filmmaker, and he lives just down the road in Wapping with his partner and two cats.

WILL HENRY ’07 and Sharon Lee celebrated their marriage on July 30, 2022, in New Hampshire. Attendees included ELI JARVIS FA and HANNAH DANCER FA

SHANYIN YANG ’13, YUEQI DU ’13, EDDY E ’14, and JIMMY ZHANG ’15 visited campus in December. Shanyin graduated this spring from Boston University with a master’s in public health. She will remain in Boston and work as an epidemiologist at a nonprofit organization.

SOWON KANG ’14 and MINJU LEE ’14 visited campus and the dorms in April.

BEN MICHALAK ’14 writes: “I returned to the Bement community last August as a Blydenburgh dorm parent with my girlfriend, Romy, who works as a dorm parent in Haas House. It’s been lovely to get to know a new generation of Bement students and have a part in both their experience and their development. The Blydenburgh boys were an energetic bunch this past year, but we had a lot

NAILAH BARNES ’15 recently graduated from Spelman College summa cum laude and as a valedictorian of her class. Next up, Nailah will continue her work as a curator, researcher, and educator in Dakar, Senegal, as a Fulbright research grant recipient. She is also a Pulitzer Reporting Fellow and will investigate questions of race, gender, and nationality at the 59th Venice Biennale in fall 2022. She also still directs her nonprofit, The Brains with Beauty Project (www.brainswithbeauty.org).

BEN PLAGER ’16 is entering his senior year at Seton Hall University, where he is majoring in sports management. He has spent the past summer working at Adventure Camp at The Bement School with fellow classmate JASON COOPER ’16. This summer he will intern for Fox Sports.

NOAH BURSTEIN ’16 is studying political science and is a captain of the wrestling team at Davidson College in Charlotte, NC. This summer he is working at BlackRock in their Princeton office.

ISOBEL MACKINNON ’16 and LAUREN SOLZAK ’16 visited campus in December.

ELVIN SHUM ’17 writes from Yale University: “Although I’m quite filled up with schoolwork and clubs, I’m overall doing well down here in New Haven!”

ZOE MIRANDA-SOUSA ’17 completed her second year at Florida State University, where she is majoring in psychology.

ADAM SUSSBAUER ’17 writes: “Sophomore year at Wesleyan has been super busy. I just declared my environmental studies and

Jack Gobillot ’07

Nailah Barnes ’15

Will Henry ’07

Sam Belcher

Andy (Tsz Chiu) Chan ’06

environmental science linked major. I’m taking on a leadership role on my Ultimate Frisbee team in our attempts to make it to college DIII Nationals for the second time this year. I’m also in my second semester of working on a tech crew at Wesleyan, building sets and doing sound/lighting for theater and dance shows.’’

AUDREY JOHNSON ’18 and BEN BENSEN P’86 ’91 ’98 ’01 ’02, PF at Northampton High School’s production of Mamma Mia! Audrey had a lead role.

CAMRYN HOWE ’18 won the Deerfield Cup at Deerfield Academy’s commencement this year.

ALICE LIU ’19 organizes online English discussion classes. She plans on donating the proceeds from this class to BN Vocational School, a tuition-free, nonprofit charitable vocational school that helps young people of underprivileged backgrounds realize better futures by providing them with quality and relevant vocational education. She also thinks this is a great opportunity to share her English-learning experience.

GABE ZACCHEO ’19, a recent graduate of Deerfield Academy, founded the Hidden Canvas Mural Project (hiddencanvasmurals.com), which installs murals and wall art on buildings in Greenfield, MA. Having seen public art displayed all over the world, Gabe saw the benefits of a mural project and wanted to

bring it to his hometown. Gabe graduated from Deerfield Academy this spring and will attend Northeastern University in the fall.

ANGEL ZHOU ’19 visited campus this spring. She recently graduated from Deerfield Academy and plans to spend one year at UC Santa Barbara before attending Cornell University in 2023. She recently met up with MEI MEI XUE ’19, who will be attending Princeton University in the fall.

2020s

MEGAN HO ’20 and SEBASTIAN KLEM ’20 visited campus on their fall long weekend.

JONNY and CORI SCAGEL ’21 are enjoying life up the street at Deerfield Academy. Both played varsity soccer as ninth graders. Cori won MVP on the JV basketball team. Jonny led his team as point guard on the thirds basketball team. Both played lacrosse this spring and made the honor roll.

ANNIKA SONG ’22 cheered on Bement squash and basketball teams at Williston Northampton this winter, including her brother, WILLIAM ’25, and SKYLER JEON ’22. In the spring, she visited campus with ALYSSA MATRICCIANI ’22, who wrote: “I am really enjoying Williston. I miss everyone so much.”

AMY GE ’21 attended Bement’s alumni event in May and mentioned that she was published in the New York Times for an article she submitted as part of the paper’s student STEM writing contest. Her piece was titled “Dry Nasal Covid-19 Vaccines: A Pain- and Needle-Free Alternative.” She attends Governor’s Academy near Boston, MA.

ANUVA KOLLI ’21 writes: “Loomis has been amazing, especially with COVID restrictions loosening up. My friends, academics, and extracurriculars have all been awesome. I really enjoy that Loomis is the perfect balance of competitiveness, and the student body size is perfect for me. I’ve gotten into debate and Model UN, and I restarted and currently lead Loomis’s South Asian Society, an affinity space for South Asians on campus. I’m also a president of a large organization on campus called PRISM (People Rising in Support of Multiculturalism). We hold conversations and events on race, and meet with the head of school as well as the board of trustees to give our input on diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. I’ve also continued with cross country, and I’m in our school’s acapella group called Acapelicans.”

Gabe Zaccheo ’19

Alice Liu ’19

Camryn Howe ’18

Ben Bensen P’86 ’91 ’98 ’01 ’02, PF and Audrey Johnson ’18

Amy Ge ’21

Annika Song ’22, Miyu Nakamura ’22, Alyssa Matricciani ’22, and Skyler Jeon ’22

BILL ZHOU ’22 visited campus and the dorms this spring. He just finished his first year at Loomis Chaffee.

Angel Zhou ’19

Miyu Nakamura ’22, Skyler Jeon ’22, Bill Zhou ’22, and Fumi Kimura ’22

Photo courtesy of the Amherst Bulletin

IN MEMORIAM

We are deeply saddened

Peter

William

Hattie

Carolyn

Robert

David

Delle

John

Cathleen

Bradlee Ewing

Sally Cook

John B.

Frederick L.

Rollande

Patrick Lyman

Dan

James

Paul

David

Nathan

Tell

The

faculty & staff news

DEAN FUSTO P’17, PF writes: We are thrilled to be living in Manhattan around so many Bement alumni. We look forward to catching up with all of you as I start my new position as executive head of school and leading two amazing city campuses on the Upper West Side and Hell’s Kitchen. Angelina ’16 is thriving at Fordham and continuing to pursue careers in the sciences. Please reach out when you are in NYC.”

AMY GORDON P’99 ’03, PF writes: “I’ve been holding my breath but now I am excited to announce that my poetry collection, The Yellow Room, will be released this September by Finishing Line Press (cover created by Jane Low-Beer and Richard Peachey, finishinglinepress.com/product/the-yellowroom-by-amy-gordon). And please feel free to share this announcement with poetry readers of your acquaintance!”

DAN

FACULTY & STAFF MILESTONES

We

— 5 Casey Ahern

Jennifer Boyden

Ellen Carter

Jill Craig

Emma O’Neal

Emily Mikolayunas

Jake Sheperd

Terry Shields

—

—

Minji Cho and Kate Kehne

Zack Mazzone and Morgan Zabinski

Eliza

STAY CONNECTED

Attend Upcoming Alumni Events!

Bement October 22, 2022

New York City February 25, 2023

Check bement.org/alumni for more details.

Link to Bement on LinkedIn

Bement is on LinkedIn! Include Bement in your LinkedIn profile’s education history. Once you add Bement, you’ll be able to see and connect with other alumni who have done the same.

Become a Pen Pal!

We’re looking for Bement alumni to participate in the Alumni Pen Pal Program. To participate and correspond with a Bement fifth grader this school year, email alumni@bement.org or visit bement.org/alumni.

Through your generosity, every gift to the Annual Fund helps to open doors for students to learn new skills, find new passions, face challenges, make opportunities

Thank you for your contributions this year!

Board of Trustees

Departing Trustees Farewell and Thank You

ANTHONY KWAME HARRISON ’85, PTT

Mr. Harrison began his term on the board of trustees in 2011. During his visits to Bement over the years, he could often be spotted around campus sporting various pieces of Bement gear as he engaged in conversations with many Bementers— from student pen pals he corresponded with to fellow committee members and alumni friends.

As Mr. Harrison’s term as trustee and Bement board president came to a close last fall, the board’s new president, Kimberly Petelle Butz P’19, honored him with farewell remarks at the October board meeting. Gathering thoughts from fellow trustees, she recognized Mr. Harrison’s genuine warmth and ability to make personal connections with everyone, his ability to find the positive in every person and every situation, and his ability to come to every conversation with an open mind and an optimistic viewpoint. Many who worked with Mr. Harrison during his tenure remembered his ability to seek input from others and listen—carefully and intently— to everyone.

Ms. Butz shared, “Perhaps the most important characteristic of a leader is your dedication to the institution and passion for the work we do. It is so obvious to everyone that you love Bement. It’s not just the gear and the swag you adorn, but the way you put the school first in everything you do, never losing sight of why we do this work, and always making sure that the students, employees, and families we are responsible for are at the top of our minds. It seems to me that Kwame has been, and will continue to be, the epitome of a Bement alumnus. He embodies the core values, and I like to think that Bement had an impact on the person that Kwame is. I know that Kwame has made an impact on the school that Bement is. He has shown all of us what commitment and dedication look like.”

TIM VAN EPPS PTT, P’21 ’23 ’25

Mr. Van Epps served as a Bement trustee from 2018–2022 and as a member of the Committee on Trustees. As a Bement parent during those years, Mr. Van Epps, along with his wife, Wendy ’88, contributed in many ways to support and grow the school’s leadership and position in the larger community. His passion for Bement is evident in the connections he helps make for the school and in his generosity, which inspires others in support of the Bement mission. Together with Wendy, who served as parent co-chair of the Annual Fund for several years, the Van Epps’ leadership helped advance the school, particularly as a leading donor in the Barn technology upgrade in 2018, which installed a new lighting and recording system, and in support of athletics at Bement for the golf, cross country, and track and field teams.

New Trustees

EMMA CHEN-BANAS P’28

Ms. Chen-Banas is a Fortune 100 global leader, NGO leader, and entrepreneur. She currently serves as United Nations representative and chief administrative officer for Changier Education Foundation, in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council; serves on the board of directors for the Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts; serves as a corporator for Greenfield Savings Bank; and runs a real estate investment business with her husband. Ms. Chen-Banas has 30 years of international and national leadership positions with worldrenowned organizations in both private and public sectors across the globe, including the UN, MassMutual, GE, Honeywell, Acer, and Sara Lee. In addition, she has extensive experience with various industries, including technology, financial services, health care, consumer goods, and NGOs. She has worked and lived in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.

Ms. Chen-Banas has an MBA from the University of South Australia, has a master of science in technology management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and attended executive programs at Harvard Business School. She and her husband, Mike, and their daughter, Anna ’28, reside in the Pioneer Valley. Ms. Chen-Banas serves as a member of the Development Committee and as a parent Annual Fund ambassador.

MICHELLE WIRTH P’24 ’26 ’28 ’32

After a 15-year career with Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), Ms. Wirth and her husband relocated to Western Massachusetts from northern New Jersey in 2017 to open Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, a dealership dedicated to sales and service of MercedesBenz passenger cars and commercial vehicles. At MBUSA, she held positions in engineering and public relations and led the team responsible for producing and placing Mercedes-Benz integrated marketing campaigns.

Ms. Wirth was named one of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty (2018) and was awarded Working Mother of the Year (2015) by the Advertising Women of New York and Working Mother magazine. She serves on the boards of the Connecticut River Valley chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA, and she is a corporator for Florence Bank. In 2020, Ms. Wirth began working on a new business called Feel Good Shop Local (FeelGoodShopLocal.com).

Ms. Wirth holds a BS Mechanical Engineering degree from Lehigh University. She speaks three languages, is married, and has four children at Bement: Alexander ’24, Christian ’26, Benjamin ’28, and Charlotte ’32. They reside in Leeds, MA. Ms. Wirth served as a member of Bement’s 2020–21 Head of School Search Committee.

GREG HOLDEN ’85

Mr. Holden is a London-based partner at Adams Street Partners, a global private markets investment firm. He is the head of the London office and co-leads the firm’s private equity secondaries practice in Europe. He is a member of that group’s Investment Committee, as well as the firmwide Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee. Prior to his 20 years of private equity experience, Mr. Holden worked for several years in investment banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Credit Suisse in New York. He began his career in the audit practice of Ernst & Young, covering various industries while working in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Holden’s connection to Bement goes back to when he was a student from fourth to eighth grade (1979–84) . Before joining the board, he served as a member at large of the board’s Finance Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master of business administration from the University of Michigan. Mr. Holden and his wife, Caroline, reside in the United Kingdom with their two children, Hannah and Maddy.

SCOTT SMITH P’98 ’01 ’03, PF

Mr. Smith has been in the educational field since 1977. His teaching career began in Littleton, MA, at Alpha Omega, a residential program for juvenile offenders. He then taught math and coached at The Pike School in Andover, MA. From there, Mr. Smith began an administrative career as the dean of students, while teaching and coaching at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Maryland. In 1987 he assisted in the planning for a middle school division of Thornton Friends School in Silver Spring, MD. He then came to Bement as the assistant head of school, upper school head, teacher, and coach. After 20 years at Bement, Mr. Smith became the assistant head of school at The Fessenden School in West Newton, MA. Returning to the Pioneer Valley in 2015, he has directed a student mediation program for the Great Falls Middle School, facilitated a boys’ group along with the school resource officer at the Turners Falls High School, assisted with intakes at the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office Juvenile Diversion Program, supervised Smith College student-teaching candidates, mediated at small claims court, taught restorative practices with the Collaborative Resolutions Group, and joined the mayor’s Task Force on Domestic Violence in Greenfield, MA.

Mr. Smith’s three sons are Bement alums, and his wife, Sally, is also an educator. He holds a BA from Colby College and an MEd from the University of Maryland, and he continues to take courses in diversity, equity, and inclusion and in criminal justice.

We’re excited to introduce our new board members.

There is no denying the strength of the Bement family. It shines through in the connections between community members—both near and far, and from all eras. Your support and investment in the future of Bement is at the core of all that happens at the school. Our students are extraordinarily fortunate to learn within this kind and generous community, where they see the importance of making a difference in the lives of others, as is the Bement way.

Generosity came in all forms last year, as families and trustees volunteered their time and expertise to help the school and the Bement Family Association. We have overcome the challenges of the past two years with grace, resilience, and determination. Our connections to one another have grown stronger than ever. Many of us came together and participated in community service for this year’s second Bement Gives Back Challenge, during which members of the Bement family logged an astounding 404 service hours! I hope you will join us for next year’s challenge in November.

Once again, we exceeded our 2021–2022 Annual Fund goal with participation from 94% of returning families and 100% of the board of trustees. These contributions to the Annual Fund, specific programs and needs, and endowed funds help provide the school with long-term financial strength. I am filled with pride and gratitude to be a part of this remarkable school community, and I thank each and every one of you for your unwavering support and generosity.

This year we will turn our attention toward planning for Bement’s 100th anniversary celebration; there is much to be thankful for and to celebrate! As you read this Report of Giving, please note the range of support we received from so many constituents: parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and trustees, past and present, and even current students. We are so very thankful for you all, and we couldn’t be Bement without you. FISCAL

The Kicza family

Desiree

CONSTITUENCY CODES*

’GB Alumna/us from Grace Bement era (1925 –1947)

’00 Alumna/us Class

TT

PTT

HOS

FHS

P

FA

PF Faculty

FR

* Donors are listed with their Bement affiliation following each name. For example, John ’72 and Alice PF Smith P’95 means that John is an alum from the class of 1972, and Alice is a past faculty. Together, they are parents of a student who attended Bement Class of 1995.

BEMENT LOYALISTS

Donors with a B preceding their name have donated for five or more consecutive years.

PHOENIX SOCIETY

Donors with a P preceding their name are Phoenix Society members who have named Bement as a beneficiary in their will, life insurance policy, retirement policy, or bank account documents.

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING DONORS TO ALL BEMENT FUNDS BETWEEN JULY 1, 2021, AND JUNE 30, 2022:

GRACE BEMENT CIRCLE ($25,000+)

Anonymous

B Henry and Jeannie Becton GP’22 ’24

Cheng (Adam) Cui and Yi (Chelsea) Cheng P’25

B Brian and Lisa TT McCarthy P’22 ’24 ’28 ’30

B George PTT and Pamela Siguler P’98 ’00 ’02 ’05 ’14

Peter and Michelle TT Wirth P’24 ’26 ’28 ’32

Lei (Simon) Zhu and Ji (Grace) Wang P’24

BLUE AND WHITE SOCIETY ($10,000–$24,999)

Anonymous

B Robbie PTT and Mary PTT Cohn P’03 ’06

Lei Guo and Lihong Gong P’22

B Caroline Haines ’04, TT, Sidonie Haines P’04, and Pendery Haines

Edward Ho and Karmen Wu P’20 ’23

B Greg ’85, TT and Caroline Holden

Jin Woo Jeon and In Kyung Jung P’22 Sang Yeop Kang and Yoojung Choi P’23 Scott and Jill Keiter P’27 ’30

B The Kittredge Foundation

B John Levine and Susan PTT Clopton P’03

B John Longmaid PTT, P’93

B Lisa TT, P’06 ’18 ’21 and Jeff Peddar

Chun Ki (Louis) So and Ling (Linda) Yang P’23

Timothy PTT and Wendy ’88 Van Epps P’21 ’23 ’25 Haiwei Wang and Yun Han P’25

B The Whitten Family

De Hua Zhou and Xin Ru (Alice) Lai P’26 ’26 Ning Zhou and Meixuan Zhang P’23 Maoyuan Zhu and Yan (Lynn) Liu P’19

HEAD’S CIRCLE ($5,000–$9,999)

Anonymous

Bruce Biagi and Tricia Yacovone-Biagi GP’29

B Amy Gordon P’99 ’03, PF Eugene Kim and Hyo Jung Park P’24 Jonggoo Kim and Sumin Lee P’24 Shuk Cheong (Johnny) Lok and Vily Ku P’23 ’25

P Katherine Stenson Lunt PTT, P’00 ’02

Jianhua (Hansen) Mao and Minying (Elizabeth) Na P’23

B Peggy Nathan PTT, P’83

B Charles PTT and Sarah Sanford P’12 ’14 ’17 ’19

B Jeffrey and Linda ’83, PTT Schutzman

Yuguang Xie and Qiong Zhang P’24

Lei Xu and Shuping (Jane) Zhang P’23

Xun Zhang and Xue (Sabrina) Zhao P’24

Hong Chen Zhen and Kathy Mo P’25

1925 SOCIETY ($1,925–$4,999)

Anonymous

B P Guy and Sara Becton FA Ardrey P’22 ’24

P Mike Banas and Emma TT Chen-Banas P’28

B Andy PTT and Hut Beall P’15

B Richard Brook and Shawna Pazmino-Brook P’19 ’21

B P Joan H. Butler P’83 ’84

B Joe and Kimberly Petelle TT Butz P’19

Sidney Chang and Xiao Lan Wang P’27 ’27

Mike and Tiffany Doyle P’29 ’32

Ivan and Celeste Enriquez P’22 ’24

B Allison Neumeister Fry ’98

B Ming Guo and Aoran Wang P’21

B Caroline Haines ’04, TT

B Anthony Kwame Harrison ’85, PTT

Christina Tianai Jiang ’21

B Jason M. and Desiree TT Kicza P’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Dongjoon Joo and Heeyeong Kim P’23

B Don and Mimi Kirk GP’23

B Lilia Levine ’03

Jianming Li and Jie (Julieanna) Yin P’26

B Patrick and Wheaton Mahoney P’23

B The Honorable Juliette McLennan ’60, PTT, P’85

B P Stephanie McLennan ’85, PTT

B Virginia Morsman ’87, PTT, PF

Neville and Catherine Orsmond P’28 ’28 ’31

P Ted and Carole PTT, PF Pennock P’90 ’94

B Michael and Jane PTT Plager P’12 ’16

Zhijian (George) Qiao and Lingyi Rao P’24

B Mike HOS and Julianne Schloat P’24 ’26

Yandong Sun and Binbin (Kitty) Xu P’22

Michael Waidlich and Naomi Gendron-Waidlich P’26

B George Withington ’52

Xiaosong Xu and Weihong (Sarah) Xiong P’23

P Joshua and Hollis Young FR

Nicholas and Carla Zayac P’29 ’31

BEMENT HONOR ROLL ($500–$1,924)

Anonymous (5)

B Steven and Sheri Andon P’19 ’22

James and Justyna Arcoleo P’16 ’19 ’29 ’30 ’31

Edward Arron and Jeewon Park P’28

Christoph Bauner and Emily Wang P’31 Willson ’76 and Vickie Beebe

Jeffrey FA and Gina Cady P’31

Robert and Linda Cady GP’31

Frank and Hanne Castle FR Wai (Lawrence) Chan and Ka Lok (Carol) Wong P’22

Guohua Chen and Wenyan Yang P’31

Jianhan Chen and Xueying (Sharon) Qin DoHyun (Tony) Chung PTT, P’19

City Building Maintenance, Inc.

Jennifer Cox P’25

Craig Creelman ’87

B Lawrence Dean P’89

Edie Drexler Denney ’50, GP’14

Matthew Doherty and Karla Herzig Doherty P’21

B P Peter FHS and Nancy PF Drake P’90 ’93 ’96

Jim and Joan Edzwald P’95

Beth Ellis ’57

Clark Flynt ’01

B William PTT and Suzanne Flynt P’01 ’09 Margaret Fox ’88

Ross and Debbie Frisbie GP’24 ’26

B P John Gardiner PTT, P’14 ’18

Robert Gilmore and Amy Burnside P’21 ’21

P Dolly Glennon PTT, P’08 ’11

Robert Haigh and Nicole Guertin P’30

B Perry O. Hanson III and Susan Easton Hanson ’56

Viva Hardigg ’78

Nicholas Hayes ’55 and Sheila Donovan

Adam and Emily Lent PF Hemingway

Jordi Herold and Elizabeth Dunaway P’24

B John ’63, PTT and Lee Holstein

Xue Qi Hong and Su Ping (Sally) Yan P’25

P Fred Honnold Houck P’96

John and Meghan Kalas P’28 ’30 ’32

B Yasuyuki and Nobuyo Kimura P’17 ’20 ’22

Kylie Madison Kittredge ’18

Larry and Deb Klein GP’28

Amir and Danuta Lotfi P’26 ’29

B Tinka Lunt P’82

Matthew Lustig P’29 ’32

Martha Lyman ’58, PTT

B David and Penny Michalak P’14

B Phoebe Montgomery Moeller ’72

B Ladimer PTT and Anna Nagurney P’09

Jisoo Oh ’96

B Thaddeus ’00 and Marisa Olchowski

Melissa Osborne P’27 ’30

B Mark and Lori Ott P’17 ’19 ’24

B P Ralph Parady and Bunny Boyden Parady ’GB

P David PTT and Nancy PF Pond P’89 ’95

B Sam and Julie Owen ’57 Rea

John ’69 and Masumi Reade

B Ned ’67, PTT and Maria Reade

B Philip and Elizabeth Rosenberry P’13 ’15

Carmel Schettino P’13 ’15

Janet Schloat GP’24 ’26

Michael and Kathleen Schneider P’25

Susan Bergen Schultz ’72

Kathryn Shanahan ’85

B Rich PTT and Elie PF Shuman P’10 ’14

Nathaniel and Amy ’89 Snow Timothy and Kayla Snow P’30 ’32

Jooyoung (Paul) Son and Jina Cha P’28

B Bob and Sally Spencer P’98 ’00

B P Melissa Stetson P’14 ’18

William King Stubbs and Dace Stubbs ’61, PTT, PF Frederick Treyz and Enhua (Joanna) Zhang P’26 ’28

B Greg and Katie Vadasdi ’91

B Vermont Community Foundation Casey and Daniella Vollinger P’31

Brad and Margit FA Walker P’24 ’27

Sheng Wang and Yuanjiang (Tiffany) Cao P’21

Craig TT, P’03, PF and Amy White Wayne TT and Kathy Wilkey P’11 ’16

Eliza Wilmerding and Amanda Herman P’25 Yuxiang Xu and Yingqian Huang P’25 ’27

Tommy Won Yoo and Chin (Sunny) Hong P’24 Bing Zhang and Pan Huang P’24 Dayi and Xiaoshan Zhang P’23

Runkai (Nico) Zhang ’20 Dingguo (Bill) Zhou ’22

B Qin Zhou and Min (Helen) Tang P’19

BEMENT MERIT LIST ($250–$499)

Anonymous (2)

Bob Adam and Stephanie Velez GP’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Mark Amstein and Sarah Cummings P’26

Jim and Joan Ardrey GP’22 ’24

Alexander Bardzik ’95

Carl and Wendy Beattie GP’30

Gery and Anemone Benedetti P’24

Daniel ’01, FA, Rachel, and Eliza Bensen

Jennifer Montgomery Bethlenfalvay ’68

Ken PF and Karen Boudreau P’05 ’09

Harris Bucklin ’67

Zerah Burr ’99

Alexander Byron ’83

B Fred Byron P’80 ’83

Deborah Callahan FR

Gregory and Daina Carvel P’28

Raymond TT and Julia Chen P’15 ’17

Yanis and Jennifer ’05, TT Chibani

B Jaime Correa and Juliana PF Camacho P’27

Alyssa Crockett P’30

P Emet Davis ’80, PTT

Pawan Dhingra and Charu Gupta P’24

The DiBari Family P’22

B Mark Donovan and Anne Lozier P’24

P Matthew Drake ’96

Matthew PF and Sara Evans

Jameson and Priscilla French FR

Merrill and Jenn Gagne P’24 ’27 ’32

Justice and Elizabeth Hammond P’23 ’25

Jennifer Harlan and Joy Rain P’29

Howard and Jinx Hastings GP’21

Michael and Sarah Hayes P’26

Frank Henry Jr. PTT, FHS and Wanda Henry P’05 ’08

B Greg and Deborah Weaver ’88 Hills

Ivory Hills and Christina Kopp P’25

B Bob TT and Amanda FA Howe P’18 ’18

B Jeanet Hardigg Irwin ’73

B Margo Jones PTT, P’07 and Philip Elmer

Cheri Karbon P’22 ’23

Myounggin Kim and Eunkyoung Park P’24

Peter and Jessica Lapachinski P’31

Emily Latham ’12

Brian and Emily Leibinger P’31

The Leung Family P’23

B Kimberly Caldwell Loughlin P’18, FA Haidong Ma and Yijing Wang P’17

B Frank FA and Suk Massey

Kevin and Jennifer McDonald P’26

Jeremy and Laura FA McGeorge P’24

Carol Polk Meenan ’55

B Michael and Barbara PF Parry P’98

B Douglas and Alice Patton P’16 ’18

B Brian Pearson TT and Sira Berté P’24

William PF and Megan Pete P’26

Michael Posever and Anne-Marie Demetz P’10

B Suzanne T. Purrington ’52, PTT

Joe Rees ’16

Todd and Paula Rees P’16

James and Sara Rourke P’20 ’22

Annette Schettino FR

B Robert and Bette Schmitt GP’19

Renee Skwirz GP’27 ’30

Sherrill J. Smith ’65

Vikram Sood and Ruchi Grover P’24 ’27

Robert and Yulia Stone P’15 ’21

Qiye Sun P’23 ’26

B Brian TT and Julie Thompson P’24 ’26

Brian ’74 and Danette Wadman P’03 ’05 ’10

Chen Wang and Jia (Maggie) Xu P’24

Qingsheng Wang and Beili Yuan P’23

Tim Wilcox and Caroline Pam P’24

Brian and Kathie Williams P’03 ’05 ’10

William and Sandra Wittig GP’29

Tak Wing (Albert) Yung and Angela Fan P’23 ’25

FRIENDS OF BEMENT ($1–$249)

Anonymous (21)

Jerry and Casey FA Ahern P’31

B Ronald and Carol Aleman P’87 ’97 ’99

J Logan de Arango FR

Joan Arms, PF Victoria Bagley ’16

Robert and Agnes Banas GP’28

B John PTT and Kay Bardzik P’88 ’91 ’95 Jonathan Bardzik ’88

B Alexander Bartlett ’87, FA and Megan Tady FR

Bucki and Ann-Marie Basler GP’29 Stephanie Bennett ’82 Suzanne Berglund FR

B Carla Bernier GP’15 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’23 ’24 ’25 Melanie Bete ’06

Maria and Grace Bianciardi P’25

B Terrence and Wendy Blanchard P’20 ’20

Jeffrey Blomstedt and Susan LaScala P’02

Cynthia H. Bluh P’80 ’81 ’82

Catherine Boody GP’13 ’16

Madeleine Boudreau ’09

Sarah Boudreau ’05

William and Jennifer FA Boyden Conrad Braun and Margaret Heindel FR Joseph Brook ’19

Preston P. Brown ’91

B Robert K. Brown ’62

Allison Call P’28

Dominic Capasso ’03

Rachael Carter FA

Robert and Anna FA Casey

John and Kathryn ’95 Chiavaroli P’30 Minji Cho ’12, FA

Andrew Ciccarelli and Ann Cooper-Ciccarelli P’22 ’25

Nancy Cox GP’25

B Michael and Janice FA Currie P’99 ’02

Greg and Jean Dillon FR

John and Brooke Doleva P’28

Olivia Donaldson FR

Jerry and Ann FA Dubie Sara Dugas P’23

B Paul and Renee Duseau P’12 ’12

B Kate Echeverria ’95

Tom and Anne Echeverria P’95

Edward E. Emerson Jr. ’55 and May S. Emerson

Thomas PF and Lyudmila Falcon

Nancy Forrest P’82 ’93

Henry ’89 and Kristine Forsyth

Robert Franklin and Cheryl Roberts P’05

B Brian and Mayumi Fraser P’19 ’23

Jeremy Galvagni FA and Kimberly Pinkham P ’24

Paul and Roselle FA Garro P’25

Samuel Garro and Marcia McCormack GP’25

Ellen Garvey FR

B Dody Phinny Gates ’65

Gretchen Gordon P’18

William and Quaneta Greenough P’75

B Arthur Gregg FR

B John Gundelfinger ’08

Abbey Haggerty ’12

Valerie Haggerty P’12

Tony Hancock FR

Quinn Hanson and Surya Isaza-Figueroa P’23 ’28

B P Christine Hart PTT, P’02

Meghan Hayes ’26

Emily Hazelwood FR Jonathan Heard ’72

Richard A. Herchenreder ’75 and Jeanne M. Sojka

B Gabriel and Kristin Hmieleski P’26

B Susan Conant Holden ’GB

Darcy Horgan FR

Delores Howley GP’26

Rob PF and Shelley Borror FHS Jackson P’00

B Evelyn Jakub P’99

Cary and Sue PTT Jubinville P’98 ’00 ’06

Kirsten Kapteyn P’07 ’08, PF

B Amie Keddy FA

David ’67 and Jane Gilbert Keith

B Estate Kokosadze and Anna Japaridze P’21 ’22 ’25 Terry Kopinto FA

Dylan PF and Kristyn Korpita Dell Lafave GP’28

B Paul and Christine Lapuc GP’14 ’17

Joan Williams Laundon ’58

Greg and Heather Leeds P’13 ’15

Jay Levin and Michal Ganz P’31 Yinai (Annabelle) Li ’26

MaryBee Eberlein Longabaugh ’GB

Donald Lorenzet FR

James Lummis FR

Caley Lynch FR

Katie MacCallum P’29, FA

Robert Maccauley FR

B Benjamin MacKinney ’02

Jeremy Mailloux and Stacey Mimnaugh P’24 ’27 ’30

B Nancy Maynard P’97 ’98

William McCormack and Jane Thurston FR

Mac McCoy and Polly Byers P’10 ’12

P Brad and Rebecca ’93 McCutcheon

Leon and Frances Meier GP’13 ’16

Peter Melnik P’18 ’21

Madeline Merin ’04

B Nancy Mihevc P’12

Wendy Moonan ’60, PTT

Amelia Mosley P’21

B Roberto Mugnani and Silvia Ribes de Mugnani PF

B Bernard and Rose Murley GP’20

B Ronald and Donna Murley GP’20

Alexandra Nagurney ’09

Ryan Noble ’91 and Kerry Shaw P’23

John O’Keefe and Lynne Stopen P’17 ’19

Bukola Olode P’22

B Martha Olver ’84

James and Deborah Or FR

B Jeanne Hinckley Orlando ’95

B Marlisa Drexler Parker ’52

Claire Patton ’18

B Will Paulding FA and Lauren Cerillo P’32

Donald and Carol Paye FR Nicole Pelc P’25

Shirley Pelletier PF Joy Perry ’98

Bill and Sally Pete GP’26

Jeffrey Pilgrim FA Benjamin Plager ’16

Matthew Plager ’12, FA

B Rebecca Pond ’95, PTT, PF

B Rickey Poor ’60

Rebecca Boone Porter ’17

Thea Vanderhof Porter ’17

B R. Sargent ’53, PF and Elizabeth Potter P’92

B David Powell FA

B Don and Tammy Powell FA Janet Prince FR

Mary Beth Radke P’04

Sarah H. Reloj ’80, P’23

James and Margaret Ricci P’93 ’95

James Ricci II ’93

John and Joan Rice FR

B Emily Mikolayunas Rich P’24 ’28, FA

Robert M. Rich GP’22 ’23

Madeline Surgenor Richards PF

Donald and Sara PF Robinson P’85 ’91

Shawn and Jill Robinson P’29

Leslie Rockwell FA

George and Jeanine Rodriguez P’24 ’27

B Bill Rogers ’65

B Greg and Kate Rolland P’20 ’23 ’23

B Mary Ann Rolland GP’20 ’23 ’23

B Josh PF and Kate ’73 Rosenblatt P’05

Melanie Salvaggio P’29

Barbara W. Saunders ’64

The Schatz Family P’23 ’25 ’29

Martin and Margaret ’71 Schumacher

Justin Serpone and Angela McMahon P’27 ’29 ’32

Marjorie Shearer P’23 ’26

Terry FA and Julie Shields P’19 ’21 ’25

Jia Qi (Elven) Shum ’17

Michael Silipo P’01 ’04 and Lydia Hemphill

Margo Sisson FR

John and Shiang Sobieski P’24

Barry and Linda Stacy P’08 ’11

B Jonathan and Susan Stark P’15

B Alan Stefanini and Dianne Bensen Stefanini P’98 ’01 ’02

Michael and Mia Sullivan P’22

Colin Sweeney and Iris Chelaru P’26 ’31

Roderick and Karoline Theobald FR

Mark and Emma Theriault P’16 ’16 ’28

Gary Therien ’78

Heather Thomsen FR

Joseph Torras and Michele Johnston-Torras P’13 ’16

Philip and Nancy Torrey FR Ellen Trousdale P’13

B Jean Pitman Turner PF Laura Von Wahlde FR

Ashleigh Wall FA

Marc Warner and Bonnie Burke P’21 ’23

P Ted and Sarah ’90 Weihman

B Peter Whalen and Janna Ugone P’14

Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. PF and Perry Wheelock

B P Tell ’GB, PTT and Conni White

Mary Wickwire P’82

Missy Wilich FR

Maria Williams P’13 ’20

Taylor Williams ’05

Rainer and Waltraud Wirth GP’24 ’26 ’28 ’32

B Nancy E. Yarmac PF Sarah Young ’02

Jeff and Kathy Zilch P’27 ’29

GIFTS MADE IN MEMORY OF

Kay Bartlett FHS, PF by Marlisa Drexler Parker ’52

Susan W. Beebe ’60 by Willson ’76 and Vickie Beebe

Susan W. Beebe ’60 by Suzanne Berglund FR

Grace Bement by Susan Conant Holden ’GB

Grace Bement by Ladimer PTT and Anna Nagurney P’09

Grace Bement by Shawn and Jill Robinson P’29

Grace Bement by Tell ’GB, PTT and Conni White

Craig Bernier P’25 by Carla Bernier

GP’15 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’23 ’24 ’25

Marc Bernier P’15 ’19 by Carla Bernier GP’15 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’23 ’24 ’25

Marc Bernier P’15 ’19 by Amelia Mosley P’21 Marc Bernier P’15 ’19 by Donald and Carol Paye FR

Marianne Bourbeau P’75, PF by Matthew Drake ’96

Marianne Bourbeau P’75, PF by Shirley Pelletier PF

Marianne Bourbeau P’75, PF by Donald and Sara PF Robinson P’85 ’91

Lee Boyden P’49 by Ralph Parady and Bunny Boyden Parady ’GB

Aiden Francesco Day ’13 by Annette Schettino FR

Aiden Francesco Day ’13 by Carmel Schettino P’13 ’15

Aiden Francesco Day ’13 by Joseph Torras and Michele Johnston-Torras P’13 ’16

Aiden Francesco Day ’13 by Maria Williams P’13 ’20

Mary “Gug” Drexler FHS, PTT, P’50 ’52 by Marlisa Drexler Parker ’52

Olohiye Ehimiaghe ’18 by Adam and Emily Lent PF Hemingway

Olohiye Ehimiaghe ’18 by Lisa TT, P’06 ’18 ’21 and Jeff Peddar

Gretchen Fox PTT, P’86 ’88 by Margaret Fox ’88

Mary Hawks ’GB, PF by Richard A. Herchenreder ’75 and Jeanne M. Sojka

Mary Hawks ’GB, PF by Wendy Moonan ’60, PTT

Sarah “Sally” Ann Bailey Houck P’96 by Fred Honnold Houck P’96

Jack Kehoe FR by Sherrill J. Smith ’65

Mike Kittredge PTT, P’06 ’18 ’21 by Carla Bernier GP’15 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’23 ’24 ’25

Francis Malone PF by Viva Hardigg ’78

Mrs. McDonald PF by Viva Hardigg ’78

Amy O’Hare ’87 by Ronald and Carol Aleman P’87 ’97 ’99

Theodore Pina PF by Kirsten Kapteyn P’07 ’08, PF

Theodore Pina PF by Emily Latham ’12

Petey Reade P’67 ’69 ’73 by John ’69 and Masumi Reade

Anne Davenport Rogers ’GB, PTT, P’66 ’68 ’71 by Martin and Margaret ’71 Schumacher

Amy Spencer ’00 by Bob and Sally Spencer P’98 ’00

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Anonymous

Littell White ’GB, PTT by J Logan de Arango FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Andy PTT and Hut Beall P’15

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Deborah Callahan FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Robbie PTT and Mary PTT Cohn P’03 ’06

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Olivia Donaldson FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Jameson and Priscilla French FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Ellen Garvey FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Dolly Glennon PTT, P’08 ’11

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Tony Hancock FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Anthony Kwame Harrison ’85, PTT

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Emily Hazelwood FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Susan Conant Holden ’GB

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Darcy Horgan FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Rob PF and Shelley Borror FHS Jackson P’00

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Cary and Sue PTT Jubinville P’98 ’00 ’06

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Kirsten Kapteyn P’07 ’08, PF

Littell White ’GB, PTT by John Levine and Susan PTT Clopton P’03

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Donald Lorenzet FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by James Lummis FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Caley Lynch FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Robert Maccauley FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by William McCormack and Jane Thurston FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Ladimer PTT and Anna Nagurney P’09

Littell White ’GB, PTT by James and Deborah Or FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Lisa TT P’06 ’18 ’21 and Jeff Peddar

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Ted and Carole PTT, PF Pennock P’90 ’94

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Janet Prince FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Ned ’67, PTT and Maria Reade

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Sarah H. Reloj ’80, P’23

Littell White ’GB, PTT by John and Joan Rice FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Margo Sisson FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Roderick and Karoline Theobald FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Heather Thomsen FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Laura Von Wahlde FR

Littell White ’GB, PTT by Missy Wilich FR

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Anonymous

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Frank and Hanne Castle FR

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Matthew PF and Sara Evans

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Thomas PF and Lyudmila Falcon

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Ted and Sarah ’90 Weihman

Timothy C. Young ’61, PF by Joshua and Hollis Young FR

GIFTS MADE IN HONOR OF

Campbell Ardrey ’22 by Ted and Carole PTT, PF Pennock P’90 ’94

Dave Belcher P’07, FA by Zerah Burr ’99

Dave Belcher P’07, FA by Claire Patton ’18

Elisabeth Greenough Booth ’75 by William and Quaneta Greenough P’75

Jennifer Boyden FA by Dylan PF and Kristyn Korpita

Jacob Brook ’21 by Richard Brook and Shawna Pazmino-Brook P’19 ’21

Joseph Brook ’19 by Richard Brook and Shawna Pazmino-Brook P’19 ’21

BSAA Board by Anonymous

Mary Cohn PTT, P’03 ’06 by Patrick and Wheaton Mahoney P’23

Janice M Currie P’99 ’02, FA by Frank Henry, Jr. PTT, FHS and Wanda Henry P’05 ’08

Massimo DiBari ’22 by Ted and Carole PTT, PF Pennock P’90 ’94

Kylie Jean Donaldson ’20 by Bernard and Rose Murley GP’20

Pagna Donlevy PF by Joan H. Butler P’83 ’84

Beckie Duseau ’12 by Paul and Renee Duseau P’12 ’12

Brie Duseau ’12 by Paul and Renee Duseau P’12 ’12

William H. Franklin ’05 by Robert Franklin and Cheryl Roberts P’05

Maya K. Fraser ’23 by Brian and Mayumi Fraser P’19 ’23

Rosemarie Gage P’10, FA by Philip and Nancy Torrey FR

Clarese Gardiner ’18 by Melissa Stetson P’14 ’18 Emily Gardiner ’14 by Melissa Stetson P’14 ’18 Lucas Harlan ’29 by Bucki and Ann-Marie Basler GP’29

Shelley Borror Jackson FHS, P’00 by Emet Davis ’80, PTT

Barrett Kicza ’30 by Bob Adam and Stephanie Velez GP’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Emma Kicza ’27 by Bob Adam and Stephanie Velez GP’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Jason Kicza ’25 by Bob Adam and Stephanie Velez GP’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Lane Kicza ’30 by Bob Adam and Stephanie Velez GP’25 ’27 ’30 ’30

Casey Kittredge ’21 by Robert PTT and Mary PTT Cohn P’03 ’06

Casey Kittredge ’21 by The Kittredge Foundation

Sarah Lannon-Schwartz ’98 by Anonymous

Emily Lynn Dean Lawrence ’89 by Lawrence Dean P’89

Wilder Mary Mahoney ’23 by Don and Mimi Kirk GP’23

Wilder Mary Mahoney ’23 by Patrick and Wheaton Mahoney P’23

Theresa A. Mullens P’99, PF by Greg and Heather Leeds P’13 ’15

Willmore J Paulding P’32, FA by Rob PF and Shelley Borror FHS Jackson P’00

Dorothy Meek Porter P’17 ’17 by Rebecca Boone Porter ’17

Tammy Powell FA by Dylan PF and Kristyn Korpita

Carter J. Schloat ’24 by Ross and Debbie Frisbie GP’24,’26

Macrae Schloat ’26 by Ross and Debbie Frisbie GP’24,’26

Mike Schloat HOS, P’24 ’26 by Anonymous Mike Schloat HOS, P’24 ’26 by Janet Schloat GP’24 ’26

The Schloat Family by Emily Latham ’12

Scott Smith P’98 ’01 ’03, PF by Matthew Drake ’96

Emerson Snow ’30 by Carl and Wendy Beattie GP’30

Kalia Sobieski ’24 by John and Shiang Sobieski P’24

Jason Yoomin Son ’28 by Jooyoung (Paul) Son and Jina Cha P’28

Peter Trousdale ’13 by Ellen Trousdale P’13

Daisy Walsh ’30 by Renee Skwirz GP’27 ’30

River Walsh ’27 by Renee Skwirz GP’27 ’30

Bree Wisniewski FA by Anonymous Ryan Yoo ’24 by Tommy Won Yoo and Chin Hong P’24

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES AND FOUNDATIONS 2022

We are most grateful to the companies and foundations listed below for participating in the Matching Gift Program, which offers the donor the opportunity to increase their gift to Bement.

Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation ConocoPhillips

Dell Technologies Inc.

Google Johnson Controls

Kittredge Foundation Mass Mutual Nasdaq, Inc.

Netflix, Inc.

Pew Charitable Trusts

Pfizer Inc.

Piper Sandler Companies

We have made every attempt to publish the names of our donors accurately. If your name has inadvertently been omitted, misspelled, or listed incorrectly, please accept our sincere apology and bring the error to the attention of the Alumni and Development Office so that we may correct our records.

NOW AVAILABLE!

50 Photographs for 50 Years Bement Through the Lens of Timonthy C. Young ’61

Purchase your copy at bement.org/photobook. All proceeds benefit the Timothy C. Young ’61 Fund.

THE PHOENIX SOCIETY

Thank you to the following members of our community who have named Bement as a beneficiary in their will, life insurance policy, retirement policy, or bank account documents:

Anonymous

Guy and Sara Becton FA Ardrey P’22 ’24

Mike Banas and Emma TT Chen-Banas P’28

Terry Belanger ’63

Nancee Bershof PTT, P’97 ’98

Mary V. Boeh ’60

Joan H. Butler P’83 ’84

Emet Davis ’80, PTT

Matthew Drake ’96

Peter FHS and Nancy PF Drake P’90 ’93 ’96

James ’54 and Katherine Dunn

Cathy Esleeck ’GB, PTT, P’62

Kathleen Fontaine ’80

John Gardiner PTT, P’14 ’18

Lester and Burdine Anderson ’54 Giese

Dolly Glennon PTT, P’08 ’11

Christine Hart PTT, P’02

Fred Honnold Houck P’96

Robert and Ellen Fuller PTT Kaufmann P’94

Charles and Pamela PTT Klonaris P’11 ’13

Katherine Stenson Lunt PTT, P’00 ’02

Debra MacLean P’04

Christopher S. Maniatty PTT

Brad and Rebecca ’93 McCutcheon

Philip PTT and Deborah McKean P’84

Stephanie McLennan ’85, PTT

David and Joyce Milne P’69 ’75, PF

Ralph Parady and Bunny Boyden Parady ’GB

Ted and Carole PTT, PF Pennock P’90 ’94

David PTT and Nancy PF Pond P’89 ’95

Melissa Stetson P’14 ’18

Ellen Waldinger PTT, P’11 ’14

Ted and Sarah ’90 Weihman

Tell ’GB, PTT and Conni White

Ann Wright ’65

Joshua and Hollis Young FR

ENDOWED AND SIMILAR FUNDS

Over the years, generous individuals and groups have established endowed funds to help support tuition aid, professional development, athletics, and the general needs of the school. Gifts to Bement’s endowment are invested, and earnings provide a permanent source of income and security for the school.

For a complete list of funds, visit bement.org/giving/funds.

Thank you to the following donors who contributed to the endowed funds below in 2021–2022:

Bartlett/Drexler Scholarship Fund

Provides general financial aid in honor of Kay Bartlett and Mary “Gug” Drexler, former co-heads of the school.

Edie Drexler Denney ’50, GP’14

Beebe Memorial Fund

Established in memory of William H. Beebe P’76, former business manager, for the general needs of the school. Willson ’76 and Vickie Beebe Suzanne Berglund FR

The Bement School Bridge Grant

Established by Dolly Glennon PTT, P’08 ’11 in 2014; provides complete financial support for an incoming local lower school student with demonstrated need of full financial assistance to attend Bement.

Anonymous Bruce Biagi and Tricia Yacovone-Biagi GP’29 Dolly Glennon PTT, P’08 ’11 Amelia Mosley P’21

Clagett Professional Development Fund

Established in 1978 as a bequest of Nancy L. Clagett P’60, GP’85 and augmented by gifts from the family; provides Bement faculty with opportunities for professional development.

Brian and Emily Leibinger P’31

Stephanie McLennan ’85, PTT

Nancy and Peter Drake Scholarship Fund

Established in 1999 to honor former head of school Peter Drake P’90 ’93 ’96 and his wife, Nancy Drake PF, P’90 ’93 ’96, in recognition of their dedication and years of service; provides financial aid.

Jisoo Oh ’96

Fox Family Scholarship Fund

Established in 1999 by John and Gretchen PTT Fox P’86 ’88; provides financially deserving students who represent diversity at Bement with the opportunity to participate in all activities and services offered at the school.

Margaret Fox ’88

Rob PF and Shelley Borror FHS Jackson P’00

Library Endowment Fund

Established in 2004 by the board of trustees; provides funds for the Clagett McLennan Library.

Matthew Lustig P’29

Stephanie McLennan ’85, PTT

James Mullins Athletics Fund

Established in 2009 in memory of James Mullins P’14 ’17; provides support for the athletics program.

Stephanie McLennan ’85, PTT

O’Hare Scholarship Fund

Established in 1988 in memory of Amy O’Hare ’87; provides financial support for upper school students of strong character who show athletic promise.

Ronald and Carol Aleman P’87 ’97 ’99

Nancy Pond World Language Fund

Established in 2016 to honor Nancy Pond P’89 ’95, PF, in recognition of her dedication and 31 years of service to Bement; provides support for world language programs.

Melanie Bete ’06

Clark Flynt ’01

Ladimer PTT and Anna Nagurney P’09 Rebecca Pond ’95, PTT, PF

Siguler Family Fund

Established in 1999 by a gift from George PTT and Pamela Siguler P’98 ’00 ’02 ’05 ’14 for general endowment growth.

George PTT and Pamela Siguler P’98 ’00 ’02 ’05 ’14

Timothy C. Young ’61 Fund

Established in 2020 in honor of Timothy C. Young ’61, PF, in recognition of his devotion to Bement; supports financial aid and tuition remission for faculty and staff children attending Bement. Anonymous

Andy PTT and Hut Beall P’15

Stephanie Bennett ’82

Jeffrey FA and Gina Cady P’31

Frank and Hanne Castle FR Jim and Joan Edzwald P’95

Adam and Emily Lent PF Hemingway

Michael and Barbara PF Parry P’98

Joshua and Hollis Young FR