The Benjamin School Buccaneer Magazine 2018

BUCCANEER 2018

THE

The Magazine Of The Benjamin School

Volume XVI

Embracing Our Legacy

& Envisioning Our Future

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of The Benjamin School is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment. The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential. Benjamin inspires its students to develop a coherent set of values that includes love of learning, personal responsibility, self-motivation, concern for others and a commitment to serve society.

CONTENTS THE BUCCANEER 2018 | VOLUME XX

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Sections 2 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 3 CAMPUS FEATURES 25 ACADEMIC ACCOLADES 33 ARTS AT TBS 38 ADVANCING THE MISSION 45 SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS 56 ALUMNI FOCUS 71 Class of 2018

Features 4 Jane Higginbotham: Legacy Teacher’s Benjamin Roots Extend Three Generations

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12 Senior Keirra Slack Shines on Stage, Field 44 Benjamin Community Bands Together To Aid Neighbors Following Hurricane Irma 57 World-Touring DJ Henry Fong ‘05 Named 2018 Distinguished Alumnus

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The Buccaneer ★ Advancing The Mission

FROM THE

HEAD OF

SCHOOL

Dear Members of The Benjamin School Community, Was it not just yesterday that I sat at my computer to offer some comments for the Buccaneer Magazine on the academic year just then passed? Time is escaping me way too quickly as these years continue to be filled with new and enriching programs, remarkable student successes in personal classroom achievement in all three divisions, as well as 1st Place status in so many of our extra-curricular competitions locally, regionally and in the state of Florida. I have spent much of the late spring behind a microphone regaling this level of accomplishment in athletics, music, literature, art, engineering, world languages, TV and video production, theater, Upper School and Middle School student newspapers, and quite notably this year, college matriculation.

As we approach our 59th year educating young people here in the Palm Beaches, we have built a legacy of excellence in myriad ways, defined in part by the triumphs enumerated above. Many of our teachers have made a lifelong commitment to serving TBS in the classroom and have helped shape the successful adults today who sat in front of them as their students years ago. We now have alumni on our faculty and alumni as parents of current Benjamin students. The reputation of our school in 2018 is one that draws former students back home to continue building our strong legacy into the future. They often remark on the traditions that still stand strong that attracted them home to a

place that built their character, expanded their vision and led them down a path to success. Our alumni parents want the same for their children who are now students at their alma mater.

As much as a school’s legacy celebrates its past, it also serves as the foundation on which to build its future. You will enjoy the photos in this version of the Buccaneer as they compare today with yesterday. There is no substitute for experience, and Benjamin moves forward on solid ground from its early days.

We are unique in that advantage in this part of Palm Beach County and very fortunate to be so. I hope that the theme of this year’s magazine catches your interest as it relates to how we began, where we are now and where we are going. I am very proud to have held my role here as Head of School over the past ten years. I not only predict, but promise continued growth in program, construction, student success and a reputation that will build on a deep and strong legacy.

Sincerely,

Robert S. Goldberg Head of School

CAMPUS FEATURES

Premier Chinese Art Troupe Performs in Benjamin Hall

DIVISONS CELEBRATE COMPUTER SCIENCE WEEK WITH CODING, MAKER NIGHT

Counselors Guide Students Through College Process

Senior keirra Slack Shines on Stage, Field

The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

LEGACY TEACHER’S BENJAMIN ROOTS EXTEND THREE GENERATIONS “As the years went by, we would occasionally see them [the Benjamins] at their home on Elbow Key in the Bahamas while we were vacationing over there during the summers. Marshall prided himself on the homemade root beer he would make and bottle every summer as sodas were not common to have around. We always looked forward to having it while in the islands,” said Hig.

“The individual pursuit of excellence is ephemeral. Like a thin morning mist, it dissolves with mortality, leaving only press clippings and plaques to mark the spot where a man had been. It’s in the persuasion of others to excellence that a more human and lasting legacy is left. Such a legacy was built

by Marshall Benjamin.” - Scott G. Campbell, Evening Times Staff Writer Jane Higginbotham’s Benjamin roots run deep. She began teaching at North Palm Beach Private School in 1974 and has since watched her son Rob and oldest granddaughter Rachael walk Benjamin’s halls, sit under its shaded Banyan trees and watch the Koi fish dart and dive in Mr. Benjamin’s original fish pond. “Hig”, whose youngest granddaughter Emery will be in first grade at Benjamin in the Fall, said the experience of seeing her children and grandchildren share people and places she has grown to love has been nothing short of magical.

“She [granddaughter Rachael] got to have the education begun so many years ago by the Benjamins that stood for not only fine academics but the qualities we now know as the Benjamin ideals. Now our youngest granddaughter, Emery, 6, has completed Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten and looks forward to first grade. What a joy it is to hear a little voice call out, ‘Hi, Noni!’ from one of Emery’s little classmates. Seeing your grandchildren every day as they grow and mature - can’t get much better than that!” said Hig. Hig, who joined the Benjamin community after Mrs. Benjamin asked her to be a Pre-Kindergarten art teacher, remembers the Benjamins as special people both inside and outside the classroom.

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Hig said one of her fondest memories was when her son Rob was in fifth grade on the football team, preparing to go out on the field to play a local team of much taller, larger boys.

“I could see the hesitancy in our boys’ faces and eyes as they began to start.

Mr. B. called for a final huddle, and we were fortunate to be sitting right above them. Mr. B said, ‘Boys, the other team might be larger and stronger than we are, but you can definitely outthink them. Go out and give it to them.’ The TBS boys did and won the game! This was the underlying thought behind what Mr. B taught - we can always outthink the opponents regardless of the situation,’ said Hig. She remembers that all 5th and 6th grade boys were required to play on the football team and play a mu-

Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

Hig, who has been cancer-free since, attributes her recovery to her faith, family, friends and the Benjamin community.

“The Benjamin School is one special place near and dear to my heart. I believe they actually played a part in my survival. I will never be able to give them back the years of life their support has afforded me,” Hig told author Trevor Romain.

When reflecting on her three decades at Benjamin, Hig hopes that her students, affectionately called “Higbees” over the years, will resical instrument. At half time, they changed out member her as a nurturing teacher and advocate of their football uniforms and into their band uni- who tried to build and strengthen their confidence. forms to perform before heading back on the field.

“Bumblebees are not anatomically structured in a way that would enable them to fly, but no one told them they couldn’t fly. Children are like these However, not all of Hig’s days have been filled bees. They can do most everything they set their with high school football and the Bahamian sum- minds to do IF we don’t tell them they can’t.” mer sun. She spent most of 1990 at Shands Hospital in Gainesville fighting cancer. Despite the devastating diagnosis and trying treatment, Hig remembers the Benjamin community rallying behind her.

“Those were great days,” she said.

“Not one day went by that I did not receive calls, flowers, cards and even visits from students and their families. Each Friday I received a ‘care package’ put together by my dear friend, Glenda Lovell Underwood, that contained letters and pictures from all of the children at school. How could I possibly feel down or give up with a whole school backing me,” Hig recalls.

Later in her treatment, the School hosted a run called the Higgathon. Participants wore special t-shirts and sent a video of the event to Hig, who watched it in her hospital bed.

“After my treatment, I returned to school on a volunteer basis to finish out the year. This truly gave me the positive thrust I needed to go back to a normal life. (The children were so cute-they sent me a huge box of wigs of all colors and styles and wanted me to wear the red curly one to school! ),” said Hig.

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

COUNSELORS GUIDE STUDENTS THROUGH COLLEGE PROCESS

The Upper School college counseling team has been hard at work this year guiding seniors and underclassmen through the college process. Twenty-five percent of the senior class is committed to play college athletics. Five seniors will attend Ivy League universities. This fall, seniors will be stepping foot onto the campuses of Amherst, Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, UCLA, UNC Chapel Hill, and a variety of prestigious colleges and universities across the country.

But according to Associate Director of College Counseling Bekka Goldberg, the college process isn’t just about the bumper sticker, or where a student attends school, but about matching them with the choice that’s right for them and giving them the life skills necessary to be successful once they get there.

“Mrs. Goldberg really helped personalize my selection. She didn’t push me to apply anywhere I didn’t want and encouraged me to go wherever I wanted,” said Lama. Lama said even after his applications were submitted, he would still go to Goldberg’s office to chat.

“Her positive attitude really kept me believing in myself. She is one of the nicest people ever, and I’ll miss her contagious smile and positive/ supportive attitude tremendously,” said Lama.

Director of College Counseling Anna Wright said her team begins working with students their freshman year and introduces them to Naviance, a college counseling management tool that provides dynamic and searchable information about colleges, scholarships and the application process.

“Some students have always known where they want to go and others don’t really have a concrete idea. We’re “We take a team approach with the freshmen, behere to guide them and give them the tools to be success- cause we want the chance to get to know the students ful and help them through the process,” said Goldberg. before making an assignment. We work with them in group settings and welcome any student who wants to Goldberg said the college counseling process is meet with us individually to come in,” who Wright. fundamentally about leading students on a jour- Wright explained that freshmen are offered academney of self-discovery in which they can better under- ic planning and by sophomore year have all been asstand what they want out of their college experience. signed an individual college counseling advisor.

Valedictorian Roberto Lama, who will be attending Stanford University in the fall, said the entire college counseling process was extremely helpful. He said his counselor Bekka Goldberg kept him up-to-date with news or deadlines he needed to know.

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“They are welcome to come meet with us and discuss whatever’s on their mind. We talked to a variety of students about their junior and senior year courses, their high school plans and aspirations, as well as what their academic strengths are,” said Wright.

Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

students at public schools, or larger schools, don’t.

Jessica Drettman, who worked with Darang and will be attending University of South Carolina in the fall, said the counselors tailored potential college options around her personal interests, grades, tests scores and desired location.

“The counselors were very helpful to me because I was so new to the college process being the firstborn in my family. Since I did not know where I wanted to go to school, they helped me find schools based onocation preference, hobbies and activities, campus size and the major I am interested in. I was constantly visiting my college counselor Mr. Darang to go over the essays and Jennifer Barre, who worked with Wright and short responses needed for each school. The counselwill be attending Georgetown University in the ors always made time to see me; and if I could not meet fall, said she felt the counselors truly listened with my specific counselor, I would be able to go visto her and tried to get to know her as a person. it the other counselors for assistance,” said Drettman.

“She [Wright] believed in me and encouraged me throughout the entire process. I knew that I could always go see her with any questions, which was very comforting since the college process can be quite stressful,” said Barre.

Administrative Assistant for College Counseling Linda Twitchell, who has worked at Benjamin for 28 years, said it has been a pleasure working with the new college counseling team.

“They [college counselors] helped me stay organized, “Each one brings a different kind of experience with perfect my essays and make connections with the them. They all have very different and unique strengths schools I was applying to. Having good relationships while being a cohesive team at the same time.” with the representatives is very important, and the college counselors helped me create those,” said Barre.

Barre said although she was nervous to have a brand new college counseling team, her fears were quickly put at ease.

“I can now say that I had nothing to worry about. The three of them not only work very well with each other, but also with the students. Also, I love how they are all so different and have such different personalities, yet still work as a team. I am delighted to have been a part of the first class they got to work with and feel extremely lucky. I could not be happier with where I am going to college and how I got there, with the help of these three college counselors,” said Barre.

Assistant Director of College Counseling Alain Darang, a former admissions officer at the University of Miami, said his experience at Benjamin has been one of more personal relationships than his time on the other side of the admissions desk. He said Benjamin students, above anything else, have demonstrated that they’re prepared for what’s next. He said students have access to the college counselors in a way that 7

The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

PREMIERE CHINESE ART TROUPE PERFORMS IN BENJAMIN HALL The Benjamin School had the unique opportunity to host 66 members of the Performing Art Troupe of China Renmin University High School for a celebration of the Chinese New Year.

The troupe, which has won many international awards, treated the audience to a panoply of Chinese folk music, symphony, martial arts and acrobatics the morning of February 6 at Benjamin Hall. The performance was coordinated through the Confucius Institute at Miami Dade College, which has cultivated a close relationship with Benjamin.

“I was very proud and thrilled. I knew this art troupe had won many awards in China and around the world, but didn’t expect how excellent they truly were. I always knew China produced great shows, but being able to bring such shows to life in Benjamin makes me proud of our school. I am also very proud of TBS students and parents who have great theatre manners,” said Upper School World Language teacher Lei Deng Cohen.

The Chinese students from Renmin University found themselves at Benjamin after a 14 -hour flight, a performance in Houston, Texas, a bus ride to Orlando, a three-hour performance in Miami and an eight-hour rehearsal. And their performance was still flawless.

“They smiled through the whole performance. They are hardworking, upbeat and happy.

That’s what I want our students to learn. That’s why it’s so important to bring other cultures to TBS - we become more broad-minded and appreciate more. Also, this world is so big, we have so many things we can learn. I hope our students learned a lot from today. One teacher said ‘inspiring’ - I think that’s the best word to describe today’s event” said Cohen.

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Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

MIDDLE SCHOOL FIGHTS HUNGER IN PB COUNTY THROUGH GLEANING Benjamin Middle School students stepped out of the classroom and into the field on March 5 when they travelled to Mecca Farms in Boynton Beach, Florida to participate in a gleaning event.

The seventh grade class, lead by science teacher Stephanie Oster, spent the morning recovering tomatoes from farmers’ fields that would have otherwise gone to waste. This food recovery strategy, spearheaded by CROS Ministries, allows the harvested produce to be distributed free of charge through the Palm Beach County Food Bank to their food partners.

Feeding America estimates that 15 percent of Palm Beach County residents - or 200,000 thousand people - don’t know where their next meal will come from. A team of 63 seventh grade students and seven Middle School teachers directly affected these families by collecting 150 boxes of tomatoes! Each box feeds a family of five for a week and translates to 3,500 meals.

Oster said she spoke to the students about the difference between thinking about “what” their next meal will be and “when” the next meal will be.

“This was certainly an eye-opening experience,” she said.

“This was a real life problem where our students could contribute to literally a lifeline solution. They were very upset by how many hungry people there are right here in Florida and were so happy to get out in the fields, hand pick and make a difference. This project maximized the food from our local agriculture community right to the tables of hungry families in need. I am so proud to be a part of this Benjamin family.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

DIVISONS CELEBRATE COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK WITH CODING, MAKER NIGHT All three divisions of The Benjamin School participated in Computer Science Week with a host of technology and engineering activities. This year, both campuses hosted an array of events between December 4 and 10. Computer Science courses at Benjamin begin in the Pre-K3 classroom where students learn to code a moving caterpillar and continue through the Middle and Upper School levels, including AP Computer Science and computer programming offerings.

Upper school students were invited to take part in a scavenger hunt to test their problem-solving skills, while both campuses and all parents were invited to a Maker Night and an Hour of Code.

“We have done Hour of Code, Maker Night and the scavenger hunt for four years now,” Upper school computer science teacher Patrick Cullinane said.

“I’m enthusiastic to see students who may not be in a computer class get excited about the scavenger hunt and come to the Hour of Code nights to try out different things. It helps spark new student interest in the subject matter,” said Cullinane.

Cullinane said he hopes the students had fun and will start to think about problem-solving in different ways than normal class subjects.

Cameron Pirozzi, president of The Benjineers engineering club, led lower school students during the Maker Night. Pirozzi showed groups of students and their parents how to make a miniature catapult.

“Helping the younger students with different STEM activities made me excited for the future of the engineering programs at The Benjamin School,” said Pirozzi.

“With the upcoming addition of the STEM building on the lower and Middle school campus, it was a great way to show the next generation of Upper school students what we have to offer when they get here,” she said.

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Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING BENJAMIN PARENT PRESENTS DURING MAX PLANCK LECTURE Dr. Stefan Hell, Nobel Prize-winner for Chemistry, discussed the principles used to overcome the diffraction limit during a “Science Meets Music” lecture and concert held in Benjamin Hall on January 31.

The series, which is produced by The Max Planck Florida Institute For Neuroscience, combines a lecture focused on a science topic with a musical performance.

Dr. Hell said he was excited for the opportunity to explain some of the science he’s responsible for to a wide audience.

“Concretely, I found a way to make light microscopy much sharper than what was considered to be possible, turning it into ‘nanoscopy,’” Hell said.

Dr. Hell was accompanied during his lecture by Jonathan Roozeman, a Finnish-Dutch cellist from KroHell said fluorescence nanoscopy extends the limnberg Academy in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany. its of what can be seen today at small scales.

“It allows resolving fine structures that are invisible in conventional microscopy images. Watching molecules in real time enables the investigation of life at the cellular level with minimal perturbation. This is of key relevance for understanding the actual causes of diseases, because at the end of the day any disease is a cellular malfunction.

Nanoscopy approaches have begun to facilitate discoveries in brain research, basic medical research and the life sciences overall. Scientists can now investigate and assess true molecular interaction patterns. The new methods also allow them to see things like how molecules create synapses between nerve cells in the brain and to track proteins involved in various diseases. Special attention is nowadays placed on proteins involved in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease, among others,” Hell said.

Hell said one of the reasons he moved to Jupiter, Florida from Germany is to find new inspirations for future research.

“With its world-class scientists, the MPFI is an outstanding place to get new ideas,” said Hell.

Hell’s three children Charlotte ’26, Jonathan ’22 and Sebastian ’23 started attending Benjamin after the family’s move to Florida.

“Moving across the globe, The Benjamin School’s reputation, welcoming environment and small class sizes were important factors to our family. The academic rigor, community focus and commitment to well-rounded education appealed to us as well.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

SENIOR KEIRRA SLACK SHINES ON STAGE, FIELD On February 9, Slack was back in Benjamin Hall. However, this time she was in the lobby signing a national letter of intent to play collegiate athletics. Slack, who signed her letter of intent on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, will play soccer for the University of Missouri in the fall. She joins an impressive list of 26 senior student-athletes who have committed to play college sports.

Keirra Slack’s voice is equal parts gospel and soul.

Slack, who has been singing since the time she was eight, sounds like she was born harmonizing.

On January 12, Slack performed a moving tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. in Benjamin Hall at the Upper School.

Accompanied by Andrew DeFarrari on piano, the powerful duo performed a medley of songs, including the acclaimed civil rights anthem, “We Will Overcome.”

“I was always so scared to sing publicly,” Slack said.

“It wasn’t until I joined a club in elementary school that I started to come out of my shell, with the help of my teachers Mrs. Robbins and Mrs. Harris.”

Slack also lends her voice to community issues, like the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Slack organized a Maroon, Red and White day at Benjamin on February 23 to show support for the victims and their families, as well as the Douglas survivors and the Parkland community.

“Being busy is who I am, and I make use of it by getting involved in as much as I can balance without doing too much at once. I love athletics and the arts, as well as getting involved in issues that really matter,” said Slack.

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After being joined for pictures by her parents and younger sister, Slack lowered her head for a brief moment, smiled and wiped tears from her eyes. Despite her many accomplishments on and off the field, she was still humbled by the blessing of playing college sports.

“My parents, my sisters and my brother have been such a constant support system for me throughout this whole process.

From the constant driving to practices and games, to cheering me on from the sidelines, to trainings on the off days, my family, has been there for me since day one. I’m so blessed to have such amazing people as my family and I can’t wait to make them proud at the next level,” said Slack.

Slack, who started playing soccer when she was just four years old, said that all of her hobbies have a way of coalescing at Benjamin.

“Benjamin is such a close-knit community where I’m surrounded by such great people of all backgrounds and beliefs, and that is what makes this place so special,” said Slack.

When asked if she had to choose sports or singing, Slack said she would choose soccer because it’s such a fun stress reliever.

Those who have been moved by her voice - both on stage at Benjamin Hall and through her heart for service - hope she never has to make that choice.

Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

WOW CLASSES CELEBRATE ANNUAL TRIKE-A-THON WOW students took part in Benjamin’s school-wide community service project by hosting their annual trikea-thon to benefit students at the Edna W. Rudner tutorial center in Jupiter, Florida. The center serves over 100 disadvantaged youth in the community through tutoring, homework help and after school snacks.

The three- and four-year-old Benjamin students presented Program Director Travis Conway and Executive Director Ms. Rudner with over 657 gently used books.

“A lot of our kids are being read to by their grandparents, aunts and uncles. I want to tell you Benjamin give yourselves a pat on the back and I’ll just blow you a great big kiss,” said Rudner.

The WOW students then raced on their tricycles around the track on the lower school basketball court, pedaling as fast as they could to the cheers of parents, classmates and faculty.

“The West Jupiter community group has been providing services to students since 1986,” said WOW teacher Jeaneen Garcia.

Garcia said a representative from the organization came to speak with WOW students about some of their needs which spurred the decision to collect books for the center.

TWO LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS SHINE IN PRIMETIME SPOTLIGHT Two Benjamin Lower School students had their “big shot” during a Sunday night primetime lineup on April 22. First-grader Tommy Morrissey, born with one arm, starred on Steve Harvey’s “Little Big Shots.” His episode, “Never too young to be amazing,” featured the golf prodigy showing off his skills. Despite Tommy’s limb difference, he has a 200-yard drive. Tommy and Harvey take turns hitting a target while cameras measured their body movements. Tommy nailed the par and the hole-in-one. Harvey didn’t manage to hit the target at all.

Tommy’s golf game extends beyond himself with his UnLIMBited Foundation. The foundation, which raised close to $100,000 last year, provides financial aid packages to families facing the choice of amputation over life-saving surgeries.

As Tommy teed it up on “Little Big Shots,” fourth-grader Treasure Stein was testing her mental prowess on Neil Patrick Harris’s show “Genius Junior.” Treasure’s team “The Fast and the Curious,” solved complex math problems, memorization puzzles and backwards spelling. Treasure was the youngest member of her team and advanced to the semi-finals.

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHER MADDOX APPOINTED MS ACADEMIC DEAN Middle School World Language teacher Chuck Maddox was chosen to serve as Middle School Academic Dean beginning in the 2018-19 school year. Maddox, who has been teaching at Benjamin for four years, will now serve on the Middle School Administration Team and will work in conjunction with Head of Middle School Chuck Hagy and Assistant Head for Academics Ken Didsbury on any curricular changes.

“I’m always looking for ways to further enhance the student experience at Benjamin, and this role provides me with an opportunity to do just that. In my classroom, I try to help students be the best version of themselves, and with this new role, I will be able to help teachers grow professionally and academically,” said Maddox of his new position.

Maddox will be in charge of planning and implementing professional development opportunities for teachers, conducting teacher observations and assisting in the hiring process, when needed. Maddox said he would like to continue to be a

positive presence on campus and spend time in classrooms often to learn how he can best support the Middle School faculty.

“I truly believe the Benjamin Middle School is second to none in Palm Beach County. I am not aware of any other Middle School that offers the academic programming, the athletic options, or the extracurricular variety we do. Only in The Benjamin Middle School could a student take Honors Geometry, play lacrosse, star in a Broadway-level musical production, perform at a TEDx event, serve on the student council, and be a member of the chess club all while modeling The Benjamin School’s character traits,” said Maddox.

TEACHER BECOMES STUDENT IN UPPER SCHOOL YOGA CLASS

The Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita says that yoga is Pierman says while she was “super excited” on her first day the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. Upper of yoga class, the students were slightly shocked and surSchool science teacher Amanda Pierprised to see her as a fellow student. man is indeed on that inward journey of self-discovery and lifelong learning “They have since come to accept me as a this year as she meditates, twists and student and it works well. I am now just anbends her way through World Language other member of the class,” Pierman says. teacher Lei Deng Cohen’s yoga class.

Pierman says her yoga practice has helped her feel calmer, more positive, more “I have been interested in yoga but never relaxed and able to handle stressors. had the time or courage to go to a studio and try it out. Last year Lei was asking me “All over I am reaping LOTS of benanatomical questions to help her to explain efits from this class,” Pierman says. poses to her students and so we decided to do a combined lesson of her yoga class and Pierman says she would love to take Comy HSB. It was a huge success . . . So, this hen’s yoga class every semester and she semester my planning period happened highly encourages other teachers to join. to coincide with Lei’s yoga class and I thought I could take the entire class to improve my own knowledge as well as provide her with any additional anatomical information that might better her and her students,” says Pierman.

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Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

LOWER SCHOOL CELEBRATES 28TH ANNUAL OLYMPIC GAMES

A in ly ny

sea of Benjamin Lower School students, clad an array of colors, paraded around KennerField February 8 during the opening ceremoof the 28th annual Benjamin School Olympics.

The beloved tradition of the Olympics began in 1990 as an educational endeavor spearheaded by now retired Head of School Peter Graham and Assistant Director of Athletics Steve Hamel. Each classroom in grades one through five adopts a country and explores its customs and culture in detail, including a culinary luncheon hosted in classrooms on the eve of Olympic Day. Head of Lower School Kristen Sheehan welcomed faculty, parents and friends to the opening ceremonies as the Middle School band performed an assortment of numbers on Kennerly Field followed by Catherine Schenk singing “The National Anthem.”

The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame by Lower School torchbearers signalled the start of the day-long celebration. Students competed in a variety of events from hurdles to relays and dashes to obstacle courses.

Faculty Olympic Day Coordinator Riordan Cheatham said the Olympic games is a culmination of a month-long learning experience.

“To see the students as excited as they are on Olympic day makes it all worth it,” said Cheatham.

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

CLASS OF ’22 CELEBRATES ‘MOVING UP’ Eighth-grade speakers, including Student Council President Camilo Saiz, took to the podium to reflect on their time in Middle School and thank those who had been an integral part of their success. Senior Speaker Jennifer Barre ’18 offered a glimpse into the Benjamin high school experience followed by Head Of Upper School Fletcher Carr who offered advice to the eighth-grade students.

“When you join with the other new ninth-graders next year, you’re going to make up about a quarter of this Upper school. So when you come to the school don’t just come kind of waiting and thinking ‘what is this going to be like?’ What I invoke of you is to come and jump in,” said Carr.

The class of 2022 celebrated their 8th-grade graduation during a May 16 ceremony in Benjamin Hall. The celebratory evening ushered the Class of ’22 into their next chapter as Upper School students at Benjamin.

Head of Middle School Charles Hagy opened the program by thanking Head of School Bob Goldberg and the Middle School faculty for all they have done for the eighth-grade students. Alexa Cousin delivered the night’s invocation written by Dr. Lawrence G. James.

Head of School Bob Goldberg concluded the program by reminiscing about his own children’s journey through adolescence.

“You already know that there’s no love like the one we have for a child. However, you might not know that every single phase is eventually missed. Even ‘those’ phases are eventually missed and actually are painfully missed,” said Goldberg. “It becomes our responsibility as parents to relish every minute that we can.”

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPLORE NEW UTC FACILITY

Upper School chemistry and environmental club students had the privilege of visiting the new United Technologies building in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on April 19. The students, led by science teacher Amanda Pierman, enjoyed a tour of UTC’s new facility as well as a lecture by Harvard professor Joe Allen. Allen spoke to the group about green buildings and the effect they have on one’s overall health.

“Allen conducted a study on how green buildings affect the health of those who work inside them. He spoke to our group about how he was able to change a few parameters [in the study] “The building was green and spacious and it really made for people who worked in cubicles and the positive effect it a big difference in the feel and ambiance itself. The stuhad on their sleep, positivity and productivity,” said Pierman. dents and I were all thoroughly impressed,” said Pierman.

“They expanded the study to entire build- The building will eventually house up to 500 UTC ings as a whole to see how green buildings af- employees and serve as one of their headquarters. fect sick days and extra work hours,” said Pierman.

Pierman said the group enjoyed seeing the inner workings of elevators, escalators, self-tinted windows and special air filters.

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Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

FLOWERS BLOOM IN WOW SUNFLOWER HOUSE Sunflowers bloom and grow inside the sunflower house on the Lower School campus. The sunflower house provides a hands-on, outdoor learning experience for students in WOW. WOW students begin the cross-curricular project by reading Sunflower House by Eve Bunting. The young Buccaneers then draw plans for the sunflower house, create sunflower artwork and plant sunflower seeds in cups to begin the growing process.

“The children continually check for new leaves, flower buds and signs of growth by measuring the size of the plants relative to the size of their own bodies.

Once the sunflower house is full-grown and begins to bloom, the WOW classes celebrate its grand opening! It is then the perfect place for some of the most important elements of early childhood education: imaginative play and creative expression,” said Tepper.

Tepper said the majority of the work creating the sunflower house is done by the students while the teachers take a back seat and act as facilitators.

“The students prepare the garden for planting, transplant the sunflower seedlings into the garden and continue to care for the sunflower plants as they grow,” Pre-K 3 teacher Rebecca Tepper said.

“This gives the students a deeper understanding of and greater appreciation for the project when they finally get to play in it. The children have been enjoying themselves and love the fact that some of the sunflowers are even taller than the teachers!”

PRE-K PERFORMS MOTHER’S DAY SHOW UNDER BANYAN TREES The Pre-Kindergarten Class of 2031 performed a special Mother’s Day Show, “Little Rhymes for Little People” the morning of May 9 under the banyan trees on the Lower School Campus. The program by Mae Carden has been an essential part of the School’s early literacy program since its founding in 1960. Pre-K teacher and music specialist Joanie Garrettson said rhythm and rhyme play a significant role in the development of language skills for young children.

“Early rhyming skills will lead to greater auditory discrimination, stronger phonetic awareness and a larger vocabulary, all of which are fundamental building blocks on which the rest of literacy is built. You simply cannot read and write in an authentic way, with true comprehension and independence, until these basics are well de- songs. This year, rhymes were incorporated into veloped. Thankfully, at The Benjamin School these com- music class along with vocals and instrumentals. ponents have been respected for generations and have become an integral part of our school days,” said Garrettson. “It is no coincidence that this performance took place under the banyan tree in the Lower School quad, as this is the The program featured the entire Pre-Kindergar- very tree that Marshall and Nancy sat under and taught many ten class singing and playing instruments for eight children the fundamentals of reading,” said Garrettson.

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL

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6th Grade Wheel Programs

Alumni Senior, ‘14 Year Club’

Junior, Senior Prom

5th Grade Greek Myth Extravaganza

Grandest Friends Day

Kindergarten Holiday Program

Senior Lake Jump

Upper School Musical

Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

ANNUAL TRADITIONS

8th Grade Friendship Games

BPA All-School Community Event

Seniors vs. Teachers Ultimate Frisbee

Lower School Halloween Parade

Kindergarten ‘Punch and Munch’

US Bunny Hop

WOW Trike-A-Thon

Second Grade Polar Express 19

The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

12 FACULTY, STAFF HAVE SERVED BENJAMIN FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS Since its founding as North Palm Beach Private School in 1960, Benjamin has been a second home for its faculty and staff. Twelve educators and staff have worked for the School for over 30 years. Here, they reflect on what TBS has meant to them.

Carolyn Montini - Music 45 Years of Service “It has been my pleasure to present the annual holiday program for the past forty-five years. I have changed the theme of the show every year. But more than that has changed. Forty-five years ago, the program was given on the football field with a piano that Mr. Benjamin, and his elementary school football team carried there ten steps at a time. There was no gym, parents brought their lawn chairs, the kindergartners who were performing sat on a section of bleachers and it never rained!

Things have changed over the years. Now we have the gym, air conditioning, carpet, and an improved sound system. One thing has never changed, and that is the joy of this program providing a perfect send-off to everyone in order that all can celebrate a wonderful holiday with their family and friends.”

Toby Harbeck Director of Athletics, Middle School English 34 Years of Service “Benjamin is a special place because of its people - kids, parents, coaches, teachers.

I knew the first time I put on a Benjamin coaching shirt that this was the place for me, and I would be here a while.”

Marshall Mullnix - Social Studies Department Chair 30 Years of Service “Benjamin has been my second home for the last 30 years, and I take with me many favorable memories. Thanks to all - alumni, present students and past and present faculty and staff for a great 30 years. I will never forget this place. Go orange and blue!”

Ron Ream - Varsity Coach, Mathematics 43 Years of Service Jane Higginbotham, Learning Lab 43 Years of Service Joanna Hogan - Grade 5 Teacher 47 Years of Service “Who knew when I met Nancy and Marshall Benjamin in the 1960s that TBS would be a part of the rest of my life? Watching our School grow (and growing with it!) has been a constant joy. I am rich with friends, peers, memories and a sense of having made a difference in our Lower Schoool. We are truly ‘Second to None!’ I am so grateful.”

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Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

Lisa Arline - Lower School World Language 40 Years of Service “I can’t imagine a better place to have started my career. When Mr. Benjamin hired me fresh out of college, it was truly like coming home again after having been a student during the early years when the school was beginning to grow. These many years later, it is still a joy, honor, and privilege to be a part of the Benjamin family.

The adults in the back row are Gordon Terwilliger, Carolyn Brawley, Helen Shick, Carolyn Montini, Nancy Machtel and Lisa Arline.

Jeri Cole - Executive Assistant to the Head of School 30 Years of Service “As my time at TBS is winding down, I realize how fortunate our entire family is to have been a part of this wonderful school. Both of our children graduated many years ago. My husband enjoyed 18 great years of teaching here and many more years of coaching. He misses his TBS days, and I know I will as well. I have made wonderful friends and have had an amazing 30 years at TBS. The opportunity to be a part of such a fine school for this long is something I will always cherish.”

Sara Salivar - Performing Arts Department Chair 37 Years of Service “Some of my most memorable and favorite times of the year at TBS are the weeks of creation, collaboration and rehearsals leading up to the Variety Show production in January.

This ‘labor of love’ began over 22 years ago and through these experiences I have developed wonderful friendships, and watched professional collaborations and student relationships blossom...This picture was taken right after bows at our first Variety Show at the PBSC Eissey Campus Theater in January of 1998, over 20 years ago! We began the Variety Show in the fall of 1996, and the first performances were on the Music Center stage (now Barker Performing Arts Center). This picture reflects the joy of accomplishment of our first production at the Eissey Theater. As I look at this picture I am amazed at how each face, each costume, each smile brings back so many memories of that particular Variety Show. If you look closely, you will see faces of students who have gone on to do incredible things . . . Each smile represents something beautiful that took place on that Saturday in January in 1998.

Some of these beautiful people are no longer with us, but I smile at the memory of the time we were able to spend in rehearsals and production, and I am so grateful that the Variety Show brought us all together.

Dr. Amy Taylor - Director of Student Services 35 Years of Service “When you spend almost your entire adult life in a career that you love, in a place with great kids and colleagues who become your family, Benjamin for sure will always be a special place, for me.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

BENJAMIN DEEPLY ROOTED IN TRADITION Founded in 1960 by Nancy and Marshall Benjamin, The Benjamin School is deeply rooted in tradition. Marshall and Nancy Benjamin opened North Palm Beach Private School with a single goal in mind: teach children to read. The Benjamin’s original vision has lead the School to upward expansion and exciting milestones. Here’s a look back at some of the seminal moments in TBS history.

Marshall Benjamin gazes at the newly founded North Palm Beach Private School

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The original entrance to North Palm Beach Private School, formerly a pineapple farm

The original school bell transported from an Indiana farm in 1965

The Benjamin Family

Grandparents Day has been a longstanding tradition at The Benjamin School

Campus Features ★ The Buccaneer

Former College Counselor Jack Lewis, an institution at Benjamin for decades

Ms. Jackie Daubert ‘06, a member of the 14-year-club, sent Mrs. Hogan a “goodbye letter” that Hogan has saved all these years

Head of Middle School Chuck Hagy with one of his first 5th Grade History classes

Mrs. Benjamin sharing her love of reading with students

Mrs. Benjamin dressed up for the annual Halloween parade 23

The Buccaneer ★ Campus Features

MS ACADEMIC DEAN REFLECTS ON SERVICE LEARNING TRIP TO PERU Guest Author: Chuck Maddox From May 31-June 12, 2018, 22 Middle School students and seven adults left the comfort of their homes to participate in a community service trip to Peru. Not knowing what to expect, we departed from the Miami airport with high hopes and smiles on our faces in expectation of a fruitful trip. Our expedition to Peru included stops in Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Puno. Each stop we made provided us with an adventure we could never forget.

We arrived in Lima exhausted from our journey but excited to have finally made it. Instantly upon arrival, students were anxious to practice the Spanish skills they had learned throughout their time at Benjamin. As a world language teacher, I was most excited to hear my students’ Spanish skills brought to life. We pride ourselves on integrating world language into the curriculum at an early age at Benjamin, and the fruits of these efforts were realized with great strength in Peru. Students were amazed at how much Spanish they actually knew. They communicated flawlessly with locals, asking for directions or how much a soda cost in a local mercado. There is no greater thrill as a teacher than watching your students apply their skills in the real world. After sightseeing in Lima for a few days, we went back to the airport and boarded a plane for Cusco.

As soon as the airplane door opened in Cusco, we could feel the difference in altitude. Suddenly, walking up-hill was not as easy as we were used to. It was hard to catch our breath as we walked around Cusco, but the beautiful mountainous background made each quick breath we took worth it all. One of Peru’s most famous attractions is Machu Pic-

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chu, and Cusco was our last stop before seeing this wonder of the world. We rode a train to Machu Picchu, climbed to the top of the Sun Gate, and took in all of its glory. Lush green mountainsides, Incan ruins scattered throughout the area, and countless llamas made the trek to the top worth it.

During our time in Cusco, we spent three days volunteering at a local school to help them repair and beautify their classrooms and common areas. Students scrubbed walls, swept floors, painted bathrooms and classrooms, and pulled weeds in the outdoor play area. On the second day, our students played with the Peruvian students for several hours. Hair was braided, soccer was played, and the teeter totter was put to good use. At the end of the day, our students stated how much fun they had playing with the local children, but they also noted how the children did not have much play equipment or school supplies. It was in that moment our students shined.

They decided to go to a local store and buy school supplies and sporting equipment for each child and teacher in the school. In fact, our students bought so many items, the local store owner made the same profit from our visit to her store than she would have made all year. The next day, notebooks, pens, pencils, paper, soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, and many more items were passed out to each child. Additionally, each teacher received a large bag full of items for their classrooms consisting of chalk, dry erase markers and erasers, construction paper, glue, scissors, lined paper, and erasers.

It was a heartwarming scene to see the pure joy not only on the recipients’ faces but also on our students’ faces. They knew they had truly made a difference in each person’s life.

Academic Accolades ★ The Buccaneer

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

Six Female Students Win Tech Award

Benjineers Advance To National Competition

BTV N3WS Program Awarded Scholastic Press Gold Medal

Benjamin Seventh Grader Kiran Spencer Wins Mathcounts Competition

National Honor Society Inducts 27 New Members

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The Buccaneer ★ Academic Accolades

LOCAL DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HONORS BENJAMIN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS The Palm Beach chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Benjamin seventh-graders Darian Salehi and Jonathan Skatoff with second and third place awards, respectively, for their historical essays. The pair traveled with Head of Middle School Chuck Hagy to The Beach Club on Palm Beach to attend the American History Essay Awards Reception hosted by the DAR where they received awards for their winning prose.

“I’m extremely proud of Darian and Jonathan, as their essays reflect the commitment to excellence and love of history that these boys demonstrate each day,” said Head of Middle School Chuck Hagy.

The subject of this year’s essay was: “World War I: Remembering the War to End All Wars”

BENJAMIN SEVENTH GRADER KIRAN SPENCER WINS MATHCOUNTS COMPETITION Benjamin seventh-grader Kiran Spencer won first place out of 150 competitors in the Palm Beach County MATHCOUNTS competition hosted on February 10 by the Palm Beach Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society. A team of four Benjamin students placed 2nd out of 15 teams in the competition.

The competition aims to increase enthusiasm for and enhance achievement in Middle School mathematics throughout the United States. The national enrichment and coaching program has been promoting Middle School math achievements through grassroots involvement since 1983. Tryouts were held prior to the competition for interested students.

“There was a large interest in competing among our Middle School students,” said math teacher and MATHCOUNTS coach Cathryn Hansen. “The top four students 26

were selected to represent Benjamin as our ‘official’ team plus as individual competitors. The next six students were selected to compete on an individual basis.”

The competition consisted of four parts: the Sprint, Target, Team, and Countdown rounds. Each round was a race against the clock as students worked to answer questions both individually and as a group. Madeline Comorat, Jack Horgen, Kiran Spencer and Wilson Stewart placed 2nd out of the 15 teams in attendance. Grace Kearns, Aadi Patel, Joie Rodin, Jonathan Skatoff, Addie Vining and Jake Zur also represented Benjamin during the competition.

Alternates Ella Pierman and Sai Chigurapati were in attendance.

Academic Accolades ★ The Buccaneer

BENJAMIN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN SOUTH FLORIDA ENGINEERING COMPETITION Sixth-graders Ellie Bickel, Tyler Kelly and Addie Vining won first place in the Thrill It! category of the Engineer It! Competition at the South Florida Science Center on March 10. The team designed and built a roller coaster marble run that earned more than double the points earned by the second place winner. The coaster was judged based on run time, technical merit, theme and vertical loops.

Fifth-graders Hanna Soffan and Ella McDermott won first place in the elementary aged Thrill It! Competition for their roller coaster “Journey to Mars.” Lower School Science Coordinator Susan Bickel said the students worked after school and on weekends for over a month on their projects.

“It’s really a tremendous accomplishment,” Bickel said.

The annual engineering design competition for students in grades 1-12 was hosted by the Florida Engineering Society and the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.

SENIOR KAILEY GRAZIOTTO NAMED FIRST PLACE PATHFINDER AWARD WINNER Senior Kailey Graziotto won the Literature Pathfinder Scholarship Award, sponsored by The Palm Beach Post. The prestigious award was presented during the 35th annual ceremony at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The Pathfinder High School Scholarship Awards are presented annually to seniors who demonstrate outstanding achievement in one of 18 categories.

Graziotto founded a writing club at Benjamin and has written and produced her own plays. She has been called the “glue that holds the Benjamin Arts together.” Graziotto wrote in her Pathfinder application letter that her ultimate goal is to write work that serves as a catalyst for social change.

Senior Marine Wolff placed second for Foreign Language Graziotto told The Palm Beach Post that she thought and will attend Georgetown University in the fall. She, along “there is no chance” she would win the Pathfinder. “It’s with all second place finalists, received a $3,000 scholarship. so surreal, so, so surreal,” she said. “I can’t believe that I was chosen. I am so happy.” Graziotto, along with first place winners in each category, received a $4,000 scholarship. She will attend Emory University in the fall.

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The Buccaneer ★ Academic Accolades

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTS 27 NEW MEMBERS The National Honor Society welcomed 27 new mem- community, I don’t know when they find time bers into The Benjamin School Chapter during the to sleep!” faculty advisor Sara Misselhorn said.

2017-2018 school year. The fall and spring candlelight ceremonies, led by faculty NHS advisor Sara Mis- Misselhorn said this year’s Chapter was very much a selhorn and NHS Officers, were held in Benjamin Hall. family affair.

“We were pleased to welcome a great class of inductees into NHS this year. These students strive to push themselves academically with stringent classes. They also excel in the field, on the court and on the stage. They are leaders in classes, on campus and in the community. They have demonstrated a high commitment to community service and possess fine character. In fact, they are involved in so many aspects of the Benjamin School

“We had three sisters inducting their sisters - the Blains, the Houris and the Kretzs; one sister tapping her brother - the Baldaris; two brothers inducting their brothers - the Lama brothers and the Lopes brothers; and twins - the Martins. Whether or not you are blood-related, I believe we all consider ourselves family - this is a wonderful, supportive group of friends,” said Misselhorn.

18 SENIORS INDUCTED INTO CUM LAUDE SOCIETY Eighteen members of the senior class were inducted into the prestigious Cum Laude society on April 19 during a ceremony led by Head of Upper School Fletcher Carr in Benjamin Hall. English teacher Mary Ditaranto praised the talented group of seniors during her induction speech.

“The 18 of you honored today stand apart, or sitfrom roughly 400 students sitting out there, but we’re all in the same theatre - we’re all part of the same Benjamin community,” Ditaranto said.

“As a teacher I recognize my role in one part of that community: the classroom, where I have worked alongside most of these scholars here on the stage, and let me say I’ve become a better teacher and person because of their intellectual curiosity.”

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Academic Accolades ★ The Buccaneer

SIX FEMALE STUDENTS WIN TECH AWARD Six female students in the Upper School received awards from the National Center for Women and Information Technology. The organization honors young women in grades 9 through 12 who are active and interested in computing and technology. Recipients are chosen based on their leadership ability and academic performance.

Junior Skyler Kretz was crowned 2018 Florida: South Florida Affiliate Winner. Cameron Pirozzi, Caroline Moody, Isabela Valdes, Leslie Berg and Rachel Haselkorn received Honorable Mentions from the NCWIT. The six Benjamin students join an elite group of 8,600 women who have received awards from NCWIT Apirations in Computing . The NCWIT Award for AiC is sponsored

by Apple, Bank of America, Microsoft, Motorola Solutions Foundation and Symantec.

MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOK NAMED CROWN FINALIST BY CPSA

Upper School Newspaper Wins All-American Honors

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association has recognized Benjamin’s Middle School yearbook staff for their excellence in journalism, nominating the publication as a Crown Finalist in the hybrid category of print and digital media. The Azimuth is the only Middle School yearbook nationwide to be awarded such a high honor. The publications submitted to the CSPA are judged on their excellence as shown by their design, photography, concept, coverage and writing.

The American Scholastic Press Association awarded Upper School newspaper The Pharcyde with All-American Honors. The paper has also been named “Best High School Newspaper for Schools With Under 500 Students” for the past three years. One judge said it was a distinct pleasure to read and critique The Pharcyde.

“It’s difficult to put into words the hard work and dedication it takes to create stellar publications, and that goes for both the students and the faculty,” said faculty advisor Nick Crisafi.

“The fact that both of our Middle School publications, The Neersyde and the Azimuth, have been recognized in the past year as Crown award winners is a testament to the students’ diligence, dedication and talent, and the strength of our program. These journalistic and artistic accolades, coupled with the consistent excellence of our Upper School publications, makes The Benjamin School’s journalism program one of the most exceptional in the country,” Crisafi said.

“Outstanding aspects of this newspaper included informative copy, photography techniques and layout design,” the judge said.

Faculty advisor Ken Didsbury, Assistant Head for Academics, leads the expository writing course which produces The Pharcyde. The paper is largely student-run and editors take ownership for the production of seven editions.

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The Buccaneer ★ Academic Accolades

SENIORS REFLECT ON INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Benjamin seniors are required to participate in a capstone Senior Internship Project before high school graduation. The internship gives students the chance to experience a professional workplace and what it would be like to work in a specific career field. Guidance counselor Dr. Renea Yates says the experience is part of the Student Services Department’s expanding Career Counseling Services in the Upper School.

Seniors complete a 40-hour internship, self reflection and 1:1 exit interview with their Benjamin advisor. Below are three seniors’ internship project reflections.

Kailey Graziotto The Maltz Theatre Jupiter, Fl

“I had the extremely unique opportunity of being able to work my 40 hours at The Maltz Jupiter Theatre, where I observed the process of their production of Newsies during its tech week. Because they are a seasonal company, I chose to work my entire internship over the five-day Thanksgiving break. The days were certainly long, but they were jam-packed with experiences I’ll never forget, such as meeting expert stage-crew, working in the executive office, and observing exactly how their professional program differed from our smaller program here at the Upper School. Theatre at the next level is certainly filled with challenges, but there are certain elements that seem to always be the same; such as the fun-loving personalities of cast members, the appreciation of the art by all, and the care taken to make sure every piece of the puzzle is perfect. Overall, it was a great time, and it only further affirmed my desire to go into that field in college and beyond.”

Sydney Burnett World Surf League, Santa Monica, Cal.

“I worked with the World Surf League and their nonprofit PURE, which is focused on ocean conservation. As a relatively new nonprofit on the hunt for partners, I vetted three nonprofits: Bye Bye Plastic Bags located in Bali, Indonesia, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii located in Oahu, Hawaii and Save the Waves Foundation located in Santa Barbara, California. In order to make sure that the nonprofits were integrable, I had to look at their budget, spending, all press (positive and negative) and tons of other information. The most important part was ensuring that the WSL and PURE were sponsoring and partnering with integrable nonprofits who spend their money responsibily (not only on salaries and budget, but also philanthropy). The toughest part of my internship was hitting some roadblocks while researching international nonprofits whose governments (like Indonesia) do not have a nonprofit database and financial records like the United States does. Although I did travel all the way to Santa Monica, CA for my internship, it was well worth it, and I gained tons of real-life work experience. From my internship, I have solidified my idea to study coastal sustainability along with communications next year. I have also made many connections for future potential jobs, and I am so grateful that Benjamin has pushed me to reach out and take this opportunity.”

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Academic Accolades ★ The Buccaneer

Alexander Lappin AM Global West Palm Beach, FL “I would like to thank Colin Hickey ’07, Sean and the rest of the AM Global team for an outstanding week. Always prepared and never losing focus on their work, observing such a paradigm of work ethic was a powerful lesson for me. Furthermore, I learned a great deal about due diligence on fund managers, analyzing their performance, embedding stock data into spreadsheets and trading options, along with so much more.

Going into the week, I was not sure what to expect. I was provided with a list of internship projects, but filled with industry jargon that I only had a shallow understanding of.

I relied heavily on the expertise of Colin and Sean. Project after project and meeting after meeting, any question I had was instantly answered with eloquence and the utmost desire to help. By the end of the week, I left with a newfound confidence and the belief that I was now acquainted with an entire office filled with people whom I could trust and come to with any questions down the road. By doing an internship with a family investment office, I was exposed to numerous facets of investing. From hedge funds to credit investment groups, the FIO structure was a perfect place for me to learn about the advantages and risks of different types of investments. In the future, I will always be able to call back to my experiences at AM Global. Additionally, it was a great opportunity for me to get to meet people in the industry I hope to work in as well as Benjamin alumni. To be able to blend my education at Benjamin with this internship, I feel extremely well positioned going into college. Not too many high school seniors have the privilege of working at such a respected family investment office, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”

Are you a TBS alumnus looking to provide a Benjamin senior with an internship opportunity? Register at Benjamin Connect (benjaminconnect.com) where you can reconnect with old classmates, post job and internship listings and leverage your professional network.

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The Buccaneer ★ Academic Accolades

WORLD LANGUAGE TEAM WINS FIRST PLACE AT FRENCH COMPETITION Spassoff dents “It was for how ceptional

said it was great fun to work with stuin the months before Congres. really exciting to see them receive awards well they did.

Several even received exawards from the judges,” said Spassoff.

York said most of the students in attendance have taken World Language since elementary school. She said she was proud of how all the French students performed under pressure, despite the nerve-wracking nature of both the individual and group competitions.

A group of 30 Benjamin Middle and Upper School students on the French World Language Team won first place in the state of Florida at the 2018 Congres de la Culture Française tournament held March 8-10 in Orlando, Florida.

The theme of the 66th annual tournament was “La Coupe du Monde,” or “The World Cup”. The team of Benjamin students took home dozens of first place “superieur” ribbons in the categories of impromptu speaking, poetry, reading comprehension and French trivia. Participants in the competition, held in the spring of each year, take part in various competitions including dictation, a spelling bee and a skit.

World Language teachers Marci York, Colleen Donnelly, Beverly Gustafson and retired teacher Anita Spassoff accompanied the students to the competition.

“Freshman Danai Makoni got a blue ribbon and a Prix Du Jury, which is very, very rare. It’s a special commendation from the judges and it’s very unusual. It means the judges were extremely impressed and thought she did an exceptional job. In my 16 years of attending Congres with Benjamin, I’ve only had two of my Middle School students receive one. This is her first time participating, and she just started French last year. She was in level A. That’s truly exceptional. It literally brought a tear to my eye - it was just fantastic,” said York.

Upper School Spanish students took home a first place trophy for Division 1, non-native speakers at the 2018 Conferencia tournament. The 16 member team earned a perfect score for their play along with 18 Sobresaliente trophies out of a possible 22. Three earned a Superior ribbon and one Bueno ribbon.

BTV N3WS PROGRAM AWARDED SCHOLASTIC PRESS GOLD MEDAL The Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) awarded The Benjamin School’s TV Program, BTV N3WS, a gold medalist with “Special Distinction” status in the areas of writing and audio. BTV N3WS is produced on the Upper School Campus by students in the Television Broadcasting program led by faculty member Ken Archer. This is the sixth consecutive year BTV has earned honors from the FSPA, keeping its run of being known as one of the premiere TV programs in the State alive. BTV earned a Top-15 “National “ ranking from the National Scholastic Press Association in December. Judges said the newscasts were well written, and the anchors had a professional on-camera presence.

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Celebrating The Arts ★ The Buccaneer

CELEBRATING THE ARTS

Student Producers, Directors Take The Stage In Benjamin Hall

Performing Arts Department Presents An Inangural Solo Showcase

Upper School Students Sweep Scholastic Art Awards

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The Buccaneer ★ Celebrating The Arts

PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT PRESENTS INAUGURAL SOLO SHOWCASE The Upper School Performing Arts Department presented the first annual Solo Showcase featuring students in grades 9-11 on March 27 in Benjamin Hall. The showcase highlighted arts students across multiple disciplines who have displayed passion and diligence in their chosen artistic pursuits.

Performing Arts Department Chair Sara Salivar thanked attendees for coming out on a Tuesday night to celebrate the arts at Benjamin, where students are “taking risks outside their comfort zones.” Salivar then turned the program over to freshman dancer Caitlin DeGraff who performed to ‘Beautiful’.

The audience enjoyed additional pieces from dancers Bella McNamara, Skylar Ladd and Briley Crisafi, who placed 3rd in the state at the Florida State Dance Team Competition in Oviedo, Florida. Etoile Gelman, Nicky Amato, Hudson Hale, Lutong Wang and Briley Crisafi performed individual monologues.

Violinists Jonathan Wolf-Rosengarten and Eva Hasenhuttl performed with faculty member Dr. Nicholas Lockey’s piano accompaniment. The audience was treated to a documentary film produced, shot and edited by Maddie Wilson. The documentary followed Wilson’s time on a medical mission in Haiti.

fourth grade celebrates the beginning of flight Fourth-grade band, strings and choral students transported an audience of parents, faculty and friends to the 1900s during their production of “Wright!

Celebrate the Beginning Of Flight” on March 1.

The students told the story of the Wright Brothers and their flying machine through modern day rap, song and narration. The story, narrated by a group of student reporters, follows Orville and Wilbur’s journey to inventing the first successful airplane.

The journey in the Barker Performing Arts Center began with Mr. Bruce A. Huber’s fourth-grade concert band playing nine selections from the time period including the German Hymn “Crusader’s March” and the American Folk Song “Skip It, Lou.” Huber and the band then turned the program over to the Strings Ensemble, directed by Mrs. Belen Clifford.

The violinists, cellists and percussionists played a traditional Native American song accompanied by student Katie Pyle’s chant as well as three other selections.

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Mrs. Carolyn Montini concluded the program with her fourth-grade choral students as they charted the history of the Wright brothers through rap, song and artful narration.

Celebrating The Arts ★ The Buccaneer

STUDENT PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS TAKE THE STAGE Upper School drama students captivated the audience in said it was awkward at times directing a cast of her peers, Benjamin Hall during an evening of student-directed one act but ultimately it was for the betterment of the final product. plays on March 2 and 3. The “Revolutions Festival” featured seven plays with student producers, directors and actors. Kailey Graziotto, who wrote and produced the play, said it was “strangely enough, not inspired by anything in my actual “The plays were written and developed in the Page to Stage life.” Graziotto explained how the play underwent both a title, class. The class is available as a Senior English elective. We character and theme change throughout the editing process. also encourage other students to write plays as well. A group of us then read and discuss the plays and select them based “In fact, nothing from the original script is even applion quality and theme,” said faculty supervisor Tom Bazar. cable to what was onstage. All that’s left are a few siblings trying to decode the blurred line between dreams Bazar said the plays are completely student-run and reality. It took six revisions to get there, but I from start to finish, but he makes directori- couldn’t be more proud of how far we’ve come,” she said. al and editorial suggestions along the way.

Bazar said he’s noticed the drama program grow during his time at Benjamin and has seen more play submissions this year.

“Last year we selected six plays, this year we selected seven. My favorite thing about the process is there is a noticeable difference in how the kids are invested in their own work and in original material,” said Bazar.

Etoile Gelman, director of the play “To Die, To Sleep,”

Dance Students Sparkle During ‘Razzle Dazzle’ Performance In Benjamin Hall Performing Arts Department Chair Sara Salivar praised Dazzler’s Captain Dani Garcia and seniors Alexandra Katz and Amanda Viola for their outstanding performances.

Upper and Middle School dance students sparkled on stage at Benjamin Hall the evening of May 2 as they presented “Razzle Dazzle - A Tribute To Broadway.” The event featured middle and Upper School dance ensembles, The Dazzlers dance team, and the Middle School Sparklers dance team. Adjunct teacher and choreographer Corey Heins performed alongside the Dazzlers in a variety of numbers including Billy Joel’s “Italian Restaurant.”

“I couldn’t think of a better way to open up the show than to highlight one of my all time favorite musicals, ‘42nd Street.’ The Dazzlers rose to the occasion as they tapped their hearts out in this very challenging and technical number! I am so very proud of how much they have accomplished. I also want to congratulate Mrs. Rudner and the Middle School dancers for their excellent performance.

Mrs. Rudner has left her mark on these young dancers and, we are forever grateful for the love and passion for dance she has instilled in these young dancers,” said Salivar.

Additional performances included numbers from Aladdin, Fosse, Hairspray and Matilda.

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The Buccaneer ★ Celebrating The Arts

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS SWEEP SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS Students in the Upper School Art Department swept The Scholastic Art Awards regional competition, taking home 118 awards! The artists doubled the amount of awards they won last year, with 37 students in a variety of categories winning a total of 18 Gold Keys, 38 Silver Keys and 62 Honorable Mention Awards.

Upper School Visual Arts Department Chair Melissa Ford said she is thrilled with the results of this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

“It is a reflection of the current level of collaboration between arts faculty and students. The art studios are a haven of trust, allowing students to take creative risks with their work while feeling supported and guided. By taking more risks with their work, students have expanded their skills tremendously and are crafting work at the highest level of execution,” said Ford.

Seventh-grader Maddie Domnick received a Silver Key and Honorable mention for two of her pieces in the “Drawing and Illustration” category. She’s the first Benjamin Middle School student to receive such a high honor.

Jingyi Ling - Indifference

“It is the first year that we (Middle School) have entered since most of the awards are granted to Upper School students,” said Middle School art teacher Nancy McAllister. “We are incredibly proud of all of our student artists.”

Maggie Regnery

36

Ava Kramer - Equable Song

Kara Constantakos

Celebrating The Arts ★ The Buccaneer

ART SHOW FEATURES BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY OF LOWER SCHOOL STUDENT ART The Fine Arts building was transformed into an art gallery during the annual “Beyond Brushstrokes” student art exhibition on May 1. The exhibit featured an Art Walk with various student art installations while a display of more than 1,800 pieces of art created by Benjamin students in Pre-K through grade 5 graced the halls and classrooms of the Fine Arts building.

Benjamin students, parents, grandparents and friends enjoyed the exhibit featuring everything from paper mache ice cream cones to watercolor pandas and ceramic cats. Lower School fine arts teacher Ro Sammis said this year’s inaugural Art Walk guided by group of 4th and 5th graders called “The Helping Hands.”

“At the start of the Art Walk, our legacy canvases created by Grades 1, 2, 3 and our LS Art Club were unveiled to the public! You will see these large canvases around the campus for many years to come. A series of student-created art quotes sparkled from the sidewalk directing viewers onto the east side of our building. Kindergarten’s bright and colorful cat prints flowed right into the 1st-grade artwork displayed outside. Our classroom windows became our walls. Families meandered their way into our east entrance and were awestruck by the floor to ceiling masterpieces created by PK - 5 student artists as they continued the walk through this amazing student gallery! The two Lower School art rooms were transformed into galleries as well,” Sammis said.

Friends, family and teachers enjoyed the exhibit from 3 to 5 p.m.

“Another art show in the books.” It certainly seems that we need a few more walls in our halls!”

ART TEACHER SARAH DAVIS ’05 WINS ‘BEST IN SHOW’ FOR OIL PAINTING Upper School art teacher Sarah Davis ’05 won “Best In Show” for her oil painting ‘Totem Watch’ at the Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association Exhibition. The exhibition, featuring current artwork by private and public school Palm Beach County art teachers, opened May 15 at Palm Beach State College. Davis, past president of the PBCATA, has four pieces in the exhibition which is open to the public and runs through the Spring.

37

The Buccaneer ★ Advancing The Mission

ADVANCING THE MISSION

Benjamin Students Host Food Drive For Hurricane Harvey

38

BPA Hosts Boomin’ Bloomin’ Spring Kickoff

Benjamin’s BASH Gala Raises Half-A-Million Dollars for School

Advancing The Mission ★ ★ The The Buccaneer Buccaneer

Board of Trustees 2017-2018 Top Row: Vince Marotta, Jack Nicklaus II, Sal Tiano, Bob Martin Third Row: Kelly Perkins, Ari Zur, Barry Postman, Matt Brannon Second Row: Jay Horgen, Joseph Zaluski, Dirk Ziff, Brian Waxman Front Row: Chris M. Tighe Jr., Head of School Robert S. Goldberg, Krista Nicklaus, Sandy O’Connor, Sheree Davis Cunningham, Jill Fried Not Pictured: Nate Dalton, Eric Silagy, Christopher Sorenson, Shannon Smith

The Buccaneer ★ Advancing The Mission

Our New Trustees 2018-2019 Mark Sorensen is the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Risk Officer for NextEra Energy Resources in Juno Beach, Florida. He is engaged in developing, constructing, acquiring, operating and managing investments in electric energy generation projects. Sorenson has 30 years experience in both Fortune 500 and small company entrepreneurial environments. Sorenson serves as the Chairman of NextEra International Investment Board of Directors and is a member of NextEra’s Energy Resources Operating Committee. He is an active volunteer for Little Smiles, The Lord’s Place, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, United Way and Urban Youth Impact. He holds a B.S. from Southern Illinois University.

Dr. Amy Zito serves as the Assistant Regional Dean for Student Services at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Zito has served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami and the Medical Director for the Palm Beach County Health Department. She is a Palm Beach County Medical Society Heroes In Medicine award winner and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Darren Lowe is a former Head of US Institutional Sales in Fixed Income & Securities for RBC. Prior to joining RBC, Darren spent time at Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan and Bank of America in various sales and management roles. Darren sits on the Board of Directors for Good Shepherd services. He graduated from Brown University with a BA in political science. An active lacrosse player and now coach, Lowe holds the 5th highest total in NCAA Division 1 with 316 career points. He was also a key member of the US squad during the 1998 World Lacrosse Championship. He played four seasons of professional lacrosse with the New York Saints.

Lynda Jacobs is a former elementary school teacher, holding a B.S. in Elementary Education from Kent State University. Ms. Jacobs has served two previous terms on the Board of Trustees for The Benjamin School, dedicating her time to advancement efforts and the Strategic Plan and Governance Committees. She serves on the leadership board for The Cleveland Clinic and Partnership for Families through University Hospitals in Cleveland.

She is actively engaged philanthropically in various organizations both locally and globally. She is the mother of six children, all of whom attended The Benjamin School. Her youngest child, J. Paul, is currently in seventh grade.

Former Congressman Tom Rooney was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 where he represented Florida’s 17th district. He sat on the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittees on Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and State and Foreign Operations. He was a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and served as Chairman of the Intelligence Subcommittee on Emerging Threats. He also served as a Deputy Whip for the Majority. Tom, a Palm Beach Gardens native and Benjamin graduate, returns to Florida with his wife Tara and three sons Tommy Jr., Sean and Seamus, who will attend The Benjamin School.

40

Advancing The Mission ★ The Buccaneer

ANNUAL ‘DAUGHTER DANCE’ FEATURES EARTH DAY THEME

Benjamin fathers and their daughters enjoyed a special evening of dinner and dancing at the annual Men of Benjamin Daughter Dance on April 22. Nearly 200 dads and daughters enjoyed the Earth Day-themed event, held in the Upper School Healey Gym. Attendees dressed in cocktail attire enjoyed a night of fun, dancing and games.

“The Daughter dance is always a great event and something everyone looks forward to,” said Jason Pierman, one of the MOB organizers of the event. Pierman said this year’s Earth Day theme featured everything from recyclable plates to cornstarch forks and knives. Home Depot loaned all the decorative plants for the evening and girls took home plants and seeds as a party favor.

“This is our fifth year hosting the daughter dance and each year is even better than the last,” said Pierman.

STUDENTS CELEBRATE SPRING WITH BPA’S SPRING KICKOFF The Benjamin Parents’ Association hosted the annual AllSchool Community event on February 2 to celebrate the kickoff to Spring. The ‘Boomin Bloomin’ outdoor festival featured games for the whole family including Hula Hoops, obstacle courses, dance contests and a 360 degree photo booth.

Benjamin families enjoyed a DJ, field games and rock climbing on Kennerly field followed by a delicious cookout provided by Cheney Brothers.

“The Spring Kickoff was a wonderful event for the entire Benjamin community,” said Benjamin parent and coordinator Kori Searcy. “It was great to see all three divisions taking part in the outdoor activities.”

41

The Buccaneer ★ Advancing The Mission

BENJAMIN’S BASH GALA RAISES HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS FOR SCHOOL The Benjamin School’s annual BASH gala held April 7 at Admirals Cove, raised $500,000 for the School. More than 300 parents, friends and supporters dressed in their best “cruise wear” enjoyed a festive evening of dinner and dancing.

BASH YOUR SHIP IS COMING IN

Benjamin parents Josh and Tammy Crossman and Jason and Donna Feldman co-chaired the 33rd annual gala that featured a cocktail reception, dinner and live and silent auctions. Scott and Shannon Smith served as honorary chairs.

Major sponsors included: Bayfield Partners Investment Bank Bennington Marine Steve and Caroline Vogel Netlease U.S.A. Jason and Donna Feldman Steve and Krista Nicklaus Jack and Barbara Nicklaus Northern Trust Palm Beach Illustrated Jacob Rosengarten and Nancy Wolf-Rosengarten

Scott & Shannon Smith

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Jason & Donna Feldman, Josh & Tammy Crossman

Kori & Darrell Searcy

Liz Simon, Lindsay Shamback, Jolie Woodard

Advancing The Mission ★ The Buccaneer

Ben & Nicole Foster

Head of School Bob Goldberg & Co-Chairs

Jeff Irish

Jay Horgen & Rona Goldberg

43

The Buccaneer ★ Advancing The Mission

BENJAMIN COMMUNITY BANDS TOGETHER TO AID NEIGHBORS FOLLOWING HURRICANE IRMA “He heard from his colleagues that they were devastated from the storm, on top of being underprivileged to begin with, so he mobilized as many of us as he could,” said lower school Student Services Director Kathy Bailey, whose family participated in the relief effort.

Aid recipient Abuelita Rosano said her family fled to Texas.

“We had my little 6-week-old infant grandson, daughter, two grandmothers, and my sister. When we returned there was no electricity until today. We lost everything to the humidity - food gone bad, moisture got into clothing, furniture, toys, rotted.

We will recover by the grace of God. We are grateful for this help today to get you back on our feet. Thank you. Thank you.”

Benjamin students and families banded together in the Many people in Pahokee returned to their homes after wake of Hurricane Irma to aid those in our local com- evacuating only to find lost income, property damage, unmunity who were severely impacted by the storm. bearable heat and no work. Two dozen mothers lined up and waited 45 minutes in the heat of the day for diapers.

The Benjamin community delivered hope and help to Pahokee families on Thursday, September 20. They loaded up cars full of bottled water, ice, non-perishable food and personal hygiene products and delivered them to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pahokee where the supplies were distributed to over 100 families in need.

“Every single mother was deeply grateful to you. You all are shining examples of these Helping Hands. You were heroes Thursday, a beacon of hope for our neighbors in need, delivering hope and help in Pahokee,” said Maura Plante, Founder of “Living Hungry,” the organization that spearheaded the charity effort.

The McDermotts, whose children Ella, Bridge and Claire attend Benjamin, heard about the opportunity through Mr. Mc- “This weekend, the 100 families you assisted Dermott’s involvement on the Board of a school in that area. were able to breath a little easier, smile more, and thank God for blessings of food, water, ice, clothing, cleaning products, even diapers and you.”

TBS STUDENTS HOST FOOD DRIVE FOR HURRICANE HARVEY VICTIMS All three divisions of The Benjamin School mobilized as one, coming together to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey. The School held a collection drive for the victims of the devastating storm, collecting items ranging from socks to diapers. Items were dropped off at the administrative offices of the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools and were delivered to Texas residents.

children attend tire flat bed

Benjamin, donated full of hurricane

an ensupplies.

“The Lower School families generously came to the aid of victims of Hurricane Harvey. At the end of each of the three days of the drive, the Lower School Office was packed to the gills with donations! I was touched by the selflessness of our families. I can always count on the BenStudents, faculty members and parents collected jamin School community to come together and help those non-perishable foods, diapers and wipes, toiletries, an- in need,” said Head of Lower School Kristen Sheehan. imal food, sunscreen and additional much-needed items during the drive. David and Helen Darby, whose three 44

Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

BUC SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

Benjamin Quarterback Travis Named ‘Player of the Year

Coach Ron Ream Honored During Retirement Celebration

Former MLB Player Armstrong Leads TBS Baseball Team

45

The Buccaneer ★ Buc Sports Highlights

46

Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

BENJAMIN QUARTERBACK TRAVIS NAMED ‘PLAYER OF THE YEAR’ Benjamin quarterback Jordan Travis won the coveted honor of being named Palm Beach County High School Player of the Year at the Lou Groza Awards Banquet at the Kravis Center the evening of December 4.

Travis Beach Palm

won the award edging out Palm Central cornerback Akeem Dent and Beach Gardens safety Gurvan Hall.

Travis, who started playing football at the age of five, said it’s a great feeling to be named player of the year.

“This award wouldn’t have been made possible without my teammates, friends, family and coaches,” said Travis, who threw 2,190 yards and 24 touchdowns for Benjamin this season.

Benjamin’s Athletic Director Ryan Smith ’93 said Travis is one of the finest athletes to ever attend Benjamin.

“He does things athletically on the football field and basketball courts that you usually only see at the Division I college and professional levels. Even though he is an incredible athlete Jordan stays extremely humble, and is a leader both on and off the field,”Smith said.

Travis said Benjamin has prepared him for college, both as an athlete and as a student.

“Coach Kresser has taught me everything about being a quarterback and has developed me into one.

The academics at Benjamin are unreal and have definitely prepared me well for college,” Travis said.

Travis, the first player from Benjamin to win High School Player of the Year, said his next goal is to win a national championship for the University of Louisville, where he will play football this fall. Louisville, a member of the ACC, had a Heisman-winning quarterback last season.

“Jordan Travis is the complete quarterback,” said coach Eric Kresser. “He can do it all.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Buc Sports Highlights

COACH RON REAM HONORED DURING RETIREMENT CELEBRATION A retirement celebration honoring coach Ron Ream was held in Benjamin Hall on May 19. Ream, the longest tenured coach in Palm Beach County, was celebrated for his 43 years as a football coach and math teacher at Benjamin.

Ream served as Benjamin’s athletic director for 30 years and head coach for 37. He was one of six coaches inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014 and was The Palm Beach Post’s Small School’s Coach of the Year in 2005 and Coach of the Year in 1992.

Former teachers, players and friends offered remembrances of their time with Ream that were both poignant and comical. Former math teacher Phyllis Wissner said Ream touched so many lives during his 40 year tenure at Benjamin.

Athletic Director Ryan Smith ’93 said outside of Marshall and Nancy Benjamin and Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, no one has had a greater impact on Benjamin than Ron Ream.

“Coach Ream has positively influenced the lives of thousands of Benjamin alumni. His record as a football coach speaks for itself, but I think most significantly is the impact he has had on all of us alumni spread throughout the country. I have met many coaches during my career, but there is only one Ron Ream. He has the unique ability to inspire and motivate his student-athletes like no one else I have ever seen. Coach Ream will be deeply missed leading our football program,” said Smith.

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Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

FORMER MLB PLAYER ARMSTRONG LEADS TBS BASEBALL TEAM Benjamin’s Head Baseball Coach Jack Armstrong, a former Major League pitcher, says he accepted his coaching position at the School as a way to give back to a community that has done so much for his family.

“Benjamin has been very good to my family and has provided my children and wife (a teacher in the Lower School) with amazing opportunities to develop their abilities to the fullest in many different ways,” said Armstrong.

“Coaching the baseball team is a perfect opportunity for me to give something back to the school and Bob Goldberg for all they have meant to us.”

Armstrong’s son Kris, mit, has been coached by

a his

UF baseball comfather since he was six.

“Having been a professional athlete at the highest level for many years, I would be remiss if I did not pass along some of the things I have learned,” said Armstrong, who has also coached many current and past Benjamin baseball players in some capacity over the years.

“It has been very rewarding to see their successes and accomplishments and to have contributed in some way,” he says.

Armstrong says he has always been impressed with Benjamin’s atmosphere of support for the endeavors of student-athletes. He says the School promotes a positive and winning attitude “across the board.”

Armstrong says his focus this season is developing his players into the best they can be individually and as a team. And with many players already accepting college baseball scholarships, it looks like his coaching goals are already coming to fruition!

“There’s still much work to be done. Obviously, we would love to win a District Championship and a State Championship at the end of the road. I look forward to the challenge!”

The ing

it

varsity baseball to states for the

team first

wound time in

up school

makhistory.

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The Buccaneer ★ Buc Sports Highlights

TWO OUTSTANDING BENJAMIN ATHLETES’ JERSEYS RETIRED Dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis and swimmer Alessandra Baldari’s jerseys have been retired. Travis, who was named the Palm Beach County High School Player of the Year at the Lou Groza Awards in December, scored 24 touchdowns this season, passed for 2,190 yards, while rushing for 905 yards and 16 more scores. Athletic Director Ryan Smith ’93 said he believes Travis is the greatest all-around-athlete to graduate from Benjamin.

“His combination of speed, size, quickness and natural athletic skills put him in a very unique category. In football, Jordan surpassed or came very close to breaking many school records, which is incredibly impressive as Jordan spent only two years at The Benjamin School,” said Smith. Travis will play football for Louisville in the fall.

Baldari, who will swim for Yale in the fall, is a three-time All-American, holds the School’s record in nine events and finished in the top three in multiple events at the FHSAA state championships.

“Her accomplishments are truly second to none and establish her as the most decorated female swimmer to attend The Benjamin School,” said Smith. Baldari was also named to the Palm Beach Post’s All-Academic team.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM WINS CARUSO CUP The Benjamin Middle School Athletic Program has won the Caruso Cup. The award, named in honor of Palm Beach Independent School Athletic Conference (PBISAC) founder Steve Caruso, recognizes the best private Middle School Athletic Program in the PBISAC. The annual award is presented to the school who receives the most points during league play throughout the year. This is the third year Benjamin has won the award.

“I am very proud of our athletes and coaches again for winning the award, but most importantly doing it with class and sportsmanship,” said Middle School Director of Athletics Toby Harbeck.

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Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

28 SENIORS COMMITTED TO COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Twenty-eight seniors, or 25 percent of the graduating class, are committed to play collegiate athletics. From Yale to Louisville, our senior athletes are ready to pursue their respective sports at the next level.

Kristofer Armstrong - University of Florida - Baseball Alessandra Baldari - Yale University - Swimming Sabrina Fonda - Winthrop University - Golf Wells Fournie - Rollins College - Lacrosse Nina Houri - Bryn Mawr College - Lacrosse Nate Gordon - Heidelberg University - Baseball Conor Greene - College of Wooster - Football Sarah Kahn - High Point University - Golf Matt Kaneb - Amherst College - Lacrosse Kylie Kempe - Johns Hopkins University - Lacrosse Emma Lange - Dickinson College - Volleyball Paul Lanoce - Lehigh University - Baseball Claire Lord - Smith College - Softball Matt Lopes - Washington University - St. Louis - Baseball Jack McCluskey - Rollins College - Baseball Cameron Murphy - Florida Atlantic University - Soccer Will Nicklaus - University of North Carolina - Lacrosse Da’Mya Preston - Union University - Women’s Basketball Anthony Rooney - Denison University - Football Carolyn Rose - Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Lacrosse Keirra Slack - University of Missouri - Soccer Sarah Stamp - Colorado College - Lacrosse Aaron Steinhart - Stetson University - Baseball Nick Taplett - Winthrop University - Baseball Isaiah Thomas - Vanderbilt University - Baseball Jordan Travis - University of Louisville - Football Martin Weisz - University of Virginia - Football Anise Williams - Goucher College - Basketball 51

The Buccaneer ★ Buc Sports Highlights

BENJAMIN ATHLETES SWEEP POST-WINTER SPORTS AWARDS

Thirteen Benjamin student-athletes were named to First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention All-Area sports teams by The Palm Beach Post. Junior Ben Lubarsky, who already has interest from all Ivy Leagues except one, was named basketball Player Of The Year for small schools by both The Post and Sun Sentinel. The 6-foot-5 junior has scored over 1,000 points in his career, with an average 25 points, nine rebounds and two assists per game.

See below for the entire list of student-athletes named to All-Area teams:

Girls Soccer

Boys Soccer

First Team Kierra Slack, Sr., Midfield Nicole Vernis, Jr., Midfield

Honorable Mention Nicholas Betchold Caine Lukas Cameron Murphy

Second Team Bella Craven, So., Defender Emma Shirzad, Fr., Forward

Boys Basketball Player Of The Year Ben Lubarsky

Honorable Mention Jordan Travis Kaiir Elam

Girls Basketball First Team Emma Laszewski, So., Forward Da’Mya Preston, Sr., Forward Second Team Anise Williams, Sr., Guard

Senior Isaiah Thomas Named ‘Sun Sentinel’ Baseball Player of the Year Senior Isaiah Thomas, who will attend Vanderbilt in the Fall, was named the Sun Sentinel Baseball Player of the Year. Thomas and the team made it to state for the first time in 2018.

Thomas, who was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 39th round, tells the Sentinel that he still plans to attend Vanderbilt in the Fall.

“It’s just the whole package Vandy has to offer – the school, the academics, the baseball program, the past success of the program,” he said.

Thomas told the Sentinel that he plans to study business management and hopes to get drafted again his junior year.

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Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

ALUM JERRY O’CONNOR ’14 DRAFTED TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL LACROSSE Jerry O’Connor ’14 has been drafted to play lacrosse for the Florida Launch.

O’Connor, ranked second at Yale University in caused turnovers (10), will return to the Sunshine State to play for the Launch. The Florida Launch is based in Boca Raton and plays its home games at Florida Atlantic University Stadium. Team owner Jim Davis is the founder and chairman of New Balance.

O’Connor, who is trilingual and served on the National Honor Society while at Benjamin, started playing lacrosse in 8th grade. He was named the 2014 Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Player of the Year.

“I coached Jerry in Football,” said Head Coach Ron Ream.

“You could show Jerry how to do something just once and he would have it. He is a very intelligent player who has a lot of athletic ability. When you have both qualities, it makes for a very special player. Jerry was a joy to coach, and his great sense of humor made him fun to be around.”

FHSAA TEAM CHAMPIONS

Baseball

Girls Volleyball

State Final Four

District and Regional Championship

53

The Buccaneer ★ Buc Sports Highlights

FHSAA TEAM CHAMPIONS

Boys Tennis District and Regional Championship

Girls Basketball District Championship

Girls Cross Country District Championship

Girls Lacrosse District Championship

District Championship

Girls Track

Girls Tennis

District Championship

District Championship

Girls Varsity Golf

Boys Varsity Golf

District and Regional Championships

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Regional Championship, Finished #8 In State

Buc Sports Highlights ★ The Buccaneer

All-Area Players of The Year Palm Beach Post or Sun Sentinel Kris Armstrong - Palm Beach Post Player of the Year (Baseball) Alessandra Baldari - Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Swimmer of the Year Ben Lubarsky - Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Player of the Year (Boys Basketball) Isaiah Thomas - Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel Player of the Year (Baseball) Jordan Travis - Lou Groza PB County Player of the Year, Sun Sentinel Player of the Year, Palm Beach Post Player of the Year (Football)

Lowell Carr - Lou Groza Kicker of the Year (Football)

All-AREA COACHES OF THE YEAR Palm Beach Post or Sun Sentinel Jack Armstrong - HSBN Coach of the Year, Sun Sentinel Coach of the Year, Palm Beach Post Coach of the Year (Baseball)

Alex Clarke - Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post Coach of the Year (Volleyball) Wes Logsdon - Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post Coach of the Year (Girls Golf) Toby Harbeck - Coach of the Year (Boys Golf)

All-American Alessandra Baldari - Girls Swimming

US Lacrosse Academic All-Americans Jenna Byrne - Girls Lacrosse Ethan Denenberg - Boys Lacrosse Will Nicklaus - Boys Lacrosse

55

ALUMNI FOCUS

Producer Chris Fenton ’89: ‘I’m A Proud BUC’

Eric Bruns ’03 Starts National Non-Profit

Chase Oliver ’16 Receives ‘Best Documentary’ Award

Dr. Hansel Tookes ’99 – Named Starbucks ‘Upstander’

Benjamin Alum Hosts Parenting Workshop

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

WORLD-TOURING DJ HENRY FONG ’05 NAMED 2018 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

World-touring DJ Henry Fong ’05 was named the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus by the Alumni Council at the annual Alumni Luncheon hosted May 4 in Benjamin Hall.

Fong, a member of the 14-year club, dedicated his award and speech to his late father Henry Fong Sr., a former Board Chair at Benjamin and longtime friend of the School.

Fong joins previous Distinguished Alumnus award recipients including Olympian Ryan Berube ’92, former ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Whitney Cunningham ’03 and Congressman Tom Rooney ’89.

Fong, an Electronic Dance Music DJ and producer known for infusing a variety of styles into his EDM tracks, began his career in college at the University of Central Florida before moving to Los Angeles to focus on music production.

Fong has since played for audiences of tens of thousands at festivals like Ultra, Electric Zoo and EDC Las Vegas.

Fong spoke to students and guests about the road “less traveled” to his success and the importance of staying true to oneself.

“I think my entire story is a little bit of proof that if you don’t fit in, there’s always hope,” said Fong.

“I felt like when I was here I didn’t fit in anywhere academically, I wasn’t a star athlete, and I had a hard time finding my place in the world . . . It’s okay to be different and pursue a different career path . . . I think I’m lucky to have been part of a close, tight-knit community here at Benjamin. At the time, I didn’t really realize it but my first few core supporters throughout my career were friends I made at Benjamin,” said Fong.

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

PRODUCER CHRIS FENTON ’89: ‘I’M A PROUD BUC Film Producer Chris Fenton ’89 said he has always been a consumer of pop culture, even as a young child.

“A lot of that was shaped by the McIlvaine sisters (Nancy ’85, Lucy ’81, Judy ’80,) who were older than Billy (their brother and one of my best friends at Benjamin) and me. Heck, even Dr. McIlvaine had a few great 8-tracks in his convertible Cadillac! They’d play all kinds of new hit music or old classics, and it made Billy and I hip to what was cool. Then, in high school it was all about the VCR and watching any movie we could get our hands on. We must have watched ‘Breakfast Club’ and ‘River’s Edge’ 30 times each. That potent combination of constant music and film exposure made me want to be in pop culture. I didn’t know what role was right for me then, but I just wanted to be a part of it,” Fenton said.

Richie Sudder, Greg Cohen. Those Benjamin friends, and others have all been helpful throughout my career, and I owe that to being a proud BUC,” said Fenton.

Fenton, who received his B.S. in engineering from Cornell University, said getting a movie made is extremely difficult and believes getting into production is exciting by itself.

“Bottom line is I love watching all kinds of movies, so I tend to make movies that I’d like to see myself.

Sometimes the ones I most want to make just simply don’t get to the finish line though. And others, well, I’ve had my share of flops as you can see from my resume,” Fenton, with a dose of self-deprecation, said.

Fenton advises those interested in the film industry not to take the plunge unless they absolutely love it.

“Even I would’ve thought twice about it in 1994, but back then, Hollywood was considered the ‘Wall Street of the 90s and opportunities were plenty. Now, disruption from tech and international markets has thrown some of the ecosystem into disarray. That said, chaos breeds opportunity, so you never know. Hollywood is filled with dreams and some people actually get to live one of those dream.”

Fenton, by all accounts, is one of them.

Actor Johnny Depp and Chris Fenton ’89 Fenton is living out his dream of being a part of pop culture, as he builds an impressive resume of films. His credits range from comedies, like 2017’s “Father Figures” with Owen Wilson and Glenn Close to Historical Dramas like “Chappaquiddick” about Ted Kennedy’s life and political career featuring Kate Mara as Mary Jo Kopechne, and Jason Clarke as Kennedy.

Fenton said he’s worked with Mara in two films he’s been involved with. The pair crossing paths makes Hollywood a “small world,” as Congressman Tom Rooney ’89 was one of Fenton’s friends at Benjamin. (Mara is Rooney’s first cousin, once removed).

“Tom (Congressman Rooney) is part of a strong Benjamin group I stay very close to who are all based in the D.C. area - Paul Dean, Howard Ernst, Chip Poncy, 58

Chris Fenton ’89 and Congressman Tom Rooney ’89

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

ERIC BRUNS ’03 STARTS NATIONAL NON-PROFIT Voices For Veterans currently works with several veterans from the local South Florida area and a handful of veterans spread up and down the east coast from Miami to Philadelphia. This fall the organization will begin its mentorship and placement program for local veterans and student veterans.

Eric Bruns ’03 has spent the past year advocating for our nation’s veterans through his non-profit organization Voices For Veterans. Bruns, who served as an active duty Field Artillery Officer in the army for ten years, was stationed all over the world serving in positions from platoon to theater-level headquarters. His time in the service motivated him to start Voices For Veterans.

“During my time as an Army Officer, I consistently saw the difficulties many soldiers were having in finding meaningful employment upon the completion of their service. I noticed two main problems that cut across all branches of service and decided to start an organization to tackle these issues,” Bruns said.

Those two main problems, he said, are that most veterans never learned to properly market their skills and accomplishments and most employers have trouble understanding the total value a veteran can bring to their organization.

“While most employers like the idea of hiring a veteran, many end up passing over a veteran, especially recently separated veterans, to a non-veteran with more direct experience in the private sector. This often leads employers to miss out on potential job candidates who have the highest longterm potential to add value to the company,” Bruns said.

“We strive to enrich the lives of our veterans through meaningful, fulfilling employment and to help bridge the civil-military divide that has been slowly growing in our country. We believe the best way to honor and take care of our veterans is to empower them to better take control of their own destiny. We believe a grassroots effort of bottom-up initiatives yields more effective, long lasting benefits for our veterans and their families. Through a combined effort of mentoring programs and local business community education, we can make a significant positive impact in the lives of our veterans,” Bruns said.

Bruns said his desire to serve our country started at a young age when he was an avid history student.

“Especially after September 11th, I figured if somebody had to serve, it might as well be me,” he said.

Bruns said his time at The Benjamin School helped prepare him for this level of service.

“Benjamin instilled a sense of empathy and compassion for other people that proved tremendously valuable during my 10-year career as a leader in the Army. It greatly aided in my ability to foster trust with my soldiers, contributing to our unit’s capacity to function as an effective team.

During my overseas tours, especially in Afghanistan, it helped me to build trust-based, meaningful relationships with our host nation partners that paid dividends in carrying out our complex national security goals in those regions.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

Dr. HANSEL TOOKES ’99 Named STARBUCKS ‘UPSTANDER’

At the time, Florida was one of 17 states without a legal way for drug users to exchange dirty needles for clean ones. Tookes, inspired by the plight of many of his patients, made it his mission to change that.

“Needle exchange is almost as old as I am.

This is not a new concept. But Florida was 30 years behind. There was so much suffering in our community from a lack of these evidence-based programs. It was my privilege to do something about it,” Tookes said.

Dr. Hansel Tookes ’99 has been named as a Starbucks “Upstander.” The collection of short upstander vignettes produced by Starbucks follows local community leaders and asks what it means to have courage in today’s America.

“Starbucks contacted me this spring. I had no idea what a huge deal the Upstanders series was. I was like, ‘Sure, come film the needle exchange.’ We like to invite the press because it gets the word out about our program so we can reach more people in need. I had no idea millions of people would see a two minute video summarizing five years of my life,” Tookes said.

The video, produced by Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, follows Tookes’ work in Miami to create the first needle exchange program in the state of Florida.

Tookes credits his grandmother, the first African American to become head nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Miami, with inspiring his love for medicine.

“She and I would feed the homeless when I was in my formative years. Then when I went to Benjamin I had the opportunity to see a CT surgery with Dr. Lester (dad of many TBS grads). I think that surgery sealed the deal,” Tookes said of his decision to pursue a career as a doctor.

During his time as a physician, Tookes has worked in Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, where as a thirdyear medical student in 2012, he watched a young woman die due to an infection from a dirty needle.

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Although Tookes views his work as a privilege, it hasn’t come without a host of barriers and setbacks to achieve. Despite the odds, Tookes refused to give up. He spent four years lobbying for a needle exchange program in Tallahassee.

“The Florida Legislature was surely a challenge. The moral objection to needle exchange is not formed in rational fact. There are probably some people reading this now who disagree. But, I had some amazing allies. Representative Rooney ’89, whose children are TBS students, was one of my earliest supporters in the process,” Tookes said.

In March 2016, Governor Rick Scott signed the bill into law. The bill allowed for one needle exchange in Miami-Dade County. The exchange, housed in an Overtown parking lot, saved 16 lives in its first month alone.

Tookes said his overdose prevention program, which launched in April, has saved over 200 lives through distributing naloxone, the antidote to opioid overdose.

Tookes said his next move is to develop an exchange program in Palm Beach County, his home town.

“Life is about the people you meet. I feel very fortunate to have met many wonderful people while at Benjamin. Michael Shapiro ’99 was over yesterday for a swim. Chris Seaton ’99 and I attended grand rounds together last week at UM. A painting by Vince Lardieri ’99 hangs prominently in my apartment. The strength of these relationships, which have endured decades, have made me who I am today.”

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

CHASE OLIVER ’16 RECEIVES ‘BEST DOCUMENTARY’ AWARD

Chase Oliver ’16 received The Silver Tripod Award for Best Documentary at the University Of North Florida and placed in the top 16 films out of 72 submissions.

His documentary “Hand Out of Pocket” follows a college band, led by guitarist and vocalist Matthew Flynn, who only has one hand. Chase, who took film classes while at Benjamin, said he has been interested in filmmaking since the time his parents bought him a camera when he was 12.

“I always have made films for fun, but about two years ago I really started to dive more into video production.

I changed my major over Christmas break this year to Multimedia for Business with a minor in Entrepreneurship,” Oliver said. Oliver said his experience as a Benjamin student prepared him for life in a multitude of ways.

“I learned discipline and responsibility. I learned how to effectively communicate with professionals and build relationships with my professors. Taking Mr. Archer’s classes really helped me get a background in production. I have always made videos for fun, but I have just recently realized I want to make a career out of it,” said Oliver. He said his dream project would be to travel the world making videos and one day direct/produce a movie.

“His ability to not just grasp the storytelling and filmmaking concepts, but to expand on them led to his producing a short film that was far above anything seen in the beginning TV class.

To this day, his first project in that class is used as a positive learning tool for the students in the program. The fact that Chase is using the skills he acquired here at Benjamin and is putting them to use in the ‘real world,’ with such great results, makes me a very proud and satisfied teacher. I can honestly say I am not surprised about the accolades he is receiving, and look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Chase,” said Archer.

Archer said the television program at Benjamin is so much more than preparing students for a Broadcast/Film major in college.

“We are preparing all students, regardless of their major, for life in general. We incorporate a 21st Century skill set into a hands-on, project-based, fun curriculum that serves to teach each student what is being called the key components to functioning in today’s workforce (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Creativity, Collaboration and Teamwork). Students leave this program and Benjamin with the skills needed to not only function in today’s college environment or workplace, but to be successful as well,” said Archer.

Director of Multimedia Productions Ken Archer said Oliver displayed a unique passion for TV and filmmaking that was evident very early.

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

SHAY PRADETTO ’16 TRAVELS TO HONDURAS DURING MEDICAL MISSION Shay Pradetto ’16, a student at the University of Alabama, reflects on her week spent in Choluteca, Honduras in an email to her former teacher Sara Salivar.

“This week was unbelievably eye-opening! I cannot imagine living in a world and not knowing how to read, write, or be aware of anything that happens outside of the village. I learned a lot about their way of living, the government, their medical care, and country overall. The people were so warm and appreciative of everything we did.

We had three days of clinicals and saw over 1,000 patients. It was bewildering to see that they have to wait an entire year for simple things that we take for granted. Even ibuprofen has to be prescribed.

The last two days were for manual labor. We dug trenches for pipelines to bring running water to wells and built latrines. It was so fulfilling being able to help them achieve their dream of having running water and to have a bathroom/shower in each village.

I went with five others from “Bama”, and we combined with students from Auburn and NCSU to make around 30 of us. I actually ended up being everyone’s little personal

translator because my Spanish came back quickly! Having no other option other than only speaking their language really pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I became so confident in only a week! I’d love to see what could happen after spending more time in a foreign country.

There was just so much love. I am so thankful that I got to have this opportunity! Our mission in this world never ends. Thank you for having such an impact on me as a person and for challenging me with Spanish when I was in high school (even though I fought it). This experience made my heart that much fuller.”

MADDY APPLE ’07 MAKES BROADWAY DEBUT IN HELLO, DOLLY! Maddy Apple ’07 made her Broadway debut on July 10 at the Shubert Theatre as part of the ensemble cast of ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Apple, a graduate of New York University, is performing alongside Bernadette Peters and Bette Midler. After the show closes in late August, she will be going on the national tour of Hello, Dolly!. The national tour will come to the Kravis Center in December.

“Maddy was a dynamic, bright star at TBS during her years with us. Not only was she a stellar academic student at TBS and at NYU, but she thrived in the 62

Arts, in particular, dance, drama, musical theatre and vocal music,” said Performing Arts Department Chair Sara Salivar.

“Her leadership was amazing and she served as Drama Club president and Dazzler captain her junior and senior year . . . Maddy is living proof that dreams really do come true!”

Hello, Dolly! is directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The first national tour of Hello, Dolly! begins October 2.

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI UPDATES Each spring, The Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an alumnus/a of The Benjamin School. The award recognizes exceptional achievement and significant contribution to the recipient’s profession, the community and/ or the School. Here’s what five of Benjamin’s Distinguished Alumni have been doing since receiving their award.

Meredith Ahr ’97

“In November 2015, my husband, Greg, and I welcomed our second child, Dylan Joseph. He and his big sister, Olivia, became fast friends, and our house is filled with the bustling activity of a 4 and 2 year old. Upon returning to work after maternity leave, I was fortunate enough to receive a new professional challenge from NBC Universal, where I have now worked for almost 17 years. I moved from the buying side of television series for NBC to the selling and producing side, forming a new studio called Universal Television Alternative Studio, of which I am the President. My colleagues and I create new unscripted formats to launch in the US and around the globe, and then build the teams to make them. We have produced series including the NBC game show, “The Wall” and “World of Dance” with Jennifer Lopez, and we have many exciting projects coming, including a maker competition with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (“Making It”), and a thrilling physical competition series hosted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“The Titan Games”). It has been rewarding to see the excitement and possibility generated when creatives think about building brands that will entertain a global audience in a rapidly evolving and increasingly connected world.”

Mark Swift ’88

“Since receiving the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2014, my writing partner and I wrote the ‘Baywatch’ movie starring The Rock and Zac Efron, a live-action film for Disney called ‘Genie’ which is a prequel to the animated classic ‘Aladdin’, the ‘Starship Troopers’ reboot for Sony, and an original script ‘Bermuda Triangle’ for Skydance which will hopefully begin filming next year directed by Sam Raimi. When not writing movies, I’ve also enjoyed catching up with Benjamin alums at reunions in Los Angeles and New York!”

Congressman Tom Rooney ’89

US Representative Tom Rooney announced he would not seek a 6th term in Congress. “After 10 years serving Florida in the House of Representatives, it’s time to give someone else a turn. I look forward to

coming home to Florida and starting a new chapter in life,” said Rooney. Tom’s three sons (Tommy Jr 16, Sean Patrick 14, and Seamus 11) will attend Benjamin in the Fall.

Andy Larson ’91

“I continue to practice general and bariatric (weight loss) surgery here in Palm Beach County at JFK Medical Center, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Palms West Hospital, and, closer to home, JFK Medical Center’s North Campus. I have served as the president of the Palm Beach County Medical society representing the interests of over 3,500 Palm Beach county doctors and their patients. Currently, I am the chairman of the Palm Beach County Medical Society Services’ program called Project Access which coordinates medical care amongst volunteer physicians, hospitals, labs, and imaging centers for persons of need who do not have access to health insurance. I have been involved with this organization for 12 years now. Along with my wife, Benjamin alumna Ivy Larson ’94, we have written five books and are working on our sixth which will be available nationally this fall. As the book is titled “Clean Cuisine Cookbook” and I am far from comfortable in the kitchen, this one will be Ivy’s effort essentially alone freeing me to comment on the photography. Together we run the website cleancuisine.com which offers hundreds of recipes and clean eating tips as well as fitness tips and videos. My son Blake is graduating Benjamin in 2019 and is looking forward to college and a career most likely in computer science. Perhaps his children will choose to attend Benjamin too, someday!”

Lisa Arline ’68

“It was truly an honor to receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2012. I continue to enjoy teaching French at The Benjamin Lower School and every day I look forward to seeing the bright, smiling faces of students in the PK3 through Grade 5 French classes. When Mr. Benjamin hired me in 1978, he gave me the following advice, ‘Make it fun for your students.’ I could not have ever imagined how much fun it would be for me these many years.”

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

TBS ALUMNI RETURN HOME TO TEACH, WORK Fourteen alumni of The Benjamin School and North Palm Beach Private have returned home to pursue careers at the School. Lisa Arline, a former North Palm Beach Private student, said Mr. Benjamin hired her “fresh out of college.”

“These many years later, it is still a joy, honor, and privilege to be a part of the Benjamin family,” said Arline.

Here made

are their

six time

alumni recounting at Benjamin so

what special.

Cherie Fromson ’93 Assistant Director of Admission

“One of my favorite memories was spending time in Ms. Twitchell’s office, hanging out with friends on her bean bag chairs.

She was always someone who you could talk to, laugh with, or just sit and do homework with. She has truly been an institution in the college counseling office over the past decades and her friendship was a highlight of my time at the Upper School.”

Juan Carlos Fanjul ’93 Chief Development Officer

“It was my senior year and I was a TBS thespian actively taking part in the Drama Club sponsored by Mrs. Salivar. I had been pretty funny in the hysterical Fall play “Noises Off” playing the ridiculous Phillip Brent.

But when the Spring Musical “Fame” came around, there was one problem: I couldn’t sing. Mrs. Salivar said “no problema” and she changed one of the lead singing characters, “Joe,” to a speaking role. It showed me there is always a place at Benjamin for everyone, no matter where the talent lies. It also made me feel included at an age where you never wanted to be excluded. Thank you Mrs. Salivar for helping me while sparing the audience of my terrible singing voice.”

Caron (Wissner) Martin ’93 Grade 3

“When I think about Benjamin, one of my favorite memories has to be my fifth grade year. The entire year was amazing. Mrs. Hogan was my homeroom teacher and language arts teacher.

Mrs. Ashley taught math and science. For me, that was the best combination of teachers possible. With Mrs. Hogan we memorized and studied poems . . . “half a league, half a league, half a league onward!” We learned about both Greek and Roman myths, and I can still answer every question on Jeopardy! when 64

those are topics. We made puppets and did a show at the art fair . . . I was the queen from the Tinder Box and I got to be the “pet rock” for The Gingerbread Man. It was all magical.

In fact, sitting in the top drawer of every desk I’ve ever had as a teacher is my dictionary given to me in fifth grade . . . Adding to the memories I have of Mrs. Hogan, my two sons were lucky enough to have her as well. They too benefited from her wisdom, her poems, and her love of mythology. While Mrs. Hogan made language arts come alive for me, Mrs. Ashley did the impossible - she made math (my most hated subject, sorry Mom) fun. Knowing math was not my best subject, Mrs. Ashley worked with me before school, after school and during class to make sure I understood what was going on. She never made me feel less because I didn’t catch on as fast. She took the fear out of math for me . . . She inspired me to be a teacher.”

Amanda (Warner) Pierman ’97 Upper School Science

“The Benjamin School has played a pivotal role in my life. Not only did it provide me with a fantastic education and experience, but also this is where I met my husband, Jason! . . . Everytime I use the elevator I am reminded of Mr. Wissner (there is a funny story as to why the elevator!). He was probably my greatest influence as a teacher/student and later as a teacher/teacher. I was never very good at social studies as a student, and the thought of a British girl learning about American history was not only, at the time I thought, comical but it was rather daunting as I had no background knowledge from which to pull. Mr. Wissner made his class like story time each and every day. He taught in such an easy going manner with jokes and funnies thrown in along the way that it made the learning come easily. My preconception of my looming failure was soon dispelled, especially from the kind guidance and encouragement from Mr. Wiz. His kindness and guidance continued when I returned as a teacher.

I miss his pearls of wisdom, his wry sense of humor and funny stories. One thing that still amazes me is how he (and many other teachers) could remember not only the names of all their students (past and present), but minute details about their families and interests . . . I have both my children attending The Benjamin School. I couldn’t imagine them going anywhere else.”

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

Jenna Smith ’07

Alumni Relations Manager

“One of my favorite teachers and coaches at Benjamin was Coach Ream. I was personally terrible at math and spent countless hours with Coach Ream because he refused to let me fall behind or receive a “low grade” in his class because I just wasn’t understanding. He believed in me and many of us, when we didn’t believe in ourselves. He is always positive, uplifting, energetic and truly a gem. What a privilege to have had Coach Ream as a teacher, mentor and coach. It’s the dedication, loyalty, determination, love and support from faculty members like Coach Ream who make a difference, touch lives, impact others and make The Benjamin School such a special, unique and truly one-of-a-kind place. The connections, atmosphere and sense of family throughout the entire school is truly what makes this special place second to none.

I’m forever grateful to have had the opportunity to attend such a great school.”

Sara Misselhorn ’90 Upper School Social Studeies

“Mr. Richard Ridgway’s inventive way of teaching and effervescent personality lead Benjamin students to not only succeed in the classroom, but inspired many careers in different social science fields. Students might recall his jinglebell-adorned moustache around Christmas-time or his constant upbeat attitude, and definitely his multi-varied teaching style. His love for the subject of history and his insistence on bringing in current events opened our eyes to the world and beyond the hallowed halls of Benjamin. He was the first to teach A.P. U.S. History at Benjamin and encouraged his students to apply for internships, to volunteer for campaigns and to work hard in all that they did.

I remember an assignment in which he videotaped each student’s presentation on their pitch to remedy a 3rd world economic issue. He would occasionally pan to the “audience” with the huge VHS video camera to capture their reactions - he caught someone rolling their eyes and played it over and over for everyone! Mr. Ridgway had a love for his subject, teaching, his students and Richard Ridgeway the school. He was so enthusiastic and was representative of all that TBS is about. I try to emulate his passion.

Congressman Thomas Rooney ’89 told me he also enjoyed the experience of having Mr. Ridgeway as a teacher. “Mr. Ridgway sparked my interest in politics. His enthusiasm as a teacher was contagious and fun. He was a great man,” Rooney said.

Mr. Ridgway’s wife, Georgeann Ridgway still comes in as a substitute at the Upper School, and was a long-time librarian and softball coach at Benjamin. Their daughter, Karen Ridgway Szota, graduated in 1990, and says while finding sitting in her father’s classroom difficult, she appreciated having both of her parents on campus day-to-day. TBS and the Ridgways were truly a family affair.”

Left to Right: Caron Martin ’93, Jenna Smith ’07, Ryan Smith ’93, Ami Reece ’86, Lisa Arline, Amanda Pierman ’97, Jamie Cowles ’04, Victora Sloane ’08, Sara Davis ’05, Sara Misselhorn ’10, Marti Lotman ’06, Jessy Padon ’01, Cheire Fromson ’94, Juan Carlos Fanjul ’93

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

2017 - 2018 Events

Alumni Holiday Party

Class of ’07 10 Year Reunion

Alumni At Homecoming Game

Alumni Networking Breakfast 66

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES Stuart Pavlik ’69 has spent 35 years in sport fishing media and marine conservation work, managing the accounts of UK-based Angling International magazine for the past seven years in the US and Canada. Stuart is based in North Palm Beach where he resides with his wife Patty and is an avid angler with extensive travel experiences.

in the U.S. Army on active duty and in the National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 with the XVIII Airborne Corps. He has participated in and provided legal advice for numerous National Special Security Events to include the 56th, 57th, and 58th Presidential Inaugurations. Ltc. Sudder has also assisted in the Department of Defense’s response to National Emergencies the Keith A. Au ’79, part of the first gradu- past 13 years, most recently Hurricanes ating class at Benjamin, celebrated the Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate. marriage of his son Alan H.M. Au on May 26, 2018.

Shannon (Skemp) Mackey ’92 and her husband recently premiered their new Clifton Perry ’86 (NPBPS ’80), has documentary “The Business of Autism” been the Head Equipment Manager at in New York. The expository documenPrinceton University since June 2004. tary film charts the economic and sociHe is married to wife Jennifer and the etal benefits of employing young adults couple have two daughters, Hope (16) with autism. Mackey and her husband and Hayden (9). He was recently elect- are co-owners of Notaviva Vineyards ed as President of the AEMA (Athletic (vineyard & winery) and Mesh OmniEquipment Managers Association) and media (creative agency) both located in began a four-year-term in June 2018. Purcellville, VA. His passion is raising money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation which is trying to find a cure for Childhood Cancer. He was introduced to this philanthropy 11 years ago by Mr. Nick Crisafi (current TBS teacher) and in those 11 years has raised over $115,000.

Ltc. Richard Sudder ’89 was awarded the Army Reserve Judge Advocate Outstanding Career award for 2017 by the Judge Advocate Association. Ltc. Sudder is the Deputy Commander for the D.C. National Guard Legal Support Office serving the National Guard Bureau. He has served as a Judge Advocate for 18 years

Kristen Desmond LeFevre ’93 is an award-winning freelance writer whose work frequently appears in regional magazines like Palm Beach Illustrated, Gold Coast, and Jupiter Magazine. Her writing has recently been honored with a Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Communication, and a Sunshine State Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Kristen and her husband Joffre live in North Palm Beach.

Their three children attend The Benjamin School.

Kelly Alling ’96 and husband Ted started a charter school for boys in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The School opened its doors this August to 60 sixth-grade boys from underserved communities.

Jared Slade ’99 recently became a partner at Alston & Bird LLP. Jared, a litigator, lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Katy, and two daughters (now aged six and three).

Ali (Beuckman) Reilly ’05 is raising her sons, Benjamin students, Jake (Kindergarten) and Luke (WOW) in Jupiter with her husband James. James is the President and COO of Red Violet, a data fusion company.

Natalie Bedoya McGinn ’00 just moved back to Florida after more than five years in New York City. She, her husband, Tim McGinn, and their two daughters, Beatriz (age 3), and Lucia (age 1), are living in Coral Gables.

Paige Maltby Bollenbacher ’01, Kimberly O’Rourke Draper ’01 and Jessy Fulford Padon ’01 reunited in Carmel, California in October 2017. Paige, a preschool and Middle School science teacher, lives in Delray Beach, Florida with her husband, Donald and children, Mallory (6) and Brynn (3). Kim and her husband Kent live in Sydney, Australia with their children Gemma (3) and Wes (1). Jessy lives in Jupiter with her husband, Brent, and two children, Hazel (6) and Henry (3) who are both students at Benjamin.

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The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

Leigh (Torretta) Riemer ’03 is the Head of Revenue and Market Strategy at BuzzFeed’s Tasty. Launched 2.5 years ago, Tasty quickly grew to become the largest food network in the world and recently surpassed Amazon and Instagram in its ability to reach millennials online.

Leigh recently keynoted Atomicon, and upcoming engagements include Women in Media. Leigh credits her experience at Benjamin with helping to develop her public speaking skills from a young age.

Leigh and her husband Ryan live in Los Angeles, CA and are ecstatic to be expecting their first child this August.

Maija Benincasa ’03 announced her new luxury women’s footwear line, Benincasa Milano, in February. Her collection of handmade shoes launched in April. The stylish line of shoes introduces custom technology to alleviate pain from wearing high heels via a direct-to-consumer model. After a shoe is purchased, Benincasa uses patent-pending technology to create custom insoles that are specifically designed to prevent ball of foot pain.

Using the brand’s proprietary Fit Kit, which is sent to the customer via mail, an impression of each foot is taken and a custom insole is created. Maija’s sister Anne Benincasa Stockstill ’00 heads up operations and sales for the shoe line.

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Tracy de Lemos ’04 was recognized by solutions for healthcare organizations. In Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in mid August, their company announced a the field of Eminent Domain for 2018.

Series A investment of $5.5 million, led

by Tampa-based Axioma Ventures LLC, Sam Cohen ’04 has joined Lesser, Less- backed by Howard Jenkins, former CEO er, Landy & Smith as a personal injury of Publix Super Markets, which follows attorney. Sam is currently focusing on their $4.5 million in seed round funding, representing injured clients as well as that closed in June. raising awareness for important causes like Cancer Alliance for Help and Hope (No Shave November Event), Education Advocacy Project at Legal Aid, and The AustinBlu Foundation (YLS Fishing Tournament). He also focuses his time with the Florida Off Road Cycling Enthusiasts as the organization’s current Classmates Catherine Anne Cassidy Secretary. Sam is a fan of the arts and is a ’07, Hillary Weiss ’07, Margaret Spicer current Young Friends of the Palm Beach ’07, Kellie Gerardi and two friends met Opera member and a Young Friends of in Tokyo, Japan for a reunion vacation the Kravis member. in April this year. Catherine Anne is completing her PhD in computer science and works for the digital heritage company Smart History at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Hillary Weiss created her own company in New York City that offers copywriting and ghostwriting as well as instructs other brands and small companies to Mike O’Brien ’05 recently returned find their own voice and writing style. home from seven months in the Nan- Margaret Spicer practices internationgarhar Province of Afghanistan with the al trade law at the law firm White & 82nd Airborne Division. He earned the Case in Washington D.C. Kellie GerarCombat Infantryman’s Badge and other di works in aerospace and defense and deployment awards for his performance was named a Scientist-Astronaut Canof kinetic operations against ISIS and as- didate with Project PoSSUM, the first sistance with the mission of Afghani Spe- crewed suborbital research program. cial Operations Units.

Leah Dirkse ’08 returned to the Benjamin Upper School in April to present on Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention. For the past three years, she has been working with the 9th and 10th graders in their classrooms and the upperclassmen in assemblies to raise awareness around topics like sexual violence, healthy relationships, survivor David Wenger ’06 & Judson Lathe ’06 support, and bystander intervention. are the Chief Executive Officer and In December 2017, she represented Chief Operating Officer, respectively, Women Organized Against Rape, Philaof Bridge Connector, a healthcare data delphia’s rape crisis center, and presentintegration platform as a service (iPaas) ed at the National Sex Ed Conference in that delivers streamlined integration Atlantic City, NJ.

Alumni Focus ★ The Buccaneer

on November 24, 2017, where Jenna thought she was hosting an intimate ’surprise birthday party’ for Ryan. Ryan secretly caught wind of the party and surprised her with a proposal! They are getting married in October 2018. Jenna works at Benjamin and was recently proHannah Gross ’13 spent last summer moted to the Alumni Relations and Spelearning German in Berlin and later cial Events Manager. She also owns and moved to New York City in Septem- operates a local event/wedding planning ber 2017. She currently works for company, Your Sparkling Event. Ryan is the Patron Program at Carnegie Hall, currently the Food and Beverage Manag- Alexandra Taylor ’08 and Kevin Devine which specializes in fundraising and er at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray ’06 became engaged on December 08, development for the center. As a for- Beach.

2017 in Central Park. Kevin and Alexmer Key Club member at TBS, Hanandra started dating after meeting in high nah has continued her commitment to school, and the rest is history! service and mentoring as a member of the NYC Chapter of the Kiwanis Club.

Grant Gyland ’07 became engaged to Moneka White in June of 2017. The wedding is planned for the end of April Kristi Bentz ’10 graduated from The 2018 in Saint Petersburg, FL where they Juilliard School in 2014 with a BFA in met while attending Eckerd College. dance and scholastic distinction. She has been working with The Lyon Opera Ballet as a soloist for the past four years.

She frequently travels with the company, which is based in Lyon, France. Last year the company won Company of the Year at The International Opera Awards.

Weddings/Engagements

Tiffany (Geiger) Chaplin ’08 and Cory Chaplin ’08, middle school sweethearts and both Benjamin alumni, wed on the beach in Singer Island November 18th, 2017.

Babies

Katie Lotman ’08 became engaged to her college sweetheart Albert McKay in October 2017. They are getting married in February 2019 on Palm Beach.

They reside in Atlanta where Katie has been with Coca-Cola for 6 years and has recently been named Brand Manager, Monica Samson ’05 and her husband Portfolio Innovation within their brand welcomed Amelia Joy on March 14, innovation incubator VEB. 2018. Amelia joins the family with big Jenna Smith ’07 and Ryan Wittbold bebrother Jack. came engaged in Palm Beach Gardens 69

The Buccaneer ★ Alumni Focus

Sara Parker ’05 and her husband David Badham welcomed their first-born son, Warner Alexander Badham on October 1, 2017. Sara and David were married in 2016 in Florence, Italy. Alums including Cassie McIntosh ’05, Kelly Davey ’05, Leslie Patterson ’05, Hunter Parker ’07 and Paul Muenzer ’07 were in attendance. Sara and her family reside in New York City. Sara and her husband both work for private equity firmts.

Lauren (O’Neill) Jennings ’07 and her husband welcomed their first child Hunter on October 14.

Krystan and John Allen ’02 welcomed their tall and beautiful daughter, Ivy Megan McLaughlin ’00 her husband Madison Allen, into the world on Octo- Juan Mullerat welcomed their third child ber 15, 2017.

Jordi Pau Mullerat. Shown in the photo are proud parents Juan Mullerat, Megan McLaughlin ’00, and Juan’s brother Jaime, with baby Jordi and big sisters Margarita and Rose The couple reside in Miami and would love to hear from any fellow TBS alumni in the area!

Juan Carlos Fanjul ’93 and his wife Dr. Helia Fanjul welcomed their daughter Ariana on June 24, 2018. Ariana came into this world weighing 5 lbs. 11 oz and measuring 18 inches. This is the couple’s first child.

Matthew Goldberger ’06 and his wife Kathryn welcomed their first child, Jacob Goldberger. Matthew launched his own law firm, The Goldberger Firm, in West Palm Beach, focusing on personal injury, criminal defense and commercial litigation.

Shaina Kamen (Shaina Schallop ’01) and Christine Casey Magee ’11 and her hus- husband Garrett welcomed their daughband Ryan welcomed their first child ter Reese on February 24th in New York Jonathan Corey ’07 and his wife Jenna in June 2018. They live in Jupiter, City. welcomed their first child, Clark Michael FL and Christine owns her own photography company, Christine Magee Corey.

Photography.

70

Class of 2018

Gavin Anderson Auburn University

Jennifer Barre

Georgetown University

Steele Carlson

Kristofer Armstrong

Kay Baker

College of Charleston

New York University

Katy Blain

John Bowen College of the Holy Cross

University of Miami

Kara Constantakos

Zachary Cotronakis

Roderick Crawford

Washington & Lee University

Florida Atlantic University

University of Colorado at Boulder

Adam den Bakker

Ethan Denenberg

Rollins College

Anna Baker

University of Florida

Indiana University at Bloomington

The George Washington University

Sophia DeRosa

The University of Texas, Austin

Sydney Burnett

Alessandra Baldari Yale University

Scott Burstein Duke University

Joanna Delgado

Wake Forest University

The University of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mason Domino

Erik Donado

Florida State University

Florida Atlantic University

The Benjamin School

Brandon Doner Temple University

Robert Fournie

Tyler Donten

Jessica Drettmann University of South Carolina

Pennsylvania State University

Samantha Fried

Seamus Coffey Gallagher Northeastern University

The University of Tampa

University of Mississippi

Rollins College

Dartmouth College

Griffin Garvey

Natalie Gaudet

Southern Methodist University

Conor Greene The College of Wooster

Stetson University

Olivia Gruner

University of Florida

Logan Gelberd

Purdue University

Varun Hariharan

Univ. of California at Los Angeles

Sean Farahani

Yuan Gao

Nathan Gordon

Heidelberg University

Kendall Harrow

The University of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sabrina Fonda

Winthrop University

Stephen Gardner

Florida State University

Kailey Graziotto

Oxford College of Emory University

Robert Hemmes

College of Charleston

Class of 2018

Sophie Hoffman

Texas Christian University

Lily Jezerinac

The University of Arizona

Jenna Key

University of Colorado at Boulder

Paul LaNoce

Lehigh University

Susan Hollenbeck

Nina Houri

High Point University

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Sarah Kahn

Matthew Kaneb

High Point University

Shane Kipple

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Alexander Lappin

Wake Forest University

Amherst College

Reese Kline

Tulane University

Lauren Lindahl

Florida State University

Rockwell Howley Tulane University

Alexandra Katz

University of Mississippi

Roberto Lama

Stanford University

Jingyi Ling

The New School: Parsons

Qiuman (Lisa) Huang University of Pennsylvania

Kylie Kempe Johns Hopkins University

Emma Lange

Dickinson College

Matthew Lopes

Washington University in St. Louis

The Benjamin School

Claire Lord

Joshua Lukas

Jamie Lynch

Margaret Mahon

Smith College

Florida Gulf Coast University

Boston College

Jack McCluskey

Abigale Mendelson

Isabelle Michelon

Colton Moir

William Nicklaus

Nicholas Nielsen

Rollins College

Cameron Murphy Florida Atlantic University

Lindsay Oster

University of South Florida, Tampa

University of South Florida, Tampa

Steven Nicklaus

Florida State University

Charlie Parker

University of Central Florida

Fordham University

U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Charles Peckham

University of Colorado at Boulder

Southern Methodist University

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Westminster College

Fabian Perez

Palm Beach State College

Alexa McAvoy Emerson College

Jessica Morgan

University of Miami

Emma O’Hare

The Ohio State University

Ryan Postman

University of Michigan

Class of 2018

Da Mya Preston

Florida A&M University

Anthony Rooney Denison University

Thatcher Seiss

University of North Georgia

Aaron Steinhart Stetson University

Emily Primm

University of Florida

Carolyn Rose

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Roya Shirzad

University of Georgia

Alyssa Suarez

Florida State University

Emily Reback

University of North Florida

Acadia Rubin

Mark Reece

University of Virginia

Regan Russell

Jasua Samuel

Brown University

Louisiana State University

Keiarra Slack

Ashley Sniffen

University of Missouri Columbia

Nicholas Taplett

Winthrop University

Margaret Regnery

University of Utah

University of Pennsylvania

Isaiah Thomas

Vanderbilt University

Florida Atlantic University

Sarah Stamp

Colorado College

Jordan Travis

University of Louisville

The Benjamin School

Amanda Viola

Kent Waxman

Isaac Wiggins

Anise Williams

Wake Forest University

The University of Tampa

Elon University

Goucher College

Xike (Coco) Yue

University of Washington

Martin Weisz

University of Virginia

Marine Wolff

Georgetown University

Colton Zecca

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Jackson Wiener

Florida State University

Guillermo Wulff

University of S. Florida, Tampa

William Ziff

Wake Forest University

Robert S. Goldberg, Head of School THE BUCCANEER Marti Lotman ‘06 Publications & Communications Manager

Contributing Photographers Enduring Impressions Christine Magee Photography Moya Photography Julie O’Brien Photography Erica Sousa W Studio

Photo Submissions Nick Crisafi, Jeaneen Garcia, Jeff Johansen, Jessy Fulford Padon ’01, Jenna Smith '07, Rhonda Thomas

Advancement Office Staff Marketing Jessy Fulford Padon ‘01

Director of Marketing

Publications & Communications Manager

Marti Lotman ‘06 Rhonda Thomas Web Manager

Development Juan Carlos Fanjul ‘93 Chief Development Officer Stephanie Crawley Development Database and Donor Services Manager Donna Minard Director of Annual Giving and Special Events Jenna Smith '07 Alumni Relations and Special Events Manager

Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BCH, FL PERMIT #474

The Benjamin School strives to attract and support a diverse and talented student body, faculty, and staff. Applicants for admission or employment will not be denied based on race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability.