BERKSHIRE B U L L E T I N Spring/Summer 2016
/ Opening Shot /
Commencement 2016 will be remembered for a number of reasons, not the least of which are the two speakers, Peter Bahr ’16 and Lynette Prescott ’81, P’14, P’16, both of whom delivered meaningful messages. An excerpt of Peter’s speech can be found on page 31, while Lynette’s full speech can be accessed on page 34.
“ The fullness and the excitement of life are in the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the questions that fuel your curiosity. Pour propellant on them. Picture the last time you found yourself in pursuit: muscles taut, belly hungry, cells adrenaline-charged, imagination inspired. Live there.” — Lynette Prescott ’81, P’14, P’16
Luminaries leading to the Prize Night tent. Photo by Britt Plante Cover: Students enjoying the sunrise from Black Rock during the last days of the school year. Photo by Sarina Addy ‘17
/ Reflection Spring/Summer 2016
Our Mission
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Rooted in an inspiring natural setting, Berkshire School instills the highest standards of character and citizenship and a commitment to academic, artistic, and athletic excellence. Our community fosters diversity, a dedication to environmental stewardship, and an enduring love for learning. Alice Ehrenclou Cole ’76 CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Pieter M. Mulder HEAD OF SCHOOL
Rob Schur DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Carol Visnapuu DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
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Bulletin Editor: Virginia Watkins SENIOR WRITER
Bears at Play Editor: Lucia Q. Mulder
Features
Departments
SENIOR WRITER, ADVANCEMENT
Class Notes Editor: Kristina Thaute Miller ’97
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Beyond the Core
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Commencement 2016
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Design: Hammill Design
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Printing: Quality Printing Company
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Jeremy Miller ’96
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Class Notes
Reunion 2016
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In Memoriam
IBC Closing Conundrum
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
Photography: Chip Riegel, Gregory Cherin, Michael Hayes, Highpoint Pictures, Lucia Mulder, Britt Plante, Risley Sports Photography, Virginia Watkins, the Berkshire Archives Class notes: classnotes@berkshireschool.org All other alumni matters: alumni@berkshireschool.org
Berkshire School admits students of any race, color, religious affiliation, national and ethnic origin and qualified handicapped students to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students. We do not discriminate in violation of any law or statute in the administration of our educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
Published by Berkshire School’s Communications and Marketing Office and Advancement Office for alumni, parents, and Spring/Summer friends of the School. 2015
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SEEN AROUND 1. Late afternoon over the turf fields 2. Spring dance concert 3. Fire pit on a Saturday night 4. Green & Gray leadership changes hands 5. Mountain Day 6. Senior Prank, Part 2 7. “Senior Selfies� exhibit 8. Spring Play: Flipping Channels 9. Senior Dinner, honoring those who pledge to support the Annual Fund over the next four years 10. Green & Gray leaders 2015-2016 Photos by Julia Cohan, Britt Plante, Michael Hayes, Evan Nielsen, Lucia Mulder, and Virginia Watkins
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/ Reflection /
REMEMBERING JEAN ERICK JOASSAINT This spring, Berkshire lost an iconic and beloved teacher in Jean Erick Joassaint. At Berkshire from the fall of 2002 through the spring of 2013, his impact on the students and faculty alike was great. From his booming laugh to his toughness on the JV soccer field, he will not soon be forgotten. You can read his full obituary, sent by his daughter, Emmanuelle, on page 72.
A Tribute to Norm Merrill
An excerpt from Head of School Pieter Mulder’s letter to the School community on May 23, 2016:
At this year’s Reunion, former English faculty Hilary Russell delivered this poem in memory of longtime faculty member Norm Merrill at the Service of Remembrance.
Ephemerals Bloodroot heaves up its small, starry self every May, then dies off except for its one clasping leaf. My friend Norman and I would look for it behind Keep House on our way to meals. I’d say — Norm, I saw the bloodroot. He’d say — Yes, they’re back. It was shaking hands, a confirmation bishop-less in God’s hand-built house. After Norm finally retired — the loved and much lauded teacher of classics — he returned home to Vermont, lived not long, and reclined with relatives on a high mowing to which our train of cars switch-backed up and up until, as close to the grave-side tent as we could get, we parked and slowly pushed ourselves up the last hundred yards, thinking, Well we’re up here, Norm. Then wishing, We’ll come back to see you every spring. —Hilary Russell
As the remembrances and tributes stream in, one from a former student stands out: “Mr. J was a day-changer.” A day-changer, indeed. This could come in the form of a well-timed conversation with a student in need, or a story from his earlier life in Haiti that extolled the virtues of persistence, compassion, and respect for those less fortunate, or in the lift that his smile provided amidst long, busy, tiring days at Berkshire. A favorite memory for me is a School Meeting in Allen Theater during his final spring at Berkshire. Students in studio art secretly painted a portrait to give him as a departing gift on behalf of the School. The moment of its unveiling came, and the entirety of our community…a collective 500 students, faculty, and staff…leapt to their feet as one to cheer. For once…for once he was speechless, smiling broadly, and basking in the thunderous and well-earned ovation of a community that clearly understood the special gifts he had shared with us all.
“Never has our community seen a bigger, more engaging smile nor heard a quicker and heartier laugh.” —Pieter Mulder, Head of School
Corrections: In the Campus News section of the Fall/Winter 2016 issue of the Bulletin, Juliet Shatkin’s name was spelled incorrectly. We apologize for this error.
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In the In Memoriam section of the Fall/Winter 2016 issue of the Bulletin, David McChesney ’66’s obituary was listed beneath the wrong heading, naming, instead, his brother Dean. The corrected obituary is at right. We could not be sorrier for this mistake.
David McChesney ’66 David McChesney, 68, of Greenport, NY died peacefully at his home on August 2, 2015. He is survived by his loving wife, Jan Harting-McChesney, his daughter Jill McChesney, his father Harvey McChesney Jr., and his two brothers Harvey III ’65 and Dean ’67.
/ Campus News /
Berkshire Student Takes Top Prize at National Invention Convention
Mathieu’s future plans include developing a hardware device to assist with lip-reading that would enable a hearing impaired user to have a conversation without the need for a sign language translator.
Eli Mathieu ’19 recently earned top honors for his invention Listen4Me, an app that detects the sound of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and alerts the hearing impaired. Mathieu took home first place in the 9-12th grade division at the the National Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo (NICEE) held May 19-21 in Alexandria, Virginia. “I feel that my technology can vastly improve the ability for the hearing impaired to communicate,” Mathieu said, adding that, “current solutions for hearing impaired individuals to learn how to lip read, as well as translating spoken words is limited and flawed at best. I believe that my solution can create more opportunities for the hard of hearing than ever before.” In April, Mathieu was invited as a speaker to the Connecticut Invention Convention, an event he’s been attending since the third grade. Dubbed
a Next Step Inventor, he spoke in front of more than 1,200 students, parents, and industry sponsors. The 15-year-old from Colchester, Connecticut, began creating Listen4Me as a seventh grader at Talcott Mountain Academy. Listen4Me responds by making an emergency call without user input, according to its creator, whose inventions have been largely inspired by a childhood friend who has a hearing disability. As a third grader, Mathieu created iHear, a technology that limits the peak volume of headphones to reduce damage from loud music. Mathieu’s future plans include developing a hardware device to assist with lip-reading that would enable a hearing impaired user to have a conversation without the need for a sign language translator. In addition to earning Mathieu the top prize among high school
students, Listen4Me also received a Global Change Award for Accessibility, an award sponsored by Microsoft, “that recognizes inventors who stand to make major change in the world with their inventions.” Listen4Me is currently available on the Google Play Store. For more information, visit listen4me.com.
Eli spoke in front of more than 1,200 students, parents, and industry sponsors.
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/ Campus News /
IT TAKES 2 Berkshire’s Music Program Continues to Grow
Berkshire’s music program is synonymous on campus with its directors, Dr. Clive Davis and Dr. Tasia Wu, who also happen to be married. They work as a team to offer students a multifaceted and dynamic musical experience, one that covers all aspects of music education, from instrumental to voice, from visiting artists to live performances. Davis says, “We want students to have positive, life-changing experiences, experiences that prove the ways that music is integral and necessary in all of our lives.”
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LIVE PERFORMANCES
VISITING ARTIST PERFORMANCES
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INSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF CLASS
Bears Strike a Chord with the MMEA Andrea Cass ’17, Noah Faison ’16, and Shuvam Chakraborty ’16 were selected in January to the Massachusetts Music Educators Association AllState Music Festival. They performed in Boston’s Symphony Hall in March.
Berkshire Bulletin
Aviation Student Scores Big By Michael Lee P’94, ’06, ’10, ’19 Aviation Science Program Director
Every aviation science student at Berkshire has the opportunity to take the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Exam to be a private pilot. The test is geared toward adults and very comprehensive, covering aerodynamics, engines, aircraft systems, weather, regulations, flight planning, weight and balance, and aircraft performance. And even among adults, about 30 percent fail on the first try. In 2011, Berkshire student Theo Friedman ’11 scored a 93 percent and was the only student at Berkshire in our seven-year run to get above a 90. Until this year. Stephen Matlock ’17 took the exam this year, bringing home a 95 percent. Since I had promised my prized airplane tie to anyone who could beat Theo’s record, I happily handed it over. When asked how he did it, Stephen replied, “Lots of practice tests.” Most students do two or three practice tests in the lead up to the exam, so I asked what he meant by lots. He replied, “About 25 to 30.” Now that’s effort!
AP Student Art Exhibit Berkshire’s 2016 AP Art Show in the Warren Family Gallery featured the work of seven sixth formers utilizing a variety of media, including Lucy Ewert ’16, Annie Love ’16, Moe Matsuoka ’16, Minh Nguyen ’16, Ieva Pranckeviciute ’16, Taylor Rathbun ’16, and Rebecca Vandenberg ’16. The students worked closely with art department faculty Natalie Tyler, Nadine Lloyd, and Brandi Dahari to explore their art to its fullest potential.
/ Campus News /
PRO SCHOLA MEETS PRO VITA Berkshire’s professional development program enhances the Berkshire experience. At Berkshire, faculty professional development has never been more robust. From graduate school to the Island School, faculty are spending their breaks learning new things, developing new skills, and exploring new avenues of thought and action. These experiences can’t help elevating the way faculty teach, coach, and generally model a life spent learning for all Berkshire students. When asked why professional development matters, Associate Head of School Jean Maher, left, reveals it to be a natural direction for Berkshire’s faculty to take. “We truly are an authentic community of life-long learners in which students and faculty alike seek opportunities to discover, explore, and challenge themselves.” Because faculty are so engaged, it would have been impossible to neglect this vital aspect of learning. She says that it’s exciting to see where the faculty want to go, and what they’re committed to learning more about, but it’s even more exciting to see what comes from that exploration, to watch the ways in which faculty bring their learning back to campus. “Berkshire’s commitment to investing in the professional growth and development of the faculty supports teaching excellence and is a clear investment in our students,” Maher continues. “Our faculty are eager to learn and excited to share. Whether it is a summer NOLS experience, graduate work, leadership training, travel, a diversity workshop or school visit, our faculty bring back what they have learned and apply it to their daily work at Berkshire in and out of the classroom.”
Professional Development 2015-16 Graduate School/Continuing Education UCLA Certificate in College Counseling MS Leadership (Northeastern) Certificate in Instructional Tech. Design (UMASS Boston) MBA (Walden University) M.A. in English (Bread Loaf School of English- Oxford, England) M.A. in English (Bread Loaf School of English- Santa Fe, N.M.) M.A. L.S. (Dartmouth College) M.A. (Skidmore College) Middlebury College Summer Immersion Program for French
Workshops, Conferences, & Seminars Batek Course (IS-183 Art School) Blended Learning Workshop Educational Theater Association Conference OESIS Conference NAFAS Conference Learning and the Brain Conference ISS Conference TTL Seminar/ Best New Young Adult Fiction High School Aviation Science Conference SEED Seminars Gardner Carey Leadership Institute Graphic Novel Workshop San Francisco MakerFaire SBVAS EMT Course Dance Teacher Seminar Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History Seminar Taft TEC Course on College Counseling ACCIS Annual Summer Institute Colorado Outward Bound—Rockies Alpine Backpacking AP Calculus AB Summer Workshop NEACA Annual Meeting High Tech High Summer Institute Esalen’s Writers’ Camp Austen Riggs Center Conference for Clinicians and Researchers “Alternate Firings” Course (IS-183 Art School)
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/ Campus News /
THE BERKSHIRE COMMUNITY FINDS NEVERLAND By Kristina Thaute Miller ’97, Director of Alumni Relations
Riley and Allie (with Allie’s dogs) get ready for their big adventures.
Away From the Mountain Two Fifth Formers Head Out into the World At the end of August, Riley Bona ’18 and Allie Kohlkins ’18 left for China and Italy, respectively, to study for the year with School Year Abroad (SYA). While they admit that they were nervous to go, both are excited about the opportunities that their trips afford them. Riley’s love of Mandarin began in middle school. “My Mandarin teacher would tell us compelling differences between American and Chinese culture, and by eighth grade I knew mastering Mandarin was a life goal. Before I even came to Berkshire, I decided that junior year I would study abroad in China. I believe spending time in the region of the language is the best/only way to really learn a language.” Allie has wanted to go to Italy since her first days of studying Latin, but when it came down to it, “I didn’t want to leave my friends, so I decided not to go. But when a representative from SYA came to talk to us, I fell in love with the idea again and decided it was worth leaving everything for a year. I’m really excited to learn a new language and culture,” she continued. “I take Latin, so I’m not exactly working towards fluency. But learning Italian is something I’m really excited about. Also the food!” While they’re away, both will be blogging about their experiences; their blogs will be linked to the Berkshire website in September.
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On April 21, three hundred Berkshire School alumni, parents and friends converged on the LuntFontanne Theater for an evening on Broadway in New York City. Harvey Weinstein P’16, producer of Finding Neverland, graciously hosted Berkshire guests for a showing of the musical. The evening culminated with a special talk-back with the cast and crew following the show. The performance exceeded expectations and will surely be remembered as an extraordinary event for years to come.
THE MOUNTAIN AND ME CLASS EXPLORES FLY FISHING By Lissa McGovern P’10, English Faculty
Connect with Berkshire Head of School Pieter Mulder works with students on the finer points of casting.
In Buck Valley on a Monday evening in the spring, students in The Mountain & Me, an English VI elective, learned how to fly cast from Charlie Erdmann ’16, Xander Amero ’17, and faculty member Bill Bullock. Fly fishing brings deep joy to its aficionados, so soon Head of School Pieter Mulder came by to help assist the class and share his love of fly fishing, too. Students learned how to put together the fly rod and dry cast while Bullock showed the class his collection of hand-tied flies used to entice a variety of fish, including trout and salmon. Finally, Xander and Charlie demonstrated more sophisticated casting techniques including the double haul to generate line speed and make longer casts and a roll cast for an obstructed back cast.
“I really enjoyed casting. It was so fun,” said Morgan Kohlmeyer ’16. “It’s harder than it looks to do it gracefully. Charlie and Xander were impressively good.” Students in Lissa McGovern’s class were reading A River Runs Through It. As part of the assignment, they were encouraged to engage in activities and literature in an exploration of the relationship between people and the natural world. In addition to learning how to cast a fly rod, students also hiked Berkshire School trails, cooked at the Russell Shelter, camped out, and bird watched. During the semester, members of the Berkshire community, including Dary Dunham, Ben Urmston, Clay Splawn, Cait Ward ’08, and Anita Loose-Brown have joined teachers Mike Dalton and McGovern in sharing these experiences with the students.
“I thought it was so cool that our head of school taught me how to fly fish—that’s insane—so cool. That’s what I love about Berkshire—you can learn to do what you’re reading about.” — Lane Mayher ’16 Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Campus News /
BROOKLYN NONPROFIT RECEIVES GRANT FROM BERKSHIRE PHILANTHROPY OUTREACH By Michael Hayes, Associate Director of Communications
Empowering Ourselves, a nonprofit based in Brooklyn, New York, that works to improve the lives of inner-city youth, has received an $8,446.16 grant from the Berkshire Philanthropy Outreach Program (BPOP), the philanthropic arm of a new Economics and Philanthropy class that started in the fall of 2015. During a ceremony on May 21 in the Allen Theater, Emily Walsh ’16 presented the grant to the organization’s founder, Jarrett Matthis ’04. “The message of Empowering Ourselves resonates with me,” Walsh said. “Jarrett is an exceptional human being and has made it his life’s mission to not only empower youth but those around him.”
Emily Walsh ’16 presents Jarrett Matthis ’04 with a check, with Bill Bullock and Head of School Pieter Mulder.
The grant is the first ever awarded by the student-led program at Berkshire, which was launched earlier this year, with the support of two donors who set up a $250,000 endowment to annually fund a $10,000 grant, according to Economics and Philanthropy teacher Bill Bullock. Bullock is excited about the enthusiasm and commitment from students. “My favorite part of this process was that the decision-making process was entirely up to the students.
RE-CONNECT/GIVE BACK/GET AHEAD/EXPAND Berkshire Connect enables you to: Find and reminisce with classmates, see what they have been up to and stay in touch. Introduce, employ and be a mentor to our graduating students. Advance your career through alumni connections who have access to exclusive opportunities.
www.berkshireconnect.org
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In our final board meeting, there was passion, ownership and even some tears as the students lobbied for these deserving organizations.”
If you are interested in learning more about the Berkshire Philanthropy Outreach Program or may be interested in applying for a grant, please contact Bill Bullock at wbullock@berkshireschool.org.
/ Campus News /
Introducing... NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Angel B. Pérez serves as Trinity College’s vice president for enrollment and student success. He is focused on assuring that Trinity enrolls, funds, and supports a geographically, ethnically, academically, and socioeconomically diverse student body and strategizes around their collective success on campus. Pérez is a Fulbright alumnus and serves on the U.S. Scholar Peer Review Committee for the Fulbright Scholar Program, as well as various other advisory leadership positions with organizations. He currently also serves as a trustee at United World College in Costa Rica. Pérez holds a B.S. from Skidmore College, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University.
from East China Normal University in Shanghai, China. She worked previously at the University of Chicago and Merck Sharp & Dohme (China) Ltd. After fifteen years of splitting time between the United States and Hong Kong, she returned to her hometown of Shanghai with her family in 2007. There, she dedicates her time to child education, family asset management, her Christian church community, and world traveling. Jane is married to Joe Tian. Their son, Daniel Tian ’19, joined Berkshire in 2015.
ALL-SCHOOL PRESIDENT Jensen Hellmers ’16
Jeffrey Soffer is a Florida-based real estate developer. He serves as chairman and co-chief executive officer at Turnberry Associates, a family business he joined in 1987. Soffer has created numerous South Florida residential landmarks and also oversees Turnberry’s development and management of resort and hotel destinations. Jeffrey has three children: son Logan, and daughters, Madison ’16, and Summer ’18. Jeffrey is married to Elle MacPherson and currently lives in Miami Beach, Florida. Dr. Jane H. Yue holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in pharmacology, an M.S. in computer and information technology from Temple University and a B.S. in biology
2016-2017 PREFECTS ARRANGED BY DORM: Allen: Jules Oberg, Rawson Clough; Buck: Juan Cedeno, Jack Scarafoni; CGR: Claire Lemker, Toni Matzka, Didi Fade; deWindt: Ben Dixon, Ryan Keelan; Eipper: Nate Jacobson, Sam Bannett; Godman: Abbey Turner, Andrea Cass, Silvana Gomez; MacMillan: Autumn Truesdale, Maggie Curran; Spurr: Madison Biasin, Genesis Paulino; Stanley: Brady Wilson, Matt Cortes; Day Student: Viggo Blomquist, Ana Tolvo
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/ Campus News /
Faculty & Staff News At the end of the year, faculty and staff were honored for their dedication to the School and to its students. FACULTY AWARDS:
Faculty members received awards for excellence in May. The Class of 1957 Award was given to Jesse Howard and Heidi Woodworth. Kellogg-Silverman-Kontos was awarded to Cait Ward, and Andrew Bogardus was the recipient of The Puth Family Award for Advising Excellence.
FACULTY PRIZES
English teachers, Bernie Rhie and Linda Bellizzi, received awards at Prize Night and Commencement. Dr. Rhie was chosen by members of the graduating class to receive Berkshire’s Aliis Non Sibi award, for contributing to the success of the class. Mrs. Bellizzi was this year’s recipient of the Seaver Buck Teaching Excellence Award, Berkshire’s highest honor for teaching faculty.
THERE SHE GOES
In May, Anna Romano, Director of Berkshire’s International Student program, retired after 30 years in order to volunteer for the Peace Corps in the Philippines. This step brings her educational journey full-circle, as she began her career with the Peace Corps in Korea.
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THE 30+ CLUB
This spring, Berkshire recognized seven staff members for 30+ years of service: Andy Kay, Michael Bouchard, Martha Williamson, Skip Bowman, and Dale Smith. Not Pictured: Tim Fulco and Lynn Kinne
/ Bears at Play /
BASEBALL BATTLES TO WNEPBL FINAL By Lucia Q. Mulder
“Every now and then there’s a team that just seems to come together,” said Athletic Director Dan Driscoll of the 2016 varsity baseball squad at the spring sports award ceremony in Allen Theater. “They had such tremendous heart, and they played that way,” he explained. “They manufactured runs, and they scratched out wins.” That gritty style of play and their sheer love of the game was what made the Bears so fun to watch this spring. And their talent could not be denied as the team racked up win after win with an unbeaten streak stretching all the way into the last week of the season. “Our Florida trip [in March] gave this relatively young team the confidence that they could compete with quality programs,” said Coach Jason Gappa of his team’s playoff chances. The momentum started rolling when the Bears beat division rival Salisbury in a 2-1 nailbiter early in April. They kept it going from there. “We had many close games in the following weeks that added to the team’s confidence,” explained Gappa. These included a 10-9 win over Canterbury in the bottom of the 11th, and a come-from-behind 10-8 victory over perennial rival Hotchkiss. continued on next page
MVP Brian Rodriguez ’16 hit .388 this season and finished with a 1.50 ERA. Brian will play at Northeastern in the fall.
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/ Bears at Play /
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The 2016 Baseball Bears tallied a 13-1 regular season record and went 14-2 overall, with a trip to the WNEPBL championship.
Coach Gappa continued, “Our starting pitching was consistent from the start. Offensively, we put the ball in play and had contributions throughout the lineup. As a result of the belief that anyone could get the job done, this may have been the closest team I have ever coached, and it was apparent that our guys played for each other.” In the final game of the regular season, the undefeated Bears faced tough rival Cheshire Academy and were handed their first loss, a 2-9 defeat on the road. Three days later, Berkshire hosted WilbrahamMonson on Tom Young Field in the opening playoff game. The Bears notched a 10-8 win over the Titans in dramatic fashion to advance to the Western New England Prep Baseball League (WNEPBL) finals. The championship game was a rematch with Cheshire Academy and started out as a true pitcher’s duel. In the bottom of the fourth, Berkshire scratched out a run on a couple of hits, a walk and an overthrow
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error, playing classic Bears baseball. Their one run wouldn’t hold up against Cheshire’s eventual three, however, as the Fighting Cats emerged with the 3-1 win. Though the Bears didn’t bring home the championship, 2016 will remain a season for them to remember. “The sportsmanship, the class and the dignity that we displayed make us winners,” said Driscoll of the final heartbreaker. He continued, “They may have won that game, but we won that battle.”
Brian Rodriguez ’16 .388 Avg 1.50 ERA Will play at Northeastern Brenden Cournoyer ’17 4-0 record 41 Ks Kevin Doody ’16 .364 Avg. 9 SBs Will play at University of Maine Sam Boorstyn ’17 5-1 record 2.28 ERA Matt Koopman ’17 .333 Avg. 19 hits and 18 runs
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For more athletics news go to berkshireschool.org/athleticsnews
Drew Pitcher ’17 .386 Avg. 22 hits, 14 RBIs, 15 runs
/ Bears at Play /
Girls Squash Captures New England Class C Title By Coach AJ Kohlhepp
Heading into this season, girls varsity squash was simply hoping to compete. As we made our way into January, the losses mounted. But the Bears battled on, and their resolve never slackened. A couple of big February rematches proved to be the turning point. Given the strength of our schedule, the intensity of our training, and the results from our last few matches, we sensed that a podium finish was within reach at the Class C tournament held at St. Paul’s School. Little did we know what these Bears could do when they really set their minds to it. As she had all season long, Chase Landis ’18 led the charge in the #1 position. Weathering incredible sallies from her gifted opponents, Landis met fire with fire and slugged her way to a sixth-place finish. Co-captain Emily Walsh ’16, battling an injury all weekend, managed to hang in the tournament just long enough to earn a default in the final round, thus swiping seventh place in the #5 flight. Although Landis and Walsh fell short in the opening round, the other five Bears claimed victories to advance to the semifinals in their flights. The Bears roared back into action on day two, with
the same quintet powering their way into the finals. Mia Vantine ’16 had a fantastic run. Only an epic five-gamer against perennial foe Canterbury kept her from bringing home gold as she settled for second place in the #4 division. Tara DeChellis ’17, competing in the #6 flight, powered her way into the finals before falling 3-1 to the top seed from Holy Child. Maggie Markgraf ’17 proved the coolest of customers in the #3 flight, clawing her way to a 12-10 fifth game over Concord before overpowering Holy Child in four games to earn finals gold. Morgan Heilshorn ’18 hammered her way through the #7 flight, winning each of her three matches in straight games to cruise to gold against Williston. In the #2 flight, Madison Heilshorn ’16 faced the #1 seed from GFA before a packed gallery, a match that proved easily the most impressive in her long, distinguished career at Berkshire. The aggregate of individual efforts added up to one sweet phrase: New England Champions. And girls varsity squash headed home knowing that they had taken an historic stride for Berkshire.
CLASS C CHAMPS Back row: AJ Kohlhepp, Morgan Heilshorn ‘18, Tara DeChellis ‘17, Chase Landis ‘18, Maggie Markgraf ‘18 Front row: Emily Walsh ‘16, Madison Heilshorn ‘16, Mia Vantine ‘16
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/ Bears at Play /
SPRING 2016 For more information on all our teams, go to www.berkshireschool.org/athletics and don’t forget to follow @BerkshireBears on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news and highlights as they happen. #GoBears!
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Baseball / WNEPBL Championship Finalists with a 13-1 regular season record and a 14-2 record overall. WNEPBL Young Division Honors: Brian Rodriguez ’16 named Player of the Year, Brenden Cournoyer ’17 named Pitcher of the Year. Matt Koopman ’17 and Drew Pitcher ’17 were named to the 1st team for the WNEPBL All-Stars. Sam Boorstyn ’17 and Kevin Doody ’16 were named 2nd team All-Stars. MVP: Brian Rodriguez ’16. See page 13 for more. Boys Lacrosse / The Bears beat Gunnery 10-4 to retain the McKee Cup and had big wins over Salisbury and TP. The Salisbury win was the first in 23 years. MVP’s: Charlie Erdmann ’16 and Connor Waldron ’16, who were once again named to the New England West Division I All-League team. Girls Lacrosse / The Bears saw marked improvement throughout the season, finishing the last nine games with a 6-3 record and strong play from their senior leaders. MVP: Sabrina Tattersfield ’16
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Softball / The Bears came up with big wins over Greenwich Academy, Kent, and Gunnery. Led by Annie Love ’16, who transitioned from second to the pitcher’s circle and picked up all four wins, and Moet Matsuoka ’17, who caught every inning this season. MVP: Moet Matsuoka ’17 Boys Crew / The 1st boat (Sam Gatsos ’17, Ivan Kulchitsky ’17, Ian Heissenbuttel ’17, Jared Renzi ’16, and Xander Amero ’17) and 3rd boat (Jack Weeden ’17, Viggo Blomquist ’17, Charlie Recchia ’18, Clark Lotuff ’18, and Peter Bahr ’16) had their highest finish ever at the Founder’s Day Regatta. The 1st boat matched the highest finish in program history set by last year’s 1st boat, 8th in New England, at their championship regatta. MVR: Jared Renzi ’16
Girls Crew / Girls second boat, Cami Kittredge ’19, Sydney McGill ’18, Tara DeChellis ’17, Grace Federle ’18, and Lulu Kauffman ’17, qualified for New Englands, finishing 11th overall. After taking a gap year, Annette Key ’16 will be rowing at Tufts. Arwen Neski ’15 competed in Yale’s first boat throughout the spring season. MVR: Catherine Quaintance ’17 Golf / A building year with fine play from Jordi Sabria ’17 who had several rounds in the 70’s. Underformers Bryce Gomez ’18, Kade Iervolino ’19, Zander Saslove ’18, Lyons Brown ’18, and Jack Grace ’17 will help lead the Bears in 2017. MVP: Jordi Sabria ’17 Girls Tennis / New England Class B Semifinalists. The Bears have advanced to the semis or finals of the New Englands for four consecutive years. This spring they entered the tourney as the 4th seed and bowed out in the semis to #1 Kingswood Oxford. MVP: Mia Vantine ’16
/ Bears at Play /
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5 8 6 Boys Tennis / New England Class B Quarterfinalists for the fourth year in a row. 9-3 season record. MVP: Tanner Boyle ’17 Girls Track & Field / NEPSTA Division II Championship results: Paige Rabb ’16 placed 1st in the 300m hurdles and 3rd in the 400m. Lexi Fortune ’18, 3rd in long jump and 3rd in triple jump. Genesis Paulino ’17, 3rd in shot put. Lexi Fortune ’18, Paige Rabb ’16, Mackenzie Licata ’19, and Sawyer Raith ’18, 5th in the 4x400m relay. Kathryn Driscoll ’18, 6th in 300m hurdles. MVP: Paige Rabb ’16
Boys Track & Field / NEPSTA Division II Championship results: Ahria Simons ’18 placed 1st in the long jump and 1st in the triple jump. Jacob Shaffelburg ’19, Terryl Wilson ’16, Mo Omar ’18, and Ifunanyachi Achara ’16 placed first in the 4x400m relay. Simons, Wilson, Cole Venner ’17, and Achara ’16, 2nd in the 4x100m relay. Achara, 2nd in 400m. Brandon Malarney ’16, 2nd in the shot put. John Penas ’16, 5th in the triple jump. TJ Simpson ’16, 5th in the discus. Wilson, 5th in the 400m. Shaffelburg, 6th in the 800m. MVP: Ahria Simons ’18
1 MVP Sabrina Tattersfield ’16 will play lacrosse for the UVM Catamounts next year. 2 A high five for Annie Love ’16 who transitioned from second base to the pitcher’s circle and picked up four wins for the Bears. 3 Co-captains Charlie Erdmann ’16 (3a) and Connor Waldron ’16 (3b) shared the MVP honor for a second year in a row. 4 This year’s 1st and 3rd boats had their highest ever finish at the Founder’s Day Regatta. 5 MVP Tanner Boyle in action against the Gunnery. 6 The Girls 2nd boat: Cami Kittredge ’19, Sydney McGill ’18, Lulu Kauffman ’17, Tara DeChellis ’17, and Grace Federle ’18 qualified for New Englands, finishing 11th overall. 7 Dream Team: Terryl Wilson ’16, Jacob Shaffelburg ’19, Mo Omar ’18, and Ifunanyachi Achara ’16, New England Champions in the 4x400m relay. 8 New England Track & Field Champs! Ahria Simons ’18 and Paige Rabb ’16 placed first in the long jump and triple jump (Simons) and 300m hurdles (Rabb).
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/ Bears at Play /
A Memorable Season for Girls Hoops By Jeanna Willis ’17
Making it back to the Class B playoffs was the focus for a majority of the girls basketball team for a large portion of the season. All the returning players knew what it would take to get back to the semifinal game where our season had ended the previous year. Coming into the quarterfinal game against Rye Country Day School, we knew that if we worked like we had all season, like Coach McCabe and Coach Cohan had said, we would win. Walking out of the team room with less than two minutes left until game time, the nervousness that comes with every game hit me. As I saw the immense number of students, faculty, and parents packed into the gym, I realized how much support we had gained over the course of the season.
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All of the returning players knew how important postseason play is, so we went out and tried to make sure that we outworked our opponents as Coach McCabe had challenged us to do every single game. Although we only had a 31-27 lead at the half, we knew that if we played the second half with composure and execution we would be on to the semifinal game. Alanna Smith ’19 and Lexi Fortune ’18 contributed with their energy and communication on defense, and Mikayla McEwen ’18 came off the bench as a strong six-man. With the help of Samone DeFreese ’16, Autumn Truesdale ’17, and Alexis Moragne ’19, all with points in the double digits, we finished with a 66-55 win. As soon as we found out we would be playing Pomfret on their home floor
/ Bears at Play /
commitment and selflessness, or more appropriately, Coach Smith’s motto of ‘Keep Working.’ No individual player stood out in terms of statistics or contributions, and our success was truly a result of the collective efforts of all eleven players. While we came up short in the final game against Tilton, the great success of our season will not be measured by that result.”
The Bears celebrate after their huge semifinal win on Pomfret’s home court with a final score: 43-37.
in the semifinal game, it became more personal. Because Pomfret defeated us on our home court in the semis the previous season, we all wanted to return the favor. We knew their gym would be filled with chants from the student section the entire game, so it didn’t faze any of us come game time. It was no surprise that the game was as close as 20-17 at the half. However, knowing that we were capable of limiting them to just 17 points in the first half was a testament to our tenacious team defense. After struggling with her shot in the first half, Madison Biasin ’17 hit a much needed three-pointer. With less than two minutes to go in the game, we had a six-point lead and were beginning to use the clock to our advantage, by dwindling. As Pomfret figured out our strategy, they started to use up their fouls in order to save time and send us to the free throw line. Genesis Paulino ’17 and Mackenzie Licata ’19 were consistent with their support for their teammates on the free throw line. With a couple of clutch free throws from Autumn and Alexis, we were able to keep the lead, and we won the
semifinal game 43-37. With this win over Pomfret on their home court on the way to the championship, we knew we were making Coach Smith proud. The last game of the season and the last game for seniors Samone DeFreese and Paige Rabb was next, and it would be played at Noble and Greenough against Tilton School. We all wanted to win the NEPSAC Class B Championship for Coach Smith, because we knew how much he had wanted it. Just as Coach McCabe said, “Our season was defined by
Willis in action against Hotchkiss in 2015.
About the Author: “Jeanna Willis ’17 was the engine that drove our team this past season. She averaged more minutes than any other girl on our team, and maybe more than any other girl in New England. Everything on the offensive and defensive ends went through Jeanna; she jump-started our high-energy, fast-break style offense and led the team in deflections and steals on defense. She often had the hardest assignment on defense, too, sometimes guarding much bigger players but ruthlessly defending them nonetheless.” —Assistant Coach Julia Cohan
UNDEFEATED! Girls JV Basketball went 15-0 this winter!
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BEYOND THE
CORE
Berkshire prides itself on truly embodying the School motto: Learning not just for school, but for life. To a great extent, this intentional focus is revealed in the offerings that exist outside the School’s core curriculum. From the Pro Vita program, which takes place every February, to the Advanced Math/Science Research program, which meets once a week with mentors and
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every day in the lab, students are offered myriad opportunities to explore their passions with experts in their fields, in unexpected places, to the farthest extent that they can. The following is a quick view of those offerings with observations from those they’ve directly affected.
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Advanced Humanities Research (AHR) What it is: a research course in which students choose a topic, develop a relationship with an off-campus mentor, and produce a final body of work that is a comprehensive exploration of some aspect their topic. What it does: provides students with a deep interest in languages, literature, history, philosophy, and the arts, the opportunity to learn university-level research methods and to apply them toward an academic inquiry of their own choosing. Students select topics of personal interest and approach their topics in unique ways, assisted by professors in their chosen fields. As a team, they develop an understanding of the most productive and efficacious ways of academic pursuit.
“I am struck by AHR’s commitment to asking interesting and important questions about culture over time and place. It shows that the School values intellectual development and thought, even as it models a very real engagement with the world.” —Jonathan Silverman, UMASS Lowell, Mentor to Derrick Burt ’16
AHR students model their team shirts outside Geier Library.
Last Year’s Projects Derrick Burt: On the Edge: A Social Psychology Analysis of Freestyle Skiing | Mentor: Jonathan Silverman, UMASS-Lowell Noah Faison: Trash Isn’t Pretty: The Contested Construction of China’s Soft Power Profile | Mentor: Sam Crane Williams College Brooks Hamilton: Edward Said’s Orientalism and Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha | Mentor: Gunther Gottschalck UC-Santa Barbara Larry Matt: Pearl Harbor: A Day of Infamy or a Platform for Deceit | Mentor: Harold Goldberg, Sewanee Sam Reagan: Here We Have Stories But Never ’The End’ —The Politics of Language in Narratives of Rwandan Genocide | Mentor: Chris Cook, University of Pittsburgh
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Berkshire Engineering and Aeronautical Research (Bear) Track The BEAR track provides qualified students interested in engineering, science, and aviation with a hands-on experience, with regional experts and entrepreneurs, while assembling an actual single-engine, two-seat aircraft kit. Students will have classroom experiences on campus and off-site experiences at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport. Over the course of the year, students and their mentors will assemble the partial aircraft, which will then be sold at the end of the year. Funds from the sale may be used to fund the following year’s kit.
Advanced Math/Science Research (AMSR) What it is: the first student-driven, project-based experience developed at a boarding school for the student who wants to learn about the rigors of long-term scientific inquiry. With multiple tracks, students can focus on biomedical inquiry, on engineering, or on economics. The endgoal is to provide an authentic research experience for students who are passionate about science, math, and associated disciplines. What it does: provides students with an autonomous research situation, framed by the associated goals of mentors but directed entirely by students.
“My transition to college research was smooth and enjoyable, thanks to the AMSR program. I knew what I was passionate about and did not have any difficulty getting into the lab that I was interested in. I am learning something new every day, and I am not afraid to learn more because AMSR and Dr. Burch gave me the belief that I can think like a scientist, regardless of my age or level of experience.” —Elif Kesaf ’14, Molecular Biology, UCLA
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Aviation Science What it is: a program that gives students the opportunity to learn to fly, while also completing the required coursework to take the FAA Exam to become a private pilot. What it does: provides students with a unique opportunity among boarding schools, one that instructor Michael Lee describes as, “the place where freedom meets responsibility.” Students fly and complete coursework but, most importantly, learn what they’re capable of, all within the parameters of aviation. Coming in 2016 is the opportunity, through the BEAR Track (see sidebar on page 23), to build and sell an airplane.
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“With so many milestones for beginning pilots, every time you get in the plane it is going to be a completely unique experience: doing mid-air stalls, taking off, or one of the most exciting and fearful moments of my life, landing by myself for the first time.” —Carter Fox ’11
Black Rock Scholars Program Dreaming Big Since kindergarten, Berkshire physics, astronomy, and (in 2016) engineering teacher Ben Urmston has wanted to become an astronaut. In kindergarten, when his teacher asked students to whisper their dream jobs, he was pretty sure that every kid had said astronaut. It didn’t come up again until his junior year in high school, during a visit to D.C.’s Air and Space Museum, when he watched the IMAX film, Destiny in Space, and recognized that becoming an astronaut was, in fact, his destiny.
What it is: a new program that recognizes Berkshire students who, through their work both in and out of the classroom, are excelling in the areas at the center of Berkshire’s mission. Academic and extracurricular activities in sustainability, diversity and inclusion, sense of place, community service, and global awareness all apply to completion. What it does: encourages students to explore Berkshire’s core areas beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. Once students have accrued experience in each core area, they complete an independent project that focuses on one particular area of interest and newfound expertise.
After graduating from Bates College with an aerospace and engineering degree, he’s met with a number of astronauts, the first of whom advised him that, “Chances are, it’s not going to happen, so make sure that you’re happy doing what you’re doing.” He has. He’s taken five trips to Antarctica, ranging from two to six months at a time, and has also worked for NOLS, as well as teaching, first at the Learning Center for the Deaf outside Boston, and now at Berkshire. Recently, he flew down to the Houston Space Center to meet with astronaut Rex Walheim to talk about the process of becoming an astronaut and Urmston’s chances. He’ll hear something by September of this year, but the odds are long, with it looking like they’ll choose eight to twelve of 18,000 applicants for this round. “I know it’s crazy,” he admits, shaking his head, “but I feel like I could get an interview.” When he describes the experience of taxiing his small plane “behind the T38, with an F16 next to me,” the passion in his voice is unmistakable. “There are times,” he says, “when I can almost taste it. I can feel and see it so clearly that I feel like it has to happen. But because I heeded that early astronaut’s advice, I can go sailing and mountain climbing, and free diving—I’m already an astronaut on Earth, which is pretty cool. I feel in some ways overqualified, but I also feel really lucky.”
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Independent Study (IS) What it is: a chance for students to pursue a specific field of interest with an on-campus mentor. In existence since the ’80s, IS now spans all disciplines, reaching as far as graduatelevel work. At its most successful, it requires the ability to work independently on a specific topic about which a student feels great passion. What it does: allows students to explore an interest that is not offered in the core curriculum, for which they receive academic credit. They work with mentors on campus who suggest sources, encourage exploration, evaluate results and, in the end, determine where to go next.
Recent Independent Study Projects: Sustainability in Berkshire’s Surrounding Areas Four-Variable Predictive Modeling Holistic Health Academic Drawing and Painting Aquaponics at Berkshire
“More than anything, the Independent Study program captures Berkshire’s mission to inspire a love of learning in its students. When we have a curious student, we want to be able to feed that curiosity whenever possible, and the Independent Study program provides us with that opportunity.” —Clay Splawn, Dean of Academics
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Virtual High School Virtual High School is Berkshire’s first foray into online learning and, after two years, has been refined into an effective means of offering courses outside of the core. Dean of Academics Clay Splawn sees VHS as an exciting opportunity to be very strategic about online learning for our students. “[We] need to intentionally include this kind of skill building from top to bottom to prepare the students to leverage this kind of technology, so that they’re prepared for this very specific kind of learning.” That intentionality allows Berkshire to focus on a core that includes courses that are special and unique to this environment, giving our students the best of both worlds, all under the Mountain. Some recent VHS courses: Computer Science, Honors Anatomy and Physiology Peacemaking in Politics Genes and Disease
2016 Trips: California, Quebec (pictured), Ghana, Germany, Florida (Aviation Science and Everglades)
Pro Vita What it is: a week-long program focused on the “Make, Perform, Do, Solve” model, in which students follow a course of independent inquiry within the areas of philanthropy, art and design, sustainability, global awareness, and diversity, guided by a mentor. Students have the choice of staying on campus for coursework and a speakers series, or leaving campus for adventures from Germany to Ghana, from the Everglades to California. What it does: gives students a short-term opportunity to delve deeply into a subject of their choosing and get hands-on experience within it. This experience frequently opens students up to further learning—sometimes on campus with Berkshire’s research courses or Independent Study program and sometimes off-campus, at conferences and in travel that would not have occurred to them before experiencing it first hand during that week in February.
“Take risks; pick boldly. With over 80 classes, three class blocks, and fourteen visiting teachers, the opportunities are limitless.” —Bebe Bullock, Pro Vita Director
2016 Speaker Series: Sheila Roche, (RED) AIDS organization Alvaro Rodriguez Arregui ’85, IGNIA Venture Capital Tommy Schultz, professional photographer Gary Vider ’02, comedian featured on America’s Got Talent, 2015
On-campus classes (a selection): Art/Design: Berkshire’s Pitch Perfect; Sheffield Shark Tank; Some Like It Hot: Glass Fusion 101 Sense of Place: History Detectives: Berkshire; On Assignment: Photography in the Wild; Berkshire Story Corps Sustainability: Risk Management and Toxicology; Cast Iron Chef Diversity/Global Studies: The U.S: Goliath or Good Neighbor; Buddhist Meditation for Beginners Philanthropy: Ripple Effect—Random Acts of Kindness
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Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program (RKMP) What it is: a program designed to connect students to the mountain that forms the backdrop for Berkshire’s daily life. Students can choose from a variety of outdoor adventures that utilize the mountain, as well as both boat and board building, during the winter months. It also includes Berkshire’s Maple Syrup Corporation, which follows the syrup-making process from tapping maples to boiling and packaging syrup to sell. What it does: encourages students to interact with natural resources and fosters the interdependency between people and their natural surroundings. More specifically, the RKMP uses our natural resources to promote academic growth, to challenge athletically, to teach leadership, to develop character, and to foster environmental responsibility.
Offerings: Rock Climbing Canoeing Kayaking Hiking Camping Mountain/Road Biking
Trail Maintenance/Cooking Boat/Board Building Fly Fishing Mountaineering (Winter, too) Ice Climbing
Maple Syrup Corporation
2016 will be Nadine Lloyd’s first year heading up RKMP, as she takes over from Mike Dalton. With a robust history of work in outdoor adventure, Lloyd is definitely, once again, in her element.
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Beginning in fall of 2016, Mike Dalton will step down from running the Maple Syrup Corporation for the past sixteen years, passing the torch to Dom Saylor. Dalton has long been passionate about the program’s existence on campus, saying, “It creates a direct connection for the students with nature and the whole notion of seasonality and when it’s time to do different things. When the sap is running—a period of cold nights and warm days—you have no choice but to tap the trees. And then, you need to have enough wood to keep the evaporator going. It’s labor-intensive and monotonous—40 gallons of sap make only one gallon of syrup—but in the end, you’ve made something people love.” Saylor builds on that idea: “I’m excited for the opportunity to reach out to and work with the community to make something that everybody loves: our own maple syrup.”
Sustainability What it is: a project-based science elective that allows students to pursue their interests while striving to improve our community and environment simultaneously. Students focus on environmental, economic or societal change and, in the process, learn to apply for grants, solicit bids from independent contractors, and work in conjunction with local and national nonprofit organizations. What it does: gives students the chance to create programs and experiences that will further develop Berkshire’s sustainability over the long term. As they work, they experience the challenges and rewards of creating a real-life project with the potential for lasting impact on both the students and their School.
“The sustainability program has taught me tangible ways to face the problems facing our environment, while understanding the social, economic, and environmental needs that must be addressed in the process.” —Evan Liddy ’16
Current Projects: Electric car charging station Teaching recycling to local elementary school students Beehive installation among the solar panels (pictured)
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CLASS of 2016
COMMENCEMENT 2016 Under blue skies, 119 seniors followed the bagpipes and the full faculty onto the floor of the Jack, where the Berkshire Chorus sang, Head of School Pieter Mulder led the ceremony and introduced the speakers, and, before we knew it, those 119 new graduates filtered out, squinting in the sun. It happens every year, but somehow it’s never the same. Congratulations, Class of 2016!
PETER BAHR ’16, RECIPIENT OF THE WEIL PRIZE FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING HELLO. I wrote this in a typical Berkshire fashion for a long assignment: I made an outline, stared at it for half an hour, and then asked Mr. Mulder for an extension on the way to Shawn’s Place. Needless to say, that was denied. I have served as this year’s all-school president. So basically, I was the junior chair of emailing students to come to meetings. I ran for the position last year after its being suggested to me by a few seniors in the play. I was supported by the enthusiasm of my friends, but knew that putting myself out there was undoubtedly a risk. I had no clue that I would be elected, especially being a new student. I love telling that story to tours to show how welcoming we must be to be able to elect a new student as president. To us, rank and seniority do not decide the person; we look at character and potential. And to that extent, I would like to share with the underformers a quote
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COMMENCEMENT 2016
Peter Bahr ’16 with his advisor, Jean Maher.
“. . . we have kept true to the original motto: Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus. Seniors, we will walk out this door into a life that still has the same intermittent bursts of hardship and bliss.”
their parents will remember from the great George W. Bush: “To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you, too, can be President of the United States.” But we really do encourage a level of calculated risk here, and it is clear that we are often rewarded for going outside of our comfort zones. We experience a more instant gratification for taking risks every afternoon on the sports fields. When I stand in front of my crew team before 32
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a regatta, I often say, or really yell, that on the water the only choice we have is to row harder. I’ll be yelling that again tonight before New Englands, but I cannot stop thinking about the irony that after the race, nobody is going to be screaming at me to make the tough decision. Seniors, we are going to lose a lot of guidance next year and it might even feel a little lonely. You’re not going to be in the bathroom at midnight and have an adult suddenly walk in and tell you it’s time to go to bed. Apparently
now if that happens to us, we’re supposed to call the police. When Berkshire was founded in 1907 by Seaver Buck and Peter Kinne, it was a place for students to grow into adulthood and prepare for the next step in education. It was also a nice place for parents to send their kids if they were beginning to forget what a weekend was. And we have kept true to the original motto: Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus. Seniors, we will walk out this door into a life that still has the same intermittent bursts of hardship and bliss. We will
COMMENCEMENT 2016
walk prepared into a world of laughter and friendship, one of high stress and deadlines. We will still find time for sentiment and moments to reflect; and I even heard that in the real world hockey games sell corndogs too. I know that I have learned here life skills: like there’s literally nothing you can’t throw in a Panini maker, you can’t do a three-page research paper in an hour, and that girls only get better at smelling fear when you try to talk to them. We have perhaps most importantly learned the importance of support and
coming together. Our senior class has worked together to be the first class ever to have 100 percent participation in giving to the annual fund. We were the first class in decades to have a senior prank that was for the most part inclusive and fun, but also delightfully bizarre. If this school can have 200 people offer support for the death of someone’s pet fish or form a quasimosh pit to Darude Sandstorm, I am convinced that we are limitless. Who better to thank for that than our parents and families. All of you siblings,
cousins, parents, and grandparents, we thank you for having offered us your unwavering support throughout our high school years. In our gratitude, we will take after your example and try to offer the same support to one another as we venture off into our new lives. Go Bears, and congratulations to the Class of 2016.
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COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS BY LYNETTE PRESCOTT ’81, P’14, P’16 WOULD YOU REFUSE A GIFT?
If you didn’t know the nature of it, or whether or not it came with conditions attached? What of a package, medium-sized, wrapped in fine fabric, placed in your hands, your name scrolled in elegant lettering amidst its curled ribbons? Would you leave this unopened? The gift of true self is something each of you is born with, something those who love you have had glimpses of from that first day they devoted their attention to you. This true self, the expression of your true self, is the surest path to fulfillment in your life, an invitation to live from the inside out, understanding who you are so that the most authentic expression of yourself is what you can offer to the world. Revelation of your true self is the reward of your persistent experiment, your commitment to the deliberate discovery of your light, your shadows and the echoes of your unknowns. So, tear that package open. Surprise yourself. Unwrap what scares you. Think of the versions of you that currently exist: the French class you, the Greensleeves you, the tour guide you, the hockey you. There’s the Facebook you, the Instagram you, the Snapchat you, the Twitter you, the Youtube you, the texting you, the gaming you, the Yik Yak you. There’s the you with your parents, the you with your friends, the you with your siblings, the you with a boyfriend or girlfriend. A lot of you—variations on your theme. Are their notes discordant? Are these iterations in harmony with your true self, the person you intend to be? You alone can answer this question. You are living into the years when you will decide to honor your true self or succumb to the temptation of betrayal. And these temptations are great. The world urges you to fit in a box neatly and prescriptively, defined by your religion, your sexual
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orientation, your race, your ethnicity, your political subscription, your choice of study. Society wants you to label yourself for its own convenience, to feed its hunger to be reductive, and to avoid the messiness of humanity’s complexity. These labels lack nuance and can be incapable of reflecting your multi-dimensionality, your possibility and the possibility of those among you. These labels can be alluring for they invite belonging. Alongside this comforting summons, however, antipathy slinks, for allegiance to one may force disavowal of another. See yourself as broadly as possible for as long as possible. There is energy around the desire to simplify, to eradicate ambiguity in complex issues, to find the certainty in our beliefs and rest there, righteous in our doubtlessness. I would like to suggest that forcing oneself to consider the dubiousness of one’s own beliefs, one’s own perspectives, is an enriching and everlasting enterprise. How to reconcile these seemingly disparate concepts? To know yourself deeply and yet constantly question what you know, what you choose to know, and how you know yourself? This disposition is what allows you to walk through life with engagement, compassion, integrity, openness, activism, and the powerful impulse to seek understanding and truth in your work, your companions, your environment. We need you. We need you to bring this willingness, this hunger to be who you are, the best version of who you are to a world that has become too easily divided, too easily distracted, too frequently invested in the pursuit of smallness, an “I-ness” fueled by our iphones, ipads and the “iamlostness” inherent in searching the shallows. Deep thinking is born of the interplay between selfknowledge and dedicated attention to the world beyond. And here is the great challenge of your generation: to save your attention from perpetual fracture. We all live a tethered existence, our
connection to our technologies our adult umbilicus, our lives crowded by the pressures of what’s next, of keeping up, of endless self-promotion. How much of your mind is in this moment of celebration? Choices are yours from here forward. You’ve graduated—into the world where you will no longer be told what to do, which of course is not entirely accurate but we can point to traces of truth. Certainly, there will no longer be someone checking you in for study hall or recording your attendance at all-school meeting. When you are late for class, again and again, it is not the points that will accumulate but rather your lost opportunities: opportunities to be tantalized by the provocation of a professor or to engage a classmate in thoughtful debate, or to be moved by a concept you have never before considered. You have spent eighteen years or more being told what to do and how to do by parents, teachers, coaches, those who love you, perhaps those who do not, those who know you well, and those who seem not to understand, and now your options are yours alone. Exhilarating? Inspiring? Slightly intimidating? I hope it is all these things, for an adventure, and that is what you are after, is unpredictable, liberally doused with fear and the unforeseen. Would it not be preferable to charge through life unburdened by disquiet and with certainty as a constant companion? I think not. Fear is at the root of a species sustaining itself. So, how will you sustain yourself? You are free to choose. David Foster Wallace wrote: “The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom.” The colors of your life will be painted by the relationships you engender. There will be foes and partners, casual connections and enduring ties. There
“Wherever you go, be the landscape of this beautiful place.”
will be the fraught, the inviting, the productive, and the plundering. Human, conceptual, virtual—these connections will demand your attention. Run from those that diminish you. Be discerning about your investments, for your attention is the seat of your particular brilliance. Offer it deliberately. Be present, willing to live into the experience you are having, the conversation in your midst, without trepidation that you are missing something else. For if you do not give the moment your attention, you might as well abandon it. And what value is a moment abandoned? Fill your life with meaningful questions. The humane disposition we bring to the questions we pursue ensures an undercurrent of enlightenment rather than a compassionless idolatry of stuff unworthy. The fullness and the excitement of life are in the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the questions that fuel your curiosity. Pour propellant on them. Picture the last time you found yourself in pursuit: muscles taut, belly hungry, cells adrenaline-charged, imagination inspired. Live there. Move toward the unfamiliar and
that which you do not understand, for all differs from a distance. Be willing to see through the eyes of another. Travel is the enemy of small-mindedness and bigotry; if money isn’t there for exotic endeavor, travel across the quad, within the covers of a grand piece of literature, into music unknown, and allow yourself to be lost… and found in the experience. Be brave, for transformational moments derive from places of unease. There’s a little stream that runs through campus—so changeable—dry during some seasons, trickling during others, and more rarely it seems, audibly prosperous. I have seen you, in the fall and on spring days, warm and less so, celebrating your friendships, stripping to whatever you can get away with, laughing and splashing in those waters. Smiles are broad; young faculty children are drawn like magnets to the barest evidence of those metallic ripples. There is freedom and joy on your faces, in your limbs. Many of you have written of your favorite Berkshire memories and these accounts are rich with descriptions of treks to Guilder Pond, team hikes to Black Rock, overnights in the lean-to, that particular combination of friendship, mountain and exhilarating outdoor challenge an
irresistible inspiration. Wherever you go, be the landscape of this beautiful place. Be the mountain: constant and reliable. Be that mercurial brook: mutable, willing to ride over, through and around obstacles; patient in times of deprivation; resolute that change will come. Be the bridges about your campus, connectors of places, ideas and people. See the bigness of the world and promise yourself to engage with it in all its perplexity and imperfection for we need you. We need your boldness, your willingness to experiment, to stretch, and to disappoint and to learn and to reframe and to reach again. Allow this landscape to remain part of what sustains you. Whether you have spent a year or four amidst the beauty of the Berkshires, bring a gratitude for the glories of a quiet snowfall, a hunger for the place unexplored, a tenderness for our wilderness, and share these sentiments. Scatter them wide for the beauty of our natural world needs your generation of stewards and saviors. Parker Palmer wrote, “The soul speaks its truth only under quiet, inviting, and trustworthy conditions.” So, get outside and let your soul be heard. Congratulations, class of 2016.
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COMMENCEMENT 2016
AND THEY’RE OFF... As the members of Berkshire’s Class of 2016 set out for their next adventures, see where they’re headed.
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Ifunanyachi Achara Maria Ahmed Luke Amero Carrie Babigian Peter Bahr Nicholas Beaver Ian Bell Trevor Berry Amani Bethea Daniel Beyer John Bolton III Derrick Burt Zachariah Buteux Shuvam Chakraborty Caleb Cilumba India Coard Molly Coleman Mark Cooke, Jr. Lindsy Dario Samone DeFreese Hanna Derrig Gwynne Domashinski Kevin Doody Daniel Driscoll V
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Georgetown University Lafayette College Elon University Oberlin College Sewanee: The University of the South University of Denver Bates College University of Redlands The George Washington University University of Richmond St. Lawrence University Middlebury College University of Denver Stanford University Wagner College La Salle University Union College Hobart and William Smith Colleges Sewanee: The University of the South University of Delaware St. Lawrence University Juniata College University of Maine Connecticut College
Alexandra Duryea Charles Erdmann Lucy Ewert Noah Faison Beatriz Feijoo Gómez Anna Flaherty Savanna Fortgang Katherine Frick Barclay Gammill Jonathan Garske Christopher Googins James Graham Lewis Grassie Elizabeth Griffin Robert Gustavson III Elizabeth Hamilton Natalie Harrington Madison Heilshorn Zachary Kalk Ehan Keator Jonathan Kenyon Annette Key Kate Klimaszewski Morgan Kohlmeyer
University of Colorado at Boulder University of Vermont University of Denver Columbia University Northeastern University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Bard College Suffolk University Trinity College Washington University in St. Louis Saint Anselm College University of Notre Dame Arizona State University Sewanee: The University of the South Michigan State University Dickinson College Sewanee: The University of the South Trinity College Dartmouth College University of St. Andrews (UK) University of Vermont Tufts University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Furman University
COMMENCEMENT 2016
Andrew Koudijs George Langan Thibault Lannoy Jesse Lee Rui Li Evan Liddy Luke Lockwood Anne Love Cody Lucey Mingfengyu Ma Brandon Malarney Christopher Maratea John Matt Lane Mayher Courtney McGinnis Eliza McKenna Georgia McLanahan James McLanahan Samuel Merrill Margaret Mori Ivey Mueller Mutaya Mwape Sophia Needles Minh Nguyen Michael O’Donoghue Noemi Ogaz Sophia Peluso John Penas Anh Phan Devon Powers Ieva Pranckeviciute Samuel Quick Paige Rabb Samantha Reagan Jared Renzi Hunter Reynolds Sophie Roberts Cameron Robinson Brian Rodriguez Connor Shalleck Tamerick Simpson Alpo Sipila Caroline Slyer Tyler Smith Madison Soffer Matthew Spaniol Tyler Stewart James Streett Allison Sugar Tse Yu Tao Sabrina Tattersfield Henry Thomas Josiah Tolvo Charles Travers Anne van ’t Wout Rebecca Vandenberg Karin Vantine Sean Verrier Connor Waldron Emily Walsh Emma Weinstein Corey Wieczorek Kylie Wilkes Taylor Willi Ann Wilson Terryl Wilson Benjamin Wolf Kevin Xu Taelim Yaste Jae Eun Yu Yuze Zhang
Boston University Bowdoin College Middlebury College Tulane University Case Western Reserve University Colorado College Bowdoin College Syracuse University Cazenovia College Carnegie Mellon University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Clarkson University Sewanee: The University of the South Bucknell University Texas Christian University Wesleyan University University of Richmond Georgetown University Trinity College Trinity College Providence College St. Lawrence University Brandeis University Stanford University Bentley University St. John’s University Middlebury College Kenyon College Northeastern University College of Charleston Marist College Stevens Institute of Technology Bates College Boston College Baylor University Wesleyan University Pace University Elon University Northeastern University Gettysburg College Dartmouth College Sewanee: The University of the South Boston University Connecticut College University of Michigan Champlain College SUNY Morrisville State College Denison University Franklin Pierce University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of Vermont Skidmore College United States Naval Academy Denison University Wageningen University (Holland) Georgetown University Elon University Saint Anselm College College of the Holy Cross Union College Bucknell University Duke University Connecticut College Utica College St. Lawrence University Drew University Oberlin College Skidmore College Lehigh University Dartmouth College Hamilton College
PRIZE NIGHT Prize Night was, once again, everyone’s favorite night of the year—the dinner, the awards, the singing, the slideshow and, in the end, dessert and dancing under the tent.
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The Sixth Form Says,
Dear Incoming Third Formers: Once you find your people, everything else seems to fall into place.
Discover yourself on your own terms. Be who you need and want to be, for yourself, not for anyone else.
—Kate Klimaszewski
—Amani Bethea
When you first get to school, don’t worry about what others think about you because everyone is going through the same things, so don’t worry about what they think. Show them who you really are. —Kylie Wilkes
Cast all of your masks aside and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. It will help you discover who you are.
When you need to do work, take the time to do it.
• • • • • • •
Go to breakfast. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Develop good relationships with your teachers. Go to extra help. Hike up the Mountain, not just on Mountain Day. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion. Don’t stress out – it’s going to be okay!
—Ieva Pranckeviciute
—Alli Sugar
—Paige Rabb
Knowing what matters and what doesn’t is probably one of the most important life skills you can have.
This year is the time to try and, sometimes, to fail; you have three more years to figure out who you are and what you’re capable of. Remember that. And take lots of pictures!
—Jimmy Graham
—Sophia Peluso
Try to balance your life between friends, school, and alone time. It will pay off. Also, be yourself and don’t let other kids tell you what’s cool. If you lose yourself now, later, you might wonder who you’ve become. —Rebecca Vandenberg
Work to make your presence here valued and always show people the respect you want to receive. —Corey Wieczorek
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Make yourself better, but do not lose track of your true self. —Tyler K. Smith
Just being yourself and being kind to everyone will make your life better. And P.S. Always order the breaded chicken sub from Romas. —Sam Merrill
Make sure you have an advisor you connect with and who you can really talk to, and take some time to get to know everyone. Always say yes to pizza. Help the waiter at community dinner. Seriously. Make a new Berkshire Bucket List every year.
Take your time and complete your homework. Seek extra help; it doesn’t mean you aren’t smart, and there’s no stigma. Call your mom. Don’t overreact. Don’t be annoying and learn to take social cues. It is incredibly important to be able to read a room. —Ehan Keator
—Ivey Mueller
Branching out and getting to know the stories of all the amazing people around you is so worthwhile!
—Thibault Lannoy
Let the Berkshire Bubble give you time and space to define yourself. —Yuze Zhang
— Emily Walsh
Make sure you find a balance between academics, athletics, and arts. They’re all important, but they won’t mean much if you don’t develop meaningful relationships. —Derrick Burt
WORK HARD. —Connor Waldron
Don’t get so caught up and obsessed with work that you don’t take time for anything else. Take a campus loop, take a hike, do something alone, and definitely spend time on the Mountain.
Time will fly by—enjoy it. Be loving, be kind, be an athlete, be weird, be a nerd, be who you are. Just own it and dominate.
There is so much diversity of thought here; all you have to do is ask. —Morgan Kohlmeyer
—Christopher Maratea
You will wish you had so much more time here. Take advantage of it. —Lindsy Dario
Try something new freshman year; you’ll have time to become really good at it before you leave. —Eliza McKenna
A simple hi and a smile go a long way.
Know that you are going to find your place here. You will find your group of friends, teachers you can trust, and unknown talents. You will have the chance to make Berkshire a better place.
—Zachary Kalk
—Dan Driscoll
—Cody Lucey
Your experience at Berkshire will be much better if you know what you are here to accomplish.
Challenge yourself. —Brooks Hamilton
Take risks—if you take advantage of new opportunities, you will learn so much more about the other people in this community, but most importantly, you’ll learn so much about yourself. —Hanna Derrig
Listen to the voice in the back of your head that tells you when something is a bad idea. Work hard, be kind to others, and good things will happen. —Anonymous
Do it all. Be great. —Lane Mayher
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ADMISSION
1-2-3’s Berkshire’s Admission Office offers up a sample of statistics from this year’s third form.
1200+ Applicants 60 Incoming Freshmen 31 States / 33 Countries 33 Big cities / 4 Farms 23 Students interested in STEAM 51 Students taking a Pro Vita trip 17 Students in RKMP 2 Twins / 3 Only children 4 Students with more than 3 siblings
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Ties That Bind: How Our Differences Bring Us Closer Together
By Lucia Q. Mulder, Chair of the All-School Read Committee
Berkshire’s 2016 All-School Read is last fall’s National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a memoir told in the form of a letter to the author’s teenage son. With this selection, Berkshire continues the momentum that’s been building over several years, around the importance of diversity and inclusion on campus. The entire extended Berkshire community was invited to read this book over the summer, and it will serve as the anchor of a yearlong, multi-disciplinary program interwoven throughout the curriculum in 201617 aimed to support our diversity and inclusion initiatives, as outlined in the 2015 Strategic Plan. Between the World and Me is a story about being a black male in America and offers both a big picture take on race throughout the nation’s history and today, as well as an intimate glimpse of a father’s personal plea to his son. Ultimately, this is one man’s story, and that story provides a lens through which to view our country’s cultural identity. Stories—in all the different forms they take—have the power to alter perspectives and tell us something about ourselves. This spring, when several sixth formers delivered their own stories at All-School Meeting… about growing up during civil war, about embracing a sexual identity, about overcoming challenges that make us question how we see ourselves... those stories enriched our community and brought us closer together. These kinds of moments at Berkshire aren’t only broadcast via the podium
in Allen Theater. They happen throughout our uniquely textured environment all the time, between roommates who might not speak the same native language, for example, or in an economics class when students from different continents look at the ramifications of a global financial crisis. Tracey Gerber, a member of the Diversity Committee of the Board of Trustees, tells a story that illustrates her own experience with diversity at Berkshire. When her daughter Chase Gerber ’13 was a new student taking Spanish for the first time, Tracey encouraged Chase to reach out to her older brother, a more seasoned Spanish student, for help if she needed it. Chase’s immediate response was, “Why would I call Owen when I have a boy from Mexico City in my history class, and boy from Madrid in my English class?” she asked. “That was when it hit me that they’re getting this very broad look at the world,” Tracey explained. “Being with all those different students from different countries gives them a new perspective on what they’re learning. Kids act as their own resources. It’s sort of as simple as that.” Stuart Brown, whose son Lyons ’18 spent two years at an Italian school during which he was the lone American student, appreciates the importance of diversity in education. “Diversity in geography, social and economic background, ethnicity, religion, culture, experience, gender, and thought. These are realities of life as these
Berkshire’s All-School Read selection for 2016
young people move on to college and life afterward,” he said. “If Berkshire is charged with preparing these young boys and girls for their next stages in life, then diversity is a critical element of that preparation.” The goal of this year’s All-School Read is many-faceted. We have aimed to create a program that will help us, in the words of our School’s mission, “foster diversity” in a tangible way, to help our students be knowledgeable participants in the national discourse about race in America, and to help them understand the importance of all of our individual stories and viewpoints, while embracing the variety of perspectives that one encounters in the spectrum of cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities represented at Berkshire. We all have a story to tell, every student and every adult on campus. The more wide-ranging these stories are, the richer and more interesting we become as a community and perhaps the more compassionate, thoughtful, and engaged we become as individuals.
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FINANCIAL AID: A TUTORIAL By Dana Anselmi, Senior Associate Director of Admission and Director of Financial Aid
In the popular 1992 movie, School Ties, actor Brendan Fraser plays a football star from a working class family who is recruited to an elite preparatory school. His tuition is funded by the School’s Board of Trustees with the
Financial Aid
AT A GLANCE
2016-2017 $5.1 M $40,800
Financial Aid budget Average Award
123
Number of recipients
31%
% of student body receiving Financial Aid
$150,000
Support beyond tuition*
* This additional budget is dedicated to covering books, school-sponsored trips, tutoring and testprep, transportation, medical needs, and other needs of students receiving financial aid.
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express purpose of beating their crosstown rival in the annual Homecoming game. Financial aid originated in this very spirit, where students were offered scholarships to independent schools in order to fill very specific needs. Like Fraser, these students were sometimes isolated and marginalized in their communities. Fast forward to 2016, and financial aid programs have shifted dramatically. Financial aid is now a significant part of most independent schools’ enrollment strategies, providing access to students from a range of backgrounds who constitute the backbone of their communities. Schools without significant financial aid budgets are famously homogenous and tend to lack the substance that is born from socioeconomic diversity. With a 2016-2017 financial aid budget of $5.1 million, Berkshire has shown a strong commitment to this important enrollment initiative, and the benefits manifest in all aspects of school life. Unfortunately, Berkshire’s annual operating cost necessitates a tuition close to $60,000, and with this price tag, five million dollars goes quickly. Next year, the financial aid budget will serve 123 families and roughly 31% of the student body, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $58,500 with reduced fees. This year, 494 of 1,204 applicants for admission also applied for financial aid. Of these, only 39 were admitted and funded. In addition to the tuition assistance provided, Berkshire has set aside a supplemental budget to offer basic living expenses for students receiving a high level of financial support. This initiative was designed so that all
students could participate fully in the Berkshire program, in the classroom and beyond. Items like subsidized books, weekly allowances, medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance, and dress-code appropriate clothing are supported by this budget. Further, all students are eligible to receive funding commensurate with their financial aid award for academic tutoring, music lessons, Pro Vita trips, team or program-related trips, standardized test preparation, and so much more. In an ideal world, all independent schools would employ a need-blind admission model to ensure enrollment of the most mission-appropriate candidates. Unfortunately, at the vast majority of schools, even those with strong endowments like Berkshire, the financial realities necessitate a more scrupulous assessment of financial aid applicants. Students who cannot afford the full tuition effectively have to clear a second hurdle, a hurdle they may have faced all their lives. For this reason, students who receive financial aid from Berkshire tend to value their experience to the fullest and contribute to the School in myriad ways. It is no doubt that Berkshire would be wellserved to enroll more than 39 of those 494 applicants. Financial aid infuses immeasurable substance into the Berkshire community, enabling the enrollment of talented, diverse, and dynamic students. Fortunately, through prudent financial planning and proactive fundraising efforts, the School is committed to protecting this allocation of resources for generations to come.
To Our Loyal Berkshire Community, Berkshire School’s historically strong emphasis on planning for the future reflects a steadfast commitment to ensuring the next generation under the Mountain finds their experience stronger than the one before. This special, and truly Berkshire experience is illustrated perfectly when we, as a community, collectively cheer more loudly for one another than we do for ourselves. This important aspect of who we are is not taught, but rather naturally woven into the fabric of the exceptional young men and women of our student body, and the adults who guide them along their way. Adhering to this tradition, Berkshire’s new Strategic Plan is a testament to Berkshire today, seeing the importance of setting the foundation for future growth and excellence, while bringing along with it our long-standing cornerstones of passion, humility, and resilience. Key to this type of planning is our need to increase Berkshire’s endowment—as it is critical to our ability
to provide in perpetuity the outstanding learning and life experiences for which Berkshire is known. The two most important avenues of need for endowment support at Berkshire fall into very identifiable categories, and represent, truly, the lifeblood of who we are: financial aid (our students) and faculty support (our teachers). While the need to support students and teachers, relative to the operation of any school, seems obvious, what may surprise you is that at Berkshire today, these two vital aspects of our endowment rank us last among our peers, with roughly eight percent of our annual financial aid need and five percent of our annual faculty support need secured for the future. Our future plans For School, For Life, and For Berkshire are founded upon the optimism of lofty goals and we look forward to working tirelessly to achieve them—however, none of what we hope to accomplish can be achieved without community, partnership, and support of our endowment.
A strong endowment serves Berkshire by: Providing economic stability. As Berkshire’s revenues fluctuate over time due to changes in enrollment, financial markets, and donor support, a bolstered endowment provides much needed flexibility and security to meet the annual needs of the School. This type of support allows Berkshire to think more strategically, and over a longer time span. Providing for our students. Berkshire’s history is steeped in finding the right mix of students each year. Every class is treated as if we were building a team—finding characteristics and strengths in each individual that complement the others. In recent years, the need for financial aid has significantly stressed our ability to attract and meet the needs of the mix of new and current students. Endowed scholarships allow for more young men and women to receive the gift of a Berkshire experience. Providing for our teachers. Innovation, risk-taking, and exploration have been the hallmarks of Berkshire’s academic program. Endowed faculty chairs allow our educators to think outside the box and plan a curriculum that is student first, and enact programs that are ahead of the academic curve, limited only by the imagination.
Thank you for your continued support and passion for Berkshire. Your collective dedication to developing our students’ lives via an educational experience that is not only rigorous, but inclusive, authentic, and rooted in the development of character, citizenship, and appreciation of place is awe-inspiring. On behalf of all of us in Advancement, I look forward to working alongside you as we continue our collective journey on behalf of the School we love.
Climb the Mountain,
Rob Schur, Director of Advancement
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ALUMNI PROFILE:
Jeremy Miller ’96 Interview by Nina Bjurlin, Assistant Director of Admission
Berkshire alum Jeremy Miller ’96 recently released his widely anticipated book, Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules: Words of Wisdom from the Partnership of the World’s Greatest Investor. Miller was recognized as Berkshire School’s Volunteer of the Year in 2014 and is a current member of the School’s Advisory Board.
Nina Bjurlin: Tell us a little about your life before Berkshire. Jeremy Miller: I was born in 1978 in a small city along the Hudson River called Kingston, NY, about 90 miles north of New York City. I spent my pre-Berkshire years splitting time between my mom’s house in Rosendale, NY, and my dad’s home in New Paltz, NY.
Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules: Words of Wisdom from the Partnership of the World’s Greatest Investor, came in at #2 on Money Magazine’s recommended summer reading list for the summer of 2016.
NB: And what do you do now? JM: I currently work as an equity analyst at JP Morgan Asset Management—I look after the industrial investments for the MidCap Value Fund. I’ve also recently published Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules (Harper 2016), a book that studies the key investment lessons found in what were formerly unpublished early letters from Buffett’s pre-Berkshire (Hathaway, that is) Partnership. I sort of stumbled onto Wall Street after graduating from Oberlin College in 2000, but immediately became fascinated with markets and investing. After what was supposed to be my first job fell through at the last minute, I started at Credit Suisse the fall after I graduated. I spent the next fifteen years working for a number of Investment Banks in various research, sales, and trading capacities before joining JP Morgan’s Asset Management division. I love the job; it’s hard to call it “work” since I have so much fun doing it. NB: Let’s talk about your book. What inspires you to write in general? JM: I’m not a “writer”—probably because it’s too hard—I was just following something I was passionate about and interested in exploring deeper. In fact, I started the project with zero intention of it ever becoming a book. It just kind of happened organically. To describe what’s great about writing, I’d like to borrow from the med school model—learn one, do one, teach one. Writing is the teaching part, especially in the nonfiction realm—by trying
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“When you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” —Jeremy Miller ’96
Miller with Warren Buffet
to explain things in a simple, easy-tounderstand way, you really have to have your ideas down. That’s why they make med school students teach. I loved working on this project because it pounded the ideas of someone I deeply admire into my own head. It was largely a selfish motivation. I would also like to add that I firmly believe in life-long learning and that education should be firmly focused on learning the skills to think critically, communicate articulately, and learn on your own. If you’re interested in technique over process, leave that to graduate or doctoral programs. For the Berkshire students reading this, study everything you are interested in (hopefully, the list is large). When you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Those who think of school as learning a trade have it wrong. NB: What inspired you to write about Warren and his principles? JM: I’m an investor. There has never been a greater investor than Warren Buffett. I idolize the man. When I realized that there was this whole swath of his teachings in the shadows, I became fascinated with them and ultimately became intent on bringing those lessons into the light.
NB: How did you go about gaining access to the letters? JM: The early letters are not hard to find. Google “Buffett Partnership Letters” and you’ll find 80 percent of them in the first four search results. What I was interested in doing was organizing the wisdom within those letters and presenting them by category, as opposed to chronologically. When I had my idea, I wrote him a letter describing the project and asking his permission. He said yes. NB: How did you go about interpreting and creating content based on what you read? JM: I attempted to write the book in such a way that sophisticated investors would like it as much as the crowd that is less obsessed. I wanted my peers to like it as much as my brothers or my dad (guys not in investing). NB: What is your relationship to Warren? JM: He wasn’t at all involved in the book, but we got a chance to meet before it officially came out - after he had endorsed it in his annual letter. We chatted for about 20 minutes, and he could not have been more gracious. It will undoubtedly go down as a highlight of my life.
NB: I can only imagine. Making the Berkshire connection, what’s a relevant lesson you learned while you were here at school? JM: Berkshire gave me the opportunity to fail and then learn from my mistakes. I’m still doing that now of course, but I’m pretty sure I did far more than my statistical share of idiotic things as a student. The School was very understanding about it—much of my appreciation for how well they handled it came to me later in life. I think it’s an important life lesson in terms of not being too dogmatic in what you believe or judgmental of others—you’re likely to change your own mind on a great many things over time. NB: Finally, reflecting back on it all, do you have any sage advice for current students, hoping to similarly forge their own paths? JM: Commit yourself to becoming a life-long learner and be as mentally placid as you can possibly be; always look for opportunities to tear down your best ideas and replace them with better ones. Be careful not to shout what you know from the rooftops—you run the risk of pounding the wrong stuff into your mind, and it will be harder to get it out later. Above all, be nice and smile a lot.
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Reunion 2016
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Reunion 2016
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Reunion 2016
Volunteer of the Year and Distinguished Alum for 2016 Remarks from Head of School Pieter Mulder
It is my great honor and privilege to award Berkshire’s 2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award to Peter Kennard from the Class of 1964. It is also with the greatest sadness that this comes after Peter passed away last month following his long, brave battle with cancer. I was, however, thrilled to share news of this award with Peter by phone earlier this winter, and his pride and excitement made for a truly moving and memorable call between us. We are excited to welcome Peter’s niece here today to share in this special moment and to accept on behalf of her uncle the highest honor that Berkshire confers on one of its graduates. Following Peter’s graduation from Berkshire in 1964, he earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and then attended Harvard Business School for his MBA before beginning a long and successful career on Wall Street. Certainly a lofty trio of educational institutions, and yet Berkshire was always the school and the experience that Peter felt was most meaningful and the one that impacted his life most powerfully. At a recent memorial dinner for Peter, I had the pleasure to sit with a number of these Yale and Harvard classmates, and it’s safe to say that by dinner’s end they were all tired of hearing mostly about Berkshire! Peter’s days at Berkshire were a transformational time in his life. As a student here, he loved hiking, kayaking, and exploring the trails and slopes of the Mountain behind us. Later as an alum, when Peter finally bought a house outside of New York City, it was in Ashley Falls, near his beloved Berkshire School and with a 48
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view up the valley to the edge of South Pinnacle, so he could be close to his many Berkshire faculty friends and this beautiful part of the world. As a student, he was also a lover of the arts and, in turn as an alumnus, became passionate about the arts program at Berkshire School. As one of the many surprises that Peter enjoyed sharing with Berkshire, we have just recently learned that the School will soon recognize a transformative gift in Peter’s name to support the arts at Berkshire in perpetuity. Peter’s service to Berkshire has spanned every year since his graduation. He served as a Berkshire School trustee from 1985 to 1990, was the recipient of the Kellogg Volunteer of the Year Award in 1989, and served as a class agent for the great class of 1964 for more than 30 years. It is in this role as a connector, catalyst, and champion of his Class that Peter’s contributions to Berkshire were strongest.
Alden “Cappy” Anderson, a ’64 classmate of Peter’s, had the following to say in endorsing Peter for this award: “Since I first met Peter as an entering student in 1960, his influence on myself and others . . . both in our class and just as notably, members of other classes . . . has been immense. As a student, Peter was charismatic and never shy about expressing his opinions to others and helping his classmates with their school work. Peter loved Berkshire, perhaps more than anyone I know, and in many ways, in terms of spirit and heart, Berkshire and the School’s values have been the biggest part of Peter and his life.” Again, Peter was overjoyed when hearing of his award. For all he’s given to his school over the last 50-plus years, it is my and our great honor to formally present it with all of you gathered here today. This year’s recipient of the 2016 Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award, from the Class of 2006, is on campus this weekend to celebrate her tenth Berkshire Reunion. Not being here would never have occurred to her. She is their class agent and has served as their Reunion Committee chair for both her fifth and tenth reunions. She is also an active, persuasive, dare I say coercive, volunteer for Berkshire in a host of different ways since her graduation, keeping her classmates connected throughout the year, supporting alumni events, encouraging prospective students and families to visit Berkshire, and tirelessly supporting annual fundraising events and initiatives for Berkshire. She was most recently on campus just a few short weeks ago, when she joined her fellow classmate Steve Piatelli to address the graduating class of 2016 as one of the alumni speakers for their Senior Dinner. Across all these roles, both formal and informal, and her many contributions to her beloved school, our award winner is a respected friend to countless alumni and current
Reunion 2016
Service of Remembrance Rekindles Fond, and Funny, Memories “Courtney is a spirited ambassador to everything she does. She is kind, compassionate, and competitive. She exemplifies a true love for Berkshire.” —Lauren Ginsberg describing classmate Courtney Kollmer
and former faculty and staff alike. This past February, she raised the bar for young alumni giving, leading from the front with her class in the Young Alumni Challenge. Her passion and effort were also instrumental in Berkshire’s inaugural One Day for Berkshire Annual Fund Challenge in April, ensuring that the class of 2006 reach a record 45 percent participation in the Annual Fund for their tenth reunion. Her fellow classmates have only the greatest respect for her and what she continues to give to Berkshire. Steve Piatelli shares, “She has always shown enthusiasm and acceptance for everyone she interacts with. She inspires those around her to be passionate about things they love, especially Berkshire.” Lauren Ginsberg had this to say: “She is a spirited ambassador to everything she does. She is kind, compassionate, and competitive. She exemplifies a true love for Berkshire. There is no other partner I’d rather have rallying our class for the Young Alumni Challenge in the final hours.”
Classmate Ben Weil offers, “She always seemed to surround herself with people, and yet she wasn’t ‘cliquey.’ She was one of those classmates who always seemed open to different walks of life and to new ideas. Because of this, our Class remains close even ten years later.” Lastly, Molly Martinecz, her fellow MacMillan dorm prefect, shared the following: “I feel blessed to have been able to share many memories with her as a Bear. Her drive and determination has enabled her to remain graceful through trying circumstances. She truly deserves this award, for everything she does for the School, and I hope she continues to share her contagious devotion for Berkshire.” I am thrilled to share in the enthusiasm, and to endorse the wisdom of Courtney Kollmer’s friends and classmates by presenting Courtney with Berkshire School’s 2016 Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award!
C. Twiggs Myers Hon ’57 always read the following prayer at Berkshire’s annual Service of Remembrance, a tradition that Head of School Pieter Mulder has picked up in Twiggs’s absence. This year’s remembrances included, with those of alumni, memories of two former faculty members, Norm Merrill (1946-2015) and Jean Erick Joassaint (1947-2016). The stories, memories, and loving tributes could have gone on all day. From fifth year alums to fifteenth, from former faculty to friends, all present were reminded of the “happy memories” to which Twiggs referred. We humbly invoke a blessing on this gathering in honor of our departed friends and classmates and give thanks for our happy memories of them. We remember their lives of devoted service, the cherished days spent in their companionship, the example of their faith and patience, and the inspiration of their words and deeds. We invoke blessings on them and pray for the steadfast courage and wisdom to honor their legacies under this magnificent mountain. Amen.
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“Without the generosity of the Berkshire community before me, my own experience under the Mountain would have been much different. I am grateful for the life lessons I was given during my four years at Berkshire, and for my opportunity to enjoy the friendships and experiences that will last a lifetime. Because of that, I want to help ensure that future generations of Bears find their own Berkshire even stronger than the one I still love. To me, making the School I am so proud of Create Your Legacy a percentage beneficiary of my 401K was an For more information on important vote of confidence in the future and how to become a part of our a humble thank you to those who made my John F. Godman Society, or to learn how you can support years so memorable.” Berkshire through your estate —Mike Gardineer ’09
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plan, please contact Rob Schur, Director of Advancement at 413-229-1237 or rschur@berkshireschool.org.
/ Class Notes /
CLASS NOTES 39
45 Philip W. Goodspeed
46 Gerald B. O’Connor barnard.oconnor@gmail.com
Robert Kieve ’39 is a San Jose institution and long-time owner of KLIV
Robert Kieve was honored in the following excerpt from an editorial published on April 14, 2016 of the San Jose Mercury News: “For the lasting power of KLIV, thank the venerable Bob Kieve, 94, whose dedication to San Jose and to the mission of providing local news led his Empire Broadcasting Co. to operate KLIV at a loss for some 30 years. Kieve is part lovable curmudgeon, part civic cheerleader and part tenacious advocate for what he perceives as right and just. Kieve made headlines in 2002 when he sold one of his local stations, KARA, and gave a full year’s salary to the employees who were losing their jobs. He is doing the same now. We will miss KLIV, San Jose’s own news radio station. Another era passes.”
44 Dick Cole writes: “Greetings! I just celebrated my 90th birthday on May 30. I’ve been living in Southern California for the last 27 years. We have four children (the oldest retired two years ago). We have ten grandchildren and are expecting our eighth great grandchild in September. Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me. Regards, Dick Cole (Email: pondhollow1@gmail.com)”
REUNION 2017 • JUNE 9-11 Welcoming back ’2s and ’7s!
Gerald O’Connor writes: “According to school records, there are only five of us left out of a total of 35. One of our remaining members, Marvin Sterman, was present with his wife Shirly and their children at the School’s 109th reunion blow-out June 10 and 11. The senior Stermans drove from Peabody, MA, which in itself was an accomplishment for octogenarians. Two of Marvin’s classmates, Louis Haddad and Gerald “Rory” O’Connor, had voiced intentions of joining them but were felled by sudden illness. Each recovered, but too late for an appearance. George Church ’48, who lives in nearby Pittsfield, MA, joined the Stermans at dinners on both reunion days. Our other known alumnus, Dick Schatz, who lives in East Lyme, CT, was unable to be present because his wife, Gail, had undergone open-heart surgery earlier in the year and, understandably, he didn’t want to leave her.
47
the 60th wedding anniversary for Ann and me, the 25th anniversary for daughter Lisa Elliott Kronauer ’81 and her husband Brad, 50th birthdays for son Jim and his bride, Cate. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather!”
51 John B. Hull III (413) 528-1528
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65th
Clement “Tad” Woodhull writes: “After leaving Raytheon as an applications engineer I started a long career (60 years) in aviation as a USAF navigator (Capt.), a pilot for Flying Magazine and others as well as extensive test flying and aircraft brokerage. During most of this time I was also an active yacht broker in Maine, Connecticut and Florida. Now I am in Vero Beach, FL.”
53 John G. Cluett jcluett@aol.com Leland Cole ’53
70th
48 George Church III
49 Robert W. Doyle, Sr. robertwdoyle@hotmail.com
50 Charles K. Elliott, Jr. chazel303@gmail.com
Charles Elliott, Jr. writes: “Our family is celebrating a number of significant events this year. We’re going to recognize all of these events at a bash at our summer place in Madison, CT over Labor Day weekend. They include
James McCurrach continues his teaching in the Millbrae Elementary School system. This summer he will conduct a four-week sabbatical, teaching English with a company called Pathways, operating on the campus of the College of San Mateo, CA.
54 David W. Sauer stillpoint@windstream.net
Spring/Summer 2016
51
/ Class Notes /
55 Stephen V. R. Spaulding III rensf@yahoo.com
56 Joseph Geiger writes: “Three events in my life. 1) Our 18-month-old granddaughter is growing like a weed and has the terminal cutes; 2) The 60th Reunion at Berkshire was wonderful, an event to be remembered; 3) Copies of my 75-page Finding a Career for Life book, Finding a Career for Degrees & Diplomas Life, were available in June. It is designed to help 16 to 20-year-olds make better career choices before they graduate from college. It is available at Amazon.com or signed copies at my website, TheRoadToTheTop.com. The Road to the Top By Joe Geiger
Don’t Earn a Living, You Do!
To avoid years of wasted time and decades of debt, your educational path must be focused on a career goal.
Nancy and Dan Crabbe ’56, Joe Hurlburt ’56, and Wendy and Hawley Rogers ’56 at the high point at Bartholomew’s Cobble. Look closely and Berkshire School is in the hills in the far distance.
Joe Hurlburt writes: “On the beautiful Friday afternoon of Reunion Weekend, with Dan and Nancy Crabbe, Hawley and Wendy Rodgers, I visited Hurlburt’s Hill within Bartholomew’s Cobble. From Ashley descendants, in 1889, my great grandfather and grandfather bought the hill as a part of a much larger farm located in Ashley Falls. Until the 100acre Hurlburt’s Hill parcel became a part of The Trustees of Reservations property, it was lovingly farmed by my family. The hay is still cut by the farm’s owner. It remains one of my favorite places and I love sharing it with others.”
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Berkshire Bulletin
Standing: Bob Cawood ‘56. Mike Gusick ‘56, Dan Goodyear ’56, Dan Crabbe ’56, Hawley Rogers ‘56, Joe Geiger ‘56; Seated: George Church ’48, Marv Sterman ‘46, Bob Doyle ‘49
’61
Standing: Tom Hanson, George Beebe, Bill Klingenstein; Seated: John Ellwood, Dick Meystre, Bob Anderson Missing: Ed Herrington, Ed Hunt, Peter Kellogg, Tim Warrener
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60th
Walter S. Henrion walthenrion@gmail.com
Walt Henrion writes: “The Class of 1957 is on the downhill stretch toward our 60th Reunion in June 2017. If the Class of 1967 is not fired up, we may have more people back for our 60th than they do for their 50th. We have been planning our 60th for two years and here is the good news. We have 18 (72%) classmates planning on coming, one probably and three maybes.
59 Richard H. Elias mardic68@hotmail.com
60 Stephen P. Norman steve@spnormanco.com H. Todd Spofford tspofford@charter.net
/ Class Notes /
61 Peter R. Kellogg pkellogg@iatre.com
but Steve Nelson ’64. Steve and his older brother Phil Nelson ’61 were at Middlebury with me, and in the same fraternity, Chi Psi. I met Ben Rosin ’58 and his wife. He also went to Middlebury, and was also a Chi Psi! What are the odds of that confluence of Berkshire, Middlebury, and Chi Psi students at one table fifty years later? I highly recommend other non-reunion members stop by next year’s reunion for the same event. It was a lot of fun.”
63 Jeri Langham ’61 and his son Kevin
Ray H. Garrison rgarrison40@comcast.net
Jeri Langham writes: “Laurie and I were very proud to attend Kevin’s graduation ceremony this past June in which he received a Master’s Degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara. His graduate school advisor wants him to stay on for a Ph.D., but he is going to take a break from academics to accept a six month research appointment with UC Santa Barbara.”
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62
John R. Hendrie jrhendrie@gmail.com
55th
Andrew S. Berkman aberkman@cpny.com
Dave Hemelright, former chairman and current secretary of the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board (ORSSAB) joined other ORSSAB leadership in Phoenix, AZ this past March for the annual Waste Management Conference. Dave, along with Belinda Price, the current chair, represented Oak Ridge at the international conference, where they co-authored and presented a paper titled, “The Effectiveness of Advisory Boards: the US DOE EM Site-Specific Experience.” The paper was selected by the session co-chairs as the “best of the session.” Don Myers writes: “I had a very nice time at the inaugural Fifty-Year Club Luncheon that took place on the Friday of Reunion Weekend 2016, plus a welcomed surprise! I entered the lunchroom and who should be there, but my brother, Matthew Myers ’66 for his 50th. Who else should be there
Hawley T. Chester III writes: “I have finally retired from Fox Entertainment Networks after 15 years as vice president of affiliate distribution for Canada and I now have more time to devote to my race cars and my nine grandchildren. I plan to open a sports marketing and television consulting firm in my spare time.”
John Hendrie writes: “As many of you know, Peter Kennard died in late May. A memorial service was held early in June at his favorite club in New York, the Harvard Club. A number of our classmates attended, as well as the Head of School Pieter Mulder, including Ted Kratovil, Bob Beaumont, and Peter Johnson, who really helped to manage and stay positive as Peter’s journey ended. Peter Kennard was a tireless advocate for Berkshire School
Scott Barnes ’65 hosted classmate Sam Crawford ’65 on Edisto Island, SC after eating BBQ and shooting sporting clays.
and the Class of 1964. For us, he was the voice and spirit of the School. He will be missed.” See page 71 for a letter to the community and page 48 for Pieter Mulder’s remarks.
65 James T. McKinley jim@jtmckinley.com
Ted Dunne writes: “I’m enjoying ‘the September of my years’, continuing with my small town law practice, long-term friendships and births and joy of step-grandchildren—two now and one on the way! My oldest son will be 40 in July; ouch! He is doing very well in his own business in Charlotte, NC. Son number two is happy and living in Asheville, NC. We are happy on our small farm in Sussex County, NJ. My wife, Evie, just oversaw the birth of our first home-born chicks, non-stop fun to watch. I’m not really looking to retire just yet, but, it’s coming. Hope all within the Berkshire community are happy and well.” Paul Montana writes: “After recovering from a severe case of Lyme Disease, I was able to finish my first novel Forever & Always. Set in San Francisco, CA and based upon real events, it is the story of a nurse who falls in love with an older man with a mysterious past. It is available on Amazon.com in print and Kindle and at many bookstores around New England. I’m currently living on the seacoast of New Hampshire with my wife Carol.”
Paul Montana ’65
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
Geoffrey Stack writes: “I just came out with a book of my paintings; I will master and release a third CD of my songs shortly and then create an allinclusive website soon after.”
68 L. Keith Reed lkreed.mt@gmail.com
66 Harlan J. Swift timswifty@gmail.com
Winthrop Johnson writes: “The Class of 1966 had a really great time this past Reunion Weekend! Thank you for the memories.” Tim Swift writes: “The Class of 1966, that, according to Frank Beattie was ‘The worst class in 40 years, was determined to debunk that moniker by showing up in force for our 50th reunion. Don Buck, Hans Carstensen, Peter Hammett, Willard Soper, Tim Swift, and Ray Tuller made up the committee that labored mightily to produce a turnout that would make Mr. Beattie proud. We leave it up to future historians to determine if we succeeded in losing our bad reputation.”
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50th
F. Woodson Hancock III whancock3@aol.com
starting his final year at NYU Abu Dhabi in the fall. My father Mac Johnson ’37 lives in the Ingleside Retirement Community in Washington, DC and remains in good health at 95. I have great memories of my two years at Berkshire and the wonderful people I came to know there, and always look forward to stopping by when possible on my way north for vacation in Maine each August. Warm regards!”
69 Christopher H. Johnson ’68 manages a 15-lawyer office in Riyadh.
Christopher H. Johnson writes: “Since attending my first reunion in 2008, I left the humanitarian airline AirServ after three years and returned to the private practice of law, focused on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. I have been back in Riyadh since 2011 with my wife Nabers and son Henry, managing what has become a 15-lawyer office in Riyadh and serving multinationals in their activities in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. Henry graduated from the British School here in 2013, and will be
Kent S. Clow ksc3@msn.com
John Borden writes: “Just a simple note that I merged my company, Borden Realtors in Lakeville, CT, with William Pitt Realty/Sothebys International Realty. Those who remember me at Borden Realtors, should know that I am still active in the industry and continue at the same office in Lakeville.”
Hilary Russell came out to support Seamus McKeon ’69 on the Housatonic River this past spring.
’66 Standing: Jeff Jones, Rick Gallagher (AKA DW Ditty), Jake Thompson, Bob Witkowski, Ham White, Tim Swift, Ed Woodyard, Sam Martin, Chipp Jamison, Tom Hewes, Matt Myers, Tod Willson, Vernon Taylor; Seated: Don Buck, Win Johnson, Ray Tuller, Albert Laubenstein, Hans Carstensen, Willard Soper, Bill Rogers, Peter Hammett, Wilbur Rice, Jessel Wilder
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Berkshire Bulletin
Seamus McKeon writes: “I participated in the Source-to-Sound Paddle on the Housatonic River, a 10day trip that took place this last spring. It was great to reconnect with my former lacrosse coach Hilary Russell out on the River, not once, but twice. Only three people actually completed this adventure, which started in Muddy Pond, Hinsdale, MA and finished in the LI Sound in Stratford, CT: 150 miles over 10 days. The trip was sponsored by the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), to bring greater awareness to the River and why it is important.” David O’Hara writes: “I’m happy to announce the arrival of two more grandchildren born this spring, one to each of my daughters—Margaret
/ Class Notes /
Robin McGraw ’70 with daughter Andie McGraw ’17 at Berkshire’s Prize Night in May.
Watson and Malcolm Foster. Now I have four grandchildren in total. Margaret has an older sister and brother. I’m still working at FactSet Research Systems. My best to everyone.”
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’71 Front Row: Pierre B. Erhard, Bill E. Schluter, Rick E. Gardella, Bob Shaftoe, George S. Coyne; Second Row: Monty H. Reis, Tom M. Stinson, Bill S. Cushman, John M. Shaker, Jeff W. Reebie; Back Row: Kevin J. Bruemmer, Ned F. Atkins, Craig D. Mckernin, Mike P. Richardson, Chris G. Smith
Robert L. W. McGraw blackrockfarm@hotmail.com
appreciate that we were able to attend Berkshire Takes Broadway together. We took a picture after the show, with Harrison “H” Williams ’75. Cary is a current parent and trustee, and I’m a former faculty member and a past parent. “H” is a teacher and coach at Trinity School in NYC.”
71 Bill Cushman’s recent custom architectural hardware start-up with his wife Jessica, JKC&D, has partnered with LaunchPad BX, a new initiative, to create a robust network of educators and employers who share a commitment to ensure that youth growing up in the South Bronx enjoy family-sustaining jobs and choice-filled lives. Over the course of the multiyear program, students will gain the essential entrepreneurial skills required for success in the design, manufacturing, and distribution processes, and ultimately guide them to purposefully continue their education, and later qualify for professional, wellpaying jobs.
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45th
Jan D’Angelo ’72 in Colorado Springs, CO. Jan’s company, AdamWorks, built the New Shepard capsule for Jeff Bezos’ commercial space company, Blue Origin.
Station. He is starting his 26th year at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, in a new position within the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office, overseeing the improvements in safety related to the disposal of all US space crafts, and coordination of these best practices with all of the world’s space agencies.
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John Y. G. Walker III jwalker2353@gmail.com
Leon J. Weil jerryweil.tennis@gmail.com
Jack Bacon recently received his second NASA medal for his work in integrating the International Space
Jerry Weil writes: “My sister Cary Weil Barnett ’76 and I had a great time watching Finding Neverland and
Two Weils and a Williams: siblings Jerry Weil ’73 and Cary Weil Barnett ’76 with Harrison Williams ’75 at Finding Neverland.
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
Robert Stevenson reflects: “Berkshire offered small classes; teachers like my lovely Spanish teacher, Nancy Duryee-Aas, who were passionate about the subjects they taught and as good as any I had in college; a wonderful library filled with books chosen with an eye for the exotic and first-rate, a quality found only in the finest independent bookstores; and perhaps most alluring of all, Black Rock, the 150-foot cliff that my friends Heggie Wilson, Dugan Aitken, and Jeff Marshall and I climbed every chance we got. I miss it fondly.”
74 Louise A. Clement luluinsf2005@yahoo.com
75
’76 Back row: David E. Schwamb, David W. Knowlton, Jean Pichey Fontaine, Alice Ehrenclou M. Cole, Guy R. Riegle, Elizabeth Kinney; Front row: Sue Alman Schneider, Marion Aldrich, Lucie Haggerty Cook, Marlee Wallingford, Stephen H. Hassett, Ellen Amber Murphy Freeman, Cary Weil Barnett
Joseph M. Fusco joe@techworkers.com
Bill Bernart writes: “My wife, Dr. Sandra Swenson ’74, and I are greatly enjoying our new home in Clinton, NY, and all that the Rhinebeck and MidHudson area has to offer. We are most excited about our new “baby”, Sweet Pea, a Freedom Yachts 30 cat rigged sloop that we are sailing out of the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club every chance we get. We invite all of our classmates and Berkshire friends to come and sail with us this fall.” Joe Fusco writes: “Wayne’s World”, a fast-paced nautical adventure in Tampa Bay, FL, is where Captain Wayne Andrews, Holly Hall Quillian, Beth Mayer Carlisle, and Dana Bradshaw Reinhard and I found ourselves in April, seeking the elusive Tarpon but finding fun and art instead. Frank Kirschner was there in spirit as well. Many other classmates have found their sea-legs on this tour, including: Gordon Harris, Bill Bernart, Jon Leet, Jamie Craig, and Nat Bruning. Hold on tight, the fish are jumping!” Bob Wagner ’72 and Corrine Kelley Wagner write: “Our daughter, Helen Page Wagner, graduated Magna Cum Laude from The University of Tampa in early June, with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She is currently 56
Berkshire Bulletin
work for a public relations firm in Washington, DC, respectively. I’m still playing hard in Montana’s mountains, skiing, mountain biking, and backpacking as the seasons change. Any classmates traveling through Montana are welcome to contact me, k.w.83@ hotmail.com. Sorry I couldn’t make it to our Reunion!”
77
40th
David W. C. Riatti riattid@gmail.com Helen Page Wagner, daughter of Bob Wagner ’72 and Corrine Kelley Wagner ’75, at her graduation from The University of Tampa this past June.
finishing up her senior internship with Bristol-Myers Squibb. We are very proud!”
76 Stephen H. Hassett stevenhass@aol.com
Kim Wilson writes: “I’m still hard at work as a trial and environmental lawyer in Helena, MT. My two wonderful daughters, Mairin and Charlotte, attend Middlebury and
Ginger Gillespie writes: “I’m loving my work as a family physician and teaching in a residency training program in Manhattan. Raising two kids in the city has been an exciting challenge. Last year, we were deeply saddened by the loss of my husband of 28 years after a struggle with brain cancer. We are working on healing and hoping for a better year in 2016.” Susan Stout writes: “On the weekend of May 13, Deb Witsell Vivian held a small ‘Berkshire Reunion’ at her home in Hamilton, MA. The attendees were Jessie Leonard Reid, Wendy Israel, Susan Stout, and Kim North Hoffman. Fun was had by all! We had a great ride
/ Class Notes /
Left to right, Deb Witsell Vivian, Wendy Israel, Jessie Leonard Reid, Kim North Hoffman, and Susan Stout (n the back).
in Deb’s boat in the “Gloucesta” harbor, captained by her husband Glenn Vivian (thank you, Glenn). We then trekked back to her house for a delicious dinner and cocktails. Thank you, Deb. It was really fun to see everyone. Next time will be at the 40th Reunion in 2017; see you all there!”
78 Birney B. Boehland birney@birneysfoods.com
capsule of a bottle. Other distractions fill my life-cycling, backpacking in the Sierras, skiing, gardening, and sharing the table with friends.” Susie Norris was the recipient of an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Digital Media Award in the Recipe Based Blog category at the IACP’s Hollywood conference on April 3, 2016. Norris’s blog, Food Market Gypsy, highlights everything from travel to cuisine and culture. She currently writes for the University of Southern California and is working on her third book. www.foodmarketgypsy.com
80 K.C. Fuchs kcfuchs@silvershieldfoundation.org
81 Annie R. Clyne clyne@optonline.net Sue Ann Stanton sasroyale@yahoo.com
Michelle Edwards Arnold writes: “Hello from Florida. Just a note to say how proud I am of my oldest son Morgan who is studying Biomedical
Michelle Edwards Arnold ’81’s son, Morgan
Engineering in Ireland over the summer at Galway University. Here he is on a class trip in Northern Ireland at the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge and the Giants Causeway. We plan on visiting him later, at the end of the season.” Tonia Lovejoy writes: “My son, Malik Moran, is officially a United States Marine. He graduated from Parris Island on April 15, 2016—Ooh Rah! His Permanent Deployment Station will be somewhere in Maryland, which means I can visit when he is in the country. In the meantime, I continue to enjoy my retirement in Staten Island, NY. Anyone with a family member in the military can connect with me at tolovejo50@outlook.com.” Cynthia Montgomery writes: “It’s been an exciting year in our household. My son, Garrett Johnson, graduated this spring cum laude from Rhodes College,
Jennie and Bart Landenberger ‘77’s son John
Bart Landenberger writes: “Our son John graduated from Bucknell University this spring, and daughter Amelia returned from her travels in Spain, England, Scotland, Croatia, and Thailand, just in time to attend graduation. My wife Jennie and I are eternally proud of them both.”
79 Robert D. Thomas bthomas@wwsg.com
Bayard Fox writes: “This fall, I will celebrate the 21st vintage producing the Renard wines. The cycle of the seasons keeps me grounded, and I am grateful to preserve each unique year in the time
’81 First Row: John B. Voss, Victoria Benjamin Hochhauser, Catherine M. Saunders; Second Row: Benjamin S. Gurney, Buddy J. Ontra, Nancy M. Simson, Michelle Edwards Arnold, Elizabeth Irwin Rosenbloom, Laurie Overbye Martino, Daniel M. Crabbe; Back Row: Brooks K. Slocum, Karen Reinker McCarthy, Brian J. Hyatt, Christine Adam Granger, Alan A. Maxwell
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
MEET YOU AT BLACK ROCK...
The Class of 1981 celebrated the last three Reunion Weekends with a hike to Black Rock.
30th Reunion
25th Reunion
with an English major, just like his proud mom and dad. He’s soon off to Chile for a month with the WOOF program and then hiking through Peru with a friend. My younger step-daughter was married June 25th. I continue my work as an instructional coach and literacy specialist with the Westminster School in Atlanta, GA. We just built a yearround sunroom, which is just waiting for friends to visit, while we all sip something refreshing. All are welcome!” Buddy Ontra writes: “The formidable Class of 1981 had a great time at Reunion Weekend this past June. We’ve celebrated the last three Reunions with a group hike to Black Rock. Here we are (above photo) in 2006 for our 25th, in 2011 for our 30th, and in 2016 for our 35th. We hope you will join us at the next Reunion Weekend and the next hike to Black Rock!” Tony Scheinman writes: “Offcamera, I was recently promoted to Submarine Captain, as the voice of “Captain Valentin Savitsky” for the Maritime Museum of San Diego, CA. While on-screen I was recently viciously tackled for a commercial for the newly released SMASH SQUAD online game.”
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incubator on Howard’s campus to support underrepresented entrepreneurs and businesses. Our very own Aaron Saunders is the CEO and founder of Clearly Innovative, aka Luma Labs.
83 Karen Schnurr Secrist karensecrist6@gmail.com
Serge McKhann, Jr. writes: “I’m still living in Providence, RI and am still running (thanks C. Twiggs Myers Hon. ’57!). Actually ran my fastest marathon ever at 50. Kids are doing great; my daughter is in Boston and received her Master’s Degree from HSPH in May and my son is working in New York City at the Roundabout Theatre Co. I am looking forward to getting back on campus for the Reunion in June.”
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35th
Anthony P. Addison anthony_addison@ml.com Thomas B. Fahy bfahy44@gmail.com
Howard University and the Washington, DC Mayor Murial Bowser chose Luma Labs to operate a tech 58
35th Reunion
Berkshire Bulletin
Bill Lawrence ’84 with his sons, Gregor and Samuel
Bill Lawrence writes: “I am pleased to write that both of my sons now wear the honors of Honor, having graduated from my alma mater, The University of Virginia, together on May 21, 2016.
It certainly wouldn’t have happened for them had it not happened for me first— and attending Berkshire is what made it happen for me. Thank you, Berkshire!”
85 Lionel A. Shaw lionel_shaw@yahoo.com
Mike Gibbons is the Showrunner and Executive Producer of The Great Indoors, a series about an adventure reporter who must adapt to the times when he becomes the boss to a group of millennials. The show will air this coming fall on CBS. Peter Scott, who was on campus last year for Pro Vita 2015 to speak about his career in broadcast journalism and his tenure with Turner Broadcasting, is happy to announce that Turner Studios in Atlanta has unveiled a state-of-the-art facility to be used exclusively for ELEAGUE, a new professional eSports league that launched this past May via Twitch. Dudley Shotwell is also hard at work for Turner Broadcasting, producing content for the NBA playoff and finals. He works with both the Warriors and Cavaliers and interviews the likes of Lebron James and Stephen Curry. Dudley also traveled with the USA Men’s Basketball National Team to Brazil. Reach out anytime if you are ever in Atlanta at dudley.shotwell@turner.com
/ Class Notes /
89 Andrew D. Allen andrewdrexelallen@gmail.com David H. Wanamaker davewanamaker@yahoo.com
’86
Front Row: Ross M. Galloway, Gabrielle Kardon, Hilary P. Dove, Tony S. Clifford; Second Row: Bebe Clark Bullock, Susan Tiemeyer Horton, Lara Gutsch Dario, Ann C. Zimmerli-Haskel, Jim L. Haskel; Back Row: Peter R. Alternative, Jeffrey M. Horton, Max W. Squire, David A. Weiner, Phil S. Pell, Stephen N. Hord, Erik C. Zimmerman; Not pictured: Lara Schefler McLanahan, Paul A. Scofield
86 Rhonda M. Bentley-Lewis rbentleylewis@partners.org Lara Schefler McLanahan lsmcl@optonline.net
Annie Zimmerli-Haskel and Jim Haskel write: “We are excited for our daughter Tess to start as a third-form student at Berkshire this fall. She is excited to join Berkshire’s alpine ski team. Our younger boys, ages 12 and 9, both play travel baseball and little league. We were excited to be back on Berkshire’s beautiful campus for our 30th reunion this past June.”
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some music by our band SoulRaye, as well as other independent artists. We are also taking a cross-country road trip with our 10-year-old daughter Sky from New York City to San Diego, CA to visit family and friends, and perform a few gigs in California. Looking forward to our 30th reunion next June! Wishing everyone a happy and safe summer! soulraye@yahoo.com”
88 Scott M. Falso sfalso@gmail.com
30th
Ellie Glaccum Debenham ’88, Daniel Goodyear ’56 and Laurence Constable ’91
Kristen Gray ’87
Kristen Gray writes: “Hi, Berkshire classmates! My husband, Michael Raye, and I launched an online-radio station called ’Global Chill Radio’ featuring
Ellie Glaccum Debenham writes: “Had a wonderful day at The Grand National with Daniel Goodyear ’56, former trustee and father of Cary Goodyear ’84, and his nephew Laurence Constable ’91. Mr. Goodyear has aged the best of us all!”
Kyle Douglas is the principal of the Inglewood High School in California. At Berkshire, he played on Bill Duryee’s basketball team and specifically the ’89 New England Championship team. He’s been working with Paul Pierce of the LA Clippers to provide free eye care and glasses to all those students in need. By the end of the current school year, every child in the Inglewood Unified School District in need of glasses will get a pair free of charge. “The beauty of this is the 50 to 60 students here at Inglewood High School who we now know are not learning impaired,” Douglas said. “It’s such an easy thing to fix.”
90 Natalie Bradley Clarke ninabclarke@gmail.com Natalie Dillon natdillon@gmail.com
Adam Carey writes: “I executively produced a short film about gun violence called Squeeze. It’s only fourteen minutes long and was written by Don Dillon, father of Natalie Dillon ’90. We’ve been accepted to a number of film festivals, and just won Best Drama at the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. Unfortunately, our topic is very much in people’s minds now. The website is squeezethefilm.com.” Natalie Dillon and Nina Bradley Clarke are working together for Beautycounter, a mission-based company leading the change for better beauty. Their goal is to get safe products out into the hands of everyone. Natalie and Nina are both leaders in the startup company, and they’re looking to grow their team. If you are interested in this incredible opportunity or you know someone who is interested, please reach out.
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
Births 2
1
4
Rudi Ehrlich ’92 and his wife Jocelyn Cloder are excited to share that they welcomed their son Anders Ellis Ehrlich this past winter on December 15, 2015. Alexandra Gaudion Palmer ’99 writes: “My husband Corey and I welcomed our daughter, Hila Campbell Palmer, in October 2015 and couldn’t be happier watching her grow. We are enjoying a less busy life in Portland, ME. I hope to return to Berkshire for a weekend in the future as I have such great memories of friends and daily life under the Mountain. Alexandrapalmer@hotmail.com” Ryan Ascenzo ’00 writes: “My wife Katie gave birth to our second son Reed
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Berkshire Bulletin
Benjamin on New Year’s Eve 2015. Grant is very excited to be a big brother. I have also taken up a new position as an insurance wholesale broker at ARC Excess. Last but not least, we have decided to build a new home in Connecticut. 2016 will go down as one of the busiest we can remember!” Dan Fokine ’00 writes: “My wife Bri and I are happy to announce the births of Sylvia Louis Fokine and Soren Cordts Fokine, born on May 23, 2016. Both are happy and healthy and we’re all thrilled with our growing family. Hope all is well!” Brooke Beebe Noble ’00 writes: “My husband Troy and I are happy to announce that Taylor Nicole Noble and
Callie Beebe Noble were born on April 11, 2016 at 6:23 and 6:26 a.m., at 5 lbs and 4 lbs respectively. Both babies are happy and healthy and we couldn’t be happier to be parents of twins!” Hannah Delong ’01 and her husband Adam Swick are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Abigail Swick, born November 10, 2015. Charles Bouteiller ’03 writes: “My wife Kelly and I welcomed our first child, Holden Charles on December 10, 2015. Our families are overjoyed and completely love our little one.” Kat Kollmer Gaudin ’05 writes: “My husband Andrew and I are happy to announce that our son Robbie Lance Gaudin was born on March 6.
/ Class Notes /
5
6
7
1) A leisha Cabaniol Gibbons ’97 and Brian Gibbons ’89 welcomed their first child Grace Susan Gibbons on June 9, 2016.
9
2) Alexandra Gaudion Palmer ’99 and her husband Corey welcomed daughter Hila Campbell Palmer in October 2015. 3) R yan Ascenzo ’00 with his wife Katie and their two sons, Reed and Grant. Grant is happy to be a big brother to baby Reed! 4) Jane Walker Blake ’03 and her twins Henry and Webster 5) D an Fokine ’00 and wife Bri welcomed twins Sylvia Louis Fokine and Soren Cordts Fokine on May 23, 2016.
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He’s already been to three states in Australia, eight states in the US and, of course, under the Mountain! If anyone is ever down in Atlanta, GA—we’d love to see you!” Former faculty Dan and Elizabeth Skoglund were thrilled to welcome Anne Margaret “Annie” Skoglund on February 12, 2016. Annie has been back to visit Berkshire and already has lots of bear cub buddies.
6) B rooke Beebe Noble ’00 and husband Troy Noble are proud parents of twins Taylor Nicole Noble and Callie Beebe Noble, born April 11 at 6:23 a.m. and 6:26 a.m., at 5 lbs and 4 lbs respectively. 7) Charles Bouteiller ’03 and his wife Kelly welcomed Holden Charles on December 10. 8) Kat Kollmer Gaudin ’05 and husband Andrew Gaudin are proud to announce the birth of their son Robbie Lance Gaudin on March 6. 9) Former Faculty Dan and Elizabeth Skoglund welcomed a baby gir,l Anne Margaret “Annie” Skoglund, on February 12. 10) Richard Lazala ’93 with his partner Sandra and their six-month-old daughter, Sol, living happily abroad in Germany.
Spring/Summer 2016
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Kate Fisher Fitzgerald is thrilled that her daughter, Grace, will be attending Berkshire in the fall. Grace will be entering as a third former. Devon Smith Menges was recently on campus for Reunion Weekend 2016. She even hiked up the Mountain!
91 John K. Fretz jfretz@bmedtech.com
Mimi Ramos Harney writes: “I’m happy to report that I get to see classmate Jane Naylor fairly regularly as she books my band for shows at her workplace. It’s always fun to catch up with her. I keep in touch with Jeremy Peters, and I was fortunate to spend time with Owen Carey and Nicholas Ingham at Jeremy’s wedding a couple of years ago. We laughed as hard as we did when we were in high school. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to make it to Reunion this past summer, but it was the same weekend as the music festival I produce in Millerton, NY (www.springforsound.com).
Paige Robertson Jasaitis ’91’s three girls enjoyed Berkshire’s mascot over Reunion Weekend 2016 this past June.
Paige Robertson Jasaitis writes: “Thank you for a fantastic Reunion Weekend this past June! Our future Bears are looking forward to visiting campus again soon!”
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25th
Abram W. Duryee III bduryee@hotmail.com
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’91 Front row: Jeremy C. Peters, Paige Robertson Jasaitis, Jane V. Naylor, Jonathan H. Cohen; Second row: Richard T. Conly, Michael F. O’Neill, Bradley P. Spofford; Back row: Albury N. Fleitas, Jeffrey A. Zelman, Laurence G. Constable, Matthew S. Hopkins
93 Hilary A. Mueller hmueller@berkshireschool.org
month-old girl named Sol and partner of a wonderful person named Sandra. I plan on making it to our Class of ’93 25th Reunion in 2018.”
Tenley E. Reed tenley@mac.com
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Josh Person writes: “Hello, everyone! I trained for the 192-mile Pan Mass Challenge bike ride from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown, MA on August 6 and 7. I rode with my brother, Eric Person ’87, in memory of our mother, in honor of our father, and to raise funds for juvenile cancer research. The PMC route comes through Wrentham, MA, so it’s always great to have my wife, Jamie, and sons Matthew, 10, and Jacob, 8, along the route cheering.” Richard Lazala writes: “Dear Berkshire friends, I just wanted to share my excitement about my niece, Kyoti Tavarez, daughter of my brother Henry Tavarez ’98, entering the Third Form this fall! We are sure she will gain a unique and enriching educational and personal experience under the Mountain. For those who don’t know, I have been living in Germany for the past thirteen years and am the proud father of a six-
Francis A. Blair francis.blair@gmail.com
95 Bradley P. Hunt bradley_hunt1313@hotmail.com
Ayren Moskowitz Pfeifer writes: “After a very fulfilling three years in beautiful Beaufort, SC, my family and I had our 9th military move to San Diego, CA where my husband, Paul, stepped away from his job as an F-18 pilot and training ground troops. I look forward to living in California and deepening my yoga practice and building my real estate business. Our children Mardi, 12, and Max, 9, are growing up too fast! I look forward to connecting with any Berkshire alumni in California and most especially those from the Class of ’95.”
/ Class Notes /
’96
Paul Wilkinson ’98’s children Camden and Emelia
Front Row: John A. Dullaghan, Ginger Drysdale Jewett, Samantha Goldfinger Abdulla, Seth J. T. Sanders; Second Row: Nakia Howell, Timothy D. Jones, Nichole L. Marks, Christa Consolini Logue, Javier C. Winnik; Back Row: Ian K. Morris, Jules Lemire, Dylan B. Mattes, Tatum Vittengl Smigelski, Jeremy C. Miller, Catherine Weidinger Gruhler, Zachary S. Haberman
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George S. Scoville gscovillempp@gmail.com
Julie A. Lemire juleslemire@hotmail.com
Gordon B. Kellam gordonkellam@yahoo.com
Katherine C. Mahan katiecking@yahoo.com
Brian Congdon was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force.
Tatum E. Smigelski tvittengl@yahoo.com
Jeremy Miller writes: “Words cannot express how thrilled and humbled I am by Warren Buffett’s endorsement of my recently published book, Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules. Mr. Buffett mentioned the book when he released his annual letter to Berkshire-Hathaway shareholders, (see article on page 44), earlier this spring. I had a chance to sit down with him for a bit, and he couldn’t have been more gracious. I am deeply honored to be the ambassador of Mr. Buffett’s teachings. Here is what he had to say: “Mr. Miller has done a superb job of researching and dissecting the operation of Buffett Partnership Ltd. and of explaining how Berkshire’s culture has evolved from its BPL origin. If you are fascinated by investment theory and practice, you will enjoy this book.” Warren Buffett, Berkshire’s 2015 Annual Letter. For those interested in Buffett’s earliest investing wisdom, it officially went on sale April 26, 2016.”
20th
Michael D. Gutenplan michaelgutenplan@aol.com
00 Brooke T. Noble brookebeebe@gmail.com
98 Malinda L. Lareau mllarnie@yahoo.com Lauren A. Levin lauren98@aol.com
Henry Tavarez writes: “My wife Alfonsina and I are proud to announce that our eldest daughter Kyoti will attend Berkshire School this coming fall, Class of ’20. We look forward to watching her grow and mature under the Mountain the same way her father and uncle Richard Lazala ’93 did before her!” Paul Wilkinson writes: “My wife and I married in June of 2013 and we currently live in Marblehead, MA. We have two kids: Camden, born on June 28, 2014, and Emelia, born on November 4, 2015. I can’t wait to bring the kids to the Mountain!”
Laura Lydecker Cabello ’00 with her three sons and husband Andrew Cabello
Laura Lydecker Cabello writes: “Hello, all! My sons and I have a new addition to our family. His name is Andrew Cabello and we were married January 12, 2015. He is an incredible stepfather to my three children Wyatt, Alexander, and Cody. We live in Northern California, where I grew up all my life. I accepted a preschool Spring/Summer 2016
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touch of a button on your smartphone, a nurse will show up at your door. This company is especially successful with patients struggling with veisalgia.”
03 Jane Walker Blake janewblake@gmail.com
’01
Front Row: Alex L. Barrett, Louisa W. Ryan, Karly Nolen Johnson, Natalie Hooper, Geoffrey A. Manchester; Second Row: Andre J. Horton, Erin P. Going, Peter A. Kearney, Jr., Elizabeth Holmes Warner, Nicolas B. Emery; Not pictured: Hannah Shedrick Polidoro, Joseph F. Seigle, Joshua S. Sklarin, Erin L. Streiff
teaching position where I originally started teaching years ago. Hope all is well with everyone.”
01 Shannon M. Flynn flynnshannonm@gmail.com
Caitrin Roesler writes: “Since getting married in 2012, my husband, Mike Prendergast, and I have bounced around from Vermont to Tennessee to Colorado and back to Vermont
in 2014. We have bought a home in Moretown, so we are done moving! He and I are both restaurant folk: he is a chef, and I am a manager at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT. My other job, which is also my passion, is as a photographer. Between restaurants and shooting weddings, I am pretty busy! No kids as of yet, but a brand new puppy has joined our family. Looking forward to having more exciting class notes to share in the future!”
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15th
Jaclyn Brander Marshall jbrander@gmail.com Helen E. Murfey libby.murfey@gmail.com Matthew P. Sposito matthew.sposito@gmail.com
Adam Morley ’01 represented Berkshire during a game of shinny hockey at The Great Wall of China this past winter.
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Bryan Mornaghi writes: “Through arduous effort, Richard ‘Coley’ Parry has launched a successful tech startup company in the healthcare industry. Taking note of his excessive use of Uber and America’s struggle to access efficient and affordable healthcare services, Richard saw an opportunity for business. Therefore, he established a company which provides software as a service to people in need of medical care. With a
Libbie Alexander writes: “This past year I bought a house and took my dream job as the STEM Coordinator for Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES. I design science, technology, engineering, and math curricula for nine school districts, while incorporating new Common Core education standards. It allows me awesome creativity in making STEM fields relevant, exciting, and challenging for students. One project included creating a robotics program with a culminating robotics competition that saw 14 teams competing in its first year. I’m excited to see where this new career takes me!” Amanda Cooley Donaldson writes: “Howdy from Austin, TX my home for the last four years, where the food is farm-fresh, music fills the air, and friends gather for marathons, and festivals every weekend. I happily walk five minutes to work, graphic designing at a social software company, Spredfast. My husband Graeme and I will toast to six years of marriage with our first visit to Australia this fall.”
04 William C. Stern cstern@johnsontrent.com Kraig D. Strong kskraigstrong@gmail.com
Emily Flake writes: “I’m leaving a small private wealth management firm in Boston, MA to move back home to Martha’s Vineyard to join my aunt’s real estate company, Viewpoints. I’ll eventually transition in taking over the brokerage. I hope everyone is well, and please look me up if you’re ever in Martha’s Vineyard.” Carter Stern writes: “It is with excitement that I announce my new position as executive director of
/ Class Notes /
Houston Bike Share, the 501(c)(3) that operates Houston, TX popular B-cycle program. I first discovered bike share on a trip to Denver, CO in the summer of 2010 and immediately realized that it had the power to transform the way people experience cities and get around. Being a part of this transformation in Houston is an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up! I’m thrilled to lead the charge along with an incredibly dedicated staff and board.
05 Matthew G. Crowson matthew.g.crowson@gmail.com Ryan Farrell mryanfarrell@gmail.com
06 Courtney J. Kollmer courtney.j.kollmer@us.pwc.com Emily K. Lichtenberg emily.k.lichtenberg@gmail.com Stephen W. Piatelli steve.piatelli@gmail.com
Reunion Weekend as the Volunteer of the Year for 2016. Courtney and Steve Piatelli returned to Berkshire in May to address the graduating students at their Senior Dinner. In their own words, “We know you may be nervous heading into this unknown territory, but just know that Berkshire has given you exactly what you need to go out there and conquer the world. Take comfort that you will forever be a Bear.” Thea Morrison wrapped up her first year of study toward an MD at the University of Vermont, with expected graduation in 2019. Steve Piatelli is now in business development for a pharmaceutical CRO for preclinical studies. He lives in Boston, MA. John Watkins received his MBA from the University of Rochester, Simon Business School, where he also received a Master’s of Science, Finance in 2011. Ben Weil attempted to get on ABC’s The Bachelorette with countless video submissions as “Andrew Z” and is still holding out for JoJo’s rose and heart.
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10th
Casey A. Larkins casey.larkins@gmail.com Allison A. Letourneau letourneau.allison@gmail.com
Nicole Bouteiller writes: “June 2016 marks two years of homeownership in Altamont, NY and five years with BBL Construction Services out of Albany, NY. This spring, I was promoted to Project Manager and am now responsible for the execution of over a million dollars of construction projects to be completed this summer. Also this spring, I returned to my Alma Mater, Utica College, as an adjunct professor to teach my first course in Construction Management. In all my endeavors, I think often of Berkshire, Gracious Living and find myself quoting, “Learning—Not just for School, but for Life.”
Courtney Kollmer ’06 and Steve Piatelli ’06 advise the Sixth Form at Senior Dinner in May.
Sarah Fisher received her Pharm D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) from the University of Saint Joseph. Alex Hancock was a bridesmaid for fellow Berkshire alumna Lauren Flury Colahan ’07 at her June 11, 2016 wedding in Los Angeles, CA. John Flury was a groomsman. Courtney Kollmer was honored at the alumni awards ceremony over
’06 Front Row: Gage B. Heitner, Althea L. Morrison, Sarah A. Fisher, Allison L. Edell, Courtney J. Kollmer, John W. Watkins, Jr., Adam M. Szczepanski; Second Row: Frances K. Gaston, Suzanne Sperl Knights, Dr. Jacqueline Cloud Easton, Hannah M. Sheldon-Dean, Ekaterina Belakovskaia, Tara E. Walsh, Stephanie C. Holmes, Lauren I. Ginsberg, Parker C. McKee; Back Row: Stephen W. Piatelli, Megan P. O’Hara, Christopher W. Drake, Benjamin R. Weil, Jeffrey G. Wexler, Sergeant Henry S. Switlik Not Pictured: Shih-Wei Yen
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
2
1 3
Weddings Hayes Griffin Miller ’03 married Kristina Fenn Olander on May 7, 2016 at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, FL. Hayes holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College. He is a Financial Advisor at Stifel Nicholas, a brokerage and investment banking firm. Fellow Berkshire alum and Hayes’ sister-in-law, Jill Meyer Miller ’02 was the Matron of Honor in the wedding. The couple honeymooned in Bora Bora and live in Manhattan. Morgan Ralph ’03 writes: “My wife Susanna and I were married on Nantucket, MA in September of last year. It was an excellent time, made all the better by the Berkshire alums in attendance. I managed to corral everyone mid-dance party to take a
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photo for the Bulletin. Hope everyone is well and Go Bears!” Gwen Miller ’04 writes: “Dr. Charlotte DeLeo ’04 married her soulmate, Dr. Scott Walrath, on June 11, 2016 at Seranak in Lenox, MA. Quite a few Bears celebrated the happy, beautiful day, including: Michael DeLeo III, MD ’99, Jessica French Gleason ’99, Kathryn Hollister ’04, Gwen Miller ’04, Quinn Soto ’04, and Jerry Weil ’73. All enjoyed an awesome live band and dance party late into the evening, and were able to see the Mountain all the way from Lenox in the early summer light. Jessica, Kathryn, and Gwen were bridesmaids, and Olive (Jessica’s daughter) and Isabelle, Charlotte and Bridey (Michael’s
daughters) were the flower girls. The two newly married doctors are residing in Worcester, MA and met on Char’s first day of her surgical rotation at St. Vincent’s. They spend their free time biking, paddling, climbing, and skiing. I apologize if I’ve omitted any other alumni who were there—it was a festive gathering and hard to keep track of everybody!” Jacqui Cloud Easton ’06 writes: “I’m happy to announce that I married Collin Easton on September 12, 2015 in Meredith, NH. I have a new job as a Materials Engineer at Doosan Fuel Cell in South Windsor, CT. Sorry to miss those of you not at our 10th Reunion this summer. Ten years after leaving Berkshire, and it could have been last
/ Class Notes /
4
5
6
7
1) Hayes Griffin Miller ’03 with wife Kristina Fenn Olander
weekend that we graduated for all we noticed. It was so great to see everyone and the beautiful campus again. I had an amazing time, and I can’t wait to come back again in five years!” Summerlin Knipe ’06 married Ron Hickey on May 7, 2016. They reside in Florida. Lauren Flury Colahan ’07 writes: “On June 11, 2016, my amazing husband, Travis Colahan, and I finally had a moment to have our wedding ceremony and reception in front of all of our friends and family. It was an amazing day that continued into the night (and the next morning). We
were so happy to have several Bears in attendance - John Flury ’06 (groomsman), Alexandra Hancock ’06 (bridesmaid), Chrissy Tchoi ’05, Elliot Smith ’07, Abigail Tufts ’08, and Laura Bishop ’09. We live in Santa Monica, CA with our oneyear-old daughter, Olivia, and our American Eskimo dog, Indiana Jones. I work in residential real estate at The Agency and my husband works in advertising. If you’re ever in town please let us know!”
2) Susan DeLeo , wife of Michael DeLeo ’99, Gwen Miller ’04, Jessica French Gleason ’99, Tara Neary, Charlotte DeLeo ’04, Kathryn Hollister ’04, and Lindsay Walrath-Petsch 3) F rom left to right: Myles Quinn ’04, the beautiful bride Charlotte DeLeo ’04, Kathryn Hollister ’04, and Gwen Miller ’04 4) Morgan Ralph ’03 with wife Susanna 5) M organ Ralph ’03 with wedding guests, from left to right: Alec Pine ’03, Harrison Weisner ’73, George “Mac” Barrett ’03, Hilary Huntington ’77, Taylor Ralph ’07, Samantha Shaw ’03, the groom, Morgan Ralph’03, Barrie Fisher ’78, and Robin MacAusland ’76 6) Jacqui Cloud Easton ’06 married Collin Easton last September 7) L auren Flury Colahan ’07 with her husband Travis Colahan and their one-year-old daughter Olivia
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
08
10
Erica Ginsberg eginzie@gmail.com
Christopher B. Landry landrycb@gmail.com
Melissa M. Fogarty mmfoga08@gmail.com
Shannon E. Nelson senelson@wesleyan.edu
Christopher J. Buonomo cjbuonomo@gmail.com Abigail I. Tufts abigail.tufts@gmail.com
Klayton Johnson writes: “I’ve been subbing at PS 187 in New York City and coaching the middle school basketball team and working at their after-school
program.” Klayton is excited to return to the Mountain this fall to join the Kenefick Center for Learning and Math department, live in Allen dormitory, and coach football and basketball.
11 Kristy M. Barnes kristy.barnes@bc.edu Mary K. Connell connellm@lafayette.edu
Jon Weinner, aka DJ Theory, dee-jayed the Oscars after party on February 28, 2016.
09 Gregory T. Piatelli gpiatelli@gmail.com Molly L. Ryan mollyryan1024@yahoo.com
David Grace writes: “Hello, classmates! I recently moved jobs and now work for writer/producer Chris Morgan, of the Fast and Furious franchise. It has been incredible working on the Universal Lot. I hope you’ll all look me up if you’re ever out in LA.”
Lacey Burns ’11 and Lilly Mead ’11 traveling together in Africa.
Klayton Johnson ’10
Lacey Burns writes: “While at SLU, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad twice in Kenya. My second
Margot Horner ’09 and Patrick Hoeflinger
Margot Horner writes: “Hello, everyone! I recently moved from bustling downtown Cleveland, OH to one of Cleveland’s oldest neighborhoods. Ohio City, only one mile west of downtown, is filled with small businesses, restaurants, and bars. I am now the customer service manager and an inside sales representative for Enpress LLC. Wishing everyone well!”
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Berkshire Bulletin
’11 Front Row: Morgan E. Burgess, Anne M. Ahrens, Kelsey A. West, Joseph P. Levine, Margaret A. Fiertz, Stéphanie Quintin, Leigh E. Vasallo, Martha R. Hagerty; Second Row: Alexander A. Giordano, Christopher M. Jordan, Maya A. Hackett, Marissa M. Lavigne, John M. Ryan, Michael T. Procida, Teddy P. Benfield; Back Row: Kyle M. Coven, John O. Florence, Jr., Benjamin R. Ross, Juna Lee, Connor S. Morgan, John C. Krueger, Georgia R. Johnston, John F. X. Irving, Christian P. Cordier; Not pictured: Joel M. Danisi, Cameron N. Falvey, Kayla M. Harff, Andrew J. Walther
/ Class Notes /
time to Kenya I was in a four month immersion program. After that, it was as if something clicked for me. I felt like I had finally found my purpose and worked as the Research Intern with The BOMA Project, an organization helping women graduate from extreme poverty in Northern Kenya. I’m currently teaching ESL for the National Cycling Team of Rwanda, tentatively planning to stay until the Tour du Rwanda at the end of November. In May, I was able to take a holiday in the Seychelles Islands, the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in my entire, short, 22-year-old life. In July, Lilly Mead and I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the tallest mountain in Africa and a member of the Seven Summits, with the Flying Kites organization. If anyone is interested in reading about my travels, I have a blog: www.thepathtowander. wordpress.com”
game and looking through thousands of fans to find my mom, dad, and brother who supported me and made significant sacrifices to make all of it possible. I saw and heard from many classmates who said the five-year reunion was a blast! I look forward to seeing everyone at our 10th. Anyone in or around the Los Angeles, CA area please contact me so we can meet up and talk about all things Berkshire. Although I was only at the ’Shire for a year, it will always be the place I consider home. I will certainly make a trip under the Mountain before moving out west, so I hope to see faculty and friends in the near future. I send my warmest wishes and best regards to all Bears!”
Elle Gahagan ’12 and Ellie Glaccum Debenham ’88 together at the Plantation Field Horse Trials on June 12, 2016.
Hilary Rawding ’12 celebrates her recent graduation.
12
Juliet E. Shatkin jes714@nyu.edu
Michael Kutzer ’11 playing lacrosse for Loyola University, Maryland.
Michael Kutzer writes: “Hello, Berkshire Bears! I just finished my fifth year at Loyola University Maryland. During these five years, I graduated with a BBA in Business Economics and a Master of Arts in Emerging Media. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Division I Lacrosse Final Four where I had the opportunity to play in front of 33,000 people at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. My close friend and Berkshire classmate, Joe Levine, supported me in my final collegiate lacrosse game, making the experience even more special. The best moment for me was walking across the field after the
5th
John Ryan ’11
John Ryan writes: “I graduated in May 2015 from St. Lawrence University with a bachelor’s degree in History. I am currently working for a small fly fishing company based out of Jackson Hole, WY called Fish The Fly. I am currently booking trips and running shuttles, which will hopefully lead to a guiding career in Jackson for the summer of 2017 along the Snake River and to a handful of places in Yellowstone National Park.”
Elle Gahagan is just back from a year in Australia and has just been hired to be the Secretary for the Cheshire Hunt Conservancy. Warren “Gus” Harms writes: “Hey, Class of 2012! Seems like yesterday we were rioting through Buck Valley on senior prank night! I spent this past year in Örebro, Sweden playing hockey. I’m looking forward to our reunion next year to hear all about the cool stuff everyone is up to. Traveling around and experiencing lots of new things has really made me realize how talented and rare a community like Berkshire really is. See you all soon.” Hilary Rawding writes: “This past May I graduated with a bachelor of Spring/Summer 2016
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/ Class Notes /
science in neuroscience from the University of Vermont. Next, I take the MCAT’s and apply for medical school in hopes of becoming a neurologist. My best to everyone!”
Steven H. Halperin shalperin93@gmail.com
Francesca Ghi writes: “Hi, everyone! I just moved to Georgia to pursue an elementary education degree at Georgia Southern University. I’m really excited to experience what a big school is like. If you’re ever in the Savannah area, definitely let me know. Hope all is well and most importantly that you all are happy! Go Bears!”
Charles G. Yorke cgy2@mac.com
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13
Grace Fowler spent the spring semester in Patagonia, Chile with Round River Conservation Studies and is interning at the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, CO for the summer.
14
Former Faculty Em Putnam writes: “For my 85th birthday, my son Scott Putman ’74 and his wife, Barb, treated me to a bucket list item: a zip line ride in Conifer, CO, where at one point we sped at 55 mph!”
Jeffrey A. Erazo erazo.jeffrey@gmail.com Chelsea A. Leeds chelsea1101@gmail.com Arwen E. Neski arwen.neski@yale.edu
Jacob A. Grant jkgrnt12@gmail.com Emily M. Hubbard emilyhubbard1@gmail.com
Em Putnam, former faculty from September 1953 to June 1986
Samuel G. Perkins samgperkins@gmail.com
George Blinick writes: “I played junior hockey this past year for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers in the EHL. This fall I will be attending and playing hockey at Wesleyan University. I hope everyone is well.”
Jack Harrison ’15 playing professional soccer for NYCFC.
After a successful freshman soccer season at Wake Forest, Jack Harrison left college life to enter the MLS draft in the fall of 2015. He was selected as the No. 1 top draft pick by the Chicago Fire, but then was promptly snatched up by New York City FC where Jack now plays in Yankee Stadium alongside soccer legends such as Andrea Pirlo, David Villa, and Frank Lampard. After finishing up freshman year at Kenyon College, Caroline Welch spent two weeks traveling through Ireland and Scotland. For the remainder of the summer Caroline worked as a counselor at The Dalton School in New York City. Catherine Xu ’14 makes it to the Mount Everest Base Camp.
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Berkshire Bulletin
Dan and Elizabeth Skoglund are happy to announce that after two great years with The Hotchkiss School, they will be transitioning to Millbrook School, where Dan will be the Dean of Students and Elizabeth will work at the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau and coach lacrosse, head a dorm, and take on advisees at Millbrook.
News? Send a note to classnotes@berkshireschool.org
Musings? Mail a missive to bulletin@berkshireschool.org
/ In Memoriam /
IN MEMORIAM The Berkshire School community extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the following alumni, former faculty, and friends of the School. To send obituaries or remembrances of classmates or family members, please email bulletin@berkshireschool.org.
Alexander E. Simpson ’47 June 9, 2016 Thomas Milburn Gopsill ’48 September 30, 2015 Tilden S. “Denny” Engleman ’57 April 1, 2016 Robert F. Milham ’57 February 16, 2016 Richard M. Hopper ’59 January 2, 2016 Michael F. Little ’61 February 29, 2016 R. David Mahler ’61 April 2, 2016 Murray F. Lewis, Jr. ’65 June 4, 2016 David McChesney ’66 August 2, 2015 Robert T. Thompson ’72 May 15, 2016 William Thurston Sargent Jr. ’01 January 25, 2016
Peter L. Kennard ’64 A letter from Kristina Thaute Miller ’97, Director of Alumni Relations, to Peter’s classmates, dated June 6, 2016: I write with sad news. We were recently informed that Peter L. Kennard ’64 has passed away. He died, peacefully, in his home, last month. Peter earned a BS from Yale University in 1968 and an MBA in Finance from Harvard Business School in 1970. Peter was a Berkshire School Trustee from 1985 to 1990, was the recipient of the Kellogg Volunteer of the Year Award in 1989, and served as a Class Agent for the great class of 1964 for more than 30 years. Berkshire School was a transformational time in Peter’s life. He loved hiking, kayaking, and nature, and that is why he chose to make Berkshire his school, because of the Mountain and all of its beauty. Peter was a dedicated volunteer and strong supporter of the School throughout the years since his graduation. He was a champion of the arts, and, in turn, was passionate about the arts program at Berkshire School. He spent most of his career on Wall Street, retired in 2000 after many years of service with RPI Institutional Services, Inc., which served large brokerages on Wall Street, where he managed oil and gas holdings. Peter was enthusiastically nominated by his classmates and friends for the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award. The Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to a “graduate of Berkshire School who has brought distinction to Berkshire as a result of vocation or avocation, community involvement, or other professional or personal achievements, and who has demonstrated an interest in the welfare of the School.” Peter was notified that he was the recipient of this award before he passed away, and was overjoyed to receive this prestigious nomination from classmates and friends. The School will honor Peter posthumously with the Distinguished Alumni Award and at the Service of Remembrance during Reunion Weekend. Sincerely, Kristina Thaute Miller ’97 Director of Alumni Relations Please see page 53 for a note about his legacy at Berkshire and page 48 for Pieter Mulder’s remarks from the award ceremony in June.
Spring/Summer 2016
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/ In Memoriam /
Former Faculty
Jean Erick Joassaint
Provided by Emmanuelle Josephe, Jean Erick’s daugher Jean Erick Joassaint became involved in Haiti’s political community and anti-corruption effort in the late 60s while he was a student at the l’École Normale Supérieure.. He began to rise in popularity in Port-Au-Prince— drawing crowds and becoming a fixture on Jean Dominique’s Radio Haiti-Inter (formerly Radio Haiti). With the increased attention on his activism by local authorities, he was first arrested in Jérémie shortly after delivering a speech on the importance of universal education in Haiti. He was freed thanks to the intervention of the local Catholic Church. Released on the condition that he would comply with government orders to stop all political activity— Jean Erick defied this agreement and promptly resumed his anti-corruption activities. Shortly afterwards, he was arrested once more and incarcerated at the feared ’Fort Dimanche’—a facility referred to as the ’Dungeon of Death.’ Jean Erick’s internment at Fort Dimanche caused many, including
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Berkshire Bulletin
(March 22, 1947 – May 20, 2016)
his then-fiance Marie Donie Joseph, to believe he was dead. Deprived of sleep, food, and subjected to beatings— Jean Erick never lost hope in justice prevailing. After several weeks with no outside communication he was released—bruised, starved, exhausted, but undeterred. Always a tenacious leader and believer that what is right will always prevail, he continued to advocate for the importance of education and political transparency. Now his work caught the attention of President Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier himself, and after several warnings to stop his activities (he did not), he was held for five months at the notorious ’Casserine Dessaline’ or ’The Gulag of Haiti,’ according to former colleague Jean Dominique. There he endured violent interrogations, starvation, and sleep deprivation. He once told his daughter that Casserine Dessaline was the worst of all three of his internments – though he never elaborated. The extent of the torture he endured will remain buried with him. Amazed he still lived, his third release prompted his exile to the United States in the late 70s—where
he continued his efforts to advocate for education and democracy in Haiti by writing for the Haitian expat newspaper “Haiti Observateur.” From the late 1970s to early 2000s, he authored many articles criticizing government corruption in Haiti. During this time, he authored four books: L’Ecole en Haiti (1978), Justin Lhérisson: Golimin et les Autres (1986), L’Haïti que j’aime (1992), and Jean-Bertrand Aristide: Le Pouvoir du Ressentiment (2004). However, politics was not Jean Erick’s only passion – after his family, education was one of his greatest loves. He completed his Masters Degree in French Literature and was a post-doctoral candidate in French Philosophy and Literature at the University of Maryland. Continuing his pursuit of education, Jean Erick went on to teach French and Latin for over thirty years at Oakwood Friends School and Berkshire School, as the Head of the Foreign Language Department. In 2008 and 2009, he published two French Vocabulary books for high school students. With decades of education under his belt, Jean Erick retired from teaching in 2013. He spent his short period of retirement devoted to charity and his family. Jean Erick survived political imprisonment, torture, immigration, and other obstacles to live a rich life that he never took for granted. Despite his many passions—his greatest love was his family; especially his wife Marie Donie and their children Daniel Erick and Emmanuelle “Manou” Josephe. He is survived by them, as well as by his sister, Jocelyne Joassaint, and four brothers, Pierre-Marie, Louis Saint-Ange, Jean-Raymond, JeanFrancois, and their respective families. Jean Erick also leaves behind his grieving in-laws whom he loved and respected as his own.
/ Closing Conundrum /
Here’s your chance to name some Bears! Can you identify the event or any of the students in the photo? We’ll even give you a hint this time: it happened in 1990. Please send any responses to: bulletin@berkshireschool.org or write to: Closing Conundrum, Berkshire School, 245 N. Undermountain Rd., Sheffield, MA 01257.
Last issue’s Closing Conundrum stumped our readers. It featured The Trail staff in a photo from the start of March break entitled, “Don’t Call Us; We’ll Call You.” From left, it includes Carey, Cadwallader, Rose, Walsh, S., Deming, D., McKernin, and Hicks.
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Hydroelectric Potential Runs Through It (Campus, That Is) Mr. Schleunes’s precalculus class used calculators and a motion sensor to see how much power Glen Brook could generate.