Summer 2014
ALUMNI
& ART
The Best of Browning!
Summer 2014
A
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a rt i n f o c u s
UNTITLED Findlay Edwards ’14 19” x 11” x 9” Stoneware Clay
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contents
Summer 2014
FEATURES
4
The Heart of Art at Browning
20
Browning Goes Green
36
2014 Graduation and Matriculation
44
Did You Know?
48
Summer Stipends
52
2014 Spring Benefit
DEPARTMENTS
3 From the Headmaster
23 From the Archives 24 The Local Buzz 56 Fine and Performing Arts 60 In the News 62 Athletics 68 Alumni Events 78 Class Notes
Art in Focus (facing page): Art teacher Zack Davis explains, “This piece is constructed of stoneware clay and finished with high fire glazes. It is handbuilt with extruded coils and assembled in steps occurring over a series of sessions. The boys
are encouraged to pick a technique that they are most comfortable with and attempt to execute a sophisticated form which is later featured in the annual art exhibition.� Summer 2014
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ON THE COVER This colorful double-decker bus was created for a second grade play (see p. 56) under the guidance of art teacher Zack Davis by boys in all three divisions of the School. Alumni had fun posing with it during Alumni Reunion.
(L to R): Andy Sandberg ’01, Stuart Orenstein ’00, Alexander Bank ’05, Michael Beys ’89.
MISSION STATEMENT Founded in 1888 as a college preparatory school for boys, The Browning School continues its commitment to the goals of John A. Browning: the pursuit of academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning,
BUZZER STAFF Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Melanie S. McMahon, Director of Publications, Buzzer Editor Laura N. Lanigan, Director of Alumni Affairs SPRING BUZZER CONTRIBUTORS Dominique Bernard, French Teacher Zack Davis, Art Teacher Betty Noel, Science Teacher Melodie Ting, Science Teacher Nik Vlahos, Chair, Art Department Andrew H. West ’92, Athletic Director
the belief in the dignity of the individual, and the development of personal integrity and responsibility to the broader community. The Browning boy develops amid these values. The Browning alumnus is a good citizen, sensitive to the needs of others, and respectful of divergent yet informed opinions. He is, in the best sense of the word, a gentleman.
Contributing photographers: Christine Bramble, Rossa Cole Photography, GKNY Photo, Marty Hyman Photography, Jeremy Katz ’04, Melanie McMahon, Laura Lanigan and Sandy Pelz ’71. Design by Misty Wilt Graphic Design LLC BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2013–14 James S. Chanos, President William L. Jacob, III, Vice President William S. Kingson†, Vice President Thomas S. Hexner, Treasurer Richard L.N. Weaver ’75, Assistant Treasurer R. Thomas Herman ’64, Secretary Celeste A. Guth, Assistant Secretary Stephen M. Clement, III, Headmaster Michael P. Beys ’89, President, Alumni Association Alka K. Singh, President, Parents Association H. Kenneth Metz, First Vice President, Parents Association Laura Z. Barket Paul A. Burke Stuart J. Ellman Elizabeth Granville-Smith Philip A. Hofmann Ling S. Kwok Jeffrey M. Landes David J. Liptak Jeffrey S. Olson
Raul Pineda Ellen Stafford-Sigg David N. Steck Sanjay Swani Lou Switzer Deborah C. van Eck Valda M. Witt Robert Ziff
Mildred J. Berendsen, Honorary Trustee Allan L. Gropper, Honorary Trustee †
Deceased
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DIVERSITY STATEMENT The Browning School strives to create a diverse community in which all members are safe, respected and valued. We believe that in actively promoting a diverse learning environment, we are fostering intellectual, social and emotional growth for all. Recognizing and pursuing diversity, however, are not enough; we seek to transcend mere tolerance of differences and aspire to a celebration of the varied appearances, abilities, perspectives and values that characterize our community.
The Buzzer is published three times a year by The Browning School. The School may be reached at 212 838 6280. Website: www.browning.edu. The Browning School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, religion, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-directed programs, or employment practices.
from the headmaster
Remarks from Lower School Assembly JUNE 6, 2014
Thank you, boys, for this
grades, I asked the boys another question: What languages
Ms. Warner, once again you
somebody in your own family? We included brothers and
superb music assembly.
have outdone yourself! I also want to thank all of the special instrumental
teachers for the excellent
work you have done with the Lower School boys
throughout the year, and
especially for this concert.
Also, thank you, faculty. This has been an exciting but
hard year for all of us with all of the construction which is transforming Browning before our very eyes. Stay tuned for the fall!
Speaking of construction, just before they moved I said
farewell to the third graders in their old room and thanked
them for doing so much of their own packing. When I went
to visit the fourth graders in their new digs earlier this week, I also asked them to help me get ready for this talk with a survey on different languages they hear spoken at home. Knowing that, under the leadership of Ms. Gruhn,
Browning has introduced Spanish and French at earlier
other than English do you hear at home, spoken by
sisters, mothers and fathers, grandmas and grandpas.
Although they can sometimes feel like family, we did not include nannies or babysitters.
And here is a list in alphabetical order of languages the
Browning fourth graders hear: Arabic
Australian!
When I went to visit
French
the fourth graders,
German
I asked them to
Hebrew
help me get ready
Italian
for this talk with a
Korean
survey on different
Polish
languages they hear
Russian
spoken at home.
Chinese/Mandarin Gaelic Greek Hindi
Japanese Latin
Portuguese Vietnamese
Wow! What a long list of languages! This breadth and
diversity is one of the greatest reasons why I love working at Browning. Thank you, Ms. Warner, for adding Spanish and French to the English language we share in common. Who knows what you will slip in next year?!
Headmaster Clement was interviewed by the boys in Megan Ryan’s French class earlier this spring. He and the boys conversed in French, with no English necessary for a most enjoyable learning session!
Stephen M. Clement, III Headmaster
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Heart O F Art AT Browning THE
THE BROWNING ART DEPARTMENT TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN ITS HANDS-ON, WORKING STUDIO ENVIRONMENT WHICH EMPHASIZES MATERIALS, PROCESS AND CONTENT. Nik Vlahos
Zack Davis
Beginning in Pre-Primary and continuing its evolution
through our Form VI electives, our program offers exposure to a full spectrum of media, guided project-based learning and the opportunity for the boys to show their work in school-wide exhibitions and rotating installations throughout the School facility. Every year brings a new level of challenges creating a cohesive, cross-divisional curriculum. Every grade level is the best at handling materials a certain way, and the key is to develop lessons that draw on their particular strengths. Our goal in writing this article is to highlight some projects and to show what goes into making them while, at the same time, demonstrate how the curriculum progresses through the grade levels. –Nik Vlahos and Zack Davis
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eginning in the fall, we embark on a school-wide study of an artist, a group of artists, a region, or a
movement of historical significance. Images of well known works by the chosen artists are used as sources of inspiration for cross-divisional lessons.
This year’s theme was “New Wave, New York� and we looked at the artists Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and JeanMichel Basquiat. We chose these artists not only because their work is
ideal for inspiring student work at all levels but also because these artists all knew each other and inspired one another in much the same way that students of all grade levels inspire each other here at Browning.
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The paintings are projected onto canvas, traced and recreated with acrylic paint by the Middle and Upper School boys, both as course content and voluntary exercises for interested students. While making these
paintings, students learn to mix color along with many different brush
techniques in order to get the look
to complete the paintings in time
Students collaborate on a daily basis
holiday party.
of the artist they are working from.
for exhibition as part of the annual
hroughout the course of the year, we strive to create projects that are inspired by activities and lessons
we notice happening in the other subject area classrooms. For example, the Pre-Primary boys worked on a unit which focuses on penguins and used imagery to enhance their knowledge pertaining to the animal and its habitat.
In the art studio, the boys used the penguin as a source
of inspiration and subject to create ceramic sculptures of penguins. This project was a perfect introduction to both
the material and the process of modeling a specific form using their hands and basic modeling tools. The boys were then given the opportunity to glaze their sculpture, which allowed them to experience the difference between applying a surface treatment to a 2-D versus a 3-D piece.
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C
eramics is a big part
Primary and continues throughout
of our curriculum
every grade level. Every year,
and crucial in an all
projects review and build on the
boys school, from the
previous year’s skills. Here we have
physical aspect of working with clay to literally walking around to the over-40 glazes they have to choose from. Ceramics begins with Pre-
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a first grade animal plate project.
The boys are asked to sculpt an animal and place it in its natural habitat. This is also a
aking the transition from 2-D to 3-D work is an important step and
a strong component in every grade level. These examples from the second grade boys show how students use drawings as guides for both form and surface treatment, allowing them to grasp the visual elements of the form and also hone in their understanding of
spatial depth on a 2-D surface. When it
comes time to execute the forms in clay, the boys have a much clearer idea of what direction to proceed.
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perfect example of how the art department collaborates with other departments. Science teacher Stephanie Seto teaches first graders
about animals in their environments, so the boys often incorporate details in their sculpture based on what they learned in her class.
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ower School boys work from the same paintings that the large canvases are based on.
Often they add their own creative changes to the original works.
Boys from all three divisions collaborate to create large collages based on the work of
the theme artist, which are also included in the exhibition.
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hird grade boys spend
the boys begin with a marker that
much of the year
is never ending and lead up to a
learning how to paint,
watercolor drawing. While making
culminating with
the watercolor, they must make a
a ceramic food sculpture. They
begin by looking at the artist Brice Marden and discuss the difference between a random squiggle and a considered line. For the first part of the project,
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mark, stop and reload, and then continue their thought. This exercise teaches them to consider their marks. After that, we look at Vasily Kandinsky and use tempera paint to make an abstract painting.
This painting is developed through a complex process that involves different brush sizes and independent color mixing. The boys begin with the largest
brushes and are each given random colors, plus black and white. As the painting progresses, they are given
smaller and smaller brushes, always encouraged to mix specific color.
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aking the skills they learned while making the abstract painting, third grade students went on to make a self-portrait. They were encouraged to not worry about whether or not the painting looks like them but to get down the main characteristics, mixing all their own colors for skin, hair, eyes, and lips. Some chose to make their background abstract, others opted for realistic.
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very year, Bill Cantwell teaches the fourth grade about ancient Egypt and arranges for a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to tour the Egyptian wing. I [Nik Vlahos] go with them and ask the boys to
make a pencil sketch of the sarcophagi. Back at Browning, they make a color drawing.
The unit culminates with a free-standing ceramic sarcophagus
sculpture. With this project they are not only making a sculpture
based on their history studies but creating a free-standing sculpture. They must learn to make a sufficient base and balance the distribution of the clay
throughout the
sculpture so that it stands properly.
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n the fifth grade, the boys revisit representational sculpture using the shoe as the subject. Rather than
moving directly on to the final piece
from the drawing, they create miniature moquette of the form. This allows them
to see the form in 3-D, which provides an important reference as they move on to the finished product.
Here are examples of the final shoe sculpture, which is significantly more detailed and shows the full evolution from
By sixth grade, more emphasis is placed on observational drawing. Prior to executing functional vessels in clay, the boys learn to observe and render form by using value and volume with a variety of wet and dry drawing media.
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drawing to model to final work. Students began by making a slab
and tracing their own shoe onto it to get their actual footprint. With the addition of some other slabs, they
constructed the top. They then went on to roll out coils for shoelaces.
During this project, the miniature/mock-up phase allows them not only to explore the form but to test high-fire glaze combinations prior to treating the finishes on their final piece. The phase allows them to experience the unpredictable nature of stoneware glazes. The larger forms employ the extruder, which produces uniform coils for construction of the vessel.
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s with many of our other grade levels, the Form I boys engaged in cross-
disciplinary experiments of their own involving digging and processing clay from the Black Rock Forest Consortium, a new program that we hope will continue to evolve.
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orm I spends a significant amount of time studying abstract imagery. The project begins with a variety
of thumbnail sketches which allow the boys to create a series of images designed to inform a composition. The second step is to fuse the ideas and execute a full-color rendition which is finished with water color. The students are expected to use both their preliminary designs in graphite and watercolor as sources of inspiration for their composition in acrylic on canvas.
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orm II fine arts focuses on 3-D design and sources both historically significant and contemporary recourses.
The main subject for the core unit is the
chair. Using the Eames chair as well
as Droog design as inspiration, the boys are taken through a series of design challenges in both 2-D and 3-D approaches. The final project
requires students to source cardboard from the recycling collection and create a scale model chair. Rather than paint the chair, the boys are encouraged to use printed and colored cardboard for surface enrichment.
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orm IV takes a semester-long art survey class that is divided into
2-D and 3-D units. For the 2-D unit, students learn how to draw in two-point perspective. They begin arranging cubes in relation to the horizon line and then move on to more complex shapes. Eventually they gain
the skills needed to draw a city from their imagination. To complete the city, it is outlined with ink using drafting pens; ink is also applied with a brush in the larger areas. The 3-D
unit is based on a common motif in art history, the human skull. We discuss the historical significance of the skull, and the boys make
drawings from observing a plastic skull in class. After the drawings are complete, they are given a block of wax and carving tools. They carve out a skull, and it is later sent to a foundry in Astoria, Queens, where it is bronzed. Students have a range of options for the patina; this example is an oxidized one.
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n spring 2012, Form I boys combined their
with science teachers Melodie Ting and Sam Keany
knowledge of the natural world with their
on a project based on the 2012 Common Book
creative vision, visiting Black Rock Forest
reading of “Radioactive” (see photo below.) Second
where they made sculptures from material
graders made drawings in art class, while Upper
in the natural surroundings under the guidance of
School science students created cyanotype prints
art teacher Zack Davis. Mr. Davis later collaborated
with the younger boys’ images.
“There is an aesthetic component in design that cannot be ignored. We enjoy working with the art department whenever possible, and over the years we have had very productive collaborations surrounding mobile creation, bridge design, and the presentation of finished work.” – Science Department Chair Sam Keany explains the relationship between the School’s science and art departments
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tudio drawing is offered as an elective for Form V and Form VI students. During this class, the boys gain control of their material and learn how to use a pencil
with specific intention. They start by drawing gray-scales and then move on to observational drawing. This includes a still-life that uses organic and rigid forms along with objects of different textures. Using those skills they go on to draw a self-portrait. At the end of the year, their
assignment is to draw an illustration based on a scene from their life. This can be done in any style using any 2-D material.
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tudio painting is offered as an elective to Form V and Form VI students. For their first project, the boys paint
color scales, moving colors from light to dark in five stages. After they have understood basic color theory and how to mix color, they are ready to make paintings. Over the course of the year, they will paint from observation, using photo reference to make abstract and realistic paintings along with painting from their imagination. This class is taught at the college level and leaves students well-prepared to take intro classes in college.
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he ceramics elective
guidelines requiring them to display
focuses on teaching an
relative mastery of the techniques.
deal of extra time to manage the completion of the work.
the boys are then expected to
foster a strong work ethic through
a series of original works for the
historically significant material.
advanced approach to standard hand building
techniques and is an introduction to throwing on the potter’s wheel. Students spend the first semester creating pieces under strict
As the student show approaches,
generate original ideas and create student exhibition. With the many
state changes of clay, there is a need for them to put in a great
Ultimately the course is meant to
the use of a very approachable and Access to a sophisticated palette
of high fire glazes aids in creating highly desirable results.
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ften when the boys are given time to free draw, they collaborate on a single piece. They
are very inventive and creative when making these and assemble as many pieces of paper as needed using tape. This year we were motivated to take what they do on their own a step further.
We were inspired by a show by the artist Urs Fischer at the Gagosian Gallery — Park & 75 (see photo at top left). Mr. Fischer had a show at MoCA involving 1,500 volunteers who used 300 tons of clay to make sculptures together. He selected a few of them to be bronzed; his “Last Supper” was one of them.
We gave our boys clay and
had them collaborate on a
single piece. These images show the
finished products which came out of collaborations in the fifth grade as well as Upper School ceramics.
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he biggest art event of the year is our school-wide annual exhibition. Each boy shows at least two pieces selected from projects done over the
course of the year. The exhibition showcases the respective talent of each grade level and creates a cohesive display of the various outcomes. The show is open for an entire week, and daily viewings allow the parent community to engage the students about their work.
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FROM T HE
West Coast… ZACK DAVIS, Art Teacher CLASSROOM GOALS
Zack stresses good craftsmanship, and
EARLY YEARS Born in San Diego and raised in south-
is important in every subject they take.
influenced Zack’s early love of both car-
other teachers to eventually help the
ern California; living near Disneyland
To that end, he collaborates with their
toon art and constructing things.
boys make that connection.
EDUCATION AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE
MOST PROUD OF year’s Art Show was held mainly in
dio arts and concentration in ceramics;
nectivity of the boys’ work through
Claremont McKenna College.
more apparent. While he was im-
PROFESSIONAL WORK
am always amazed by the sixth grade
University at Chico with a B.A. in stu-
the Lower Gym, as it allowed the con-
he earned his M.F.A. in sculpture from
their years at Browning to be much
pressed with all of the art, he said, “I
coil vessels, which continue to evolve
allowed Zack to teach part-time at a
from year to year.”
his art. After moving to New York in
OTHER INTERESTS
at the Museum of Art and Design.
him at times, Zack thoroughly enjoys
ment workshop in the Browning art
learning process. No one gets it right
been a full-time teacher for all three
During the summer, thanks to sti-
community college and also continue 2008, he accepted a yearlong residency
Though sculpting can be trying for
Zack taught a professional develop-
this artistic medium. “Sculpting is a
department in 2009; since 2010 he has
on the first try, and no one should.”
divisions of the School.
pends from the Parents Association,
“One of the most interesting challenges for me is discovering the different teaching methods that work best with different age groups. Upper School electives are similar to those in a college environment, and the boys’ work is critically reviewed. I find a coaching approach works best for Middle School boys, so I draw on my own sports experience to teach them. In teaching Lower School boys, I focus on materials and the process, engaging their creativity.”
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Zack appreciated the fact that this
Zack is a graduate of California State
A fellowship in museum education
THE
he hopes to instill in the boys that art
Zack enjoys traveling abroad where
he pursues ceramics (his first love) by studying with skilled ceramics masters in Spain and South America.
TO THE
East Coast NIK VLAHOS, Art Department Chair EARLY YEARS
“In art, there are no mistakes; from each result, the boys learn
and catalogue their results as tools for future work.
Born and raised in Astoria, Queens; close
MOST PROUD OF
museums and galleries inspired Nik’s
curriculum “in action;” in other words,
proximity to many of the world’s finest
I am most proud when I see the
love of art.
when I see a student in the fourth grade
EDUCATION AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE
clay, mix color, handle a brush, and
who knows how to properly work with
contribute to the creative environment of
Nik is a graduate of the School of
the class. I’m also proud when students
he studied painting and education and
in art class, they are a part of a team. Being
year teaching at P.S. 165 before joining
and clean-up – is essential to making
boys in all three divisions.
instilled in their work habits, it’s clear to
PROFESSIONAL WORK
been successfully learned; this allows us to
Visual Arts at Yale University where
show they have learned the concept that
later earned his M.F.A. He spent one
a good team player – helping with set-up
Browning’s faculty in 2007. Nik teaches
great work. When I see all these concepts me that the past four years of lessons have
Nik produces his own work in a studio
work on more complex projects. Though
drawing, photography and digital
is true throughout the grade levels.
2008 at 33Bond Gallery, while his most
OTHER INTERESTS
2012 at the Repetti Gallery in Brooklyn.
especially the chance to sit down to a
CLASSROOM GOALS
pany he enjoys. Sometime he makes the
where he is involved with painting,
to do something new,
drawing. He staged his first solo show in
and that is the creative
recent group show took place in April
process at work.”
grade level to experiment with materials
I’ve used fourth grade as an example, this
Nik appreciates “the art of fine dining,” relaxing dinner with people whose com-
Nik’s goal is that the boys “be able to do
meal himself, but sometimes it’s fun to
started.” He encourages boys in every
Of course, dining out is always great, too.
something they could not do before they
BROWNING’S ART TEACHERS MAY HAIL FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COUNTRY, BUT TOGETHER THEY HAVE MADE NEW YORK CITY THEIR CAREER
create a delicious meal with other cooks.
DESTINATION, TEACHING BROWNING BOYS THE FINE ART OF, WELL…ART! READ ABOUT THIS DYNAMIC DUO AND WHAT MAKES THEM “TICK.”
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green
BROWNING GOES
After a long and “white” winter, the city’s landscape finally turned green again this spring. And thanks to Browning’s newly formed Green Team, the School turned green as well! The boys celebrated Earth Day on April 22 with Melanie McMahon
a dress-down fundraiser for a most worthy cause. According
to science teacher Emilie Wolf who advises the Green Team, the School community rose to the occasion, successfully showing its support for the protection of our planet. Ms. Wolf and the boys orchestrated this event, collecting $3 from each student who “dressed down.”
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ll funds raised were used for the implementation of “green actions” around the School. Participants received a Browning Green Team Reusable Bag and the chance to sign the Students Take On Plastic (S.T.O.P.) Pledge
initiated by The Town School. This pledge aims to reduce the use of plastic bags and, instead, promote the use of more environmentallyfriendly bags. In advance of Earth Day, teachers showed a video documentary focused on this subject.
By selling homemade baked goods, the Green Team raised $1,000 for the Wild Bird Fund, the only New York Citybased bird center.
Other “earth-saving”
initiatives at Browning
include the implementation of reusable mug lids to
reduce trash in the school
cafeteria, as well as promoting Instagram’s #bagitnyc effort to decrease plastic pollution
on city streets, as endorsed by The Hewitt School, The Town School and others.
The Green Team has
also paired up with the art
department and Crayola to
properly recycle markers by
placing Crayola ColorCycle boxes near the art rooms and in the Middle School Science Lab for drop-off. The markers will be shipped cost-
free to Crayola where they will be recycled and transformed into fuel.
Believe it or not, every year Crayola makes about half a billion markers (enough markers to wrap around the earth more than three times!) and sells them all around the world. More information is available on the company’s website (crayola.com/colorcycle).
A month after Earth Day, the Green Team kept up the momentum by
sponsoring Biodiversity Day on May 22 to promote the importance of
biodiversity, especially in New York City. By selling homemade baked goods, the team raised $1,000 for the Wild Bird Fund, the only New
York City-based bird center. This non-profit organization has paired
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BROWNING ALUMNUS COINS TERM “BIODIVERSITY”
Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy ’59, founder of the TV series “Nature” on PBS,
was the first to use the term “biodiversity” in 1980. He currently serves as a senior fellow at the United Nations Foundation. Up until 2014, he was
the biodiversity chair at the Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment in Washington, D.C. Dr. Lovejoy is also an environmental
science and policy professor at George Mason University and has served as
director of the World Wildlife Fund-U.S. As noted in the Spring 2014 Buzzer
(page 12), he has said, “Browning gave me a fine education across the board.” Read more about Dr. Lovejoy in his Class Notes section.
up with the vets at Animal General to provide free care for injured
birds and other wild animals. In fact, they receive and care for well over 2,500 birds a year! The boys’ decision to choose this particular
“cause” is most appropriate, as the Middle Schoolers often go birding in Central Park; this past November alone, they spied 17 species! (See article in The Local Buzz section.) Through the donation of their bake
sale proceeds, Browning will become a “Blue Jay Partner,” earning the School a visit from one of the fund’s bird care specialists, access to its
newsletter, and much more. (For more information, visit their website at wildbirdfund.org.)
The boys hope all of their “green” efforts will motivate family
and friends to follow suit, preserving and protecting our wonderful, irreplaceable “Mother Earth” and its inhabitants.
The Green Team has also paired up with the Art Department and Crayola to properly recycle markers and transform them into fuel.
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from the archives
Browsing through Browning’s archives is a wonderful way to while away an
afternoon. Full of photos and ephemera, the collection includes gems like the black
and white photograph of John H. Straus ’64 as a young boy opening the doors of the School back in the 1950s.
Mr. Straus reenacted the moment on the occasion of his 50th reunion on
May 2. After enjoying the True Grytte Society & Consecutive-Year Donor
Luncheon at the Knickerbocker Club where the Class of 1964 was honored, he headed back to Browning, borrowed Headmaster Clement’s briefcase and smiled for the camera! (See more luncheon photos on page 68.)
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the local buzz
FORM II BOYS TAKE ON RUBE GOLDBERG PROJECT Middle and Upper School science teacher Melodie
Ms. Ting added, “This was a two-week-long project
Ting reports exciting news: “The Form II boys in
that the boys started on an individual white board
presented with the task of designing and building
to be inventive in the materials they used, as they were
physical science class exploded with ideas when
their own Rube Goldberg project. Having just covered simple and complex machines and beginning the topic of energy, the Rube Goldberg project is the
perfect combination of these two chapters as the boys examine energy transfers in the machines they built.”
drawing out their designs with one restriction. They had not allowed to spend money buying parts but to use
what they had in the classroom or at home. They did
not disappoint; they were innovative and creative with their designs, collaborating with each other along the
way. They met obstacles and failures head on, constantly rethinking the design
right up until the final product was built.
Tasks included stapling three pieces of paper,
shooting a ping pong ball into a cup three
feet away, shooting a
paper ball into a trash can, pouring water
into a cup, sharpening a pencil, opening a
textbook, lifting an
object up by one foot, and calling a phone.”
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EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF BLACK ROCK FOREST CONSORTIUM VISITS BROWNING Dr. Jeff Kidder, education director of the Black Rock Forest Consortium, spent
the day at Browning on May 29. Science Department Chair Sam Keany reports:
“Dr. Kidder introduced the boys in grades two and three to water invertebrates
and led discussions about a host of their fascinating
adaptations. Later in the day, he met with members
of the science, art and math
departments to discuss future
Third grade boys are pictured (top) during a June outing to the forest.
Mr. Keany is vice president of the Black Rock
collaborative classes and
Forest Consortium now entering its 25th year; the
organisms and products.�
and scientific institutions.
projects centered on forest
organization constitutes 27 member schools, colleges
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FORM I BOYS SPEND TWO DAYS IN HUDSON HIGHLANDS Head of Middle School Chris Dunham reports on an overnight trip taken with Form I boys in April. “The Form I boys, along with Mr. Davis, Mr. Klein and me, spent two days up in the
Hudson Highlands. Black Rock Forest was our first stop. The
boys seined for macro-invertebrates in the local streams, hiked Mt. Misery, studied local animal skulls to make connections to
adaptations and usage, and had a fun campfire (with S’mores!)
and a night hike. Mr. Davis and a small crew of students discovered a local cache of Black Rock Forest clay and brought back 10
pounds of it for sculpting use here at school. On Friday, the boys traveled to Storm King Art Center to see its monumental pieces. It was a terrific trip for all!”
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FAMOUS SPANISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE PAY A VISIT Spanish teacher Giurissa A. F. Grace reports
artist Fernando Botero, Uruguayan writer
ter project, the fifth grade Spanish class
Castro, Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, Spanish
that for the first part of their second semes-
researched a famous Spanish-speaking male figure, wrote biographical reports incorporating the grammar and vocabulary they
have learned, and presented their reports in Spanish dressed as their historical figures.
Browning was visited by the following
people: Argentinian writer Julio Cortázar, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Argentinian dictator Augusto Pinochet, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, Colombian
Horacio Quiroga, Cuban dictator Fidel
artist Salvador Dalí, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, Castilian nobelman and military
leader El Cid, Guatemalan writer Miguel
Ángel Asturias, Mexican artist Diego Rivera, Nicaraguan writer Rubén Darío, Puerto
Rican educator and philosopher Eugenio María de Hostos, Peruvian writer Mario
Vargas Llosa, and Dominican visionary and founding father Juan Pablo Duarte. ¡Bravo!
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FIFTH & SIXTH GRADE BOYS WIN INAUGURAL “CITIZENCHIP” INITIATIVE This spring, teachers Dan Ragsdale and Megan Ryan
group of boys “caught” displaying exceptional citizenship.
“CitizenChip” Initiative promoting the ideals of the
most attentive during a morning meeting in April.
and Middle School Council members inaugurated the Citizenship Awards presented at the end of each school year. The objective of the CitizenChip Initiative, which ran from April 7 through May 16, was to acknowledge and reward
students for displaying the qualities of a good Browning citizen, including promptness,
neatness, respect, scholarship, sportsmanship,
integrity and cooperation. Every Middle School
faculty member received a few CitizenChips, each of which they could choose to distribute to a Middle School boy or
An entire class, for example, received a chip for being the Mr. Ragsdale noted, “The final day of the
CitizenChip competition was closer than the Preakness! Five lead changes throughout the deciding day resulted in a 43-43 tie
between Grades 5 and 6. Form II mounted a
spirited charge, but fell short with 36 chips.
Congratulations to Grades 5 and 6, and many
thanks to everyone who supported the inaugural
CitizenChip Initiative!” The winners enjoyed an outing to Central Park, where they dined on their favorite food.
LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE EXHIBITION: A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT! Science Department Chair Sam Keany and Stephanie Seto,
science teacher, are pleased to
report that a “team effort” helped make the May Lower School
Science Exhibition a success for
all involved. The boys were eager to show what they had achieved;
likewise, their parents, older boys
and other classroom teachers were pleased to view the culmination
of the boys’ work. The event was held in the cafeteria during the first period of the day.
Mr. Keany and Ms. Seto said,
“Many thanks to all of those who helped the boys and us make
this a successful forum to present the work done in science class. We received help and support from
led by Mr. Keany and Ms. Seto who guided the boys
well as Elizabeth Cooper-Mullin, Jeremy Katz ’04
the process of the scientific method. They taught those
the library staff and technology department, as
and Melanie McMahon. Christine Bramble welcomed parents in the Lobby, while the cafeteria and
maintenance staffs helped in so many ways. Head
of Lower School Laurie Gruhn, the second and third grade homeroom teachers and the science teachers made it possible for the older boys to visit the exhibition and support the Lower Schoolers.”
THE
Ms. Gruhn added, “This enormous effort was
BUZZER
through careful and thoughtful problem-solving and
valuable lessons of following through from hypothesis to conclusion, overseeing more than 60 individual
projects, iPad management, and in some cases, live
critters! As I told the parents, this exhibition, in many ways, is 21st century learning at its best. The boys
learned to plan creatively, think logically, articulate clearly and accept responsibility for their work.”
BROWNING BROTHERS Each year, the brothers enrolled here at Browning gather for a group photo; this year they assembled in the Lower Gym.
ANNUAL D.C. TRIP IS A TREAT FOR FORM II BOYS Head of Middle School Chris Dunham reports on the trip taken by Form II boys to Washington, D.C. for three
days in April: “The boys had a superb
time. The weather was as good as D.C. can offer, and that allowed for many
excellent frisbee tosses on the National Mall in between more cultural
experiences. The boys, along with
Ms. Suárez, Mr. Young and me, saw
many significant memorials, including the Vietnam Veterans, World War II and Lincoln Memorials. They also had profound experiences at the
Holocaust Museum and Newseum.
Another major highlight was meeting with lobbyists from the Nuclear
Energy Institute and getting a behind-
aides. On the lighter side of things, the
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s
baseball game and tested their James
the-scenes tour of the Capitol from
boys took in a Washington Nationals
Bond knowledge at the Spy Museum. All in all, a terrific trip!”
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THIRD GRADERS VISIT NY PUBLIC LIBRARY There’s nothing quite as exciting as acquiring your first library
card, especially when it’s from
the main branch of the New York Public Library and can be used
at any of the system’s branches. Third grade boys enjoyed their
June outing to the main library, especially the special exhibit,
“The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter.”
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BIRDING AT BROWNING It’s a sure sign of spring at Browning when Middle School
BROWNING POETS PERFORM AND COMPETE
Head of Middle School Chris Dunham, along with science
ing’s finest poets performed their work at the Indepen-
boys become birders, and this year was no exception.
In observance of April as Poetry Month, five of Brown-
teacher Betty Noel, accompanied fifth grade boys to Cen-
dent Voices reading and publication launch at Barnes
tral Park to study many of the birds they had discussed in
class. Roger Pasquier, a native New Yorker, former Director of Foundations for the National Audubon Society, Inc., and famed birder, had spoken to the boys earlier during a visit to Browning. He returned to the School (as he has done in prior years) and kindly accompanied each class on a tour
and Noble. Carrying on a long tradition of leadership
at the event, Christopher Haack ’14 and Jacob King ’14
served as amiable hosts for the evening of poetry, reading their own works along with fellow poets Tyler Fraser, Isaac Barrezueta and Philippe Laffont.
An attentive crowd of students, parents and proud
of the park where he pointed out numerous species, from
English teachers from all over Manhattan were thrilled
city’s famous red-tailed hawk, Pale Male, who was twice
presenting strong art.”
robins, to various types of woodpeckers, to grackles, to the spotted scanning the park for pigeons and squirrels.
Browning boys study birds and their migration in the
spring, as it is the best time of year to do so. Central Park
attracts numerous migrating birds drawn to this scenic area even in the midst of so many buildings. A number of the
boys expressed their pleasure at spying so many species, as well as their enjoyment at being in the park and the “great outdoors.” The bright yellow forsythia and budding trees in Central Park were a picturesque backdrop to the nests and birds they soon discovered.
by what they heard and saw; that is, “strong students English teacher Kevin Dearinger also reports that
Jacob King and Christopher Haack were honored by the New York Browning Society at a luncheon at the Na-
tional Arts Club in May. Jacob was one of six winners
chosen from competitors representing 110 schools. He
read his poem, “Red,” to great acclaim. Chris was shortlisted and honored at the luncheon, which included an
address by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. Both boys were outstanding representatives of The Browning School.
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ANNUAL SPEAKING CONTEST BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN BROWNING BOYS Humorous, tear-jerking, stirring and heart-warming describe the
readings by 16 Lower School boys
Ms. Gruhn and were recognized at the
Lower School Awards Assembly in May. Lower School contest judges
chosen to represent grades three and
included Teri Lawrence, head of school
Public Speaking Contest on April
School; Gina Malin, director of school
four at the annual Lyman B. Tobin 24. Preliminary rounds judged by
Middle and Upper School teachers
had taken place beforehand, resulting in four finalists chosen from each
at The Resurrection Episcopal Day
advisor services at Parents League of New York; and Frank Patti, head of lower school at The Hewitt School.
Upper School boys took their turn
of the homerooms. Headmaster
at public speaking the next day, with
for their powerful recitations and
separate categories, oral interpretation
Clement commended all the boys cited Browning alumni, including
governors and other statesmen, who may credit the School for cultivating their own public speaking skills.
Head of Lower School Laurie Gruhn
introduced each finalist, who then
re-stated his name and the title of his
reading to an audience of proud family and faculty. The winners of the contest were announced later in the day by
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nine boys choosing to participate. Two and original oratory, allowed them to
either interpret the work of another or
of the boys for their courage to stand in front of their peers and faculty to present their speeches. The judges
were tremendously complimentary of Browning in general, noting that everyone in these boys’ lives must be doing something right!” Upper
School contest judges included Sarah
Lederman, former history department
chair and teacher at The Dalton School; Alex Ragone, head of middle and
upper schools at City and Country School; and Amani Reed, head of
school at The School at Columbia.
Middle School boys concluded the
to write and present an original piece.
series of three Lyman B. Tobin Public
remarked, “The judges found the entire
one of the 16 participants showed
Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds
field of presenters outstanding. Their
deliberation was challenging because of the strength of the presentations.
Please congratulate not only the first and second place presenters, but all
Speaking Contests in May. Every
amazing skill at memorizing and
delivering his recitation in front of the entire community, a daunting task at any age! In preparing for this annual event, boys in Grade Five through
Form II are required to memorize a significant piece of poetry or prose
containing at least 14 lines, with four students from each grade chosen for the finals.
Head of Middle School Chris
Dunham commended all the
participants and thanked their
teachers and judges, including Matthew Stewart, head of The Caedmon School; Pat Ranar,
consultant in the faculty diversity search, Interschool; and Bill
McCartney, upper school head at The Town School.
Lyman B. Tobin, a Browning
teacher for 34 years, became
Headmaster in 1948 and under his leadership, public speaking was
established as an important part of
Objectives are to develop effective
effectively, and to develop poise and
is perpetuated today with this contest
a significant piece of poetry or prose,
an audience.
student life at the School. The tradition which takes place at all division levels.
public speaking skills, to memorize to learn how to deliver the piece
self-confidence speaking in front of
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GRYTTE STAFF TOURS WALL STREET JOURNAL WITH ALUM COLUMNIST In May, the Grytte student newspaper staff took
about deadlines, how the paper is laid out and where
offices of The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and other
years, how long it may take to write certain stories, the
an afternoon walk to 1211 Avenue of the Americas,
products of Dow Jones and Company. Accompanied
by Grytte Advisor Jeremy Katz ’04, who took many of the photographs for this story, the boys were greeted by Browning alumnus and WSJ columnist Ralph
Gardner, Jr. ’71, who arranged for a special tour of the newsroom with WSJ’s night editor, Wade Lambert.
Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan and Director
fact that news is delivered in print as well as in digital
format, etc. He noted that today’s WSJ covers much more than financial topics; in fact, the paper has expanded its coverage in arts, culture, sports, lifestyle and politics.
“Mr. Gardner’s column, Urban Gardner, is an excellent example of what I’m referring to,” said Mr. Lambert.
Carolyn Buck then took over as tour guide, offering
of Publications and Buzzer Editor Melanie McMahon
a wealth of information on WSJ’s history and awards,
and Mr. Katz helped arrange and guide this terrific field
She pointed out that through the years, the font of the
(yours truly) were pleased to join the group. Ms. Lanigan trip, while Ms. McMahon offers the following report: Mr. Lambert, who has been with the paper since
1984, explained how the pages and sections of the
newspaper are created, adding some behind-the-scenes humor by admitting that when deadlines are missed,
lots of shouting and yelling replace the usual quiet. A
triathlete, he also revealed that he starts his day with a
run or swim before heading to the office. He answered
the boys’ numerous questions in detail, including queries
THE
it is printed, how it has changed in content over the
BUZZER
including 35 Pulitzer Prizes that are proudly displayed. WSJ mast has not changed. Ms. Buck explained that WSJ, founded in 1889 (one year after the founding
of Browning!) is the largest daily newspaper in the
U.S., measured by paid circulation, for both weekday and weekend. Features are supplemented with blogs and digital content via WSJ.com, launched in 1996
(provided by 12 locally edited sites in six languages with 36 million global digital visitors per month),
and its online video initiative, WSJ Live. The boys
also learned that Dow Jones Newswires publishes
more than 19,000 daily news items and that Barron’s
magazine, while covering the financial markets, differs
from the WSJ in that it is entirely dedicated to investing and forecasting. Fifty of the most recent covers of Barron’s grace another wall of the building.
While the newsroom and the action that takes place
there is obviously crucial, advertisers and subscribers
are just as important. To that end, the boys heard from Director of Circulation Roberta Meo and Manager of Circulation Josephine Yu who addressed circulation,
retention, ad sales, and pricing of their products. They described the typical WSJ print subscriber as older,
affluent and highly educated. The challenge, they said,
is to focus on winning younger subscribers through the
tour occurred when Ms. Buck showed the group the
With the newsroom in the background, Wall Street columnist Ralph Gardner, Jr. ’71 introduced Wade Lambert, WSJ’s night editor, to the staff of the Grytte and their advisor Jeremy Katz ’04, along with Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan and Director of Publications/ Buzzer Editor Melanie McMahon; WSJ tour guide Carolyn Buck looks on. Later Mr. Gardner, Mr. Katz and the Grytte staff, with that day’s WSJ edition in hand, posed for a photo (facing page).
foreign correspondent who was slain at the hands
with a copy of the paper. The issue featured a cover story
tragedy “also sparked efforts to build on Danny’s
Kimball-Stanley ’05, three alumni who spoke to the
digital version of the paper and retain print subscribers with engaging content.
One of the more somber moments of the entire
memorial for reporter Daniel “Danny” Pearl, a WSJ
of militants in Pakistan. The WSJ has noted that this ideals of tolerance and understanding across cultures.” The Grytte staff extends a huge thanks to everyone
involved in making this tour such an informative and enjoyable one! Ms. Lanigan notes that both
Mr. Gardner and Mr. Lambert had fun, too, and were impressed with the Browning boys: “I was happy to
focused on Alex Vadukul ’07, Wes Vernon ’49 and David Upper School students that morning about their careers
in journalism and communications. Following the panel,
the editors of the Grytte sat down with these alums in the Cook Room for a more in-depth discussion. (See Alumni Reunion coverage in this issue for further details.)
Earlier in May, the co-editors-in-chief of The Hewitt
see how engaged the boys were,” said Mr. Gardner.
Times from The Hewitt School gathered student
bright students and future alums.” Mr. Lambert echoed
to discuss their publications and hear from two
“Browning should have a bright future with such
those sentiments and added, “It was a pleasure to meet you and the students from The Browning School today. I hope they enjoyed the tour, and please send them my
best wishes for their academic pursuits. They seem like
newspaper staffs from various New York City schools distinguished speakers, Taylor Trudon, deputy editor at Huffington Post Teen, and Erica Futterman, managing editor of Buzzfeed.
The meeting proved quite productive, as the editors
a wonderful group of students, all with bright futures
from Browning, Hewitt and Riverdale took inspiration
such a treat to give a tour to all of the boys. What a
of The New York Times (see page 60) regarding the
ahead of them.” Ms. Buck was also impressed: “It was kind group! It really meant so much to me to see the
excitement and enthusiasm in all of their questions.” In other Grytte news (pardon the pun), the staff
released their third issue of the school year on May 2,
Alumni Reunion, allowing for the 150-plus alumni and guests who returned to the School that day to leave
from Headmaster Clement’s recent letter to the editor
ways that boys learn; they plan to write a collaborative article on the topic of single-sex as compared to co-ed
education. Another exciting development as a result of
the meeting was that Chris Russo ’15, one of the Grytte’s deputy editors, was invited by Taylor Trudon to be a blogger for The Huffington Post Teen!
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f e at u r e
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S T O T H E
T
Class of
2014!
he Class of 2014 graduated on June 11 at Christ Church with Headmaster Clement, President of the Board of Trustees Jim Chanos and
Upper School Head Jim Reynolds (pictured far
right) presenting diplomas to each proud Browning boy. As is customary, Headmaster Clement asks the boys to
stand individually front and center before receiving their
diplomas so that he may recount their personal successes and particular activities.
Guest speaker at the ceremonies was Vishaan Chakrabarti
Class of 2014 President Conor Dietzgen (top row, center)
(pictured far left with Headmaster Clement), a partner at
also spoke: “It seems like just yesterday that I stepped
University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning &
then I’ve spent nine years at Browning and have formed
SHoP Architects and an associate professor at Columbia
Preservation. Mr. Chakrabarti was a Browning parent from 2007 to 2010. He earned a master’s degree in architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, as well as a
master’s in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; he holds dual bachelor’s degrees in art history
and engineering from Cornell University. From 2002 to 2005, while serving as the director of the Manhattan Office for the New York Department of City Planning, Mr. Chakrabarti
successfully gained approvals for major rezonings and also directed the city’s design response to the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan in the wake of 9/11, the expansion of
Columbia University into Manhattanville and the makeover of Lincoln Center.
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into Mr. C’s class and began my career at Browning. Since friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. When I think of a word that best describes the Class of 2014, the word fraternity comes to mind. We all act as a single unit and always find peace of mind knowing that we all have
each other’s back when push comes to shove. This can
be exemplified in the 100% participation rate in donating money to the Class of 2014 Class Gift Fund. No matter
how far away we travel for college, whether it be to Santa Clara, California, or right here at Fordham in the Bronx, it’s important that we remain a band of brothers that
sticks together for a lifetime. Thank you, guys, for all the memories, and good luck.”
Summer 2014
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COLLEGES OFFERING ADMISSION TO THE CLASS OF 2014 Allegheny College
Drexel University
University of North
American University
Duke University
American University in Paris
Elon University
Northwestern University
Bard College
Emory University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Baruch College
Fordham University (2)
University of Pennsylvania (2)
Bates College
Franklin & Marshall College (2)
University of Pittsburgh
Bentley University (2)
Furman University
University of Richmond
Boston College
Georgetown University (2)
Roanoke College
Boston University (3)
Harvard University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Bryant University
Hobart College (2)
University of Rochester
California Institute of Technology
Universidad Iberoamericana
University of St. Andrews (5)
Carnegie Mellon University
Ithaca College (2)
St. John’s University
Chapman University
Lehigh University (2)
Santa Clara University (2)
College of Charleston (2)
Loyola University (2)
Seton Hall University
Clarkson University
Loyola University of
University of Southern California
Clemson University
New Orleans (2)
Southern Methodist University (2)
Carolina – Chapel Hill
Colgate University
McGill University
Susquehanna University (2)
Connecticut College
University of Miami
Syracuse University (4)
University of Connecticut
Middlebury College
Trinity College (4)
Cornell University (3)
University of New Hampshire
Tufts University
University of Dayton
SUNY – Binghamton University
Union College (2)
University of Denver
SUNY – New Paltz
University of Vermont (2)
Dickinson College (2)
SUNY – Stony Brook University
Villanova University (2)
DigiPen Institute of Technology
New York University (2)
Wake Forest University (3) Yale University
As of May 2014
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2014 matriculation
COLLEGE CHOICES – CLASS OF 2014 Congratulations to the graduates of the Class of 2014 and the fine institutions that will welcome them this fall. Michael A. Adeleye – University of Rochester (NY) Janak N. Advani – Elon University (NC) Aniekeme I. Akpan – Franklin & Marshall College (PA) Kevin A. Barbosa – Bard College (NY) Isaac F. Barrezueta – Allegheny College (PA) Griffin A. Bassman – University of Pennsylvania (PA) Caspar C. Boele – Wake Forest University (NC) Lamberto A. De Boni – Santa Clara University (CA) David J. Dent, Jr. – Northwestern University (IL) Montgomery M. Denton – American University in Paris (France) Conor F. Dietzgen – Georgetown University (DC) J. Findlay Edwards – Trinity College (CT) Jonathan P. Flinchum – Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) Michael E. Florentino – Bates College (ME) Christopher M. Haack – California Institute of Technology (CA) Ralph O. Harvard IV – Furman University (SC) Jacob N. King – Colgate University (NY) Juan Pablo Llamas – Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico) Peter L.V. Maguire – Fordham University (NY) Thomas L. McCormack – Southern Methodist University (TX) Aidan L. Page – Cornell University (NY) Aaron Z. Parisier – University of Richmond (VA) Jack F. Reiss – Trinity College (CT) Spencer A. Reuben – Boston College (MA) Christopher M. Stephens – Baruch College (NY) Philip N. A. van Scheltinga – Harvard University (MA) Alexander K. R. Wisowaty – Yale University (CT) W. Thomas York III – University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (NC)
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2014
prizes
A C A D E M I C AWA R D S
H EADM AST ER’S LIST
Given to those boys whose grade point average for the year is at least 3.75. Form VI Lamberto A. De Boni Michael E. Florentino Christopher M. Haack Philip N. A. van Scheltinga Alexander K. R. Wisowaty Form V William S. Abelt Douglas M. Belgorod Lodovico H. De Boni Alexander M. Gottdiener Aadir A. Khan Diego A. Lopez-Liranzo Armaan Rawat Brendan D. Walsh Form IV Liam S. Kerwin Michael L. Zuppone, Jr. Form III Luke E. Barba J. Alexander Barnard Alexander I. Kattan Form II Andrew J. Ceonzo David J. Eisman Benjamin I. Ellman Jaime Gomez-SotomayorRoel George P. Grimbilas Luke M. Hexner Daniel S. Kravitz Connor P. Medland Philip A. Raftopoulos Jackson S. Richter Adrian F. Rodriguez Brogan A. Smith Jack R. Twaronite
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Form I Christopher T. Elwell Maxmillian A. Motz Grade 6 Ryan K. Aotani Maxwell A. Beem Hugh T. Chapin Ryan T. Eagan Logan T. Flynn Jack E. Freiser William J. Hatfield Alexander F. Kwok Reinhardt N. Landsberg Alexander J. Liptak Oliver Obeid Michael Westman Jonathan M. Ziff Grade 5 Alexander J. Barr William C. Bousquette, III Griffin C. Davis Fazeel A. Khan Christian E. Kim Jacob N. Lassner Kyle T. Liptak Harrison M. McGlashan Alexander Raftopoulos Eric D. Sigg Dylan C. Steck Akshay D. Swani
HONOR ROLL
Given to those boys whose grade point average for the year is 3.5-3.74. Form VI Conor F. Dietzgen Form V Basil T. Chalabi Andrew E. Davis Peter V. Florescu Arthur F. Mensah Christopher W. Russo Benjamin C. Weiner Form IV Andrew J. Bendo Andrew B. Medland Karsten G. Monteverde Julian J. Orillac Alejandro Oyarzun Form III George D. Allen Micah Bowey Jake E. Germano Pablo Ysart
Form II Henry P. Choy Takayuki M. Ishikawa Robert H. Nielsen Charles W. F. Pink Rohan A. Singh Caleb H. Sussman Form I Joseph S. Delgado William P. Endres Jacob Kibel Patrick W. McAllister Alexander S. Motz Grade 6 Wesley H. Baugher Robert A. Michaelson Alexander F. Naber Keaton A. Ramey Austin D. Stapleton Grade 5 Robert D. Magnus William D. Mazzaro Gavin J. Mora Christopher J. Preziotti Aaron T. Seibert
SC HOL A R S AWA RD
Form VI Christopher M. Haack Form II Jackson S. Richter C I T I Z ENSH I P AWA RDS
Form VI Aniekeme I. Akpan Jonathan P. Flinchum Michael E. Florentino Christopher M. Haack Aaron Z. Parisier Jack F. Reiss Spencer A. Reuben Christopher M. Stephens Philip N. A. van Scheltinga Form V William S. Abelt Douglas M. Belgorod Brian W. Bermeo Kevin A. Centeno Basil T. Chalabi Michael J. Cleary Andrew E. Davis Lodovico H. De Boni Norman Delgado Peter V. Florescu Alexander M. Gottdiener Christopher D. Keyko Aadir A. Khan Diego A. Lopez-Liranzo Alexander Makkos Arthur F. Mensah Lorenzo N. Mezzatesta Alec V. Morea John H. Morris Armaan Rawat Christopher W. Russo Slater D. Stark David Y. Valentin Brendan D. Walsh Benjamin C. Weiner
Form IV Andrew J. Bendo Anthony K. Carrasco Tyler A. Fraser Liam S. Kerwin Andrew B. Medland Karsten G. Monteverde Julian J. Orillac Alejandro Oyarzun Dylan A. Springer Michael L. Zuppone, Jr. Form III George D. Allen Luke E. Barba J. Alexander Barnard Micah Bowey Declan J. Casey Felix A. Castillo August van D. Chapin Gianni P. Chiovetta Terrell G. Edwards Jake E. Germano Jamil Guzman Joshua D. Jordan Alexander I. Kattan Alex Lรณpez Velasco Patrick C. Lopez Luigi G. Napolitano Pablo Ysart Form II Julien D. Anavian Andrew J. Ceonzo David J. Eisman Benjamin I. Ellman Theodore I. Florescu Jaime Gomez-SotomayorRoel George P. Grimbilas Takayuki M. Ishikawa Connor P. Medland Marwan S. Nsouli Charles W. F. Pink Jackson S. Richter Brogan A. Smith George P. Stavropoulos Caleb H. Sussman
Form I Lucas A. Coffey Christopher T. Elwell Michael J. Kassis Patrick W. McAllister Alexander S. Motz Maxmillian A. Motz Sebastian P. Rodriguez Calvin D. Sherman Grade 6 Maxwell A. Beem Patrick A. Centeno Hugh T. Chapin Ryan T. Eagan Logan T. Flynn Jack E. Freiser William J. Hatfield Alexander F. Kwok Reinhardt N. Landsberg Alexander J. Liptak Alexander F. Naber Oliver Obeid Grade 5 John F. Harrison Fazeel A. Khan Christian E. Kim Jacob N. Lassner Dylan C. Laub Robert D. Magnus Harrison M. McGlashan David M. Monasebian Gavin J. Mora Alexander Raftopoulos Eric D. Sigg Dylan C. Steck Grade 4 Jonathan J. Davidoff Jose E. Garcia Andrew R. Hatfield Kabir J. Kurani Colin A. Mandl-Ciolek Liam J. Messinger Teymour S. Nsouli Christian M. Odenius Jamie M. Sussman Liam Westman
Grade 3 Malek S. Assef Quentin T. Bader Ethan C. Fitzpatrick Ross G. Gramley Eli B. Greenberg Henry T. Gussman Tomas Infantino David M. Lilien Joshua E. Metz-King Jakob G. Oliva
F O R M V I AWA R D S D. AL A N DI LLEN BERG SC HOL A R AT H LET E AWA RD
Spencer A. Reuben EDWA RD G. COR N ET AWA RD FOR COOPER AT ION A N D PER SEV ER A NC E
Christopher M. Haack T H E ELE A NOR A N D H A ROLD P. K U R ZM A N M EMOR I AL AWA RD FOR I M PROV EM EN T
Jonathan P. Flinchum SALEH M . AL M ADH A H EK A H AWA RD
For open-mindedness, dedication and good citizenship. Michael E. Florentino K EN N ET H KOMI TO AWA RD FOR C I T I Z ENSH I P
Philip N. A. van Scheltinga
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2014
prizes
AT H L E T I C AWA R D S
FA L L AWA R D S (2013) VA R SI T Y SOCC ER
Most Valuable Player Karsten G. Monteverde Most Improved Player Andrew B. Medland Arthur F. Mensah Sportsmanship Philip N. A. van Scheltinga Panther Award Christopher M. Haack J U NIOR VA R SI T Y SOCC ER
Most Valuable Player Christopher J. Childs Alexander J. Young Most Improved Player Jake E. Germano Ryan T. Olson Luke X. Spellman Grytte Award Norman Delgado Coach’s Award Declan J. Casey
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SEV EN T H -EIGH T H GR ADE SOCC ER
Most Valuable Player Andrew J. Ceonzo Coaches Award Charles W. F. Pink Grytte Award Connor P. Medland VA R SI T Y C ROSS COU N T RY
Most Valuable Player Christopher D. Keyko Most Improved Player Brandon J. Keno Yvan Maslennikov Sportsmanship Julian J. Orillac SEV EN T H -EIGH T H GR ADE C ROSS COU N T RY
Most Valuable Player Jaime Gomez-SotomayorRoel Most Improved Player Grant A. Thompson Most Dedicated Award Julien D. Anavian
WINTER AWA R D S (2014) VA R SI T Y BASK ET BALL
SEV EN T H -EIGH T H GR ADE R ED BASK ET BALL
Most Valuable Player Andrew J. Ceonzo
Most Valuable Player Christopher M. Stephens
Most Improved Player Jack R. Twaronite
Most Improved Player: Offense Christopher J. Childs
Coach’s Award George P. Grimbilas
Most Improved Player: Defense Peter L. V. Maguire Sportsmanship August van D. Chapin Coach’s Grytte Award Philip N. A. van Scheltinga J U N IOR VA R SI T Y BASK ET BALL
Most Valuable Player Conor P. D. Harkins Andrew B. Medland Most Improved Player Quintin A. L. Blumka Joshua D. Jordan Patrick C. Lopez Sportsmanship Declan J. Casey Aaron Z. Parisier
SEV EN T H -EIGH T H GR ADE BL AC K BASK ET BALL
Most Valuable Player Stone W. Abramson Patrick W. McAllister Most Valuable Player: Defense Justin A. James Amedeo Lorenzotti Most Improved Player Eric R. Pena Philip A. Raftopoulos Sportsmanship Julien D. Anavian Jackson S. Richter
SI X T H GR ADE BASK ET BALL
Most Valuable Player: Offense Jesse B. Starr Most Valuable Player: Defense William J. Hatfield
SPRING AWA R D S (2014) VA R SI T Y BASEBALL
Most Valuable Player Spencer A. Reuben
Most Improved Player Alexander P. Dwyer
Most Improved Player Anthony K. Carrasco W. Thomas York III
Sportsmanship Liam Lis
Coach’s Award Alec V. Morea
Coach’s Award Alexander J. Liptak
Panther “Grytte” Award Gianni P. Chiovetta
F I F T H GR ADE BASK ET BALL
Sportsmanship Luke E. Barba
Most Valuable Player Skyler C. Bell
SEV EN T H -EIGH T H GR ADE BASEBALL
Most Valuable Player Andrew J. Ceonzo Takayuki M. Ishikawa Most Improved Player Eric P. Pena Jack R. Twaronite Sportsmanship Connor T. Buettner George P. Grimbilas VA R SI T Y T R AC K
Most Valuable Player: Short Distance Ralph O. Harvard, IV
VA R SI T Y T EN N IS
Most Valuable Player George D. Allen Del T. Schunk Panther Award Peter V. Florescu Michael J. Kassis VA R SI T Y GOLF
Most Valuable Player Alejandro Oyarzun Most Improved Player Conor F. Dietzgen Thomas McCormack
Most Valuable Player: Long Distance Christopher D. Keyko
Most Improved Player Christian E. Kim
Most Improved Player Norman Delgado Diego A. Lopez-Liranzo
Coach’s Award William C. Bousquette III
Sportsmanship Jamil Guzman
Grytte Award David M. Monasebian
Summer 2014
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f e at u r e
THE
BUZZER
The weekly e-newsletter issued by the Parents Association serves as an ideal venue for showcasing Browning faculty and their many academic pursuits outside the School’s red doors this past spring. To allow Buzzer readers the opportunity to know our teachers even better, we present a round-up of these “Did You Know?” spotlights below, as compiled by Director of Middle and Upper School Admission Janet Lien.
H
ead of Upper School Jim Reynolds attended an
International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) conference in Dallas, Texas, titled, “Why We Play: Examining the Changing Face of Sports at
Jim Reynolds
Boys Schools in the 21st Century.” Character building, responsibility
toward teammates, building relationships of trust with
coaches, and sports as an extension of a school’s mission were among the chief topics discussed at the conference. At a school such as Browning, athletics (whether at the varsity level or within P.E. classes) play a vital role in
the full development of each young man. It is important that the lessons sports expose to each student are
fostered through Browning’s athletic programs, from Pre-Primary to Form VI.
Janet Lien
F
Dan Ragsdale
Kelly West
aculty members Janet Lien, Dan Ragsdale and Kelly West attended a conference jointly sponsored by
the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and International Boys’ School Coalition
(IBSC). The speaker for the day, Michael Reichert, is the author of “I Can Learn From You: Boys as Relational Learners.” He presented his findings on successful
teaching practices and identified distinctive traits of
successful teacher-student relationships, particularly those related to teaching boys. Mr. Reichert found
that when a boy experienced relational success with a teacher, he was more likely to have a rewarding experience engaging with the course material.
Headmaster Clement and his wife Sally hosted a
reception at their home later in the evening, attended by 11 other heads of school.
Summer 2014
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46
D
irector of Communications Design Jeremy Katz ’04
attended the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive conference in Austin, Texas, which focused on
emerging technology and digital Jeremy Katz ’04
creativity. Participants heard from the brightest minds in the field,
Laurie Gruhn
Janet Lien
Sarah Murphy
I
attended hands-on workshops and participated in
networking opportunities. Mr. Katz is responsible for
n late May, several
members of
Browning’s social media postings and communications via other web tools. He teaches a course on graphic
the Browning
forward to employing some new ideas he gained from
a talk given
faculty attended
design as part of the STEM curriculum and looks
the conference to help Browning stay abreast of the latest technologies.
L Kristen Sheppard
earning Specialist Kristen
Sheppard attended an annual
by Dr. Angela
Duckworth at
Education Program, Dr. Duckworth, a psychologist,
spoke about her findings on how grit predicts success.
three-day conference, “Learning
At Browning, with “Grytte” being the school’s motto,
latest data on brain development in
thought, including how we can better help our students
focused on how intelligence is being
in attendance were Laurie Gruhn, Janet Lien, Sarah
and the Brain,” which presented the
Dr. Duckworth’s presentation provided food for
adolescents. This year’s conference
develop this intangible trait. The Browning faculty
redefined (now including traits
Murphy, Megan Ryan and Stephanie Seto.
Further, individual sessions were geared toward helping educators apply the results of current research in their teaching methods. Ms. Sheppard noted that one of the
more fascinating discussions was on future technology
and how it might change the role of classroom teachers.
BUZZER
Stephanie Seto
Lincoln Center. Sponsored in part by the Lincoln Center
such as innovation and creativity) in the new economy.
THE
Megan Ryan
F
supplementing the math curriculum
D
learning modules. The online
Educators,” led by Michael Brosnan,
ifth grade teacher Jeff
Lisciandrello has been
Schools’ workshop, “Writing for
program enables him to tailor Jeff Lisciandrello
provides immediate feedback on
McMahon attended a New York
State Association of Independent
with the use of Khan Academy
assignments to each student. It also
irector of Publications Melanie
editor of Independent School Melanie McMahon
magazine, and Peter Gow, writerteacher in independent schools
students who are ready to move on to more challenging
for nearly 40 years. Ms. McMahon, writer-editor of
support. “I am getting more data and feedback than you
edits articles and academic publications written by
material, as well as those who might need additional can get by pencil and paper,” says Mr. Lisciandrello. Each boy is in the driver’s seat of his own learning
experience, which allows for a healthy combination
of personal pride and appropriate competition with his peers. Since he began using Khan Academy,
Mr. Lisciandrello has noted that the boys’ excitement for math has been building steadily.
W
Browning’s Buzzer magazine and website, writes and the Headmaster and individual faculty. In part, this
workshop helped her identify further opportunities and venues for Browning teachers eager to write and share their expertise and opinions, influence curricula, and
connect with a broader community of educators and the world at large.
hen Librarian Leigh Hurwitz isn’t at Browning, she is
busy working at the Brooklyn
Public Library. As an assistant in
the outreach services department,
Ms. Hurwitz brings library services Leigh Hurwitz
to underserved populations in
Brooklyn, including the inmates at
Rikers Island and The Brooklyn House of Detention Complex. In addition, Ms. Hurwitz is coordinating
a new service involving the Uni, a portable, pop-up library bringing books and programs to homeless shelters. She is also staffing a Uni structure at Governor’s Island this summer.
Summer 2014
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summer stipends
EACH YEAR, THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION AWARDS stipends to faculty members who apply for specific projects, such as summer travel, research or study. Each recipient writes an article for the Buzzer about his or her project; three faculty are featured in this issue.
Morocco, The Land of Charm Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Agadir,
the direction of the north to my first stop, Tangier, via
back as I can remember, Morocco,
Moroccan Atlantic Coast.
Casablanca, Essaouira… As far
with its imperial cities, rich culture,
While modern standard Arabic language and Berber
history, and, yes, I have to confess,
are the two official languages, French is spoken widely
have always fascinated and attracted
primary language used in commerce, economics, education
delicious cuisine and gastronomy Dominique Bernard
gorgeous seacoast and peaceful small villages on the
me. More importantly, I have always
been interested in the deep link between France and the Maghreb, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The long and,
at times, tempestuous relationship between those three countries and France that forged over nearly 150 years
of colonial order did not terminate with the sovereignty
and remains Morocco’s third unofficial language. It is the
and government. The use of colloquial French is filled with Arabic words: baraka (luck), baroud (last stand) caid (boss, big shot), barouf (racket), bled (village), flouze (money),
nouba (mega party) and toubib (doc, medic), to name but a few. Morocco is a dynamic member of Francophonie. I was struck by the omnipresence of religion in
of those territories after the second World War. This long
Moroccan daily life. A neophyte on this subject, I began
social fabric of French and North African communities;
behind words that I hear almost every day. The doctrine
epoch of colonization left an ineffaceable imprint on the
despite the years, this common past has never ceased to influence their cultures, uniqueness and politics.
All year, through class discussions and oral reports,
Browning boys develop cultural awareness by examining their way of life with that of other persons from Frenchspeaking regions of the world. The generous stipend
granted by the Parents Association gave me a fabulous opportunity to discover a new facet of a Francophone country. I am always eager to meet people from new horizons, speak with them, listen to them and better comprehend their culture and history.
I could write endlessly about such a rich topic; I will
simply share with you a few remarks about what I felt,
learned, saw and liked in Morocco. At dawn of a scorching July 1, 2013, I was on the road leaving Casablanca in
THE
BUZZER
to understand a little better the real sense and weight preached by Mahomet is “Islam,” which means the
resignation to the will of God. This resignation is registered in the Koran. While the Muslims believe in the divine nature of the Psalms, of the Torah and of the Gospels,
they also think that mankind has altered some texts. The
mission of Mahomet is to reestablish the divine revelation in its wholeness. Morocco observes the Malekite rite
characterized by a relative flexibility and an open vision to the world. That makes Moroccan society more open-
minded to other cultures to the contrary of the dogmatic and uncompromising hanbalite rite occurring in the Arabian Peninsula.
Weakened after the second World War, France lost its
prestige and its reputation among the Moroccan people, and the Independence of Morocco was proclaimed on
Finally, th e magnificen t Atlas Moun tains a r e bu t a few of th e ma n y jew els th at mak e Morocco a fascinating a nd ca ptivating coun try to v isit.
March 2, 1956. Hassan II, who came to power after the
deaths (including eight French) and about 20 wounded.
was an absolute monarch who aggressively attempted to
and Moroccan tourism, the Moroccan leadership continues
death of his father, a victim of an anesthesia accident, eradicate any opposition to his agenda.
Hassan II died suddenly on July 23, 1999, after 38
years of reign. His older son, Mohammed, took over his
Despite this terrorist attack to destabilize the government its reforms and does not allow itself to be intimidated by force or violence.
I much enjoyed the Jemaa-El-Fna square in Marrakech.
post under the name of Mohammed VI. Thanks to his
It is a confluence point for Marrakchis and tourists as
his genuine concern for the poor and disadvantaged,
rather quiet. At night, it becomes an enormous outdoor
dynamism, the simplicity of his public demeanor and Mohammed VI is well liked by the people who strive for change. Thus, ever since his ascension to power,
Mohammed VI has released 46,000 prisoners, most of them for political reasons. It is indeed a fresh breeze
blowing then. Unlike his father, who lived secluded in his palace, Mohammed VI crisscrosses Morocco, participates in prayer here and there, and visits remote regions. Yet
conservative forces issued from the old guard of Hassan II
well. During the day the place, crushed by the sun, is
theater with snake charmers, henna tattoo artists, actors and musicians and artists of every kind: water-sellers, musicians and actors. Juan Goytisolo, a Spanish poet
living in Marrakech, wrote about the site: “The spectacle of Jamaa el Fna is repeated daily, and each day it is
different….The Square, as a physical space, shelters a rich oral and intangible tradition.”
Finally, the magnificent Atlas Mountains, the historic and
are still influential, and much remains to be done. People
quaint charm of Tangier, the old medina of Fez, the beach of
services (constructions of schools, hospitals and roads),
of Essaouira are but a few of the many jewels that make
approve Mohammed VI’s proximity policy of public
which has allowed for the opening up of isolated areas and reduced poverty.
Yet, the Arab revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt inspired
the Moroccans. In February 2011, tens of thousands of malcontents went into the streets of the main cities to
claim more democracy and freedom of expression, an
impartial and truthful justice, less corruption and less
power for the king. At the end of May, security forces were suppressed all over the country. The authorities justified their interventions by the fact that the Islamists and the
leftists would manipulate the February 20 movement. On April 28, 2011, in this tumultuous context, a bomb attack
destroyed the café Argana situated on the Place Jemaa-ElFna, a mecca for tourists in Marrakech. The result was 17
Agadir, the picturesque city of Imsouane and the fortifications Morocco a fascinating and captivating country to visit.
I am deeply grateful to the Parents Association for
having given me the opportunity to discover those pretty Moroccans villages and towns. In addition to the biggest cities cited above, the colorful and picturesque images of places such as Chefchaouen, Larache, Tetouan and
Ouarzazate will stay with me for years to come. Above
all, the endless discussions with “les marocains” and their
natural warmth and sense of hospitality will remain etched
in my memory forever. Thanks to this stipend, I have many pictures, anecdotes and warm stories to share with my
students at Browning over discussions about the Frenchspeaking world. Merci infiniment.
–By Dominique Bernard, French Teacher
Summer 2013 2014
49
50
From Paddy Fields to Jungle Treetops “As a biologist, I have always been interested in nature,” said Middle and Upper School science teacher Dr. Betty Noel. “I spent my dissertation work focusing on
lab work and the bacterium Yersinia pestis, causative agent of the bubonic and Dr. Betty Noel
pneumonic plague. In thinking about
professional development, I considered
looking outside of lab work at opportu-
was ama zing to be so close to th ese a nimals a nd to observ e th em in th eir natu r al h abitats. The tropical rainforest of Sabah, a member state of Ma-
port my existing knowledge base. My
geology. Sabah has expansive flora and fauna, Rafflesia (the
sity, sustainable development and ethnobotany (traditional medicine). Really the first place that came to mind to explore
was the rainforest. It’s a biologist’s dream and directly applicable to what I teach.”
“As a chemist, I have always been interested in molecules
and their structures,” said Middle and Upper School science teacher Melodie Ting. “These structures could stem from
small crystals to biomolecules in ethnobotany. Ethnobotany
has always been a fascinating subject of study from the perspective of a chemist because most of the compounds that
exist in nature have similar properties to some of the most
complex syntheses I have seen in the lab. The idea that most of these plants contain chemicals that can be extracted to re-
place several steps in a reaction mechanism is fascinating. As a theoretical physical chemist, my field of specialization has
been focused on quantum calculations and studying the complex reactions of small molecules. Therefore, when presented the opportunity to expand my knowledge of chemistry, I
wanted to look at biomolecules, big, interesting molecules with complex reactions not in my field of specialization.”
Together, Dr. Noel and Ms. Ting embarked on a sum-
mer 2013 adventure that expanded their knowledge of biology and chemisty, respectively; their story follows:
BUZZER
a nd th e r a r e pygmy eleph a n t. It
laysia located on the north of the island of Borneo, is known
goal was to learn more about biodiver-
THE
va r ious macaqu es a nd hor nbills,
nities that would not only strengthen my knowledge of field biology but also sup-
Melodie Ting
We spotted proboscis monk eys,
for its biodiversity, especially plant diversity, and its unique largest flower in the world that rarely blooms), endangered sea turtles, rare mammals and unique caves. It was clear
that a trip to Malaysia that would pair both chemistry and
biology was the way to proceed. The location and itinerary presented a wonderful opportunity for collaboration.
We arrived in Malaysia at a place called Kota Kinabalu
on July 16, 2013, after long flights from the United States. We checked in and had a light tour of the city, which was the
perfect excursion after such a long flight. We woke up bright and early the next day and started our rainforest adventure. Undeterred by jetlag, our first stop was Pulau Gaya (trans-
lated as “big island”) for a two kilometer jungle trail trek to learn about some of the unique medicinal plants, tropical hardwood trees, coastal vegetation, tropical Dipterocarp
rainforest and the ecology of the mangrove forest. One of the highlights from this segment of the trip was planting some mangrove trees. After building up an appetite, we headed
for lunch to Pulau Manukan (translated as “wild chicken is-
land”) which apparently used to have an abundance of wild chickens, hence, the name Manukan. There we had a chance to snorkel and see some of the local sea life.
The next day, we began a two-hour drive through paddy
fields and Dusun villages over the ridges of the Crocker
Range to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu at 5,000 feet. We had a
short stop at Nabalu market to savor local fruits in season as
well as buy some souvenirs. At Kinabalu Park World Heri-
the 10 primate species that reside there. Sukau is home to
Garden, home to various species of the flowering Rhodo-
and all eight species of hornbill birds in Borneo. We spotted
tage Site, we visited the Education Center and Mountain
dendrons, carnivorous pitcher plants, orchids, ferns, medicinal plants, oak trees and birds. After lunch, we continued
the journey overland to Poring. There we finally found the
Rafflesia flower and explored the tropical rainforest among
Borneo pygmy elephants, orangutans, proboscis monkeys
proboscis monkeys, various macaques and hornbills, and the rare pygmy elephant. It was amazing to be so close to these animals and to observe them in their natural habitats.
We started with an early morning river cruise up the
the jungle trail leading to the treetop canopy walkways
Kinabatangan River to Kelenanap Oxbow Lake to view
Mengaris trees. After the high adrenaline rush from the fear
educational tour on the Hornbill Boardwalk where we saw
suspended 41 meters above the forest floor across giant
of heights, we soaked in sulfur hot pools to relax before we returned to Kota Kinabalu.
We left Kota Kinabalu and flew to Sandakan. Our first
stop was Selingan Island which is also called Turtle Island
for one reason: green sea turtles come nightly to lay eggs on this island. We spent the afternoon on the beach snorkeling and saw some interesting, although not completely intact,
corals. In the evening, as the winds picked up signaling the beginning of thunderstorms, we waited for a signal from
the park ranger before proceeding in small groups to watch
green turtles lay eggs on the beach. We saw the process from the transplanting of eggs to the hatchery and release of baby
turtles to the sea. We felt so privileged to participate in the ef-
more birds and wildlife. After breakfast, we proceeded to an evidence of pygmy elephants and plenty of hornbill species. After lunch, we proceeded overland to the vicinity of Go-
mantong Cave. The cave is surrounded by primary rainforest which makes it an ideal place to spot orangutans in the
wild. We traversed deep into the forest along selected trails in search of the “man of the jungle” (the orangutan). While we heard them, we were unable to see orangutans in this
setting. However, we did come across many of the famous
land leeches that reside in this forest. The Gomantong Cave was not prime for crystal formation, but we witnessed the exodus of over two million bats as well as raptors such as the rare bat hawk swooping down to catch bats.
On our last day, we returned to Sandakan by boat. We
fort to save this species.
visited the Sandakan War Memorial which was quite mov-
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. We walked through
were forced to march from Sandakan to Ranau resulting in
Next we returned to Sandakan by boat and traveled to
the rainforest to witness the feeding of the orangutans. The orangutans were marvelous, and seeing the interactions of
the adults and juveniles seemed familiar. Here we also saw a
beautifully camouflaged and highly poisonous viper. We then went on a two-and-a-half-hour boat journey to the Sukau
Rainforest Lodge along Sabah’s longest river, Kinabatangan, with the opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin
mangrove, wetland and rainforest habitats. The Rainforest Lodge was amazing: incredibly beautiful, comfortably ap-
pointed and almost seamlessly integrated with nature. After a brief rest, we went on a river cruise in search of some of
ing and pays tribute to the Allied prisoners of war who
massive loss of life. It was an amazing memorial, and we learned so much. Following the War Memorial, we went to the Rainforest Discovery Center. We enjoyed a birds-
eye view of the center from the canopy walk and hanging
bridge before exploring the botanical garden, home to various species of flora. This was a wonderful way to conclude our busy and adventurous trip. We are so thankful to the
Parents Association for providing us with summer stipends so that we could have this amazing experience.
–Dr. Betty Noel and Melodie Ting, Middle and Upper School Science Teachers
Summer 2014
51
parents association benefit 2014
rockin’
52
THE
BUZZER
at the mandarin
2014 spring benefit committee Benefit Chairs Lisa Elson Kathleen Glaymon Dina Hofmann Karen Naber
Over 400 guests attended “Browning Rocks Rio,” the 2014 Spring Benefit at the Mandarin Oriental on May 16. Cocktails, dinner and dancing, as well as live and silent auctions, were all part of the festivities in the colorful ballroom that evening. This annual benefit, sponsored by Browning parents, was a tremendous success, and the monies raised will impact the School in many ways. This event, for example, provides funding for faculty summer stipends, allowing so many of Browning’s teachers to travel, study and perform research.
Donation Chairs Saira Malhotra Naomi Moriyama Jessica Oliver Deanna Passarelli
Donations Committee Andrew Chait Nancy ChernoffWhite Valerie Feigen Barbara Fisher Samuel L. Jacob Martin Levenglick Sibel Mesta Sharmila Tandon Carmen Taton Gail Weiner Ayse Wilson Elizabeth Zuppone Design and Festivity Chair Marisa Brown
Auctioneer Leigh Keno CBK Cookies Cynthia Barba Goody Bags Matthew and Fay Jozoff June Young Decor James and Stephanie Loeffler Video Production Ken Metz Solicitations Carmen Taton
Finance Chair Nazmi Oztanir
Many thanks to the committee for such a memorable party!
Summer 2014
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THE
BUZZER
Summer 2014
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fine and p e r f o r m i n g a rt s
LOWER SCHOOL PLAY TAKES TOUR OF CITY SIGHTS Second grade boys brightened the first day of May with
to name but a few, with The Browning School its final
gleefully provided their audience of family and faculty with
choral interjections, acted as tour guides and explained the
their musical production of “Welcome to NYC – A-Z.” They
a tour of New York City on the Browning bus created under the guidance of art teacher Zack Davis. Boys in all three
destination. The boys, through humorous rhymes and significance of each stop on the tour.
Head of Lower School Laurie Gruhn congratulated
divisions of the School (Lower, Middle and Upper) banded
the boys on their terrific production and thanked all those
decker bus (complete with tourists and their cameras!)
their lines and the teachers, including Hallie Fischberg,
together to help paint the colorful, flower-strewn double-
which stopped at such popular venues as Madison Avenue, the Bronx Zoo, the Brooklyn Bridge and Yankee Stadium,
THE
BUZZER
involved, including the parents who helped the boys learn Rachel Gerber, Jackie Pellenberg and Lucy Warner, who were such a large part of this successful presentation.
APPLAUSE FOR “SPACE JUNK” PREMIERE Seven boys from the third and fourth grades per-
Ms. Murphy added, “The show was followed by a
formed the world premiere of the short play, “Space
Q&A with the cast, and the actors revealed that learning
Junk” was written and directed by Head Librarian
words, listening to the other actors on stage, and staying
Junk,” at a Lower School assembly in May. “Space
Sarah Murphy, who provides this report: “The play
is a science fiction tale of four astronauts discovering
intelligent life on a planet populated by aliens who lis-
ten to vinyl, watch VHS, and dress like Victorian street urchins. With the help of their new friends, the astronauts learn a little about their own planet’s past.”
their lines is the easy part. Finding actions to match their in character are all much more difficult. With scenery by
art teacher Zack Davis and a Form VI student, technical assistance from Glenn Walker, and an assistant director from
Grade Five, ‘Space Junk’ was a true community endeavor.” Ms. Murphy explained that she used many of her own
favorite possessions as props, including old computers, a record player and a VHS player.
A STORY OF SHARING: “STONE SOUP” “Stone Soup,” a folk tale told in many
countries and a 1947 classic by Marcia Brown, emphasizes cooperation
and resourcefulness, two “basics”
that first grade Browning boys have come to respect. In fact, the boys’
production in April is an excellent
example of applying their knowledge
and knack for showmanship on stage. The boys presented “Stone
Soup” for an audience of parents and community members. Their
of all those who helped make the
of Lower School) for her support;
were impressive, as was their
“The first grade would like to thank
and support!”
Song” adapted by Lucy Warner,
song; the Browning maintenance
their terrific teachers and assistant
assisted with choreography. The
the technology department for help
Ms. Epstein, Ms. Rossman,
enunciation and projection skills
boys’ production such a success:
spirited singing of “The Sharing
Ms. Warner for such a beautiful
Lower School music specialist, who
department for setting up today;
program notes included recognition
with projection; Ms. Gruhn (Head
and finally, our parents for their love Of course, the boys also have
teachers to thank as well, including Ms. Harwood and Ms. Rowland. Summer 2014
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STORY PIRATES PERFORMANCES BRING BOYS’ STORIES “ALIVE” ON STAGE Story Pirates, a well-known group of performers who
screens served to disguise the lively performers during
productions, visited Browning in February. Head of Lower
from over-stuffed suitcases.
turn students’ writing submissions into musical theatrical School Laurie Gruhn proudly notes, “When this group
costume changes, as they literally pulled hats and props According to the group’s website, it is “a nationally
performed at our Lower School Assembly, four of our own
respected education and media organization founded in
the ‘stage’ of the Lower Gym.”
The site adds, “We offer a variety of tools to make learning
Browning boys saw their creative writing come to life on As the name of each boy was announced prior to the
staging of his work, wild applause broke out for these “playwrights in the making!” All but one of the shiest
authors later posed for a photo with the performers. The
music and antics of the actors certainly charmed the boys
and teachers in the audience that morning. Colorful quilted
2003 to celebrate the words and ideas of young people.” more engaging and effective. Dually based in New York and Los Angeles, we are best known for the Idea Storm Program, a master-class writing workshop that brings
teaching concepts to life, followed by a musical sketch
comedy show featuring stories by students and performed by professional artists.”
MS. WARNER’S MUSICAL ENJOYS SUCCESSFUL RUN Outside of Browning, Lucy Warner, Lower School music
specialist, is known in the music business as Luce Amen.
She recently completed writing her first musical, called “I WILL,” which won a spot in the Thespis Theater Festival
at Cabrini Repertory Theater in Manhattan and enjoyed a
three-night run in June, complete with a cast of 12 singersactors-musicians. “This musical production is inspired by an old, beautiful Mexican story that I grew up with – a
riveting drama of struggle, faith and perseverance that
is well-known in Mexico, the Southwest and California,”
says Ms. Warner, who spent much of her childhood in San Antonio, Texas. THE
BUZZER
A “DELOVELY” EVENING OF SONG AND DANCE Congratulations to the entire cast and especially our
Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds: “What a show!
Browning boys on their roles in the April production
Browning and Nightingale created another terrific evening of
production, the Cole Porter musical opened to rave
music by Cole Porter. It was nothing short of delovely.”
of “Anything Goes!” A joint Browning/Nightingale
reviews from Browning faculty/“critics” as follows:
Headmaster Clement: “The show was spectacular
tonight! Our boys were great, and the production was
both sophisticated and very engaging. The actors were all having fun…wonderful singing and dancing.”
enthusiastic performers having a great time with wonderful
Director of Special Events/Parents Association Liaison
Christine Bramble: “The Browning cast members were
amazing, as were the Nightingale siblings of four of our other boys.”
School Nurse Maureen Linehan: “What a delight! I am
still smiling!”
IRISH WIT AT WORK IN FOURTH GRADE PLAY The fourth grade boys charmed their lucky audience in May when they presented a play, “The Ring of Truth,” under the direction of teacher Bill Cantwell. Based
largely on the wry witticisms and astute observations
of Irish writers and poets, including the incomparable Oscar Wilde, the boys garnered giggles and applause from one and all. They thanked Lucy Warner, music
specialist, as well as the maintenance staff and teacher
Lindsay Burrus for their help in making the production such a success.
Summer 2014
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browning in
David Leonhard’s article, “A Link Between Fidgety Boys and a Sputtering Economy,” in the April 29 edition of The New York Times sparked a response from many, including Headmaster Clement. As some Buzzer readers may already know, the Times accepted his letter for publishing, much to the delight of the Browning community who showered him with emails and written correspondence. Mr. Clement’s letter to the editor and the responses he received appear here on this page.
TO THE NEW YORK TIMES EDITOR: AS HEADMASTER FOR 26 YEARS at The Browning School,
let me add that “grit” was one of our founder’s favorite
believe that David Leonhardt may well take heart in the fact
overbearing “macho” masculinity.
an all-boys school founded in 1888 here in New York City, I
that some schools do acknowledge the profound differences
words and became our motto (“Grytte”). Grit is distinct from Rather than emphasizing the need to be gruffly assertive,
between boys and girls.
we have chosen instead to stress that failing is part of the
and learning styles and are dedicated to educating boys in
working hard for.
At Browning, we are aware of the obvious distractions
such a way that they enjoy learning; in fact, they thrive.
As for the toughness Mr. Leonhardt believes is all too
desirable a trait in the minds of boys who aspire to success,
Congratulations! With great satisfaction and pride I have read your letter to the NYT editor and found it truthful and surely the most profound. Stressing that “failing is part of the learning process” and that “anything worth having is worth working hard for” not only forms part of the fundamental basis of what makes Browning the unique school it is, but also the sum of the qualities that have helped many students become the good human beings they are today. I especially enjoyed the grit reference and the attitudes Browning attempts to instill. Congrats on your superb letter in Sunday’s NYT!
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learning process and that anything worth having is worth Stephen M. Clement, III
New York, April 29, 2014
Enjoyed your letter in the Times yesterday. As a visitor to Browning over the years, I can attest to its character formation in boys. A fine letter in today’s Times. Congrats. Just the other day I was talking with a former Vassar student of mine (Latin) who went to Browning. Now a critic and independent scholar, he loves both his school and his college. In the NYT and artfully put!!!! You continue to be a visionary for so many! This is so fantastic. I applaud your efforts to share Browning principles and take action on education items in the public eye.
Nice letter in the Times today! We are so proud to be a Browning family. What a great letter; if I had a boy in NYC, I would want him to go to Browning! Good reply to the NY Times article. Great letter in today’s Times…I think your distinction between grit and machismo is spot on. Bravo! What a great letter!! Anybody with any attachment to Browning should be proud of that note. Here’s to grit/Grytte! Great letter!
A LINK BETWEEN FIDGETY BOYS AND A SPUTTERING ECONOMY By David Leonhard BY KINDERGARTEN, girls are
Median inflation-adjusted female
than boys. At college graduation
over the same span, census data
spring, women in caps and gowns
earnings are up almost 35 percent show – while male earnings, incredibly, haven’t risen at all.
“We know we’ve got a crisis, and
substantially more attentive, better
the crisis is with boys,” said Elaine
tent, more flexible and more indepen-
Way and a former Clinton adminis-
behaved, more sensitive, more persisdent than boys, according to a new
paper from Third Way, a Washington research group. The gap grows over
the course of elementary school and
feeds into academic gaps between the sexes. By eighth grade, 48 percent of
girls receive a mix of As and Bs or better. Only 31 percent of boys do.
By kindergarten, boys already fare
much worse on social and behavioral measures than girls. The gender gap is even larger than the class gap and some racial gaps.
And in an economy that rewards
knowledge, the academic struggles
of boys turn into economic struggles. Men’s wages are stagnating. Men are much more likely to be idle – neither working, looking for work nor car-
ing for family – than they once were
and much more likely to be idle than
women…If the United States is going
Kamarck, a resident scholar at Third
more than 75 percent over the last quarter-century, in line with what
has happened in other rich countries.
adults) raise their boys and girls...
The experts who study the subject
out that boys still do quite well in the
families and schools…But the trends seem too broad for family structure to be the only cause. That’s where schools come in.
Girls enter school with a lead on
boys, and schools then fail to close
the gaps. Instead, they increase. The
behavioral advantage that girls have over boys in kindergarten, based on
Ms. Buchmann and Mr. DiPrete, point best-performing schools…Others, like Christina Hoff Sommers, argue that
today’s education system fails to ac-
knowledge the profound differences
between boys and girls. It asks boys to sit still for hours every day and provides them with few role models in front of the classroom.
My own sense is that both sides
teachers’ assessments of their students,
have a point – and that their ideas
the average girl is at the 60th percentile
ing with all kinds of solutions will
are even larger in fifth grade. By then, of an index of social and behavioral skills, while the average boy is at
only the 40th percentile, according
aren’t mutually exclusive. Experimentoffer better answers than we now have.
But men have their own chal-
to Claudia Buchmann of Ohio State
lenges. As the economy continues to
authors of the new paper.
brains, many men have struggled
and Thomas DiPrete of Columbia, the These behavior measures are
country in very different classrooms.
four-year college degree has jumped
way mothers and fathers (and other
ing theories involve single-parent
why it’s happening.” Two of the lead-
15 years, we’re going to have to solve The portion of women earning a
Traditional ideas about gender,
especially masculinity, influence the
disagree on the solutions. Some, like
subjective, of course, based on
our boy problems.
will easily outnumber men.
tration official. “We’re not quite sure
to build a better-functioning economy than the one we’ve had over the last
ceremonies around the country this
shift away from brawn and toward with the transition.
“Boys are getting the wrong
the views of teachers across the
message about what you need to do
Yet it’s clear that the measures
says. “Traditional gender roles are
reflect something real, because the
behavior differences later translate into academic differences. By high school, even advanced math and
to be successful,” Ms. Buchmann
misguiding boys. In today’s economy, being tough and being strong are not what lead to success.”
science classes now have more girls
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at h l e t i c s
2014 Spring Wrap-up
Andrew H. West ’92
This spring was a very successful
potentially great team. Not only could we pitch and hit,
one starting with an amazing trip
but we were playing some stellar defense as well. The
to Port St. Lucie, Fla., taken by the
teams all did very well, especially the varsity tennis team
varsity baseball, tennis and golf
members who, for the fourth consecutive year, raised a
teams. It was the first time that the golf
banner. Varsity track continued their success by qualifying
team joined the trip, and I think we
many boys for the championships and NYSAIS track meet.
would all agree it was great for them.
Speaking of NYSAIS, Browning was represented in golf at
The baseball team was able to practice and play under the
the state tournament! All and all, it has been a very special
beautiful Florida sun. From the first practice at Florida
year and one that I, as athletic director, am very proud to
Coast Baseball Camp, we knew we had the makings of a
have been a part of. Here’s to the Class of 2014!
VARSITY TENNIS Losing our first match of the season against league rival Trevor Day was not the start the team was
looking for, given we had been
undefeated in league play for the three previous seasons.
Anchored by two strong players,
Del Schunk and George Allen at first and second singles, our doubles
teams had aspects to work on and hone. William Abelt and Michael
Jozoff played up to the third singles position, as the team awaited Jaime
Gomez’s return from his term abroad to play at that position.
The team proceeded to go
undefeated in our non-league
matches, finishing with an overall win-loss record of 8-3.
Disappointed by losing to Lycee
Francais twice in one week, the team
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refocused for its last several practices leading up to the
league tournament. Our season culminated in winning
the tournament for the fourth year in a row, beating LFNY
and Michael Kassis) played in a match during the season, gaining valuable match experience.
Team captain Peter Maguire (Form VI) and co-captain
by one point with everyone contributing to the win. Our
Alex Wisowaty (Form VI) led by example with a good
medals as well as the team medal), and each of our doubles
season, the players announced, “It’s a good day to be a
singles players went undefeated (and won individual
teams (Peter Maguire/Michael Jozoff and William Abelt/ Aaron Parisier) won one key match.
Perhaps best of all is that each one of the 12 players
balance of humor and focus. After our first win of the
Panther.” Appropriately, we adopted this as our motto for the rest of another successful season for tennis. –Coach Michael Klein
(including Caspar Boele, Peter Florescu, Grant Thompson,
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SEVENTH-EIGHTH GRADE BASEBALL Even before the spring baseball season started, the
the eighth grade leadership provided mostly from
motivation carried throughout the season from start
keep them focused for every game. The boys kept
showcase their baseball talents. That excitement and to finish. Coach Andrew Wolf was a terrific asset to
the growth and development of the team. He used his extensive baseball experience to get the boys ready for Game One. As the season aged, each game created new challenges for us. We were able to adjust
and manufacture skills from the boys. Whether it was pitching, hitting or fielding, someone was always ready to step up and fill the void as needed.
THE
A large part of the team’s success was based on
boys were excited to start practicing so they could
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Andrew Ceonzo. He prepared the boys and helped working in practice and improving each game, pitch by pitch. We finished the season strong with a 500
record. Most importantly, each boy learned a bit more about the value of hard work, and they will take
memories from this season with them throughout
their lives. An excellent season, and a job well done! –Coaches Paul Mastroianni and Andrew Wolf
VARSITY BASEBALL The varsity baseball team finished with a record of 6-6. From the very begin-
ning of the season, we knew that if we were going to win, we were going to
have to do it as a team and not rely too heavily on individual players. For the
most part, we played solid defense all
season and pitched the ball pretty well. Our hitting was very sporadic; in some games we seemed to get every timely hit, while in other games, we just
couldn’t get the bats going. The team was very young this year, consisting
of nearly 10 freshmen, so the future is
bright. I think the best thing that came out of this season was the realization
that it takes a lot of hard work to get to
the level we want to get to. The departing seniors will be missed dearly, but they gave the younger guys a vote of
confidence for next year. In the end, the team and coaches had lots of fun and
will look back on this season with nothing but fond memories. –Coach Andrew West
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VARSITY TRACK The 2014 NYCAL season experienced an amazing con-
However, the best was yet to come as we started
clusion and delivered its verdict on Tuesday, May 13, at
the three relays: 4 x 800, 4 x 100 and 4 x 400. The
tion, just edging out The Browning School. When we
Keyko, Norman Delgado, Yvan Maslennikov and
Riverbanks Stadium. Columbia Prep won the competistarted the season at the end of the winter, only eight
boys joined the team. After placing second in 2013 and first in 2012, Form V co-captains Christopher Keyko
and Diego Lopez-Liranzo and I were rather concerned about what to expect this year. The competition in our league is increasingly difficult, and the qualifications times are very challenging. However, the boys made an excellent appearance and, for the first time in the
season, piled up awards and medals. Impeded by a toe injury, Christopher Keyko dug deep and won the 1600
and placed fourth in the 3200. Senior Rafe Harvard was also impressive and played a major role in this successful meet, finishing second in the long jump (thanks to Coach Wallace for her excellent long jump coaching!) and third in the 200 and the 100.
Browning boys 4 x 800 relay team of Christopher
Conor Harkins grabbed a more than honorable second place. With Rafe Harvard, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Jamil
Guzman and Brandon Keno, we took home third place in the 4 x 100 relay, a race in which we had struggled
at the beginning of the season. Finally, the high point of this beautiful afternoon was the 4 x 400 with Jamil Guzman, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Yvan Maslennikov
and Conor Harkins. A nervous and relatively inexpe-
rienced Jamil (Form III) ran the first leg and did an ex-
ceptional job, finishing a few meters before the leaders. Thanks to the lead established by Jamil, our last three runners, all of whom are strong, were able to shine
and bring home the top honor in the 4 x 400. This win secured a second overall place finish for the Panthers. A great season indeed!
–Coach Dominique Bernard
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FENCING The fencing team, which operates out of Chapin, is an
interschool team, drawing its members from Chapin, Browning, Brearley, Spence, Dalton, Collegiate, and Hewitt.
Five weeks of
training is built in to the beginning of the season.
After the training,
you can leave it at
learning the basics,
or go on to compete to extend your knowledge.
We compete
against Horace
Mann, Riverdale, Masters, St. Ann’s, Rye, Hackley; we fence
each twice in the regular season. Then we participate in a one-
day championship, a round-robin blizzard, in which every team fences every other team.
A few years ago, four Browning lads came over together
to learn and, by their senior year, lost the championships only
narrowly to a team with national and international competitors. Oh, yes, it can be done!
Browning students, especially David Valentin and David
Eisman, have done well in fencing, and there’s room for more. The fencing team starts in late September. –Joel Glucksman
VARSITY GOLF The challenge for this year’s golf team was to
lower their scores throughout the season and, in
doing so, become more competitive with the other schools. They achieved both objectives, with the
whole squad improving their scores by two strokes to 11 strokes.
Personal bests were recorded in every match,
and although not every match went in their favor, the boys felt an improvement had been made in their play this spring. Alejandro Oyarzun
SQUASH The Browning Panthers put together a
successful 2013-14 squash season finish-
ing with a 3-2 winning match record. Led by seasoned co-captains Michael Florentino and Alex Gottdiener, the Panthers
showed much improvement both tactically and technically through the year.
Fueled by an energetic influx of Middle
School boys, Colt Waller, Brogan Smith,
Luke Hexner and Ben Ellman, the Brown-
ing squad enters next season primed for even more success.
The Panthers practice three days a week after school, with
practices generally comprising of condition games, supervised match-play and squash conditioning/flexibility. This season’s
roster of opponents included CitySquash, Dalton, Birch Wathen Lennox and Poly Prep.
performed particularly well in a tournament at
Hampshire Golf Club in Mamaroneck, finishing
in the top 20 with a score of 82, (par is
71) and tying with
two Columbia Prep students for the
lowest score from
the NYCAL league. With three seniors leaving, the boys
will be looking for some new blood
next year to con-
tinue the tradition of “Panther Golf!”
–Coach David Watson
–Coach Kapur, Sports Club LA
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alumni events
The True Grytte Society and Consecutive-Year Donors Luncheon is always a highlight of Browning’s annual Alumni Reunion. The above photo shows many of our distinguished guests in attendance at this invitation-only event.
O
ALUMNI REUNION n Friday, May 2, more than 150 alumni and guests returned to Browning for the 2014 Alumni Reunion. Guests included alumni spanning across seven decades,
from the Classes of 1949 through 2009, along with their guests and a number of current and former faculty. The Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award, was presented at the evening reception to Wes Vernon ’49. Mr. Vernon, a veteran broadcast journalist, was accompanied by his wife, four children and their respective spouses. Also during the reception, the Stephen S. Perry ’76 Memorial Class Representative Awards were presented to four outstanding class representatives, followed by the Class of 2004’s presentation of its 10th Reunion Gift to Headmaster Clement. Earlier in the day, the entire Upper School had the opportunity to hear from an Alumni Career Panel focused on journalism and media. This year’s panelists were Wes Vernon ’49, David Kimball-Stanley ’05 and Alex Vadukul ’07. At noon, the annual invitation-only True
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Headmaster Clement raises a giant check from members of the Class of 2004 who celebrated their 10th Reunion at Browning on May 2 during Alumni Reunion.
Grytte Society & Consecutive-Year Donors Luncheon was held for the eighth year in a row at the Knickerbocker Club, where five new members were inducted into the True Grytte Society, and consecutive-year donors were recognized for giving for more than 20 (and in some cases 30) consecutive years to Browning’s Annual Fund. Tours of the School and Browning’s new facilities were also highlights of the day. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Alumni Reunion a success!
Members of the Class of 1989 had a record turnout at this year’s Alumni Reunion when they celebrated their 25th Reunion, organized in large part by Reunion Chair and Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89.
Jonathan D’Agostino ‘99 (left) and Etienne Pourtout ’99.
L to R: Paul Boisi ’97, Carol Goulian Stewart and Chris Coffey ’98.
Mr. Prestigiacomo led the Upper School Chorus in a wonderful choral performance for guests at this year’s True Grytte Luncheon.
Guests enjoyed drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres in the Lower Gym during the Alumni Reunion cocktail reception. Summer 2014
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Albie Bramble ’04 (left) and Headmaster Clement posed with a Browning student art installation outside the School on May 2.
Wes Vernon ’49 and his wife, Alida, have four children, and all of them came to Browning on May 2 to see Wes receive the Alumnus Achievement Award. All Vernon family members and spouses in attendance are pictured here, with Alida and Wes the third and fourth from the right.
Tom Herman ’64 (left) and Tom Oliphant ’63 have both had long-time journalism careers, and both are also recipients of Browning’s Alumnus Achievement Award.
Key Society students posed with Senator John McCainwhen he happened to be passing by Browning during the Alumni Reunion cocktail reception (L to R): Tom McCormack ’14, Senator McCain, Philip van Scheltinga ’14 and Juan Pablo Llamas ’14.
Members of the Class of 1979 celebrated their 35th Reunion at Browning on May 2.
L to R: Doug Salomon, Laura Muhlfeld, Chris Goulian, Maureen Linehan and Headmaster Clement.
Members of the 50th Reunion class — the Class of 1964 — were the guests of honor at this year’s True Grytte Luncheon.
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L to R: Doug Salomon, Bill Reed ’85 and Hal Lehr ’85.
L to R: Headmaster Clement, Wes Vernon ’49, Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89 and Tom Oliphant ’63 are shown here on stage in the Lower Gym following the Alumnus Achievement Award ceremony honoring Wes.
Members of the Class of 2009 enjoyed celebrating their 5th Reunion during the evening reception in the Lower Gym.
L to R: James Chow ’89, Andrew Monachelli ’89, Jonathan Mason ’89, Kevin Polakoff ’89, Karim El Tanamli ’89, Michael Beys ’89, Peter Orphanos ’89, Michael Wayne ’89 and Lex Haris ’88 (originally ’89).
On the occasion of their 10th Reunion, members of the Class of 2004 enjoyed opening a time capsulefrom 2004.
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Remarks from Browning’s Class of 1938 Alumnus Achievement Award Recipient Weston Vernon III ’49 Friday, May 2, 2014, The Lower Gym
“I
am honored by this Award…not only honored, but deeply humbled by it. I see
my life parading before me here. I have had the good fortune of either knowing, working with, or being taught (or even when necessary ‘encouraged to do better in’ my studies) by four of the five scholars who have guided this institution [Arthur Jones, Lyman B. Tobin, Charles W. Cook ’38 and Stephen M. Clement, III]; all except the founding father [John A. Browning] himself.
There are also vivid memories of
professors who taught me. They all had their little personality quirks, which made their teaching all the
more interesting. What they had in
common was: they were all brilliant. There was William P. Smith, a
math teacher and former Army officer
Wes Vernon ’49 reminisced about his many influential Browning teachers during his Alumnus Achievement Award acceptance speech in the Lower Gym.
Tom Oliphant ’63 (left) received Browning’s Alumnus Achievement Award in 1999, and he returned to Browning in May to present this year’s Alumnus Achievement Award to Wes Vernon ’49.
than that, but there was no doubt
would have to write your apologies
class. I started out at the bottom in one
maybe you would have to write in
about who was the general in that
of his classes and ended up at the top in the final exam. This is not to brag
on my part, but rather to credit ‘The Man,’ as he was proudly known.
Then there was Dr. John Roberts,
who enforced a slightly moderated
the language professor of French,
He handed out military rank to us
one other. He was not tall in stature,
sense of military discipline in school. in his Algebra classes based on our exam grades. When he opened his
class calling out ‘Major Vernon, front and center,’ I would then march to the front of the room, we would
exchange salutes, and he would hand
was no mention of a higher grade
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interest in public affairs. Probably
how I ended up in the news business. Finally, my most profound
English teacher, before he went on to
appeared to possess the strength
of an ox, including such occasional
demonstrations as walking down a long aisle on his hands.
I also remember Dr. P.J. Downing.
was known to be strict. But that’s how
and 100 percent: a full colonel. There
that he helped spark my own adult
but you could not forget that he
between 85 and 90 percent. If you
were a lieutenant colonel. Between 95
American history. He was so skillful
experience at Browning was with
He was a Latin professor, and I took
scored between 90 and 95 percent, you
20 pages. In addition, he also taught
German, Spanish…and perhaps
me a piece of paper saying that I was a ‘major,’ which meant I’d scored
in 10 pages. If you really stumbled,
some of his Latin classes. Dr. Downing you learn. As a matter of fact, when
he was out of patience you could hear
him hollering all over the fourth floor.
If you messed up in your conduct, you
Lyman B. Tobin when he was my
become Browning’s third Headmaster. Every Friday in Mr. Tobin’s class was composition day…which could have been anything. Sometimes he would select a topic to write; more often,
he cut us loose to choose our own
topic. Let’s just say I had a bad case of premature writer’s cramp…
Mr. Tobin rarely lost his cool, but he
had a flare for the dramatic, probably a result of his background on Broadway. If you handed in a substandard piece
The 2014 Alumni Career Panel featured Wes Vernon ‘49 (center), along with David Kimball-Stanley ‘05 and Alex Vadukul ‘07. L to R: Headmaster Clement, Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds, David Kimball-Stanley ‘05, Wes Vernon ‘49, Alex Vadukul ‘07, Director of College Guidance Sandy Pelz ‘71 and Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan.
L to R: 2014 Alumni Career Panelists Alex Vadukul ‘07, Wes Vernon ‘49 and David Kimball-Stanley enjoyed returning to Browning to speak to the Upper School on May 2, as part of Alumni Reunion. Profiles on these three alumni can be found on pages 74-75.
of work, you would soon learn of his
Suddenly, I was writing so much I
disapproval; he would sit there at his
couldn’t stop. I would write on a huge
and repeatedly mutter ‘Oh m’gosh!...
Mr. Tobin pleased, but I kept on
desk as he hovered over your paper Oh, m’gosh!’
Mr. Tobin never got tough with
me, but he had the patience to nudge me out of my creative paralysis. His efforts paid off, aided and abetted
by some serious reading on my part, which he encouraged. Finally he ‘lit the fuse,’ you might say.
variety of topics. Not only was
writing during the summer vacation. I would write, and the only people I
Browning and its faculty was that the classroom was a place for hard work,
always a new challenge. Not only that but discipline, good study habits, and focus on the task at hand.
I think I was very lucky to have
shared with were family members.
received such a large part of my
movie reviews. And I have never
thank you very much.”
Fiction, public affairs, book reviews, lacked for a desire to write since then.
education here. Viva Browning! And
I graduated 65 years ago this month
right here in this room. What I found in
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Alumni Career Panel Features Wes Vernon ’49, David Kimball-Stanley ’05 and Alex Vadukul ’07 Friday, May 2, 2014, as part of Alumni Reunion
Wes Vernon ’49 Veteran broadcast journalist Wes
company, Bonneville International,
Browning’s Class of 1938 Alumnus
in 1968 to set up a news bureau to
Vernon is the 2014 recipient of
Achievement Award. He was born in New York City in August 1931. After spending his early years in Jackson
Heights, Queens, he enrolled at The Browning School after his family moved to Manhattan in 1942. He
graduated from Browning in 1949.
He majored in journalism at Utah
State University, where he honed his
stations throughout the country. He served in that capacity until
1972, when he accepted an offer to
become a Washington correspondent for the CBS Radio Stations News
Service where he remained until his “retirement” in 1997.
While he retired from his 25 years
at CBS, he did not retire from writing.
was a charter staff announcer for the
writing, including two columns –
campus radio station when it first
went on the air in 1950. He would
later launch his career by combining his writing and broadcast skills
working for radio stations in the Mountain West.
He became the assistant news
Currently he spends his time freelance one for a monthly magazine on the railroad industry titled, “Capital
Lines: Rail News from Washington,” and the other on current events for
RenewAmerica.com. He is also a book reviewer for The Washington Times. Mr. Vernon and his wife, Alida,
director at KSL, one of America’s
observed their 63rd wedding
In 1964, he was promoted to news
in the Washington, D.C., area where
most powerful radio stations, in 1963. director for the radio division, and in
1965, he was named political specialist for radio and television. KSL’s parent
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serve the company’s radio and TV
writing skills as a reporter for the
campus newspaper, Student Life. He
THE
Inc., sent him to the nation’s capital
anniversary in October 2013. They live they raised their four children, and
now have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
David Kimball-Stanley ’05 David Kimball-Stanley is the district
Council’s Budget Negotiating Team,
New York City Council Member
David has worked in Mr. Garodnick’s
director and press secretary for
Dan Garodnick, who represents the Council’s 4th District. This District stretches along the east side of
Manhattan from Stuyvesant Town
and Peter Cooper Village, through
Midtown, and along the Upper East
Side (including The Browning School). In his current role, David oversees
the Council Member’s media
operations and constituent services, and he advises on policy with a
and is a Deputy Majority Leader. office for four years, in which
time the Council Member has also
chaired committees on technology and consumer affairs. During his
time at the Council Member’s office,
David has worked on over-leveraged housing, campaign spending
disclosure, the rezoning of East
Midtown, and Mr. Garodnick’s bid for Council Speaker.
David spent seven years at
particular focus on housing issues.
Browning, graduating in 2005.
Council’s Committee on Economic
Trinity College, graduating in 2009
Council Member Garodnick chairs the Development, is a member of the
Following Browning, he attended
with honors in public policy and law.
Alex Vadukul ’07 Alex Vadukul is a regular contributor to
retired lawyer who lives on the Upper
for the Metro and Sunday Metropolitan
of collecting miniature books. The
The New York Times, where he writes sections of the paper. He also reports
on breaking news, which has taken him to every nook and cranny of the five
boroughs. He has written for T: The New York Times Style Magazine. In January,
he was named the U.S. Editor (a writing position) of the British men’s quarterly
magazine, Port. The magazine, currently on its 12th issue, focuses on literature,
culture and style, and has featured writers such as Jonathan Franzen, Jonathan
Lethem, Martin Amis, Nathaniel Rich, William T. Vollmann and Rick Moody.
Most of Alex’s writings are about
East Side and has a peculiar hobby
man owns some books the size of a
matchbox and some smaller than a tab of chewing gum. He owns one –
declared by some the smallest book
in the world – that is about as big as
a grain of sand. Another story Alex is
fond of is about a series of illegal secret speakeasy parties – complete with
whiskey cocktails and a live ragtime
band – that were held in an abandoned Chelsea water tower last summer,
under the nose of thousands of passing pedestrians below.
Alex says his litmus test for a good
New York City. Specifically, he enjoys
story is when he can Google the story
colorful New Yorkers – the people
nothing about it on the Internet. He was
writing about curious, interesting and that make New York New York – and
about obscure and lesser-seen aspects of city life. One of his favorite pieces,
for example, was one he wrote about a
he has in mind, and then find little to
born in Milan, grew up in Paris, and has lived in Manhattan since he was eight
years old. He graduated from the New School University in 2011.
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Congratulations to the Class of 2014, and welcome to the Alumni Association!
L to R: Allanby Singleton-Green ’83, Sandy Pelz ’71, Jeffrey Landes ’83, Michael Beys ’89, Laura Lanigan, Jeremy Katz ’04 and Andrew West ’92.
L to R: Laura Lanigan, Steve Clement and Michael Beys ’89 applauding Form VI as the newest members of Browning’s Alumni Association.
FORM VI BREAKFAST On Wednesday, April 23, Headmaster Clement and
Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89 hosted
Browning’s Class of 2014 at the annual Form VI Breakfast. Each year at this event, the senior class is formally
inducted into Browning’s Alumni Association and
presented with engraved money clips to commemorate their upcoming graduation. Speakers at this breakfast
included Alumni Association President Michael Beys ’89, Alumni Association Vice President Allanby SingletonGreen ’83, Trustee and Former Alumni Association
President Jeffrey Landes ’83, Headmaster Clement and
Director of Alumni Affairs Laura Lanigan. It was a proud day for the Alumni Association!
THE
BUZZER
A beautiful view of Central Park could be seen from the terrace at the Form VI Breakfast.
John Moran (left) and Chris Jennings ’99.
L to R: Joe Metzger ’02, John Moran ’97 and Edward Kent ’02.
Juan Reyes ’86.
Michael Beys ’89.
ALUMNI NOTE-A-THON Browning’s Alumni Council hosted the 6th Annual Alumni Note-a-thon in the
Wilson Room on Monday, February 27. Thirty-five volunteers helped sign,
personalize, stuff and stamp more than 500 letters to classmates and fellow L to R: John Kenney, Director of Annual Giving Soo Mi Thompson and Chris Brandt ’09.
L to R: Michael Beys ’89, Richard Helgason ’82 and Bill Reed ’85.
alumni. The purpose of the Note-a-
thon is to promote Alumni Reunion as
well as encourage alumni to contribute to Browning’s Annual Fund. A brief Alumni Council meeting was also
held at the Note-a-thon, with special guest Soo Mi Thompson, director of
annual giving. Huge thanks to all of the
dedicated alumni who volunteered time John Kenney ’74.
Andy Madden ’96.
and energy to this important effort!
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION The Alumni Association hosted its annual meeting this year on Monday, May 19, in the Wilson Room at Browning. The highlight of this meeting was to
celebrate the end of the school year and look ahead to
the closing of the Annual Fund on June 30. In addition, discussion of the recent Alumni Reunion event was a major focus as well as the vote on the treasurer
position (congratulations to Richard Helgason ’82,
who was re-elected for his second two-year term as
treasurer!). Thank you to all of our alumni volunteers who have made this year both a memorable and successful one for the Alumni Association!
Summer 2014
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class notes
TO SHARE NEWS WITH THE Browning community, please contact Laura N. Lanigan, director of alumni affairs, at 212-838-6280 Ext. 192 or Laura N. Lanigan Director of Alumni Affairs
llanigan@browning.edu.
’40s
’50s
recently sent in the
has written a book titled, “The
Michael Mittelmann ’49 following update:
“Suzanne and I greatly
regretted that at the last
moment we were unable to attend my 65th Browning Reunion. But most
importantly, we missed honoring and offering
personal congratulations to classmate Wes Vernon ’49 and his wife, Alida.
Looking forward to next
year when we hope to join
with fellow alumni, faculty and friends. It is such a
pleasure to read each issue of this outstanding and informative Browning publication.”
George W. Liebmann ’57 Last American Diplomat: John D. Negroponte and
the Changing Face of US
Diplomacy,” published in
May 2014. Mr. Liebmann is a lawyer in Baltimore with the firm Liebmann and
Shively, P.A. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Chicago
Law School. He has served as executive assistant to
Maryland’s governor; law
clerk to the chief judge of its highest court; counsel to its
department of social services and economic development
corporation; and chairman of or reporter for various study
commissions. He
has been a Simon Industrial and
Professional Fellow at the University of Manchester and a Visiting Fellow at Wolfson College, Cambridge. He is the author of
four volumes on
L to R: Charles Plohn ’62, Dorothy Plohn, Enne Randolph and Haughton Randolph ’62 in March at the Metropolitan Club.
Maryland legal
practice as well as
a number of other books in addition to this latest.
In February,
Thomas E.
Lovejoy ’59 went on an overnight
Frederick Lazar ’66 owns the MV Kalliope, a retired Mississippi barge-pusher tugboat.
dog sledding trip near
Fairbanks, Alaska. Also in
February, Dr. Lovejoy was
Académiques, an Order
conclusion of my Seattle
rank of L’Ordre des Palmes
and figures in the world of culture and education.
’60s
Dorothy and Charles
Plohn ’62 and Enne and
Haughton Randolph ’62
enjoyed a St. Patrick’s Day celebration together at the
BUZZER
Frederick D. Lazar ’66
recently submitted the
distinguished academics
THE
in March.
appointed to the highest
of Chivalry of France for
Tom Lovejoy ’59 is pictured here during a dog sledding trip to Alaska.
Metropolitan Club
following news: “At
tunnel project last April, we decided to leave the
moist beauty of Seattle for
warmer, sunnier climes. So, we bought MV Kalliope, a retired Mississippi bargepusher tugboat near Ft.
Myers, Fla.; sold our house, and drove cross-country in
August 2013. 85’ LOA, 28.5’ beam, 179 tons – plenty of
room for the furniture. Took possession in September
Wilcox Snellings ’77
and started to refit – moved
on-board and ran her down
recently sent in the following
to a berth in Ft. Myers on
son has finally come through.
the Okeechobee Waterway
news: “The adoption of my
the Caloosahatchee River
Juan Carlos Snellings is
just before Thanksgiving.
getting his business degree by
No backyard gardening –
December. Meanwhile, he has
manatees, dolphins,
pelicans, terns, laughing
gulls and other sea critters. Lots of lizards. Very
been accepted by All Hands Jaime Carey ’72 (second from left) and his family visited Browning in March.
different lifestyle – but great
’80s
LA project, but worth it.
Never thought I’d live in
Florida but Ft. Myers is an
Members of the Class of
active small city. Best to all.”
1982 recently had dinner L to R: Sandy Pelz ’71, Ralph Gardner ’71 and Mr. Ingrisani at Browning in April.
Sanford M. Pelz ’71 invited Gardner ’71 back to
Browning in April to speak to Mr. Pelz’s Form VI
students. Mr. Gardner shared his thoughts
on college and several
anecdotes from his long-
time journalism career in New York City. In May,
Mr. Gardner hosted the
Grytte newspaper staff for a tour of the Dow Jones
offices at 1211 Avenue of the
Americas. Please see page 34
Island in the Philippines,
typhoon cleanup efforts.”
Long commute to current
classmate Ralph D.
month summer stint on Leyte helping with ongoing
fun, including work projects.
’70s
Volunteers to do a three-
for the in-depth story and
photos of this wonderful visit. Jaime Carey ’72
Clockwise from top left: Jeremy Galton ’72, Howard Rasmussen ’72, Richard Fisher ’72 and George Judd ’72 in Myrtle Beach in February.
at Mr. Galton’s new home in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Shawn R. Cherry ’75
visited Browning in March
is finishing his dissertation
sons. They live in Chile,
University of Connecticut
with his wife and three
and Mr. Carey was in New York on business.
In February, classmates
Jeremy Galton ’72,
Howard Rasmussen ’72, Richard Fisher ’72 and George Judd ’72 had a
“mini Browning reunion”
Ralph Gardner ’71, The Wall Street Journal’s “Urban Gardner” columnist, visited Browning in April to speak to Form VI.
for a Ph.D. from the
in educational psychology
with a dual concentration in gifted education and school counseling. He teaches
elementary grades for the School District of Palm Beach County.
together in May in NYC. Those in attendance
included Ned Hurley ’82,
John Zaccaro ’82, Lorenzo Lorenzotti ’82, David
Callaway ’82, Reja Sabet ’82
and Anthony Addison ’82. David Callaway ’82 is
editor-in-chief of USA Today. In March, Mr. Callaway
hosted Browning students,
brothers Andrew Medland ’16 and Connor Medland ’18, at USA Today’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Andrew and Connor had the opportunity to tour the
Reja Sabet ’82 submitted the following caption for this photo taken in May (L to R): “Ned Hurley ’82, John Zaccaro ’82, Lorenzo Lorenzotti ’82, David Callaway ’82, Reja Sabet ’82, Anthony Addison ’82 and (drum roll please) Adam Robinson (founder of Princeton Review and SAT tutor to all!).” Summer 2014
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CNNMoney since 2001, and has been the site’s managing editor since
2007. Mr. Haris is an active member of Browning’s
Alumni Association, and
L to R: Connor Medland ’18, David Callaway ’82 and Andrew Medland ’16 at USA Today in March.
Todd Rosenhaus ’86 tells us his daughter, Julia, pictured with him here, “is definitely my greatest achievement.”
entire newsroom, meet a
number of journalists and
staffers, and even film their
own mock news segment. In a recent Grytte newspaper
article, Connor wrote about the trip saying, “It was
a truly illuminating and fascinating experience.” Mark A. Hulak ’83
was appointed to Vadium Technology Inc.’s senior
executive team as a senior
vice president in corporate development. Mr. Hulak has over 20 years of
international experience
in corporate development, M&A banking and private equity at such firms as
Microsoft, BEA Systems,
Hewlett Packard, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs &
Co. Vadium provides next
generation digital security
When Todd Rosenhaus ’86 visited us in May, he ran into Stuart Hutzler ’19, son of Todd’s classmate John Hutzler ’86. Todd and Stuart had never met and coincidentally were in the halls at the same time, while Todd was on a tour of the School.
in 2012, he participated on
the Alumni Career Panel as part of Alumni Reunion. The paintings of artist
One of the latest art installations by Dave Eppley ’94.
in Bushwick, Brooklyn,
Craig Mooney ’88 were
as part of a group show
at Galerie Sono in
“Inhabiting Ten Eyck.” The
’90s
place during Bushwick
featured in a spring show
of 14 installation artists,
Norwalk, Conn.
opening reception took
Gregory C. Hewett ’93
is finishing his first year
teaching humanities at the
American Cooperative School of Tunis. He was recently appointed representative
Open Studios, a free
three-day arts and culture
festival, which Dave tells us is “the largest open studios event here in New York,”
where hundreds of artists and galleries open their
doors and share their work. Alexander M. Bacher ’97
terbury Button Company.
in the Mediterranean
visited Browning in May.
Palm City, Fla., with their
Schools. Next year, he will be
therapist at Promises, an
at Browning, he spent time
Humanities Department.
Clement, Sandy Pelz ’71
two children.
dentally, he also ran into
wrote to tell us about a new
Hutzler ’86, Stuart ’19, who
working on for exhibition
He and his wife live in
Association of International
17-year-old daughter. While
the head of the Middle School
with Laura Lanigan, Steve
He and his wife, Katie, have
and David Watson. Coinci-
In May, Dave Eppley ’94
the son of classmate John
site-specific piece he was
is in Form I at Browning.
from May 30 through June 29
Dr. Bacher is a primary
addiction rehabilitation
center located in Malibu,
Calif. After his Browning graduation, he attended Georgetown University
followed by a brief career
on Wall Street in which he witnessed the horrors of
9/11 from his office, across
and privacy solutions.
L. Fredrik Cederqvist ’86
recently relocated to
Dallas, Tex., after being
appointed chief counsel for big data at AT&T.
Todd N. Rosenhaus ’86
visited Browning in May
while he was in New York
for business. Mr. Rosenhaus is a sales manager for Wa-
THE
BUZZER
Lex Haris ’88.
In May, Lex Haris ’88
was promoted to executive editor of CNNMoney.
Mr. Haris has worked at
Sandy Pelz ’71 (left) and Alexander Bacher ’97 spent time together in May.
’00s
Alumni Council Member Stuart A. Orenstein ’00 recently visited Ireland
with his mother, Dr. Jeanne Bresciani. The purpose of Alexander Bacher ’97 (center) visited Browning in May and spent time with his former teacher, Mr. Ingrisani, and Mr. Ingrisani’s English class.
Irish heritage through
Stuart Orenstein ’00 traveled to London in April; he is pictured here in front of Harrod’s.
the street from the World
Mrs. Straus refused to go into
Purcell in Dublin and the
Michael C. Hall, Tracy Letts,
leave finance and apply to
helped her maid in. She put
He visited many intriguing
limited engagement played
the trip was to chart their
Trade Center. He decided to the CIA; halfway through
that process, he also applied to Pepperdine University to pursue his interest in
psychology. His offer letter
from Pepperdine arrived the
the [life]boat after having
her arms around the neck of
her husband, telling him: ‘We have been married 50 years,
we have never left each other, I want to die with you.’”
The late former Browning
week before an offer from
trustee John Straus ’38, his
to earn a doctoral degree in
William Straus ’71, and
the CIA. He ultimately chose psychology and become a
licensed clinical psychologist. In March, a fascinating
news story was brought
to our attention by Justin
Kingson ’98. It concerned a Titanic survivor and some
interesting Browning School
sons John Straus ’64 and
cousins Brett Gladstone ’75 and Gerald Levy ’41 are
some of the Browning alumni descendants of the couple
mentioned above, Isador and Ida Straus, who perished in the Titanic disaster in 1912. John C. Dearie ’99
links. The survivor, Rose
recently submitted the
in 1955 about her experience
promoted to assistant
Amélie Icard, wrote a letter on the Titanic, describing
how she survived and the tragic events surrounding
her along that journey. The letter has since resurfaced and one paragraph from
her handwritten account
in French is excerpted and
translated into English below: “Near me were two
handsome elderly [people], Mr. and Mrs. Straus,
proprietors of the great store Macy’s of New York.
following news: “I was director of development last summer and am enjoying my 11th year working at
Saint David’s School. My wife and I currently live
on the Upper West Side. I had a great time at my
15-year Reunion catching up with friends and
walking through the newly
revamped Browning School. If you haven’t been back, I encourage you to visit!”
family relatives Quigley & surrounding countryside. historical Irish sites,
including the Hill of Tara and Newgrange.
Michael D. Alpert ’01
recently sent us a description about his start-up company, Immunathon: “Efforts to
redirect the immune system to kill cancer cells have
generated extraordinary
hope and interest, but face the fundamental problem
of how to avoid also killing healthy cells. To overcome
this obstacle, we invented a new targeting mechanism, activated by abnormal
patterns of gene expression
that are hallmarks of cancer. We will partner with
biotech and pharmaceutical
companies, and generate for
them cancer immunotherapy drugs with dramatically
and Marisa Tomei. The
its final performance on
July 6. The play he directed in Boston last season, “Operation Epsilon,”
recently received four
IRNE Awards, including
Best Play, Best Director and Best Ensemble. “Operation Epsilon” is aiming for a Broadway bow in 2015. Andy has also written a new comedy about
kindergarten admissions, “Application Pending,”
which he will be directing in its world premiere
Off-Broadway this fall. For more information
about Andy’s upcoming projects, you can check
out AndySandberg.com
or email Andy directly at
Andy@AndySandberg.com. Evan B. Sachs ’02 was
improved safety and efficacy.”
married in May.
happy to see STEM featured
is spending time in
Dr. Alpert also tells us he was in the last Buzzer issue.
Andy Sandberg ’01
recently produced the critically acclaimed
Broadway run of Will Eno’s “The Realistic Joneses,” starring Toni Collette,
Gabe Ulla ’07
Copenhagen as a writer-in-
residence for Noma, recently named the best restaurant in
the world for the fourth time by Restaurant Magazine. He is also one of the curators of the MAD Symposium, an
Summer 2014
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L to R: Andrew Warner ’06, Andrew Gropper ’93 and Headmaster Clement at an engagement party for Andrew Gropper ’93 in March.
annual gathering on food
Wilf Wallis ’13 (left) and Michele Gama Sosa ’10 (right) attended the NYSAIS track meet in May and are pictured here with current Browning track star Chris Keyko ’15 (center).
Leland C. Stillman ’06
culture and policy founded
graduated from the School of
chef and owner.
Virginia this year.
by René Redzepi, Noma’s Luc M. Vareilles ’04
Medicine at the University of
recently sent in the following
to represent fellow Browning alumni, parents or faculty.” Benjamin P.
D’Innocenzo ’06 recently submitted the following
update: “I have spent the last year working within
economic development for a
small farming community in Cameroon with the United States Peace Corps. It has
been a fantastic, challenging and productive first year,
and I know the second will
be even better! I am grateful every day for the education I received at Browning, as it prepared me so well for
the work I do here in West
Africa. It takes True Grytte.”
is a grave disappointment,
James Weinhoff ‘10 graduated from UVa in May.
Association supported
a seller and buyer’s broker,
2996. It would be a pleasure
because of my religion. That
House Correspondents’
estate agent in NYC. I am
spiregroupny.com or 917-518-
of my media affiliation or
the Kingdom.” The White
a licensed residential real
can be contacted at Luc@
was denied either because
and a lost opportunity for
update: “I am working as
as well as a rental agent. I
little doubt that my access
Mr. Wilner’s position. Michael Wilner ’07, as featured on FoxNews.com in March.
Michael A. Wilner ’07
is Washington bureau chief
In May, Andrew Scott ’08
appeared in an episode of
“Blood Relatives,” a crime TV show on Investigative Discovery Channel.
after having been denied a
’10s
Obama’s visit to Saudi
Browning in May following
Mr. Wilner wrote, “I am an
University of Virginia. James
at The Jerusalem Post, based in New York City. In March, Mr. Wilner was in the news
Saudi visa to cover President
James R. Weinhoff ’10 visited
Arabia. FoxNews reports that
his graduation from the
L to R: Janet Lien, Kevin Dearinger, James Weinhoff ’10 and Maureen Linehan at Browning in May, when James dropped in for a visit to his alma mater.
American journalist covering the travel of an American president. We consider
it unfortunate that Saudi Arabia would deny any
legitimate reporter the ability to complete that work –
much less one properly
credentialed, in the White
House press corps, expressly invited on the trip. We have
Peter Shapiro ’10 graduated from Dickinson College in May.
THE
BUZZER
Former Faculty News In May, former fifth grade Efrain Morales ’13 (left) and Freddie Edwards ’13 visited Browning in May, following completion of their freshman years in college.
teacher John Carroll
visited Browning and
enjoyed lunch with his former co-workers as
well as time catching up
with several of his former students in the cafeteria.
L to R: Harrison Fisher ’20, John Carroll and Sharif Nsouli ’20.
IN MEMORIAM Andrew Amarosa ’12 (left) and Andrew West ’92 at Browning in May.
James Brisotti ’12 (left) and Head of Upper School Jim Reynolds at Browning in March.
will be moving to Atlanta
the opportunity to run on
AIG in the Shared Services
teams there. Andrew was
over the summer to work for Program, where he will
spend eight weeks at a time in various groups to learn
about the company from the
the cross-country and track a student at Browning for nine years, leaving after
Matthew Cowles ’63
Pauline M. Egan P ’87 Peter R. Ehrlich ’46
Radu Florescu GP ’15 ’18 Steven Green ’62
William S. Kingson
Form II.
REMEMBERING WILLIAM S. KINGSON
ground up.
The Browning School community
Andrew M. Amarosa ’12
visited Browning in May,
was deeply saddened by the loss
of his freshman year at the
William S. Kingson who passed
James R. Brisotti ’12
been a member of our Board of
following the completion
of alumnus, parent and Trustee
University of Pennsylvania.
away on April 28, 2014. Bill had
visited Browning in March
Trustees since 1988 and chaired the
from the U.S. Naval
loyal, generous and beloved member of our community
midshipman.
for many years. He was an international businessman
will be attending Carleton
adventure, sharp wit and “joie de vivre,” as well as his
while on his Spring Break
Committee on Trustees. He was a
Academy, where he is a
and an extraordinary leader of The Browning School
and world-record-setting pilot known for his sense of
Andrew H. Ruvkun ’14
College, where he will have
Andrew Ruvkun ’14.
service and devotion to Browning and our boys. Our
thoughts are with his wife, Carina, his daughter, Celena Knox, and his son, Justin ’98.
Summer 2014
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IT TAK ES GRYTTE: WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN DO IT!
With its reputation for academic excellence, camaraderie and a caring, dedicated faculty, The Browning School is set to stand the test of time through your continued confidence. Please join us in our commitment to the present and future generations of Browning boys.
THE
BUZZER
Welcome to The Browning School, strong and true Sharing and giving, we give to you A school blessed with peace, with love, without fear This is the place where we learn and grow through the years. Stout hearts and true, hold fast what is ours Friends give us courage through darkest hours God, give us strength and guide with thy hand The Browning School, our loyalty we give to you. —The Browning School Song Adapted from “America: Our Heritage” by Helen Steele
LEADERSHIP GIVING TO DATE: $5 million gifts
1
$3 million gifts
1
$2 million gifts
2
$1 million gifts
1
$500,000 8 $250,000
12
$100,000
34
And remember, every gift counts!
STRONG & TRUE: The Campaign for Browning is nearing its goal of $30 million. We continue to receive campaign gifts of all sizes and are excited to share an update of our donors’ generosity as we move toward the conclusion of this exciting initiative.
Summer 2014
C
T H E BROW N I NG SC HO OL 52 East 62nd Street New York, New York 10065
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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
TO PARENTS OF ALUMNI If this magazine is addressed to your son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office at 212 838 6280 x192 with the correct mailing address. Thank you.
D
T HE GREEN T E A M SU PPORTS
Wild Bird Fund
Browning’s Green Team and advisor Emilie Wolf presented a $1,000 check to Rita McMahon (center), co-founder and director the Bird Fund, in June. The money, T H E B of UZ Z EWild R
raised partly through their bake sale, was donated to this particular “cause” because the Middle Schoolers often go birding in Central Park as part of their classroom learning.