Times of Brunswick, Spring 2013

Theatrical Adventure: Scaling ‘Sweeney Todd’

Tom Hyland ’95: Capitalism for A Better World

Winter Sports: Squashing Competitors

Brunswick times of

Spring 2013

A Healthy

A Brighter Future

[ Strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education ]

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — STEM education holds promise for Brunswick boys who will enjoy a world awash in technology, and the School is adding resources and rigor to the field like never before.

Board of Trustees 2012–2013

A Healthy

Sanjeev K. Mehra, P ’10, ’12, ’13, ’20 Chairman W. Preston Baldwin III, P ’11 James F. Bell, P ’14, ’16, ’17, ’21 W. Robert Berkley, Jr. ’91, P ’21, ’23 Nancy M. Better, P ’11, ’13 Michael J. Bingle, P ’20, ’26 Todd L. Boehly, P ’20, ’22, ’24 Mark H. Camel, P ’12, ’18, ’18 Robert F. Carangelo, P ’17, ’21 Leslie A. Dahl, P ’11, ’21 B. Cort Delany ’73 Scott V. Haig, P ’09, ’14 Gregory B. Hartch ’88, P ’19 John R. Harvey ’84 Carlos M. Hernandez, P ’18 Andrew H. Jacobson, P ’17, ’18, ’22 David B. MacFarlane, P ’11, ’12, ’16 D. Ian McKinnon, P ’18 Michael J. Odrich, P ’13, ’15 Thomas D. O’Malley, Jr. ’85, P ’12, ’15, ’21 Suzanne P. Peisch, P ’12, ’14, ’16, ’18 Philip F. P. Pierce, P ’10, ’13, ’18 Clifton S. Robbins, P ’11, ’14, ’17 David R. Salomon, P ’16 William A. Schneider ’72, P ’12, ’16 Scott M. Stuart, P ’12, ’16 Michael A. Troy, P ’12, ’14 John S. Weinberg, P ’08, ’13 Tyler J. Wolfram, P ’18, ’22

Ex Officio Thomas W. Philip, P ’08, ’10 Headmaster Steven H. Dudley, P ’95, ’96 Assistant Headmaster & Director of Finance Thomas G. Murray, P ’25, ’27 Executive Director of Development Kathleen F. Harrington Senior Accountant Alison A. Troy, P ’12, ’14 President, Brunswick Parents’ Association

A Brighter Future [ Discover the real value of a STEM education on page 24 ]

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

M e ssag e from th e

HEADMASTER Our Unconditional Commitment Preparing Our Boys for Successful & Fulfilled Lives

“W

e should prepare our children for the road. We should not prepare the road for our children.”

When I first encountered this quote,

I knew that a better and clearer perspective on what we do at Brunswick School could not be found. In our community — a community whose stated values are Courage, Honor, Truth — our obligation to prepare our boys and young men for the realities and expectations of the world around them is clear.

that showed up the most often in adults who were

seen as successful and fulfilled in their lives.

For our boys, that preparation, this year and

always, will mean trying different things, facing new challenges, and supporting and respecting others.

Those characteristics are:

It will also mean meeting with success as well as

• Caring and compassion

occasional disappointment, and learning equally

• Honesty and integrity

valuable lessons from both experiences.

• Sense of humor

• Openness and capacity for self-disclosure

The reality, as all adults know, is that those who

manage to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives do so

• Tolerance/acceptance of (empathy for) others

because they are equipped with a well-established

• Dedication and commitment

set of skills,

Our obligation to prepare our boys and young men for the realities and expectations of the world around them is clear.

• Adaptability and self-confidence

experience and, often, a healthy

As Brunswick’s Headmaster, I give you my

perspective

unconditional commitment, and the commitment

on their own

of each and every adult in our community, that we

strengths and

will offer our boys experiences and lessons in all

weaknesses.

these critical characteristics of human excellence.

As I often tell

parents of rising

In fact, we will do so again and again and again,

throughout each day of each week of each month

8th graders as their sons are about to enter the Upper

of every year.

School, Dr. Douglas Heath, former Chairman of

Haverford College’s Department of Philosophy, spent

boys for the road ahead.

We can think of no better way to prepare these

much of his adult life researching characteristics most often found in adults who were successful in their lives and professions.

Ultimately, he came up with what he called seven

Thomas W. Philip

“Predictors of Human Excellence,” or characteristics

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S p r i n g

Brunswick times of

Brunswick School 100 Maher Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Tel: 203.625.5800 BrunswickSchool.org

Headmaster Thomas W. Philip Executive Director of Development Thomas G. Murray Director of Institutional Communications Daniel J. Griffin dgriffin@brunswickschool.org Assistant Editor Courtney Kennedy ckennedy@brunswickschool.org Class Notes Editor Libby Edwards ledwards@brunswickschool.org Contributing Writers Charlie Cassoli ’15 Libby Edwards Dan Griffin Courtney Kennedy Michael Kennedy ’99 John Martin Kathy Ogden Michael (Ty) Pastore ’20 Tom Philip Jarrett Shine ’92 Contributing Photographers Dan Burns Tim Coffey Jamie Fessenden Jeffry Konczal Heather Liebensohn Wayne Lin Jay Premack Design Taylor Design, taylordesign.com Printing Flagship Press, flagshippress.com

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

2 0 1 3

CONTENTS Features 05 V enture Capitalism for a Better World

By Katherine Ogden 08 A scent into Fatherhood

By Katherine Ogden 14 A Healthy STEM, A Brighter Future

By Katherine Ogden 25 R eflections on the Water: Seven Perspectives on Rowing After Brunswick

By John Martin 30 A ttend the Tale of Sweeney Todd: Students Unite to Tackle Broadway’s Toughest Musical

By Katherine Ogden 37 W inter Sports Wrap-Up: Hard Work.

Camaraderie. Inspiration. And a National Championship.

By Michael Kennedy ’99

08

14

CONTENTS

25

DEPARTMENTS 01 Message from the Headmaster 46 Beyond the Books

Icon indicates more content can be viewed by visiting bwick.org/tob_spring2013

– Shakespeare Project: ‘An Ode to Character’ – On His Way to Annapolis – ‘Illustrator’s Frame’ Lets Pictures Do Some Talking – Surviving Midterms: Chillin’, Video Games, and ‘Small Parts of Heaven’ – A Freestyle Approach to Learning

50 Class Notes 52 In Memoriam

Flex Time 04 Young Olympian Proves ‘Anything is Possible’ 12 Renaissance Man: Spencer McDonough ’14

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30

24 At Breakfast, Moms Reign Supreme 29 ‘An Untapped Capacity for Courage’ 36 Waffles, Bacon, Eggs & Exploration 44 Curiosity Fuels His Career 56 Last Look

Brunswick School, founded in 1902, is an independent college-preparatory day school for boys in grades Pre-K through 12. For more information, please contact Gina Hurd, Director of Admissions & Pre School Head, at 203.625.5800 or visit BrunswickSchool.org.

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FLEX TIME M idd l e S choo l : G o l d e n I n spiratio n

Young Olympian Proves ‘Anything is Possible’

full of 7th and 8th grade boys by saying, “Katie’s dad and

By Courtney Kennedy

B

I have been best friends since the following statement

runswick’s colors were more

was true: The Knicks are the defending NBA champions.”

gold than brown when Katie Ledecky, a gold

(That’s 1973-1974, by the way.)

medal-winning member of the 2012 United

States Olympic swim team, visited Brunswick’s

was shown, the athlete took center stage. She was clad in

After an eight-minute video clip of her historic swim

a U.S.A. jacket and a gleaming gold medal hanging from

Middle School in January.

Anthony Fischetti, 8th grade dean and Middle School

history coordinator, introduced Katie to an auditorium

At 15, Katie was not only the youngest member of

her neck. She was eager to share her experience and take

the 2012 United States Olympic swim team, but also

questions from the boys.

the youngest American athlete to participate in any

sport at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Perhaps even more

she recalled. “I was at the point where I could say, ‘Go

remarkable about her Olympic achievement is that, in

into this place. Have a great swim. Whatever happens,

“Leading up to my final race I was pretty calm,”

happens. Have fun and enjoy it,

an arena stacked with veteran swimmers, Katie was soaking in her first-ever international meet experience.

Brunswick star swimmer Eric Ronda ’13 and swim team captain Sander Profaci ’13 joined 2012 Olympic champion swimmer Katie Ledecky during her visit.

Currently a sophomore at Stone Ridge

School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Md., Katie qualified for the games in the 800-meter freestyle.

“Never in a million years did I think I would even make the team.

It just shows you that anything is possible.”

She captured the world’s attention when she beat

because there’s no guarantee you’ll be back here again.’”

After going through checkpoints

at which Olympic officials checked the legality of her bathing suit and goggles, she was escorted into a

waiting room, where she sat next to Michael Phelps,

the defending Olympic and world champion in the

who was preparing for his last individual race of games.

event, 23-year-old veteran distance swimmer Rebecca

Together, they watched teammate Missy Franklin win

Adlington of Great Britain, who was swimming before

gold and break a world record.

her home crowd.

Katie was then ushered into the second holding room,

Katie swam so fast that she won by more than four

where she watched Phelps win his last gold medal of the

seconds, with a time of 8 minutes 15.63 seconds.

games. She said she remembers thinking, “Oh, geez, I

She held the lead from start to finish and broke

better not be the only American not to win a medal

the American record in the

today.” This memory elicited laughs from the blue-

event, set by legendary Olympic champion Janet Evans in 1989 — eight years before Katie Ledecky, age 15, is the proud winner of a 2012 Olympic gold medal.

Ledecky is the youngest swimmer ever to win the 800-meter freestyle, breaking the American record for the event in doing so.

Katie was even born.

blazer-clad pool of Brunswick boys.

Her thoughts during her own race? “I wasn’t thinking

about much,” she said. “My game plan was to go out fast, but not too fast, because it’d affect me later on in the

Upon touching the wall

race,” Katie said. “When I turned at the 600-meter mark,

at the end of her race,

it was like waking up from a dream. I couldn’t believe I

Katie became the young-

was actually winning. And then touching the wall at the

est swimmer ever to win

end was the most unbelievable feeling ever. It definitely

the 800-meter freestyle

was an oh-my-gosh moment.

event at the Olympics,

“Never in a million years did I think I would even

and the second-young-

make the team,” she said. “It just shows you that

est American swimmer

anything is possible.”

ever to win a gold medal

at the Olympics.

Brunswick’s swim team, Will Powers and James

At the assembly’s conclusion, two members of

Simone, both in the Class of ’17, presented Katie with a Brunswick Swimming T-shirt — a small token of appreciation and admiration for the inspiring young winner of Olympic gold.

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

B

H o n o r St r at e gi c Ent r e pr e ne u r shi p It’s right there on his LinkedIn profile: Peregrinator, Not All Who Wander Are Lost.

Tom Hyland ’95 certainly meets the definition of a peregrinator, or traveler: A decade ago, he dropped everything to ride the rails of the Eastern World, spending most of his time in remote villages located well off the beaten path.

Tom Hyland ’95 is working to bring the strength of capital markets to some of the poorest corners of the globe, recasting venture capitalism to provide such basic services as education and health care.

IF

estimates are correct, it was the largest gathering of people on the planet ever on a single day,

bar none. On a Sunday in February,

30 million people in India gathered to bathe in one of the most sacred places in all of Hinduism — the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganges, and ancient Saraswati rivers.

Yes, that’s correct. One day

recently in India, 30 million people arrived to wash off their sins in a river confluence made sacred by a

Venture Capitalism for a Better World few drops of mythical nectar.

’Wick Alum’s Visionary Investment Firm Turns Rot into Riches

By Ka t h e rin e O g d e n

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H o no r Strategi c Entrepr e ne u r s hip

Government schools in India are viewed as unreliable, and a large market of private schools caters to even very low-income families. Here, children attend a private school in Hyderabad.

Tuition is about $15 a month.

T

he masses gathered for one of the world’s largest religious festivals, the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage held just once every 12 years in the ancient city of Allahabad. This year, one of Brunswick’s own was among the millions.

his passion as a peregrinator with his expertise in finance, and sees him lend his talents to some of the biggest social problems in the developing world.

Hyland is co-founder and partner of Aspada

Investment Advisors, an early-stage venture-capital fund focused on equity as well as structured products

to witness some of the colorful gatherings of this

for businesses in India.

remarkable, months-long event.

He was a long way from his boyhood home of

The company is built on the experience of SONG,

a $17 million early-stage, socially conscious economic

Brooklyn, but Hyland wouldn’t have wanted to be

development fund backed by the Soros Economic

anywhere else.

Development Fund, Omidyar Network, and Google.

A decade earlier, selling everything he owned, this

one-time analyst for Goldman Sachs stowed some clothes and a small few items into a backpack and rode the rails of the Eastern world on a budget of just $5 a day.

For almost two years, Hyland crisscrossed the

Asian continent, riding in third-class sleeper cars as he wandered the Indian subcontinent, the Trans Siberian Railway, and points near and far.

That wanderlust has left Hyland with a unique

perspective on Indian culture. He is an American finance expert with the insight of a native, and an educated one at that.

Now a resident of Bangalore, India, with a new wife and eight-month-old baby boy, in 2010 Hyland earned a Master’s in Business Administration in

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

next chapter of his career. It’s a challenge that blends

on business, a happy coincidence that allowed him

06

For Hyland, this mix of experience both in and out

of the classroom is coming in handy as he tackles the

Tom Hyland ’95 happened to be visiting the region

“ Given that a farmer in an Indian village will likely own at least one cow, there is an enormous source of latent income that can be generated through basic efficiency improvements,” Hyland says.

entrepreneurship from the Indian School of Business.

Hyland’s investment initiatives are helping farmers realize greater profits from their harvest.

Doing Well

by Doing Good What’s good for farmers in India can also enhance long-term shareholder value for investors.

A new cold

chain for carrots in southern India, for example, is proving to be a windfall for hundreds of small farmers there, projected to increase income for them by 20 percent.

But the effort is

also a fundamental component in the growing portfolio of Hyland still travels all around India for business. On one recent trip, he was able to witness one of the largest and most colorful religious gatherings the world has ever seen. Here, a boy comes up for air after bathing in the holy Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the Saraswati rivers.

Aspada Investments, which provides early-stage risk capital for innovative businesses in India.

As an investor in LEAF

(Lawrencedale Agroprocessing India

For Aspada, the overarching goal is to create large-

from two or three liters a day to perhaps 10 liters

Pvt. Ltd.), Aspada works with nearly

scale employment, market access, and offer affordable

a day. Cooling the milk on the way to market

1,000 very low-income farmers, buying

goods and services to underserved populations. The

protects the product for sale, another big challenge

their carrots for a steady and decent

premise is to use the power of capital markets to scale

in India, which is notorious for its power supply

price while building a supply chain to

and build great businesses, and in the end improve

and unorganized logistics networks.

bundle the products and keep them

services in the kinds of things the Western world takes

cold until they get to market.

for granted — food, education, basic sanitation, and more.

will likely own at least one cow, there is an

enormous source of latent income that can

said Aspada co-founder and partner

be generated through basic efficiency improve-

Tom Hyland ’95. “Once you build a

“We view the capital markets as critical, as a force

for good,” Hyland said.

“Given that a farmer in an Indian village

“We’re very excited about this,”

ments,” Hyland says.

cold chain like this, you can plug in

in large markets. For example, it operates in the

other vegetables.

agricultural supply chain to improve such things as

by 20 percent.

warehousing and cold storage, promotes health care

line with a commercial fund,” he added.

by financing secondary hospitals and clinics, advances

providing early-stage risk capital to businesses

“If there’s any magic to what we are

K-12 affordable education, and underwrites basic

that open up market access and provide essential

doing, it’s that these are models that

utilities such as water and sanitation.

services,” he said. “All of these are commercially

deliver the returns investors seek.”

The fund invests in small firms that do business

“This is a vocation as well as an avocation,” Hyland

The goal is to increase income for the farmer “We’re basically creating new markets by

viable business models.”

said. “It’s something that I am extraordinarily passion-

ate about. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity.”

isn’t enough philanthropy in the world to tackle

the world’s problems.”

Hyland says one of the big challenges in India is

“This is not philanthropy,” he added. “There

lack of basic refrigeration. The country, he says, is the

second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the

up in Brooklyn and moved to Greenwich as a

The son of Thomas S. Hyland ’62, he grew

world, but 40 percent of the crop rots before it can even

young teenager.

make it to market.

Similar problems plague the dairy industry, he says.

Hyland credits Brunswick with giving him an

incredible platform to pursue this important work.

India has the largest number of cows in the world, but

they are also the least efficient cows in the world, in

Brunswick,” he says. “It was a special place for me.”

“My closest friends continue to be those I met at B

terms of milk production.

Feed improvements, veterinary care, and better

milking procedures could increase milk production

“We project our returns to be in

Aggregation directly at the farm gate is important for small farmers because having to pack up their crop and drive them to market costs money.

For more information, visit aspadainvestments.com

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Ascent into Fatherhood After finding his inner family man one day near the summit of Mount Everest, a Brunswick dad now nurtures his inner ironman with some creative time management and a bicycle.

B y Ka t h e r i n e O g d e n

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

TR UTH

Ne w Su mmi t s i n F ami ly Change

01

02

03

For a climber at 26,000 feet, clear thinking can be as hard to come by as oxygen.

For 31-year-old Owen West, it was the one thing he had left.

Just 900 feet below the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, West was weak, throwing up, and moving slower than a snail. Even so, this former Marine managed to make a choice at that moment that many others have not, to their detriment.

W

est turned around. An enthusiastic

Friday Night Lights on the iPad while I pedal on my

but inexperienced climber, West hiked

trainer. As you get older and have a family, training

down from the death zone that day not

for big endurance events is about time management,

just with his life, but also with all 10 of

as much as physical fitness. I don’t have the weekends

his fingers and all of 10 toes.

free that a lot of guys have.”

Also intact was the promise he made to his wife.

Like many couples with children, the Wests take

“It was a pretty easy decision,” he says now, more

turns pursuing fitness goals, though the two don’t divide

than a decade later. “But it was painful decision.”

their turns by days of the week. They divide their turns

“I found myself throwing up, I found myself

by year.

dehydrated,” he says. “I promised Susanne.”

“This is Susanne’s year,” Owen says. “I’m babysitting

Though his two boys were nothing more than a notion

and cheering from the sidelines. It just makes sense to

then, the decision to turn around that day was the begin-

have a down year to rest and recuperate.”

ning of a balancing act that requires the West family’s

Still, West has found a creative way to get a solid

constant and continuing juggle. In the air at any one

workout without taking time from family. Twice a week,

time are the chores of family life, a passion for adventure,

he trades a train ride for a Trek bicycle and pedals the

a hobby that last year produced a 310-page book,

roughly 50 miles from his home in Old Greenwich to his

a career, and rugged athleticism of the highest level.

job as a trader at Goldman Sachs.

“I don’t set training goals,” Owen says. “The family

West is part of a community of pedal-pushers who

sets my hours, and I take advantage when I can,

rise before dawn each morning and set off on Route 1

which is often in the basement where the boys play

at 4:45 a.m., when they can have the road to themselves.

Madden football video games and I watch reruns of

They have three routes into the city: one that logs about

01 Owen West, smiling, on the flat.

02 At camp, above the clouds.

03 The Wests goof around in their family

room in front of a huge map of the world that shows the places the family has visited, both together and individually, including Owen’s military service.

Pictured left to right are: Owen, Gavin, Susanne, and Ryan ’24.

I’ve always had an adventurous spirit and still do. But now it’s fairly measured.”

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A holiday scene. The Wests pose at Everest Base Camp, before the boys were born.

As you get older and have a family, training for big endurance events is about time management as much as physical fitness.

42 miles in the saddle, another logging about 50, and a

prefers testing his mettle in 100-mile ultra-marathons.

third, longer ride of 75 miles.

He participated in the punishing Eco-Challenge races

The 42-mile trip takes about 2 ½ hours, which West says

that aired on cable television more than 10 years ago.

is only about 30 minutes more than his usual commute.

Taking vacations from his job at Goldman Sachs at

“Believe it or not, there are a few people who do this,”

the turn of the century, West raced in the international

he says. “We decorate ourselves like Christmas trees.

Eco Challenge a total of six times, once as the only male

I really love it. It’s exciting the whole way.”

member of a four-person X-treme team.

West took a winter break from all that pedaling, but

In that race, produced by “Survivor” executive Mark

returned to it in March. Among the benefits of the extra

Burnett for the USA Network, West and his female

exercise: bacon, egg, and cheese.

teammates trekked through the jungles of Borneo in

“I can eat breakfast sandwiches,” he says.

a 24-hour-a-day, 10-day race. Though this particular

Budgeting for breakfast calories aside, West brings a

expedition may have had some perks, in general racers

similar attention to detail and drive to just about all of

subjected themselves to torment and suffering of the

his endeavors, of which there have been many.

highest magnitude.

At 6’4” and 200 pounds, West landed in a racing skull

Says West: “If you are good at a sport, you don’t have

while at Harvard on an ROTC scholarship, pulling for the

to go through this misery. I wish it had been baseball.”

school’s nationally-ranked varsity heavyweight crew team.

As every parent knows, however, the arrival of

“I fell into crew, where your prowess is determined by

children can change the game quite a bit, and times

how hard you are willing to work,” he says.

have indeed changed for West.

The sport was a last resort for West after a somewhat

With two boys, sports like baseball and soccer have

dismal showing on the playing fields of his youth. Such

taken a front seat. Instead of training for endurance

early disappointments, he says, propelled him not only to

events, West budgets time to coach the growing athletes

the snowfields atop Everest, but also to some of the most

on his son’s grade-school teams.

grueling athletic challenges on the planet, some of them

“I’ve always had an adventurous spirit and still do,”

filmed for television.

he says. “But now it’s fairly measured. You do change.”

For West, a marathon isn’t enough. He is an

For West, fatherhood has had an especially signifi-

endurance athlete with a taste for adventure, and he

cant impact on one of the other major roles of his life.

THE ROUTE “ We ride Route 1 from Old Greenwich into New Rochelle, turning left onto Shore Road, which becomes Pelham Parkway, the most dangerous part of the ride if it’s still dark because we have to pedal through four high-speed clover leaf merges (I-95, the Hutch, Bronx River Parkway, and I-87). We cross from the Bronx into Manhattan at 207th Street. Coming home, the Bronx is quite crowded but the people are friendly, treating us as oddities. It’s not until the Port Chester/Greenwich line that the drivers become agitated.” B

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Start We begin our ride on Route 1 in Old Greenwich.

Turn Around We cross from the Bronx into Manhattan at 207th Street.

Sharp Left Next, we turn onto Shore Road, which becomes Pelham Parkway.

TR UTH

I am a Marine, where our motto is Courage, Honor, Commitment, so Susanne and I were immediately drawn to Brunswick’s code: Courage, Honor, Truth.

Drawn Toward An Ideal

He is a third-generation infantry Marine and

“I am a Marine, where our motto is Courage,

veteran of two tours in Iraq, and he notes that

Honor, Commitment, so Susanne and I were

parenthood swiftly tempers one’s feelings about

immediately drawn to Brunswick’s code:

the dangerous pursuits of the battlefield.

Courage, Honor, Truth,” West says. “We think

“It does make it more difficult if you want to

it’s crucial to educate emotionally and physically

go and get after it,” says West. “The reality of

as well as intellectually, and Brunswick is well-

combat is that you never think of yourself, you

rounded in that regard. We only wish he went

only think of those you leave behind.”

to school more often!”

Such worry is not without good reason: chil-

As much as life has changed for West, he con-

dren left behind after a father dies in combat face

tinues to dream of returning to the big hill that

obvious challenges, not the least of which is grief.

is Everest, and hopes one day — when his boys

For this reason, West and his wife have decided

are big enough — they might be able to tackle the

to donate all proceeds from Owen’s latest book to

mountain together.

the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, which

It’s a dream that started to take shape very

honors fallen Marines by educating their children.

soon after West’s moment near the summit of

West has written two novels. His latest book is

Mt. Everest, though even then the potential of

The Snake Eaters, which came out last year and

fatherhood was beginning to enter the equation.

is based on his experience of leading a small U.S.

“You wonder if you can get back to this hill and

advisor team to a remote outpost in Iraq to men-

give it another shot,” he blogged shortly after his

tor Iraqi soldiers in 2006-2007.

descent. “It’ll take a few years to build enough capi-

Given the combined military background and

tal and probably just as long to convince your wife.

respect for education, the Wests say it was simple

And that’s assuming you have no children.”

to select Brunswick as the school of choice for

Ne w Su mmi t s i n F ami ly Change

B

An Iraqi interpreter befriended by Owen West during his last tour of that country is now an American citizen, thanks to the hospitality of the West family.

Born in Iraq in 1984, Ahmed Yasin is living in Omaha, Neb., studying business and supporting himself by working as a prison guard.

It’s a far cry from Yasin’s life as a young man, when he signed on to be an interpreter for the American soldiers who had arrived to mentor his fellow countrymen.

It was 2006, and a small group of American military advisors landed at a remote Iraqi outpost, assigned to help a local battalion rout out a stubborn insurgency.

Among them was West, who was immediately struck by a 20-year Iraqi combat interpreter who was “built differently” and yearned for freedom.

As West tells it, combat interpreters walk an especially dangerous line in Iraq as they work to bridge the language gap among locals, Iraqi soldiers and American military advisors. Here’s how explained it in his book, The Snake Eaters: “No one in Iraq risked as much as combat interpreters. They were hated by insurgents because they were the face of interrogations, considered traitors by their countrymen, resented by the jundis for their high pay, and ostracized by their own families for exposing them to retribution.”

In Yasin’s case, that retribution was brutal. A brother was “tortured to death in Baghdad,” and his family was harassed and driven from their home.

Struck by such sacrifice, West sponsored his friend for a special The Snake Eaters, immigrant visa. Yasin,

by Owen West. whose nickname is Alex, lived with the Wests in New York and then at their home Old Greenwich.

“I felt it was my duty,” West said. “No one risked more for us than the interpreters. They dressed in American uniforms and patrolled alongside us.”

“They’re outcasts in their society,” he said.

“They do it all because there is an ideal that’s drawing them.” B

son Ryan, a ’Wick 1st-grader.

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FLEX TIME A B r u n swic k S n apshot

Renaissance Man

By Courtney Kennedy

I

t’s elemental. On the pavement, in the

the Connecticut Association of Conservation

lab, or hoisting the jib, Spencer McDonough ’14

and Wetlands Award and the Dominion Physical

invests and savors every waking hour. Spencer

Science Award.

dropped by for a chat in the quiet of one early

Spencer’s also a zealous and accomplished sailor.

morning, fresh off his mountain bike after riding to

He is a member of the 2012 Youth World Team and

Maher Avenue from his home in Belle Haven.

the 2013 U.S. Sailing Development Team (USSDT),

The ride may not be an odyssey or even a

the youth pathway team supported by U.S. Sailing’s

trek, but it has been a day-in, day-out journey of

Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC). It was created to

awakening and consequence.

help young athletes identified as future Olympic pros-

pects acquire the skills necessary to launch successful

Why cycle when driving’s an option? For Spencer,

it’s about feeling alert and mentally ready to tackle

campaigns and compete at the Olympic level.

the school day.

was far from predestined to live a mariner’s life.

“Earlier this year, I found I woke up exhausted

Although Spencer grew up in Belle Haven, he

and often didn’t truly wake up until well into the

His first exposure to the sport came one summer at

school day,” he admitted. “When I mentioned this to

the suggestion of a neighbor who invited him to try

my mom, she suggested I walk to school; the fresh

sailing lessons with his own children.

air and exercise would wake me up. I elected to ride

my bike — well my dad’s bike, since I didn’t have my

of determination through a sea of excitement for

own — because walking would take all morning.”

a sport that has since become a passion. “Whether

I chase an Olympic campaign or a business career,

A modern-day Renaissance Man, Spencer is

Spencer was gone like the wind, carving a wake

fluent in and dedicated to a variety of fields. He

that’s still undecided,” he said.

understands that, balancing school, sports, and

extracurricular interests, things can get stressful.

naturally as science. “The physics of sailing is cool.

It’s this abstract of science that drives me to explore

“Stepping away a little bit and connecting to the

Reconciling his two, big interests comes as

elements is what I do to recharge,” he said.

more,” he explained.

Spencer fuels his mind through science and is

To keep an even keel, Spencer said, it’s important

particularly passionate about quantum physics and

to drop the “real world” stuff, get outdoors, and

theoretical physics. In March, he and his science

“have a little fun.”

lab partner, Ashish Ramachandran ’14, were named

finalists, among 11 other Brunswick boys, at the

from the commotion of everyday life,” he said when

Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair.

asked how he defines fun. “Be it through sailing for

Their project was titled The Particular Application

“Anything that will get me outdoors and away

fun, skiing, or even reading a good book.”

of Graphene as an Integral Component of Photovoltaic

Cells on Flexible and Transparent Media. It garnered

the physics and commotion of another school day,

1st Honors at the competition and was a medalist for

he headed into the Upper School crowd.

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Then, awake, alert, and mentally ready to tackle B

Stepping away a little bit and connecting to the elements is what I do to recharge.

Flex TIME

The physics of sailing is cool.

It’s this abstract of science that drives me to explore more.

www. br u n swickschoo l . org

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A DELICATE PROCEDURE Brunswick science students Ashish Ramachandran ’14 (left) and Reed Schultz ’14 were introduced to the science and practice of mending a broken forearm under the supervision of renowned orthopaedic surgeon and sports-medicine specialist Kevin Plancher, M.D. Plancher invited the students to his offices to gain hands-on experience in tackling the challenges orthopaedic surgeons face every day.

A Healthy

A Brighter Future B y Ka t h e r i n e O g d e n

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Strengthening STEM Education

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — STEM education holds promise for Brunswick boys who will enter a world awash in technology. The School is adding resources and rigor to the field like never before.

STEM J O B S A RE

E X P E C TED TO GRO W 1 7 %

T H ROUG H 2 0 1 8.

pper School Science Department Chair Dana Montanez found a science muse in her sliding glass door.

It came in the form of an orb weaver spider, kept alive by a careful husband while Montanez was gone

for eight weeks on a summer jaunt.

On a whim last fall, Montanez collected the spider,

along with its friend, and introduced them to the students in her Honors Science Research course.

The move proved inspirational to her students.

Spider silk is a prized but poorly understood material that holds incredible promise for its combination of strength, elasticity, and eco-friendliness.

Fascinated by its silky assets, one team of ’Wick boys

focused on its properties in their science project, which took them all the way to the Connecticut State Science and Engineering Fair, winning accolades for their efforts to synthesize this high-performance biomaterial, which is coveted by industry for use in everything from bridges to paper. g

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Limited to just 16 students per year, Montanez’s twoyear course is a major underpinning of Brunswick’s commitment to STEM education in the new century.

STEM j o b s.

pay i n g j o b s a r e

21 of the 25 top-

Upper School science teacher and department chair Dana Montanez directs the work of Brunswick students, left to right, Alex Montinaro ’15, Chase Stitzer ’15, Christian Tanner ’15, and others.

For Montanez, science education and hope for the future begin with almost childlike bursts of imagination. A voracious reader, her goal in the unique Honors Science Research course she created two years ago is to first provide the spark of an idea to her students, and then to lead them through a rigorous scientific process to test out their notions.

imited to just 16 students

science students visited the nearby Orthopaedic

per year, Montanez’s two-year

Foundation for Active Lifestyles Lab.

course is a major underpinning of

Brunswick’s commitment to STEM

drills, plates, and screws. The boys enjoyed a hands-on

education in the new century.

opportunity to learn the skills needed to repair broken

That commitment is demonstrated

bones. To that end, students had the chance to bolt, pin

in everything from new course

together, and insert supportive plates into a model of a

offerings in science, engineering, and computer science

broken forearm, all under the supervision of renowned

to an award-winning Middle School robotics club and

orthopaedic surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and

to a new Coding Club at the Lower School that has

Greenwich resident Kevin Plancher, M.D.

the youngest ’Wick students beginning to learn the

language of computers.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in Tarrytown, New

York. There, the boys learned about the business side

Similarly, older students are enjoying new

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Another terrific field trip was an April trip to

opportunities for enrichment as far away as Peru and as

of biotech, as well as the discovery and development

nearby as Cos Cob.

of antibody-based drugs. Students toured the research

labs, the cloning facilities, the vivarium, and the

This spring, for example, ’Wick boys played sports-

doctor-for-a-day when a group of 22 Upper School

16

The lab features actual surgical equipment, such as

bioreactors that create and purify the drugs.

Strengthening STEM Education

“The boys were outstanding,” Montanez said. “Before

we left, our guide pointed out that our boys asked the most questions of any group that has come through in years. It was fantastic.”

Even more enrichment for top-level science students is planned for later this spring, when Montanez will lead a field-research trip to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in Peru.

The trip is being made available to ’Wick research

students in order to expose them to an entirely new branch of science education: Field Research. Organized by the worldwide biological and conservation research group Operation Wallacea, the program gives students the opportunity to collect and monitor data on the biodiversity of the Amazon rain forest, as well as information about the sustainability of forest-resource use by indigenous people living on the reserve.

But there are plenty of opportunities for science

research right on Maher Avenue, thanks to a newlyrenovated Upper School science lab. That room, Montanez says, originally functioned as the “Black Box”

For Parents’ Association, STEM is Fashionable This spring, the STEM endowment initiative is enjoying support from the whole ’Wick community.

For the first time ever, all proceeds from the Brunswick School Fashion Show and Luncheon and its sibling event, the Golf Outing at Winged Foot, will support a new, Brunswick Parents’ Association STEM Endowment Fund.

This is the first year that BPA events will benefit the STEM endowment. For the next three to five years, all BPA fundraisers will benefit this effort, with the goal of raising $1 million.

The Fashion Show has been a spring calendar staple for Brunswick families since its inaugural event in 1943, which raised $800 for the school.

This year’s ticket sales for the event exceeded all

Overall, the renewed commitment to STEM is already paying dividends for Brunswick students: ’Wick boys earned multiple honors and awards at the Connecticut State Science & Engineering Fair held at Quinnipiac University in March.

expectations. The show was a fantastic start to the BPA’s quest to provide a solid foundation for the STEM endowment.

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for the theater program. It was later called into service as a practice room for the jazz band and, after that, became a study hall.

Thanks to gift from Bodas family, the room was

gutted and renovated during the summer of 2011,

03

just before Montanez joined the ’Wick faculty. It now

01 H arry Hefffernan ’14 takes a

careful measurement as he works to complete a science exercise in Brunswick’s science lab, renovated in 2011, thanks to a gift from the Bodas family.

serves as a space to nurture budding scientific thinkers.

“It’s a beautiful, bright space with cutting-edge

equipment, along with staple equipment that allows the kids to explore,” she said. “If a kid gets into something

02 R yan Hardin ’13 prepares a physics

experiment.

we don’t have, we do what can to get it.” She added:

03 S tudents in Montanez’s Advanced

“Sometimes we have to say no. It’s evolving.”

Science Class include, left to right, Vikram Bodas ’14, Reed Schultz ’14, Matt Mayfield ’14.

Overall, the renewed commitment to STEM is

already paying dividends for Brunswick students: ’Wick boys earned multiple honors and awards at the Connecticut State Science & Engineering Fair held at Quinnipiac University in March.

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Strengthening STEM Education

10,000

’Wick projects were initially culled from a field of 10,000 applications and were among the 448 invited to participate.

“They did really, really great,” said Montanez, who

Honored were: Kevin Pendo ’15, Mahesh Raman ’15,

chairs the Brunswick Science Department just two

Spencer McDonough ’14, Ashish Ramachandran ’14,

years into her tenure here. “They worked so hard.”

Reed McMurchy ’15, Alex Montinaro ’15, Christian

Tanner ’15, Chase Stitzer ’15, Jake Fields ’13, Vikram

The boys had been working since November,

developing experiments for the fair, testing out

Bodas ’14, Matthew Mayfield ’13, Reed Schultz ’14,

everything from the use of nanomagnets to retrieve

Sivan Sud ’14, Cooper Robinson ’15, and Tommy

spilled oil to the insulating properties of different kinds

Tranfo ’14.

of roofing material to the possibilities of synthesizing

spider silk for use in industry.

team that studied spider silk and was inspired by the

creatures that his teacher carefully carted into the

’Wick projects were initially culled from a field of

Tenth grader Alex Montinaro was part of the

10,000 applications and were among the 448 invited

classroom in a used wonton soup container.

to participate.

new home, the boys worked hard to provide a habitat

Fair organizers called the invited projects the “cream

Though the spiders didn’t live very long in their

of the crop.”

for them as they began to consider the unique material

these creatures spin as part of their daily routine.

From Brunswick, 13 boys making up seven teams

from Montanez’s Honors Science Research course were

The boys learned, for instance, that a gown made

named finalists. The boys defended their work before

entirely of spider silk has recently gone on display at

the judges and were among roughly 200 selected for

the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The gown

honors and awards.

took five years to make and is made from silk harvested

In ’Wick Math, the Numbers Add Up It’s a whole new, data-driven world out there, and the ’Wick Math Department is keeping pace by beefing up its teaching staff, particularly in one area that has a trendy new name: “Big Data,” or as it’s more commonly known, statistics. A March article in The Wall Street Journal showed that, nationwide, demand for statisticians has surged in recent years as more businesses try to take advantage of the huge quantities of data made

Mathematics department chair Michael Allwood notes that students are electing to take AP statistics in record numbers.

A decade ago, only four students enrolled.

available through technology.

Enticed into the field by

the growing demand for number crunchers, students

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are signing on to take statistics

enrollment stands at 36, and demand in

the 11th grade, although nearly all

said. “We don’t necessarily have

in record numbers.

this area is so great that an additional

students opt to continue with the

people who can think for themselves

math teacher will be added in

subject up to graduation.

and solve problems.

of the ’Wick Math Department,

September to ease the burden on

has seen the trend right here

the department’s existing staff.

Problem Solving are offered for those

ematics is — answering a question

on Maher Avenue.

students who wish to supplement

by analyzing it mathematically.”

quantifiable,” Allwood noted.

their mathematical studies.

students enrolled in Allwood’s

AP statistics class. Today,

is required at Brunswick through

Michael Allwood, chairman

A decade ago, only four

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

“The world has become so As with science, mathematics

AP Statistics and Honors Math

“We have plenty out in the world

who can follow instructions,” Allwood

“That’s essentially what math-

02

01

from a million Madagascar-born female orb weaver

and learning in science, mathematics, and technology,

spiders — all of them captured by morning, mined for

and to create a separate endowment to support an

silk during the day, and released by evening.

Upper School Science Research Fund.

The story is amazing, but even more so for the

A broad-based resource, the STEM endowment

qualities of the material that was so laboriously

will enable Brunswick to unite and build on current

gathered. Spider silk is said to be as strong as steel and

initiatives, adding integrated mathematics, science, and

yet also as forgiving as rubber.

engineering programs to the curriculum at all levels.

Long-term, the goal is to define and support the kind

“It’s basically like a miracle of nature,” explained

Montinaro. “It has practical

of excellence that will place

uses. It’s biodegradable.”

the School’s STEM initiative

on par with, or well ahead

“I love science,” he said,

adding that Montanez’s class is especially wonderful because it gives students some “freedom to play around with ideas.

“That’s why I love this class

— you make it what you want.”

Montinaro, along with

teammates Chase Stitzer and

The STEM endowments will enable Brunswick to unite and build on current initiatives, adding integrated mathematics, science, and engineering programs.

of, Brunswick’s independent school peers.

By creating these new

funds, Brunswick recognizes that all students, regardless of their chosen concentration, gain significant and important thinking skills, as well as educational and professional

Christian Tanner, ended up project, which they called “A Novel Approach to the

the requirements for proficiency in mathematics and

Synthesis of a High-Performance Biomaterial.” The

the sciences.

team also earned Medalist status for three awards:

Even more, by providing resources to enhance

the Barnes Aerospace Applied Technology Award, the

student achievement, the STEM Endowment Fund

Alexicon Biotechnology Award, and the Pfizer Life

will ensure that every ’Wick graduate possesses the

Science Award.

knowledge and skills needed to pursue a baccalaureate

or higher degree in mathematics, engineering, or

Montanez and Brunswick’s award winners at the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair, held at Quinnipiac University in March: left to right, Spencer McDonough ’14, Tommy Tranfo ’14, Dana Montanez, Kevin Pendo ’15, Ashish Ramachandran ’14, Jake Fields ’13, Vikram Bodas ’14, Matt Mayfield ’13, Reed Schultz ’14, Reed McMurchy ’15, Mahesh Raman ’15, Alex Montinaro ’15, Christian Tanner ’15, Chase Stitzer ’15, Cooper Robinson ’15, and Sivan Sud ’14.

02 R eed McMurchy ’15 won 1st Honors

and was a Medalist for the Dominion Physical Science Award for his project, “Discovering the Most ‘Invisible’ Geometric Shape: The Future of RadarEvasive Technology.”

03 J ake Fields ’13 (left) won 1st Honors

and was a Medalist, as well as winning a Special Award from the Office of Naval Research, for his project, “The Effects of Bovine Serum Albumin on Restriction Digestion and Analysis of Lambda Phage DNA.” Reed Schultz ’14 (right) won First Honors and was a Medalist for his project, “Nanomagnetic Crude Oil Recovery Systems: Electro v.

Permanent Magnets.”

technological innovation.

shows high school students lose interest in STEM as

they move toward graduation, despite the promise of

students much more than just a seat at the table of

the well-documented growing job market in the field.

innovation. The field, she says, provides opportunities

to be a hero in a world that sorely needs them.

As Montanez sees it, STEM education offers

a key initiative for Montanez and for the school-wide

Earth, she notes, faces obvious problems, from

“Above All Else...” Capital Campaign. A major campaign

pollution to energy supply. STEM careers, she says, offer

goal is to create an endowment to strengthen teaching

hope for solutions, particularly in the form of engineering.

STEM C A REERS

global economy increasingly defined by scientific and

Nationwide, a report in U.S. News & World Report

C RE A TE J O B S IN

the sciences if they so choose, as well as to thrive in a

attracted to important, and rewarding, STEM careers.

OT H ER F IELDS .

a coast-to-coast trend that sees fewer young people

But at Brunswick, STEM education is thriving. It is

01 S cience Department Chair Dana

opportunities, by satisfying

winning 1st Honors for their

Such success shows Brunswick is already bucking

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“ The most encompassing and worthwhile project would be to have our students build amusement parks and explain the physics involved,” said Max Kennedy.

Taking a Roller Coaster Ride through Physics

Y

One Brunswick 8th grader’s roller coaster project tested the classical mechanics learned in the classroom.

20

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

es, it’s true: Science is fun!

final product had to fit through the classroom door once

That’s the physics lesson learned when

fully assembled.

Brunswick 8th graders collaborated on creating

their own amusement park. The boys in Max

curriculum enjoyable for our students,” Kennedy said. “We

“Matt and I are all about making the 8th grade science

Kennedy’s and Matt DuCharme’s science class spent the

wanted them to realize that even though science can be

first four months of the school year studying classical

challenging and intimidating at times, applying and learning

mechanics — motion, forces, machines, energy — and

science is a fun, valuable and rewarding endeavor.”

the next few reviewing that material by building and

presenting a small-scale amusement park ride.

with creating two presentations. The first was an in-class

The project was twofold, and the boys were tasked

“The most encompassing and worthwhile project

group presentation in which they shared their amusement

would be to have our students build amusement parks

park ride creation with their classmates and teacher while

and explain the physics involved,” said Kennedy.

explaining the physics behind the ride. The second was a

The two teachers split each of their classes into groups of

Middle School-wide presentation that gave the boys an

four. Each group was responsible for designing its own amuse-

opportunity to have more fun with their projects.

ment park ride that would eventually be joined with the other

groups’ rides to create an amusement park.

But what’s even more fun is the fact that students, based

on their level of success in making an interesting ride, had

The rides and parks could be built out of any available

Science is fun and amusement parks are clearly fun.

products and the boys had a large amount of autonomy

the opportunity to earn five bonus points for the entire

in what they designed. The only stipulation was that the

class to apply to a future examination. So fun!

B

Strengthening STEM Education

Engineers, Montanez says, design solutions to

as the science research course, the engineering class will

everything from toxic landfills to inefficient solar

offer students the luxury of time to tinker with new ideas

panels. These are the innovators who will be dreaming

and pursue their own interests.

up fixes for the developed world for the next century

and the one beyond.

she said. “They invent things that solve our problems

and help us live better, cleaner lives.

Montanez is in the process of developing

“We need engineers because they are the solvers,”

Brunswick’s first-ever engineering class and hopes to

debut it within the next few years. Cast in the same vein

Montanez predicted. “(But) it might not be for 200 years.”

“It’ll be the engineers who solve the energy crisis,”

Though the ’Wick science program has clearly caught some of the limelight in recent months, similar upgrades are in the pipeline for the School’s Computer Science Department.

Technology has revolutionized the world during the last 20 years — it now permeates every aspect of economic and personal life, from medicine to education, from government to manufacturing and beyond. ut the medium will only

advancement and economic activity. Unless the kids

become more powerful in the years

have a more meaningful understanding (of computers),

to come. According to one Brunswick

they will be at a disadvantage in the workforce. We are

teacher, the ability to operate a PC is

no longer a manufacturing society. It’s a knowledge-

only the beginning of an education

based, service economy which requires innovative,

in computers.

problem-solving skills.”

Sunil Gupta, director of technology and chair of the Computer Science Department, notes

Gupta notes the reasons to learn computer science

that technology is one of the fastest-growing and

are as practical as they are abstract:

highest-paying sectors of the economy, and young

• Eight of the top 10 growth jobs in the next decade are

people need to learn more than just how to use a web browser and a word-processing program.

Learning the language of computers, Gupta says, develops logical skills and abstract thinking and, in the end, the knowledge and the tools needed to program computers to solve problems.

“Computing is driving innovation in almost every

field,” Gupta said. “It’s the foundation of scientific

Sunil Gupta, director of technology and chair of the Computer Science Department

STEM EDU C A TION MUST ST A RT E A RLY.

technology-related.

• Many college majors at top-ranked universities now require students to take some Computer Science courses.

• Of the most sought-after careers listed by Monster.com, computer-related fields have the highest median salary.

• Learning one programming language makes it easier for students to master other programming languages, as many share similar syntax commands and logic.

w w w . br u n sw i c ksc h ool . o rg

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While students are introduced to technology in the Lower and

Middle School, the actual language of computers is taught only in the Upper School. One course is an Introduction to Computer Science and the other is an AP computer-science course. Both are in Java.

Michael Pastore ’20 writes about his experience as a member of Brunswick’s Middle School Robotics Team, The New Mind Mavericks.

Changes are afoot. Gupta said Brunswick is looking to add a

Middle School computer programming class, possibly as soon as September 2013. Lower School offerings may follow, though these young students are already enjoying an after-school opportunity that explores the basics of the language that web pages are built on.

At the suggestion of a parent, a new Lower School Coding

Club was formed in January. Open to third and fourth graders, the Club uses an online website to tutor ’Wick boys in the most

Robots, Robots Everywhere!

basic elements of HyperText Markup Language, or HTML.

By Michael Pastore ’20

Lower School technology guru Timothy Coupe said the idea is to get the boys to think about the “language” they need to

This school year, I’ve had the privilege of being on the Brunswick Middle School

speak to get computers to perform tasks.

Robotics Team, the New Mind Mavericks.

students,” said Coupe. “This gives them an opportunity to

It’s a great team, consisting of 10 members: Ian Murray, Eric Meindl, Jamie

Meindl, Robert Sprung, Charles Heath, Will George, Cedric Lafleur, Will Frauen,

innovate, and lets them experiment.”

Jose Riera, and me.

the second, meets once a week for almost an hour.

It was really fun and exciting to work with Drew Dawson, our robotics teacher.

At first, we just brainstormed ideas, and later we designed our robot.

The New Mind Mavericks

The club, which drew 18 boys in the first session and 12 in The boys work in

The robot was medium-sized, about the

teams at their own pace,

size of a shoebox. It had LEGO walls

and learn to recognize

surrounding it, making it very hard to

the rules and patterns

break. It also had motors to make it move.

of HTML. The goal is

It was very impressive.

not to create a website,

Aside from building a robot, we also

but instead to focus on

constructed a device to help senior

the process and language

citizens. We made an original, state-of-the

of programming.

art cane with retractable tripods on the

®

Coupe said the online

bottom, for support if you were standing in a long line, that were triggered by a button

tutorial program provides

located beneath the handle. The cane is made of metal and is extremely sturdy.

instant feedback, which

Finally, after weeks of preparation and testing, we headed to the Connecticut

allows the boys to know

state competition. The competition started in the morning and went all the way into

if what they are doing is

the afternoon.

right or wrong.

At the competition, teams were testing and making adjustments to their robots.

The boys work in teams at their own pace, and learn to recognize the rules and patterns of HTML’s language.

The goal is not to create a website, but is instead to focus on the process and language of programming.

“There’s lots of trial

We walked around the large room, looking at robots of all shapes and sizes: Small

and error,” he said. “I work with two other teachers to help

ones, large ones, wide ones, thin ones. Robots

support the boys, and we are all learning together.”

were everywhere.

demonstrated by a Brunswick student who will graduate this

When the time came to present our cane, we

The need for this kind of education has already been

walked in another room to the judges who, before

spring and who, as a junior, launched a successful tech business.

asking us for our presentation, challenged our whole

team to work on a puzzle to test our teamwork. I

’Wick junior and has already leveraged the skills he learned

think we displayed fine teamwork and impressed the

there to launch Sibyl Vision. The company was one of the first

judges. We then showed the benefits of our cane.

to mine the ‘Twitterverse’ for sentiment about the presidential

In the end, our team did very well and won three

trophies. I really enjoyed working with The New Mind Mavericks.

22

“We’re looking at what we can do with our youngest

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Peter Kazazes ’13 took the AP computer science class as a

election and has since offered up its high-tech analysis to Robert Sprung ’20 displays his robotic creation.

everyone from big-name entertainers to cookie manufacturers.

Strengthening STEM Education

Other ’Wick students are seeing success in related STEM fields. In a Brunswick first, for example, a team of Middle School boys won the award for HighestScoring Robot at the FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) state championships held in December in New Britain.

the bugs that enjoy a permanent stay-of-execution and her children, Montanez has a husband, a 17-year-old Cockatiel named Charlie, an orange corn snake she has kept alive for more than a decade, and a German Shepherd named Nino.

A certain pair of spiders was among the critters to win

a recent Montanez reprieve, and in this came a powerful opportunity to serve as inspiration for a teacher trying to plant the seeds of science in young minds.

Says Montanez: “I just brought them in because I

thought they were interesting.”

Brett Martell, science coordinator at the Pre and

Lower Schools, tries to offer ’Wick’s youngest students a similar opportunity to discover.

Science, he notes, is an integral and important part of

the day for all Pre and Lower School boys, and the learning HE FLL, a global robotics competition in which students aged 9 to 14 are asked to research and solve

“This is a true competition and a bit

of a cutthroat one at that,” said Coach Drew Dawson.

’Wick boys were first out of a field of 48 teams

statewide. It was the first time a Brunswick team has even made a showing at the state level, let alone won a statewide award.

“It’s exciting,” said parent Cosby George.

Calling themselves The New Mind Mavericks, the

10-member Brunswick FLL team had earlier won Best Project in a field of 24 at the regional tournament in Shelton, Conn. The boys designed a special multifunctional cane that senior citizens can use to stay indepen-

For the youngest students, science offers a

chance to sharpen thinking skills while considering everything from the space program to electricity to crime scene investigation.

And here too, it’s all led by curiosity.

“By inspiring curiosity and risk taking, collaboration

Stem is the

NXT Mindstorms robot.

g a t e way t o

findings, and build a working LEGO®

that comes later at the Middle and Upper Schools.

i n n o va t i o n.

a real-world problem, present their

that happens there provides the foundation for everything

and perseverance, our youngest boys are already learning skills they need to tackle open-ended and complex problems,” said Lower School Head Katie Signer, who holds a Master’s Degree in teaching with a focus on math and science and thus counts those subjects especially close to her heart.

“Hands-on and interactive by nature, science

is a place where many boys feel at home and come alive,” she said.

Jamie Meindl ’20 was one of Brunswick’s team members at the First LEGO® League state championship, held in December in New Britain. The team garnered top honors for highest-scoring robot.

B

dent as they age.

Members of the team are Will Frauen, William

George, Ian Murray, Robert Sprung, Eric Meindl, Jamie Meindl, Jose Riera, Cedric Lafleur, Mike Pastore, and Charlie Heath.

Clearly, Brunswick can be proud of its boys for their

recent achievements. But with all the emphasis on building skills for the future, Montanez and her spiders remind us that in life and learning, inspiration has its clear place in the equation, too.

Like every home, the Montanez house has its share of creepy-crawlies. Unlike at many homes, however, no one is allowed to squish the critters that make their home at the Montanez manse. Family members there can often be found scooping them up in a Bug Wrangler that this mom-of-three found at Toys-R-Us.

You might call it a Montanez Menagerie. Aside from

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FLEX TIME Upp e r S choo l S e n ior M oth e r - S o n B r e a k fast

01

02

At Breakfast, Moms Reign Supreme

I

t’s a secret (well, not-so-secret) tradition. Seniors were called in at 7 a.m. on February 12 for a “meeting” and instead found

their mothers waiting to join them

04

for breakfast. Each mom had made a framed collage for her son of photos from the early years of his life. In turn, sons honored their mothers by serving the meal and then joined

03

them for the repast.

The result? A morning of laughs,

smiles, and celebration of all that the boys and their mothers have done

05

together through the years to make the most of the ’Wick experience — over easy, sunny side up, and in every other way.

01 Mothers and their senior sons share

breakfast in Valentine’s Day fashion in the Upper School dining hall.

02 Jonathan Mills ’13 with mother, Chensun 03 Gabriel Paternina ’13 with mother, Ana 04 Tommy Rosenkranz ’13

and mother, Lauren 05 John Davis ’13 with mother, Noeline 06 Jack Weinberg ’13 and mother, Amy 06 Each mom made a framed collage for

her son of photos from early years of his life.

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

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07

Seven Perspectives on Rowing After Brunswick

They’re part of an elite group. Seven young Brunswick alumni, all of whom distinguished themselves as members of the School’s rowing team, have graduated to join a selection of the nation’s most competitive and prestigious college and university crews. Three Brunswick grads have gone on to captain their respective teams at Cornell, Georgetown, and Bates. John Martin, assistant rowing coach and Upper School English teacher, asked these recent graduates to talk about their college rowing experiences, their memories of Brunswick crew, and the traditions that help to maintain the excellence of their undergraduate teams.

By John Martin

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TAYLOR BLACK ’09 Cornell University ’13

Being part of the Cornell rowing tradition has been an amazing experience. As a Cornell rower, I truly

For the complete interview with Taylor, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

crosses the Ithaca City line, we sing the Cornell Crew Song as a team. Little traditions like this one make rowing at Cornell special.

feel as though I’m part of something bigger than my individual success as well as my boat’s success; I’m a representative of a lightweight rowing team with over 90 years of tradition.

This history provides additional motivation that fuels our

team each year as we strive to add to the eight Ivy League Championships and the four IRA National Championships that have been won throughout the program’s history.

One of my favorite traditions has been in place for over 30

years. Whenever we return from an away race, as soon as the bus

PETER HALEY ’09 Bates College ’13

“

It has been a great experience being part of such a fast crew. After losing to Trinity at New England’s last year, we

We have been getting faster every year and I can’t wait to see how fast we can go next spring.

LAWRENCE LOPEZ ’10 Yale University ’14

For the complete interview with Peter, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

were really disappointed, but beating them for the first time since Bates joined the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference was incredible.

The team was pretty small when I first arrived and we could barely fill up two eights. We lost most of the first boat that year which forced the sophomores and freshmen to step up.

The team really responded and we had a great year and didn’t lose anyone. We carried that momentum into this past year and were able to have Bates’s best finish ever.

We lost three strong senior rowers, but have 13 strong freshmen coming in, which is the largest recruiting class ever. We have been getting faster every year and I can’t wait to see how fast we can go this spring.

For the complete interview with Lawrence, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Rowing at Yale has been a lot of fun thus far. This past year, we had a small squad made up of a devoted, hardworking group of guys who shared the common goal of winning. We’re very close and it’s always fun to be around the team.

This program is the oldest collegiate sports team in the nation and there’s a lot of tradition that we encounter, such as the YaleHarvard regatta (147 years). It’s great to be able to be a part of such a long history.

Coach Gladstone has been great: He’s everything the team needs as we look to continue to rise in the ranks of national rowing.

He has a deep passion for the sport and relays that passion in the way he motivates us and pushes us to become faster every day.

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

One of the things I appreciate most about Coach Gladstone is that he has a genuine respect for every individual on the team.

ØIVIND LORENTZEN ’09

For the complete interview with Øivind, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Stanford University ’13

Stanford prides itself on its strong academic and athletic culture. Rowing at Stanford lets me participate in

“

both these cultures and allows me to take full advantage of my college experience.

Although the time commitment is large, it adds structure, productivity and a huge stress release to my academics and day-today college life. Though it sounds like a cliché, the most valuable part of rowing at Stanford is the team culture and environment we collectively create.

Our team prides itself on being small compared to other DI rowing programs. Our small team holds each member accountable for success and facilitates the building of life-long relationships by pushing each other hard early every morning and every afternoon toward the same goal.

Because we, along with all other collegiate rowing programs, spend an incredible amount of time training compared to the time racing, it would be irrational for anyone to row for only the enjoyment of racing and not also for the enjoyment of day-to-day practices.

Although the time commitment is large, it adds structure, productivity and a huge stress release to my academics and day-to-day college life.

HANK SCHLESS ’10

For the complete interview with Hank, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Bates College ’14

When I was looking at Bates, the potential of being part of this rapidly improving program was attractive to me. Over the last two years, the work ethic in the off-season has been characterized by a combination of hard work and the desire to win.

That mentality carries over to the water once the season begins and pays off as we improve throughout the season, right up until championship racing. It’s very cool to watch this program grow into a powerhouse, and being a central part of that makes it all the better.

Last year was the best ever for the Bates men. This year is looking even more positive. It really is amazing what can be accomplished with the right mentality and leadership.

Also Among the Elite

Several other recent Brunswick alumni also row at top colleges and universities.

Michael Chronert ’12 University of Notre Dame

Max Heiden ’12 University of Pennsylvania

Mac Singer ’12 Princeton University

Ed Williams ’09 University of California/Berkeley

Peter Costas ’07 University of Virginia

Graham Miller ’12 Georgetown University

Dylan Troy ’12 Cornell University

Jack Williams ’12 Trinity College

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CHAN MAHANEY ’09

For the complete interview with Chan, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Georgetown University ’13

“

Spending all day training and hanging out with your teammates gets you really excited about spring racing.

We’re a really tightly knit team, so winter training trips are definitely some of the best things about rowing at Georgetown. Spending all day training and hanging out with your teammates gets you really excited about spring racing.

In terms of actual racing, winning our Princeton/Columbia race

last year and bringing the Fosburgh Cup to the Hilltop for the first time since its inception in 2005 was incredible.

It was my first big win in college and with great execution of

our race plan, we were able to come back from being down half a boat length to press through #2 ranked Princeton.

I’ve always dreamt about being an Olympic athlete, so a long-

term goal of mine is to make the 2016 Olympic Lightweight Four and race for the USA in Rio. Right now, I’m training for the U23 National Team and hope to make the Senior US National team upon graduation in 2013.

TURNER SMITH ’09

For the complete interview with Turner, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Princeton University ’13

Rowing at Brunswick was an incredibly valuable experience. I became interested in the sport because my cousins (Will Carroll ’03 and Graham Carroll ’05) were on the team. I quickly learned that the sport requires a major time commitment. As a result, crew taught me to budget my time and successfully manage my academics and social life, which has proved a valuable lesson for my time at Princeton.

I was never the best athlete in middle school, but when I

picked up crew during freshman year at Brunswick I found it to be a sport that rewards hard work rather than pure talent. Moreover, rowing taught me life lessons and showed me how far I was willing to push and dedicate myself.

Joe Falco and John Martin were influential as coaches, role

models and mentors during my time at Brunswick. I will also always value the friendships of my Brunswick teammates, and it’s been fun having the opportunity to race against them now in college.

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

FLEX TIME Upp e r S choo l : C l ass of 2 0 0 5 S p e a k e r S e ri e s

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

Eric Greitens, founder and CEO of The Mission Continues, addressed Upper School students in March.

‘An Untapped Capacity for Courage’

“IT

By Courtney Kennedy

takes courage to be who you

how international humanitarian organizations

are, to fulfill your own potential and be of

can best serve war-affected children.

service to others,” Eric Greitens, founder

and CEO of The Mission Continues, told

witnessed children willing to stand up, face life with

Upper School students in March. “Every one of us has

Amidst pain, suffering and loneliness, Eric

courage, and begin to live their lives again as if they

an untapped capacity for courage.”

were whole because, he said, “the mission continues.”

Eric’s experience with children as they faced and

The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit

organization, challenges veterans to serve and inspire,

overcame exceptional adversity fueled his trust in the

out of uniform, in communities across America.

strength and power of the human spirit. That abiding

Greitens, named one of the world’s most inspirational

trust helped guide Greitens through Navy SEAL train-

people in Time magazine’s April 29 issue, visited

ing, four deployments in the Global War on Terrorism

Brunswick’s Upper School to take part in the Class of

and, later, to founding The Mission Continues.

2005 Speaker Series.

Eric’s remarks sparked a fire: The boys seemed to

receptive and open to the challenge,” Greitens said.

hang on his every word, not only because his stories

“In order to make a change in life, you have to be

“You have to have humility.”

about war and Navy SEAL training sounded like a

In 2007, after returning from his last tour in Iraq,

Steven Spielberg movie script, but also because he

Eric, along with two other service members, used his

spoke of worldly truth in our volatile world.

combat pay to found The Mission

Continues. Since his return, he

Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Eric was an Angier

B. Duke Scholar at Duke University and a Rhodes

has also authored three books:

and Truman Scholar. He attended The University of

Strength and Compassion; The

Oxford between 1996 and 2000, where he received

Heart and the Fist: The Making of

“ In order to make a change in life you have to be receptive and open to the challenge,” Greitens said. “You have to have humility.”

his Master’s degree and D.Phil. In completing his

a Humanitarian and a Navy Seal; and The Warrior’s

education, Eric worked as a humanitarian volunteer,

Heart: The Making of a Man of Compassion and Courage.

documentary photographer, and researcher in Rwanda,

Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, Bosnia, and Bolivia.

students sought an opportunity to shake Eric’s hand, thank-

His doctoral thesis, entitled Children First, investigated

After he concluded his remarks, more than half of the

ing him for coming to speak and for his courage and honor, both abroad and at home as “the mission continues.”

B

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29

Courage A The a t r i cal A d v e n t u r e

S t u d e n t s U n i t e t o T a c k l e B r o a d w a y ’ s Tou g h e s t M us i c a l

Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd Cold-blooded and brilliant, Sweeney Todd came to Baker Theater’s stage in February, thanks to the hard work of dozens of ’Wick and GA thespians, a team of dedicated staff, and alums who returned to campus to help. B y Ka t h e r i n e O g d e n

Ali Coopersmith ’13 garnered the lead in Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” the musical tale of a 19th-century man who sought revenge for an old wrong by murdering customers as they sat in his barber chair.

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times of Brunswick • SPRING Spring 2013

IT

has been called the Moby Dick

Even chorus members are asked to deliver incredibly

of musicals. Just like the 19th century

difficult performances.

masterpiece, Stephen Sondheim’s

Sweeney Todd is revenge-driven, violent,

and theater teacher Seth Potter said. “Nobody here

“This is not a chorus to hide behind,” Director

complicated, destructive, and most especially, just

is hiding.”

plain difficult.

dark tale — corruption, revenge, murder, rape, and

But while the Melville tome stands out among

Considering the undertones that run through this

distinctive, dark tracts, Sweeney Todd only adds a

even cannibalism — the notes that Sondheim has hit

fabric of dissonance and complexity to the long-told

for Sweeney Todd might begin to look logical. But that

and challenging tale of a man driven to his death by

doesn’t make staging this piece easy — not at all.

a his own, vengeful spirit.

And that well-woven layer is, of course, musical.

Judge Turpine, a magistrate who takes advantage of

A Tony Award-winning play that debuted in 1979,

his position to exile Sweeney Todd and rape his wife.

“It was hard,” says Dan Hughes ’14, who played

Sweeney Todd is a musical tale of a demon barber

who murders his clients by slitting their throats and

he waited backstage before his final performance.

then allowing a neighboring shopkeeper to turn their

“Everything’s atonal. We don’t get a major chord

corpses into meat pies.

until the end of the first act.”

On a Tetris-like set constructed of 15 moving parts (top, left to right) Daniel Hughes ’14, Willy Fein ’13, Ali Coopersmith, and Sammy Mehra ’13 and (bottom, center) Lexi Seidel (GA ’14) played out the macabre musical tale of “something not very nice.”

And it’s all set to music that often seems to fight

with itself.

Think crazy Ahab, singing.

Sure, it’s weird, gruesome, and funny in a macabre

sort of way. In one Sweeney Todd number first made famous by actress Angela Lansbury, the audience chuckles as the actors sing playfully about making people into pies.

“Sondheim’s plays are weird,” Hughes mused as

But it’s also hard. There are key changes and

sudden meter changes, not to mention vocal parts that demand an almost operatic control of voice.

“He shaved the faces of gentlemen, who never thereafter were heard of again.”

John LaBossiere ’13 played Beadle Bamford, one of Sweeney Todd’s primary targets. Having had his throat cut, LaBossiere’s character slides toward the basement of the shop, where Todd’s accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, turns victims into meat pies.

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31

Courage A The a t r i cal A d v e n t u r e

Alex Montinaro ’15 was part of a chorus that transformed itself to perform several different roles as the play unfolded.

Thespian Caroline Powers (GA’13) played Sweeney

the ensemble as it worked to portray characters whose

Todd’s daughter, Johanna. Her task was to sing the

world was quickly coming undone.

especially tricky number “Kiss Me” — a fast, back-

Each cast member got his or her own unique

and-forth duet that demands the actors continually

costume, and the make-up crew worked especially

interrupt each other.

hard as they pasted faces with layers of pale, gaunt-

looking foundation.

“No high school does this show,” she told the

audience in Baker Theater as she thanked Potter for

the hundreds of hours he poured into this project.

progressively ghastly as the show went on.

The makeup, Redmond said, made the actors look

Powers explained backstage, after the show:

“It’s gross,” she admitted. “It’s gruesome.”

“Even the harmonies,” she said, “don’t sound right

Fittingly, even the set proved to be a complex

to your ear.”

puzzle for the 20-or-so crew members tasked with

creating the 19th-century Fleet Street shops where

“It doesn’t make sense melodically,” she said. “It was

crazy to learn. It was crazy to stage. It was crazy hard.”

“His skin was pale and his eye was odd.”

“He served a dark and a vengeful God.”

It was also dark, Powers noted. “But it’s so fun and

Todd and his cohorts spiral into insanity.

A Tetris-like collection of 15 moving parts, the

set included pieces of metal scaffolding that could be swiftly reconfigured into 20 different looks throughout the show.

Despite the complexities, Sweeney Todd hit the

stage successfully, running for three evening shows and a matinee before taking a final curtain call on March 2.

Overall, the show was the result of hundreds and

hundreds of hours of work on the part of almost 50 cast and crew, along with a production crew that included Potter, Art Department Chair Andrew Hall,

so satifying once you get it,” she said.

and Musical Director Alexander Constantine.

But if the music made no sense in this show,

But if the production of Sweeney Todd was a lesson

costumes for the roughly 32-member company did, all

in the rewards of hard and collaborative work, it also

thanks Costume Designer Abby Redmond and her crew.

proved to be a draw for the wider ’Wick community.

Redmond and her team of makeup artists supported

A total of 13 alums returned to campus to take

Playing inmates in an insane asylum, (left to right) Olivia Rovelli (GA ’13), Claudia Portugal (GA ’16), Addison Albano ’15, Sara Gold (GA ’16), Paige Harty (GA ’16), and Alex Montinaro ’15 wrapped themselves in sheets.

32

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Alex Prout ’15 took center stage as the cast assembled and introduced

audience members to the tale of Sweeney Todd. A play within a play, “Sweeney Todd” subsequently ends as it began, with actors rising to ask listeners, “Isn’t that Sweeney there beside you?”

part in the show, arriving just a few hours before

curtain to learn their ensemble roles and quickly put

City, Ghaffari remains impressed with ’Wick

a costume together.

students who add theater to their already

demanding schedules.

Returning ’Wick alums included: Jamie Biondi ’08,

After acting at Princeton and in New York

Jack Carter ’09, Ben Epstein ’07, Chris Ghaffari ’08,

Ben Prout ’11, Kyle Radler ’09 (whose brother, Keith

Brunswick day, from coursework to clubs

“There is so much going on in the typical

’15 was also part of the ensemble) Robbie Rovelli ’12,

and charities to athletics to the arts,” he said.

and Ray Tierney ’12.

New York pursuing an acting career that took root at Brunswick seven years ago. It was 2006 and Ghaffari was a ’Wick sophomore drawn to the theater by the enthusiasm of a newly minted drama teacher, Seth Potter, whose Brunswick directorial debut featured a show in a very different genre: Pippin.

That production was staged at GA. Since then,

’Wick theater has seen a lot of changes. Back in 2006, Baker Theater was nothing but a notion. It was not until 2008 that the new ’Wick arts center opened with a state-of-the-art theater, a costume shop, scene shop, a black box theater, and music and art classrooms.

Today, ’Wick theater offers more than just amazing

facilities. The successful production of Sweeney Todd demonstrates that the school has the people, energy, and intellectual acuity needed to stage powerful, technically challenging shows.

Chris Ghaffari ’08

A recent graduate of Princeton, Ghaffari is now in

In an interview with the ’Wick Alumni News,

Ghaffari said returning to campus gave him the chance to see the “amazing strides” the Brunswick theater program has made.

‘Everyone Does It, But Seldom As Well...’

When revenge is the sport, Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics both secure and pronounce Sweeney’s triumph.

Returning alumnus and recent Princeton graduate Chris Ghaffari ’08 said he was especially honored to participate in the respected, lesson-rich musical that is Sweeney Todd.

“Sweeney is one of the great musical

triumphs of all time,” he said. “The music, the images, the story — it’s all brilliant.

And, it’s absolutely perfect for Potter.”

Potter, Ghaffari said, brings a “boundless energy and joy” to the school

each day, and those gifts were especially valuable as the school tackled the comprehensive show.

“Sweeney, with its dark, vicious, absurd circumstances, is the ideal showcase for

Mr. Potter’s genius and the talents of Brunswick and GA performers,” Ghaffari said.

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33

Courage A The a t r i cal A d v e n t u r e

“Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle, Sweeney would wink, and rats would scuttle.”

interdisciplinary approach to theater is critical for learning the essence of collaborative work. Like team sports, theater doesn’t succeed through the effort of an individual,” he said.

For Potter, the alums who returned for this show

served as reminder to him that time is passing. When Ghaffari performed in Pippin, Potter was a single man with a lot of time to devote to a growing theater program at ’Wick.

Now, Potter is married with two babies. And though he must manage his theater time more

To sneak a peek of behind-thecurtains photos and more photos of the Sweeny Todd performance, visit: bwick.org/tob_spring2013

“And yet, students are able to take on really tough work

carefully, his passion for theater arts and all its

on stage with enthusiasm, patience, and joy.”

rewards remains unchanged.

He continued: “I’m impressed with the level of

“It’s worth it,” Potter mused after the last show

participation that seems to have taken hold in the

was put to bed and he looked toward being home

school. Students are learning many different lines

to put his own children to bed, for a change.

of work in theater: acting, designing, or working

in production and technical capacities. This

“They meet us there.”

“If we work hard, the kids will, too,” he said.

B

Behind the scenes When revenge is the sport, Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics both secure and pronounce Sweeney’s triumph.

01 I n the off-stage darkness, Alex Prout ’15 readied himself to

wander into the murky set, representing the Fleet Street area of 19th-century London.

02 B efore their transformation into the frightening and macabre

citizens of London Town, Olivia Rovelli (GA ’13) and Carley Risman (GA ’13) shared a light-hearted moment backstage.

03 H air and make-up/tech teams relaxed for a moment as

the curtain went up on “Sweeney Todd,” having outdone themselves in turning actors into a grim and foreboding crew determined to tell the vengeful tale of “Sweeney Todd.”

04 A ddison Albano ’15 (right) stepped into an iPhone photo

with a duo of ghoulishly made-up cast members.

01

02

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

03

04

TAKING A BOW “Sweeney Todd� cast members reap the rewards of months of hard work as they join hands for a curtain call, receiving a standing ovation from a grateful audience in Baker Theater.

www. br u n swickschoo l . org

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FLEX TIME M idd l e S choo l : F ath e r / S o n B r e a k fast & S ci e n c e F air

Waffles, Bacon, Eggs & Exploration

F

01

02

or 5th- and 6th-grade students and their dads, it’s an annual event. In March, fathers and sons gather at the Middle

School for a hearty breakfast of waffles,

eggs, bacon, and fruit and then venture to the auditorium to inspect more than 130 student science exhibits. This year’s investigations ranged far and wide, from psychology to physics to the chemistry of glue, and beyond. The science projects were

03

04

05

06

overseen by 5th-grade science teacher Matt DuCharme and 6th-grade teacher Sonia Schott, an engineer with years of laboratory experience herself. They led students through the myriad of inquiries that culminated in the fascinating assembly of presentations.

01 Graham Rogozinski ’20 and dad, Ken 02 Christian Ronda ’19 03 Will Sands ’19 and dad, Geoff 04 Harold Barringer ’19, Andy McBurney ’19

and dads 05 Tom Richter ’19 (front)

and Eric Axilrod ’19 06 Jonathan Wiener ’19

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

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Petey Briggs ’13

Hard Work. Camaraderie. Inspiration.

and A National Championship.

WINTER Sports

Wrapup

’Wick athletes have much to be proud of as they look back on the 2012-13 winter sports season. The wrestling squad

consistently dominated the mats and outlasted Greenwich High School for the Town Crown. The Bruin hoopsters, who relied on team chemistry and camaraderie, made a run at the FAA title. Brunswick swimmers set a handful of pool records and personal bests on their way to an impressive inaugural campaign.

Tommy Dunleavy ’15

On the ice, the hockey team earned unprecedented wins over top

New England competition. Fencers exceeded expectations in what was originally deemed a rebuilding year.

And finally, not to be outdone, the squash team took home the

national championship for the first time in school history.

With all of the individual and team successes, it’s difficult to determine

which of the six varsity teams shined above the rest.

They did, however, all share one commonality: Each time they donned

a Brown and Gold uniform, they made Brunswick proud through their commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and excellence.

By Michae l Ke nne dy ’99 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

w w w . br u n sw i c ksc h ool . o rg

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Grant Pierce ’15

James Granruth ’15

Swimming A Noble Inaugural Season

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Nelson Vargas ’16

Brunswick’s inaugural swim team

Alex Prout ’15, and Pat Stefanou ’16,

Championships. Eric Ronda ’13,

made its school proud, as the group

they consistently swam faster

who brought a wealth of experience

of 30 young men competed nobly

times and pushed their competitors

to the team this year and will

each time it dove into the pool at

to the limit.

continue his career at Harvard,

the Greenwich YMCA.

established a new Division I meet

at Hopkins in late February,

record in the 100 Breaststroke and

season’s focal point. Instead,

Brunswick finished tenth out

earned All-America status.

coaches Eric Tillman and Elizabeth

of twelve teams. All swimmers

Laidlaw concentrated on improving

participated, most of whom

Profaci had worthy performances

times, strokes, and conditioning

improved on their personal best

as well, deserving recognition for

with each new practice and meet.

times to secure the respectable

their unselfish commitment to such

By year’s end, all involved could

result against a host of far more

a young team.

accurately claim that the team

experienced swimming programs.

exceeded expectations and set a

Brunswick swimmers. With the

foundation on which it can build

the other coaches at the event was

majority returning next winter, the

when Brunswick returns to the pool

that Brunswick is well on its way

Bruins will seek further success.

in November.

to building a formidable aquatics

In the final season before a state-

squad,” Coach Tillman reported.

of-the-art natatorium opens on

meets at Canterbury, Kent, Hamden

King Street in the fall of 2014, the

Hall, Cheshire, and Hopkins. Led

Brunswick swimmers travelled

Brown and Gold appear primed

by tri-captains Sander Profaci ’13,

to Deerfield for the New England

to do just that.

Wins and losses weren’t the

The Bruins hit the road for

At the Bud Erich Championship

“The overall sentiment from

To conclude the season, nine

Fellow seniors Ian Ronda and

It’s onward and upward for the

B

Johnny Erdman ’13

WINTER Sports

Wrapup

Soccer Wrestling

Owen Schubert ’14

Team Depth, Outstanding Accomplishments Led by the experienced coaching

State champions from Avon. Soon

all participants as the Battle for the

staff of Tim Ostrye, Bob Benjamin,

thereafter, however, injuries and ill-

Town Crown. Brunswick emerged

Bruins advanced deep into their re-

John Martin, and Neil Minsky, the

ness began taking their toll: before

with a 38-33 victory in a wild, back-

spective draws, while five Brunswick

wrestling squad posted an impres-

the end of the month, the team had

and-forth match that featured five

wrestlers went on to earn All-New

sive record of 22-2, with dual-meet

dropped a pair of matches.

lead changes, a double-overtime

England laurels: Jack Jones ’15 (5th

wins over top-10 NEISWA teams

bout, a tough injury, and high quality

@ 106 lbs.), Schubert (6th @ 126

Avon Old Farms, Suffield, Loomis-

the eight-team Loomis Chaffee

wrestling from both teams.

lbs.), Bell (5th @ 132 lbs.), Willy

Chaffee, and Choate.

Holiday Duals against Northfield

Rosato ’13 (8th @ 220 lbs.), and

Mount Hermon—the eventual New

Connor Kupersmith ’13, and Jimmy

Nick Ulanoff ’13 (8th @ 285 lbs.).

ins’ success and paved the way to an

England champion—by a score

Bell ’14 all had successful individual

This group represented the Brown

array of outstanding accomplish-

of 36-40. No other New England

seasons; more important, they pro-

and Gold at the National Prep

ments: a 16th straight FAA Cham-

opponent challenged NMH to

vided critical leadership throughout

School Wrestling Tournament.

pionship, a Brunswick Invitational

such a tight contest. The second

the grind of the winter season.

Tournament (B.I.T.) team title, and

defeat came at the hands of a tough

Owen Schubert ’14 led Bruns-

Tim Ostrye observed: “The season

an undefeated 13-0 record against

Horace Mann team in front of a

wick in wins (32), team points, and

was one for the books, as the team

league (WNEISWA) competition.

boisterous crowd in New York.

pins. Other notables included John-

battled through adversity and re-

Although the Bruins were snowed

ny Erdman ’13, a B.I.T. champion,

ceived countless contributions from

out of their chance to capture the

Brunswick wrestlers tapped a

who fought his way to multiple

all participants. This group will be

state title, there were many other

renewed energy and focus to spur

late-match wins, and fellow seniors

remembered for its perseverance

highlights on the mats.

them on to an array of victories.

Joe Caruso ’13 and Holden Fett ’13,

and determination.”

who supplied steady leadership and

Team depth bolstered the Bru-

The team came out of the gates

The first was in the finals of

After the Christmas break,

Highlighting the list would have

Tri-captains Petey Briggs ’13,

In the post-season, a host of

As longtime, distinguished coach

The storied tradition that is

in early December with a 63-16 win

to be the dual meet in late January at

made key contributions throughout

Brunswick Wrestling now has

over the defending WNEISWA/

Greenwich High School—known to

the season.

another chapter.

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Connor Kupersmith ’13

Evan Jonokuchi ’14

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w w w . br u n sw i c ksc h ool . o rg

39

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Nick Kono ’13

Basketball Strong Camaraderie, Sights on Reclaiming the Crown On the court at Dann Gymnasium,

years, as the back-and-forth affair

the Brunswick basketball team

stretched into double overtime

earned its share of success. The

before Brunswick emerged on top.

Bruins fell just one victory short of

The Brown and Gold bowed out to

a league championship, and with

Greens Farms Academy in the FAA

a 15-10 overall record, solidified

championship tilt, 67-42.

themselves as a force in the FAA

Led by co-captains Dylan

and New England.

Wadsworth ’14 and Addison Pierce ’13, the Brunswick hoopsters developed tight team camaraderie and supported each other unconditionally, both on and off the court.

While learning a complicated

new offense, the Bruins worked hard each day at practice to

Sam Fraser ’13

improve, and by season’s end, they were recognized as a competitive, Billy O’Malley ’15

Coach Robert Taylor entered

sportsmanlike group. Coach Taylor made special note of senior Nick Kono ’13, who stepped in as

his second season behind the

a de-facto captain when fellow

Brunswick bench and led his team

classmate Pierce went down with

to a handful of notable wins.

an injury. His contributions were

critical to the team’s success.

The Bruins defeated a pair

of tough New England foes in

Deerfield and Phillips Andover

this positive momentum next season,

at the Seacoast Winter Classic

bolstered by the returns of captain-

Tournament, held at Exeter.

elects Henry Taylor ’14, the team’s

Other highlights included the

leading scorer and assist-maker, and

annual “White Out” game against

Wadsworth, its leading rebounder.

St. Luke’s, ending in a Brunswick

They, along with a host of additional

blowout, and tight triumphs over

underclassmen, have their sights set

Rye Country Day and Masters

on reclaiming the FAA crown for the

in the first two rounds of the

first time since 2010.

FAA Tournament.

team-first attitude, the 2013-2014

The playoff win against Masters

Brunswick will look to build on

With a similar work ethic and

will go down as one of the school’s

Bruins may, in fact, already have

most exciting games in recent

a leg up on the competition.

40

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

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Henry Taylor ’14

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

WINTER Sports

Wrapup

Inspiration from An Olympian

Armed with foils and protected in

brought four years of experience to

with fundamental skills.

full-body suits, Brunswick fencers

the roster, had an impressive season,

came out in full force.

losing only one bout.

learned about much more than

fencing from Mr. Bukantz. He truly

Team captain Curren Iyer ’14,

Fencing

With many new faces filling

According to captain Iyer: “We

out this year’s roster, it seemed as

an enthusiastic and positive leader

embodied the dedication that all

if 2012-13 would be a season of

throughout the season, advanced

athletes should have when striving to

rebuilding. Under the guidance of

to the 2nd Round of the highly

succeed in a sport they love. And for

Coach Kilian and Coach Turner,

competitive state tournament in

that, we could not have been more

however, the fencing team’s seven

his final year of fencing.

fortunate to be in his presence.”

members surpassed all expectations

and achieved substantial success.

ments were not the highlight of the

sum up the entire fencing season,

At the Connecticut Fencing

season. Instead, a visit from former

as a group of Brunswick athletes

Novice Tournament, sophomore

United States Olympian and fenc-

dedicated themselves to a unique

Mahesh Raman ’15 placed in the top

ing captain Jeff Bukantz provided

craft and ultimately achieved at a

16, no small feat in a pool of about

the winter’s biggest thrill.

high level.

90 participants. In addition, seventh-

grader Austin Sammons ’18, who

and assisted Brunswick fencers

But these personal accomplish-

Bukantz gave expert instruction

Iyer’s perspective may, in fact,

Therein lies the epitome of sport.

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Grant MacFaddin ’15 Curren Iyer ’13

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Austin Sammons ’18

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41

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Nick Viceconte ’13, Gryphon Richardson ’13, Charlie Better ’13

Nick Jermain ’15

This past season marked Brunswick’s

Richardson ’13, Brunswick faced its

fourth as a competitor in New

most challenging schedule to date on

merit recognition. Hal Rogers Award

a variety of roles and always did so

England Division I play. In that

the ice at Hartong Rink. New addi-

winner and five-time letterman Gry-

with the betterment of the group

short time span, Brunswick hockey

tions included former New England

phon Richardson stands at the top

in mind.

teams have achieved a myriad of

champions Belmont Hill and Hotch-

of that list, as the four-year starter

accomplishments on the ice, many

kiss, as well as formidable opponents

graduates with unofficial records in

learned from those who came before

of which account for “firsts” in the

Kimball Union and Northwood.

all major goaltending statistical cat-

them, but they will graduate having

program’s history.

egories. More important, Richardson

left their own unique stamp on the

wick had laced up the skates against

was an outspoken leader, a fiery

Brunswick program.

ers Kent and Westminster, con-

six of the top eight teams in the

competitor, and a bleeder of Bruns-

secutive playoff berths in the Large

league—no small feat for a former

wick Brown and Gold. If Brunswick

seniors and underclassmen return-

School Tournament, and a 20-win

Division II participant.

had a Hockey Hall of Fame, #29

ing next season, the future on the ice

season would all be included on the

would be a first-ballot inductee.

looks bright for the Bruins. Leading

ledger of notable successes prior to

in their results against these foes:

scorer and captain-elect Stephan

this year’s campaign.

A 4-0 shutout of then-first-ranked

steady presence on the blue line,

Seeger ’14 will enter his fourth year

Belmont Hill, a 2-2 tie versus

provided inspirational leadership

as a letterman, joined up front by

the team began tryouts in Novem-

Westminster, and tight losses at the

throughout the season and played

three-year veterans Sebbi Foster ’14,

ber, Brunswick players, along with

hands of Kimball Union, Dexter,

a passionate brand of hockey that

Nick Jermain ’15, and Tommy

Coach VanBelle, Coach Kennedy,

Kent, and Salisbury.

served as an example for all his team-

Dunleavy ’15.

and Coach Mandes, set out to build

mates to follow.

on this recent legacy. By the time

first-ever triumphs over Choate,

seniors Mark Esposito ’14 and Henry

March arrived, having played 29

Northfield-Mount Hermon, and

and Charlie Better ’13, both two-year

Hobbs ’14, along with rising junior

games and logged hundreds of miles

Upper Canada College. The team

lettermen, cemented the backend

Michael Faulkner ’15, will each carry

on the road, this year’s group had

also captured a second consecutive

with their consistent work ethic

three seasons of experience with them

certainly proved itself worthy of the

Empire Cup crown, where victories

and spirited effort. Up front, Nick

as well. The coaching staff is confi-

Brown and Gold sweater.

over Trinity-Pawling and Albany

Viceconte ’13, Harry Clifford ’13, and

dent this group will lead the way to

Victories over traditional pow-

So, with expectations high as

By season’s end, in fact, Bruns-

The Bruins’ true feat, though, lay

In addition, Brunswick earned

Hockey

Contributions of the seven seniors

Peter Khoury, a hard-nosed,

Fellow defenders Andre Masse ’13

careers, as each unselfishly embraced

These seven young men certainly

With a significant roster of rising

On the defensive end, rising

Led by senior co-captains

Academy solidified a 13-13-3 over-

Travis Buck ’13 all epitomized the

future successes when next season’s

Peter Khoury ’13 and Gryphon

all record.

meaning of the word “team” in their

first the puck drops in November.

A Season of Many Firsts

42

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Travis Buck ’13, Marc Esposito ’14, and Gryphon Richardson ’13

B

WINTER Sports

Wrapup Jarret Odrich ’15 Yousef Hindy ’15 Hayes Murphy ’14

SQUASH Daily Strides to New England and National Championships When opponents enter the Stephens

raqueters developed a mental and

Bruin significantly faltered in

Squash Center, they encounter an

physical toughness that primed them

his individual bracket, as runner-

immediate intimidation factor.

for a title run in early February.

up Belmont Hill finished only

Championship banners, plaques,

Unfortunately, they weren’t able

one point behind in the race for

and undefeated team photos align

live out their dream—at least on the

the championship.

the walls, detailing the unrivaled

court. The National Tournament

success of the most distinguished

was cancelled due to super-storm

champion Osama Khalifa (from

squash program in New England.

Nemo, but with an unblemished

Deerfield by way of Egypt), #1

regular season record of 14-0,

Hayes Murphy ’14 battled his way

lage of coaches Stephens and Boyn-

Brunswick had been seeded #1

through the consolation draw to fin-

ton, Brunswick teams make runs at

entering the weekend, and was

ish in fifth place. At the #2 position,

both the regional and national titles.

thus deemed the winner. It wasn’t

Baldock took fourth place, while

In 2012-13, the Brown and Gold

exactly the way the outcome was

both Turner and David Yacobucci ’16

took home both prestigious crowns.

envisioned, but for the first time

earned second-place points at #3

in school history, Brunswick stood

and #4, respectively.

Brunswick eyed a first-ever national

above all others in the nation.

championship when the team began

’15, and Chris Hart ’13 clinched it for

practice in November. But the Bru-

opportunity, though, to earn

Brunswick by sweeping the bottom

ins didn’t simply set that goal; they

accolades on the courts at the New

section of the ladder at #5, #6, and

took strides each day to make

England Tournament, held this year

#7. Special kudos to them for their

it a reality.

at Deerfield Academy. During the

individual New England crowns.

Year after year, under the tute-

This season was no different, as

They practiced hard, played

The Bruins did have the

After bowing out to eventual

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Jarett Odrich ’15, Yousef Hindy

course of the weekend, Brunswick

competitive challenge matches with

received clutch performances from

England Championship. A National

An undefeated record. A New

one another, and pushed each other

each member of the seven-man

Title. With these credits to its name,

to become better every time they

ladder to secure its 11th regional

one thing is certain: More space

took the courts.

title since 1996—a truly staggering

will have to be reserved on the

Led by co-captains Alex Baldock ’13

accomplishment. The team’s victory

walls to honor this special group

and Benton Turner ’13, the Bruin

wouldn’t have been possible if any

of Brunswick squash players.

B

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43

FLEX TIME A B r u n swic k S n apshot

Documentary filmmaker Matt Heineman ’01 sees his latest project picked up by CNN and aired nationwide

Curiosity Fuels His Career

But his goal to learn and to teach remains unchanged

By Katherine Ogden

F

ire without fuel loses its vigor, and fast.

That’s long been a firefighter’s axiom — deprive flames

set his sights on one of the most important of all

of fuel and stop even the most stubborn of fires.

professions: teaching.

Such was the case in 1949, when a huge wildfire

Fresh out of Dartmouth, Heineman had originally

Eager to take his place on the front lines of the achieve-

claimed the lives of 13 smokejumpers in a remote region of

ment gap, he applied to Teach for America and anticipated

Montana: One man survived the conflagration by inventing

a post in one of the poorest schools in the nation.

and then setting his very own “escape fire.”

motion the work he is doing now and, for that, Heineman

With no place to flee and flames racing up behind, this

But Heineman was rejected. It was a blow, but it set in

survivor set fire to a patch of earth before him and watched

is grateful.

as the blaze raced up hill. Then, he stepped into his own,

homemade stretch of scorched earth, safely letting the tow-

ing ’Wick’s own Matt Wiggins ’02, launched the Young

ering and voracious flames behind him sear and pass around

Americans Project. The friends traveled around the country

the refuge.

in an RV, interviewing young people about what it’s like to

be young in America today.

It’s a narrative that gained traction in the healthcare

At a loss for what to do next, he and two friends, includ-

debate more than a decade ago, when a prominent doctor

gave a speech that likened the state of American health care

mentary produced and directed by Heineman,

to that huge Montana fire.

which premiered on the Documentary Channel in 2011

and simultaneously on several digital platforms.

Now, one of Brunswick’s own has carried the story into

Their journey resulted in “Our Time” — a feature docu-

the new century, directing and producing a documentary

film detailing the human side of the healthcare crisis while

HBO on the groundbreaking, Emmy-nominated HBO series,

suggesting that innovative solutions are needed.

“The Alzheimer’s Project,” which aired in May 2009.

“Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare,”

Heineman also collaborated for two years with a team at

A history major, Heineman calls his early work “guerilla

directed and produced by Matt Heineman ’01 and Susan

filmmaking.” Self-taught, he picked up skills in camera work,

Froemke, premiered at Sundance last year and was picked

editing, and more as he went along, but he traces the funda-

up by CNN Films this spring.

mentals of his success right back to his days at Brunswick.

The cable giant aired the film twice to a nationwide

Brunswick, he says, taught him how to think.

audience on March 10, followed by a roundtable discussion

“It really taught me to be curious,” he said. “It’s curiosity

with Sanjay Gupta, M.D., CNN chief medical correspondent.

about the world, curiosity about myself. Brunswick also

taught me to be analytical. It taught me to take chances.

For Heineman, such success is only the latest milestone

in a career that swerved off track early but ultimately landed

If I didn’t feel the confidence to take chances, none of this

him behind a camera and a microphone, seeking out the

would have happened.”

stories for a string of successful documentary films.

“If you end up with the story you started with, you

weren’t listening,” he said.

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

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Flex TIME

“ If you end up with the story you started with, you weren’t listening.”

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45

BEYOND THE BOOKS

n e ws a n d n ot e worthy e v e n ts

ABOVE LEFT Left to right: Chris Ghaffari

’08, Jamie Biondi ’08, Upper School theater and English teacher Seth Potter, John LaBossiere ’13, Upper School English Chair Brendan Gilsenan, and Upper School English teacher Brian Freeman.

ABOVE RIGHT Willy Fein ’13, John

LaBossiere ’13, Lauren Eames (GA ’13).

Shakespeare Project: ‘An Ode to Character’ Where character is so central to education, it’s no

surprise that Shakespeare is a hub of the Upper School

Shakespeare’s characters are so compelling because

English curriculum, culminating in the senior year.

they are so human, so much like us. Ghaffari observed:

Nascent professional actors Jamie Biondi ’08 and

“How someone chooses to speak informs his identity.

Chris Ghaffari ’08 returned to campus in March at the

Our actions become who we are.”

invitation of theater teacher and director Seth Potter,

and tarried long enough to make their mark on this

debate, as John LaBossiere ’13 showed, performing

year’s senior Shakespeare project.

Launcelot Gobbo’s “conscience/fiend” monologue from

The Merchant of Venice.

Playing the roles of a bickering Hamlet and

and deliberately cut English Department Chairman

teacher Brian Freeman’s rendition of King Lear’s

Brendan Gilsenan short as he began remarks to an

“storm” speech seemed to confirm.

Upper School assembly.

students from the audience volunteered first to

After all, what better proof of the immediacy and

Sometimes, we may never figure it out, as English

The crowd on stage grew thick and frenzied as

power of Shakespeare than his words themselves?

improvise and then to take part as guests and ghosts

to torment MacBeth at his own banquet table.

“Nowhere else is the text a stronger determinant

of character,” Biondi said, noting that entire

Shakespearean characters must be drawn largely from

understanding,” Ghaffari said. “The flexibility of the

what they say.

text creates imaginative space to fill.”

Biondi called the plays “an ode to character” and, at

said, “all the baggage we’ve accrued in our lives comes into the performance with us.”

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

Often, that’s the subject of internal conflict and

Laertes, the pair barged onto Baker Theater’s stage

the same time, “central to our character.” As actors, he

46

Revealed only by their words and actions,

Shakespeare challenges the “process of

And, in that imaginative space, “conscience can

become the theater.”

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BEYOND the BOOKS

Summer in Annapolis A ’Wick grappler will join a select group of the country’s rising seniors for a unique immersion experience at the U.S. Naval Academy this summer.

Jimmy Bell ’14 has been invited to attend the

Academy’s Summer Seminar at the historic Navy yard in Annapolis, Md.

He’ll spend a fast-paced week there learning about

life at the Naval Academy — an institution where aca-

“I’m very excited to spend five days with other young men and women who are considering the Naval Academy.”

demics, athletics, and professional training combine to develop uniquely American leaders.

Bell said he has been

considering a military career since he was a small boy, and he began to think seriously about the Navy two years ago after attending a Navy SEAL wrestling camp.

“Although that was one of the hardest things I’ve

ever done,” he said, “it was a very fulfilling experience.”

The Academy seminar promises to be equally

intense. The experience requires a 0530 wakeup call each day for a workout before breakfast, followed by a full roster of workshops, seamanship classes, military drills and more — one of the most popular evening events is a mock “plebe indoctrination” session.

The day rounds down at 2300 with a rendition of

Taps, a full 18 hours after its beginning, but Bell has already demonstrated he is up to the challenge.

This year, as tri-captain of the Bruins wrestling

squad, Bell this year helped ’Wick add to its already proud grappling tradition. The squad posted an impressive record of 22-2 with dual meet wins over top-ten NEISWA teams, including Avon Old Farms, Suffield, Loomis Chaffee, and Choate.

Under Bell’s leadership, Brunswick also captured its 16th straight FAA Championship, won the 38th Annual Brunswick Invitational Tournament by 121 points, and went an undefeated 13-0 against league (NEISWA) competition.

Clearly a budding leader in his own right, Bell said

he jumped at the chance to soak in the famous USNA Yard first hand — a place that, like Brunswick, seeks to instill the highest ideals of American life while developing young people of character.

“The day the application went up online, I

applied,” he said, adding: “I’m very excited to spend five days with other young men and women who are considering the Naval Academy.”

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Jimmy Bell ’14

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47

BEYOND the BOOKS

Oliver McGovern ’21 holds his artwork, one of a rotating selection of creations picked for display in the Lower School’s Illustrator’s Frame.

Art is as important as words. It’s hugely important to bringing words into your head.

‘Illustrator’s Frame’ Lets Pictures Do Some Talking Lower School Librarian Joan Michie wants to ensure

not an assignment by any means. Here, it’s inclination

that the headlong rush into reading doesn’t overlook

alone that leads the way.

some of the simple, artistic joys along the way.

of the frame, adding: “Art is as important as words. It’s

Pictures — so important the development of lan-

guage and of reading — are the perfect place to take a

hugely important to bringing words into your head.”

pause, she says.

Each month or so, Lower School boys submit their

work to Michie, and one picture is selected for display.

To encourage that moment, Michie has designated

a special Illustrator’s Frame at the Lower School library

One recent honoree was Oliver McGovern ’21.

to recognize ’Wick boys who show an artistic sensibility.

McGovern is a ’Wick fourth-grader with a penchant

for a certain cartoon cat, and his illustration told the

The frame, she says, recognizes “the kid who is sit-

ting there, drawing his way through life.”

story of that famous creature captivated by his own

daydream filled with junk food.

Michie says the Frame serves as an invitation to

fourth graders to try their hand at illustration, and it’s

48

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

“It has a kind of special spot to stand in,” Michie says

“The humor in it,” Michie says, “is just delightful.”

B

BEYOND the BOOKS

Surviving midterms

Chillin’, video games, and ‘small parts of heaven’

By Charlie Cassoli ’15

During the two-week period of midterm exams, students study for hours on end in order to prepare for tests and various assessments

During this intense time, many students focus themselves on

study breaks. Once completed, the torturous week is drowned out by favorite experiences and activities.

Patrick Adamo ’15 knows what he enjoys most about the weekend

after exams. “After a long week of studying, I think most students will agree that the best thing to do is sleep,” he replied with a smile.

For Kirk Meyer ’15, “the weekend after exams, video games are

the way to go.” Kirk’s response seemed to be popular throughout the student body. “And nothing breaks the tedious study hours like some country music,” he added.

Many others favor spending some time outside and getting back

into the usual swing of sports and athletics. Brandon Johnston ’14 prefers “playing basketball and spending some time chillin’ and hanging out.”

TOP Nicholas Rinaldi ’22 joins a Freestyle troup member in an improvisatory sketch.

BELOW Enjoying Freestyle’s visit are, left to right, Parker Russell ’21,

Carter Bagaria ’24, George West ’21, Andres Cevallos ’21, Gabriel Lopez ’24, and Zane Saad ’24.

As for a more immediate approach, “study breaks” are small

periods in-between schoolwork that allow students to enjoy some down time.

Jesse Tswamuno ’16 described his study breaks as “small parts

A Freestyle Approach to Learning

of heaven in a very long week.”

Members of New York City’s Freestyle Repertory Theater

visited Brunswick’s Lower School in March to introduce

While studying it is important, Jesse said it’s equally important

to schedule time for your brain to recuperate from the bombardment

students to the engaging and imaginative experience

of information it receives during exam week.

of participating in improvisational theater. Since 1988,

Freestyle’s troupe has captivated students by involving

That view has been backed up scientifically. It’s also the view

of Upper School math teacher Poonam Gupta.

them in on-the-spot theatrical improvisation.

B

“Every now and then a break is necessary for a student who is

studying,” she said. “Not only do breaks allow time for sleep, play, and chilling, but they serve as goals a student can look forward to, when they are under pressure.”

B

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49

CLASSNOTES C ompi l e d by Libby Edwards

From the ARchives Can you help assist us in identifying this pyramid of Bruins alongside a ’Wick PE teacher, shown in this photo from the Brunswick School archives? If you have information, please call or email Class Notes Editor Courtney Kennedy (ckennedy@brunswickschool.org; 203-625-5864).

1981

1991

1994

Gregg Delaney and his wife, Christie, welcomed their second child, a girl, Kirby Haynes, born March 15. Kirby is named for her aunt and godmother, Kirby Williams, Gregg’s sister and a Greenwich Academy graduate, and John Haynes, an ancestor and first governor of the Connecticut Colony.

Bret Eagan and his wife, Patty, welcomed their daughter, Catherine Barrett, born August 6.

See photo 01.

James Ritman and his wife, Abby, welcomed their son, James Finn (who will be called Finn), born January 7, weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces.

See photo 05.

1982 Peter Corroon recently finished an eight-year stint as mayor of Salt Lake City. He is now working with the Ninigret Group, a local Salt Lake City real estate developer, and sits on boards of non-profit and for-profit companies. He has three children: Sophie, age 12; Peter, age 11; and James, age 10.

50

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

1993 Justin Cole and his wife, Carol, welcomed their son, Jones Peter, born January 15. Jones joins his older brothers, Wallace and Lionel, age 2. The family lives in Rhinecliff, N.Y. See photo 02.

Ryan Faherty and his wife, Carol, welcomed their daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Grace, on March 19. Maggie joins sister, Nora, age 5, and brother, Colin, age 3. See photo 03.

1997 CORRECTION: Chris Wirth and his wife, Melissa, welcomed their son, Mason Mahoney, born October 13. We incorrectly reported that the new arrival was a girl.

1999 Joe Iraci and his wife, Nicole (GA ’00) welcomed their daughter, Olivia, born February 27, weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces. See photo 04.

CLASSNOTES

Mike Zarrilli wed Kristin Porter on November 29 in Sydney, Australia. Several Brunswick and GA alums made the trip across the pond for the celebration: Andrew Zarrilli ’07, the grooms brother and best man; Alex Zarrilli (GA ’01), the groom’s sister; Greg Shenkman ’99, groomsman; Sal Taliercio ’99, groomsman; and Deakin Bell ’99.

The couple lives in Chicago, Ill. See photos 07 and 08.

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02

03

04

05

06

07

2000 Cushing Donelan and his wife, Caroline, welcomed a daughter, Genevieve West, born January 13. The couple currently lives in Venice, Calif. See photo 06.

Michael Lindholm married Yesenia Rascón on September 16 in Beaver Creek, Colo. Brunswick and GA alumni in attendance included best man Marcus Lindholm ’02, Thomas Odelfelt ’88, Christina Lynch (GA ’87), Erik Lindholm ’88, Greg de Spoelberch ’00, Brian Conologue ’00.

See photo 10.

2002 Patrick Dietz married Megan Slemenda on June 30 at the Pennsylvanian in Pittsburgh, Pa. Patrick’s ’Wick classmates, Stephan Puschel ’02 and Matt Dalio ’02 were both in attendance. The couple lives in San Francisco, Calif. See photo 09.

Jamie Peterson married Mackenzie FirerSherwood on September 22 in Milwaukee, Wis. The pair met as undergraduates at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif. Brunswick and GA alumni in attendance included the groom’s sister, Carrie Peterson (GA ’06), Leticia Frazao (GA ’03), Mary Birnbaum (GA ’02), Martin Bercetche ’02, Carter Matschullat ’02, Robin Hall ’02, Aaron Duffy ’02, Charles Lynn ’02, and Nick Judson ’02. See photo 11.

Riley Stuebe married Sarah Quick, a graduate of Convent of the Sacred Heart, on December 15 at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in New York City. The reception took place at the University Club. Brunswick alums in attendance were Riley’s two brothers Christian ’05 and Nick ’07. Also in attendance were Brunswick friends: Peer Pedersen ’05 (Sarah’s cousin), Charlie Tashijian ’05, D.L. Tashjian ’04, Chris Ward ’04, and John Woodruff ’03.

See photo 12.

08

10

01 Bret ’91 and Patty Eagan welcomed their daughter, Catherine Barrett, born August 6.

02 Justin Cole ’93 and his wife, Carol, welcomed their son, Jones Peter, on January 15.

03 Ryan Faherty ’93 and his wife, Carol, welcomed their daughter, Maggie Grace on March 19.

04 Joe Iraci ’99 and his wife, Nicole (GA ’00), welcomed their daughter, Olivia, on February 27.

05 James Ritman ’94 and his wife, Abby, welcomed their son, Finn, born January 7.

09

11

06 Cushing Donelan ’00 and his wife, Caroline, welcomed their daughter, Genevieve West, on January 13.

07 Mike Zarrilli ’99 and Kirsten

Porter on their wedding day in front of Sydney Harbor.

08 Mike Zarrilli ’99 married Kristin Porter on November 29 in Sydney, Australia. Left to right: Andrew Zarrilli ’07, Deakin Bell ’99, Alex Zarrilli (GA ’01), Mike (groom), Kristin (bride), Greg Shenkman ’99, Sal Taliercio ’99.

09 Patrick Dietz married Megan

Slemenda on June 30 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

12

Left to right: Peter Yeskey, Stephen Puschel ’02, Meghan (bride), Patrick (groom) and Matt Dalio ’02.

10 Michael Lindholm ’00 married Yesenia Rascón on September 16 in Beaver Creek, Colo. Left to right: Marcus Lindholm ’02, Thomas Odelfelt ’88, Christina Lynch (GA ’87), Erik Lindholm ’90, Greg de Spoelberch ’00, Brian Conologue ’00.

11 Jamie Peterson ’02 married Mackenzie-Firer-Sherwood on September 22 in Milwaukee, Wis. 12 Riley Stuebe ’02 married Sarah Quick on December 15 at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in New York City.

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CLASSNOTES

2003 Nick Madden married Aliza Melley on September 10, 2011 in Manchester, Vt. Brunswick alums in attendance were: (Top left to right): Will Banyard ’03, Sean Wheeler ’03, William Nix ’03, Jamie MacDonald ’03, William Sinclair ’03, Joseph Zannino ’03, Gabe Cooperman. (Bottom left to right): William Ferrer ’03, James Rehlaender ’03, Philip Carter ’03, Alex Stein ’03, Justin Korsant ’03. See photo 13 and 14.

2006 Morgan Dunnan reports that after graduating from Davidson College in 2010 and spending the last two years teaching Algebra at Raleigh Egypt High School in Memphis, Tenn. as part of Teach for America, he’s currently working at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C. teaching 10th-grade Math.

David Platter recently joined Coller Capital, based in New York, as an investment partner.

FACULTY NOTES Danny Dychkowski and his wife, Maggie, welcomed their son, Grayson Alexander, born April 25, weighing 8 pounds 8 ounces. Danny teaches Upper School science. See photo 16.

Brett Farson and his wife, Annie, welcomed their daughter, Jaquelyn Rose, on October 19, weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces. Brett teaches Middle School health and athletics. See photo 15.

IN MEMORIAM Richard B. Nye ’48, a long-time resident of Greenwich, Conn. and recently, Ludlow, Vt. died at the age of 81. Richard attended Dartmouth College where he received his BA in 1951 and his MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business in 1953. After graduating, Richard went to work with his father at Georgeson & Company in New York. Together, they helped make Georgeson one of the nation’s most well regarded proxy solicitation and investor relations firm. Under their leadership, the company played a key role in many of the largest corporate takeover battles. Father and son’s involvement with Georgeson led to their introduction to sailing when on a whim, Richard’s father bought the yacht Vanward from Lloyd Georgeson’s estate and began what would become a lifelong love of the sea. When not racing, Richard’s passion for being at sea was met while cruising off the coasts of

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

15

13 12

13 Nick Madden ’03 married Aliza Melley on September 10, 2011 in Manchester, Vt .

14 Several Brunswick alums reunited at the nuptials of Nick Madden ’03 and his bride, Aliza Melley. Top row, left to right: Will Banyard ’03,

14

Sean Wheeler ’03, William Nix ’03, Jamie MacDonald ’03, William Sinclair ’03, Joseph Zannino ’03, Gabe Cooperman. Bottom row, left to right: William Ferrer ’03, James Rehlaender ’03, Philip Carter ’03, Alex Stein ’03, Justin Korsant ’03.

Maine, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Ultimately, Richard’s love of open water shirted to power boating aboard his beloved Cap’t Ezra Nye. Richard was a proud sailor and was also delighted in mentoring junior or younger sailors and gave many their first taste of “big boat” sailing. Richard retired to Vermont in 1995 where he became active in local affairs. He served on the board of the Green Mountain College and Black River Academy Museum, and supported, among others, Vermont Public radio, the Vermont Historical Society and the Dartmouth Sailing Team. Richard is survived by his children, Jonathan H. Nye (Karin); Melinda H. Nye; Robert C. Nye (Andrea); William H. Nye (Amber); step-daughter Jennifer Leigh Taylor (Todd); nine grandchildren; his two sisters, Edith Jones and Carolyn Hawe; and his first wife Joyce Roper Nye. Richard was predeceased by his second wife, Patricia Ann Nye. William (Bill) Alexander Arnold IV ’81 died peacefully on March 19 at the age of 49 at his home in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Brunswick, Bill matriculated at Southern Methodist University, where he was student body Treasurer, and then earned an MBA at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He held a senior finance role in the 1992 Republican National Convention for George H.W. Bush’s re-election campaign and went on to a successful career on Wall Street, where he worked for Goldman Sachs, AIM Management, Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management, and Credit Suisse First Boston. He was also actively involved with the Oaklawn Foundation, a nonprofit, educational and social service fund founded in 1948 by his great-grandfather, William S. Kies. Bill is survived by his father, William A. Arnold III, and his sister Lorraine Arnold Sullivan, as well as his former wife, Lisa H. Ar-

16

15 Brett and Annie Farson welcomed their daughter, Jaquelyn Rose, on October 19.

16 Danny Dychkowski and his wife, Maggie, welcomed their son, Grayson Alexander, on April 25.

nold; with whom he maintained a close relationship.

He was predeceased by his mother, Ann Kies Arnold (a life-long resident of Greenwich); his paternal grandparents, William A. Arnold II and Eleanor Flick Arnold; his maternal grandparents, William S. Kies, Jr. and Janet Mitchell Jacobsen; and his loving stepgrandmother Lorraine Kies.

Helen R. Simpson, former Brunswick parent and member of the Board of Trustees, died on January 4 at the age of 90 in Stamford, Conn. She was born on June 13, 1922 in Philadelphia, Pa. to James and Emily Rippley and grew up in New Haven, Conn. After graduating from Connecticut College for Woman in 1944, she joined IBM Corporation in New York City. Helen was a 47 year resident of Old Greenwich and moved to the Edgehill Retirement Community in 1999, where she served on the Resident’s Council as Treasurer. Always an avid volunteer, she worked with the Greenwich Library on the Oral History Project; served on the Board of Trustees at Brunswick School, and coordinated blood drives for the American Red Cross of Greenwich, where she was awarded the prestigious Clara Barton Award in 1990. Helen was also a long time member of Riverside Yacht Club. Helen was married for 42 years to the late George H. Simpson, who passed away in 1988. She is survived by her three sons: George H. Simpson Jr. ’66 (Brenda) of Tampa, Fla.; James R. Simpson ’68 (Lynn) of Stamford, Conn., and Peter S. Simpson ’72 (Ann) of Riverside, Conn.; her five grandchildren: David J. Simpson (Jennifer), Matthew R. Simpson (Lindsay), George H. Simpson III, Devon Simpson Kelly (Greg), and Martelle Simpson; and her first great-granddaughter, Mackenzie Simpson. Her sister, Susan Polleys, predeceased her in 2012.

ALUMNI EVENTS I n W ashi n gto n , I n M idtow n , O n th e C o u rt , U n d e r th e Lights

Networking in New York The alumni networking event, held at the Yale Club in New York City on February 28, was well attended and served its purpose of connecting alumni from different decades. Alumni from 1972 to 2008 gathered to exchange contact information with the hopes of establishing business relationships going forward.

Thank you to the Alumni Association for organizing 02

such a great event. We look forward to more successful events in the future.

B

01 A midst the library stacks at the Yale Club in New York City,

Andrew Walsh ’89 and Samuel Lalanne ’99 bond over their Brunswick connection.

02 B rett Loscalzo ’04, along with Brunswick alumni from classes

spanning 1972–2008 gathered at the Networking Event at the Yale Club in New York City.

03 S ims Lansing ’06 shakes hands with fellow Brunswick alum.

01

03

Alumni Gathering in DC 01 Z ach Ruchman ’06 talks with GA graduate

at the Sequoia in Washington D.C.

Brunswick alumni gathered in Washington, D.C. on January 14 at The Sequoia. The event was hosted jointly by Brunswick, Greenwich Academy, and Greenwich Country Day School, garnering nine Bruin alumni who graduated

02 P eter Kovounas ’94

between 1972 and 2011. Alumni in attendance were Tom Coyle ’72, David Thomas ’89, Duncan Boothby ’89, Pete

03 D avid Thomas ’89 scouts out a Brunswick

Kavounas ’94, Ted Ogden ’95, Brennan Kelly ’98, Jack MacFarlane ’03, Zach Ruchman ’06, and Chris Buffone ’11.

01

B

yearbook alongside GA staff member Megan Tyre Lindemeyer (GA ’88).

02

03

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CLASSNOTES

Alumni Events

Football Under the Lights The Friday after Thanksgiving, under the lights on Cosby Field, members of the Class of 2004 took to the field for the 3rd Annual Class of 2004/05 Flag Football Classic. The event, which originated from a simple pick-up game between a few buddies, turned out to be a very competitive match between good friends — more than 20 alumni from the Class of 2004 were in attendance.

“Whether they played football at Brunswick or not, they all 01

showcased their skills,” said Jarrett Shine ’92, Head Varsity football coach, who supervised the event. “They demonstrated that 27- and 28-year-olds still possess the speed!”

The game lasted two hours and came down to the wire,

with a stop by the defensive team to pull off the victory.

This is surely a tradition that will continue for many years.

B

01 Trip Cowin, defends the ball during the Annual Class of 2004 Flag Football Classic.

02 B rett Loscalzo ’04 outruns a friend under the lights at Cosby Field.

BELOW Front row, left to right: John Rogers ’04, Sam Kies ’04, Trip Cowin (former faculty intern), Brett Loscalzo ’04, Chris Geronimos ’04.

Back row, left to right: Chris Ward ’04, friend, Danny Maloney ’04, Michael Kristoff ’04, Evan Bailey ’04, Alex Boies ’04, Scott Gourlay ’04, Charlie Wiggins ’04, Luke Bahrenburgh ’04, Kyle Petrelli ’04, Andrew Gosden ’04, Joe McMenemon ’04, friend.

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013

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times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

02

Alumni Events

Alumni vs. Varsity Basketball Game

For more photos, visit bwick.org/tob_spring2013 Jarrett Shine ’92, the coach of the alumni team,

A team of 10 alumni players tipped-off against the Varsity

Basketball team on March 2. The 2nd Annual Alumni vs.

modestly mentioned that the varsity team was missing

Varsity basketball game showcased behind-the-back passes,

two key players, with whom the game might have been

reverse layups, and a whole scope of entertaining plays.

closer. Nevertheless, the alumni took home their 2nd

straight victory.

Both teams came out ready to play and, in the first half

of play alone, there were 15 lead changes with a six-point

alumni lead at half time. The second half brought more of

could make the most shots in 30 seconds. One alumni

the same play with the alumni creating several fast break

had two opportunities to make a three-point shot to win

points to pull away with the victory.

a Brunswick chair. In the end, John Monsif ’93 sunk his

During halftime, two contestants competed to see who

second three-point shot and took home the prize.

B

01

03

01 Brett Loscalzo ’04, in white, and Timmy Murphy ’15, in brown compete in the 2nd Annual Alumni vs. Varsity Basketball game 02 The Alumni team joins together for a ‘Let’s go’ before the start of the game. Brett Loscalzo ’04, Phaeton Bolton ’06 , and Scott Caputo ’01.

03 Left to right: Brett Loscalzo ’04, Scott Caputo ’01, and John Kelly ’99.

A smart way to stay connected

to supporting and strengthening the

James F. Wasilko ’91

Brunswick’s mission for the benefit of its

Jarrett T. Shine ’92

current students and faculty by uniting,

Thomas S. Lewis ’93

informing and involving alumni and

James H. Ritman ’94

The Brunswick Alumni Association (BAA)

friends in the School’s overall objectives.

David S. Black ’95

was organized in 2010 by a group of

To join the BAA is to commit to

Nicholas E. Federici ’96

alumni who recognized the need to keep

these ideals and to commit to making

Anthony J. Calabrese ’97

peers engaged and connected to the

the BAA something we can all be proud

Christopher J. Wirth ’97

School and to each other.

of for years to come.

Shahryar Oveissi ’98

John C. Kelly ’99

The BAA’s mission is to act as the

To express interest in joining the

primary resource and active advocate for

BAA Board or in serving as a class

Justin S. Weinstein ’99

Brunswick alumni. The BAA is commit-

representative, e-mail or call Jarrett

Josyl L. Barchue ’00

ted to serving Brunswick School and the

Shine ’92 (jshine@brunswickschool.org;

Scott P. Caputo ’01

alumni community by providing a full

203-625-5864).

Paul Gojkovich ’01

spectrum of services to promote and sup-

• Set the photo size to 4x6 inches or larger, in 300 dpi.

• If photos have been taken by a professional photographer, submit hi-resolution files obtained from the photographer. Lowres files from photographers’ websites don’t reproduce well.

• Set your digital camera to the best photo setting.

• Save files as JPG. • Identify everyone, left to right, and provide a caption.

• E-mail photos as attachments to Libby Edwards at ledwards@ brunswickschool.org.

If you’d rather send a traditional print (made from a negative), we love that, too. But please send them on glossy paper.

Matte prints and prints from digital photos do not scan well.

We can’t reproduce photos from photocopies, magazines or newsprint.

Mail prints to: Libby Edwards Brunswick School Development/Alumni Office 100 Maher Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830

Matthew G. MacDonald ’02

port continuing communication between

The BAA’s board consists of

Matthew W. Gojkovich ’04

the graduates and the School itself.

alumni representing 20 classes.

Brett A. Loscalzo ’04

Geoffrey B. Knapp ’87

Zachary J. John ’05

ing and enhancing friendships among

Jonathan W. Ryckman ’88

Matthew Gormly ’07

Brunswick’s alumni and friends, and also

Jonathan P. Redmond ’89

Corey J. Dobbs ’08

The association is dedicated to foster-

DIGITAL PHOTOS We love pictures, and we like you to look good. Here are tips for providing digital photos that will look fantastic in print:

02

Brunswick Alumni Association

CLASSNOTES

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55

LAST LOOK B y D a n G riffi n

The 110th Day Photo by Jeff Konczal

56

I

times of Brunswick • Spring 2013

n recognition of Brunswick’s 110th

own photo, to make their own memory, of a fleeting

Anniversary, Lower School students, faculty, and

and special moment.”

staff marked the 110th day of the school year on

March 7 with a celebration of their own, gathering

students every day,” Konczal said. “But, on this once-

“Brunswick faculty and staff get to interact with

for birthday cake and a group picture.

in-a-lifetime occasion, the parents get to see a rare

moment of that interaction.”

Preparing for the photo, students sat on the atrium

stairs as parents looked down at the group from the

floor above.

down from above, Konczal raised his camera high,

clicked the shutter ... and hoped.

Waiting to take the official picture, photographer

So, among the proud and amazed parents looking

Jeff Konczal found himself among the happy parents

hovering in the balcony overhead.

just one story down, to take the more official perspective,

peering up at a magic staircase of cheerful faces.

“Here, I was interested in capturing a first-hand

And then, of course, he had to rush back to his job,

glimpse of what it’s like to be a parent,” Konczal said,

Step by step, they lent their smiles to one special

“so proud and amazed at how their children grow

moment in a really remarkable story.

and, as parents always do, to want to take their

On the 110th day, in the 110th year.

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Our Investment in Character. m a k e a g if t o r p l e d g e t o t h e 2 0 1 2 – 2 0 1 3 ’ W ic k A n n u a l F u n d

Time is running short!

Without your support, Brunswick couldn’t be Brunswick!

Your gift or pledge to the 2012-2013 Annual Fund makes a big difference. After all, our community’s character is shaped and grows stronger, year in and year out, through the thoughtful things we do together, each and every day.

Give or make a pledge.

Online: BrunswickSchool.org/give Mail: Return the enclosed Annual Fund giving envelope.

Pledge: Contact Krista Bruce, Annual Fund Director, . kbruce@brunswickschool.org, 203.625.5864 Alumni – Contact Jarrett Shine ’92, Director of Alumni Relations, jshine@brunswickschool.org, 203.625.5844

In advance, we thank you! We’re always grateful for your support.

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100 Maher Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Address Change Requested

Mark Your Calendars Homecoming 2013. .............. Saturday, October 26 Alumni Golf Outing.................... Friday, October 25 Fourth Annual Alumni Association Party..................... Friday, October 25 For more events and updates, please visit BrunswickSchool.Org.

Attention Alumni Parents Please notify us of your son’s current address at 800.546.9425 or Alumni@BrunswickSchool.org.

nonprofit org.

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