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Student Voice
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Mindfulness Matters
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Four Years the Champs!
35
Alumnae/i Class Notes
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Calhoun’s Mission To inspire a passion for learning through a progressive approach to education that values intellectual pursuit, creativity, diversity and community involvement.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2015—16
PA R E N T S A S S O C I AT I O N 2 0 1 5 — 1 6
Eric Potoker ’85 Chair
Steven J. Nelson Head of School
OFFICERS
VICE PRESIDENTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL
Jon Brayshaw Vice Chair
CO-PRESIDENTS
LIFE TRUSTEES
David Hawkins Rosa Sabater
Bert Pasquini Barbara Pyles
Jim Glasgow Treasurer Melissa Liberty Secretary TRUSTEES
Susan Barkey Jonathan Bauman Stefanie Bhalla Michael Conboy Lori Fleishman Dorr ‘92 David Hawkins, PA Rep Scott Hirsch ‘86 Dylan Hixon Michael Marra Bernadette Mitchell Marc Murphy Colleen Pike Blair Shaiza Rizavi Rosa Sabater, PA Rep Steven Sinatra Claudia Singleton Jay Sugarman Susan Thomson
Robert L. Beir* Eric Ryan
VICE PRESIDENTS, LOWER SCHOOL/81ST
Katie Manglis Daphne Smith-Naylor
SECRETARY & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Louise Litt HONORARY TRUSTEES
Gertrude Marden Bacon ‘34* Edwin Einbender* Constance Stern Flaum ’39* Ronald M. Foster, Jr.* Sally Goodgold* Lawrence S. Harris Mark S. Kaufmann Anne Frankenthaler Kohn ’39* Peter D. Lederer Stuart Levin* Florence Yachnin Liebman ‘38 Helena Simons Marks ’32* David C. Masket* Joan Masket Arthur S. Olick Elizabeth Parmelee* June Saltzman Schiller ‘42 Jesse I. Siegel* Mary-Ellen Greenberger Siegel ’49 Allen Swerdlick Edward S. Tishman
VICE PRESIDENTS, LOWER SCHOOL/74TH
TREASURER
Sheila Kirkwood Paul Vinger
Lynda Roca VICE PRESIDENTS, UPPER SCHOOL
Amy Edelman Chris Rothermel
THE CALHOUN SCHOOL MAIN NUMBER
ALUMNAE/I RELATIONS
212-497-6500
646-666-6450
LOWER SCHOOL/74TH
ANNUAL GIVING
212-497-6550
212-497-6579
ADMISSIONS/81ST
COMMUNICATIONS
212-497-6534
212-497-6527
ADMISSIONS/74TH
Please send changes of address, phone or email to familyupdates@calhoun.org
212-497-6575
*deceased
O N T H E COV E R
WINTER 2016
“Student voice” is central to Calhoun’s progressive approach to educating the “whole child,” one individual at a time. In fact, says MS Director Danny Isquith, “our whole curriculum is based on kids finding their voice.”
The Calhoun Chronicle is published twice each year by the Communications Office for alumnae/i, current and former parents, staff and friends. EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Beth Krieger beth.krieger@calhoun.org
Angela Fischer Michelle Raum
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE
PHOTOGRAPHERS Patricia Amador Nahuel Fanjul-Arguijo Beth Krieger Javier Seclen
Nahuel Fanjul-Arguijo nahuel.fanjul@calhoun.org ALUMNAE/I NEWS
Bart Hale ‘00 bart.hale@calhoun.org COPY EDITOR
PHOTO: BETH KRIEGER
Photo : GARY JOSEPH COHEN
EDITOR
Page 26
DESIGN
Christine Zamora ‘81, CZ Design
Amy Edelman
Cert no. XXX-XXX-XXXX
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Contents WINTER 2016
26 Features
4
44 16 20
Mindfulness Matters Student Voice
20 26
Departments VIEWPOINT
by Steve Nelson
SCHOOL NEWS
3
College Night for Beir Society
4
Gender Initiatives at Calhoun
12
Onstage
14
Sports
16
ALUMNAE/I NEWS
Class Notes
35
Profile: Marc Davies ‘85
38
Reunions
44
14
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Support Calhoun this year by giving generously to the Annual Fund
yourcalhounannualfundgiftatwork 28
$5million
bands and musical ensembles
in tuition assistance
700 150
lunches and
breakfasts each day
6
5 1
studios and
darkroom for art, woodworking and photography
fully equipped chemistry, biology and science labs
300+
community service projects
60
productions and performances annually
23,135
4,353
textbooks and library resources
190
basil leaves harvested on
faculty and staff with competitive salaries and beneďŹ ts
1
green roof
80,000 90 square feet with
1:7
teacher-student ratio
30
sports teams in Middle and Upper School
learning spaces
15
study-abroad and overnight learning trips
www.calhoun.org/onlinegiving
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SCHOOL NEWS-3 COLUMN
SCHOOL NEWS
Viewpoint
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BY ST EV EN J. N E L SO N , HE A D OF SC HOOL
Is the Drive for Success Making Our Children Sick? This was the provocative title of an Op-Ed piece in the January 2 New York Times. The answer to the rhetorical question was a thudding “yes,” according to the author, Vicki Abeles. We are making our children sick. The stresses of the college process, AP and “honors” courses, “mandatory” extra-curricular activities, sleep deprivation, hours and hours of homework have all contributed to a tragic and persistent rise in anxiety, depression, eating disorders and other sad consequences of so-called striving. Several folks I’ve spoken to have since commented that Calhoun is “ahead of the curve” in this respect. Yes, we are so far ahead of this curve that we are fully on the other side of the circle. We rid ourselves of the AP pestilence many years ago. I’d like to view all of our courses as honors courses. We attempt to keep homework within reasonable limits and I believe most of our students are in athletics, music, theater, clubs and other parts of the program because they love it. Our college process is human, humane and good-humored, and attempts to draw each student to what is best for her or him, not toward what satisfies a competitive or comparative impulse. As of early January, 47 of our 60 seniors had been accepted to an amazing array of colleges and universities—many of them first choices (see page 4). And yet, even our students are not immune from the stresses of contemporary life. We have erected firewalls against the worst aspects of the competitive education climate, but our kids still live in this high-paced, stressful environment. This disease is trickling steadily into lower grades. Pre-K programs are focusing on pre-academic “work,” less time is devoted to play and the arts in kindergarten and elementary school, and testing is both frequent and consequential—with a great deal at stake for students and teachers. Abeles writes: “At the other end of the age spectrum, doctors increasingly see children in early elementary school suffering from migraine headaches and ulcers. Many physicians see a clear connection to performance pressure. ‘I’m talking about 5-, 6-, 7-year-olds who are coming in with these conditions. We never used to see that,’ says Lawrence Rosen, a New Jersey pediatrician who works with pediatric associations nationally. ‘I’m hearing this from my colleagues everywhere.’”
I read the Times piece with an odd combination of appreciation and frustration. It is good that this unconscionable turn in education is being exposed. It is maddening that this is viewed as some kind of epiphany. Nothing in Abeles’s piece is new or surprising. One needs only rudimentary knowledge of child development and psychology to realize that current educational policy and practice is harmful. And yet . . . federal policy and practices, public and private, are complicit in doing harm to children. Where is the outrage?
Joyful play, discovery, humor, relationships, lots of talking, engagement of all the senses—––these aspects of a school are not just less likely to make kids sick, they are the environment in which real intellect, creativity, love of learning and sense of self are developed. The frustrating irony is that the policies and practices imposed on schools in the service of high achievement are guaranteed to repress achievement along with producing ulcers, migraines, depression and anxiety. The old, dangerous saying is “no pain, no gain.” From a psychological and neurobiological perspective, the more apt saying is “pain, no gain.” Fatigue, stress, anxiety and competition inhibit the brain activity that nurtures intellectual, social and emotional development. Early academic work, tests, grades, competition . . . all of these archaic manifestations of so-called rigor actually do the opposite of what is intended. Joyful play, discovery, humor, relationships, lots of talking, engagement of all the senses—these aspects of a school are not just less likely to make kids sick, they are the environment in which real intellect, creativity, love of learning and sense of self are developed. And it’s true whether referring to preschoolers or high school seniors. Yes, Calhoun is running “ahead of the curve.” We’ve been out there for many, many years. Read this month’s feature Mindfulness Matters (page 20) to find out how Calhoun is working to help our children deal with stress. WINTER 2016
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SCHOOL NEWS
Beir Society Members Get Inside Look at Calhoun’s College Process “Calhoun students are every college counselor’s dream,” began Lisa Merritt, Director of College Counseling, in her presentation before a roomful of parents at this year’s annual Beir Society event, held in October for Calhoun’s major donors and hosted by Beir Society chair Jennifer Arcure (P ’17, P ’17). Lisa, who ushered her first Calhoun graduating class to college last year, came to us in August 2014 from a college counseling position at Trinity School and, before that, admissions positions at Columbia University and New York University. Her experience on both sides of the college process gives her a unique perspective on how our students are doing. “What college professionals love about our kids is that they’re really genuine, authentic. The students are effusive about the experiences they have at Calhoun— including everything from the affinity groups to the jazz program; and they ask good questions.” She said she was particularly pleased to discover last year that colleges really know Calhoun. “More than 85 college reps came here to recruit last year,” Lisa told the audience. “They get our unique, distinctive curriculum and our student-centered process; they know we don’t just talk the talk. And they appreciate how thoughtfully our kids approach the process.” Lisa reassured parents that the combination of a well-supported, individualized program at Calhoun, together with a collaborative rather than competitive process, is helping Calhoun kids fare far better than their peers in what the press has characterized as an increasingly brutal and stressful landscape. “The kids here are supportive of one another; there’s none of the corrosive competitiveness,” she observed. To keep that collaborative spirit, lighten up the mood and make the college process “fun”
(yes, fun!), Lisa and her colleagues— Jarrad Nunes, Associate Director of College Counseling, and Victoria Eatman, Senior Administrative Assistant—work hard “to preserve space for students to actually enjoy the experience of high school, and to continue to love learning and love their experience here—without that being completely corrupted by the looming pressure of college.” The team hosts “app-y hours” with Shirley Temples and, in October, held the second ever “Day of the Deadlines” party. During the weeks leading up to application deadlines, they used Instagram to send reminders and encourage the seniors to capture “submission selfies.” “It’s all about taking away stress,” Lisa confided, who followed up with some dos and don’ts to help parents help their children navigate the process. The success of the approach is evident when you talk to seniors’ families and view the results. Early reports on the current college season are showing that two-thirds of our seniors were accepted to their Early Decision choices. On an average, Lisa says our students apply to six colleges after thoughtful research—compared to the 10 to 12 applications that are becoming the norm at many schools nationwide. Last year, that individualized attention and encouragement to make thoughtful choices based on “fit” resulted in an adventurous list of colleges. Of the 37 destinations selected—representing every corner of the country—14 were new to Calhoun’s
five-year matriculation list. Seventeen seniors chose to enroll at a school that was not the most selective among those where they were admitted. “In the end,” said Lisa, “our seniors really feel empowered to make a choice that’s right for them—and the school fully celebrates that choice.” For more information about Calhoun’s college counseling program and the five-year matriculation list, go to www.calhoun.org/college.
About The Beir Society Launched in 2008, The Beir Society recognizes donors who support the Annual Fund at the leadership level of $2,500 and above. The society is named in honor of Calhoun’s Life Trustee Robert L. Beir, who passed away in the spring of 2009 at the age of 91, after more than a 30-year affiliation with The Calhoun School. Past programs of The Beir Society have invited teachers and administrators to talk about the Upper School mod system, progressive approaches to teaching math, and reading readiness in the Lower School; Upper School students and alumnae/i have also been invited guests. For more information about The Beir Society, go to www.calhoun.org/af, or contact Debbie Eastburn, Annual Fund Manager, 212-497-6584.
CALHOUN CHRONICLE
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SCHOOL NEWS
1
2
5
At Press time: Breaking College News!
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With a record number of seniors submitting early decision, early action and rolling applications this fall, the Class of 2016 had already received a lot of good news by early January; in fact, 80 percent of our seniors had already received at least one offer of admission at press time, and nearly half of the class had already decided on a future alma mater. In this early preview, the list of destinations for the Class of 2016 is already shaping up to be as diverse and spirited as the seniors themselves, with students enrolling at Bard, Bennington, University of Chicago, Colgate, Drew, Emory, George Washington University, Lewis & Clark, University of Miami, Muhlenberg, NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, SUNY Purchase, University of Rochester, Skidmore, Syracuse, University of Tampa, Tulane, University of Vermont, Wellesley and Williams. We look forward to celebrating more good news this spring! —Lisa Merritt
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1. Lisa Merritt, Director of College Counseling, presented an overview of the college process to members of The Beir Society. 2. (L-R) Stephanie and Stephan Repkow (P ’19), Molly Hixon (P ’18, P ’21) 3. Jarrad Nunes, Associate Director of College Counseling, with Heidi Horsley (P ’16, P ’23)— still smiling in the midst of the college application season! 4. (L-R) Derek and Rachel Jean-Baptiste (P ’14, P ’19), Lennox Hinds (P ’19) 5. (L-R) Tim and Monica Gullickson (P ’27, P ’27, P ‘22), James and Kristin Helmus (P ’27)
WINTER 2016
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SCHOOL NEWS
First-Time Gathering for Parents of Recent Alums More than 50 parents of alumnae/i who graduated from 2010 to 2015 returned to school on December 2, for the first-ever Parents of Alums Cocktail Party. The parents were welcomed by Bart Hale ’00, Director of Alumnae/i Relations, who organizes the yearly alumnae/i reunions and events and offered a personal explanation for the gathering of parents. “I recall my mom being especially sad when my younger brother graduated in 2002,” he began. “I thought it just meant he was the clear favorite, but as my parents explained, Calhoun became just as much a part of their lives over the years as it had been a part of ours.” The enthusiastic response at the gathering confirmed Bart’s expectations and has the Development Office considering a repeat for next year—with a possible expansion of the years included. If you’re the parent of an alum and would like to be invited to future events, please contact stephanie.williams@calhoun.org.
(L-R) Loren Luzmore (P ’11, P ’13), Lori Serling Sklar ’75 (P ’07, P ’14) and Sande Capkanis (P ’07, P ’10)
(L-R) Chas Carner and Cynthia Round (P ’13) and Keisha Orrs-Hudson (P ’10, P ’13)
(L-R) Ron Rey (P ’12), Jill Dunsmore (P ’04, P ’11), Kyoko Honma (P ’15, P ’17) and Jill Bargonetti (P ’11)
Head of School Steve Nelson (center) with Stacey Schonfeld-Calcano and Marc Calcano (P ’15, P ’21)
Calhoun Offers Private Tours of Khalo and Stella Exhibits Some very lucky parents, grandparents and alumnae managed to skirt the crowds to get an insider’s view of two of the fall season’s most popular exhibits— the Frida Khalo exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, and the Frank Stella retrospective at MoMA. The private tours were organized by Calhoun’s Development Office, which began offering cultural excursions for Calhoun grandparents four years ago, (L-R) Calhoun grandparents Joan and Barry Shalov, and David and Pamela Spencer, enjoyed the opened it to parents last year, and then private tour of the Frank Stella retrospective at MoMa, hosted by Calhoun’s Development Office. invited alumnae for the first time this year. If you are a grandparent or a pre-1975 alumna and would like to make sure you receive notification of next fall’s cultural events, be sure Calhoun has your current email address! Send your email address to stephanie.williams@calhoun.org.
CALHOUN CHRONICLE
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SCHOOL NEWS-3 COLUMN
SCHOOL NEWS
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Scott Hirsch ’86 Returns to Board Board of Trustees welcomed Scott back—this time not only as an alumnus, but also as the parent of a current Calhoun student. He now joins Eric Potoker ‘85 and Lori Fleishman Dorr ‘92 as one of three trustees who wear the dual parent-alumnae/i Cougar hat. In addition to his position on Calhoun’s Scott Hirsch ‘86 and his wife, Melissa (second from right), pose with their daughters, Holliss ‘21 and Marilla. board, Scott currently serves on the board of directors at Day Two decades ago, Scott Hirsch ’86 was & Meyer, Murray & Young Corp.; and The among the first two graduates to get Beir Foundation. He has also served on appointed as an alumni representative the board of directors of the Roosevelt to the Board of Trustees (1992–95), and Institute, where he was treasurer and later was then re-elected as a full-term trustee elected governor. from 1998 to 2007. This fall, Calhoun’s
Scott received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Bowdoin College in 1990, with majors in government and economics, and in 1995 he attended Cambridge University as a Fulbright Scholar, earning his MA in international history. Having focused his entire career on long-term investing in high-quality, undervalued growth companies, Scott is currently co-managing principal of Saybrook Capital Corporation, a private investment counsel and management firm whose primary clients are family groups, related institutions and trusts. Scott and his wife, Melissa, have two children: Holliss (seventh grade) has been at Calhoun since kindergarten, and Marilla (fourth grade) attends Children’s Academy. Calhoun welcomes Scott back to the Board of Trustees and looks forward to his contribution as a seasoned community member.
Lauren Spirig Named Development Director; Debbie Eastburn Joins as AF Manager Calhoun’s Development Office, responsible for the school’s fundraising efforts, welcomed new team member Debbie Eastburn as Annual Fund Manager; said a sad farewell to longtime colleague Sonia Bonsu ’85; and welcomed one of its own when Lauren Spirig was named Calhoun’s new Director of Development this fall. Lauren’s appointment came on the heels of the departure of Sonia, who, after eight years in Calhoun’s Development Office—most recently as Director of Development—left for a fundraising position at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, closer to home. The announcement, made last November by Head of School Steve Nelson, noted Lauren’s recent success as Calhoun’s Major Gifts Manager as well as her previous experience as a Major Gifts Associate at the Arthritis Foundation and four years as the Capital Campaign Manager at New
Lauren Spirig (right) was recently promoted to Director of Development; Debbie Eastburn has joined Calhoun as Annual Fund Manager.
York Law School. The highlight of her career thus far at Calhoun, which started in 2012, was the successful completion of the Calhoun Commons & Library Campaign in 2015. Lauren, who earned her BA at Boston College and her MA in public administration at New York University, is now responsible
for major-gift initiatives as well as the school’s Annual Fund and alumnae/i relations. Reporting to her are Debbie Eastburn, the new Annual Fund Manager; Nicole Nelson, Associate Director of Development; Bart Hale ’00, Director of Alumnae/i Relations; Jessica Dudley, Data Operations Manager; Stephanie Williams, Development Coordinator; and Barbara Bernard, Development Associate. Debbie joined the Calhoun Development team in mid-September as Annual Fund Manager, coming from a position as Director of Development for a progressive girls’ middle school in Palo Alto, CA. As the mother of three children who each attended independent schools, she was an active parent volunteer for the Thacher School Parent Fund and for Amherst College. Debbie earned her BA from Williams College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. WINTER 2016
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SCHOOL NEWS
Danah Boyd Offers Parents Advice on Teens and Social Media
Danah Boyd (left), guest speaker at this year’s MS Parent Forum, poses with event organizer Barbara Pyles, Parents Association co—vice president for the Middle School, and Barbara’s husband, Stephen Pyles.
then went on to talk about the different kinds of social media young people are currently using, what to watch for in regard to online safety, appropriate guidelines and strategies, and how to talk to children without being judgmental. Above all, Boyd advised parents not to make any rules that they themselves can’t follow. “Role modeling is everything,” she asserted. The evening with Danah Boyd was hosted by the MS Parent Forum under the auspices of the Calhoun Parents Association. A second evening on technology, held in January for Lower School parents, featured Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, Calhoun parent and executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education.
Danah Boyd—social-media scholar, ethnographer, and one of the top tech voices today—gave Middle School parents a lot to think about when she came to Calhoun in October to talk about her latest
Coming up: US Parent Forum presents psychologist Dr. Mike Bradley, speaking on “Teen Resilience: The Anxiety/ Depression Antidote” on March 16, 7pm, at 81st Street.
SAVE THE DATES! Be sure you’re on the email invitation list: send your address to communications@calhoun.org. STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS Tuesday, April 19, 6:30pm at 81st Street Thursday, April 21, 9am at 74th Street GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY Thursday morning, May 5, 81st Street 2nd–4th grades Friday morning, May 6, 74th Street 3’s-1st grades 53RD CALHOUN CARNIVAL Saturday, May 7, 11am–5pm at 81st Street CALHOUN BOOK FAIR Thursday, May 12, 9am–9pm Barnes & Noble 82nd Street
findings, based on her most recent book. Boyd began her presentation by looking at how the experience of growing up in urban and suburban America has changed radically since the 1970s, and
“I’m Not Racist...Am I?” Launches Rochester, NY, Initiative Calhoun’s feature-length documentary film I’m Not Racist…Am I? was used this past November to launch a new citywide program in Rochester, NY, to help young people understand and confront issues of racism. The project, which is being led by the city’s racial-equity initiative group Facing Race, Embracing Equity (FR = EE), debuted with screenings of the film followed by conversations and community-training sessions facilitated by educators, activists, city leaders and teens. The initiative was reported on WXXI News Public Radio’s show Need to Know, under the title “How Youth Can Change Systematic Racism” (Nov. 19, 2015). The film also had screenings early this winter at the 2015 United Nations
Association Film Festival (UNAFF) in Palo Alto, CA, as part of the high school program, and at countless schools across the country. It was also the subject of a workshop at the 2015 People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Tampa, FL, hosted by the National Association for Independent Schools (NAIS). I’m Not Racist...Am I?, which had its first release in August 2014, is at the core of Calhoun’s three-part Deconstructing Race initiative—a youth-based project conceived to “help transform the conversation about race, racism and white privilege in this country.” The project received its first grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in 2012, and continues to raise funds to develop curriculum and accompanying educational films and materials.
CALHOUN CHRONICLE
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SCHOOL NEWS-IN THE SPOTLIGHT-3 COLUMN
SCHOOL NEWS
Guests in the Classroom Each year, Calhoun students are able to enhance their studies by venturing out into the city. But they are equally enriched by the many scholars, artists and advocates who come to talk and work with them, directly in their classrooms. Thank you to these inspiring guests, as well as the many parents, grandparents, alumnae/i and friends who have generously brought their talents to Calhoun so far this year.
Yusuf Salaam (above), community educator and former Central Park Five defendant (detailed in the 2012 documentary by Ken Burns), was one of several guests who met with students in Lavern McDonald’s Upper School elective Punishment, Politics and Culture. Other visitors included Jim St. Germain (youth advocate and co-founder of Preparing Leaders of Tomorrow); educators Simin Farkondeh, Kaela Sanborn-Hum and James Tolleso from Democracy Now!; and Calhoun alumna Francesca Aborn ’09 (below).
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Gospel of Winter, was named one of the best teen books in 2014 by Kirkus Reviews. On-site, hands-on learning is at the heart of the first grade Central Park project tables, when each cluster chooses a particular area of the park to study and replicate. But for Giovanni Pucci’s first graders, their replica of the Diana Ross Playground brought history to life—literally—when they
Poet and educator Noel Quiñones (above) read his work at an Upper School town meeting and then held several spoken-word workshops for Upper School students.
received a visit from Rhonda Ross (above), daughter of Diana Ross. Ms. Ross, who was invited by a Lower School parent, talked to the children about her mom and the famous 1983 concert in Central Park that helped raise the funds to build the park.
Former Calhoun English teacher Brendan Kiely (top) and co-author Jason Reynolds (above) read from and talked about their new book, All American Boys, at an assembly arranged for seventh to twelfth graders. The novel is a compelling story about race relations in America as seen through the intersecting lives of two teenage boys. After the assembly, Brendan and Jason met with seventh and eighth graders in a special Middle School intersession course, where they continued the discussion. This is Brendan’s second young-adult novel; the first, The
C. Alexander London (above), author of The Wild Ones, and his editor at Penguin Books, Jill Santopolo, talked with fifth graders about the writing and publishing process. The students, who were reading London’s novel, were thrilled to be able to ask questions about the characters and plot, and find out what the author’s writing process was like. They also got a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel.
WINTER 2016
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SCHOOL NEWS-3 COLUMN
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SCHOOL
SCHOOL NEWS
Kristof Makes Plea for Social Activism Nicholas Kristof, columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, is trying to bridge the empathy gap that he says is plaguing our society. During an evening talk hosted by Calhoun’s Performing Arts Series and moderated by Head of School Steve Nelson, Kristof implored audience members to make a difference by “giving hope and stopping the cycle of helplessness.” He acknowledged that “there are vast problems, so anything we try to do feels like a drop in the bucket,” but urged that we not be overwhelmed. “I’m a believer in drops in the bucket . . . we can help one kid at a time,” he said, illustrating a multitude of ways that the lives of people around the world have, in fact, improved over the last few decades.
Calhoun’s Performing Arts Series launched this year’s programming with a talk by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.
Mostly, he urged that we not wait to do something—no matter our age—and expressed particular confidence in the young generation. “It’s been said that you should spend the first third of your life studying, the next third making money and the last third giving back. But I don’t agree; you shouldn’t wait that long to be involved in one of the most rewarding things—giving back.” The Conversation with Nicholas Kristof launched the 10th season for Calhoun’s Performing Arts Series, which features town hall meetings, talks, children’s theater, documentary films and musical concerts. For future Performing Arts events, go to www.calhoun.org/tickets.
Lincoln Raps to Give Back
As an independent study and community service project, Lincoln Hart ‘17 is developing “communication-through-rhythm” curriculum to help children build language skills.
Junior Lincoln Hart is harnessing his passion for rap music to make a difference: He is creating a curriculum that uses the poetry and rhythms of rap to help underprivileged and autistic children build on their communication skills. The idea for the project evolved last year, when Lincoln first approached jazz teacher Victor Lin about creating a music curriculum he hoped to bring to underserved public schools. The concept became Lincoln’s pet project in his Community Action class last year, and
then transformed into its current focus as an independent study under the tutelage of his advisor, Lavern McDonald. The curriculum includes a history of rap music, social and cultural impacts of the genre, deconstruction of the rap form, and, most significant, lessons on how to write rhymes and free styles. By using the building blocks of rhyme schemes and something he calls “communicationthrough-rhythm,” he hopes to help students enahnce their language skills. Lincoln has been using his independent study to develop the rap-based curriculum, test it on his peers during such school-wide events as Upper School Demo Day and Harvest Festival, and work out the details that will allow him to bring his program this spring to the Harlem Children’s Zone and the Manhattan Children’s Center. At the Harlem Children’s Zone, Lincoln anticipates teaching middle school students everything from the basics of rhyming and free styling to the cultural influences of early hip-hop in Harlem, Brooklyn and other rap-history hot spots.
At the Manhattan Children’s Center, a school that works with children with autism, he imagines using the “communicationthrough-rhythm” model to help the children improve language skills as well as their relationships with others. Lincoln, who came to Calhoun as a sophomore from a public school, is amazed that he’s had the opportunity to use class time to devote to a project he’s so passionate about. “I hadn’t even heard of something like [an independent study], where you could designate time to something you cared about, to something that’s not in the curriculum,” admits Lincoln, who also volunteers his time outside of Calhoun to the Harlem Youth Court, a service that trains teenagers to serve as jurors, judges and advocates, on real-life cases involving their peers. “If you’re determined, if you want to make a difference, and you want to do something that is going to benefit your community, you can absolutely do that at Calhoun; you’re even able to use Calhoun’s resources and the teachers.”
CALHOUN CHRONICLE
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SCHOOL NEWS-3 COLUMN
SCHOOL NEWS
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Community and Coming Together 1
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The theme for Harvest Festival, “Community and Coming Together,” underscores many of this year’s curricular and co-curricular events. Here are some of the projects that took place this fall. 1. Habitat for Humanity A group of Upper School students, with the help of Head of School Steve Nelson, spent a Saturday in November painting a community center on the Lower East Side. The project was under the auspices of Habitat for Humanity’s Brush with Kindness program.
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2. Feeding the Homeless As one of this fall’s Harvest Festival activities, students and teachers helped prepare and bag 150 sandwiches for the Holy Trinity soup kitchen on West 82nd Street.
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3. Dig Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Girls’ Volleyball athletes staged their annual Dig Pink fundraiser this past October, raising almost $1,200 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation through the sale of T-shirts and baked goods. 4. Harvest Hustle for WSCAH Turkey Challenge Kids and teachers ran (or walked) in Calhoun’s Harvest Hustle to raise more than $1,200 for the West Side Coalition Against Hunger’s turkey drive.
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5. Recycling at 74th At Little Calhoun, kindergartners and first graders worked with Bash the Trash—an educational group that combines science, music and sustainability—to build musical instruments from reusable materials.
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6. Story Love One of this year’s Harvest Festival activities was a project called “Story Love,” which has volunteers read and respond to some of the hundreds of children who submit stories to Story Pirates—a nationally renowned children’s theater company that performs plays based on stories authored by young students. Since not every child’s story can be performed, Story Love is a way to provide positive, personalized feedback—letting kids know that their stories have been read and that what they write is important. 7. Interdivisional Mentoring Sixth graders in the humanities classes of Andrew Marsiglio and Chelsea Stilman-Sandomir ’05 are working on a regular basis with Calhoun’s youngest at 74th Street. “It’s a wonderful interdivisional mentoring program,” notes Chelsea—benefiting both age groups!
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supportive way to issues of gender identity. The film was shown again in October at a public screening for students, parents, faculty and neighbors, and was followed with a discussion led by Ileana Jimenez, LREI teacher and facilitator of Calhoun’s Gender and Parenting group, and a panel of Upper Schoolers from Calhoun and LREI. The student panelists shared personal stories about how societal influences have contributed to their self-identity as young men. “I feel like this idea of masculinity limited the things I could have done,” professed Calhoun sophomore Raphael Nwadike. But he also noted that awareness and open conversations are helping him and his peers question those influences. “We have all these affinity groups at Calhoun—race and gender groups, non-conforming groups—to encourage everyone to be open, to release.” In fact, one of the messages of the film is to not shy away from having difficult conversations, but to continue to confront them—and that’s just what the Calhoun community is doing.
Calhoun Takes School-Wide Look at Gender Identity and Stereotypes By Nahuel Fanjul-Arguijo Calhoun is taking another step to address social inequities, with a series of programs and conversations for faculty, parents and students that are meant to examine issues of gender identity. “The Gender Initiative program aims to validate, support and respond to the varying needs of our diverse community,” explains Calhoun’s Director of Diversity & Equity Initiatives, Hilary North, who is helping put into place a number of clubs, affinity groups, periodic discussions and forums for students as well as faculty and parents. “As an institution, Calhoun does not view this work as tangential, but as an
integral component of our program and of the school’s mission.” Rethinking Masculinity and Gender The Mask You Live In, a powerful feature documentary that explores how America’s narrow definition of masculinity is harming boys, men and society at large, was one of several resources used this fall to open dialogues on gender identity and stereotypes. The film was first shown to Calhoun faculty and administrators before school began, to help frame the issue and begin conversations about how we respond in a
Creating Safe Spaces for Students One of the other ways Calhoun is encouraging the continuation of these and other tough conversations is by creating “safe spaces” for students who self-identify with the various affinity groups. In the Upper School, Calhoun has three separate gender affinity groups for students who need a place to speak their mind, each facilitated by an outside expert. Aazam Otero, of the Challenging Male Supremacy Project, leads the group for students who identify themselves as males. For students who identify as female, there is a group run by Tara Abrol, the founder of Big Talks—a team that specializes in workshops for young audiences looking to have difficult conversations about things like friendships, relationships and gender issues. A gender-non-conforming group is available for students looking to discuss gender issues but don’t want to identify
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1. Ileana Jimenez, LREI teacher and facilitiator of Calhoun’s Gender and Parenting Group, moderates a panel of Upper Schoolers from Calhoun and LREI after a public screening of The Mask You Live In.
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2. Students in a Middle School intersession class on feminism explore and question the institutional lens that frames our culture. 3. Author and former Calhoun English teacher Brendan Kiely (left), led a Middle School intersession course with his co-author, Jason Reynolds, about their latest book, All American Boys. Earlier in the day, the two authors read portions of the book in an assembly for 7th through 12th graders.
as either male or female. Loren Mora, the facilitator for this group, works with the Audre Lorde Project and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, two large New York City organizations aimed to help LGBT individuals. In Middle School, a “Girls’ Club” facilitated by MS counselor Fernanda Couto is meeting regularly, in addition to the already-established Boys of Color and Girls of Color groups. And during the recent Middle School intersession, there were two well-attended elective classes focused on gender—a feminism class, and a course called All American Boys, which was based on the novel of the same name and led by former Calhoun English teacher Brendan Kiely, co-author of the novel with Josh Reynolds. “These classes and affinity groups are vital [to the] continuing conversation about
issues of gender identity,” says Hilary. “They allow for students to be in a free space and open up about issues with like-minded individuals who might have similar experiences.” The Perks of a Summer Read In anticipation of this year’s Gender Initiative, an advisory group of Upper School students and teachers selected Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower for the division-wide summer read. This coming-of-age novel, set in the early 1990s, bursts with themes of gender and identity. The story follows Charlie, a shy and unpopular freshman in high school, who is searching for hints of where he belongs. Upper Schoolers participated in a variety of discussions and projects focusing on the novel’s themes of gender- and self-
identity. Ninth graders wrote letters to the fictional characters that stood out to them the most; tenth graders produced short plays reflecting on the themes from the book; eleventh graders created cartoons and comics depicting events and the feelings surrounding those events; and twelfth graders studied the culture that contributed to the themes of the novel. Beyond the issues of gender and self-identity, the students responded to the novel’s powerful exploration of self-expression and openness. Said senior Emma Morrow, “The way Charlie shares his experiences, no matter how difficult, made me feel like I could get over anything.” Or as Delia Pelli-Walbert ’16 put it: “These four years don’t have to be a rehearsal for a future plan; recognize this time in your life where you can be a person!” WINTER 2016
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Much Ado About Nothing
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The Upper School theater’s performance of the bard’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing came with an unexpected but delightful twist: Amid the timeless Shakespearean humor and word play, this full-scale production added an ‘80’s theme and songs—sung live by the Messina “house band,” Balthasar. It was a perfect showcase for the musical and theatrical talents of our Upper School thespians! 1. Lucy DeCarlo ‘16 and Jackson Lundy ‘16— the Balthasar house band 2. (L-R) Maryam Chisti ’16, Hope-Elisabeth Darris ‘17, Delia Pelli-Walbert ‘16 and Cheyenne Rosado ’16 3. (L-R) Cole Ortiz-Mackis ‘16, Katherine Kotowski ‘16 and Emma Morrow ‘16
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730 Jazz Ensemble Calhoun’s 730 Jazz Ensemble, directed by Victor Lin, performed at the annual Johnny Pacheco Latin Music and Jazz Festival at Lehman College on Nov. 19 and then again at Calhoun’s Holiday Music Showcase. 4. (Back, L-R) Sacha Rogosin ’16, Craig Supcoff ’16, Austin Lichtenstein ’16, Jackson Lundy ’16. (Front L-R) Walker White ’17, Michael Fortunato ’16, Nick Kessler ’16, Adam Krevlin ’16, Victor Lin, director.
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M OR E P H OTOS www.calhoun.org/media
MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATER
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25 Reasons Not to Be in a Play In stellar performances of a hilarious series of monologues, duets and ensemble scenes culled from two short comedies—15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play and 18 More Reasons Not to Be in a Play —our seventh graders proved that drama can be a very dangerous thing! 1. (L-R) Julia Filiaci ‘21 and Eli Marra ‘21 2. (L-R) Aidan Campagna ‘21 and Omar Ali-Badia ‘21
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Holiday Music Showcase
Calhoun’s Upper School musicians presented an eclectic selection from holiday tunes, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant to Mozart and Sibelius! Along with talented solos by Lucy DeCarlo ’16, Kyra Murria-Castro ’16 and Jackson Lundy ’16, the appreciative audience enjoyed performances by the US Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, the US Chorus, US Jazz Ensemble, US String and Percussion Ensemble, and the US Orchestra. 3. US Strings musicians (L-R) Teresa Chico ‘18 and Romi Konorty ‘18 4. US Wind Ensemble WINTER 2016
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Four Years the Champs!
Girls’ Varsity Volleyball NYCAL tournament and co-league champions: (Back, L-R) Sydney Ashton ’20, Stef Sarantis ’18, Gianna Stock ’18, Caitlin Leung ’17, Emma Griffith ’17, Lauren Kauppila ’20, Olivia Abrams ’17; (Front, L-R): Rose Gruber ’16, Lucy DeCarlo ’16, Isabelle Thomson ’16, Elena Howes ’16, Lia Barnhard ’16
Varsity & JV Girls Capture Double Champ Titles The Calhoun Girls’ Volleyball program is keeping the championship streak alive!
The Middle School Girls’ Volleyball team, coached by Alyssa Viglietta (left) and assistant coach Julie Teller (right), posted four wins this season— the most in the team’s recent history and a hopeful sign for the ongoing dominance of the volleyball program at Calhoun.
match points for a thrilling 31–29 finish. The adrenaline continued into the fifth set, when the girls showed their usual grit and dominance to take the win. “I was not going to leave Calhoun without that last trophy,” says Isabelle Thomson ’16, who, along with Lucy DeCarlo, Rose Gruber and Elena Howe, leaves Calhoun with the satisfaction of having won the league trophy for every year of her Varsity Cougar career. And, certainly, all the athletes leave their legacy on the court; the numbers don’t lie!
PHOTO: JAVIER SECLEN
The Varsity Cougars finished the 2015 season as NYCAL co–league champions and NYCAL Tournament champions—making it the fourth year in a row that they have taken the tournament trophy and the third consecutive year they have been league champions. Not to be outdone, the Girls’ Junior Varsity team also celebrated a championship year, gaining the same honors as the Varsity team, as 2015 NYCAL co–league champions and NYCAL Tournament champions. What a year to be a Cougar! Calhoun’s Varsity team entered the 2015 NYCAL Tournament Finals facing off against the Columbia Prep Lions—the only team they had lost to during their 9-1 league season and the team with whom they shared the co–league championship title. The Cougar-Lion match didn’t come without some heat; the Lions caught the Calhoun athletes slow from the beginning, with the Cougars down 2 sets to 1 and a match point away from losing it all, breaking the chain of championships that had placed Calhoun as the unbeatable champs for three years running. But the Cougars mounted a tremendous comeback, ending the fourth set after six THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE
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Girls’ JV Volleyball champions: (Back, L-R) Fiona Geddes ’19, Chamonix McAdams ’18, Stephanie Vacarro ’19, Allie Costantini ’19, Sophie Hinds ’19, Eva Passarelli-Gembka ’19, Tallulah Hunt ’18, Zoe Stojkovic ’19, Michelle Chubaryov ’19; (Front, L-R) Justice Henry ’19, Jane Loy ’19, Lauren Carey ’21
Girls’ Volleyball Championships The team’s rich statistics root from a dominating volleyball program shaped by Coach Sabrina Spiegel-Zurkuhlen ’06, who took over as coach of the Varsity and JV teams in 2011. Since that season, Calhoun has not gone a year without a championship, and Varsity has qualified for the last three consecutive years for the NYSAIS State Tournament.
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Varsity and JV co–league champions and NYCAL Tournament champions (qualify for NYSAIS)
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Varsity league and NYCAL Tournament champions (undefeated, qualify for NYSAIS), JV NYCAL Tournament champions
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Varsity league and NYCAL Tournament champions (undefeated, qualify for NYSAIS)
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Varsity and JV NYCAL Tournament champions
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Varsity co–league champions
Sophomore Stefanie Sarantis smashes a point in the semi-final match of the NYCAL tournament against UNIS. WINTER 2016
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(Left) Cross-country athletes pose after the NYCAL meet in Van Cortlandt Park, having earned four top-ten-place medals: (L-R) Charles Stone ’19, Matthew Rozanoff ’16, Brenda Fortune ’17, Dylan Jacobs ’16, Michaela Harvey ’17, Bennett Wood ’19 and Matthew Abrons ’16. (Right) Michaela Harvey ‘17 placed fifth in the girls’ division of the NYCAL Cross Country championship, and was one of nine Cougars to qualify for the NYSAIS state championships.
Varsity X-Country Brings Home the Medals Calhoun’s Varsity Cross Country team finished the 2015 season with a strong showing. Seven athletes competed in this year’s NYCAL championship meet, with four taking home medals: team captain Dylan Jacobs ‘16 placed fourth; Matthew Rozanoff ‘16 came in fifth; Matthew Abrons ‘16 placed seventh in the boys’ division; and Michaela Harvey ‘17 placed fifth in the girls’ division. Overall, the Cougars fell only a few points shy of getting a team trophy in the NYCAL finals, but their performance qualified the team to compete in the NYSAIS state championships. Reflecting on the season, Dylan says it was the seniors’ mission to demonstrate to the underclassmen what it takes to become a championship team and keep the Cross Country program at Calhoun on its winning ways. Kudos for their great leadership!
BOYS’ VARSITY SOCCER Strong leadership by seniors Isaac Bale, Austin Lichtenstein and Jackson Lundy helped bring a true fighting spirit and team unity to the field. Talented younger players are prepped for next season!
GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER The Calhoun’s Girls’ Varsity Soccer team was challenged by a short season—cut in half by inclement weather—but the girls managed to cap the season off with a decisive 2—0 win against York Prep.
(Top) Andrew Harvey ’19 dominates center midfield for the Boys’ Varsity Soccer team—a tough job for a freshman. (Bottom) Seniors Zami Seck and Tania Calle after a match against Trevor Day—one of the last games of the season.
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Mindfulness Matters By Nancy Intrator and Beth Krieger
“The very mission of our school is to focus on the emotional as well as the social and intellectual well-being of our students.” —Lorenzo Krakowsky, US Director
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Today’s high school students experience stress like never before. From schoolwork, college applications, peer pressure and parental expectations to the stress of 24/7 connectivity and digital information overload, it’s a lot for young brains to handle. Even Calhoun students are not immune. “We have a concern about how students negotiate the world,” says Upper School Director Lorenzo Krakowsky. “We want them to take the time to live their lives in the moment. This is consistent with our mission as an independent, progressive school.” Alison Foster, Upper School Dean of Students, agrees that educators and parents need to find ways to help kids relax. “Kids are under a lot of pressure and have a lot of anxiety,” says Alison, who leads the school’s Peer Leadership program—a 30-year-old initiative that trains twelfth graders to mentor ninth graders in life skills and the transition to high school. Alison and Lorenzo note that external pressures—and those self-imposed—are impossible to totally avoid, so Calhoun makes an enormous effort to reduce stress for its students; one way is by introducing the concept of mindfulness into the classroom.
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS? Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing awareness on the present moment, acknowledging and accepting all feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. What’s the difference between mindfulness and meditation? Both have been shown to have physical and mental health benefits, but many people get confused between the two. Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, a molecular biologist who helped to bring about the popularity of mindfulness meditation, says practicing mindfulness is actually a form of meditation, but mindfulness does not have to be practiced for 20 minutes at a time; a person can be mindful anywhere, anytime and with anyone. There is a plethora of evidence to show that mindfulness has a positive effect on stress in both children and adults. Practicing mindfulness changes the brain in a positive way, affecting brain areas related to perception, body awareness, pain tolerance, emotion regulation, introspection, complex thinking and sense of self. A recent study at Yale found that mindfulness meditation decreased activity in the brain network responsible for mind wandering. When the mind does start wandering, meditators are better able to snap out of it, thanks to the new connections that have formed in the brain. Other studies show that meditators are better at self-regulating, resisting distractions and making correct answers more often than non-meditators. Researchers also found that just a few weeks of meditation training helped focus the memory in people taking the GRE (Graduate Record
Examination), and that these meditators experienced a score increase equivalent to 16 percentage points. One public school district in San Francisco started a twice-daily meditation program in some of its high-risk schools and saw suspensions decrease and GPAs and attendance increase.
MINDFULNESS AT CALHOUN “The very mission of the school is to focus on the emotional as well as the social and intellectual well-being of our students,” says Lorenzo. This mission is reflected in the collaborative rather than competitive culture of the school; in the emphasis on process rather than product; in the attention to nurturing each student’s growth and passion; in the supportive relationships between teachers and students; and in the value the community places on social justice and kindness. Still, there are many specific techniques that teachers employ to encourage mindfulness in and outside of the classroom. Many Calhoun teachers, particularly in Lower School, take a moment at the beginning of classes to introduce a short breathing exercise, aimed at calming students down and easing the transition from one activity to another. Little Calhounders—as young as three—are introduced to yoga poses as part of their theater/ movement classes; second, third and fourth graders begin theater classes with breathing exercises to help them find a calm focus, followed by discussion about and reflections on feelings. In Middle School sixth graders talk about stress in their health class with teacher Alyssa Viglietta. They explore what causes
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MS health teacher Alyssa Viglietta explores the causes and management of stress with sixth graders.
stress, the physical and emotional responses to it, and positive ways to deal with it. Mindfulness is also a major component in the eighth grade health curriculum taught by Sabrina Spiegel Zurkuhlen ’06, who is the Associate Director of Athletics and coaches both Varsity Volleyball and JV Girls’ Basketball. Sabrina began teaching mindfulness last year, after completing a certification course in that field of study. In addition to adding the topic to the eighth graders’ health unit on the brain, she began using some of the techniques she had learned with her athletes. It sparked enough interest that a few of the Varsity Volleyball athletes started a morning meditation group last year. “Mindfulness is about training our brains to be present more . . . to combat a lot of the behavior we see as a product of phone use, technology and the fast-paced world we live in,” says Sabrina. “And it reinforces so many things we value here at Calhoun. In terms of academics, it helps train our kids to be engaged and present for learning, and it helps with stress reduction and management. Its relationship to the emotional intelligence component—to more deeply explore and understand yourself—is also something we value; it has huge implications for decision-making, the role of personal responsibility and choice.” In the Upper School, Lorenzo started introducing a short
mindfulness session at the beginning of each Town Hall meeting when he first came to Calhoun three years ago. But because stress is such a critical issue for young people, he decided this year to ramp it up by adding mindfulness classes and workshops to the Upper School’s program. He hired Calhoun alumna Adrienne Glasser ‘96, LCSW RDMT, founder of the Experience Wellness Group, to lead a number of mindfulness sessions at the beginning of the year—for peer leaders (twelfth graders), for the tenth grade’s orientation program and for teachers. Adrienne also came on as an instructor for the Upper School’s first mindfulness class, offered as an E-block elective.* The curriculum uses the “active insight” technique—a meditation practice aimed at increasing
1. Lower School theater teacher Nina Czitrom introduces breathing and vocal exercises to help her students find a calm focus. 2. At last year’s annual Eighth Grade Health Fair, Bennett Wood ’19 (center) engaged Lower School students in his interactive presentation on mindfulness—the culmination of his final research project. 3. Adrienne Glasser ’96 gets feedback from juniors Talley Sacks (left) and Brenda Fortune (right), who both took the Upper School E-block course on mindfulness.
*E-block electives: Upper School courses offered each mod on subjects of interest that lie outside the regular curricular program. See page 33.
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THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS
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Chronic stress actually triggers changes in the structure and function of the brain and causes the body to release the stress hormone cortisol. When it is chronically elevated, cortisol can have adverse effects on weight, immune function and chronic-disease risk. What’s more, stress may impact one’s mental and emotional health; stressed students may be more prone to anxiety, mood disorders and learning difficulties. They may turn to alcohol or abuse other substances in an effort to self-medicate. Studies have shown that when young people are exposed to chronic stress, it can actually interfere with their academic success. In a recent NYU study published in Frontiers in Psychology, nearly half of the high school students reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily basis, and another third reported moderate stress. Girls reported significantly higher levels of stress than boys. Grades, homework and preparing for college were the greatest sources of stress for both genders. Researchers found that students in the study used a variety of coping strategies, ranging from the healthy (sports, exercise, music, meditation) to the less healthy (substance abuse).
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Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation, but over the past 35 years it has entered the secular mainstream in this country. Meditation and mindfulness were even adopted at the latest World Economic Forum in Davos. “This is a very unusual event at the World Economic Forum, and it’s diagnostic of something much larger that is happening,” says Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, a molecular biologist who helped popularize mindfulness and meditation. “What was once considered a radical, lunatic fringe thing has been incorporated into medicine, science, academics and more.” In the educational world, mindfulness has become a major focus at numerous professional conferences. This year’s NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) conference offered a mindfulness session, and the Mindfulness in Education Network (MiEN), a 15-year-old organization, continues to host annual conferences for educators, parents, students and others interested in promoting contemplative practice (mindfulness) in educational settings. WINTER 2016
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First grader Natalie Babej is a master at planks! Megan McDonnell, who introduces yoga to Calhoun’s 3’s through first graders, explains the benefits: “When we’re breathing, we’re opening up our minds for learning; when we’re stretching, we’re releasing endorphins into our body that make us ready to absorb information. It also helps to calm us.”
serenity through improved self-observation. The goals, says Adrienne, are multifold, including: • Improved ability to observe the present moment • Decreased high-risk/compulsive behaviors • Awareness of different parts of the ego and the ability to differentiate it from the true self of the individual, a process that is very important for teens, as they first contemplate identity • Stress reduction by increasing the ability to calm the central nervous system • Increased concentration by strengthening focus on the present moment • Increased positive regard for oneself, others and the environment through the specific teachings of mindfulness training related to compassion and loving kindness Adrienne integrates a variety of elements into her classes— such as movement, breathing, art, photography and the outside environment—with the hope that she can help each student discover a technique that might work for him or her.
In terms of the environment, Adrienne had students go to Riverside Park, where they practiced walking meditation—some while taking photographs. For a unit on compassion, Adrienne combined discussion, guided movement and art. The students began by talking about the meaning of compassion, things that get in the way of being compassionate, and why it’s important to be mindful of one’s own feelings. Guided movement exercises involved “feeling” your feet on the floor, concentrating on your breathing, and taking the “temperature of your mind” (e.g., what in your life makes you feel love, compassion, joy?). During the art exercises, students drew representations of a feeling or a part of their bodies that they were “curious about.” Junior Talley Sacks admits she took the mindfulness elective class specifically to deal with her stress (particularly in the ramp-up to college application season), and says she appreciated that Adrienne made it a point to introduce various practices so each student could find what works best. “I didn’t really vibe with the walking practice, but I really liked just sitting and practicing my breathing,” she says. In fact, Talley reports that “the breathing lessons I learned have become kind of habitual, before assignments and tests as well as on the basketball court.”
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She adds, “When you’re stressed, you’re just kind of sidetracked; breathing helps re-center your focus.” On the other hand, fellow junior Brenda Fortune preferred the walking exercise, which she says helped put her “in the zone.” She also connected to the drawing exercises. “They were just so calming and relaxing. . . . You’re focused on just this one thing. In the moment, it was amazing.” Sadly, Brenda feels she doesn’t have the time to practice the techniques she learned—which is probably why Adrienne believes that teaching mindfulness to students is so pressing. “Many kids feel the pressure to succeed and go to a good college,” she observes. “It’s important to connect them back to what matters; to help them connect to the environment; let them pause and take in what’s happening; and take them back to a place where they [were] kids and able to be happy.”
NOT FOR KIDS ONLY Besides offering the mindfulness class for students, Lorenzo began the year with professional development workshops for teachers and staff that included mindfulness work. Several meditation sessions were offered this past fall, and faculty and staff were also invited to attend the first Mindful Village Workshop, led by Calhoun parents Joe Loizzo, director of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, and Geri Loizzo, director of programming and of the Mindful Families Program at the Nalanda Institute. Workshop attendees learned how skills like mindfulness and compassion, imagery, movement and deep breathing can build the vital muscles of self-regulation, empathy and creativity. “The brain is plastic and can be reshaped by repeated practice,” note the Loizzos, who led the participants in a number of mindfulness techniques they could use for themselves as well as their students.
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[Mindfulness] helps train our kids to be able to be engaged and present for learning, and it helps with stress reduction and management. Its relationship to the emotional intelligence component—to more deeply explore and understand yourself— is also something we value; it has huge implications for decision-making, the role of personal responsibility and choice.” — Sabrina Spiegel Zurkuhlen ’06, MS health teacher and Associate Director of Athletics
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The breathing lessons I learned have become kind of habitual...before assignments and tests as well as on the basketball court.”
HOW CAN PARENTS HELP? In addition to the study and adoption of mindfulness techniques in classrooms at Calhoun, there is discussion about a possible evening forum for Calhoun parents, hosted by the Parents Association. “The more parents are open to looking into ways to de-stress themselves through mindfulness skills and activities, the more likely it is that their kids will listen when they offer advice about it,” says Adrienne. “There are many resources for children and families to learn about mindfulness and meditation. With education, parents can offer to do mindfulness activities with their kids, or to show them how to do them on their own. Kids can then learn how to just take a few moments to accept whatever they notice, and focus on the breath during stressful times.” In a culture that honors speed, Adrienne notes that “parents can be role models to their children—to slow down during busy times to create a pause that will allow for even more effectiveness.”
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— Talley Sacks ‘17
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The more parents are open to looking into ways to de-stress themselves through mindfulness skills and activities, the more likely it is that their kids will listen when they offer advice about it.” — Adrienne Glasser ’96, founder of the Experience Wellness Group
See What We’re Reading About Mindfulness: www.calhoun.org/whatwerereading www.pinterest.com/calhounschool/children-stress-mindfulness
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Student Voice— Why Is It Important, and How Do We Encourage It?
Lower School Director Alison Max Rothschild ’85, Middle School Director Danny Isquith and Upper School Director Lorenzo Krakowsky talk about one of the central tenets of Calhoun’s progressive approach to learning—student voice— and explore what it means, why it’s important, and how it finds expression in the daily life of our children. By Beth Krieger
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Kindergartner Zoe Clark takes to her role as “Helper of the Day” with ease! Lower School children as young as four help co-construct rules and jobs for the classroom.
What do we mean by “student voice”? LORENZO: Student voice means a lot of things: It means involving students in decision-making at the school; allowing students to find their voice while they’re students here, in a variety of ways; paying attention to students and having a fundamental respect for their experience, their point of view. Giving students opportunities to have a voice in all of these different ways is what distinguishes a progressive school from a more traditional school. It’s such a central part of progressive education—the belief in child-centered education, and the notion that students should be living democracy rather than preparing for democracy.
In what ways does Calhoun’s approach differ from traditional methodology? ALISON: Very often, schools have a narrow set of expectations and limited tolerance for temperaments and personality types, and in many schools, kids are not allowed to speak or are really only allowed to speak if they have one desired response—so kids don’t develop their own voice, their own opinions. At Calhoun we try hard to
make room for lots of different kinds of kids—which is a lovely thing in and of itself, but there is also an important educational principle behind it, which is, if you begin your education feeling that your opinion matters and you’re being heard, it sets you on a very different course in terms of the way you interact with the whole notion of school, teachers and classmates, and the way you take risks and ask questions. You have to practice expressing and making choices and not just follow someone’s direction. You become a different kind of student from a child whose voice is suppressed. Making sure kids feel good and comfortable to be themselves will make them more interesting, creative, passionate, questioning, thoughtful, curious students. DANNY: Traditional education—in my mind, because I went through it—takes the position of “Here’s what you need to know. Learn it. Show me that you know it.” I never came into the equation. It was never about how I interacted or intersected with the information; it was all just about “Here’s the material; learn that material.” So I never was able to internalize it. I was a very good student, but that doesn’t mean I understood everything I learned—I knew how to “play the game.” There’s a difference, and I’m acutely aware of that difference. I went to college [Yale] and got smacked in the face because all of a sudden I had to be more thoughtful, and put more
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If you begin your education feeling that your opinion matters and you’re being heard, it sets you on a very different course in terms of the way you interact with the whole notion of school, teachers and classmates, and the way you take risks and ask questions .... [But] you have to practice expressing and making choices, and not just follow someone’s direction.” — Alison Max Rothschild ‘85, LS Director
of myself into the papers and the discussions, and it was hard for me at first because I’d never had to exist within the curriculum.
ask for it? If you don’t have a voice, and don’t understand who you are, then how is that going to happen?
LORENZO: It’s not just about our programs; it’s also something about the culture of the Upper School, and I’m sure it’s true of the other divisions. Because of the strength of the relationships between kids and adults here, because we call one another by our first names, because it’s such an open space, kids just feel like they’re listened to more.
ALISON: A lot of it is about the process. For preschoolers, it’s all about attaching their voices to the work that they’re doing. We’re not just looking for a finished product; we want to know the thought that goes into the work while the children are doing it. And then we document that, we share it, and the teachers use that understanding to learn from [the experience] and plan future lessons. There’s a set curriculum that the teachers are following, but we leave “space” for emerging curriculum that comes from the kids’ voices. In the upstairs 3’s, for instance, there’s a doctor study going on that came completely from the kids. The teachers are working on ways to support that study.
So how do we help children find their voice? DANNY: Our whole curriculum is based on kids finding their voice. We say that we meet kids where they are and then help them grow. But in order to do that, you need to know where they are; and the best way to [do that] is to help them know where they are, and help them find their voice so they can figure out and say, “Okay I’m here, and here’s what I aspire to be.” I’m big into metacognition—the whole idea of teaching kids early on to interrogate what’s going on with them . . . . What is it about their learning experience that works? What is it that doesn’t? How can they figure out what they need and then
DANNY: It’s true: Opening the space for kids to potentially change the direction of a lesson is central to our approach. If a student takes you on a tangent, and that tangent is worth going down, go down it. As a teacher, that’s what I always loved. There was one calculus class where I taught kids how to balance their checkbooks because it came up. Because the truth is, it’s not so much about the facts that they’re learning; it’s about the habits of mind that we’re trying to
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MS history teacher Marco Sanchez, here with eighth grader Oscar Llodra (right), works hard to bring his students “into history,” by asking, “How do you see this historic event represented in the current reality? What does this make you think? What does this make you feel?”
“I think independent study is the most important thing we have at Calhoun.... It encourages self-motivation and independence,” says Owen Howell ‘16 (right), who is currently engaged in a year-long project that uses complex calculus to explore modular forms and elliptical curves.
Lindsay Jackman ‘18 (at right with media teacher Rob Kleinschmidt) is honing her skills this year in preparation for a film she wants to make next year for her Junior Workshop project. She’s arranged an independent study with Rob to learn Final Cut Pro, takes an E-block course with US English teacher Bobby Rue ‘85 to learn screenwriting, and volunteers with Middle School theater teacher Ed Schloth to learn about directing.
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teach them. That’s the stuff that they need to keep. When they’re 40 years old, will they remember how to factor a trinomial? And is that really that important? Probably not. But I want them to remember what it felt like to stretch themselves. And again, that’s where we’re putting them at the center . . . we’re not putting the information at the center. We’re putting their experience with the information at the center. So I love what we do here. And we do it all over the place; it’s not just about bringing the curriculum to them; sometimes it’s about asking them to step into it a little bit. Oh, geez, Marco’s [eighth grade social studies] class . . . the kinds of discussions he is having with these kids, he’s not just talking about what happened and when it happened, but he asks, “How do you see this historic event represented in the current reality? What does this make you think? What does this make you feel like? What does it remind you of?” He’s bringing the kids into history; it’s something that actually has emotional, cognitive and intellectual links to who these kids are and how they see themselves. LORENZO: In Upper School classes, our kids are encouraged to do a lot of presentations, [participate in] a lot of discussions, a lot of debates and projects, where they’re asked to express their voice in a way that maybe other high school students wouldn’t as much. Even the word “teach” here, I think, is more about listening to kids and giving them more of a chance to express themselves.
How is finding one’s voice related to choice? ALISON: Oftentimes, children in traditional schools— and in life—are just so programmed and adult-directed all the time that they never have time to develop their own interests, passions or opinions. Here, in early childhood, choice time gives kids the opportunity to find out what they’re interested in and what they’re good at and what they like and don’t like. For our youngest children, we have some dedicated choice time, before and after lunch, as well as during arrival in the morning. That’s a really important time; you’ll see that kids actually want to get to school early so they have their choice time. For our “older” Lower Schoolers, we offer special courses, which is a dedicated time each six-day cycle when students can choose a class they would like to take. Fourth graders are given the opportunity to teach a special course or, if there’s an interest or passion they have, they can seek out a teacher to lead a course on that subject. This is really the introduction to the “elective” concept that they’ll encounter in Middle School, and it’s a continuation of the choice time they had in the earlier years. In other classes, students are frequently given opportunities to follow their interests—within a framework: They get to choose their own reading selections and topics for research and how they
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want to present [that research]. In math classes, third and fourth graders are given the opportunity to challenge themselves with more advanced problem-solving classwork or homework—to push themselves a little harder. We’re trying to encourage the children to become the drivers of their education, so they don’t rely on an adult to push them toward the next thing but to begin taking ownership of it. Lower School students need a lot of scaffolding and help with this, but as they get older at Calhoun, they’re really good at driving their education. DANNY: Balancing the amount of choice is interesting. If you give students no choice, they obviously don’t have any ability to voice their opinions at all. If you give them too many choices, it becomes a bit chaotic. And what I’ve noticed students will do is, they’ll just ask for everything and take whatever they’re given, and then they’re not actually making any choices. So I’m trying to find that sweet spot where they have just enough choice, and they have to be really thoughtful, and they have to think, Okay, what do I want? And how can I stand up for myself and ask for it? Our new trimester system is great because it gives students more opportunities for electives: seventh and eighth graders can now choose three electives over the course of the school year. It’s great preparation for Upper School. LORENZO: Upper Schoolers have a lot of opportunities for choice: choice in being leaders, choice in their clubs. And the amount of choices kids have here about their courses, as they get older, is unusual. That’s partially because of the mod system, which allows more time for more electives. And we don’t just have electives . . . now we also have E-block classes, intersession courses. Junior Workshop is a self-directed project that is really about students articulating a question that they’re interested in and then researching it. And for Senior Work, students are asked to identify an internship they’re interested in doing and then go out and do it. We also offer an independent study program that allows kids to do work not offered in the regular curriculum. Isaac Bale ’16 is writing and illustrating his own graphic novel; Owen Howell ’16 organized a math independent study; Jhoenny Ramirez ’16 is studying Japanese; Sam Ross ’17 is painting; Michael Fortunato ’16 is doing a comparative study of James Joyce’s Ulysses and Homer’s The Odyssey; Jules Starn ’16 is directing and editing his own film; Lincoln Hart ’17 is developing a curriculum on communication through rap [see page 10]. Two seniors, Bennett Hagemeier and Lia Saberski, will be conducting multiple dissections over the course of seven weeks this spring as part of an independent study in biology with [US science teacher] Francesco Filiaci. Lindsay Jackman ’18 has pieced together three separate independent courses of study on film, in preparation for her Junior Workshop next year—quite ambitious . . . and completely self-generated.
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Passion meets opportunity: When tenth graders Sara Barker and Talia Kurlansky had the idea to teach a special course in ballet to Lower Schoolers, it was eagerly welcomed by the younger students, and encouraged by Upper School administrators as a perfect demonstration of leadership skills, advocacy and creative thinking.
Earlier, you mentioned the importance of student voice in terms of decision-making. LORENZO: Yes, voice is also about developing the skills to advocate for yourself—with teachers, with peers. We have a variety of ways to hone those skills. Two student reps come to every faculty meeting as full voting members; we have a student who helps run town meetings; two students sit on the disciplinary committee of the Review Board, listening to peers and helping make decisions; and students sit directly on search committees and have a voice on all hires for the Upper School—faculty and administrators. Their feedback is taken very, very seriously. Peer Leadership is also a good example of student voice, because, again, students are actually teaching and playing a role and [taking] responsibility that is more than students are traditionally given. I think about our social justice coordinators, and the students who work with teachers to help select the division-wide summer book; they’re given the responsibility to make that decision and then shape an agenda. Affinity groups are student-centered, giving students a voice and a space to express their voice. Students also run the club program, the spirit squad, and community service projects.
ALISON: For younger students, it’s about learning problem-solving skills and conflict resolution. In the beginning of the year, teachers ask what rules the students think they need to keep their classroom safe and happy and comfortable. So rather than have the teacher come in with a set of rules, the kids co-construct the rules for the classroom—which ultimately does solicit the same kinds of things we would have put in place ourselves. The same process is used for daily job charts: the teacher does not prepare the list of jobs ahead of time; the kids come together to figure out what jobs they think are important in the classroom. And because the children have created the rules, they take ownership and are invested in having the rules followed. It helps them develop a real sense of what’s right and wrong—and the children are encouraged to work through problems. I think we see that play out really well at Calhoun; by the time kids get to Middle and Upper School, the kids conduct themselves really appropriately because they have learned how to do it in a very authentic way. DANNY: In the Middle School we’re trying to teach kids how to advocate for themselves. The biggest thing we’re trying to convey is that, instead of waiting for an adult to take care of something, be proactive;
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I love that Calhoun kids really find their voice here. They really learn how to advocate for themselves, they know how to talk to adults, they know how to talk to one another.” — Danny Isquith, MS Director
try to get something started and have the confidence. In the beginning of the year, we had a very complex scheduling form that required the kids to do a lot of the work for themselves. If they wanted to switch a class, they had to explain why; they had to get their parents to sign the form; they had to get their advisor to sign it. That was intentional, for two reasons: one, to make sure the kid really wanted the change—it wasn’t just some sort of whim; and two, to demonstrate that you sometimes have to work for things that you actually care about. Another way we encourage kids to advocate is with clubs. Do you want a club? You create it. We don’t want it all coming from [the faculty/administration]. I’d love to see some of the older [Middle School] students running clubs. That also brings up a bigger discussion—student government down here [in Middle School] is quite different from how it’s run in Upper School; we have no elected positions; it’s whoever shows up. Talk about democracy! You show up or you don’t have a voice! And they do show up; we get about 30 kids to each meeting, and kids who go once tend to go all the time. They really do care. I had a bunch of kids who wanted to run part of an assembly and they just came right up and asked me. I thought that was amazing; it’s not something I would have done when I was their age! Of course, I don’t see fifth graders doing that; developmentally, they’re not ready. But I do see fifth graders starting to ask questions and wondering why things are the way they are. That’s the first step . . . that’s about interrogating your reality so you can decide what it is that you want to change.
So, on reflection, what’s the single most important way we encourage student voice? DANNY: I think we treat kids the way we treat adults. More than most schools, we don’t see a divide, faculty and administrators versus students; they’re just another constituency whose opinions we value—not just because we know we should, but because we actually do. And I love that Calhoun kids really find their voice here. They really learn how to advocate for themselves, they know how to talk to adults, they know how to talk to one another.
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CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE E-BLOCK COURSES (UPPER SCHOOL) Each Upper Schooler has a required number of non-graded E-block classes (s)he has to take during the year, offered for one period during each six-day rotation of a mod. Some are organized by the students themselves, with faculty as facilitators. ELECTIVES (MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL) Opportunities for electives, and the number of course options available, increase as a student continues from Middle to Upper School. The new trimester system in Middle School gives seventh and eighth graders the opportunity to select one elective each semester from a list of almost 35 classes—spread across every discipline. Upper Schoolers, who are in a five-mod system, get to choose several classes each year from among 125 electives. Even in core classes like English and history, Upper Schoolers can select courses with specific focus. INTERSESSION (MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL) This three- or four-day program, offered once during the school year for Middle and Upper Schoolers (not simultaneously), allows students to select one or several intensive workshops on topics not offered as part of the regular curricular program. Courses may be suggested or taught by students, with faculty/ administration support. JUNIOR WORKSHOP (UPPER SCHOOL) Eleventh graders embark every spring on a two-mod independent, interdisciplinary research project: www.calhoun.org/juniorworkshop. SENIOR WORK (UPPER SCHOOL) Before graduation, every senior participates in a six-week, site-based internship program: www.calhoun.org/seniorwork. SPECIAL COURSES (LOWER SCHOOL 81) A dedicated time each six-day cycle when students can make a choice about a special class they want to take that falls outside of the typical curriculum— “taught” by a fourth grader and/or teacher.
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Reunion Friday, June 3, 2016 Celebrating Classes Ending in “1” and “6”
Join the 2016 Reunion Class Committee
All alumnae/i are welcome to join the festivities!
• Help plan your reunion
Location: Rooftop, 81st St. Building
• Provide updates/class news about classmates
To volunteer, contact: Bart Hale ‘00 Director of Alumnae/i Relations bart.hale@calhoun.org 646-666-6450
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Alumnae/i News MARRIAGES Peter Concannon ’01 to Serafina Shishkova David Kramer ’02 to Liz Garrett Emily English ’03 to Patrick Dimon Sophie Harris ’06 to Andrew Peterson Hannah Zetlin ’06 to Jason Wong (2014) Jenna Johnson ’07 to Jeremiah Davis
BIRTHS To Bobby Rue ’85 and Lara Real, a girl, Elizabeth Nicole To Keir Cavalier ’87 and Beth Cavalier, a girl, Fiona To Ian Cooper ’93 and Rachel Foullon, a boy, Ives Vale To Catherine Bertchume ’98 and Julian Oppenheimer, a girl, Sadie Lorraine To Ethan Todras-Whitehill ’98 and Jennifer Whitehill, a girl, Tessa To Justin Bosch ’00 and Louise Bosch, a girl, Hazel Mae To Steve Feldman ’00 and Ariella Feldman, a girl, Avia Madeline To Erin Brizius ’02 and Joe Griffith, a boy, Will To Lilly de Lucia ’03 and Michael Schall, a girl, Marlena June
MEMORIAM Phyllis Goldsmith Cohen ’33 (5/10/14) Selma Cashman Florman ’33 Connie Stern Flaum ’39 Sue Berg Leve-Gross ’40 (5/10/12) Beula Acker Steinberg ’46 Patricia Baker Weiner ’49 Katherine Englander Cohen ’61 Peggy Kao Hsia ’67 Sheryl Gura Rosenberg ’69 Mark Ronan ’13
CONSTANCE (CONNIE) STERN FLAUM ’39 died at home on August 4 at the age of 93. She married Mitchel Flaum after graduating from Parsons in 1942, was mother to Stephen and Gary and the grandmother of four. Connie served her community as a hospital volunteer and president of the Stern Foundation. Her impact on Calhoun was immeasurable; she was named an Honorary Trustee in 1991 for her years of leadership in supporting several capital campaigns to grow the school facilities. Connie is remembered for her lifelong friendships, generosity, kindness and wisdom.
1930s
Florence Yachnin Liebman ’38: I am living in a senior residence in Los Angeles, CA, but still active, interested in sports, and continue volunteer work.
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Joan Baumgarten Furman ’53: I have been a widow for five years now. I have six grandchildren ranging in age from 10 to 21; my oldest two are at Cornell University. I love to travel, and last summer, took my 13-year-old grandchild on a Mediterranean cruise. My cousin Madeleine Baumgarten Taras ’53 passed away about 10 years ago. Suzanne Weiss Klatch ’53: In addition to my 13 grandchildren, I now have two great-grandsons and one great-granddaughter. I am the volunteer office manager and financial secretary of my temple, Temple Beth El Israel, in Port St. Lucie, FL, where I have been a board member for the past 14 years.
Lenore Kutlow Tobin ’54: After more than 55 years of living in Westhampton Beach, NY, I moved one year ago to Longmeadow, MA. It was the fastest year of my life! I went from the wonderful ocean beach to the beautiful Berkshires. I love exploring the new territory and attacking new adventures. Rochelle (Shelley) Goodman Goldring-Silverman ’55: I lost my first husband and father of my four children, Marvin Goldring, in December 2001. I was remarried in March 2006 to Arnie Silverman, and our 10th anniversary is coming up! We moved to Scottsdale, AZ, from Westchester, which was my home for over 40 years. Would love to hear from classmates! Sara Jane Goldstein Drescher ’57: I am currently the grandmother and step-grandmother to 13 fabulous children. I am a volunteer at Women in Distress, a shelter for men and women who have left abusive relationships. My husband, Ira, and I love to travel and have taken some amazing trips over the years. We are very grateful every day for good health, a wonderful extended family and lasting friendships.
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Beatrice Weingarten Booth ’59: I just moved to Boca Raton, FL, where I am enjoying the beautiful weather. The last two winters in New York were too cold and snowy for me! Vicki Krakower Gussen ’59: I’ve retired and moved after living in Teaneck, NJ, for 44 years. My five sons and their families are all doing well; a fifth grandchild was born in March 2015.
1960s
Carolyn Phillips Charney ’60: I finally got to my seventh continent! I just spent a month in Australia, traveling in planes, trains, automobiles and buses from Sydney to Perth and Adelaide to Darwin, with Alice Springs and Cairns thrown in. My biggest surprise: a ride on the Indian Pacific across the Nullarbour Plain revealed a land covered in scrub and not as barren as I had previously thought. Kathy Englander Cohen ’61 passed away over the summer. According to her sister, Peggy Englander Stark ’59, Kathy and her husband, Jim, were married for nearly 50 years and had three adult children—Susan, David and Michael. She spent her career teaching special education, English and global studies at Albany High School, and co-authored the book Mom Are You Listening? A Story of Unconditional Love with her younger son, who lives with autism/Asperger’s. In 2012, Kathy reflected, “Calhoun taught me the values of working hard and caring about learning. I will always be grateful for the amazing preparation I received to live a full life.”
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Jo Ann Seitman Jacobson ’61: I’ve been married to Arnold for 51 years now. Our daughter is a professor at the NYU School of Medicine; she has two daughters at Brearley. My son, an attorney with an MBA degree, lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons. Leslie Berman Marcus ’61: We sold our home and moved to a condo overlooking Pittsburgh. The view was named the numberthree view in the country—we love it! We also spend six months a year in Florida. Leslie Bernstein Levy ’62: We continue to enjoy living in New York and Westchester. Jim and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year. Our granddaughters, Sophie (15) and Caroline (13), who are growing up in Manhattan Beach, CA, are our shining lights.
and grandchildren, and hope to find more time for acting and writing! Joan Kaye Wishkoff ’64: I have two wonderful sons and five grandchildren. Both my sons are certified financial planners, and the younger one holds a law degree as well. I have been active in politics as a volunteer in Delaware. Peggy Kao Hsia ’67 passed away in May after a brave battle with cancer. Vice president of the Student League at Calhoun, she went on to Barnard College and later married Richard Hsia. Classmates Wynne Savitt Weiner ’67 and Laura Jean Siegel Nagler ’67 attended a memorial at Columbia University for friends and family to celebrate her life. As Laura reflects, “Peggy was a delightful, warm, caring and genuine human being who had great style and elegance. She will be missed by many.”
Mary Ann Oppenheimer ’63: We are now in Franklin, MA, where my husband, Michael, is vice president of academic affairs at Dean College. With our move, I decided to retire. I am still busy volunteering at the public library, our local food pantry, our regional hospital and our synagogue.
Catherine Roberts Leach ’68: I continue to pursue my fine-art photography, which has been exhibited through competitions and in galleries across the United States. My work can be viewed on my website, www.crleach.com.
1970s
Michele Mais ’72: I created the role of Justice in the Broadway production of Rock of Ages, and have performed in 1,565 shows now! I’m a breast cancer survivor, and I love being a member of the acting company of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I’ll be returning next season to do The Wiz and The Winter’s Tale. Kate Raikin Sells ’72: I am semi-retired, but maintain a small private practice and still love my work. I also enjoy gardening and walking up in the hills surrounding my hometown of Missoula, MT. Having lived here considerably longer than I lived in Manhattan, I find that Montana really does feel like home. I would welcome contact from any of my classmates!
Laura Kogel ’64: I still love my work as a psychotherapist, but at the moment it has been wonderful to be on vacation and travel around Spain. Still wish I had taken Spanish at Calhoun! I love the language and did my best to help us get around . . . con mi trente palabras! Tedra Levine Schneider ’64: I recently downsized my living quarters and am working part-time now. I enjoy visiting friends, family
program to the New York Botanical Garden this fall, where the group toured the Frida Kahlo exhibit and grounds. Erica continues working as a publishing editor for Cline Davis & Mann, handling pharmaceutical advertising; Caren spent her career as a law-firm librarian.
s Erica Fox ’68 (left) joined with classmate Caren Rabinowitz ’68 for Calhoun’s Cultural Excursions
Julia Falke Farrall ’75: So sorry to have missed all the reunions; I’ll make one, one of these days! I have been living in Colorado for 30 years, working as a property manager. I’m currently in Denver and semi-retired, subsequent to a kidney transplant in July 2014.
I’m married to rock musician Raymond Brower and mother to three—Elizabeth (31), Soffia (27) and Mia (25). My first grandchild, Jackson, weighed in at eight and a half pounds on August 31! My other joys include photographing birds in the wild, fixing up houses that are falling down, writing fiction and doing water aerobics. I remember my days at Calhoun fondly, and miss New York every day—though I think that at this point, there is little chance of ever moving back. Alexis Brooks ’78: Our son, Matthew, is a senior at Middlebury College and spent the last year in Nepal studying Buddhist philosophy. Our daughter, Rachel, is a senior at Commonwealth School—an independent school in Boston, where the focus is a love of learning. In looking for a school for our kids, I wanted something as close to Calhoun as possible. I still live in the same town as Jane Lichtenstein Dornbusch ’77 and we are very close friends to this day.
1980s
Margaret Riegel ’80: I have been a freelance illustrator for over 20 years. My photo-illustrations have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Time magazine and corporate brochures. I currently live on the Upper West Side, not far from Calhoun. Amy Landau ’84, who served as a Lower School science teacher at Calhoun from 2007 to 2011, lives in Milledgeville, GA, where she earned her MFA degree in 2015 from Georgia College & State University, with a focus on creative writing, journalism and education.
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York. She made the transition from higher education, having spent the prior 11 years at Yeshiva University, where she was most recently associate director of annual giving.
Debora Rabbai ‘85 (second from right), poses with fellow performers from Broadway’s Next H!t Musical, before an appearance on Seth Rudetsky’s Sirius XM.
s Debora Rabbai ’85: I’m the co–artistic director, producer and performer with an improvised musical comedy awards show, Broadway’s Next H!t Musical. You’ve heard of the Tonys? We’re the Phonys! We’ve been touring for the last two and a half years, improvising musicals for audiences all over the country. Additionally, I do voiceovers for TV and radio commercials, and am a facilitator and corporate leadership trainer with Corporate DNA & Dramatic Improvement. I teach musical improvisation at the New York Film Academy and American Comedy Institute. I still live on the Upper West Side. Ronit Segal ’85 started a new job this fall as annual fund director at the Rodeph Sholom School in New
Scott Hirsch ’86 returned to Calhoun’s Board of Trustees this fall, serving for a third time in the role; previously, he was among the first two graduates to get appointed as an alumni representative to the Board, serving from 1992 to 1995, and was re-elected as a Term Trustee from 1998 to 2007. Scott is currently a co–managing principal of Saybrook Capital Corporation, a private investment counsel and management firm whose primary clients are family groups, related institutions and trusts. He and his wife, Melissa, have two children, Holliss (a Calhoun seventh grader) and Marilla. (See page 7.) William Pollock ’86: I just self-published my second book, Leaving Triscuit, available on Amazon. The book helps owners of dogs and cats alleviate the stress of being away on trips. My first book, Pizza for Good, recently won two awards. For more, visit leavingtriscuit.com, pizzaforgood.net or willpollock.com.
BOBBY RUE ’85 received exciting news this fall, learning that his script Detroit had won the Drama Screenplay Award in the 2015 Screenplay & Teleplay Competition. The award, which was sponsored by the Writers Guild of America, was announced at the Austin Film Festival 2015. The competition received a record 8,627 submissions. On top of all that, Bobby and his wife, Lara, welcomed the birth of their second child—a baby girl, Elizabeth Nicole (Ellie), born on October 23.
1990s
Ilana Plutzer Hyman ’90 serves as a cantor for the B’nai Israel Reform Temple in Oakdale, NY, and works for Jewish organizations throughout the region. Ilana is also the proud mother of two daughters, Liora and Hannah.
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Sonia Bonsu ’95 departed from her role as Director of Development at Calhoun this fall, after serving for seven years back at her alma mater. She was appointed director of The Hotchkiss Fund at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where she resides with her husband, Peter.
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Jeremy Brussell ’91: I work 2 mostly on feature films, television and some commercials. I’ve been married twice and have one daughter. I live in Los Angeles but travel for work. My biggest hobbies include stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, golf, scuba diving, photography, and spending time with my daughter.
s Stefanie Dreiblatt Wotton ’95 hosted a “mommy and me” mini-reunion last summer on the lawn of Peter Cooper Village (where she lives), for fellow classmates and their little ones: (L-R) Hazel Gurland Pooler ’95, Annie Polyn Pena ’95, Stefanie, Jessica Daniels Schwarz ’95 and Nora Zelevansky ’95.
Zeke Edwards ’91 is currently director of the Criminal Law 3 Reform Project for the American Civil Liberties Union, where he had previously been a staff attorney. In his role, he works to end over-incarceration and over-criminalization, handling cases that include challenges to excessive sentencing, unconstitutional police practices, juvenile life-without-parole sentences, and drug prohibition. Zeke and his wife, Pardiss, live on the Upper West Side.
Chris Chou ’96: Since my last update, we have welcomed a second child into our family— Emilia Chou was born on September 22, 2014. We also bought a new home in Wellesley, MA (which I am hoping will be completed by Christmas). Ian Cooper ’96 and his wife, Rachel Foullon, are the proud new parents of a son, Ives Vale Cooper. In other news, Ian is busy pursuing his MFA at the Bard College Milton Avery Graduate program while still teaching at
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Profile Marc Davies ‘86 Environmental Lawyer Rededicated to Special-Needs Kids By Stephanie Williams
Marc Davies ’86 (right) with his three sons, from left: Owen (16), Sam (12) and Zach (18). (Not pictured: Marc’s wife, Lenore Pripstein Davies)
From a law school internship at the Environmental Protection Agency to prosecuting the largest environmental disaster cases in the country, Marc Davies ’86 has never lost sight of his desire for meaningful work. Now he’s left his partnership at an international law firm to start his own practice, dedicated to helping the families of special-needs children. Marc’s passion for environmental science took off after he moved to Colorado, on the heels of his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania. “I was living in Telluride, close to a huge superfund site [natural land contaminated by hazardous waste]. I’d go hiking in one of the most beautiful places in the world and see a pond turned fluorescent orange or green.” Marc started looking into the causes for the contamination and found his way to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit group of scientists and lawyers. “I was really interested in how they combined the two,” he says. “That inspired me to get both a master’s degree and a law degree; that way I would really know what I was talking about [to effect change].” Marc returned to the University of Pennsylvania for his master’s degree. In true Calhoun fashion, he helped design an integrated graduate program that looked at environmental issues from every aspect: chemistry, law, economics, computer modeling, statistics and engineering. He was still writing his master’s thesis when he began his first semester of law school at Temple University. Six years ago, Marc became a partner at Greenberg Traurig LLP, an international law firm, where he worked on the largest
environmental contamination cases in the U.S., including the well-known Fox River superfund site in Wisconsin. “I learned a lot of creativity at Calhoun and an ability to think around corners, so I always ended up getting put on the billion-dollar, complex problem cases.” However, after a while his work was concentrated solely on large cases that no longer dealt with the actual environmental issues. He started to lose sight of the purpose of his work, so he began taking pro-bono cases helping families with special needs. “I started to feel that was my real calling, and that was really what pushed me to go out on my own; I wanted to be able to practice [special-needs law] in a meaningful way, and take the environmental cases where I felt I could have a real impact.” A year later, Marc is confident he made the right decision. Despite the challenges of starting his own firm, he is more enthusiastic than ever before, and getting a great deal of satisfaction out of his work. He has recently filed several cases against the State of Pennsylvania, helping families of children with autism get access to important therapeutic treatments. “The best part of going out on my own is having an actual impact; families started calling to tell me how I’ve changed their lives.” Yet one of the biggest challenges has been the unreliable income. The work he finds most fulfilling often doesn’t pay well . . . or at all. “It’s tough, because I might just be spending hundreds of hours working these cases for free, but they’re the ones I love doing the most. If I win one, hundreds of people might get the help they need, so it’ll be a huge thing to have done, and maybe it’ll be the best thing I’ve ever done.” Marc believes strongly that Calhoun helped him build the fundamental skills he needed to be a successful lawyer and entrepreneur. “The school was always about creating situations where you could learn, not because you had to, but because it was the right thing to do. They provided great opportunities to understand things on a really deep level . . . . The basic skills I’ve learned as an advocate and a problem-solver, skills that started at Calhoun and developed throughout my life, are the ones that make the difference in the end.” He advises young entrepreneurs to stay optimistic, and not to let the fear of failure keep them from seeking opportunities. He encourages Calhoun students and alumnae/i to look around the community for support and resources. “We are so fortunate to have a wealth of talent and resources around us. If you have that, and you keep your perseverance, nothing can stop you.”
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What’s New? Your classmates want to know! Please send photos and updates about job changes, moves, exciting projects, births, weddings or memories. Don’t be modest; your news is important to us! Send your news by email: alumni@calhoun.org Submit your news online: www.calhoun.org/alumniupdates
NYU, where he is now in charge of the entire senior-year-thesis program for undergraduate art majors. This fall, he had a solo show at Halsey McKay Gallery in East Hampton, featuring five sculptures that received glowing reviews in Artforum. Says Ian, “I can honestly say, I’m more proud of this show than anything I’ve done in years.”
Steven Oppenheimer II, who was born on March 20, 2014. The family lives in the Bronx.
2000s
Rebecca Stevens ’96 writes that “everything is wonderful in San Francisco. I am working at GoPro as an event promotions manager and loving life.” Jason Fleetwood-Boldt ’97, who returned last June to attend the Peer Leadership luncheon that honored Robert Schaecher and Alison Foster, is now working as head of the engineering department for the men’s underwear outfit mackweldon.com. Catherine Bertchume ’98 and her husband, Julian Oppenheimer, are enjoying parenthood—times two! The couple welcomed a baby girl, Sadie Lorraine, on May 19, 2015. Sadie joins sibling Julian
V Justin Bosch ’00 is now the father of two! He and his wife, Louise, welcomed Hazel Mae on December 1—joining her big brother, Oscar. Justin continues working at Departure Films, where he is an online editor and director of post-production. Steve Feldman ’00 and his wife, Ariella, welcomed Avia Madeline into their family on October 13. The three (along with their dog, Latte) live in Los Angeles, where Steve is a senior litigation associate at Hueston Hennigan LLP, a law firm focused on high-
stakes business litigation for clients such as Allergan, T-Mobile and The Walt Disney Company. Pauline Newman ’00, who resides in Atlanta, GA, is currently pursuing her master of science degree in clinical nutrition from Maryland University of Integrative Health. She lives close to her sister AnneMarie Newman Jeffries ’00, brother-in-law Aaron, and her niece Nora, with whom she loves playing the aunt. Pauline is also working as a sports coach for kids aged two to nine years old, and enjoys exploring Atlanta. Peter Concannon ’01 married Serafina Shishkova at a celebration on August 29 at The Water Club in Manhattan. Lizzie Tepper ’01 was in the wedding party, and classmates Josh Raeben ’01, David Tunick ’01, and Paloma Woo ’01 were all in attendance. The couple lives in Kips Bay, where Peter has been working as an ironworker on a new hospital building at NYU Medical Center.
V Erin Brizius ’02 and her husband, Joe, live in Shaker Heights, OH, where they are enjoying parenthood after the June birth of their son, Will. Erin works in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District Of Ohio. Alex Dichne ’02 took a new job in January 2015 as a fabric and
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trim buyer for fashion house Thom Browne, Inc., in New York. She earned a degree in fashion design at Fashion Institute of Technology in 2010.
V David Kramer ’02 married Liz Garrett in Georgetown, ME, on June 20, with a reception at the Grey Havens Inn. Those in attendance from Calhoun included Dan Mantas ’02 and Jessica Mantas Leaver ’02, along with Jack Carroll ’02 and Daniel Eddy-Quintana ’02 serving as groomsmen. David and Liz went on to honeymoon in South Africa, full of safari adventures! The newlyweds live in Brooklyn, NY.
V Lilly de Lucia ’03 and her husband, Michael Schall, are enjoying life as new parents after they ushered Marlena June into the world on July 9. The growing family lives in Jackson Heights, NY.
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many details of the wedding weekend. Emily works as a producer on HGTV’s House Hunters International and Patrick is a director of photography at HBO Sports. Jack Hale ’03 moved to Rochester, NY, this fall, with his wife, Erin. Previously at MSNBC, he assumed a new position at advertising agency Butler/Till, where he serves as a senior account executive. s Emily English ’03 married Patrick Dimon at an outdoor wedding ceremony in Waitsfield, VT, near Sugarbush Resort on June 20, before honeymooning in Thailand and Bali. Classmate Roey Mizrahi ’03 used her event planning background to help with
Blake Brie ’04 completed her clinical nutrition rotations at the University of Virginia Health System in June, and is now a clinical registered dietitian (RD) working with pediatric and adult inpatients at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
Join us for the
Cougar Career Symposium Friday, April 15, 2016 12:30–3:15pm 81st Street
Alex Gelband ’05 has partnered with former professional athletes and award-winning producers to launch PROATHLETE TV—a sports digital-media company that explores the unique lifestyles of professional athletes through cultural entertainment. Sophie Harris ’06 celebrated her marriage to Andrew Peterson on October 3, a beautiful fall day, at the Atlantica restaurant in Cohasset, MA. Calhoun friends in attendance were Weslee Berke ’06, Casey Shane ’06, Samara Savino Antolini ’06, Nate Silverstein ’06 and Marjolaine Goldsmith ’10. The couple lives on the Upper West Side; Sophie works as an account executive at CD Network, a fashion wholesale showroom, and Andrew works in the fundraising office at the Nightingale-Bamford School. Warren Rej ’06 recently left Seventeen magazine and joined Hearst Magazines Digital Media as digital research analyst. He caught up with classmates this fall at the annual Pub Night event.
Alumnae/i panelists speak to alums and Upper Schoolers about career paths and opportunities. Chef Bobo lunch included!
RSVP to attend or participate:
www.calhoun.org/careersymposium Don’t forget to look for Calhoun on LinkedIn, where you can network with other members of the Calhoun community. Look for The Calhoun School group: www.linkedin.com/groups/1931476
s Katherine Schreiber ’06 is a published author, having completed her first book, The Truth About Exercise Addiction,
in February 2015. She is now working on a second book, about female sexuality and double lives, in addition to writing about mental health and relationships for Greatist.com, Psychology Today magazine, Addiction.com and various other print and online outlets. Twitter: @ktschreib Hannah Zetlin ’06 married Jason Wong at a celebration in August 2014. She earned her BS in nursing at Brandeis University in 2010 and is now a registered nurse, working in the NICU unit at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital while also finishing her master’s to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. She expects to graduate in May. Rico Bautista ’07 started a new job in June as director of recruiting for Bisnow Media— the largest digital media and events platform for commercial real estate in North America. He caught up with friends at the annual Pub Night in November. Jenna Johnson ’07 married Jeremiah Davis in August 2015 on Peaks Island, ME. Calhoun alums in attendance included Ruthie Dreyer ’07 and Mollie Wein ’07. Ariane Rockoff-Kirk ’07 is completing her JD degree at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. Post-graduation, she will work as an associate at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York. Last year, while at the Innocence Project, Ariane assisted in the exoneration of Angel Gonzalez, an Illinois man who spent more than 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Ariane has a bachelor’s degree in political science from
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SETH MELNICK ’05, who’s been working since October 2014 as NYC marketing manager for Lyft, was named to the Silicon Alley 100 as one of the top 100 mostinspiring and influential people in New York tech. (Congratulations, Seth!) Last year, Seth was one of the 25 alums who volunteered for the Annual Cougar Career Symposium for Upper Schoolers and fellow grads.
Andrew Conlin ’08 is working for Everytown for Gun Safety in Washington, DC, as a political coordinator in the politics and elections department. Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities. “Gun violence touches every town in America. For too long, change has been thwarted by the Washington gun lobby and by leaders who refuse to take common-sense steps that will save lives,” Andrew notes.
Calhoun’s New Website: New Features! Check out Calhoun’s new website! We’ve got sharper graphics, a responsive design to fit your mobile device, and a REALLY easy login for alums who want to get access to the Alumnae/i Directory!
Molly O’Steen ’08 continues to blaze her career path as a teacher. Earlier this fall, she began work as a classroom teacher for Rodeph Sholom School in New York while also pursuing graduate work for a dual degree from Hunter College in childhood education and special education (MSpEd). She earned a BA in theater education from Emerson College in 2012.
Now, your username is your email address!
Matthew Sommer ’08 has started a new job as an associate at the New York City office of the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP. Matt’s start at Latham comes on the heels of his graduating from Harvard Law School this past May.
4. When you return to the website and log in, be sure to update your password to one you’ll remember! (Click the link under MY ACCOUNTS.)
s
Haverford College, with a concentration in peace, justice and human rights.
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How to Log in: 1. Go to our website, still at www.calhoun.org. 2. At the top right of the page, click on MY CALHOUN and then Alumnae/i. 3. Enter your username (email address) and click on “forgot your password”; your temporary password will be emailed immediately.
What You’ll Find: • Alumnae/i Directory • Alumnae/i Events • Alumnae/i Media Gallery • Alumnae/i News Mashup • Bulletin Board • Scrapbook Plus, there’s a special page for you to SHARE your news and updates, to post in our next Calhoun Chronicle. Check us out—–and log in!
Matt Sommer ’08 celebrates his graduation from Harvard Law School with family members: (L-R) grandmother Joan Masket; his mom, Liz Masket Sommer ’76; his dad, Jonathan; and his sister, Allie Sommer ’11.
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Ways to Connect Online with the Calhoun Community
CALHOUN WEBSITE www.calhoun.org
FACEBOOK facebook.com/calhounschool facebook.com/calhounalums
TWITTER @calhounschool
INSTAGRAM @calhounschool
YOUTUBE youtube.com/calhounschool
LINKEDIN www.linkedin.com/groups/1931476
PINTEREST pinterest.com/calhounschool
Matt is leaning toward a career in corporate law, but has yet to settle on what practice area he plans to pursue. Francesca Aborn ’09 was a guest speaker in Lavern McDonald’s Upper School class Punishment, Politics, and Culture, where she discussed her thesis work on prison reform. This year, Francesca heads to Nairobi, Kenya, where she will be volunteering with a UN project that works on monitoring human rights conditions for individuals accused of piracy. Olivia Durif ’09 founded an art and literary journal, Bearings: Works about Boundaries, which launched at Mother Foucault’s Bookshop in Portland, OR, this past November. The journal is available online as well as in several independent bookstores across the country. Among the contributors are two of her former Calhoun teachers, Jessica Houston and August Joseph (AKA Gary Cohen). Olivia has been living in Portland and working jobs in sustainable agriculture and outdoor education since graduating from Reed College in 2013, but is in the process of moving back to New York to pursue writing and education with a focus on “issues of land and space from an urban perspective.” Amanda Nason ’09 earned her BA in psychology from the University of Delaware in 2013. Now back in New York, she is working as the development assistant for the Manhattan Children’s Center, which serves children on the autism spectrum. Margot Silverstein ’09 studied strategic design management as her concentration at Parsons
School of Design, where she earned her bachelor’s in business administration in 2014. Now working as a graphic designer in New York, she counts among her clients the skin care product Skyn Iceland, the wine company Thirstie and the accessory business Knotty Gal. In December, she also landed a job working for restaurants owned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.
2010s
Lauren Capkanis ’10 has been a familiar face in the classroom at Calhoun this year, serving in substitute-teaching roles for Upper School math while still pursuing her interest and passion in theater. Lauren graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in acting in 2014 and has since performed in multiple showcases, in plays at local theaters, and in web series and independent films. Most recently, she won Best Actress in the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival for a short film called Summer Breeze, about a young mother with a heroin addiction. The film was also featured at the San Pedro International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts in L.A. Jaclyn Katz ’10 is a second-year student at Harvard Law School and senior editor of Harvard
Business Law Review. She also serves on the board of the Women’s Law Association and the Harvard Law School Real Estate Association. In summer 2016, Jaclyn is already lined up to work as a summer associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. Ben Waters ’10: I graduated in May 2015 from Cornell’s undergraduate architecture program. Soon thereafter, I started at Gensler, an architecture firm, where I practice on a team that specializes in retail clients.
V Lizzie Gass ’11 (right) majored in biology with a studio art minor at Dickinson College, where she graduated in 2015 alongside classmate Holly Holtz ’11. Lizzie now works for Dr. Oz’s nonprofit TIFFANY POON ’14, who competed in the prestigious XVII International Chopin Piano Competition, held in Warsaw, Poland, last October, was selected to be among 78 of the most
promising pianists in the world— advancing beyond the preliminary round to stage one with her performance. Tiffany is in her sophomore year at Columbia University.
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organization HealthCorps, whose mission is to empower youth to live productive lives through wellness education, focusing on nutrition wellness and mental resilience. Holly majored in psychology and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She is completing a post-baccalaureate certificate at Northwestern University and will pursue her master’s in speech-language pathology in fall 2016. Outside of class, Holly volunteers in the pediatrics department at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
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Calhoun Alumni Basketball Challenge
Andrew Luzmore ’11 was recently hired to work as a chef for Blue Hill, one of the country’s leading restaurants for sustainability, fresh farm produce and high-quality products. Chef Bobo—who ran into Andrew at the Union Square Farmers Market this fall—beams when he notes that “many rating organizations score it as the best restaurant in the country. I’m so proud of Andrew!” Andrew graduated from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in May 2015. Jacqueline Bevacqua ’12: I got accepted into the graduate program at Lasell, where I am pursuing a management degree with a concentration in hospitality and event management. I also have an internship at a bridal boutique called Bride-N-Belle Boutique, in Medford, MA. Sasha Krantz ’14 is now in her sophomore year at Muhlenberg College, where she plans to major in political science. She had an active summer; she joined former camp friends on a Birthright trip to Israel, followed by travel to Rome for a family wedding before continuing on to visit Florence.
Now in its 11th year, the Alumni Basketball Challenge welcomed grads in another heated class battle! (Top) Class of 2015 grads joined Calhoun’s more “senior” alums from 1982 to 1997 on the green team. (Center) Gregg Baldinger ‘82 still has what it takes; Zach Lazare ‘08 won the 3-point shootout; Zeus Rocancourt ‘15 goes up for the tip-off. (Bottom) The white team, with athletes from Classes 2000–2013, won the challenge, 56–48.
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REUNIONS
DECEMB ER 18 , 20 15 DECEMBER
Holiday Homecoming Luncheon
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Recent grads kicked off their winter break from college by reuniting with classmates and teachers at the annual Holiday Homecoming Luncheon, one of Calhoun’s longest alumnae/i traditions. Chef Bobo catered the festivities, which also included members of the senior class to help welcome back the 40-plus alums in attendance. 2
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1. Jack Javer ’15 and Alex Schonfeld ’15
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2. (L-R) Isaac Bale ’16, Maggie Stein ’12, Kim Vivas ’12, Tyra Martinez ’15 3. (L-R) Emma Vallo ’15, Director of Alumnae/i Relations Bart Hale ’00, Robin Sklar ’14
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4. (L-R) Claire Cohen ’15, Peri Winston ’15, Phil Tedeschi (US English teacher), Taylor Gerard ’15 6 5. (L-R) Isabelle Thomson ’16, Michael Leavitt ’15, Chris Jager ’15 6. (L-R) Michael Luzmore ’13, Kim Vivas ’12, Claire Baum ’12
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M O RE PHOTOS ONLI NE www.calhoun.org/alummedia
NOV EMBER EMB ER 1 7, 20 15
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Alumnae/i Pub Night Pub Night has become quite the tradition! Now in its ninth year, it was another great alumnae/i event—with grads spanning three decades converging in midtown, at 5th & Mad, for a pre-Thanksgiving celebration.
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1. (L-R) Masumi Takamizu ’96, Shaniquoa Elrington ’96 and Jessica Dudley (Calhoun development office) 2. (L-R) Jack Asimov ’09, Terry Horowitz ’09, Rachel Geisler ’09, Amalia Safran ’09 3. (L-R) Lauren Capkanis ’10, Emily Glaser ’10, Alicia Vasquez ’10
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4. (L-R) Tess Harris ’11, Lizzie Gass ’11 and Rachel Glicksberg ’10 5. Miguel Guadalupe ’94 and his wife, Maria, pose with his yearbook page! 6. (L-R) Samara Savino Antolini ’06, Warren Rej ’06, Weslee Berke ’06, Summer Rej ’02
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433 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024 www.calhoun.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
To the Parents of Alumnae/i: If this issue is addressed to your daughter/son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumnae/i OfďŹ ce with the correct mailing address. Call 212-497-6579, fax 212-497-6531 or contact by email: alumni@calhoun.org.
Lower School Sing, December 2015
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