Full Circle Spring/Summer 2012

CASTILLEJA SCHOOL MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2012

spring/summer 2012 | 1

contents

SPRING/SUMMER 2012 features

departments

The Renaissance, (Re)Bourn 2

Around the Circle

17

Opening a World of Possibilities

Alumnae

42

Gift Report

57

Faculty Notes

Class Notes

70

In Memoriam

80

4

Creating Transformative Learning Experiences

6

The Garden Classroom: The Gift that Keeps on Growing

10

Casti 2.0

2 | full circle

16

71

from the head “New and exciting approaches

at Castilleja are making even more vital and relevant to the girls the traditionally sound education which the school offers.” — Margarita Espinosa

Each year on Founder’s Day, we celebrate the legacy left behind for us by our founder, Mary Ishbel Lockey.

We acknowledge the one hundred years of tradition we have inherited for safekeeping, while we imagine what lies ahead. We reflect on our past, we deepen our confidence in the modern-day mission of the school, and we explore our vision for the future.

A Stanford graduate, Miss Lockey was an educator ahead of her time. When she established Castilleja as a college preparatory school for girls, she set the school on a course to define educational excellence for young women. Following in her footsteps, Margarita Espinosa adapted to a changing world and imagined new standards for excellence while staying true to her predecessor’s vision.

As her own thirty years as Head of School came to a close, Miss Espinosa, proud of the high academic standards Castilleja had preserved, was also eager to celebrate the school’s newest achievements.

Appearing in the 1970 edition of the Castilleja Alumnae Magazine, was Miss Espinosa’s year-end summary which she dubbed “Castilleja Innovations”:

• Requested and arranged by the students, on November 14, 1969, Castilleja held an “inquiry day” – a day of workshops and speakers, including Stanford professors, focused on the issues of the Vietnam War. • In 1970, Castilleja held the first joint discussion with the Student Council of Ravenswood High School in East Palo Alto, to discuss potential solutions to common local problems.

• An assembly featured the Chairman of the California Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the new challenges facing women.

• On April 21, 1970, initiated and led by students, Castilleja held a full-scale conference on problems of the environment, called “Anti-Doomsday.”

• For the moms, Castilleja hosted a series of contemporary literature seminars, providing women in the community an opportunity to debate emerging changes in 20th century values.

Not unlike what you will read in this issue, the 1970 alumnae magazine depicted a busy year at Castilleja School, with faculty and staff offering students, and even their families, a wide array of experiences to deepen and extend learning. Much like their predecessors, today’s faculty members strive to define and redefine academic excellence for girls in increasingly and rapidly changing times.

Using what Jonah Lehrer identifies in his new book Imagine: How Creativity Works as their “most important mental talent,” teachers from both centuries unleash their imaginations, inventing and reinventing new ways of teaching and learning, and uncovering new ways of preparing young women for the challenges that lie ahead. Join us on this journey in the pages that follow, and imagine how Castilleja today is preparing girls for tomorrow.

spring/summer 2012 | 1

feature The Renaissance, (Re)Bourn

By Anne CameronHA, Middle School Head

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.

— Leonardo da Vinci Every spring, seventh grade students study the Renaissance in their history class, examining the artists and scientists of the era. While always an interesting and exciting subject, this year, there is a new buzz. It’s coming from the Bourn Lab. In order for students to better understand the genius of the artist, scientist, and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, history teacher Eugenie PaickHA approached the topic differently this year. She collaborated with Diego Fonstad, P’16 to craft an exploration of da Vinci’s inventions that would allow students to be da Vinci, at least for a week.

On day one, each pair of students chose an invention. Catapults, dredgers, armored cars, aerials screws, and bicycles became the topics of research.

Once a contraption was selected, the real work began. The goal: to create an operational machine based upon da Vinci’s work.

On the second day, I entered the Bourn Lab and noticed a student furiously flapping her arms, demonstrating the wings of a flying machine. Two other girls bent a dowel, testing to see if it was “bendy” enough. Engaged and animated, totally immersed in the building process, no one even noticed my presence in the Lab. The girls devised their plans, measured, drew and debated next steps.

When they got stuck, they asked for help and, instead of getting an automatic answer, received clarifying questions: “What are you testing in this prototype? What are you trying to do? What size do you think it should be? How will you find the exact center?”

Creating the first prototype involved drawing the pieces on cardboard and cutting with scissors to get a rudimentary feel for the design. Next, measurements were refined, and these more exact dimensions were entered into the laser cutter computer. After final testing and adjustments, it

2 | full circle

was back to the laser cutter for the wood pieces and assembly of the real deal: a working da Vinci invention.

Middle School girls thrive in an environment rich in a variety of experiences. Our daily curriculum, elective offerings, and co-curricular program provide skills, stimulation, and the development of expertise. The Bourn Lab resources add a new dimension, and the girls accomplished a great deal through this Renaissance exploration. They engaged deeply with a historical topic of interest. They applied teamwork, communication, creativity, math, and drawing skills.

They successfully collaborated and persevered throughout an iterative process to complete an unfamiliar task.

On the first day of this project, a student asked, “Can’t I just make something that just looks like the invention but doesn’t really work?” As the project progressed, in spite of the inevitable frustrations that come with invention, students conferred, experimented, and altered their designs. By the end of the experience, the girls proudly displayed their replicas.

Comments such as, “He is more of a genius to us than he was before. Not only did he invent, but he also improved” and, “This experience has given us a new respect for da Vinci because it is hard enough to build this machine in our time period with all our new technology, let alone during the Renaissance” demonstrated a deeper understanding of the person, the time period, and the process of inventing.

In a few short days, the Class of 2017 certainly developed a wider appreciation for the genius of this Renaissance man and, of equal importance, a growing confidence in their own abilities to create, tinker, persevere, and build. “Knowing is not enough; we must apply.” Da Vinci would have been proud.

feature

Anne CameronHA joined Castilleja School in 1996 as Head of Middle School from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School where she was Director of Intermediate Grades. She began her career in the classroom and has taught students in all grades, K-8. She received a BA from the Oregon College of Education and an MA from Santa Clara University.

spring/summer 2012 | 3

feature Opening a World of Possibilities My wish is that the Bourn Lab creates not only the next generation of women scientists and engineers but also the next generation of lifelong learners. — Linda Bourn More than 100 members of the extended Castilleja community gathered in March for the official opening of the Bourn Idea Lab. The lab is a oneof-a-kind design and digital fabrication space built for middle and high school students, one of the first at a U.S. secondary school. As opposed to an ordinary machine shop or robotics lab, the Bourn Lab integrates creativity, arts, and design-thinking, while teaching and reinforcing traditional STEM concepts within a curricular model based on projects and inquiry. The Castilleja lab is specifically designed to be a resource for the entire student body across a whole range of disciplines, much like a school library. It is the latest addition to a nascent network called FabLab@School, the brainchild of Stanford assistant professor Paulo Blikstein who runs the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab. The Bourn Lab and FabLab represent a whole new way to teach science and other disciplines.

According to Blikstein, “by putting cutting-edge technology for design and fabrication, such as 3-D printers and laser cutters, into the hands of students, collaborative problem solving becomes tangible as

students actively engage in the process of building something out of nothing. It puts the creativity back into science and engineering.” At Castilleja, “tinkering” in the lab deepens spatial-visualization skills, a key component in combating women’s attrition from STEM fields. Bourn Lab Coordinator Diego Fonstad, P’16 noted that one goal of the lab is to make it possible for “every student to look at problems in math and science and say ‘I can do that’.”

There has been a steady stream of activity in the lab since December, including several faculty training sessions, more than a dozen different classroom projects from renaissance history to kinetic sculpture, and the build season for the Castilleja robotics team.

The Bourn Lab was named for Doug Bourn, the longtime robotics team mentor who was the inspiration for this space. “Tonight we honor not only Doug, but also the many people whose intellectual and financial contributions have made the creation of this space in his memory a reality,” said Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA at the Lab’s opening, as she cut the ribbon alongside Linda Bourn, Doug’s sister.

Also joining the ribbon-cutting program were Diego Fonstad, P’16; robotics team member Anna Mirabella ’12; robotics team mentors Emily Ma and science teacher Doris Mourad; senior director at Facebook Emily White ’96; and professor Blickstein.

More teacher support is planned for the months ahead, and this summer Castilleja will welcome Angi Chau as the full-time Director of the Bourn Lab. Ms. Chau holds a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering as well as a PhD in Bioengineering. The lab will also welcome students from East Palo Alto Academy who have been working at Blikstein’s lab for about two years. In the coming months, Castilleja will work collaboratively on teacher training with the East Palo Alto Academy, and also support the establishment of a digital fabrication lab in East Palo Alto.

4 | full circle

feature

“It is exciting that hands-on experiences will now be available to all members of our campus community and it is my hope that the lab fosters intellectual curiosity across disciplines.” — Anna Mirabella ’12 spring/summer 2012 | 5

feature Creating Transformative Learning Experiences

By Stacey Kertsman, ACE Center Director

The principle of “intentional local and global community partnership work” underpins the ACE Center’s commitment to developing transformative learning experiences. Community action at Castilleja is being “re-imagined” by deepening our partnerships to enable collaboration and multiple points of engagement.

Reciprocal learning requires active participation in planning and goal-setting by all stakeholders in an activity, event, or long-term partnership.

Thus, experiences are supported with thoughtful preparation, sometimes tied to curricular threads, and deliberately framed as an opportunity to both share and learn. Most importantly, success is measured by opportunities taken, goals achieved, and lessons learned, rather than by documented hours.

Engagement with our partners — ranging from St. Elizabeth Seton School and Brentwood Academy to Roshni (India) and MayaWorks (Guatemala) — takes many forms including: • Student-led service projects like Art in Action.

• ACE Center activities like Global Week and Global Investigator Trips.

• Facilitated curricular connections made by faculty.

The ACE Center serves as both a resource and a place of inspiration for students and faculty. Middle school students begin engaging in class-wide activities, like the seventh graders who have this year worked with “buddies” at Brentwood Academy to plant a garden. High school students develop leadership skills through ACE Organizations, “clubs” dedicated to community action, like Music for the Community which coordinates a music education program at East Palo Charter School. For faculty, ACE is a resource for brainstorming community action linked to curricular goals.

6 | full circle

The 2011-2012 school year included continued evolution of core Castilleja community action activities, new pilot programs (including Art in Action at St. Elizabeth Seton School), “re-imagined” partnership relationships (with Girls School No. 3 in Shanghai), and the development of a relational database to capture opportunities and resources central to keeping “action” alive at Castilleja.

Much of this work inspired the choice of the 20122013 Global Week theme “Social Change: Standing Up and Speaking Out.” This theme re-imagines the global week model and highlights keynote speakers who will punctuate project-based, action-oriented learning opportunities for our entire community.

feature

As the school year winds down the ACE Center is preparing for 2012-2013. In May, interested faculty will review the year and imagine how to further integrate ACE-centered work into the daily program and newly determined student leaders will participate in activities to prepare them to launch effective programs lead initiative and successfully collaborate with partner organizations.

Castilleja is committed to partnering deeply at a local level and creating opportunities for partnership in its global program. If you are interested in learning more about the partnership model and our partners or would like to introduce us to prospective partners with whom we can nurture long-term engagement opportunities for students from volunteering to yearlong internships, please contact the ACE Center and partner with us!

Stacey Kertsman came to Castilleja in 2011 from Saint Mark’s School in San Rafael where she designed and implemented a school-wide social and emotional learning program. Prior to Saint Mark’s, she taught across grade levels and at the University of California, Berkeley. She was recently honored as a “Teacher of the Future” (2010) by the National Association of Independent Schools for her focus on the use of technology and emphasis on global education in the classroom to create an innovative platform for teaching 21st century skills. She received her MA from the University of California, Berkeley, in social and cultural studies in education.

spring/summer 2012 | 7

taking action

feature Throughout the year, student-led groups work in the community supporting existing organizations in their missions.

From bringing the joy of music to elementary school students to sending care packages to troops serving in Afghanistan, the work of Casti students makes a difference.

Operation Gratitude Through the tireless work of the Dance Production Workshop Class and the cast and crew, the 2012 Arts with a Heart show, “Operation Gratitude” raised close to $15,000 through ticket sales and several fundraising initiatives! All proceeds will go to support America’s troops through four organizations: USO, San Mateo Blue Star Moms, Army Civil Affairs Battalion 445, and the official Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to troops serving around the world. Arts with a Heart Executive Producer Anna Harris ’13 traveled to Los Angeles to present the donation to the Executive Director and Founder of Operation Gratitude, which will send almost 250 care packages to soldiers serving our country. Major Laura Miller ’98 came to campus to accept the donation on behalf of Army

8 | full circle

Civil Affairs Battalion 445 and to personally thank the girls for their support. Laura had come to campus in the fall to talk to the student AWAH producers about their plans and her work with the Army.

Music for the Community Recent budget cuts have meant the loss of art and music programs at many schools, including East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS).

According to Alice Winham ’13, “Members of the Music for the Community ACE organization helped to fill the gap by visiting EPACS every Monday after school to share the joy of music with the students. Seeing how important music was to the students they worked with, we were really motivated to make sure that every EPACS had the same opportunity by raising money to allow the school to hire a part-time music teacher.”

In March, the club held a benefit concert that raised $2,000 towards their $3,000 goal.

Club members planned a great afternoon of performances featuring Castilleja students, faculty and alums; EPACS students; and even a handful of local bands and performers including Dressed to Impress, Eternal Downpour, and violinist Blade Chapman. The girls also got dozens of local businesses to donate raffle prizes and many audience members went home with terrific treats. Club members continue to work to raise the rest of the money so that EPACS kids can to experience the joy of music.

Art in Action After months of planning, Castilleja students Ella Finley ’14, Steph Flamen ’14, and Anna Yu ’15, began working with Mary Ratner, the head of the Art in Action Program at the St. Elizabeth Seton School in Palo Alto. After auditing an art class

at Seton, the girls took over teaching the after-school art class. The number of students attending the class quickly swelled from 10-15 to 20-30, and the girls recruited more volunteers from Castilleja to help the third, fourth, and fifth-grade students get more individualized attention. The expansion was supported by a grant from the Tutor Corps Foundation, explained program founder Steph Flamen. “Through the ACE Center, I learned about the Tutor Corps Foundation website where students leading community service programs can apply for grants. I applied and was awarded a $600 grant to help purchase art supplies. This has allowed us to expand each art lesson and make projects more engaging for the students.”

The program’s success is a culmination of the efforts of many people, says Steph Flamen.

“Ms. Hurlbut initially encouraged me to establish a relationship with the St. Elizabeth Seton School, as I had tutored there from seventh to ninth grade.

Ms. Rosa, the principal of Seton, originally supported the initiation of the after-school arts program along with Ms. Ratner, who plans lessons and has helped us in the classroom every step of the way. Ms. Escudero and Ms. Kertsman have helped organize scheduling, and the ACE center has been my go-to place whenever I need help or have a question. The art class would not have been possible without the help of other Casti volunteers. Everyone who has contributed to our endeavor has allowed our Seton art class team to work to our full potential and successfully run these classes.”

feature

spring/summer 2012 | 9

feature The Garden Classroom: The Gift that Keeps on Growing

By Mary Hurlbut

From its inception two years ago, the Jhumki Basu Memorial Garden has grown far beyond the boundaries of the small, irregular plot by the sixth grade lockers.

The organic, edible garden on the Castilleja campus was initiated as a way to honor and perpetuate the work of Jhumki Basu ’94 who loved nurturing the earth through gardening and engaging children in the discovery of its wonder through science. Before starting a charter school in New York and accepting a professorship at NYU, she worked with dedication to bring exciting hands-on science to students in the Peninsula Bridge Program hosted on the Castilleja campus and supported by Castilleja high school TAs each summer.

Expanding and Engaging through the Garden The generously productive, modest garden was expanded this past November by the addition of a new sister garden planted near the Choral Room by seventh graders and named the “Singing Garden.”

Over the past seasons, the gardens have provided produce to enhance the Castilleja cuisine, while simultaneously nourishing students’ excitement for experiential education. It has inspired sixth graders through seniors to re-imagine their environment and shape their education in intellectually meaningful and socially relevant ways. From partnerships with other schools, to student-initiated engineering and sustainability projects, the garden has been a catalyst for the cultivation of deep community connections and experiential learning opportunities, authentic and meaningful community engagement, and impactful leadership activities for the young women learning and leading around and beyond the circle.

Through the enthusiasm and vision of students, the support of faculty and staff, and the contribution of Castilleja partners, the humble, earth-bound plot has transformed our image of a school garden to encompass the cultivation of socially-relevant, community-focused educational engagement.

10 | full circle

Leading in Environmental Stewardship As students deepen their commitment to environmental stewardship, Castilleja has a special position with well-developed community connections and formal and informal local and global partnerships. From the Green Team to the Middle School garden elective, to student-initiated projects in Jane McConnell ’81’s Engineering Sustainable Solutions course, Castilleja students have emerged as local leaders in the arena of community engagement for environmental awareness.

In a recent visit to Brentwood Academy in East Palo Alto, seventh graders guided Brentwood elementary students in learning about planting and caring for a seed and the children’s enthusiasm fueled the Castilleja students’ excitement for their task. Along with reverence for the delicate balance essential for nurturing life, this simple activity fostered mutual appreciation and understanding and friendships between students of varying ages and backgrounds.

Tami Espinosa, Principal of Brentwood Academy, noted, “The group of students from Castilleja created a special bond with their Brentwood buddies. It is great for our students to have young people to look up to and share in this garden experience. I am excited to see our community growing beyond its borders.”

feature

The Growing Classroom Emerging curricular connections make gardens increasingly relevant in many educational settings. From microfinance to health education, to community organizing and environmental engineering, students are poised to thoughtfully and actively explore and address the prescient topics of social, environmental and economic sustainability.

Eager for these connections and for the learning that accompanies them, Castilleja students have, by their example, already begun to lead other schools in developing this socially conscious and sustainable aspect of school garden programs. In the fall of 2011, Castilleja and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy (EPAPA) students initiated a collective school garden program called Bay Area Students for Edible Education (BASEEd). The multi-school gardenfocused collective seeks to promote collaboration and the sharing of social and cultural knowledge that guides our daily habits of engaging with the environment and with one another.

The garden draws on our most fundamental desire and need to nurture new life, to connect with our roots, and to seek harmony with one another and our broader community. Its humble, earthbound beauty symbolizes the splendid possibility of community connection and cultural exchange

accomplished through the process of cooperative learning and discovery. In ancient Persia the king, depicted with flower in hand and wielding authority over precious, life-giving natural resources, was given the honorary title of “gardener.” Two thousand years later and half a world away, we are supporting the growth of many “gardeners” giving them the awareness, creativity, compassion, and experience to be leaders.

Mary Hurlbut joined the Visual and Performing Arts Department in 2007 to teach studio art. In 2010 she became the site director for the Peninsula Bridge Program and she mentors several Upper School students in designing and implementing academic enrichment experiences for rising fifth grade girls from under-resourced communities. She is also responsible for Castilleja’s Garden Program.

She received her BA in Studio Art from Stanford University and completed graduate studies in the Stanford Teacher Education Program.

spring/summer 2012 | 11

the growing classroom

feature

Connections in the Classroom and Community Since 2010, the garden has expanded its presence on campus with the Singing Garden and the planned addition of Rudy’s Herb Garden and expanded its reach into Castilleja classrooms and the broader community with the goal of bringing hands-on science experiences to both Casti students and those from under-resourced communities. Learn more about some of our initiatives:

12 | full circle

Brentwood Academy

An on-going partnership provides Castilleja students with leadership and mentorship opportunities as they support the establishment of a garden program at this K-5 school in East Palo Alto as well as health, science, and diversity activities.

Bay Area Students for Edible Education Castilleja is part of an interschool garden organization aimed at supporting socially, environmentally and financially sustainable educational and entrepreneurship programs.

They are currently looking at collaboration options including a multi-school farmers’ market stand and curriculum development to support elementary and middle school health and science education.

East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy A short-term project connected Castilleja garden club members with middle and high school students at Phoenix Academy through garden programming and planting.

Garden Club This student-led club, explores global issues of food sustainability through One Hen’s Good Garden Program which empowers children to be social entrepreneurs who combat global hunger through agricultural enterprise. Students participate by reading the book, exploring the website, and translating the lessons into real life action to help fight hunger in their communities.

Garden Program Internships During the academic year, Castilleja juniors can apply to be a Garden Program intern.

Interns receive regular support and guidance from faculty and community mentors, including graduate students, medical professionals, and scientists. They have the opportunity to work on projects including planning and leading collaborative events and projects with partner schools, and developing garden-related curriculum for elementary age after-school and summer enrichment programs.

Science Saturday Program Twice per semester, Castilleja Upper School students design and implement science activities for 35-plus Peninsula Bridge students. Students receive support in developing ideas for lessons, developing lessons and learning to effectively deliver instruction and guide student learning from faculty mentors.

Middle School Elective and Workshop The Garden elective allows Middle School students the opportunity to work in the garden, harvest vegetables for the Casti kitchen, initiate projects (like the bottle bricks and earth bench), and connect with other school garden programs. The students also explore longer-term initiatives including the design of an outdoor garden kitchen, a micro-finance entrepreneurship program and project-based garden fundraising. Math teacher Carolyn Steele led a garden design workshop to plan and plant the Singing Garden and Rudy’s Herb Garden.

feature

spring/summer 2012 | 13

the growing classroom

feature

Reflection

Marion Lepert ’13, Garden Intern I think gardens are magical. Tiny seeds are placed beneath the soil and after a few months of love and care, the seeds blossom into full-grown plants.

I have always loved watching this happen, and this year, I had the opportunity of sharing the magic with other students. With my amazing mentor Ms. Hurlbut, I helped start a partnership between the Castilleja seventh graders and the K-2 Brentwood students from East Palo Alto so that they could build a garden together at Brentwood.

My goal in creating this partnership was not just to share the magic of the plants; it was also to show how a garden can bring communities together. In this case, I wanted to create a friendship between the Castilleja and Brentwood communities. To do this, I helped prepare workshops for the Castilleja seventh graders to prepare them to interact with their Brentwood buddies. They learned some icebreaker games and became familiar with the activities they would lead their buddy through when they would go to Brentwood. Finally, on January 25, thanks to parent, faculty, and upper school volunteers, they got to spend the afternoon at Brentwood to start the garden.

Some pairs worked on painting signs with names of vegetables to put in the garden while others planted seeds. By the end of the afternoon, we had dozens of seedlings started, a beautiful assortment of signs, and bright smiles on everyone’s faces.

Because the day was so successful, the entire seventh grade returned to Brentwood during Earth Week to transfer the seedlings into the garden beds. It was amazing to watch the Castilleja and Brentwood students discover the magic they started together, and I hope that our communities will be able to blossom together just like the broccoli, beets, carrots, and other vegetables we planted.

14 | full circle

feature

spring/summer 2012 | 15

feature Casti 2.0: Re-Imagining our School

By Abigail Alter ’15

Re-imagining our beloved Castilleja is a tall order. After all, it is a perfect school for girls, right?

Well, nothing is perfect, but Casti comes pretty close to hitting the mark. Beautiful facilities, an astounding faculty, a plethora of people whose only job is to make our education the best it can be, and 415 diverse and bright students seems to be quite the recipe for an ideal school.

Of course there are the immediate, material wishes that we all have: couches everywhere, baked goods every day (oh wait…), not to mention our dire need for unicorn riding lessons and Hogwarts-themed common rooms under the Circle.

There are certain aspects of Castilleja against which the student body often chafes. The uniform, loosely defined as a light blue skirt and a collared shirt, is regularly violated beyond the point of recognition.

Dances are given labels like “boring” and “lame,” and we constantly beg for a brother school with which to socialize. The schedule, bemoaned by students and teachers alike, changes once every other year, and we mourn the loss of favorite course combinations.

Clearly those in charge must know what they are doing if we can only find cause to complain about relatively trivial aspects of our educational experience.

If I were able to re-imagine Castilleja — unbounded by reality, cost, or physics — the basic principles would remain the same. The school would continue to educate a brilliant force of women confident in themselves and their capabilities, aware that their horizons are endless, and their capacity for changing the world infinite.

My imagined Casti would be an academic castle on a cloud. Literally. We’d be able to take instant field trips in every class, and time would bend so that no vibrant class discussion or intense homework session would need to end because of a schedule. Every year, there would be a design-a-uniform contest with students voting and the school board deciding among the finalists. There would be a larger student body and with wider interests to accommodate,

16 | full circle

the course catalog would be filled with stand-alone courses like robotics, computer programming, costume design, and research.

At this imagined Castilleja, students could suggest courses, topics or field trips based on their current intellectual interests, have more international experiences, and a day trip to space wouldn’t be out of the question. There would be more hands-on projects where students could see the results of their efforts materialize. Discussions about current events would occur weekly, and every day after school girls could help the kitchen staff prepare lunch for the following day.

I suppose the only obstacle standing between the current and my re-imagined Castilleja is practicality. At Castilleja there is a constant search for knowledge, a love of learning that could never be changed. There already exists an impossibly wide array of opportunities open to those of us lucky enough to attend this school. We go on trips, do hands-on projects, and participate in community action activities each year. Our fabulous teachers work hard to give us insight into the mysterious “real world” that surrounds our Circle.

So maybe Castilleja doesn’t need to be re-imagined, revamped, or renewed to become perfect. After all, if the world were perfect, there would be no motivation to innovate, imagine new ideas, or fight for things to be better. Perhaps Castilleja’s few shortcomings should be left as such to provide its girls with room to dream, create, change and grow.

It makes me wonder if those who have shaped this school intentionally left some ends untied and some doors slightly ajar, in order to provide the great mental force that is the student body an outlet for all our explosive ambitions.

around the circle

A Flair for the Dramatic Fifteen members of the Middle School Thespian Club attended the National Thespian Festival in Denver, CO, in March with drama teacher Kristin Walter. The girls worked with drama students from all over the country creating short plays, learning aspects of technical theater, and attending workshops on characterization, stage combat, musical theater dance, and stage makeup. In addition, they came prepared with a song, a scene, or two monologues to compete in the individual event categories. They performed their pieces for a panel of theater professionals who judged them based on voice, movement, characterization and overall presentation. Of the fifteen Casti girls who competed, Freya Forstall ’17, Meg Johnson ’16, Sophie Pelosi ’16, and Allison Zanolli ’16 moved on to the international level. And Meg and Sophie were given the additional honor of performing their pieces on stage during the final day as part of a Festival-wide showcase!

spring/summer 2012 | 17

around the circle

FOMF4 For the fourth year in a row, Castilleja took home the trophy in the annual Friends of Millard Fillmore Trivia Hunt!

The final scores were: Castilleja 388, Carlmont 352, Paly 296, Woodside 281, and Gunn 187. In addition to finding the answers to dozens of obscure trivia questions (and, of course, the appropriate citations), the girls also had to find a number of “bring-in” items including a picture of themselves and the oldest person they could find. The girls did a great job with research over the weekend and performed well during adjudication when the team’s lawyer defended the answers!

Miss Representation “Welcome, thanks for coming out tonight, and prepare to be outraged!”

With these words, CSA Parent Education Co-Chair Amanda Jones welcomed a crowd of nearly 400 students, parents, staff, and invited guests to a special screening of the film Miss Representation. Produced

by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film exposes the effects of the media’s disastrous depictions of women. The film screening was followed by a call-to-action panel discussion moderated by Jordan Fowler ’13.

Panelists Elizabeth Scott of The Body Positive and Jennifer Berger of About Face encouraged women to demand change by questioning what they watch and read. They explained how consumers’ conscious choices help women define womanhood and claim their own identities, while also being more supportive of other women and celebrating the beauty in themselves.

British Invasion, Casti style!

Out of the Blue, an all-male a cappella group from Oxford University in England, took the stage during rivalry week and made fans out of Casti girls with an eclectic mix of songs, focusing on covers of modern rock and pop hits including “Mambo No. 5,” “With or Without You,” and Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” The group has recorded several albums, toured internationally, and received critical acclaim for their sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Out of the Blue made it to the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2011 and have been crowned UK Champions of A Cappella three times.

18 | full circle

around the circle

Model United Nations Team Excels in Berkeley Julia Wood ’12 reported that, “The Castilleja Model United Nations (MUN) Team (above) recently had a very successful run at the annual Berkeley MUN Conference, where they represented the Islamic Republic of Iran. The team, comprised of eight Upper School students, was smaller than most but still managed to make its mark. Kriti Lall ’15 and Sara Dawes ’13, who represented Iran in the International Monetary Fund, were lauded for their essays on capital controls and money laundering and were presented with their committee’s research award. The rest of the team members also successfully debated their way through controversial topics, including nuclear proliferation and the status of North Korean immigrants in China. Though they faced many challenges regarding the tricky status of the nation they were representing and were only a small group of delegates, the team did a wonderful job and is looking forward to returning next year.”

spring/summer 2012 | 19

around the circle

Choir on Tour In March, the Upper School Chorus and Honor Choir classes traveled with music teacher and choir director Shenelle Williams and choirs from Pinewood School to perform around Southern California. Highlights of the tour included an inspiring rendition of “Sing Me to Heaven” at the Santa Barbara Mission; performing for enthusiastic shoppers at the Santa Barbara Shopping Center; and singing classics including “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins, and “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King on stage at Disneyland.

Casti’s JSA Breaks Records Castilleja’s Junior State of America club participated in the annual Northern California JSA Fall State event. The group of 19 Castilleja participants helped break the record for JSA Fall State attendees. This year, the event focused on the “power paradigm and students’ role in a changing world.” Students debated a multitude of topics — ­ from football and Harry Potter to cyber bullying and gay marriage. Edina Lee ’13 moderated a debate about imposing term limits on Supreme Court Justices. Additionally, Paul Fong, State Assembly Member, delivered a keynote speech at the opening session. He discussed and answered questions about higher education and affordable housing.

20 | full circle

around the circle

Juniors vs.

Seniors: Rivalry Returns!

Rain did not dampen rivalry enthusiasm on campus during rivalry week as the juniors created a “Whole New (Purple) World” on campus — complete with a bazaar on the Pool Patio, Taj Mahal on the Circle, and purple harem pants on the entire class! Not a group to be outdone, the seniors got “red hot” with their fiery rivalry theme and even arranged for a fire truck to take a few laps around the circle at lunch! The classes literally blended together during an early celebration of Holi, the spring Indian festival also known as the Festival of Colors. Following tradition, the girls threw fistfuls of brightly colored powder and then raced to douse each other with water. The effect? An explosion of color and laughter on Speiker Field! The week wrapped up with a Peter Pan-themed junior-senior banquet.

spring/summer 2012 | 21

around the circle

Diversity Conference In April, three sophomores and faculty members Flaurie S. ImbermanHA and Christina Nawas ’02 traveled to Albuquerque, NM, for the White Privilege Conference. They participated in the Youth Action Program (YAP), discussing issues of privilege and social justice.

They also heard from a variety of speakers on topics ranging from immigration to discrimination in the deaf community. On the last day the girls were able to attend the adult workshops. Doña Flaurie even facilitated a workshop about social justice and Castilleja’s new Global Investigator trip to Guatemala. The girls had a great experience and returned to campus with a newfound knowledge of this year’s theme: “Intersectionality - Vision, Commitment, and Sustainable Partnership.”

They are looking forward to sharing their experiences with classmates and bringing new energy to campus discussions about social justice and diversity.

Sophomores Stage Mock Congress Sophomores participated in a Mock Congress over the course of two Extended Opportunity Periods. The girls wrote bills and amendments and engaged in debates on the “floor” of the House and Senate. During one of the debates, a move for cloture was blocked by a surprise filibuster by two senators reading excerpts from the Hunger Games to buy time! However, the Senate’s session was ended by a three-fifths vote for cloture, stopping the filibuster. Both bills under consideration were in the Senate — one (SB 101) unchanged and the other (SB 102) with amendments. SB 102 was sent off to Conference Committee, where members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate proposed a compromised bill. Then the members of the House and the Senate voted on the bill and then took both passed bills to the President, Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA, who considered whether to pass or veto them!

22 | full circle

around the circle

Fashion Forward The ACE Center and Helen Shanks’ Art 8 Fashion and Print class participated in an engaging discussion with representatives from Mercado Global. A socially conscious, fashion-focused non-profit, Mercado Global fights poverty in Guatemala by empowering and educating indigenous women and girls. Director of Design Courtney Hardt and Mercado representative Ashley Hardt discussed their dayto-day work building socially sustainable business practices, facilitating constructive and sensitive cultural exchange, and breaking the cycle of poverty by ensuring girls’ access to education. The conversation gave students a glimpse of how they could combine fashion with compassion and become socially responsible consumers and entrepreneurs.

Wii-habilitation lessons Rehabilitation you say? Who wants to do that? How about “Wiihabilitation?” The students in the Sports Performance Option class had the opportunity to learn about a new and exciting way to use the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Wii Fit to support injury prevention and rehabilitation. Recent research has shown that physically interactive video games can help increase physical activity and both athletic trainers and health care professionals have begun to incorporate video game technology into conditioning, training, and rehab programs.

The girls came up with a variety of activities including playing Nintendo Wii tennis while standing single-leg on a BOSU balance ball and trying to play baseball with resistance bands on their arms. Some got creative by trying to maintain balance on the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board, while others pulled their bodies in various directions with resistance bands. There are countless ways to use this game for training. It’s all about being inventive, which is no problem for Casti students!

spring/summer 2012 | 23

around the circle

Global Investigators in Guatemala For the first time, Global Investigators travelled to Guatemala. The girls undertook an oral history project with the becadas, recipients of the MayaWorks organization scholarships who they have been emailing for the past few months, as well as indigenous women. One student remarked, “They showed us the impressive skill behind their intricate and colorful weavings. We were amazed by their meticulous crafts and dedication to their work.” Another said, “Everyday was an adventure — with new food, new people, new ideas, and new personal narratives to explore. We spent several hours with the aritsanas, the weavers, in their homes, learning more about their childhoods, families, and profound dreams. We heard stories from the women about the demise of entire families due to tensions between indigenous communities and government agents, as well as more hopeful stories of young daughters pursuing formal education. Through these stories and conversations, we learned about MayaWorks and how the organization has changed their lives for the better. By providing scholarships for the youth, microfinancing, and legal services, the artisanas and their families are able to live more peaceful and secure lives, as they know that a steady source of income will ensure a prosperous future.”

24 | full circle

around the circle

Lessons in Museum Design Students in Elaine Middleman’s Biology and Economics of Cancer class are preparing to use the Bourn Lab to create exhibits for an interactive “science museum” to teach the principles of cancer biology. To research how to make their museum engaging and instructive, they chatted via Skype with exhibit designers at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

Despite being one of the oldest science museums in the United States, Franklin has been an innovator in designing handson exhibits before “interactive” became a buzzword, and features clever, touchable attractions to help visitors explore everything from sports to space! During their Skype session students learned about the overall process of initiating and developing a new hands-on museum exhibit, as well as the key features to keep in mind as they tackle their own design challenges.

Learning About Tibet Sixth graders in Laura Thornburg ’81’s history class interviewed Tenzin Seldon, a Stanford honors student from Tibet, and learned about her experiences growing up as a Tibetan refugee and her current work as a scholar and activist for Free Tibet. Ms. Seldon visited the girls as part of History 6 Women Learning/Women Leading Global Connections Speaker Series. The series aims to help students make connections between the regions and issues in the ancient world and current events through authentic experiences and dialogue with young women who have related life experience and provide role models who are aware, compassionate, and engaged global citizens.

Raised in the hilltops of Dharamsala, India, Ms. Seldon is deeply passionate about education inequity, refugee and immigration policies, China-Tibet relations, and international affairs. She serves as Chair of ASSU Diversity and Equality and as a fellow at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, serving as a leader to its rising student group, Project Compassion. As President of Stanford Friends of Tibet, she organized a historic dialogue between the Dalai Lama and mainland Chinese students and scholars to develop mutual understanding between the two groups. She was the first Tibetan to win the prestigious Truman Scholarship and recently named a Rhodes Scholar. She plans to study modern chinese history and social comparative policy at Oxford next year. Her story inspired many of the girls to want to work to change the situation in Tibet so more people in the world can move and speak freely! spring/summer 2012 | 25

around the circle

Earth Week Extravaganza To celebrate Earth Week 2012 an array of activities were planned both on- and off-campus!

Rupa Marya ’83 (pictured right) and her San Francisco-based global mashup band, Rupa & the April Fishes — along with local bicycle music touring veterans Shake Your Peace — visited campus during Earth Week as part of their Bay Rising Tour. Casti was the second stop on their 200-mile tour around the entire perimeter of the San Francisco Bay, presenting concerts with a bicycle-powered sound system that converts the leg power of volunteer pedalers from the audience — in this case some very enthusiastic students — into electricity to run the sound system. Not only is the tour a great opportunity to demonstrate the utility of alternative power, but an opportunity to explore the dynamics of the San Francisco Bay bioregion in an adventurous, sociable, and direct way. Cyclists of all levels are invited to pedal along with the band as they travel between performances!

Nature Appreciation Day Mandy Shore ’13 describes the newest addition to Earth Week— Nature Appreciation Day (NAD) trips. “The NAD trips were studentdesigned and student-run off-campus outings that focus on raising awareness about our local Palo Alto environment. The trips took place at locations such as Filoli Gardens, Rinconada Park, Arastradero, the Baylands, Hidden Villa, SunRun and several more. Each trip focused on a different aspect of the environment as it is relevant to our local community. For example, a group of students who attended Lyfe and Whole Foods learned about the benefits of buying local, organic food, while getting a delicious lunch in the process. Those who attended the tour of the Greenest House in Palo Alto learned what it means to maintain a sustainable home. Some students, like those who went to Filoli, experienced the pleasure of simply going outside and enjoying a walk in nature. The day was filled with fun and excitement as everyone learned to appreciate the environment around us.”

NorCal Green Conference The Castilleja Green Team brought together students and faculty from around the Bay Area for the first Green Schools Association Northern California Green Conference, “Innovative and Sustainable Solutions,” on April 21. The conference featured keynote speakers Bill Reed and Paul Chapman, several interactive workshops including “Using Recycled Materials as a Resource,” and ample time for collaboration. The Green Team also put together a fashion show featuring environmentally friendly clothing from both local designers and students.

Eighth Graders Innovate Clean Water Solutions Eighth graders applied their knowledge of physical science to the water challenges faced by countries around the world including Peru, Somalia, Laos, Israel, Ukraine, Ghana, India, and China. They researched their region, prototyped a device that could enable the local population to obtain clean drinking water, and then tested their effectiveness in “real world” conditions. The inventiveness with which they approached their challenge was amazing. Using common items like a tea kettle, hose pipe, glass tubes, a jerrycan, and fabric, they created simple solutions to complex problems. Finally, they proposed a long-term solution to the water challenges faced by the community. They wrote their proposal in polite, formal language and addressed it to the person within that region who would have the political authority to make changes to the water system.

26 | full circle

around the circle

Castilleja’s Top Girls In April, Upper School students presented a spirited “theater in the round” production of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls. From the dinner with guests including a Japanese Buddhist nun, a Victorian traveler, a heroine from Chaucer, a character from a Brueghel painting, and Pope Joan from the 9th century to the time of Maggie Thatcher’s “reign” and the “Top Girls” Employment Agency in London, Top Girls tackles class, gender equality, and family dynamics all to a soundtrack that includes The Clash and Elvis Costello. Professor Kathleen Normington from San Jose State’s Department of TV, Radio, Film and Theater, attended one of the performances and wrote to drama teacher Winter Mead, “I attended your production of Top Girls and was so impressed that I wanted to write and let you know! I was so thrilled at the entire production and how confident and compelling the performances by the entire cast were. Every performance was so nuanced and a joy to watch. Please let the cast know much I enjoyed this production of a very challenging play! I look forward to seeing more Castilleja productions.”

Princeton Prize Winners In April, two Castilleja students were among those awarded 2012 Princeton Prize in Race Relations Certificates of Merit. Simone Siever ’13 and Camille Zubizaretta ’12 were recognized for their work to advance the cause of positive race relations. Upper School Head Chris Blair was thrilled to see the girls’ effort recognized. “It is a fitting tribute to them and to the faculty members who have supported them in addressing issues of diversity in all of its forms at Castilleja.”

Since 2003, Princeton University has sponsored an annual awards program to recognize, support, and encourage high school students who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of positive race relations. In 2011, four Castilleja students were recognized for their work. spring/summer 2012 | 27

around the circle

Bell Curve Exhibit Fills Seipp Gallery In March, the Anita Seipp Gallery featured an installation exhibit by internationally recognized artist Harriete Estel Berman. “Pick Up Your Pencils, Begin,” is a 30foot bell curve made entirely of recycled pencils. Berman seeks to raise awareness and discussion around the national obsession with standardized testing in schools. Students at various local schools helped the artist to create the artwork.

In an interview with the Palo Alto Weekly, art teacher and Seipp Gallery Curator Deborah Trilling noted that Berman’s “monument to the pencil combines imagination, a good idea and hard work to transform an everyday object into an artwork of incredible beauty.”

She also noted reactions from students were overwhelmingly positive. “‘Wow, this is amazing.’

‘Who did this?’ ‘This is awesome, totally awesome.’ I didn’t hear any critiques of standard deviations in testing, or anything about testing at all for that matter; the reactions that I witnessed were about the power of art to move us aesthetically, to experience an

28 | full circle

awareness that falls outside of the boundaries of daily life.”

The math classes at Castilleja School came to study the bell curve, which is divided into nine stanines. The center three stanines have the most pencils.

This represents that standardized tests are nationally normed so that most students test performance places them in the center three stanines. Students who “deviate from the norm” on standardized tests fall in the outer stanines. “Because the work is in the shape of a bell curve, it can be used to help students grasp the power of this graphing/statistical concept,” said Trilling. Dave Lowell’s Advanced Topics in Mathematical Modeling pointed to various aspects of the curve as they discussed a mathematical phenomenon that was part of their data analysis unit. Other classes discussed how standardized testing is conducted and reported, the equity in its design and uses, and the limitations of the data, to name just a few.

The exhibit also inspired the Pencil Symposium, a day-long discussion among students from local high schools about standardized testing. Jordan Fowler ’13, noted, “Some people’s

comments and ideas made me think about things I never had thought about in the past. I learned so much by listening to other students’ opinions.” (Read more about the Pencil Symposium on the next page).

In April, Berman returned to campus to work with students in the Core Arts class, leading them through pencil-based and other recycled-material projects, including fanciful marionettes made of what some might call junk. These projects emphasize environmental awareness as well as craftsmanship.

“I want them to think about using and reusing materials and how we throw out tons of stuff every day,” she said, demonstrating how the puppets, with hats made of such material as discarded mustard tops, can wiggle about. She said she also hopes to teach them how simple objects can be turned into complex works of art.

The exhibit, Pencil Symposium, and follow-up classes were all funded by Applied Materials Excellence in the Arts Grants, a program of Arts Council Silicon Valley.

around the circle

Pick up your pencils, begin.

On March 15, Castilleja hosted a moderated discussion concerning incorporating creativity into schoolwork and the pros and cons of standardized testing. About fifteen students from Sequoia, Woodside Priory, Castilleja and Palo Alto High School participated.

The conversation began with the students remembering their favorite learning assignment or environment — ranging from studying abroad to taking intensive focus classes.

Both the moderator and the students quickly noticed that the “favorites” had many things in common including strong mentors, hands-on experience, and expansions on one’s comfort zone. The discussion then turned to the incorporation of creativity and problem-solving in their everyday school life as well as how they could be, and if they even should be, incorporated into specific classes such as English, math, science, and history.

By Charlotte Jones ’13

The students engaged in a very lively debate about the merits of standardized schooling approaches versus new, more creative approaches and the pros and cons of standardized testing.

Students had strong opinions about all the topics — especially the SAT. One student argued that the tests had their place precisely because they did measure the ability to memorize information and perform within manufactured constraints — which people often need to do. Many others played devil’s advocate, pointing to a wide range of issues such as preparation disparity, stress, reading disabilities, and even a study by Stanford psychology professor Claude Steele which found that if students are made to identify their racial identity before the test, they will play into their racial stereotypes, and score according to what they believe they should score, as arguments against the SAT. Students agreed that while they were unsatisfied with the current system, they were aware of the challenges that

would be presented with the removal of the SAT or ACT from the college application process.

The conversation ended with students having more opinions about standardized testing than when they first sat down. While some students might feel like they should dislike standardized testing, and embrace a more creative, progressive manner of assessment, this conversation proved that there are many shades of gray where standardized testing is concerned. However, all of these students with a variety of strengths and interests all had one characteristic in common — they were all different, and that is 100 percent okay.

Excerpt from “Castilleja’s New Art Exhibit: The Pencil BellCurve” by Charlotte Jones ’13 published in Counterpoint, April 6, 2012. To read the article in its entirety, please visit www. castilleja.org/pencilsymposium

symposium

The Pencil Symposium

Artwork by Aurora Real de Asua ’12

spring/summer 2012 | 29

speakers

around the circle

Speakers at Castilleja In January, social entrepreneur, lecturer, and author Laura ArrillagaAndreessen ’88 visited Castilleja to talk to students, parents, and alumnae about her bestselling book, Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World (2011). Kicking off her presentation, she asked members of the audience to clap if they liked to give.

Once the applause had died down, she asked people to raise their hands if they considered themselves philanthropists. Only two did.

“Everyone who volunteers time or resources should see herself as a philanthropist,” she told the audience. “You are all philanthropists.”

She went on to describe the future of philanthropy as being far more than just writing a check and to explain how individuals of any age and income level can harness the power of technology, collaboration, innovation, advocacy, social entrepreneurship, and personal passion to take their giving to the next level and beyond.

Inspirational speaker and author of Standing Tall: My Journey, Spencer West visited Castilleja to discuss his work with Free the Children and his plan to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in June to raise money for a clean water project in East Africa. He spoke candidly about the obstacles he has faced since having his legs removed at age five due to a congenital disorder of the spine and how he often uses humor to help people relate to him as a person, not a disability.

In 2008, he traveled to Kenya as a volunteer to help build a school in a rural community in the Masai Mara and met young people who strive to overcome challenges every day. He credits this experience with helping him to recognize his calling — to inspire people to find hope in every challenge and motivate them to create positive change. West emphasized the importance of little acts of kindness and shared stories of young people who have made life better for those around them including two high school seniors in Wyoming, who noticed a freshman boy being bullied for wearing pink. They convinced 400 students to show up in pink the next day and inspired anti-bullying campaigns across the country.

Jane McGoinigal visited Castilleja in April as one of the 2012 Arrillaga Family and Morris Family Speakers. The author of the bestselling book Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, she has been creating games ever since she discovered the level editor in Lode Runner for the Commodore 64 back in 1983. McGonigal addressed the misconception that games are a waste of time, noting that ample scientific evidence shows that games help people stay resilient in the face of real challenges and reach specific goals.

30 | full circle

around the circle

With an 8-2 league record, the young Gators basketball team claimed the WBAL Skyline Division crown, coming from behind in the championship game to win by three on a 3-point buzzer beater shot by Lauren Rantz ’13. Though the Gators fell to Pacific Collegiate in the Central Coast Section (CCS) Division V quarterfinals, the team finished with a school record of having five players score more than 150 points each.

Lacrosse Varsity Lacrosse started their season off with big wins over Los Gatos and Gunn High School and eventually clinched a playoff spot in the WBAL Foothill Division (5-5).

Soccer Finishing in fourth place in the WBAL Foothill Division (7-10-3), the Gators advanced to the CCS Championship for the first time since 2007. No. 12 Castilleja beat No. 5 Soquel 3-1 in the Division III quarterfinals but narrowly lost in the semifinals to No. 4 Menlo, 6-5 on sudden death penalty kicks, after tying 1-1 in regulation play and 20 minutes of scoreless overtime.

Softball Currently in second place in the WBAL Foothill division, the Gators have been racking up some wins behind good performances by Annie Apffel ’13. Aryana Yee ’12, and Frances Hughes ’14.

sports recap

Basketball

New Records Surya Brown-Moffit ’13 set a new school record last week by throwing the shot put 30’10” at the WBAL number two track meet! Through hard work and determination she’s been slowly closing in on her new mark, throwing 28’6.25”, 27’10” inches and 27’3” in the last meet. The old record of 30’8” was set over 12 years ago by Casey Cadile ’91.

Senior member of the Track & Field team, Caitlin Colvin ’12, cleared 4’10” in the high jump to win her division at the WBAL No. 3 Track Meet last week. This is the third season in a row that she has cleared her best mark of 4’10”, which is also the WBAL record Caitlin has held since 2010. Besides setting the WBAL high jump record, Caitlin also tied the Castilleja record set back in 1992 by E. Wright!

spring/summer 2012 | 31

around the circle

Strike Out Cancer On February 28, the varsity softball team dedicated its first home game against Monte Vista High School as a StrikeOut Cancer Game to raise awareness and funds to fight cancer. Both teams joined the efforts of the American Cancer Society to help increase cancer education and to promote healthy living, as well as to honor all those in our community whose lives have been touched by cancer. Faculty member Joke van der Hulst, one of the StrikeOut Cancer Game coordinators, said, “I was really touched by everyone coming out and all the reactions I’ve had from our community. It showed me people really care.”

Awards And Honors Five students were named to the 2011-12 West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) All-League Basketball Team: Lauren Rantz ’13 (First Team); Yasmeen Afifi ’15, Paige Vermeer ’15 (Second Team); and Riya Modi ’12 (Honorable Mention). Six students were named to the 2011-12 WBAL All-League Soccer Team: Emily Mosbacher ’12 (Captain), Gabby Kaplan ’14 (First Team); Kaley Nelson ’13, Katherine Hobbs ’13 (Second Team); Caitlin Colvin ’12, and Victoria Pu ’15 (Honorable Mention).

32 | full circle

around the circle

Alum Athletes Sammy Albanese ’10 (1) (Northwestern/Softball) hit the first home run of her collegiate career sending three runners home and beating University of Illinois at Chicago 7-0.

Jane Alexander ’08 (Harvard/Softball) was named to the All-Ivy League First Team after making only one error during the 2011 season.

Currently she is hitting .250 with four home runs.

Tori Anthony ’07 (2) (UCLA/Track & Field) cleared a height of 13-10 in the pole vault to tie for first place in the Don Kirby Elite Invitational.

That mark ranks ninth in the NCAA this season.

1

Kaitlyn Baab ’11 (Stanford/Sailing) placed tenth at Singlehanded Nationals, helping Stanford win the South Regional regatta, never finishing lower than third in any of the 10 races.

Kat Booher ’09 (Brown/Water Polo) ended the 2011 season ranked third on the team in scoring (35), second in assists (22), and team-high steals (29).

Lauren Buchanan ’08 (Claremont/Golf) was named team captain and tied for fifth place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament leading the team to its second consecutive win.

2

Sayeh Bozorghadad ’11 (Bucknell/Water Polo) had a strong first collegiate season, scoring two goals in a win vs. Siena and scored a single goal and assist in a win over Villanova.

Nicole Cox ’08 (Swarthmore/Track & Field) cleared 1.55 meters on the high jump at the Jack Pyrah Invitational this season.

Evan Cranston ’11 (3) (Brown/Water Polo) made 35 saves in 13 quarters of work at the Bucknell Invitational to earn the February 20 Women’s Varsity Southern Division Defensive Player of the Week honor.

An outstanding performance, including 36 saves, in the Marist College Red Fox Invitational earned her the same honor March 12.

Sarah Debs ’11 (Whitman/Golf) finished the fall season with eightround stroke average of 81.5. She recorded a low round of 79 in the NWC Fall Classic which helped the Missionaries claim the No. 4 spot in the NCAA Division III regional rankings.

3 4

Taylor Doctor ’09 (4) (Harvard/Volleyball) was named to the All-Ivy League second team and Academic All-Ivy team. She led the team and ranked eighth in the Ivy League with 3.05 kps.

Audrey Kuan ’08 (Tufts/Volleyball) finished her senior season with a total of 43 aces and lead the Jumbos with 508 digs. She was also named an American Volleyball Coaches Association 2011 All-America recipient, with an honorable mention.

5

Lindsay Taylor ’08 (Stanford/Soccer) was part of the team to capture 2011 NCAA National Championship; runner-up for 2011 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy and named Soccer America’s 2011 Women’s Player of the Year. The Western New York Flash of Women’s Professional Soccer team selected her as the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Abby Thornburg ’11 (Dartmouth/Crew) was part of the Dartmouth women’s boat that took home a first-place finish at the annual noviceonly Green Monster regatta.

Eve Zelinger ’10 (5) (Dartmouth/Basketball) had a strong sophomore season with a career high of 16 points vs. Columbia and ended the season with an incredible 16-of-20 (.800) from the free throw line.

spring/summer 2012 | 33

around the circle

Performing Arts Rewind

1

The Castilleja stage is rarely quiet as student performances occur year round. During the past few months the students have brought their considerable talents, both on the stage and behind the scenes to three fullystaged productions, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, and the student-led Arts with a Heart: Operation Gratitude, which raised money to support Blue Star Moms and other organizations that provide needed support to American troops. The girls also took to the stage for Eighth Grade One-Act Plays, the Middle School Talent Show, and the annual Winter Concert featuring Castilleja’s orchestras and choirs.

2 This page (top to bottom): 1 Middle School Musical 2012: Guys and Dolls 2 & 3 Choir and orchestra perform at the Winter Concert 4 Students perform in Arts with a Heart 2012: Operation Gratitude

Opposite page (top to bottom): 5 through 8 Students perform in Arts

3

with a Heart 2012: Operation Gratitude

9 through 11 Upper School Musical 2012: Little Shop of Horrors

4 34 | full circle

around the circle

5

6

7

8

10

9

11 spring/summer 2012 | 35

around the circle

View360 On March 23, the Castilleja community gathered for the 5th Annual View360 Symposium. More than 550 parents, alumnae, alumnae parents, faculty, staff, and students attended the spring fundraiser at the Oracle Conference Center in Redwood City. This year’s event raised over $630,000 to support tuition assistance, which will enable qualified young women to attend the school regardless of need.

This year, View360 presented four extraordinary speakers with the unique opportunity to consider the word “imagine” and reflect on its meaning and importance in the context of their storied professional careers.

Multi-award winning writer and producer David E. Kelley gave us a glimpse into his creative process and delighted the audience with his surprise guest, the legendary Betty White. Two-time Academy Awardwinning director John Lasseter shared scenes from Pixar’s new movie Brave, its first with a female protagonist, as well as Nitemare, a short animated film he made while as student at CalArts in 1980 which showcases the engaging characters and masterful storytelling that today are hallmarks of Pixar films.

All-School Body (ASB) President Aurora Real de Asua ’12 sat down with Emmy and Tony Award-winning performer Kristin Chenoweth for a chat on topics ranging from creating characters and the wonder of live theater to being short in Hollywood!

The school is deeply grateful for the generosity of its donors, particularly lead sponsors Oracle and Osborn Partners Capital Management LLC, and the hundreds of volunteer hours contributed by the View360 committee, especially Quin Whitman ’81, P’14 (chair); the View360 Steering Committee, Julie Arnheim, P’16; Karen Fisher, P’10; Merrilee Harris, P’13; Karen Johnson, P’13; and Nina Taneja, P’14; and Darlene Yaplee, P’17 (fundraising chair).

36 | full circle

around the circle

spring/summer 2012 | 37

around the circle

1

2

1 (left to right): Sandy and David Levison, P’10, P’13 with Lisa and Tom Stephenson, P’16 2 (left to right): David and Lisa Merenbach, P’09, P’11, P’14 with Natalie Shell ’11 and Lee Ann Shell, P’11 3 Alumnae gather at View360 4 Student volunteers at View360 5 (left to right): Bill Harris, P’13; Vaciliki Papademetriou, P’04; Gina and Bob Wulff, P’01, P’04; and Stephanos Papademetriou, P’04

4

3 38 | full circle

5

alumnae around the circle

7

6

8

6 Kristin Chenoweth chats with a guest at the View360 party. 7 (left to right): Suzanne and Brad Craig, P’15 with Gloria and Tom McKay, P’15 8 (left to right): Martha McCaine, P’18 with Stephanie and Alan Mishra, P’18 9 (left to right): Kim Roberts ’83, Quin Whitman ’81, P’14, and Merrilee Harris, P’13 10 David Kelley and John Lasseter talk to students backstage after View360 11 (left to right): Deglin and Heather Kenealy, P’15 with Steve Hoffman and Patricia Lee-Hoffman, P’16 12 (left to right): Ellen Flamen, P’14, P’16; Buddy and Julie Arnheim, P’16; Dan Flamen, P’14, P’16

9

11

10

12 spring/summer 2012 | 39

alumnaethe circle around

1

The Loyals Party In February, Castilleja’s most loyal supporters gathered at the home of Paula and Mike Rantz, P’13, P’16, P’18, for a festive celebration. The evening honored members of the Circle Society (planned gifts), Margarita Espinosa Society (20-plus years of continuous giving), and former Trustees of the school. “This was the first time we have brought these groups together for such a special event,” said Head of School Nanci Kauffman, “and it was just wonderful to see our alumnae, alumnae parents, and current parents who are such dedicated friends of Castilleja connecting, and often re-connecting, with each other.”

3

2 40 | full circle

4

around the circle

6

5

7

1 (left to right): Joan Terbell Knowles ’52, P’74, P’77, P’83; Anne Seipp, P’71; Tom Cooper and Alison Beach Cooper ’61, P’89; Jeanne Ware, P’85; and Shirley Ely, P’71 2 (left to right): Joe Martignetti, P’07, P’10, P’13; Roger Kokores, P’01, P’04; Kirk Bostrom, P’08, P’13; and Edwin Ryu, P’07, P’09 3 Jim and Penny Meier, P’87, P’89 4 Bill Friedman, P’89, P’01, P’04; and party host Mike Rantz, P’13, P’16, P’18

5 (left to right): Anne Flatland Macdonald ’80, P’16, P’17; Donna Lee McMaster ’83; and Felicia Paik Kim ’84 6 Jean Gillon ’69 and Diane Brooks Dixon ’69 7 Dianne Giancarlo P’04, P’07 and Bill Kind, P’09 8 Kristina Austin Nicholls, P’13, P’17 and Barb Deméré ’77HA 9 Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA and Gail Wilson Zetter ’64

8

9 spring/summer 2012 | 41

alumnae

Members of the Class of 2007 enjoy their 5th reunion celebration

From the Alumnae Board President I would like to thank Lindsay Austin Louie ’98, outgoing President of the Alumnae Association Executive Committee (AAEC), and the other members of the committee for the amazing work they have accomplished over the past three years. Lindsay created a fully functioning leadership group supporting and promoting all aspects of the alumnae program. The AAEC has encouraged and planned regional activities, restructured Reunion Weekend, further developed the alumnae annual fund program, created an internship program, and improved our direct communication using social media. I look forward to her continued support and leadership on the committee.

Casti has always been a part of my life. The education I received and the connections I have made provide a unique foundation that supports my journey through life. I joined the Alumnae Executive Association two years ago to re-engage alumnae through regional events.

Whenever I meet a Casti alumnae there is a certain level of comfort I feel. An instant connection because we all share the unique experience of attending an extraordinary school.

We are a powerful network of 3,500 women, their families, and friends who are the leaders in our businesses and communities throughout the world. We continue to learn from each other when we connect through alumnae events, networking programs, and communications.

Castilleja’s ACE Center allows alumnae to lead by example in mentoring the next generation of students through internships or the sharing of life experiences.

Lindsay Austin Louie ’98

As the new President, my goal is to bring Castilleja back into the lives of alumnae. To help with this effort, we have added two new alumnae to our executive committee — Laura Dennis MacLean ’90 who will manage regional events and Liz Rowen Fritz ’01, who will serve on the ACE Center Advisory Board and be their liaison to the AAEC. As I take on this new leadership role, I challenge you, the alumnae, to bring Castilleja back into your life. Attend one of our regional events, mentor a student, or communicate with your class and see how reconnecting with Castilleja can enrich your life.

Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90

Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90 Incoming President Alumnae Association Executive Committee 42 | full circle

alumnae

Laura Dennis MacLean ’90, VP Regional Events, is a graduate of Colgate and Harvard Business School, where she has been a member of their Board of Admissions for the past six years.

Laura worked for Gap Inc. in an operational role and also in marketing for both Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company and for Gillette in the consumer products industry. With her project management skills and strong collaboration across an array of cross-functional teams, she will bring new ideas on how to better plan and market our alumnae activities. To learn more about Laura, see page 55.

2012 Reunion Weekend: September 28-29, 2012 Reunions are now in the fall!

If you are a class that ends with a “2” or a “7” it’s your reunion year!

Save the dates, call your classmates, and make a plan to come back to Castilleja! A weekend full of activity awaits you: • 50-plus Reunion Luncheon at Lockey House • 25th Reunion Dinner • Reunion Class Gatherings and all-class cocktail party • Classes with faculty members • Garden demo with Betty Lee ’86 at Gamble Gardens • And more!

Even if you aren’t celebrating your reunion, you are still invited to some of the weekend activities.

reunion

Meet our new Alumnae Executive Committee Members

If you would like to help plan your class reunion, please contact the Alumnae Office.

We’ll see you around the Circle this fall!

Liz Rowen Fritz ’01, ACE Center Advisory Board and ACE Alumnae Liaison, is a graduate of UC Davis. Liz has spent the past seven years in the banking industry and is currently the director of communications for Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank.

Combining a background in marketing, communications and relationship management, Liz will have great perspective on how to better connect alumnae with current students.

spring/summer 2012 | 43

alumnae

2012 Alumnae Survey: The Results Are In Five hundred and ninety alumnae from the Class of 1931 through 2011 took the time to thoughtfully answer the 2012 alumnae survey. The questions covered a wide range of topics, from use of social media and alumnae activity preferences to giving and mentoring.

As the summary of survey results shows, Castilleja graduates are an educated, active group looking for opportunities to continue learning, to share their experiences, and to strengthen their connections with each other and with Castilleja! Read below to find out how the Alumnae Office is already working to meet these needs and the impact the survey results will have on their plans!

Participants Respondents: 590 Classes: 1931 – 2011

Education

Staying Connected

Employment

One of the primary goals of the Alumnae Office is to keep Castilleja graduates connected with the school and each other. With more than 50 percent of survey respondents (and over 75 percent of the Class of 2006!) visiting Facebook each day staying connected online is becoming easier. Currently, the Castilleja Facebook page has 1,159 friends and the Communications Department is feeding regular posts from the website. An effort is being made to encourage alumnae to more actively post information and discussions.

A comment that appeared over and over again in the survey was that alumnae were interested in having more opportunities to utilize the Castilleja network and were looking for additional ways to access it.

The Castilleja LinkedIn group has 275 members including alumnae, faculty, staff, and alumnae parents, and almost 30 percent of survey respondents indicated that they visited a few times a 44 | full circle

99% 39% 19%

48% 19%

received a bachelor’s degree received a master’s degree received a doctoral degree

are employed full-time are employed part-time

week. According to Director Maggie Pringle ’71, “We are fortunate to have a good contact at LinkedIn who has facilitated some training on how to build the group to be a more effective tool for sharing information on internships and jobs as well as for facilitating topical discussions. We are planning to migrate the current Castilleja Connection listserv where jobs are posted for alumnae over to LinkedIn where we’ll also feature internships. Our hope is that consolidation will lead to a much more robust experience for users!”

In addition to an active job board, we are also ramping up mentoring and networking programs.

More than 40 percent of survey respondents

alumnae

Mentoring

46% 33%

would be willing to act as a

resource for other alums would be interested in

mentoring current students

indicated that they would be interested in mentoring current students, which gives us a tremendous opportunity to connect alumnae. Networking Circles allow alumnae to connect on topical issues, such as “Making Work Work,” a discussion about work-life balance. This type of connection provides valuable support to those who are navigating challenging times between career and family. There has also been interest in a Networking Circle on the topic of re-entering the workforce.

Current students and prospective graduate students appreciate the opportunity to contact alumnae who are currently, or have in the past, attended colleges they plan to attend. Now that we have more information on graduate degrees, we are working on ways to enable alumnae interested in pursuing similar degrees to contact those alums in their same field of study.

Lifelong Learning In addition to informal cocktail and dinner events, alumnae expressed preference for events with a learning component including speakers, networking events, museum tours, focused panel discussions, concerts, community action and a Castilleja travel program.

Since Castilleja is really “everywhere,” the Alumnae Office continues to try to bring events closer to where alumnae live. Many successful gatherings have been held in cities throughout the United States, in London and Hong Kong. The Alumnae Association Executive Committee is developing the “Castilleja Regional Connections” program and will be reaching out to alumnae in different cities to participate in helping to increase the number and scope of regional activities. Also, the possibility of a travel program is being explored to continue the remarkable travel opportunities that students have while at Castilleja.

Supporting Castilleja The school is fortunate to have many very loyal alumnae donors to the Annual Fund, however our overall participation is low compared to peer schools. The increasing cost of a Castilleja education requires the support of the entire community. Pringle noted, “In 2011-12, 100 percent of parents, faculty, staff, and trustees supported the Annual Fund and it is our goal to raise alumnae participation in the coming years. We asked several survey questions to determine what areas alumnae would be most interested in supporting and discovered a preference supporting academic programs, faculty development, and tuition assistance. This information will help us focus our alumnae giving program going forward.”

Activity Interests 79% Speakers (general interest) 76% Dinner Events • 76% Community Action

73% Arts/Concerts • 72% Networking 71% Learning Opportunities (cooking, academic, etc.)

66% Museums/Gallery Tours • 64% Speakers (career focused)

61% Wine Tasting • 57% Exercise/Sports 53% Travel Programs • 40% Family activities

Social Media Habits Respondents visited the following sites at least once per week:

69% Facebook 24% Google+ 21% LinkedIn 17% Tw i t t e r 16% Pinterest

Giving 36%

of respondents support the

Alumnae Annual Fund spring/summer 2012 | 45

alumnae

alumnae

2

1

3

Alumnae Events Throughout the winter and early spring, more than 75 alumnae and honorary alumnae gathered at events in Boston, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and on campus!

The events gave classmates a chance to reconnect, alums across the decades a chance to meet, and everybody a chance to have some fun!

Honorary Alumnae Winter Tea 1 John Klopacz and Dave Lowell 2 (left to right): Christiane Andreopoulos, Peggy McKee, and Toni Hsu 3 Michele Grundmann and Mercedes McCaffrey 4 (left to right): Nancy Flowers, Ethel Meece, and Ann Criswell 5 (left to right): Susan Barkan, Judy Rino, and Elyse Melmon 6 Suzanne Sparks and Patricia Pietrzyk

4

5 46 | full circle

6

alumnae alumnae

1

2

Young Alumnae Holiday Brunch 1 (left to right): Sophie Koontz ’11, Sayeh Bozorghadad ’11, Natasha von Kaeppler ’11, Divya Bhat ’11, and Ginna Freehling ’11 2 Camila McHugh ’11 and Michaela Wetter ’11 3 Mona Matsumoto-Ryan ’11 and Sanjana Rao ’12 4 (left to right): Kalena Giessler ’10, Dayna Li ’10, Temitayo Amos ’10, Michelle Kwong ’10, Simone Polanen ’10, and Amber Lombard ’10 5 (left to right): Megan Costello ’11, Griselda Carlos-Arzate ’11, and Erin O’Malley ’09

4

3

5 spring/summer 2012 | 47

alumnae

6

Alumnae v. Varsity Soccer Game 6 Alumnae, current varsity players, and faculty gather for their annual match-up! 7 (left to right): Grace Chen ’11, Sophie Koontz ’11, Charlotte Geaghan-Breiner ’11, Ginna Freehling ’11, and Rachel Brownell ’11 8 (center, with ball) Rachel Brownell ’11 9 (left to right): Caitlin Colvin ’12, Martha Harding ’12, Claire Fraisl ’11, Katherine Hobbes ’13

7

8 48 | full circle

9

alumnae

2

1

3

Class of 2007 Five-Year Reunion 1 Anika Shah ’07 and Rekha Arulanantham ’07 2 (left to right): Julia Lee ’07, Rekha Arulanantham ’07, Kelly Fitzgerald ’07, Nikki Ryu ’07, Katherine Jordan ’07, and Adriana Mujal ’07

Alumnae Family Valentine’s Party 3 Monica Stemmle Zeiter ’92’s son Ben Zeiter 4 Riley Rawlings and mother Remy Ardizzone ’86 5 Ambika Malwah Nangia ’97’s son Arjun gets painted by Rosie Woloshyn ’14 6 Michelle Forgy Ellis ’94 and Lindsay Belchers Rothwell ’94 7 Joyce Bogner ’72’s granddaughters

4

6

5

7 spring/summer 2012 | 49

alumnae

alumnae

1

2

Alumnae Regional Events Boston On March 31 Boston area alums met for brunch at Aquitaine Restaurant in the South End. They had such a lively conversation and delicious brunch that they forgot to take any pictures! Many thanks to Elizabeth Yin ’00 for helping to organize this gathering.

Seattle Stephanie Pennix Berntsen ’91 hosted alumnae and Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA at a regional alumnae gathering at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt on February 29.

1 Bekki Lyon ’98 and Michelle Goldschmid-Graf ’98 2 Catherine Lee ’05 and Andrea Chin ’06

events

3 Seattle area alums with Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA

Spring Events Jennifer Aaker Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business; Author, The Dragonfly Effect Chapel Theater

Pacific Heights Mansions Walking Tour San Francisco Alumnae Welcome Lunch Lockey House

Clos LaChance Wine Tasting Lockey House

Retirement Party for Chris Blair on the Circle

3 50 | full circle

alumnae

Spotlight: Els Paine ’82 After graduating from Castilleja, Els Paine ’82 attended Princeton and earned a degree in molecular biology. She returned to school after a few years in consulting and venture capital, receiving an MBA from Wharton, and then accepted a job in pharmaceutical marketing with Merck. During her career she enjoyed various roles, eventually directing a group in market research for osteoporosis and drugs in late-stage development.

Along the way she married and had three children and gradually shifted down at work from five to three days a week. “I stayed at home for a few years after witnessing the accidental death of my five-year old goddaughter rendered the thought of leaving my children at home too difficult. When my youngest went off to pre-school, I began work as a contractor to a consulting firm, working 15 hours a week and leading teams that serviced pharmaceutical clients.”

Seven years later, with an increasingly empty nest at home, she decided to return to work full-time. Soon she had three job offers on the table — one from her existing firm, one from a pharmaceutical company, and one from Princeton University.

“I took a risk and after many years in the corporate world, mostly in pharmaceuticals, I shifted to academia and am now the administrator for the Council on Science & Technology at Princeton. We fund and approve the courses in science and engineering that are appropriate for students who are concentrating in humanities and the social sciences.

The Council aims to ensure that all graduating students know how to think like a scientist and can be exemplary citizens, voters, and leaders armed with the ability to assess the technological and scientific issues of the day. We are putting in place curricular changes and introducing research-based teaching methodologies to achieve our goals. I’ve never been happier at work.”

Looking back on her 25-year career and its many transitions, Els offered the following advice to those contemplating their own transitions: • Get the best education you can; Castilleja is a fabulous start, and I do think a graduate degree helps with re-entry.

Alumnae Spotlights In this issue, we focus on alumnae who have made or are making thoughtful transitions in their personal and work lives.

• Keep your “toe in the water” in the workforce in some way, even if it is just one or two days per week. You never know when returning to full-time work will become a financial or personal necessity.

• Don’t be afraid of re-entry — you’ll be surprised how wise you have become through your life experiences and volunteer work.

• Maintain your contacts with your old colleagues. I was picked out of the stack of resumes at Princeton in part because I emailed my thesis adviser from 25 years ago, and he took it upon himself to put in a good word for me.

spring/summer 2012 | 51

alumnae

Spotlight: Michelle Forgy Ellis ’94 When Michelle finished veterinary school ten years ago, owning a practice was not on her agenda. But as she worked in both a large corporate hospital and a smaller family-owned practice, she came to realize that she wanted more autonomy and to create something of her own. For the last few years, however, she has been working limited hours in order to be home with her daughters, Allison (4) and Bridget (16 months). She says, “As much as I have loved my time home with the girls, I have struggled to find a happy balance between being a mom and a career woman. Now that the girls are getting more independent, I am ready to take on the huge challenge of opening a practice. While I will be working hard, I’m hoping that my transition to full-time working mom will be eased by being able to make my own schedule.”

Pinnacle Animal Hospital is expected to open in San Jose this July.

Michelle and her business partner will be the only vets in the practice starting out, but they hope to expand to three vets within a year. For Michelle, the most rewarding part of designing a practice from the ground up has been having a say in every detail of the business. “The comfort of my feline patients has always been very important to me, so we have paid special attention to the layout of the cat wards, exam rooms, and waiting areas; we will even have cat perches and catwalks adorning the walls of the cat exam room to keep the more curious cats happy while they wait.” While there is still a lot of work ahead in the next few months, she is excited to take on the challenges of being a business owner and is looking forward to being able to visit the girls during lunch, as the practice is just one block from her daughters’ school!

Michelle will be hosting an open house in July and would love to give a tour to any alums in the area. Updates on the hospital can be found at www.pinnaclevets.com.

52 | full circle

alumnae

Spotlight: Andrea Chin ’06 Concerned parents and dismayed educators may label video games as escapist, brain-rotting time wasters, but game design principles are just as capable of encouraging us to be happier, healthier architects of our lives.

Despite a mild Spider Solitaire and Sim City addiction at Castilleja, Andrea Chin ’06 (pictured on campus with Shifrah Aron-Dine ’12 and Riya Modi ’12) never imagined that she would end up working at an online games startup after getting a master’s degree in gerontology.

Like many of her classmates, she has not ended up in the career field she originally dreamed of entering. Juggling a multitude of eclectic interests, ranging from clinical psychology to film soundtrack history, made it difficult to narrow down the answer she would give to family and friends when asked about her post-graduate plans. Going to graduate school, even for a specialized yet interdisciplinary field like the study of aging, opened her eyes to greater possibilities of how she could make a difference. However, even upon graduation she did not have a clear sense of what she wanted to do that would tie together her skills and interests into a concrete “dream job.”

Contrary to the dialogue around “right-brained” and “left-brained” professions that populate many career guides, she found startups and smaller organizations welcome young women with nontraditional educational backgrounds and ways of thinking. Her employers at AntiAging Games are the founder of Atari and a former NASA researcher, who thought it would be cool if their love of games could produce healthier brains. Andrea loves having no fixed job description and interacting with all aspects of the company’s work, from giving talks on brain health to recruiting game artists to building partnerships to evaluate and spread the word about their games. Working on games isn’t all play, but it’s a perfect way to level up your skills and explore worlds you never imagined.

spring/summer 2012 | 53

alumnae

Spotlight: Ericka von Kaeppler ’09 Ericka von Kaeppler hadn’t even reached campus when her phone buzzed with a text from captain of the basketball team, “Hey freshmen, welcome to school, we’re lifting and playing pickup at 3:00 today if you have time between freshman orientation events.”

That text was how she was welcomed onto the Yale campus in the fall of 2009, and her first two years of college were dominated by varsity basketball. “I knew nothing else,” she says. “From day one, I had a group: friends to text, teammates to workout with, and people to eat meals with. I never experienced the struggle of meeting new people, making friends, or finding my social niche. I really thought I had it all. I woke up every morning, went to lift, went to class, grabbed lunch with some teammates, hung out in the locker room, hung out in the training room, went to practice, got dinner with more of my teammates, did some work, and then went to bed. It was my routine and I loved it.”

Ericka shared the worry of many college freshmen that she’d be lonely so far from home. So, when she found such a tightly knit group with the team, she didn’t explore much of what else Yale had to offer. “It wasn’t until the spring of my sophomore year that I started to realize that the feeling I had thought was happiness was instead a transient sort of contentedness at having avoided the discomfort that would have come with finding my own way.”

This past summer, Ericka worked in a research lab in Lausanne, Switzerland. “To my surprise, I actually had an amazing time and met a lot of great people despite going into the experience not knowing anybody. I found that my fears were ungrounded and that I could be genuinely happy without clinging to the things that kept me comfortable.”

Upon returning to school as a junior, Ericka found the perfect lab where she could pursue her research passion and informed the basketball coaches that she would be giving up basketball to dedicate herself to lab work. It wasn’t an easy decision to make or an easy transition.

“Finding myself outside of basketball, the one thing I had always clung to as my identity, has been extremely challenging, but the rewards have been great. I am so invested in my research in bone regeneration that I am now thinking of pursing an MD/PhD after graduation and I have become close to people with whom I would have never previously crossed paths.”

“This year has been a time of transition for me, one that most of my Castilleja classmates probably made back in the fall of 2009. But having gone through it and seeing the rewards, I know that when I am faced with my next transition, I won’t be afraid to run with it.”

54 | full circle

alumnae

Spotlight: Laura Dennis MacLean ’90 When she graduated from Harvard Business School (HBS) in 1999, Laura Dennis MacLean ’90 embarked on the first of several career transitions. “I had an offer to return to Gap Inc.’s Strategy Group in San Francisco where I had worked the previous summer, but I was looking for a consulting opportunity that would keep me on the East Coast with my now-husband Todd.” At the end of a grueling recruiting process, Laura got her wish — an offer from a boutique management consulting firm in Connecticut. However, at the last minute, Gap presented her with an opportunity that changed her plans.

“Gap asked me to help launch their Banana Republic brand’s online presence based out of New York. Despite a lower salary and a somewhat ill-defined career path relative to consulting, I jumped at the chance to be a part of something that I not only knew would be exciting but was also a better fit for my own interests and passions.

It turned out to be a fantastic decision as it was both thrilling and personally rewarding to get the brand’s online presence off the ground.”

After two years, Laura moved first to San Francisco to help transition the online division to Gap headquarters and then to Philadelphia where Todd was already pursuing his MBA at Wharton. “Thanks to the strength of my business school network, I was able to make a radical career shift, both in terms of industry and function, accepting a marketing position with a Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company. Though I was making a sacrifice related to my industry interests, I ended up enjoying the role and gained valuable experience.

In the end, I also felt the satisfaction of knowing it was the right thing to do for our family at that particular stage of life.”

After just over a year in Philadelphia, her career shifted yet again when Todd accepted a job in Boston. “I found myself seeking another opportunity in a new city and a new industry and accepted a marketing position at Gillette. I enjoyed being in a traditional consumer products company, gained great experience assisting in multiple new product launches and continued to build a valuable base of functional experience while in an entirely new industry.”

Her most recent transition came about six years ago after the birth of her daughter. “I had the option of returning to Gillette, but after some soul searching I decided to spend time at home with Stella. However, I still wanted and needed some breadth of experience and interaction beyond motherhood. After an exercise to match my interests with the time constraints I had set, I identified and sought out an opportunity with the Board of Admissions for HBS — which was both intellectually stimulating and perfectly part-time. I’ve now been on the Board for six years and was thrilled to be able to retain my position even after again moving back to the Bay Area two years ago. I now represent HBS Admissions on the West Coast, conducting local interviews and assisting with Bay Area marketing efforts.”

“Without the catalyst of our family’s needs and Todd’s career I likely would not have had such a varied set of experiences over the past decade. They have prepared me for my current role in admissions, providing me with a broad foundation from which I can relate to people with vastly different backgrounds and career choices. In the end, this role seems to be the perfect one for me — challenging me on a daily basis in contributing to an institution I respect and admire while simultaneously providing me the flexibility and space needed to accommodate my other job as mother and wife.”

spring/summer 2012 | 55

alumnae

Spotlight: Sahar Fathi ’01 Although she only attended Castilleja for a short period of time because her family moved to Washington State while she was in high school, Sahar Fathi considers herself an alumna. She notes, “Not only did I make some of my closest friends at Casti, many of whom I still see frequently, but the strong values that permeated every part of my education, have shaped who I am today.”

Growing up, Sahar was determined to be a civil rights attorney so she could “ensure that every person was treated with dignity and respect.”

After earning an undergraduate degree from USC, she returned to Washington and completed a JD and MA in International Affairs in three years at the University of Washington. After graduation, she went to work for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda. While visiting genocide sites in Kigali, she noticed orphan children who were being housed by the government right across the street. “That shock made me realize the important work to be done on the local level and the need for someone to be the voice for the vulnerable.” She also decided then that while there was certainly work to be done in Africa, there was also work to be done at home.

Three years ago she returned to Seattle and started working for newly elected Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien. “Seeing first-hand how progressive policies have significant impact in communities, changed my mind about how I could best make a difference.” In early April she announced her candidacy for the Washington State House of Representatives in the 36th District. Her key issues — increasing funding for schools, improving public safety and housing, and creating family wage jobs — aim to both improve student performance and the economy. If she wins, she will be the first Iranian-American elected to any state legislature in the country.

“It has been a wild first month on the campaign trail,” she says. “I’ve been overwhelmed with the support and encouragement I have received, especially from young women all over the country. I grew up idolizing Shirin Ebadi, the first woman to become a judge in Iran, and Wangari Mathai, the first woman to earn a PhD in all of East and Central Africa, because they broke down barriers and stood up for the most vulnerable people in their communities. I stand on the shoulders of these women and others like them. I will do my best to live up to their legacy and be a role model for the next generation of young women leaders.”

56 | full circle

faculty notes New Faces in 2011-2013 Come fall, there will be some new faces around the Circle. Joining the Leadership Team as Head of Upper School will be James Pickett (right), most recently High School Director at the Ross School in East Hampton, NY. Prior to Ross, he spent thirteen years at the Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield, MI, as a history teacher, technology director, dean of faculty, and strategic planning director. Before transitioning to a career as a high school educator, he served as a visiting and adjunct professor at the college level. He is passionate about his fields of study, which include international studies, geography, and international political economy. In addition, he has been instrumental in the development of global programs and student travel-study trips throughout his career. He succeeds Chris Blair who has been a dedicated, thoughtful, and engaged member of the Castilleja community for ten years.

In July, Angi Chau will take on the newly created role of Bourn Lab Director. She studied electrical engineering at Stanford and Rice, has taught programming and civil engineering, and comes to us most recently from California State University where she is teaching courses in molecular microbiology and neurobiology.

In August, Joy Osborne will join the English Department to teach eighth grade. As an undergraduate at Pomona College, she majored women’s studies and went on to earn her MA/English credential. Most recently she served as the founding english teacher at KIPP New York City College Prep High School.

Awards and Honors Faculty members Flaurie S. ImbermanHA (Spanish) and Joke Van der Hulst (Fitness and Wellness) were honored with a Thank-a-Teacher for Social Justice award for their work “empowering youth to build a more just community.” In the words of their nominator, “Their hard work and dedication is surely recognized in our community, but it is great to have them receive recognition outside as well.”

Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA travelled to Vancouver to participate in a panel discussion at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). “The Making of Minds: Digital Fabrication and the Future of STEM Education” was chaired by Paulo Blikstein from Stanford University, who is the creator of FabLab@ School. Castilleja is home to the first U.S. FabLab and the second worldwide. Educators from MIT, UCLA, and the University of Colorado joined her on the panel.

70 | full circle

class notes ’07 (left to right): Julia Lee ’07, Rekha Arulanantham ’07, Kelly Fitzgerald ’07, Nikki Ryu ’07, Katherine Jordan ’07, and Adriana Mujal ’07

Send news to School

’31 Catherine Clift Peck ’31 and Diane Pickering Gibbs ’31 visited Castilleja for lunch this winter

1942

Adele Landenberger Haynie 550 Main Street Morro Bay, CA 93442

1943

Marilyn Hill McKae 4855 Snyder Lane, #218 Rohnert Park, CA 94928

1945

Marilyn Senn Moll writes, “We moved to The Fairfax in December 2009. This is a military retirement community near Fort Belvoir, VA. Our daughter, Nancy, lives in Vermont and visits often. Our son, Kevin, and family live in Greenville, NC, where he is a professor at East Carolina University. Other relatives live in California and we still get around, although not so much! I’m still a Civil War nut, doing research and writing, and I give talks to local historical organizations and forums.”

1949

Carolyn Hornkohl Gillespie 531 Rosarita Drive Fullerton, CA 92835 chgillespie@sbcglobal.net

Keep in Touch with Castilleja Please send Class Notes to your Class Representative, or to Castilleja, or go online to castilleja.org/notes.

Maggie Ely Pringle ’71 Director of Alumnae Relations Castilleja School 1310 Bryant Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 470-7743 mpringle@castilleja.org

1951

Cynthia Kaiser Floyd 150 La Sandra Way Portola Valley, CA 94028

Send news to School Winifred Berry Lowell says, “A graduate of ’45! After 34 years, I’ve retired from my company and my son-in-law is now president. A dinner was held in my honor in Vancouver on October 3. Keith and I now have eight grandchildren, the youngest age 1, and two great-grandchildren, ages 1 and 5. A Berry family reunion was held in Kelowna last July with all the family and most of the Berrys from California, involving lake cruising, winery visits, a steam railway trip, a historic estate luncheon, dinners, dancing, and games—very successful.

We’re having fun!”

1952

Shirley Arnott Pruitt 8555 Edinbridge Way Roseville, CA 95747 shirlpruitt@aol.com Lynn Armstrong Winkel moved to Washington Street in San Francisco after twenty years on Broadway Street. Her son Jeff has been with First Republic Bank for several years and has one daughter, Skylar (3). Her other son, Eric, is pursuing a transitional job and has one daughter, Ashlyn (13), who is 5’ 9” and enjoys karate.

1953

Ellie Tilden Gardner 501 Portola Road, #8057 Portola Valley, CA 94028

keep in touch

1947

1954

Judith Bailey Quayle 7106 Overlook Drive Santa Rosa, CA 95409 dkquayle@hotmail.com

1955

Peggy McKennan Link 5752 West Marquette Drive Denver, CO 80235 peggyslink@indra.com

spring/summer 2012 | 71

class notes

1956

Darlene Cherie Rickey 444 San Antonio Road, #6C Palo Alto, CA 94306 rickeydarlene@yahoo.com

1957

Charlotte Geary Gilmore 1061 45th Street Sacramento, CA 95819 charlotte.gilmore@gmail.com

1958

Hildi Jensvold Vieira 75-640 Mahi iu Lani Place Kailua Kona, HI 96740 vieirar001@hawaii.rr.com Hildi Jensvold Vieira has been busy: “Hello from Kona, HI. In our eighth year of living in Kona, I have found my niche and we are finally comfortably at home here. Visits with mainland family have helped. I have found good friends and worthwhile activities keep me busy. I am active in Hospice with a special interest in Camp Erin, a week-long summer camp for young people. Our American Association of University Women (AAUW) group has grown—we offer college scholarships, and our program for Girls in Math and Science (GEMS) is a huge success. Our focus for GEMS is on fifth-grade girls, with an objective of showing them the many opportunities for women in science- and mathrelated fields. This program has been so successful that dads are asking us to do something for their boys. Our response is that it is crucial that they be models for the boys. I swim in our community pool every day to exercise and also work in our much-too-large garden that is full of icky leeches, stinging caterpillars, 7-inch centipedes, and beautiful flowers. A most exciting event this year was driving four hours round trip (Kona to Hilo) to hear one of this year’s Nobel Prize winners in science. Brian Schmidt discovered that expansion of the universe is accelerating, suggesting that the cosmos, driven by an unknown cosmic power called ‘dark energy,’ will eventually freeze to ice. I learned that Brian’s hobby was winemaking. Growing up in the Napa Valley, I felt a kinship so I listened very carefully with my zero background in physics. He was a fantastic speaker and spoke so even the most naive individual could understand. Please email if you are coming to the Island of Hawaii. I would love to see you.”

1960

Send news to School Susan Scott Petretto sends her greetings: “Hello Class of ’60! It was great to hear from Judy Gibbs Brown about her sons and her grandchildren! I wish all my old friends good health and happiness. Love, Susan.”

1961

Dee O’Brien James 1070 Mercedes #5 Los Altos, CA 94022 dee.e.james@gmail.com Nancy “Sue” Dyrud Rimkeit reports, “We sure had a great time at our 50th reunion and hope more can make it to the 55th reunion.”

1962

Honor Berger Spitz 1324 Central Street Evanston, IL 60201 honorspitz@sbcglobal.net Honor Berger Spitz is moving back west! “I have my place in Evanston, IL, on the market, and I’m looking forward to returning to California sometime in the near future. I am also looking forward to our 50th reunion in the fall, and I hope that our class will set an attendance record!”

Louisa Griggs Hagen shares a similar goal: “Hope to see many classmates for our 50th reunion! ~Weezy” Anita Sultan Riechers is retired and living in Tennessee. “It is beautiful here and we are enjoying the four seasons!

Our family is doing well and our oldest grandchild is graduating from Vanderbilt University! How time flies!”

1963

Sudie Fenn Moreland 1897 Echo Lane Lincoln, CA 95648 casudie@aol.com

Patricia Hunter Gregory shares some great news: “Our daughter, Lilla Gregory ’99, was married in a beautiful ceremony on November 19, 2011 to Vadim Spivak in San Mateo, and her sister, Diana Gregory Horner ’91, was her Matron of Honor. Lilla and Vadim are living nearby in Emerald Hills, CA.

1965

Libby Ames Edwards 3517 Shilo Drive Fort Collins, CO 80521 libbyeuro2@q.com Lindsay Jones Lowe 729 Old Creek Road Danville, CA 94526 lindslowe@aol.com Renee La Torre Tilton is on the move: “After spending my life in Southern California, I have relocated to Walnut Creek to be close to Jenny (my younger daughter), Tom, and three adorable grandchildren, Andrew (9), Kirstin (7), and Brooke (5), who live in Orinda.

My older daughter, Vanessa, and her husband, Frank, relocated to Louisville, KY, for his job promotion a year and a half ago. Before Christmas I had a great lunch with Lindsay Jones Lowe.

Catching up with each other was so much fun! I would love to reconnect with more classmates living here in the Bay Area!”

Michele “Shelley” Brigham Finstad has some exciting news: “Our first grandchild was born to our eldest daughter, Farrell, on November 19, 2011.

His name is Kai Alexander Calabrese.

On June 2, our youngest daughter, Courtney, will be married here on the ranch. Recently our son, Derek, who has Down syndrome, was invited to sit on a panel at the University of California, Davis MIND Institute in Sacramento.

My husband, Jim, retired this year from teaching business and computer science at Yuba College, but continues to farm our walnuts. I am mostly retired from life coaching, leading a few women’s workshops here and there. As you can see, it has been a wonderful year for us and we are so grateful.”

1964

Gail Wilson Zetter 757 Marina View Drive El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 Helene Chandler Williams recently moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area in the Redwood Shores area and is spending quality time catching up with family and friends.

’65 Kai Calabrese, the grandchild of Michele Brigham Finstad ’65

72 | full circle

class notes

’71 Betsy Wallace Dixon ’71, Maggie Ely Pringle ’71, Derry Wallace MacBride ’69, and Jean “Babs” Gillon ’69 at lunch in Palo Alto.

Alice “Ali” Meier Jennings says, “Hard to believe that our next ‘big’ reunion will be number 50, and that most of us will be turning 65 this year, but even more amazing is that my Dad, one of my biggest supporters all through my school years and into college and grad school, will be 100 years old this year. I still work for a longtime friend as a property manager, but only part time, as I help care for my Dad, who still lives alone and only needs minimal help with mealtimes.

I so enjoy spending time with him and sharing a conversation—yes, he still has all his marbles, they just move a little slower. Hope all is well with my fellow classmates, too.”

1966

Annette Boushey Holland boushey@juno.com Constance Atterbury writes, “My daughter, Kirby, was married this October at our blueberry farm in Indiana.

I plan to travel to Costa Rica, Hong Kong, and Bali in 2012.”

1967

Nancy Blake Tetrick dntetrick@sbcglobal.net Betsy Van Sicklen Cohen is doing well: “No more snow shoveling for me—I am now the Chief of Staff at The White House Passmore Ranch in Sloughhouse, CA. I get to live next door to my daughter and not far from Karen Lee McKee. I am West Coast Swing dancing every week for fun and exercise. Life is good.”

1968

Diane Schwabacher Vocker dsvocker@sbcglobal.net

’72

’72 Diane Kimball Jacob ’72 with Leslie Evans ’72 and Leslie’s daughter, Chloe.

Beth Johnson Riley ’72 with her first grandchild.

1969

Betsy Wallace Dixon, Maggie Ely Pringle, Derry Wallace MacBride ’69, and Jean “Babs” Gillon ’69 met for

Caroline Trotter cctrotter@earthlink.net Susy Varian Hammond has some wonderful news: “I am enjoying my new grandson, Atticus Chevalier, born October 3, 2011. He joins big sister Sally (3). My daughter, Kelsey, and I have our hands full. Still in Missouri, still missing the Bay Area.”

1970

Elizabeth Sheppard Send news to school.

Pamela Silver was recently appointed as a Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard University.

Charise Hale McHugh is in her sixteenth year as CEO of the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce & Visitors’ Bureau: “I love my job and am always busy with so many different aspects of our community, county, and state. I have 3.5 grandchildren. Tamara has a 6-year-old boy and a 4-yearold girl. Byron has a 2-year-old girl and another girl on the way. Byron is a cinematographer with a big movie coming out soon called Phantom, staring Ed Harris and David Duchovny. Josh has a raw food company called Living Intentions, with 32 products in all the Whole Foods and specialty stores.

Tamara has gone back to school to become a psychologist. Jack and I are now living at the beach just south of Half Moon Bay and loving that and family time at Tahoe.”

1971

Jeanne Fisichella Hahne bjghahne@yahoo.com Yael “Janet” Gutterman and sister Myra Gutterman ’75 live and work in

lunch in Palo Alto.

1972

Karen Smith Shaw kesshaw@ucdavis.edu Diane Kimball Jacob was able to connect with Leslie Evans and her sweet daughter, Chloe (11), on a recent trip to Hawaii. Leslie teaches seventh and eighth grade English at Iolani School in Honolulu. Diane reports, “We had a wonderful visit and were able to catch up on 30 years of life.”

Joyce Bogner Bohn is currently the project controls team lead for the $1 billion expansion of the Kennecott Copper Concentrator in Salt Lake City, UT. In her spare time she enjoys play dates with her two grandchildren, Sophie (6) and Jack (4).

Nancy Schumacher Rosenthal has a very accomplished family: “Both my kids, Wylie and Aaron, valedictorians, are now at Harvey Mudd College in the Claremont Colleges. Wylie is a senior physics major who is headed to graduate school in engineering after some time working, hopefully at the likes of Tesla.

Aaron is a freshman with thoughts on physics, mathematics, computer science, and aeronautical engineering. But ‘don’t tie me down,’ he says. Aaron played the piano at the Lincoln Center in June.”

Barbara Most Weissman sent an update: “I continue to work at Emory as a child neurologist. My boys are now 28 and 24 years old. My husband, Joe, and I have been married for 36 years.”

Beth Johnson Riley is a grandmother!

Check out the cute photo of her with the latest addition to her family. Girl power rocks!

Jerusalem, Israel.

spring/summer 2012 | 73

class notes

1973

Meg Malone Thompson peterthom@comcast.net Marilyn Tate Wilson is staging a mini-reunion: “The Beach Goddesses of the Class of ’73 (Betty Ann Jackson

Reinhardt, Susan Bobadilla Reaves, Meg Malone Thompson, Marilyn Tate Wilson, and Chris Julius Thurmond) are getting together for our third annual beach getaway. Lots of food, drinks, and laughter for five days. Woo hoo!!!”

1974

Heidi Singhoff Brown heidi.s.brown@gmail.com

keep a place in the mountains of Western North Carolina as a getaway, but I will need to get settled in Tampa first—and to get back to school for nursing, which was interrupted with cancer. I’d love to hear from any of my classmates and I hope to get out to visit sometime later in the summer after I move to Tampa.”

1976

Meredith Rothrock meredith@rothrockfamily.com

1977

Mijke Roggeveen mijkeroggeveen@aol.com Ellen Layendecker is living in Mountain

1975

View, CA, and doing a lot of bike riding.

“Just had my 30th anniversary at work.

Scary isn’t it?”

Katherine Silbergh Miller is staying strong: “A lot has changed since I sent in a note a few years ago: in June 2009 I was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and spent most of that summer in and out of the hospital due to major surgeries and a near-death bowel perforation—but I came through it all; chemotherapy and a year of Avastin (a wonder drug for me) have helped me defy the odds so far for this uncommon disease. What my cancer has brought to me is truly a gift—a deeper and ever-more-trusting walk with God. The strength of my faith has helped me through the cancer, the death of my beloved father Michael Silbergh last June, and my mother’s recent major neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco. I am still living in Asheville, NC, and while I still go through check-ups (my chemo port was removed last month—yeah!), my oncologist considers me to be miraculously in full remission. I have been doing what I can to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms, and the fact that it is so deadly because usually the symptoms go unchecked or mistaken and there is no common screening for the disease. I have been working with the media here in Asheville and my husband, Kelly, has done two October charity bike rides across the state of North Carolina, ‘Ride for Hope,’ to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and to raise money for the Hope Chest, the charity connected with the Hope Women’s Cancer Center, where I am being treated in Asheville. Kelly recently took the position of President and CEO of Tampa Bay & Company, the convention and visitors’ bureau there (the same job he had in Asheville for 12 years) and I will be joining him later this summer after I sell our house and we see his daughter, my stepdaughter, graduate from high school in June. We plan to

74 | full circle

Diego right now due to her husband’s job. “Brady, our son, is happily enrolled in his new school and the dogs love the beach.”

1980

Jeanne Floyd Downs jdowns84@comcast.net

Jessica Hansen angelpiejess@hotmail.com

Maren Christensen is living in San

1978

After 17 years, Claire Kirch and her family moved five blocks closer to Lake Superior in Duluth, MN. The new home they bought in January will better accommodate Claire’s home office and the family of book hoarders’ constantly expanding collection. Claire is still covering the Midwest book publishing industry for Publishers Weekly magazine and is preparing her daughter, Rachel (14), for high school this fall at Duluth East.

1981

Elizabeth Milne Baum elizabeth@elizabethbaum.com

Laurie Ray Lamb nylambs@gmail.com Cathy Friedman Duane writes, “Every year since graduation, Lynn Anderson Poole and I have had a Christmas lunch with our moms (Pam Goodenough and Pat Early Anderson ’53). This was our 33rd year! I hope all is well for our class.”

Angela “Anne” DiVecchio Gripenstraw has been happily settled in Colorado for thirteen years: “Our boys are 15 (Henry), 13 (Jack), and almost 11 (Tommy). We get back to the Bay Area about once a year. It has been great to reconnect with classmates on Facebook.”

1982

1979

Laura Kelly Kroger laurakroger@comcast.net

Margarita Huertas Balagso balagsom@yahoo.com Nancy Moser lives in Los Altos with her husband, Jay, two daughters (13 and 15), and stepson (in college, age 22).

After 22 years as the Executive Director for the University of California, San Francisco Center on Deafness providing mental health and substance abuse programs, Nancy changed jobs last year and now enjoys her new position in the Counseling Department at the California State School for the Deaf in Fremont! Her oldest daughter participated in the TEDx Conference at Castilleja in November and had a fabulous learning experience!

Els Neukermans Paine is on the move: “After many years of working part-time in the pharmaceutical world, I returned to full-time work in December at my alma mater, Princeton University. I am the administrator for the Council on Science & Technology. My daughter, Annelies, and I applied at the same time, and luckily it ended happily for both of us. Do stop by my office in Frist if you are in the Princeton area or touring the campus.”

For more about Els’ transition, see her profile on page 51.

1983

Yoshimi Segawa Munch ymunch@ysmcommunications.com Victoria Szabo-Lengyel has been

’78 Lynn Anderson Poole ’78, Pat Early Anderson ’53, Pam Goodenough, and Cathy Friedman Duane ’78 at a mother-daughter lunch.

keeping very busy with her work as a Business Analyst Manager at Bank of America, where she has worked for 22 years now. “I am also an avid volunteer. I am President of the Hungarian Heritage Foundation of the San Francisco Bay Area and am involved in organizing a festival on May 12 in Belmont celebrating Hungarian Heritage! It has been a lot of work, but I am proud and excited to be involved in this event!”

class notes

’85 Astrid Shorthouse Spencer ’85’s new daughter, Paige Elizabeth Spencer.

’89 Hilary Howell McAvoy ’89 with husband Arjun, new baby Sia Caitlin, and big sister Keira.

1984

Meredith Mortimer Pellegrin meredith94062@gmail.com

1985

Kristin Young Gilbert kristigilbert@sbcglobal.net

’90 Class of 1990 Holiday Party at Christina Koo Van Zandt ’90’s house. Top row, from left to right: Karen Phipps Anderson, Verena Hess, Laura Dennis MacLean, Ursula Kinney Ringham, Eileen Tse Lai, and Kelly Conway Bottom row, from left to right: Joy Sih Cleveringa, Christina Koo Van Zandt, and Stephanie Rowen.

global investors, socially conscious forprofits, and non-profits. We love it! I have also been writing as an expert blogger on corporate social responsibility for Fast Company, and on my own blog, Living and Giving. I am preparing for upcoming speaking engagements with the University of Southern California, Stanford, and Duke, and I continue to cheer on my nephews and niece in baseball, basketball, volleyball...and Wii. They beat me at Dance Wii!”

1988

Lara Kasser Stone lara@nas-inc.com Alexandra Dumas Rhodes alexandra92@stanfordalumni.org

Astrid Shorthouse Spencer has some exciting news: “My husband and I welcomed our fourth child, Paige Elizabeth Spencer, in December of last year. I am currently on break from school and my work at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and am very much enjoying our newest family member. Paige joins her siblings that were excited for her arrival, Marlo (6), Jamie (4), and Mia (4).

Needless to say, we have a very busy household!”

1986

Laura Greene Wilkin lwilkin@cipa.org

1987

Sonja Hellman Bogumill sonjabogumill@yahoo.com Pamela Hawley continues spending time with nephews and niece Will, Connor, and Lindsey (15, 13, and 10—she can hardly believe it!) and performing improv. “UniversalGiving has moved to the HUB, a great community incubator of

1989

Jessica Collins Lonergan jessica@spurprojects.com Hilary Howell McAvoy and Arjun McAvoy welcomed their second daughter, Sia Caitlin, born on November 14, 2011.

They and big sister Keira live in Santa Barbara. Contact Hilary at hahdesign@ gmail.com to get back in touch.

1990

stay connected

Stay Connected.

Get Involved.

STAY CONNECTED to the Castilleja alumnae network.

Join the new Castilleja Careers Listserv at groups.google.com/ group/castilleja-careers to stay up-to-date on upcoming career-oriented events, job opportunities, and professionalskills workshops.

We want YOU! There are countless ways alumnae can get involved. We love hearing from you, so please stay in touch. If you’re as excited as we are and want to join in the fun—here are a few suggestions: 1. Join the Advisory Council 2. Help plan a regional event 3. Attend a regional event 4. Provide an internship for a Castilleja student or alum 5. Send an update for Class Notes 6. Become a Castilleja School fan on Facebook 7. Join the Castilleja Careers Listserv 8. Send us your updated contact information (it sounds simple, but nothing makes us happier than an accurate database!)

Christina Koo Van Zandt christinavz@gmail.com

Castilleja School

Christina Koo Van Zandt is happy to

Casti School Casti Athletics

report: “The Class of 1990 enjoyed a great get-together for the 2011 winter holidays at my house. This picture was taken after our white elephant gift exchange—always hilarious, as we try to figure out even more outrageous gag gifts each year. The Class of ’90 enjoys casual girls’-night-out dinners together every month or so on the San Francisco Peninsula. Please email me if you would like to be added to the email list!”

Castilleja School

Casti School

spring/summer 2012 | 75

class notes

’93

’92 Reena Patton ’92 reunited with fellow dormies in San Francisco.

Marcee Rogers Chapman says, “The past year and a half, I have been working on a dream cultivated while a student at Casti, to earn a PhD. I completed coursework in December and am currently working on my dissertation in education policy. I miss the Bay Area and hope to come back soon as a faculty member at one of the colleges there.”

Joanna Busza is still working in reproductive health, but now expanding into maternal health, with a new project starting up in Ethiopia. “The country is beautiful—much of it is green and lush—and the food is the best in Africa (don’t let stereotypical images of famine and drought fool you). Also, I am getting ready to turn 40 in the next few months—I am planning a ‘mutton dressed as lamb’-themed party and will be squeezing back into my high school prom dress. Photos to follow!”

Karen Phipps Anderson is the new vice president of litigation and disputes at Flextronics.

1991

Michele Harari Goldwasser bimini356@yahoo.com

1992

Laila Haq Collins collinslaila@gmail.com Recently in San Francisco Reena Patton reunited with other dormies (Laila Haq

Collins, Francis “Marie” Calvo-Monge, and Valerie Chiam) to celebrate the marriage of a close friend. “There we were in Nob Hill being mischievous, once again.

What happens in the City...well, y’know the rest…and saw the movie and the sequel.”

1993

Courtney Dyar cdyarsf@hotmail.com Lauren Carreker Leary laureneliseleary@gmail.com

76 | full circle

Janki Bhuva Shah ’93 with her family.

Having settled nicely in Ireland after 6 years, Heather Beckett Oakes finally gained Irish citizenship in June. Her third boy, Arden Beckett Oakes, was born at home a few hours after Thanksgiving Day at 6:46 am GMT November 25, 2011, weighing 7 lbs 9oz. “Everything is going very well, and big brothers Finnian (5) and Oran (3) are delighted with the new addition, who they call ‘My Baby!’” Her husband, Dan, is currently in his third year of training to be a midwife. She is a founding member of the Father McNally Chamber Orchestra and was just appointed to the panel of music tutors for the U2-funded Music Generation Louth. She also teaches a few students violin in between full-time duties with her boys. Check out pictures of Heather’s family and learn more about the Father McNally Chamber Orchestra on Facebook!

Janki Bhuva Shah is feeling time fly: “It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years since leaving Castilleja and that I’ve been out of the Bay Area for 16 years. I married a fellow Stanford alum, Kayur, in 2001. We live in Calabasas, which is a suburb northwest of Los Angeles.

I work at the University of California, Los Angeles as an invasive cardiologist.

I thoroughly love my job, but am still struggling to find the perfect work-life balance. I have two fun-loving, inquisitive, and amazing children–Amiya (2) and Avi (4). Prior to having children, we traveled extensively around the world—scuba diving, golfing, hiking, and going on safaris. Now all our vacations are spent in San Diego—at Legoland and at the beach building sand castles! And I love it!

I really enjoy seeing so many classmates’ Facebook updates and hope to see you at our 20th reunion next year!”

1994

Jennifer Cady Logan skinbyjennifer@gmail.com Pratima Sethi’s family is growing!

“In September we welcomed a new addition to our family. Sienna was born on September 3. Her older sister, Amelie (almost 3), is having a blast getting to know her little sister. This year is also the official launch of my jewelry line, Sethi

’94 Pratima Sethi ’94, husband Amaury, new baby Sienna, and big sister Amelie.

Couture, as an independent company. I moved from my father’s office to a new space. So needless to say it’s been a busy year. My husband, Amaury, and I and the kids are still living in San Francisco.

With dinners and play dates, we get a chance to see other Casti alums such as

Lisa Kitayama, Suzan Huang Grisanti, Subena Mahal, and Vy Le. Younger alums such as Prerna Sethi ’99 (my sister), Ambika Malwah Nangia ’97, and Radhika Malwah Sahney ’00 are also nearby for regular get-togethers.”

Michelle Forgy Ellis writes, “After slowing down and working part-time for the last couple of years to be home more with my girls, Allison (4) and Bridget (15 months), I decided it was time to start the next big adventure in my life. I am opening a veterinary practice called Pinnacle Animal Hospital in San Jose.

The expected opening is early July. We’re planning a big open house, and I would love to give a tour to any Casti alumnae in the area!” For more about Michelle’s adventures, see her profile on page 52.

1995

Sarah Shenfield Helling sk31haras@hotmail.com Lisa Vocker Lofberg lcvlteach@mac.com Christine Chang Leyva and her husband, Arthur, welcomed to the world their first child on March 4, 2012. Flint Chang Leyva weighed in at 6 lbs 15 oz, and was 20”. “Mama, Papa, and Baby are doing great and loving life in Texas!!”

Lise Traugott Latour is still close to campus: “My husband, Kirk, and I are living in Palo Alto with our two wonderful boys, Michael (almost 4) and Logan (almost 2). I have been working as a nurse at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in their Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit for the last 8 years. Although it is an emotional roller coaster taking care of sick children, it is also unbelievably rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

class notes

’95 Christine Chang Leyva ’95’s son, Flint.

1996

Anna Beattie Wilson annawilson@gmail.com Meehan Rasch is teaching at the University of California, Davis School of Law as a 2011-12 Wydick Fellow. She splits her time between Davis and Los Angeles, where she lives with her partner, Sally Rubin, a documentary filmmaker.

1997

Courtney Carter Charney ccharney@apr.com Yuriko Tse tse.yuriko@gmail.com

1998

Lindsay Austin Louie lindsaylouie@stanfordalumni.org Kimmy Morris Rosen kimberley.morris@gmail.com Kimberley Morris Rosen started a new job in January 2012. She is now special counsel at the Emerson Collective, an organization that works with a range of entrepreneurs to advance domestic and international social reform efforts.

Kimberley is currently focusing her efforts on increasing legal assistance for undocumented students. She is happy to be back in Palo Alto for her work and enjoys seeing Castilleja students downtown getting an after-school snack at Fraiche and Coupa Cafe.

1999

Katherine Sleeth katherine_sleeth@ ml.com Kate Stober kstober@tenement.org Lilla Gregory was married in a beautiful ceremony on November 19, 2011, to Vadim Spivak in San Mateo, and her sister, Diana Gregory Horner ’91, was her matron of honor. Lilla and Vadim are living nearby in Emerald Hills, CA.

’96 Emily White Kelly 96’s son Ned enjoys the Valentine’s Day Party

2000

Anjelika Deogirikar anjelika@gmail.com Claire Cummins clcummins@gmail.com Radhika Malwah Sahney just opened her very own jewelry gallery called Zaver & Mor in the North Berkeley neighborhood fondly called the “Gourmet Ghetto.” Located on Vine Street, the gallery carries over seven artists, many of whom are local to the Bay Area, including fellow Castilleja alumna Pratima Sethi ’94’s fine jewelry line, Sethi Couture. If you happen to find yourself in the neighborhood, please stop by and say hello!

Claire Cummins is still living in Australia, happily settled with partner, dog, job, and meditation center where she volunteers. “The plan is to go back to school next year to get my Diploma of Education so I can teach 11th or 12th grade history and be just like Mrs. Marston!”

2001

Kelly Wulff kellywulff@gmail.com

’99 Lilla Gregory ’99 celebrates her wedding with bridesmaids including Kate Stober Tuck ’99 and Diana Gregory Horner ’91

rejoined BCG in New York this time. In other news, I got engaged to my now fiancé, Christian, this past winter in Paris.

Looking forward to hearing about how everyone is doing!”

Pallen Chiu says, “This is my first-ever update, so there’s a bit more ground to cover. In the last six years, I’ve worked for two years in New York in strategy consulting, two years in Johannesburg, South Africa, heading up strategy for MTV Networks Africa, and am now rounding up two years of business school at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Last summer, I interned with Budweiser in rural China and with a bridal e-commerce start-up in San Francisco. I’ve loved the experience, have made lifelong friends, and am excited about figuring out what adventure I’ll be embarking on next. Hopefully something in general management at a small consumer goods company in a city fun to explore, but we’ll see where it goes!”

Suruchi Tandon is back on the West Coast: “I moved from New York City to San Francisco, where I am doing my internal medicine residency. While living in New York was a blast, it feels great to finally be back in the Bay Area!”

After receiving her PhD in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley in May, Ailey Crow set off across the country in an Airstream trailer with her husband, Adam, to visit twenty National Parks. They then continued on to Spain and Morocco and have now landed back in the Bay Area, where Ailey is an image acquisition and analysis specialist at Genentech.

2002

Whitney Brown whitneyalexisbrown@gmail.com Sophie Gassee reports, “After graduating from Stanford, I spent three years as a consultant working for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Boston. I then attended Harvard Business School, graduated in May 2011, and

’01 Liz Rowen Fritz ’01 on her wedding day.

spring/summer 2012 | 77

class notes

2003

Jenny Cook jennifernicholscook@gmail.com

for government clients. I am learning a lot at my new job and loving finally being back in the area!”

Jenna Reback writes this note from the Katherine Tincher is living in San Francisco and working at Hart Howerton in the interior design department.

Sydney Larson and her husband, Brian, enjoyed a fabulous two-week vacation to Boston and New York City for their one-year anniversary. They especially appreciated having Jessica Wong Zen play tour guide at MIT Sloan. After the East Coast trip, Sydney traveled to the Philippines with a non-profit called Renewable Energy Enterprises.

Jenny Cook is enjoying life in rural Japan, where she is teaching English with the JET Program for the year.

The Class of 2003 met for a holiday reunion at Press Club, a wine bar in San Francisco. Check out the photo for some familiar faces!

icy tundra of Vancouver, where she is shooting a television pilot for ABC with her mentor, television and film writer Melissa Rosenberg. When not watching pretty people emote in front of a camera, Jenna lives and writes in Los Angeles.

Organization’s headquarters in Geneva before heading back to Stanford for a quarter of journalism classes and an internship at Ning, a social media startup company. Joyce will be in New York City until June of this year working as a medical researcher and production assistant for Dr. Nancy Snyderman, the Chief Medical Editor for NBC News. She is excited for all that lies ahead!

2006

2005

Chelsea Ono Horn onohorn@gmail.com

Ashley D’Amour ashley.damour@gmail.com After finishing two years at Stanford Medical School with Casti classmate Tope Amos, Joyce Ho is taking the year off to complete Stanford’s first Global Health Media Fellowship. To learn how to be a better physician advocate for global health issues, Joyce spent the summer working at the World Health

Meg York margaret.alice.york@gmail.com After receiving her BA from Stanford and MS of Narrative Medicine from Columbia, Jocelyn Jiao enjoyed last summer in the Slade School of Fine Arts in London.

She enrolled at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City last fall.

2004

Caitlin Cameron cjcameron86@gmail.com Madeleine Douglass spent the fall of last year recovering from taking the bar exam and celebrating passing it in November. She is currently working in San Francisco as a project consultant for a litigation consulting firm. She is looking forward to visiting her fellow Casti alums in New York City for Rachel Dwan’s gallery opening in June.

’06

’07

Jocelyn Jiao ’06

Yasmin Radjy finally moved back to the Bay Area after a seven-year hiatus! “I am working as an analyst for Monitor 360, a San Francisco-based consulting firm that does sociocultural and geostrategic work

’07 ’05

Class of 2007 members gather for their 5th Reunion Party

Joyce Ho ’05

’03 Class of 2003 Holiday Reunion at Press Club in San Francisco. Back row, from left to right: Roxanne Tursi, Rachel Zeldin, Kathleen Kelvie, Wendy Hagenmaier, Meggie Sandman, Akilah Hill, Elizabeth Wright, Jessica Wong Zen, Amanda Gordon, Erica Simons (with the pink scarf, slightly in front of the back row), and Rachel Franklin.

Front row, from left to right: Priyanka Jacob, Sydney Larson, Julia Sorensen, Rashida Bridges Ilegbodu, Jenny Cook, and Katie Harter.

78 | full circle

’07 ’03 Class of 2003 parents get together at Lockey House

Gatorbotics reunion with Jessa Lee ’05, Sophia Berger ’06, Emily Ma, Jim Feuhrer, Sherri Billmoria ’10, Julia Lee ’07, and Kersten Schnurle ’07.

class notes Gatorbotics celebrated a mini-reunion in January! Jessa Lee ’05, Sophia Berger ’06, Emily Ma (a founding mentor), Jim Feuhrer (a current mentor and IDEO machinist), Sherri Billmoria ’10, Julia Lee, and Kersten Schnurle were in attendance.

2008 ’11

Roark Luskin roark.luskin@gmail.com Elise Fabbro elisemarie73@gmail.com Elise Fabbro will be continuing on to a master’s program in environmental studies at the University of Southern California.

’11

2009

Kennedy Flanders flanders@uoregon.edu

Classmates enjoy the Young Alumnae Holiday Brunch

Angie Moore angela@moorelife.com

Rebecca Strickfaden is planning to move to Plymouth, NH, this fall to continue working with Lifelines, the Christian outdoor guiding group she has been interning with for the past two years. This summer she will be guiding a rock climbing trip in the Ozarks in Arkansas and receiving more training in Florida.

Xanthia Tucker has been enjoying an abnormally warm third year in college. When she is not reading French experimental novels for class, she spends her free time singing, writing, drawing, running, and laughing. She is currently serving as a member of the steering committee of Harvard’s First Year Outdoor Program, so she spends a lot of time thinking about consensusbased decision-making, college, and the outdoors. A highlight of the year so far has been learning how to build a traction splint on a broken femur!

Seana McNamara is enjoying life in the Bay Area, where she saw Sophia Berger, Aditi Nagaraj, and Chrissy Skieller at the ribbon-cutting for the Bourn Idea Lab at Castilleja in March.

2007

Barbara Kang kang.barbara@gmail.com

Christina Crone is now living in Boston, employee No. 9 of a high-tech startup launching an exciting mobile payments solution.

After graduating from the University of Michigan last April, Jessie Carr is studying classics in London for one year on a fellowship from the University of Michigan Engineering School. She will begin work on her PhD in the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics program at the University of California, San Francisco in the fall.

Tiffany Wong is teaching in Bazhong (a rural county of Sichuan, China) at Bazhong No. 2 Middle School, where she is teaching around 1,500 tenth graders.

2010

Tayo Amos tamos922@gmail.com Cam Stein cam.stein@yahoo.com

2011

Emily Steemers emily.steemers@gmail.com Divya Bhat dbhatg@gmail.com Natalie Shell shell.natalie@gmail.com Ginna Freehling gehf001@bucknell.edu

HA Charlene AguilarHA

News of Former Faculty and Staff Ann Criswell 321 Alvarado Avenue Los Altos, CA 94022 afcriswell@earthlink.net

Honorary Alumnae and Alumni returned to campus for a tea held in March in the lovely Lockey Alumnae House. Stacey Kertsman, Director of Castilleja’s Awareness, Compassion, and Engagement Center, and Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA spoke about global education and various aspects of the ACE program. Honorary Alumnae and Alumni enjoyed the afternoon of reconnecting with Castilleja and with each other.

Charlene AguilarHA, former Director of College Counseling and Dean of the Junior Class from 1997 to 2007, is now Director of College Counseling at Lakeside School, an independent day school for grades five through twelve in Seattle, WA. She was thrilled to be able to meet with former Castilleja faculty Judy WagnerHA and Ellie Dwight when they all attended the conference of the National Association of Independent Schools in March in Seattle. She writes, “I miss Casti and carry my friends, colleagues, and the spirit of integrity and innovation from Castilleja with me every day.” To read more about Charlene, go to http://collegeadmissionbook.com/ charlene-aguilar-lakeside-school/.

Carolyn BishopHA, former Director of College Counseling and teacher of English from 1984 to 1997, writes, “I am firmly and happily ensconced here in beautiful South Carolina. I love living here on the shores of huge Lake Hartwell in the real boonies. Every day I look out from the sunroom and it’s as if I’m in a painting that changes each hour as the sun moves.”

Susan BarkanHA, who retired in 1999 from the English Department, visits Carolyn at Lake Hartwell regularly. She writes, “We don bright orange Clemson caps while in the water in hopes of avoiding being run over by speeding spring/summer 2012 | 79

jet skis. Afterward, we spend the lazy summer days reading, playing cut-throat Scrabble, and preparing gourmet meals.”

Dori LansdowneHA, who retired in 1987 as Registrar and Assistant to the Head, enjoys spending time in Alameda with her daughter, Christa Lansdowne Nicholas ’77, and granddaughter, Adrienne (19).

HA

Ginger BateHA, along with her husband, Simon, and son, Julian, continue to enjoy living in Apex, NC. Formerly Casti’s Director of Parent and Public Relations from 1988 to 1992, Ginger now teaches art at Apex High School while Julian, now a teen, especially enjoys chorus and theater at the same school. Deeply involved in creating her own art, Ginger speaks of retiring from teaching in June. Her Queen Chèvre of Carolina won first place in Locally Grown, and two pen drawings were exhibited in Contemporary South.

HA

View of Lake Hartwell from Carolyn Bishop’sHA sunroom.

HA Ginger BateHA with her prize-winning art, Queen Chèvre of Carolina.

designates Honorary Alumnus/a.

HA

in memoriam

Susan BarkanHA and Carolyn BishopHA picnicking on a pontoon boat in Lake Hartwell, SC.

Alumnae

Family

Regene Siebert Herzstein ’49

Harold “Jay” Wilson Husband of Susannah Harris-Wilson ’57

Mary Wade McGouirk ’57 Sister of Sally Wade Smith ’59 Lindsay Niedfeldt ’79 Valerie Tognazzini Kieser ’55

80 | full circle

HA Dori LansdowneHA with her granddaughter, Adrienne.

Administration Leadership Team Nanci Kauffman , Head of School HA

Josée Band, Dean of Teaching and Learning Chris Blair, Head of Upper School Anne CameronHA, Head of Middle School Jill LeeHA, Director of Admission Gabe Lucas, Director of Technology

Board of Trustees Kirk Bostrom Benjamin Chien Karen Fisher Jennifer Fonstad Scott Forstall Steve Franklin Mir Imran Nanci KauffmanHA Bill Kind Martin Korman Lindsay Austin Louie ’98 John Macdonald Joe Martignetti

Doreen Nelsen Ethan Nicholls Deep Nishar Mike Rantz Barbara Rosston, Chair Jennifer Sandell Martin Shell Kathleen Tandy Hannah Valantine Quin Whitman ’81 Linda Yates ’80 Alan Zafran

Jez McIntoshHA, Director of Athletics Sue Reyneri, Director of Finance and Operations Kim Roberts ’83, Director of Advancement

Alumnae Association Executive Committee Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90, President Courtney Carter Charney ’97, VP Communications Liz Rowen Fritz ’01, ACE Liaison Laura Dennis MacLean ’90, VP Regional Events Christina Hansen McClure ’71, VP Internal Events Sarah Hinman Whittle ’86, VP Development Elizabeth Yin ’00, VP Networking

Front cover: Prototype of da Vinci’s Ariel Screw, designed by Julia Green ’17 and Natalie Novitsky ’17 in the Bourn Lab. Inside front cover: Mothers and daughters gather on the Circle for Founders Day 2012.

Inside back cover: Seventh graders and their buddies plant a garden at Brentwood Academy in East Palo Alto during Earth Week.

Back cover: Juniors and Seniors show their colors while celebrating Holi during rivalry.

Photo Credits: Vince Dailey, Diego Fonstad, Steph Flamen ’14, Bryan Hoard, Mary Hurlbut, Angela Li ’13, Seana McNamara ’06, Laura Nowell, Eugenie PaickHA, Maggie Pringle ’71, Jamie Sullivan, Dana Sundblad, ToniBird Photography Design: ChaseVP, Look Design

spring/summer 2012 | 81

full circle

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PA I D Palo Alto, CA Permit No. 100

CASTILLEJA SCHOOL MAGAZINE Castilleja School Foundation 1310 Bryant Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 www.castilleja.org

Environmental Benefits Statement Since 2011 Castilleja School has saved the following resources by using recycled paper and printing in a green certified facility for the production and printing of this edition of full circle and other projects.

46 fully grown 19,447 gallons of trees water

31,990,175 BTU’s of energy

2,123 pounds of solid waste

4,180 pounds of greenhouse gases

Printed on FSC certified recycled paper with soy-based inks.

82 | full circle