CKO

The evening of April 30, 2022 was brisk but clear and beautiful for the bi-annual auction and gala known as Celebrate Kingswood Oxford (CKO). Held at the outdoor pavilion of Tunxis Country Club in order to be mindful of continuing Covid-related concerns, the event brought together more than 200 KO alumni, parents, and friends to celebrate the things that make the school special while it continues to look ahead to its future.

Above: Deirdre and Tom Dillow P ’21, ’22, ’26 with Board Chair Mary Martin ’77 and Jeff Amell P ’17, ’20. Right: The CKO Gala Committee Jodie Sprague P ’19, ’21, ’26, Melanie Ellis P ’23, Gul Aslan P ’22, Karen Diaz Meaike P ’19, ’22, Meghan Wildstein P ’22, ’26, Sophia Cicchiello P ’27, Susan Taback P ’28, Melissa Vaughn P ’20, ’21, ’23, Monica Gold P ’23, ’26

The event chairs, Karen Diaz Meaike P ’19, ’22 and Meghan Wildstein P ’22, ’26, ’29, and the CKO Planning Committee created a glittering showcase for the silent and live auctions that offered 100 items and packages up for bid throughout the evening.

Allie Wildstein ’22 and Amrita Natarajan ’22 spoke on the meaning of their KO education and the lessons and values they will take with them into their next chapter.

KO THANKS

Karen Diaz Meaike, Shawn Meaike and Family First Life, LLC for their lead sponsorship of CKO

Central Connecticut is an area with a lot of competition in the independent school market. What drew you to KO when you were looking at schools for your children?

A little history. I grew up in the Hartford public school system. When in high school, I took the public transportation bus, the Farmington Avenue route to be exact. Every morning I would look out of the window of the bus from my seat and see KO on the hill. It filled me with wonder and awe. I knew it was a private school. Honestly, I do not know why, but I always wanted to attend a private institution but would never be able to do so due to finances. Fast forward 30 years later when my eldest, Kaylee, was in middle school, and we were having conversations about options. That did not occur when I was growing up. “We” did not have options. Ironically, it was Kaylee, with no influence from me or her father, who inquired about private schools and had not considered public school for high school. Kaylee actually did not attend the first KO Open House we scheduled. There was some function she had to attend so I went by myself. Once we did attend together, I quite honestly thought it would not even be on her radar because she gave me no signs of how she felt after. She is usually a very demonstrative and expressive individual. As a parent, what I loved most about KO was the size, the individual attention I felt my child would get, and the fact that she would not be just a student. I really got the sense that people would know who my child was and what made her tick. While the intent of an open house is to get the parents to be “sold” on the school and what it has to offer the student, I did not feel like it was a sales pitch. I felt the importance of each and every student to the institution. Ultimately, the decision was Kaylee’s, and she chose KO. She was accepted at all of her schools of interest. Later I

learned the reason why Kaylee was so stoic after the open house was because KO was her #1 choice, and she did not want to be disappointed if she was not accepted or unable to attend.

When it was Dylan’s time three years later, it was not an automatic because his sister was here. Although he won’t admit it, he loved following his sister to KO. We really needed to make sure it was a good fit for him because he is a far different student with different interests than his sister. KO did what KO does and they got to know Dylan and encouraged his individual growth as they do with all their students.

Now that Kaylee and Dylan have graduated, what do you think they will take away from KO that they wouldn’t have received elsewhere?

They received a true sense of community and level of confidence. I’m not certain either one of them would have developed that grounding had they gone elsewhere. A true sense of self and a direction forward.

In your time as a KO parent, you’ve served the community as a volunteer with the Parent Association, the MD Fox School Project, CKO Co-Chair, Senior Week Chair, and are a current member of the KO Board of Trustees. What has driven you to support the school in these ways?

It is a give and take. At KO, Kaylee and Dylan have had the opportunity to learn, grow, explore, develop essential skills, been supported academically, athletically and holistically. For that I am ever grateful. I have had the privilege of being a part of my children’s lives not only at home but at the other “home” they spend the other half of their time at by being involved with the areas listed above. KO has allowed me to do that, and I also hope there is a small part of seeing their mother’s involvement and support as an example of the ways in which to support not only each other but the community where they grew up essentially.

Tell us about Family First Life, LLC., and why you chose to support CKO as its VQV Lead Sponsor.

Family First Life decided to support CKO after witnessing first hand the effect KO has on its students. FFL is very interested in supporting the community and helping make the world a better place in any small way we can. FFL believes in the mission at KO and knows the young men and women that come through will help make the world a better place today and for years to come.