Horizons: Summer/Fall 2015 by Salvatore Rotondo

The Magazine of Convent of the Sacred Heart Summer/Fall 2015

PLAY at The Barat Center

166th Commencement China Trip Reflections Campaign Update

“One of the many things that make Sacred Heart unique and different from other academic institutions is the sense of community which finds its source in the legacy of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.” Grace Isford ’15, speaking at Ring Day

Welcome to Sacred Heart

EAR CONVENT OF THE SACRED HEART COMMUNITY: At the end of our 166th year, I’d like to reflect on the experiences we have had, and envision where our future will take us. A focus for the year has encouraged us to look at ways to instill “imagination” into all we do in order to enhance the education of our students. Underneath those experiences is our purpose to intentionally live the mission and pass it on to the next generation. As administrators, faculty and staff, it has become an orientation of spirit that sets us apart. Throughout the year, the entire community has been engaged in ways to deepen our experience and promote unity and conformity in living gospel values. All of our efforts to infuse imagination in our classrooms came out of our dedication to the lived values expressed in the Goals and Criteria. They are our foundation, reminding us of not only where our heritage lies, but also how it will 2 PMS Colors: 342 & 416 inform our future. I think we can all take some heart in that we will look forward to the future with confidence because the guiding principles of our culture are the Goals and Criteria. One of our strengths as a community is that we are never complacent, nor do we take our beliefs and traditions for granted. Whether staff, faculty, parent or student, when we put our trust here, we do so in the holistic nature of all that makes up Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich. I am convinced that adherence to these ideals breeds leadership, and that strong transformative leadership will be the most critical ingredient for facing the years ahead. Parents choose our independent, Catholic schooling for faith development, academic success, cultural values and leadership. When we behave like leaders, we make up a team based on conviction of the School’s values, innovation and questioning, and the embracing of change. Certainly, it was imagination that propelled our faculty and students to the academic, athletic and social service involvement that breeds success, and it was the generosity of our donors who believed in that vision that allowed us to realize how we will live in the future, now that our new facilities have been completed. Each and every year we, as a school community, answer St. Madeleine Sophie’s call to open up the hearts and minds of youth to the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to take that love out into a world that sorely needs their conviction. Within the pages of this issue of Horizons, you will witness the groundwork that got us there. With love and gratitude,

Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, Head of School

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Board of Trustees 2015–2016: Paula Tennyson, Chair Lisa Burke Fallon ’89, Vice Chair Christopher R. Ryan, Treasurer Joseph A. Tranfo, Secretary Neil A. Augustine James T. Bretzke, S.J. Dreux Dubin Claiden ’77, Alumnae President Carolyn Dursi Cunniffe ’58 Frances de La Chapelle, RSCJ Mary Beth Duncan, Parents’ Assn. President Lorena Ferrara Charles A. Fishkin Paula S. Gruner, RSCJ Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, Head of School William D. Hirshorn Sarah Jorquera ’79 Dolly Mayer Douglas M. Mellert Timothy Muccia Mandy Dawson Murphy ’85 Bernadette Prato Barbara Quinn, RSCJ Cynthia van Eck Mission Statement: Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, founded in 1848, is an independent Catholic college preparatory school for young women, from preschool through grade 12. The newly established Barat Center for Early Childhood Education accepts boys and girls. Convent of the Sacred Heart will remain single-gender female from kindergarten through grade 12; only The Barat Center is coed. True to its international heritage, the School provides students with experiences of diversity and welcomes students of all races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religious beliefs. Convent of the Sacred Heart, steeped in a solid academic tradition, educates women to have independence of judgment, personal freedom, and strength of character so that they can become leaders with broad intellectual and spiritual horizons. Service to others is a compelling commitment of our education, and the entire school community, as a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, is dedicated to the Goals and Criteria: › A personal and active faith in God; › A deep respect for intellectual values; › A social awareness which impels to action; › The building of community as a Christian value; › Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Welcome from the Board Chair ear Convent of the Sacred Heart Community: Each year at graduation, we listen with pride as our seniors express their love and gratitude for their experiences here at Convent of the Sacred Heart. As parents, we always hope these confident young women have taken full advantage of the gift of their education. Hearing their reflections, it was abundantly clear that they have! Our graduates spoke of the richness of their preparation, not only in the classroom, but also on the athletic fields, at retreats, and in service to others. They articulately reflected on the amazing bond and affection they feel for their classmates. And they recognized, with affection, the care and kindness of their faculty and staff. It is clear that their time as members of the Convent of the Sacred Heart community has prepared them well to advance to the next chapter in their lives, armed with the knowledge and curiosity to learn more and give back. Their paths and hopes are grounded in the Goals and Criteria. As St. Rose Philippine Duchesne said, “Strength of character is certainly needed to face life in the world and to stand by right principles, especially in the age in which we live.” Thank you to all those who have worked so hard to provide the financial support necessary to give all our students the amazing opportunities we provide in our classrooms and beyond. This year’s Derby Auction, led by Susan Carroll, Julie Keller and Paulette Pipher, was a resounding success. The festive event raised much-needed funds for our endowment and lived up to the meaning of Goal IV, “the building of community as a Christian value.” I would also like to thank the Annual Giving chairs, Lucia Jansen and E.A. and Teresa Kratzman, for their tireless work and leadership. The continuing generosity of our parents, alumnae and friends is greatly appreciated. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I thank you all for your love and commitment to our School.

Warmest regards,

Paula Tennyson, Chair, Board of Trustees

Class Notes Editor: Meghan Mara Ryan ’01, Director of Alumnae Relations Convent of the Sacred Heart 1177 King Street Greenwich, CT 06831 203-531-6500 www.cshgreenwich.org Head of School: Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 2 PMS Colors: 342 & 416

Editor: Kathleen S. Failla, Director of Public Relations & Communications faillak@cshct.org

Contributing Writers: Kerry Bader Kathleen S. Failla Karl Haeseler Joanne Wu Havemeyer Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 Linda Maldonado Megan Monaghan William Mottolese Katherine Nail ’16 Renee Rodriguez Kelly Stone Paula Tennyson Lori Wilson

Contributing Photographers: Kathleen S. Failla Highpoint Photos Jeffry Konczal Salvatore Rotondo Design: Good Design LLC Printing: Service Press Send address changes to: Irene Colford colfordi@cshct.org

On the Cover: Joyful discovery and learning takes place every day at The Barat Center for Early Childhood Education.

in this issue The Magazine of Convent of the Sacred Heart HORIZONS SUMMER/FALL 2015

features

Children love to play

82 seniors graduate in the Class of 2015

At The Barat Center by Kathleen S. Failla

CSH's 166th Commencement by Kathleen S. Failla

Learning language and culture

Framing our Future is almost complete!

Student Reflections on Visit to China by Joanne Wu Havemeyer

Campaign Update by Kathleen S. Failla

remark•able 12 A Commitment to Excellence: Alexandra Bolanos ’15 26 A Leader in the Information Age: Cristina Dolan ’79 48 Talented Playwright: Sylvia Khoury ’08

departments 01 02 04 21 22 50 55 68

Welcome from the Head of School Welcome from the Board Chair Inside Our Classrooms Giving Matters Sacred Heart Athletics Alumnae News Class Notes In View

06 Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

our cl a ssrooms Meet Christine D’Alessandro: Lower School Head “It’s magical the way children transfer their concepts into experiences,” says Christine D’Alessandro, head of Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Lower School. She looks forward this year to sharing this view of the classroom with parents. Embarking on her second year, Ms. D’Alessandro, who joined CSH in 2014 from The Keystone School in San Antonio, Texas, where she was Lower School head for seven years, spoke about her strategic goals. She is delighted to be at Sacred Heart Greenwich. “It is a place of heart, of nurturing and kindness, where nurturing educators come together. Our teachers see all parts of the child. They see the child as she or he comes to school in the morning—and all that child brings with them. This is what differentiates us. My goal is to make people aware of this, not to change what’s happening here, but to make it more well known.” With that in mind, she is initiating an open door policy for her office and the classrooms that will give parents an opportunity to be more involved on a day-to-day basis. Not as “spectators,” she says, “but as participants.” “I want to create an open door so there will be more opportunities to see their child in action,” she says. Ms. D’Alessandro is committed to Sacred Heart and its mission. “At Sacred Heart, it is a privilege that we don’t have an academic ceiling because it enables us to provide all the additional resources needed to encourage individual growth at the right pace for each child.” She praises the School’s strategic vision of creating a strong alignment of curriculum. “Curriculum alignment gives us a clear vision of the path from preschool through grade 12,” she states. Before joining Sacred Heart, Ms. D’Alessandro headed Keystone’s elementary division with an enrollment of 160 students, from kindergarten through fourth grade. Prior to that she was a founding educator at the Maple Street School in Manchester Center, Vt., from 2000 to 2007, where she taught first, third and fourth grades, served in various administrative posts, and was assistant head of school from 2004 to 2007.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

The sky’s the limit. Anything is possible. —Christine d’alessandro

Christine D’Alessandro with Lower School girls.

Ms. D’Alessandro received a Bachelor of Science degree in special education from Lyndon State College, in Lyndonville, Vt. She received a Master of Education degree in administration and supervision from Antioch University New England, in Keene, N.H. She has served on a visiting accreditation committee for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. She is a passionate advocate for children, which is deeply rooted in her educational practices and ideals. What this means for our students is an environment that perfectly balances academic mastery with a strong, values-based Sacred Heart education. This foundation will encourage all students to adapt a growth mindset, where Ms. D’Alessandro says, “The sky’s the limit. Anything is possible.”

Ring Day, A Joyous Tradition Ring Day is a celebration of remarkable academic achievement. With this milestone comes the most visible symbol of Sacred Heart: the school ring with intertwined Hearts of Jesus and Mary surrounded by rays of light, representing the love of God for the world. The Class of 2016 received their rings on April 22 at a liturgy in the school chapel attended by families, teachers and the Class of 2015. It was a special celebration of love for God, school and one another. The Reverend John Quinn celebrated the Mass. The ring ceremony reflected the importance of community. It involved Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, Upper School Head Jayne Collins and the senior class. Seniors accompanied each junior to the altar, and placed the ring on the junior’s hand. Juniors sealed the bond of friendship by presenting seniors with a Sacred Heart medal. Junior class president Yahnah Johns-Woodby spoke about the importance of faith and community. “We should realize the responsibility that comes with receiving our rings,” she told her classmates.

“As leaders of the school next year, it will be up to us to show the rest of the student body what it means to be women of the Sacred Heart. When you look at the face of the ring, you will see the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. What it represents is being a child of the Sacred Heart, one who embodies all of the Goals and Criteria of a Sacred Heart education and lives them.” Ring Day marked a turning point for the seniors. Senior class president Grace Isford reminded all that graduation was only 45 days away. She encouraged juniors “to prepare to step up to be the leaders of the school.” “Cherish senior year for both its excitement and countdowns but also for the education and values it is instilling within you,” said Grace. “One of the many things that make Sacred Heart unique and different from other academic institutions is the sense of community which finds its source in the legacy of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.” please visit: www.cshgreenwich.org/ Page/News--Events/Photo-and-Video-Gallery#photo/309993

To view a slideshow of Ring Day,

Cherish senior year for both its excitement and countdowns but also for the education and values it is instilling within you. —Grace ISford ’15

(left) Victoria Paternina ’16 receives her ring from Caroline Burch ’15. (above) Devika Arjoon ’16 hugs Priscilla Valdez ’15, as Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Collins look on. Dean of Students Karen Panarella assists in the background. Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Women Who Dared By Megan Monaghan, Middle School English teacher

Making collages, Ella Reidenouer, left, and Zoe Young, right

“Marian Anderson” by Sophia Jansen

“Danielle Sullivan” by Caroline Hisler

Our fifth-grade students have come to realize that

nonfiction reading is everything except boring!

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

In the past, when greeted with the term “nonfiction,” many students groaned, thinking they would be asked to blow the dust off dry encyclopedias or comb through musty articles. This perception has been shattered at Sacred Heart. In particular, our fifth-grade students have come to realize that nonfiction reading is everything except boring! In fact, by immersing themselves in the genre of nonfiction narrative, fifth graders discovered how nonfiction can offer as much thrill and adventure as any great novel. Switching their assumptions about nonfiction reading has also reshaped our ideas about nonfiction writing. To many, nonfiction writing means book reports and research papers. Yet, immersion into the of genre nonfiction narrative has prompted students to discover how elements of good storytelling and memorable characters also belong to nonfiction, and this genre includes so many more possibilities than traditionally realized. Simply put, nonfiction narrative is the telling of true stories. This genre presents facts about lives and events using compelling storytelling techniques, such as description, dialogue, characterization and scene building. Effective writers of nonfiction narrative must be good researchers and writers, and they draw upon their arsenal of both expository and narrative writing techniques. Adult readers who have enjoyed Seabiscuit, Unbroken, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Devil in a White City or the Boys in the Boat will recognize how reading this genre is so absorbing and interesting that one almost doesn’t realize how much they are learning—the story is just so entertaining! Nonfiction narrative came vividly alive for students thanks to collaboration between English and art classes, and through the mentoring of professional author Doreen Rappaport.

The first step of student learning began with an immersion into this genre to study the craft of other writers. For almost a month, students selected nonfiction narratives for Readers’ Workshop. In their exploration, students read about topics as diverse as Anne Frank, the Titanic, Jane Goodall and growing up in the Wild West. Following this, we focused on the work of a single mentor author, Doreen Rappaport. Ms. Rappaport is the award-winning author of almost 50 books, most of which are nonfiction narrative and focus on issues of social justice. Ms. Rappaport is well known for combining historical fact with storytelling to present the lives of individuals, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. She performs tremendous research in order to incorporate authentic words from archives, letters, poetry and songs into her writing. The fifth graders read several of Ms. Rappaport’s books and carefully studied the techniques she uses to bring characters to life and present research in lyrical, creative ways. Ms. Rappaport’s work inspired students to experiment on their own with this genre. Each girl researched a famous woman from history, who is an example of someone who dared to be different, which echoed our Middle School theme of “Dare.” Using both print and digital resources, students researched women from Ruby Bridges to Amelia Earhart and Josephine Baker. From

Inside our classrooms

their research, students identified powerful themes or significant personal characteristics that eventually guided the organization of their narratives. Armed with mountains of index cards and Post-it® notes, students began the challenge of transforming facts and notes into a fluent and descriptive story that follows a story arc. To help us in this challenge was Ms. Rappaport herself. She joined our English classes via Skype, and immediately began conducting individual conferences with students. Writers came to Ms. Rappaport with questions such as, “What techniques do you use to build an exciting scene?,” “How do you describe a character’s appearance?,” “How will I know when to end?,” “How do you write the perfect opening line?,” and “How can I jump back and forth in time without confusing my readers?” Ms. Rappaport’s feedback was direct and age appropriate, and writers were able to immediately apply her suggestions. Meanwhile, in their art classes, students created paper collages depicting these influential women. They worked in the style of the artist Romare Bearden, who used paper collage to tell the story of African-American life during the 1960s. Each girl used tempera colors to create several sheets of different colored paper, and then cut small pieces for their collages. In addition, the girls learned about the importance of emphasis and balance in composition, as they assembled their images to illustrate their narratives. “I didn’t think I would like working with paper collage,” said Michaela Greco ’22, “but it turns out that it is really fun to tell a story through collage!” Collaboration between art and English provided a more complete immersion into their research subjects and prompted students to more deeply reflect and analyze information, while also thinking creatively. According to art teacher Annette Grueterich, “From my perspective, the project was really important because it allowed the students

to see the similarities between the written narrative and visual storytelling, and to explore how to engage the viewer and bring their story to life.” Middle School Head David Olson added, “Fifth graders learned greatly through the Women Who Dared project. The girls honed their mastery of the research and writing process, while also using their creativity and artistic skills to express their findings. Perhaps more importantly, our students continue to learn about women who have dared to have a positive impact on the world, a perfect way to inspire our girls to strive to embody Goal III, ‘a social awareness that impels to action.’” The final step of this project was participation in the worldwide “six-word story” project, inspired by Ernest Hemingway. Each fifth grader re-read her narrative to identify the most important themes, lessons or personality traits of their “woman who dared,” and then they wrote, edited, wrote, edited, wrote and edited to boil these big ideas into small, small words. What they came up with was striking. “Deaf and blind, but not dumb”—Helen Keller. “Born a slave, but died free”—Harriet Tubman. “Little girl, with a big voice”—Marian Anderson. “Hiding fearfully, with only a diary”—Anne Frank. These brief, yet impactful, stories demonstrate the deep understanding each student gained over her research subject and her command of succinct, precise language. These powerful six-word stories were hung alongside the paper collages on the stairway between the upper and lower levels of the school library. To celebrate both the unveiling of this display, and their own hard work, fifth graders held a gallery party. They admired one another’s work, and reflected how these stories were every bit as satisfying and magical as fiction. “This project was great!” exclaimed Gabriella Lauria ’22. “We can see now that women have changed world history, too, not just the boys!”

We can see now that

women have changed world history, too, not just the boys! —Gabriella Lauria ’22

“Gaby Douglas” by Sophia Flynn

“Josephine Baker” by Josephine Genereux “Ruby Bridges” by Sophie Broll

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

The MakerSpace The new MakerSpace enhances classroom learning and encourages the creation of new things. It is the home base of the Middle School robotics team, which excelled in the FIRST® LEGO® robotics competition. Located in its own well-equipped room in the library, the MakerSpace is a creative environment where anything is possible. Teachers have used it, for example, to present themes of an advanced piece of literature. Students collaborate on projects. Beginning in November 2014 and throughout the early spring, Sacred Heart eighth graders created an alliance with boys at Brunswick School. Students from both schools addressed a real life design challenge—how to design and construct the ideal school bus stop. Brunswick visited Sacred Heart’s MakerSpace, where boys and girls teamed up on 3-D modeling and other digital tools to bring their designs to life, which they displayed in our library.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Inside our classrooms

Four Stuart Scholars Named

Middle School Musical Collaboration This spring, our Middle School students joined with boys at Brunswick School to perform in their eighth annual collaborative musical theater production. The students presented “Stars” to an audience of Brunswick and Sacred Heart families, faculty and friends on April 30 and May 1. “Many thanks to Mr. Alexander Constantine, Brunswick’s Middle School drama teacher, for leading the group to create such a beautiful show,” said David Olson, head of Sacred Heart’s Middle School. Sacred Heart performers included Elizabeth Colligan ’20, Isabel Davenport ’19, Elle de Alessandrini ’20, Kristina Desai ’21, Erin Dowrich ’20, Piper Gilbert ’21, Bridget Hamlet ’20, Caroline Janney ’19, Sarah Mickley ’21, Jenna Washington ’20 and Ursula Wise ’21. From Brunswick, Matthew Goodman ’20, Gabriel Mehra ’20, Adam Morris ’20, Sam Schwartz ’20 and Nicky Winegardner ’20 joined them. visit this link on the school website: www.cshgreenwich.org/page/Home?#photo/300948

To view the show’s photo album,

In honor of Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ, a pioneer in the education of young women, whose centenary we celebrated in 2014, Sacred Heart established the Stuart Scholarship. At the age of 13, Janet Erskine Stuart set out on a deep search for truth and understanding. Committed to educational excellence throughout her life, she has inspired countless students and educators to pursue their dreams. Perhaps this quote of hers says it best: “Your life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement and transformation….It is continually expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching yourself, teaching you to see clearly and deeply, helping you to listen to your intuition.” It is in this spirit that we are pleased to award the Stuart Scholarship to the following incoming and rising ninth-grade students: • Emma DeMartino from Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, Conn. • Mary Anne Gallagher from Saints John & Paul School in Larchmont, N.Y. • Natalia Pazos from Saint Patrick’s School in Bedford, N.Y. • Meredith Wilson from Somers Middle School in Somers, N.Y. Each Stuart Scholar will receive a merit award of $10,000 for each of her four years in our Upper School. “Mrs. Hayes and the Scholarship Committee enjoyed meeting these students during the interview process and were impressed with their academic records and insightful essays,” said Catherine Cullinane, director of admission and financial aid. Sacred Heart congratulates these young women as they carry on the legacy of Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ.

Brunswick students Gabriel Mehra ’20 (left) and Matthew Goodman ’20 (right) performed with Sacred Heart student Kristina Desai ’21 in “Stars.” Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Antarctica: A journey in collaborative learning By Kathleen S. Failla

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

December, the sun rose at 2:44 a.m. and set at 11:04 p.m. “Only about three and threequarters hours of darkness.” “Before embarking on the expedition, Giselle approached the science teachers asking if a science experiment could be performed on behalf of the students, while she was in Antarctica,” her mother, Nancy Grey, said. Teachers in Lower, Middle and Upper Schools were happy to provide unique ideas. For example, in Lower School, where the third grade studies alternative energy and the impact of global warming, the class designs and sends flags to an Antarctica lab studying the Adelie penguin. The flags are flown over Antarctica and the biologists send a photo back to Sacred Heart. Lower School science coordinator Marion Kieltyka asked Giselle to photograph penguins. Giselle not only provided photos, but used this as an opportunity to observe the Adelie penguin and five other species. Returning to school, she produced a PowerPoint for the third grade. In the context of collaborative learning, Giselle offered her time and talents to

Giselle Grey ’20 and Brunswick teacher Alexander Bulazel displayed their school flags while on expedition in Antarctica.

It is funny that I had to go to the end of the Earth to meet someone from across the street! —Giselle grey ’20

provide her teachers and classmates with first-hand observations. It gave her a chance to interview 2007 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Henry Pollack on climate change. In her interview, she learned why the glaciers are melting—and she asked how she could help. “How can someone like me conserve resources?” she asked the Nobel Prize winner, author of A World Without Ice. “One of the ways to conserve your resources is to examine resource usage,” Prof. Pollack said. “Ask yourself, What am I doing that is wasting resources? What ways can I change my habits to use less energy and water?” Good advice for all.

What happens when a Sacred Heart student travels halfway around the world, in this case to the South Pole? Middle School student Giselle Grey ’20, who traveled to Antarctica with her mother over Christmas break, answered that question, and there they met up with a teacher from the Brunswick School. On Giselle’s 14-day expedition was Alexander Bulazel, a 1983 Brunswick graduate and industrial arts teacher, who is a master woodworker and on the board of Mystic Seaport. “It is funny that I had to go to the end of the Earth to meet someone from across the street!” Giselle wrote in her blog to friends back home. “A teacher, Mr. Bulazel, from Brunswick is here on this trip with me. We decided to hold our school flags up together.” Giselle had brought along a Sacred Heart flag to pose with in photos taken to record her journey and post on her blog. It was an expedition where this young adventurer joined other young science explorers to learn about the wildlife, climate change and a bit of history. Giselle visited Elephant Island, where the expedition team had not landed for 11 years because weather and seas make it so difficult. Another highlight was traveling through Drake Passage. During our winter in North America, we see short days and long nights. Giselle discovered just the opposite. In

New social studies approach debuts in Lower School By Linda Moldanado, Lower School teacher

Throughout the 2015 spring semester, classrooms 2B and 3A have been piloting a new social studies curriculum that will be adopted throughout Lower School in the 2015–2016 school year. The program is called “Exploring Where and Why” and is published by Herff Jones Nystrom. It is designed around the latest research on learning, and it features: • Hands-on activities with an emphasis on map and globe skills • Specific, repeated exposure to content • Explicit teaching of vocabulary • Use of visual information The program was selected because of its engaging, hands-on activities that appeal to various learning styles, and its strong emphasis on vocabulary. Attractive carts, with all the supplies needed, are prominently displayed in each classroom.

One of the best features of the program is the variety of colorful maps and globes that can be written on with washable markers. The maps and globes become increasingly complex and detailed as students mature from kindergarten to fourth grade. In a lesson on the history of transportation, third graders used their markers to date the Cumberland Pass, Erie Canal and Transcontinental Railroad on U.S. maps. The course’s books are not traditional social studies textbooks. They are richly illustrated with photos, maps and charts designed to spark conversation. Within these lively conversations, and under the guidance of teachers, students naturally begin using high-level vocabulary words. Both teachers and students are enthusiastic about this new approach to social studies and are looking forward to the rollout in the fall.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

r e m a rk • a bl e A Commitment to Excellence Alexandra Bolanos ’15 By Kathleen S. Failla, director of public relations and communications

lexandra Bolanos ’15, or Alex, as she is fondly known, is an award-winner in science, who will attend Princeton University this fall where she will study biomedical engineering. Her interest in science was sparked in 2008 by Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., when he spoke at a REACH Prep event. At the time, Dr. Carson was director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. He was the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins joined at the head. In 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. Since retired, he is seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States. “From that day onwards, and for the next four years, I told everyone I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I grew up,” said Alex, addressing this year’s REACH Prep fundraiser at the Greenwich Hyatt. No longer in the audience, she was now in the spotlight. She introduced this year’s speaker, James McBride, author of the American classic, The Color of Water. Founded in 1994, REACH (Responsibility, Excellence, Achievement, Character and Honor) Prep recruits motivated and talented fourth-grade African-American and Latino students from families with low to moderate incomes. Sacred Heart is one of the founding schools of REACH Prep. Alex became a REACH scholar in 2007, applied to Sacred Heart Greenwich, and entered our Middle School in September 2008. Education is of the utmost importance to Alex and her family, who emigrated from Peru. Alex’s parents gave up careers as a computer engineer and a lawyer to settle in New Rochelle, New York so they could enable Alex and her two brothers to gain opportunities for advancement. As with the Sacred Heart community, REACH Prep has been a second home for Alex, where she has been a role model, encouraging other young women. On and off campus, she has combined her interest in helping others with her talents and her dedication to excellence in

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

“From that day onwards, and for

the next four years, I told everyone I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I grew up.” a number of community service projects. As co-head of the Upper School club Pairing Minds with Hearts, she tutored girls in precalculus, chemistry and biology. She worked with administrators to match students who needed help with students who excelled in those subjects. In New Rochelle, she dedicates time to teaching piano to younger children through a nonprofit. At Sacred Heart, she has pursued her interest in science with great diligence. Through our Science Research Program, which added another layer to her already full and rigorous courseload, she was able to feed her intellectual curiosity. Always eager to apply what she learns to real life situations, Alex focused

Alexandra (third from left) at Dream it. Code it. Win it. Read more about the event on the next page.

With her smiling classmates looking on, Alexandra received awards at Prize Day.

on neuroscience in a research internship at Beth Israel Medical Center during her junior and senior years. She and Abbi Wilson ’15 worked alongside a doctor and nurse practitioner to investigate the efficacy of a drug, Clobazam, on patients with genetic abnormalities. Alex is known for an intellectual approach and reflective cast of mind that enables her to make strong interconnections between real life and scientific inquiry. For example, in the Science Research Program her study of the recovery time from concussions by student-athletes was informed by an interest in sports. She competed in basketball, cross-country, soccer, and track and field. Even her piano performances owe much to an enthusiasm for science. “My interest in the complexity and ambiguity of one of the most vital organs in our bodies—the brain— stems from my fascination about the mere act of performing,” she said. “Our brains are so multifaceted, and I am amazed by what we can do.” Alex’s scholarship in science won her an opportunity to travel in April with three other seniors to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. They earned this trip after their projects were recognized in a national competition sponsored by the Conrad Foundation, a nonprofit started in honor of the Apollo 12 astronaut Charles Conrad. A highlight was the invitation to a dinner at the space center featuring the crew of the Apollo 13 mission for a 45th anniversary celebration. In a newspaper interview after the trip, Alex said she could envision returning to the space center—to work there. English teacher Linda Vasu said wherever Alex goes in the future, she will add “vitality, commitment and an original intelligence.” Ms. Vasu added, “She can think on her feet, present an opinion and galvanize a conversation. These are

great qualities, all of which I have enjoyed immensely as Alex’s teacher and mentor.” In her senior year, she was inducted into the national Cum Laude Society. Colleges recognized her dedication to exceptional scholarship. In addition to Princeton, she received acceptance letters from Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She chose Princeton because she found the undergraduate approach to mentoring to be the most welcoming. “I already see the opportunities for me at Princeton,” she said. At Prize Day, she was awarded the Premio De Excelenica in Spanish Studies, which is given to a senior who has demonstrated the highest achievement in the study of both the Spanish language and its literature. Alex graduated with high honors in June. This summer, she worked as an intern in the biomedical engineering lab at City College of New York. We wish her well—and know that we will be hearing more from Alex in the future.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

At New York City awards ceremony, winners, left to right, included Janelle Maxwell, Kylinn Askew, Alexandra Bolanos, Emily Casper, Isabella Libassi, Alexandra Massello and Molly Carroll.

Closing the STEM Gender Gap Sixteen Upper School science research students were winners in the second annual Dream it. Code it. Win it., sponsored by TradingScreen Inc. and The MIT Enterprise Forum of New York. “Computer science skills are critical to the modern economy. The innovation that is occurring in every field is directly tied to the breakthroughs made by the brilliant minds that are re-interpreting the discipline,” said Philippe Buhannic, CEO of TradingScreen. Dream it. Code it. Win it., he said, “will encourage more students to enter the field.” Students attended the awards ceremony on April 30 at The Cooper Union Great Hall, in New York City. For the second year in a row, female high school and college students made up the majority of the applicant pool. This year’s finalists tackled a wide range of technologies from virtual reality to biological applications and simulation platforms. Sacred Heart alumna Cristina Dolan ’79, an Internet pioneer, and alumna of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, organized the event. (See related article on page 26.) She started the competition to challenge students to identify a problem and then develop a creative solution utilizing an app or computer program they created. “The gender gap in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] is especially troubling as half of our population is being

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

overlooked,” said Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou, executive vice president of corporate marketing at Estee Lauder, sponsors of the Women’s Prize. “The biggest problem facing women and engineering—and STEM in general—is getting more women into the pipeline. Resolving this problem requires us to transform some of the perceptions that remain embedded in our society. That’s why competitions like this are so important.” Sacred Heart students and their winning projects: • The Green Team (Carpooling to reduce carbon dioxide emissions): Jenny Blessing ’15, Alexandra Bolanos ’15, Molly Carroll ’15, Sabrina Carrozzi ’15, Emily Casper ’15 and Alexa DiTursi ’15 • Safe Alert (Emergency response system): Kylinn Askew ’15, Concetta Brusco ’15, Isabella Libassi ’15, Janelle Maxwell ’15 and Emma Novick ’15 • Listen to Learn: Jacqueline Beshoory ’17, Sabrina Carotenuto ’17, Charlotte Clark ’17 and Haley Horn ’17 • MyCloset (Garment organization): Alexandra Massello ’17

Reflect, Renew, Advance! This has been a year of reflection for our School, as we engaged in the process leading to re-accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and to reaffirmation of our commitment to mission by the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG). Every 10 years, we engage with NEASC and every five years with SHCOG. While each has its own scope and purpose, there is an overlap. For example, NEASC is vitally concerned with mission, and SHCOG is equally concerned with academics. Because each process takes much energy and focus, the School decided to combine the two,

Faculty and staff launched the SHCOG self-study at the start of the 2014–2015 school year. The following teachers are pictured here, left to right, Brideen Finegan and Amy Dillane; Michaela Gorman ’05 and Alexandra Rizk ’09; Jeannine Tocco and Beth Carlucci.

rather than defer one to be started after the other was completed. The result was a year of thoughtful and collective reflection by all members of our community. We benefited from the outstanding leadership of Anne De Sutter and John Zwack, co-chairs of the NEASC Steering Committee, and Marian Campana, chair of the SHCOG Steering Committee. There was extensive and dedicated work by all—the board, administrators, faculty and staff, students and parents—on the NEASC and SHCOG self-studies. The NEASC Steering Committee presented the Part II document, Reflections, Recommendations and Issues for Further

Discussion at the end-of-the-year faculty/staff meeting in June. At the same meeting, the SHCOG committee also presented their findings in Commendations and Recommendations. In the next phase, NEASC and SHCOG visiting teams will arrive this fall. Then, the School will be asked to form action plans to advance the NEASC and SHCOG recommendations. Over the course of the past year, we have grown stronger and deeper as a school community, while reflecting together on how we live the mission and how we advance scholarship to the highest level.

National Merit Scholar Named

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognized Grace Isford ’15 as for her outstanding scholarship and performance on the program’s qualifying tests. Grace will attend Stanford University. “I am honored to have been named a National Merit Scholar and to have won a $2,500 scholarship,” said Grace. “My success is a testament to the Goals and Criteria, particularly Goal II, ‘a deep respect for intellectual values.’ School faculty and administrators instilled a love of learning within me from a young age and created a community that encouraged my intellectual curiosity and achievement.” Jayne Collins, head of the Upper School, said Grace deserves the recognition. “We are not only proud of her academic achievements, but of her service to the school community.” She scored in the top 1 percent on the 2013 PSAT, which is the scholarship program’s qualifying test.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Online Learning Offers Growth Opportunities By Lori Wilson and Karl Haeseler, Co-Directors, SophieConnect

It is certainly a great gift to know how to arrange one’s time and use it well.

The dream of a Sacred Heart Network-wide online learning initiative was born during our mission immersion trip to Uganda in the summer of 2012. We imagined ways to leverage the potential of the international Network of Sacred Heart Schools for creating quality mission-based educational experiences for all students entrusted to Sacred Heart. The dream quickly turned into a reality when Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 learned about our concept in the spring of 2014. She realized the potential for all Sacred Heart students worldwide and encouraged us to run with the idea, pledging her full support for this initiative, where technology and mission unite. SophieConnect provides partnership opportunities for Network schools to offer online classes that promote our values and traditions, while adhering to the high standards of a Sacred Heart education. The program offers students opportunities to grow and expand in a non-traditional online educational setting, which many universities and colleges now offer. SophieConnect is a cost-effective way to ensure that the Sacred Heart educational philosophy is the foundation to prepare students for a globally integrated workplace. Efforts to promote global and cultural awareness and communication skills are important aspects of successfully collaborating across geographic and cultural boundaries while strengthening the bonds between Sacred Heart Schools. At the launch of SophieConnect, school leaders met via teleconference in January 2015 and outlined the basic principles necessary to make an internetwork online learning initiative as productive and effective as possible. The group agreed on a financial model that would allow all schools to participate, and they framed the core purpose of SophieConnect as a move toward expanding St. Madeleine Sophie Barat’s vision of building a home-away-from-home, where spirituality, social responsibility and a sense of community guides all modes of education. The technical requirements to participate in online learning through SophieConnect are minimal. SophieConnect follows an asynchronous learning model. We believe students are ready and willing to learn outside of regular school hours, which mirrors today’s modes of communication, shaped by the various technologies that have become a staple in our daily routines. The asynchronous learning model takes advantage of students’ desire to choose when to engage in learning and helps promote self-guided learning, ownership and agency in the process. To date, 13 Network schools are part of SophieConnect, which launches seven courses in September, including a professional development course for teachers. The future holds great potential for growing and expanding this initiative. We will expand to include more international Sacred Heart schools, and possibly offer courses in different languages. Online learning has developed into a viable alternative to traditional settings. We are excited to offer growth opportunities for students and teachers alike.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

— St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (Atherton, California)

Inside our classrooms Sacred Heart School of Montreal (Montreal, Canada)

Sacred Heart School of Halifax (Halifax, Canada)

Academy of the Sacred Heart—Bloomfield Hills (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)

Sacred Heart Greenwich (Greenwich, Connecticut)

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart (Lake Forest, Illinois)

Country Day School of the Sacred Heart—Bryn Mawr (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania)

Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart—Princeton (Princeton, New Jersey)

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School (St. Louis, Missouri)

Schools of the Sacred Heart at Grand Coteau (Grand Coteau, Louisiana)

Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (Miami, Florida)

Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart—Houston (Houston, Texas) Academy of the Sacred Heart— The Rosary (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Students start club to discuss Catholic social teaching By Kerry Bader, Upper School Theology Teacher

Human persons are willed by God; they are imprinted with God's image. Their dignity does not come from the work they do, but from the persons they are.

Club AWARE members

These words from the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops on the seven themes of Catholic social teaching are the foundation of a new initiative of our Upper School students. Club AWARE is a student-run club dedicated to issues of diversity and inclusion. The tenets of Catholic social teaching,

coupled with the leadership of Pope Francis, prompted the club leaders to explore a consortium program with other single-sex, faith-based schools in the region. Club Co-Heads Alexis Karas ’16, Yahnah Johns-Woodby ’16 and Caitlin Joyles ’16 believed that the teaching inherent in Catholic social justice presented a unique lens through

New Trustees Join the Board Convent of the Sacred Heart welcomes four new members to the Board of Trustees with strong ties to our school community. Carolyn Dursi Cunniffe ’58 Carolyn Dursi Cunniffe was senior vice president at Cablevision Systems Corporation. In this position, she served as the company’s key strategist for the recruitment of senior talent across all Cablevision business units, including Corporate, Cable, News 12 Networks, Lightpath, among other units. She retired in 2011. Prior to Cablevision, Carolyn held numerous leadership roles at several distinguished executive recruiting firms, including serving as senior vice president at Thorndike Deland Associates and as managing director at Horton International. She graduated from Convent of the Sacred Heart in the Class of 1958. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University’s School of Education and went on to receive a Master of Arts in modern languages and a Ph.D. in French literature from Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She completed her diploma studies at The Sorbonne in Paris and the University of Perugia. She is fluent in French and Italian. Carolyn is a trustee of Fordham University. She and her husband, Maurice, reside in Greenwich. Mary Beth Duncan Mary Beth Duncan was elected president of the Parents’ Association in spring 2015 and will serve two terms (2015–2017). An active volunteer, she served on the Parents’ Association board as chair of the

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Inside our classrooms

which they could view issues of diversity and the dignity of the human person. In the fall of 2014, we contacted the moderators at Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fordham Preparatory School, Marymount School of New York, School of the Holy Child, and Xavier High School (New York City). These schools recognized the potential benefits from coming together to discuss current issues, informed by Catholic social teaching. The group consists of 30 students, who meet approximately every six weeks during the school year.

Meetings are roundtable discussions conducted on important topics, such as police and community relations, gender issues, and the care of marginalized people, the homeless and economic justice.

In 2015–2016, the students look forward to an expanded program that will include a daylong forum.

Member schools meet for discussion

Community Building Committee and then as vice president. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and a Master of Arts from Columbia University. She completed the Appraisal Studies Program in Fine and Decorative Arts at New York University and trained at Christie’s in New York City, specializing in late 19th to early 20th century French and American decorative arts. She later worked for a private art consultancy in Manhattan. She has traveled extensively, advising private and corporate clients and appraising works of art. She assisted in the research of more than 20 books on French Art Nouveau and Art Deco, and the Tiffany Studios, in addition to contributing articles to publications in decorative arts. Mary Beth’s daughter has attended Sacred Heart since prekindergarten. She is a member of the Class of 2021. Mary Beth and her husband are also the parents of two sons. Sarah Jorquera ’79 Sarah Jorquera graduated from Sacred Heart Greenwich in the Class of 1979. Following CSH, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, graduating cum laude. She received a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law, where she was Notes Editor of the Journal of Law and the Arts. Sarah has served on the board of the Greenwich-Maplehurst Alumnae Association since 2011. In July 2015, she became vice president of the alumnae association. Sarah and her husband, Dave Kulowiec, have two children, Catherine, a junior at Sacred Heart, and a son, Peter.

Sarah works with her husband in the law firm Kulowiec Jorquera & Whalen LLP in Pound Ridge, N.Y. She concentrates her practice on aviation leasing and finance and general corporate work. Sarah started her legal career at a large Wall Street law firm and went on to work in the legal department of a multinational financial services company and at the New York affiliate of a national not-for-profit. Timothy Carrol Muccia Tim and his wife, Katharine, are the parents of three Sacred Heart students: Katharine ’18, Margaret ’19 and Emmaline ’21. They are both actively involved at Sacred Heart, where Tim is a member of the Capital Campaign Steering Committee. They served as class captains for Annual Giving. Their son, Jack, attends Brunswick School. Tim joined First Manhattan Co. in 1999 and manages portfolios for high net worth individuals and institutions. He is a senior managing director, who works with his brother, David, along with a team of research analysts. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and is co-portfolio manager of the FMC Select Fund. He is a trustee of the Inner City Scholarship Fund (ICSF), which provides families with financial assistance to give their children an opportunity for a values-based Catholic education within the Archdiocese of New York. He previously served as co-chairman of Project YESS, now the Capital Improvements Committee of the ICSF. Tim is a graduate of the Portsmouth Abbey School and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Services, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Summer Enrichment produces role models By Lori Wilson, director of campus ministry, Upper School community service and summer enrichment

From Greenwich with Love On the 150th anniversary of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat’s entry into eternal life, students at Greenwich sent a beautiful handmade mosaic sign to the Centre Sophie Barat in Joigny, France. Lower School art teacher Erica Bogin, who hatched the idea on a 2013 school pilgrimage to St. Madeleine Sophie’s birthplace, created it for the Centre’s entrance. In the photo, Sarah Walsh ’19, at right, guides Bray Rudd ’25 and Sofia Rudd ’25 in sponging off grout. Sarah worked on the sign as an independent project, cutting porcelain tiles and planning the design with Ms. Bogin. In June, Greenwich faculty and staff on the 2015 pilgrimage, Walking in the Footsteps of St. Madeleine Sophie, gave the finished sign to the Religious of the Sacred Heart at the Centre (see photo below).

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

“At Convent of the Sacred Heart we welcome our students into a home and a family,” said Pamela Juan Hayes, ’64, head of school. “This was evident this summer during the Summer Enrichment classes, when I witnessed the care and direction our older student-volunteers gave to the younger students. The younger students looked up to them for guidance and reassurance. It was a wonderful thing to witness each day,” said Mrs. Hayes. Summer Enrichment offers students in the Upper School an opportunity to develop their skills. In addition, they take responsibility and provide meaningful service to enrich the lives of younger children. They assist faculty during each program activity and at lunch, drop-off and dismissal. The student-volunteers are essential to the success of the program and teachers rely on their assistance. David Pisani, first-time Summer Enrichment broadcast journalism teacher, was impressed with their work and dedication. Students are thrust into a role where they must solve problems, collaborate and mediate between individuals with different ideas. “I was truly impressed with the dedication, patience and generous spirit of the Upper School students toward the younger ones in the program,” said Mr. Pisani. “The interns were a remarkable combination of advisor, expert, role model and friend. They truly made the summer enrichment experience special for their younger CSH sisters.” Our Upper School girls are living models of the Goals and Criteria in action.

Giving Matters Katherine Nail ’16 received an honorable mention for her essay, excerpted below, from the Associated Alumnae and Alumni of Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart Network Schools were invited to explore the meaning of “philanthropy,” defined as the “love of humanity.” Katherine, who will head the Red Cross Club in her senior year, wrote from experiences of family, school and service.

A Pulsing Heart

Convent of the Sacred Heart has cultivated the qualities of a kind and compassionate person within me from the moment my child-self walked through their doors in fifth grade. Love and support flowed in. It seeped into every crevice of me, gave me strength. Sacred Heart has taught me that “what it is to be human” is to give completely to others, not out of personal gain, but out of pure compassion. From an early age, I learned that philanthropy is not simply a part of being human, but is completely what defines humanity. I was called to action after hearing a story. A mother’s worst nightmare came true in 1973, when my uncle was born with a condition known as “blue baby” syndrome, or cyanosis. Before advanced medical care, a baby born with this condition would have most likely died after taking his first breath. In simple terms, there was a wall in his heart that prevented blood-flow to his lungs, which caused a blue coloring in his skin. My uncle would have died without surgery, and, mainly, a blood transfusion.

A stranger truly saved my uncle’s life by taking an hour out of his or her busy schedule to travel to a Red Cross blood drive and donate a pint of blood. With that donation, I am, to this day, able to have a loving uncle, who now has two little boys of his own. This stranger’s sacrifice is, in a way, what philanthropy is all about—selfless giving of one stranger to another. When I entered Convent of the Sacred Heart’s Upper School, I knew I would join the Red Cross Club. The club took root in 2009 after an eighth grader developed it, and by the time I entered the Upper School, I was ecstatic to be an active member. I volunteered at blood drives. I brought food, water and smiles to donors. Most crucially, I recruited as many donors as I could. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” These very wise words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., have resonated within me to a point where I live my life by their meaning. Life needs philanthropy to flourish. Look at St. Madeleine Sophie Barat or St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, who dedicated their lives to following God and helping others. Lending a hand, or donating a pint of blood, all require a sacrifice of some sort, but define life. Sacred Heart has cultivated this mindset within me. Every morning as I enter the Upper School, I know I am cherished and supported. There is a true love of humanity that permeates the school—through our various charitable organizations and through our love of each other. I believe the “Heart” in Sacred Heart is the heart of the world, and charity is what provides life to its circulatory system. So, just as my uncle could only live with the help of another, the world can only thrive if philanthropy is pulsating through everyone’s very own sacred heart.

“Sacred Heart has taught me that ‘what it is to be human’ is to give completely to others, not out of personal gain,

but out of pure compassion.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Sacred heart

journey to success October 29: Heart October 31: Inaugural Halloween

team costume and dance party hosted by Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 and the fall coaches.

November 1: JV volleyball

won its second consecutive FAA tournament.

Coeur, Braveheart and Power 11 swept Greenwich Academy’s fleet on the Mianus River.

November 8: JV cross country

placed fourth out of 12 teams at the New England Championship, the best finish in CSH history.

November 8: Mackenzie

Jordan ’17 earned All-New England honors, for the second consecutive year, with a fifth place finish at the New England DII Cross Country Championship.

November 7: Varsity soccer won its

first FAA tournament championship in 24 years, beating Greenwich Academy, 3–2, in overtime.

August 27: Two-time Olympian and

captain of the 2014 U. S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team, Meghan Duggan, addressed our varsity captains at their annual Leadership Workshop.

Fall 2014: Record number of

fall participants; 171 Upper School and 163 Middle School student-athletes.

September 20:

Power 11, the Novice 8+, won the Head of the Mianus regatta.

October 1: Lizzy Kupersmith ’17

recorded 27 saves in a stunning varsity field hockey victory over Loomis.

September 27: Mackenzie October 20: Varsity

soccer earned best finish in FAA in more than 10 years, second, with 3–1 win over Greens Farms.

October 15: Mackenzie

Jordan ’17 was the swiftest at Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) cross country meet, hosted at CSH.

Jordan ’17 finished in first place at the O’Connell Cross Country Invitational, while the team placed second, CSH’s best result at an Invitational Meet since 2002.

September 20: Varsity

volleyball, facing Deerfield for the first time, beat the Big Green decisively, 3–0.

December: Three-time All-American Kristen Parkinson ’15 established three new pool records at Canterbury, Hamden Hall and Loomis in the six-dive event in a span of 11 days.

November 12: Four seniors signed

National Letters of Intent to play collegiate athletics: Emma Novick, Lafayette College (lacrosse); Kirsten Parkinson, University of Virginia (diving); Natalie Puente, University of California, Los Angeles (crew); Jacqueline Urbinati, Boston College (tennis).

December: Tracey Hagan ’16 was named to

the 2014 Boston Globe All-New England Prep School Athletic Council Soccer Class A All-Star and the Connecticut All-State Prep School Soccer Teams.

December 20: Emily O’Sullivan ’15 scored her 1,000th career point in a 71–43 varsity basketball victory against host Kingswood.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

January 30: Kirsten Parkinson ’15 and Caleigh Kupersmith ’16 finish first and third, respectively, at Suffield 11-Dive Invitational.

January 25: Middle School Squash won U.S. Squash Division II National Team Championship.

February 2: Seven varsity field hockey

seniors (Caroline Burch, Kate Burkett, Meg Gerli, Fran Hay, Sarah Jackmauh, Alice Millerchip and Emma Novick) were named to the 2014 National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad.

May 13: Sixth-

grade lacrosse recorded an undefeated season, 6–0.

May 13:

Varsity tennis completed regular season undefeated, 14–0. May 16: Second-year track and field program

finishes sixth out of 14 teams at the New England Division II Championships.

May 18: Jackie Urbinati ’15

May 18: Golfer Morgan Hennessy ’18 earned FAA All-League honors with a score of 37, two over par and one stroke off the pace, at the FAA Tournament.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

won the FAA Singles Tennis Tournament for the third time, while ending her CSH singles career undefeated. Partners Cori Gabaldon ’15 and Brooke Wilkens ’16 claimed the doubles title at the FAA Tennis Tournament.

May 30: 13th

Annual Katie Cassidy Higgins ’96 Memorial Lacrosse Tournament hosted 36 teams, largest field to date.

May 12: Varsity tennis won the FAA league title, outright, for the first time in 22 years.

February 6:

Swimming won its eighth consecutive Catholic Challenge.

February 20:

Seventh-grade Blue Cubs basketball completed an undefeated season with a 7–0 record.

February 27: Kirsten

Parkinson ’15 and Caleigh Kupersmith ’16 executed All-American Consideration performances at Bud Erich Invitational.

April 20: Crew

welcomed a new truck and trailer to transport boats to regattas. April 15: Emma April: Upper School Spring

participation is at an all-time high; 180 student-athletes.

Novick ’15 scored her 100th career lacrosse goal at Sacred Heart.

April: Sacred

Heart sponsored a three-tiered golf program for the first time: a varsity, JV and developmental program.

August 2015:

Professional Squash Player Celia Allamargot is hired as a squash sportsspecialist to support and build the squash program in our new six-court facility. August 2015: Sacred Heart June 10: Kate Burkett ’15, Alice

Millerchip ’15 and Emma Novick ’15 named to the 2015 U.S. Lacrosse Girls High School All-Academic Squad.

hires Alex Gheorghe new sports specialist for field hockey and strength and conditioning full-time.

September 2015: New

Athletic Center opens (see update on page 44).

Get the latest scores and stats for all our teams at cshgreenwich.org

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

r e m a rk • a bl e A Leader in the Information Age Cristina Dolan ’79

ristina Dolan, a Sacred Heart alumna and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), spent the past 20 years building and bringing to market many products and businesses based on Internet, wireless and other high technologies. She is a successful entrepreneur and CEO in the field of technology, and credits a Sacred Heart education for her success. “My education at Sacred Heart provided me with a multidisciplined approach to engineering, which is where innovation is born,” said Cris. “Interpersonal and communications skills are probably the most important skills that I gained from being at Sacred Heart. It opened paths for new opportunities.” As an Internet pioneer who has devoted resources and energy to philanthropic causes that benefit society, she was honored by Traders Magazine with the Charitable Contribution Award at the Fourth Annual Wall Street Women: A Celebration of Excellence. MIT also recognized her, naming her to its Honor Roll of Service. A creative and innovative entrepreneur, Cris has received many honors for her accomplishments as a leader in the technology field. She is global head of content and communications products and the global head of marketing at Trading Screen, Inc., a software company serving institutional financial traders. Nothing gives her more satisfaction than sharing her extraordinary talents with organizations dedicated to improving society. This is something Sacred Heart taught her. “I learned how to be a leader, and engage with my community and make a difference through volunteering,” said Cris. “Through community service, it is easier to tap into communities and people to learn, in addition to playing a role in making positive changes.” She maintains leadership positions in volunteer organizations like the MIT Enterprise Forum and organized Dream it. Code it. Win it., which launched in 2013 and has won awards for encouraging student creativity in computer science. This

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

year, Sacred Heart students entered projects in Dream it. Code it. Win it. for the first time—and won awards. (See related article on page 14.) Cris has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a concentration in computer science, communications technologies and business. She has a Master of Media Arts and Science degree from the MIT Media Lab, and a Master of Computer Science Engineering from MIT. She is co-founder of OneMain, which she led to a successful initial public offering. It was the largest Internet IPO at the time, surpassing Amazon’s and eBay’s IPOs. She has had executive roles at IBM and Oracle, where she led sales, business development and product marketing, winning numerous leadership and sales awards. A high achiever beyond the business world, Cris was a member of the United States bobsled and skeleton team, placing first in the U.S. nationals and second in the 1989 Women’s World Championship. “I am not sure how experiences, like being part of the bobsled and skeleton team and competing on a national level, fit into my career,” said Cris. “But it did teach me that I could take risks and embark on new adventures with a plan and succeed.” She and her husband are the parents of a son and live in New York City, where she has served on the alumnae board at Convent of the Sacred Heart, 91st Street.

Risk-taker Cris Dolan competing on the U.S. bobsled and skeleton team.

“Nothing gives her more satisfaction than sharing her extraordinary talents with organizations dedicated to improving society.

This is something Sacred Heart taught her.”

The following is a conversation with Cris, conducted by Editor Kathy Failla, before Cris presented her first TEDx talk on June 13 at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. What led you to the field of technology? Technology has always been fascinating, especially electronics and computers. In high school, I took a computer programming class at a local college and fell in love with the possibilities. I went on to get degrees in electrical engineering and computer science. I was very fortunate; the timing of my second Master’s Degree in Media Arts and Science at the MIT Media Lab was right at the time when the first consumer Internet browser was created, and the possibilities for information dissemination were endless. At Hearst, I had the opportunity to head up technology for the development of one of the first consumer magazine websites. Later, I went on to ABC/Disney, where I implemented streaming content solutions and worked on the really cool websites for shows, including the “Oscars.” The timing was perfect for being part of a startup. The opportunity presented itself to be co-founder for OneMain, where I built the Geographic Communities, which was the first consumer website that generated local content based on location. After a successful IPO, the company grew to be the 10th largest ISP in the country. EarthLink later acquired it. My career has varied from sales, business development and marketing at big companies like IBM and Oracle to lead product development and lead technology roles at companies like Disney and Hearst. The variety of experiences made it easier to be an entrepreneur and CEO. It was my interdisciplinary approach towards learning, in addition to my education, that created the variety of career opportunities. I continue to devote time to learning new skills. Last year, I took a refresher Python programming course through MIT’s EDx, and recently took a contracts class offered online by Harvard.

What are the future prospects for women? Engineering and computer science were never popular majors for women throughout my career, but I was fortunate to come to engineering with a different perspective. At Sacred Heart, I focused on the arts and humanities. I was a good photographer, calligrapher and writer. The interpersonal skills were also helpful because it gave me the opportunity to work with a variety of different groups of people. I had a number of fun roles that required both technical, interpersonal and communications skills. What advice do you have for young women considering a career in computer science? Harold and the Purple Crayon is one of my favorite children’s books, and it offers a wonderful analogy. Harold goes out into the world on an adventure made possible by his own imagination—to which he applies his purple crayon. We do not call Harold a “crayon engineer” or a “crayon specialist.” We call him an adventurer, who creatively designs his world, and solves his problems with the use of his purple crayon. I believe Sacred Heart alumnae tend to have better communications and leadership skills. They also tend to be better problem solvers. By learning computer science, they can approach whatever disciplines they are passionate about with a tool that enables them to make an impact and innovate. We live in an information age where access and analysis of information can help anyone, in any discipline, do things differently. It opens up the opportunities. How did Sacred Heart prepare you for your career? Sacred Heart taught me what it means to have faith, which gives people the opportunity to take risks. Without the ability to take risks, you cannot push yourself to achieve your greatest potential. We live in a continuously changing world, where you need to be a self-learner, leader and risk taker, always adapting to change.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

By Kathleen S. Failla

At The Barat Center, Children Love to

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich â&#x20AC;˘ cshgreenwich.org

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is important

for the children to have their own learning environment, where they can develop and prepare for kindergarten at their own pace.â&#x20AC;? 30

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

eginning this fall, The Barat Center for Early Childhood Education will introduce a new play-based curriculum supported by the latest research on cognitive growth in child development. “It’s all about being very sensitive to our students developmentally,” said Christine D’Alessandro, head of the Lower School. “We are giving our young learners all the room they need, and professionally guiding and nurturing cognitive development at each stage of a young child’s life.” Over the summer, the coed Barat Center, located in its own cottage adjacent to the Lower School and Stuart Hall, received a makeover. This included a complete reorganization of space, with new materials and equipment. “Supported by the research on play-based learning, we have set out to enhance the development of our youngest students,” said Ms. D’Alessandro. Exciting plans are underway as Ms. D’Alessandro is working to rebrand the Barat Center, giving it an identity apart from the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. “It is important for the children to have their own learning environment, where they can develop and prepare for kindergarten at their own pace,” she said. Special events are being planned to create a Barat Center community, within the larger school. The Barat Center provides each girl and boy with many exciting opportunities to discover, be imaginative, to explore and grow cognitively through a play-based curriculum. Children must be age three by December 31 to enter the Barat Center in September. A typical day in the life of a Barat Center boy or girl begins with arrival between 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. A smooth transition from home to school is vital for early childhood students. Our nurturing faculty offers the students purposeful support as they arrive each day. At 8:30 a.m., the entire group gathers for Circle Time, an important component of successful transition. Routine skills and activities, such as singing, gross motor games, and taking turns being leaders and active participants, are all part of the daily Circle Time. The morning moves on to Center Time in small groups. These play-based centers are designed to focus on specific academic areas. Individual exposure and instruction are offered. During this time, students practice and master literacy and writing skills, number sense, phonological and phonemic awareness, fine motor development, and vocabulary.

After morning snack, students participate in large group exposure to literacy and math concepts. Then, it is lunchtime with teachers joining students in an intimate setting to allow for socialization. This is also a time for faculty to talk about wellness and nutrition. What better way to settle in after lunch than with story time, rest and free play, followed by recess. The Barat Center has its own playground and recess equipment. Recess gives children an opportunity to practice and develop their gross motor skills, while engaging socially in a less structured, outdoor environment. As the afternoon unfolds, Enrichment Time provides our young learners with an opportunity to learn about new subjects that are connected with the “big school.” For example, children visit the library, science lab, gym, art and dance studios. Activities such as world languages, MakerSpace projects, cooking, yoga and movement take place right in the Barat Center. In addition to classroom teachers, the expertise of faculty from the wider school community also serves and benefits our Barat students. Before dismissal at 3 p.m.–3:15 p.m., students join in free play, crafts and snack, all of which reinforce their independence and encourage their decision-making skills. It is a full day for the Barat Center student. As leaders in early childhood development have said, “Play is children’s work.” At the Barat Center, children are engaged in the joy of learning with a curriculum that is focused on their young lives.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Left to Right: Valedictorian Grace Isford, Salutatorian Sheila Moran and Valedictorian Sarah Banker

Co-valedictorian Sarah Banker ’15:

“Today I see strong, confident young women filled with purpose and determination.” I see entrepreneurs, philanthropists,

future engineers, aspiring journalists, artists, and so much more.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

166th Commencement Convent of the sacred heart's

82 seniors graduate in the Class of 2015 W

ith great joy and love, Convent of the Sacred Heart awarded diplomas to the Class of 2015 at its 166th commencement on Friday, June 5. Margaret Brennan, CBS News correspondent and a graduate of the Class of 1998, delivered the commencement address. The ceremonies took place outdoors beneath a large tent on the front lawn, where the 82 seniors gathered with their families. The Rev. James T. Bretzke, S.J., a member of our Board of Trustees and a professor of Moral Theology at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass. Commencement exercises followed the Mass and featured the announcement by Upper School Head Jayne Collins of special awards and honors. The salutatorian and the two valedictorians delivered speeches. Salutatorian Sheila Moran, who will attend Brown University, spoke of graduation as a special moment in time, “standing on the bridge between our accomplishment and our aspirations.” Sacred Heart prepared the Class of 2015 to change the world, she said. “Today is not only to think back and celebrate, or laugh at, all that we have done. It is also to look beyond 1177 King Street and envision all

that we will do. Sacred Heart has given each of us the tools to find and pursue our interests on each of the campuses that we will call home in the coming years. But, though I myself often find this hard to admit, we can do anything, but we cannot do everything. Choose wisely.” The valedictorians also had parting words of wisdom for their class. Sarah Banker, who will attend Johns Hopkins University, quoted a number of “experts,” including Dr. Seuss, who advised: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the one who’ll decide where to go.” In giving advice, she made four points: “Stay open minded; be true to yourself; have faith and trust in God; and remember that you are part of a broader community, and have responsibilities to that community.” Valedictorian Grace Isford will attend Stanford University. She spoke about the tradition and underlying message of selecting a “class color.” For the Class of 2015, it was red. “It is a color that represents this class’ fearlessness, bravery and heart,” said Grace. “I tried to think of a metaphor that could explain our class, but I realized that it is too unique and outrageous to be described that way. Our class is

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

unprecedented, vibrant and explosive. After having spent 4, 8, or in some cases even 15, years with you, I’ve come to the conclusion that our class can only be captured by the equally daring class color we choose, red. Although red is the last color you see at sunset, it is the first color you see at sunrise. Our passionate, audacious and spirited time at Sacred Heart may be setting, but a new journey is also rising. It’s not blue, it’s not green, it’s not yellow, but red.” Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 welcomed and introduced the commencement speaker, Margaret Brennan ’98. “As a student in our Upper School, Margaret became interested in foreign affairs and joined Model United Nations,” said Mrs. Hayes. “Margaret credits her Sacred Heart education with giving her “the conviction of my own opinions,” and “the confidence to think analytically and voice opinions and put myself out there.” Margaret was a Foreign Affairs and Middle East Studies double major at the University of Virginia, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree with a minor in Arabic language. As a Fulbright-Hays Scholar, she studied Arabic at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan. She thought she might enter the Foreign Service, but a summer internship with CNN pointed her toward a career in journalism. Since joining CBS News in July 2012, Margaret’s foreign policy reporting has taken her around the world. Primarily assigned to the State Department, she has traveled with Secretary of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton to cover national security and diplomatic issues. She was among the first reporters to interview Kerry on the landmark agreement with Iran to freeze its nuclear program, and covered the diplomatic breakthrough deal to have Syria transfer control of its

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

chemical weapons. Margaret was one of the first reporters to interview Hillary Clinton about the fatal attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. She also traveled with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Afghanistan and interviewed him about the U.S. decision to withdraw forces from America’s longest war. Before joining CBS News, Margaret spent a decade covering the global financial markets. She anchored Bloomberg Television’s “InBusiness with Margaret Brennan,” a weekday program broadcast live from the New York Stock Exchange that covered top political, economic and financial news. Previously, she was a correspondent at CNBC. From 2002 to 2009, she reported on corporate malfeasance, the expansion of the global markets, and the 2008 financial crisis. With a focus on the consumer and retail spending during the recession, she also contributed to various NBC News programs. She began her financial news career as a researcher for financial news legend Louis Rukeyser. Looking back to Sacred Heart, she says her experience continues to inform her values today. “I think about that adage we hear so often at Sacred Heart: ‘Those to whom much is given, much is expected.’” Ms. Brennan spoke to the graduates about how her years at Sacred Heart prepared her to become an active participant in covering U.S. foreign affairs for CBS News. Her speech is published on the following pages of this issue. To view the excitement of graduation and listen to the speeches, please visit www.cshgreenwich.org/Page/News--Events/ Photo-and-Video-Gallery/Commencement-Gallery

Commencement Address By Margaret Brennan ’98, CBS News Correspondent

ood afternoon seniors, parents, faculty and trustees. It is great to be back here at Sacred Heart Greenwich and to see how much this school has grown since I graduated in 1998. That feels like a long time ago! I am feeling very grown up and not really sure what to do with that. It is an honor to be with all of you. There were 26 girls in my graduating class from CSH. That gives you a sense of how intimate our community was, but also how much culture shock I went through when I began my first year at the University of Virginia (UVA), where they measure the student body in thousands, not by first names. I know that there are two young women here about to start at UVA in the fall. Ever since Pam Hayes asked me to speak at commencement, I have been thinking of what I would tell all of you at this transition point in your lives. And I realized that most of the advice that I’d want to give 18-year-old young women going off to college is not really the kind of thing that you say from a podium, particularly at Sacred Heart; happy to share that advice with you later. But I do want you to be mindful of a few things. Right now, you likely cannot fully appreciate what a nice cocoon you have been in here at CSH, particularly during the past four years of high school. I believe that my parents gave me a tremendous gift by putting me in a community in which I was noticed—and where integrity,

compassion and spirituality are celebrated. You all may be searching for some of those things as you develop a life and career outside these gates. For me, Virginia was a big adjustment from CSH, and so was moving to Manhattan after that and launching a career in broadcast journalism—first covering the financial world and then three years ago moving to Washington to cover foreign policy for CBS News. And, that is where I am now. I report on diplomacy and national security. Basically, that means that I spend a lot of time on airplanes chasing around decision-makers and asking questions for a living. As a colleague of mine says, journalists have the responsibility of writing the first draft of history. And I work very hard to try to get that right. And sometimes my job simply means trying to craft the right question because at certain moments the inquiry itself can be powerful.

Convent of the Sacred Heart 's Class of 2015 Gissele Alzate Kylinn Taylor Askew Sarah Elizabeth Banker Jenny Claire Blessing Alexandra Andrea Bolanos Anabeth O’Shea Bostrup Stephanie Elise Browne Concetta Theresa Brusco Caroline Browning Burch Katherine Priscilla Burkett Catherine Olivia Capolongo Madeleine Chantal Caponiti Molly Elizabeth Carroll Sabrina Anne Carrozzi Emily Morgan Casper Emma Catherine Church Madeline Church

Jordan Amber Cohen Elizabeth Seton Cunniffe Michaela Frances D’Urso Emily Katherine Davenport Elizabeth Rose Denson Alexa Leigh DiTursi Jennifer Nicole Esposito Miranda Elizabeth Falk Caitlan Alexis Fealing Grace Anne Finerman Alexandra Marie Foley Corina Gabaldon Molly Emanuelle Xiang Geisinger Margaret McMahon Gerli Gabrielle Banks Giacomo Alexa Noelle Granser Francesca Rose Hay

Emma Catherine Healy Liesl Charlotte Hennig Meredith Grace Henry Claren Mary Hesburgh Katherine Elizabeth Hill Emily Rose Hirshorn Anneliese Diane Hummel Jessica Celeste Hummel Grace Evelyn Isford Sarah Elisabeth Jackmauh Jessica LaSandra Johnson Grace Holland Kennedy Bridgette Caroline Lamando Pippa Elizabeth Leigh Isabella Grandis Libassi Gabriela Alejandra Lopez Janelle Maxwell

Grace Elizabeth McKenney Maria Mikhail Alice Elizabeth Millerchip Sheila Therese Moran Zsanelle Morel Mohini Laxman Narasimhan Alana Marie Normile Emma Grace Novick Claire Elizabeth O’Neill Emily Catherine O’Sullivan Mary Elizabeth O’Sullivan Kirsten Nicole Parkinson Julia Marilyn Perry Anna Grayson Phillips Lily Eve Pillari Natalie Leslie Ponce Grace Eileen Powers

Natalie Alice Puente Vanessa Brooke Raskin Mackenzie Ann Reilly Mari Angela Riera Emily Sara Sabia Emma Rose Sapio Lauren Nicole Schwabe Kimberly Marie Smith Katherine Ann Squitieri Jacqueline Michele Urbinati Priscilla Valdez Phoebe Madelaine Walker Anne Elizabeth Werdiger Abbi Emma Wilson

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

The reality of that became clear to me two years ago on the eve of what looked to be impending U.S. led strikes on Syria to destroy what remained of the Assad regime’s chemical weapons stockpile. On an August night in 2013, around 1,500 civilians, including at least 426 children, were gassed to death in a Damascus suburb. The crime was undeniable—a rhetorical “red line” set by President Obama had been crossed. (That red line was drawn, I might add, by the President after a reporter asked him a question at a press conference.) Secretary of State John Kerry was dispatched to the Middle East and Europe to build international support for a limited military response. Back in Washington, President Obama surprised many—including American allies who had already supported the attack—by deciding to defer to Congress to approve the action. Now THAT was going to be a tough sell. My fellow reporters and I started wondering whether the Administration was going to go through with the strikes. Something just did not seem right. There were urgent meetings underway in Moscow, skittishness back home, and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad decided to grant his first interview in a long time to my colleague Charlie Rose. There was a sense that signals were being sent and no one was sure what it all meant. So at a press conference in London, I asked Secretary Kerry whether there was any way for Assad to avoid U.S. strikes. He said “YES”—and it shocked us. Minutes later, his spokespeople dismissed the comments as a rhetorical flourish, but within a matter of hours, the Russian Foreign Minister floated a proposal for a diplomatic deal, followed by President Obama saying he was exploring that possibility. One week later, I was back in Europe with Secretary Kerry as he hammered out the landmark agreement that forced Syria to give up its stockpile. The airstrikes were called off. Why did I just share this story with you all? To show you the power of asking the right question at the right time. And there is one particular experience in a Sacred Heart classroom that I have often thought of while sitting at press conferences. It was in an English class taught by Sister Kay Cherry during my junior or senior year. For those of you who have not met her—I know she is now living out in California—all you need to know is that she did not suffer fools gladly. And she had a unique way of getting at the heart of the matter. I remember her asking for opinions on whichever book we were discussing at the time and a few girls raised their hands. Each started their sentences with, “I don’t know if this is right but…” “This could be wrong but…” “Maybe this is just me but…” … and Sister Cherry cut them off sharply saying, “If you don’t have the courage of your own conviction, then don’t bother raising your hand.” That sentence was a gift. I have thought of it while sitting in the classroom at UVA and at press conferences around the world.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Margaret Brennan ’98 quoted Sarah Silverman:

Don't tell girls they can be anything they want when they grow up.

Because it would have never occurred to them that they couldn’t.” It got straight at the lesson that we all needed to learn: Don’t undercut your own legitimacy by offering people a chance to doubt you before you even finished your sentence. Words matter. And inserting a disclaimer up front is one of those odd conventions that many women adopt, perhaps unconsciously, to make ourselves less threatening or brash. Don’t do that. If you’re going to be in the game, be fully present. You’ve had a wonderful support network here at Sacred Heart and at home with your families. But as you go out in the world, you will find that while you are busy trying to figure out who you are, other people will have already decided for you and they will project those assumptions. Never let others define you. Define yourselves. I am not telling you that as some sort of cheesy girl power mantra. In fact, I would have rolled my eyes at someone trying to reassure 18-year-old me not to let others stand in my way. (To hear my mother tell it, I did a lot of eye rolling when I was 18.) I agree with comedienne Sarah Silverman’s view on this issue: “Don’t tell girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. Because it would have never occurred to them that they couldn’t.” You don’t need me to tell you what’s possible. What I did not realize until I got out into the world is how much of that confidence came from my parents and their support and their choice to put me in a place like Sacred Heart, where the expectations were always high. That’s it for the platitudes that I am going to recite, but I do have a few lessons that I have learned and which I think are worth sharing.

Get as close as you can to the truth.

Personal contact will always trump email or text. That advice applies not just for the work I do, but also for your own personal relationships. It is harder to get a sense of truth when you can’t hear the tone, the tenor, inflection or see the facial expressions. Context is important. First person experience is invaluable. Filters can distort or change the meaning. You shouldn’t just email or text. Pick up the phone and make the point to see the person whenever possible. It will help you with friends, coworkers and your job interviewers.

decision already—and that’s where you’ll study for the next 4 years. Not everything will be as clear-cut. But I warn you: Be thoughtful, be deliberate, but be decisive. Do not let circumstances rule you. Make clear choices.

Travel.

Do it as often as you can and go as far as you can. Most Americans travel through their television sets, not with their passports. Statistically that’s fact. Please make it false. You’re young. Get outside of the bubble. You’ll go to Europe when you’re old and rich and able to fully appreciate the high life. Right now, go to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—parts of the world that take a little more out of you than traveling in Western countries, but have a lot to give back. Just be careful so that I don’t end up having to report on you.

Learn a language.

Use the next four years to soak up as much knowledge as you can. Make a language part of your education, not just an academic requirement. You’ll gain a skill that will help connect you to the wider world. One of the most rewarding and challenging things that I did as a student was to study Arabic in Jordan one summer. Cultural immersion is something that everyone should experience. Struggling to communicate even the most basic thought, functioning outside of your comfort level, all of it is going to make you grow. I beg you to study abroad.

Be decisive.

Not making a decision is itself a decision. And splitting the difference often just gets you halfway there. This goes for relationships, work, studies, basically anything and everything. There’s a lot of gray out there. Things are rarely black and white, clear-cut choices but that doesn’t mean that you get to avoid them. You’ve made one big

Mental health is as important as physical.

We spend so much time, effort and money to perfect and sculpt our physical selves. You must be just as vigilant in preserving your mental and emotional well-being. Where your mind is, your body will follow. Vent to your friends, talk to your family, and share experiences. Ask for help—and make sure that you offer it when you notice a friend in emotional distress. I cannot tell you how many times this has hit home for me. I thought of it a lot when I was covering the Newtown school shootings here in Connecticut. Take momentary mental health checks—and do not ignore anxiety, trauma and emotional duress. The next few years of starting out are going to be stressful. Worry less about making the right move, and more about being in the right mind.

Follow the spark.

Some of you may know what you want to major in at university and some of you may not. I had a singular focus when I entered UVA and that was to study international relations and the Middle East. I was a geek. I loved the Model UN trips that Mrs. Collins took us on while we were here at CSH. I got really excited about the National History Day competitions. Doing theatre helped me get used to speaking publicly. I had no idea what it would all add up to, but I knew what sparked some passion in me. I knew then that I performed best when I followed the thing that excited me the most. You will be faced with a lot of decisions that will soon come your way that seem to be choices between what’s best for you and what you love the best. Follow the spark. It’ll be the best path to success. And along the way, don’t forget to be honest, be tough, be fair and be kind. Good luck to the Class of 2015!

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Recognizing the Class of 2015

82 members of the class are gifted, multitalented young women who will go on to Theachieve success in their chosen fields and transform the lives of others. They will take

their place in the 21st century on a journey they started here at Convent of the Sacred Heart. The following recognitions were announced at commencement:

Valedictorians Sarah Banker Grace Isford

Salutatorian

Greenwich Award

Meredith Grace Henry

Lucie White Award

Sheila Moran

Catherine Capolongo Elizabeth Denson

President of the Student Body

Philippine Duchesne Award

Isabella Libassi

President of the Senior Class Grace Isford

National Merit Winner Grace Isford

National Merit Finalist Virginia Blessing

National Merit Commended Students

Sarah Banker Concetta Brusco Jennifer Esposito Katherine Hill Emily Hirshorn Grace McKenney Sheila Moran

Alumnae Community Service Award Meredith Grace Henry Abbi Wilson

Class Spirit Award Claire Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Alexandra Bolanos Alice Millerchip

Five Goals and Criteria Awards Demonstrates a Personal and Active Faith in God: Jordan Cohen Emily Hirshorn Displays a Deep Respect for Intellectual Values: Alexa Granser Grace McKenney Values Social Awareness Which Impels to Action: Mary Grace Henry Abbi Wilson Builds Community as a Christian Value: Miranda Falk Emily Casper Shows Personal Growth in an Atmosphere of Wise Freedom: Katherine Burkett Molly Geisinger Isabella Libassi

Mater Society

Elizabeth Cunniffe Emily Davenport Miranda Falk Molly Geisinger Francesca Hay Meredith Grace Henry Claren Hesburgh Emily Hirshorn Anneliese Hummel Jessica Hummel Grace Isford Alana Normile Jacqueline Urbinati Priscilla Valdez

Graduating with High Honor Sarah Banker Concetta Brusco Emily Casper Jennifer Esposito Alexandra Foley Alexa Granser Emily Hirshorn Jessica Hummel Grace Isford Sarah Jackmauh Grace McKenney Sheila Moran Kirsten Parkinson

Graduating with Honor Virginia Blessing Alexandra Bolanos Caroline Burch Katherine Burkett Sabrina Carrozzi Emma Church Michaela Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Urso

Alexa DiTursi Miranda Falk Molly Geisinger Margaret Gerli Gabrielle Giacomo Francesca Hay Meredith Grace Henry Katherine Hill Pippa Leigh Alice Millerchip Zsanelle Morel Alana Normile Emma Novick Anna Phillips Lily Pillari Mari Riera Emily Sabia Lauren Schwabe Kimberly Smith Abbi Wilson

Cum Laude Honor Society

Sarah Banker Virginia Blessing Alexandra Bolanos Concetta Brusco Emily Casper Jennifer Esposito Alexandra Foley Alexa Granser Emily Hirshorn Jessica Hummel Grace Isford Sarah Jackmauh Grace McKenney Alice Millerchip Sheila Moran Kirsten Parkinson

Class of 2015 College Matriculation Boston College (6) Boston University (2) Brown University (2) University of California, Los Angeles Colby College University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut Cornell University Elon University (3) Fordham University (3) Georgetown University (4) Hamilton College Hampshire College Haverford College Indiana University at Bloomington Johns Hopkins University (2) Lafayette College Loyola University Maryland Miami University University of Michigan (4) Mount Holyoke College University of New Hampshire New York University

“Go on advancing. You are on the true road.

Remember, it is not you who have taken it, but God who has placed you there. —St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

University of Notre Dame (4) Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania (2) Princeton University Providence College (2) Rhode Island School of Design University of Richmond (2) University of San Diego Skidmore College University of Southern California (2) Southern Methodist University (5) Stanford University (2) Syracuse University Tufts University Union College (2) University of Vermont (3) Villanova University (3) University of Virginia (2) Wellesley College Williams College (2) University of Wisconsin, Madison

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

n o s n o i t c e l f e R t n Stude

Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing;

» a n i h C o t t i Vis eyer, Wu Havem e n n a Jo y on b Introducti acher Chinese te l oo h c S Upper Canicula/s

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Making dumplings on Hutong tour

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Sacred Heart Greenwich believes that visiting China, practicing its language and becoming acquainted with its culture is an excellent way to know more about the country. Twenty Upper School students who were in Chinese classes this year visited China during spring break in March 2015. Renee Rodriguez, chair of the World Languages Department and I chaperoned. Each day, the students practiced their linguistic skills through visiting schools and landmarks, writing calligraphy, participating in tea ceremonies, eating Chinese food, and experiencing immersion communication and cultural perspectives. Students visited the old and modern cities such as Beijing’s Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and Summer Palace, and enjoyed a historic Hutong tour, in addition to the Great Wall, Bird’s Nest, Temple of Heaven, the Terracotta warriors, Suzhou Gardens, West Lake, and Shanghai. The boat ride on Huangpu Jiang with the magnificent night light view was the highlight of this trip. Students wrote wonderful reflections and shared what they learned from this trip in this issue of Horizons. They all appreciated the cultural differences between China and the United States. I would like to end by paraphrasing Confucius: Traveling 10,000 miles is better than reading 10,000 books.

» On the steps of Fu Dan University

Georgina Cahill ’16: Going on the China trip really opened my eyes to the beauty of other cultures and their history. It was incredible to see first-hand, the nation’s past and how it has influenced its current society. I loved being able to interact with the high school students. Although we live halfway across the world and speak different languages, we were still able find shared interests and had plenty to discuss with one another. Going to China and meeting the students has provided me with the ability to explore a new country and meet individuals that I know will be lifelong friends.

Anna-Luisa Brakman ’17: We were able to practice our Mandarin in a real-world atmosphere, which really helped us practice our speaking skills. We visited many different important cultural sites and were able to see beautiful natural parts of China. My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Great Wall of China.

Visiting historic Hutong

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

“Seeing these sights up close made me realize how photographs cannot ever capture the vastness and beauty of these famous cultural treasures.”

At the magnificent wall gate of Xi’an

Sharpening

and even homemade dumplings. One of my favorite experiences was going to the gardens in Suzhou.

their skills

with a master in calligraphy

Grace Campbell ’16: Taking Chinese for almost eight years, I thought that I had fully understood the Chinese culture. As it turns out, I was wrong. I think that going to China and traveling all of the country gave me the opportunity to not only bond with the other girls who went, but also experience using the language that I have been learning for so long. Erin Carroll ’17: The lectures that we were fortunate enough to attend in Beijing, and landmarks that we visited, helped me to apply the knowledge of culture I have been taught in a classroom environment with the everyday reality of Chinese citizens today. This China trip has helped me acquire a greater understanding of the Chinese language and culture, essentially granting me an experience of a lifetime.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Mackenzie Jordan ’17: As I sat in my seat with four hours left of the 14-hour flight to Beijing, my mind wandered to what I would experience on the trip. I was looking forward to climbing the Great Wall and visiting the many carefully selected places on the itinerary. Visiting all of these places and many more instilled a deeper appreciation for the Chinese culture and its history. One example of this is my newfound passion for Chinese paintings. Gianna Morano ’18: Going to China for spring break was the best decision that I could have made. From the Shanghai skyline to the Great Wall, China’s beautiful scenery never ceased to amaze me. Another thing I loved about this trip was that it was full of new experiences. I got to try new foods like lotus, green tea cakes,

Laura Rodrigues ’18: Going to China was a very interesting experience. The culture is very different. Everywhere we went people wanted pictures with us and of us. One of my favorite memories was going to the Great Wall because this was always one of my dreams. I also loved seeing the skyline in Shanghai. It was so beautiful. When we got off the train in Xi’an, it was nighttime so there were lights on everywhere because of the lantern festival. Katherine Siciliano ’16: I came to learn more about Chinese culture through not only visiting famous sites, but talking to the people as well, having the opportunity to apply the language, I am learning into daily life. My favorite experience on this trip was visiting the beautiful gardens, climbing the Great Wall, and seeing the magnificent Terracotta Warriors. The school exchange especially was very interesting because we were given the opportunity to interact with Chinese students and learn about their daily life, comparing them to ours and seeing the differences and similarities in our cultures.

lights Enjoying the lantern of old Shanghai

» Alexandra Yu ’17: It was incredible seeing sights I had only seen in photos, such as the Great Wall. Seeing these sights up close made me realize how photographs cannot ever capture the vastness and beauty of these famous cultural treasures. The group also took three boat cruises, the Grand Canal, West Lake and on the Yangtze River. The most spectacular of all was the night cruise on the Yangtze River, when the Shanghai cityscape was aglow with neon lights. The China trip was a fantastic experience. We were able to expand our knowledge in a language and culture we had been studying, and share great memories with friends new and old.

Isabella Sio ’16: Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by the many aspects of Chinese culture. The China trip was an amazing way to explore the culture that I had grown up with for so many years. I learned more about China from this trip than I ever could have imagined. Not only did I learn more about where I came from, but also I got to immerse myself in it, speaking Chinese as frequently as I could with locals and shopkeepers, as well as my teachers and peers. I got to experience my heritage in a whole different way, and to learn more about my own Chinese language capabilities and the greater world around me.

University on a tour of Beijing A courtyard vista Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

FramingourFuture TODAY

TOMORROW AND FOREVER

Campaign Update The $25.5 million “Framing our Future” capital campaign is very close to realizing an incredible achievement with the opening this fall of our new facilities—Athletic Center, Dining Room and Outdoor Commons.

This has been an exciting and busy time as we watched the transformation of our campus and celebrated many milestones along the way. In January 2014, we launched our campaign to the great excitement of our School community. In April 2014, the alumnae community threw their support behind the campaign with “A Gift for Every Girl,” raising $5 million so far. Then on May 15, 2014, we broke ground with a joyous celebration. On November 20, 2014, students witnessed a significant milestone. They gathered during a break from classes to watch as a crane hoisted the final beam atop the new Athletic Center at a Topping Off ceremony. This beam held special significance for our students. Days earlier, the Class of 2015 and representatives of the Lower and Middle Schools signed the beam, which was painted white and signed in green. Student Body President Isabella Libassi ’15 opened the

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

ceremony with a prayer, “Loving God, you who built the universe, we thank and praise you for bringing us this far.” Construction moved forward quickly as crews worked throughout the winter, spring and summer to complete the Athletic Center, the beautiful Dining Room with an outdoor terrace enhanced by a water feature and fireplace, and an Outdoor Commons with an amphitheater, new playgrounds and Alumnae Garden and walkway. Tours were held in the spring and summer of 2015. At the “Cocktails & Concrete” and “Coffee & Concrete” tours, donors got a first-hand look at progress. The experience was celebratory. “My reward at “Cocktails & Concrete” was the appreciation and gratitude shared by all in attendance,” said Dolly Mayer, co-chair of the parent campaign, whose daughter will be in the sixth grade. “The Athletic Center is amazing. And WOW! The students will be over

Please join us for a

“First Look”

at the Athletic Center Saturday, September 26, 1–4 pm during the Fall Festival See our student athletes in action and tour the new facility.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Tour Responses Excitement is building as the opening of the Athletic Center and other new facilities approaches. Here are just a few things heard on tour with parents and other donors.

“It looks like a college!” “The total project is going to create a huge new campus space that will be on par with any boarding school and set the bar for day schools.”

“I can’ t get over how beautiful it looks. All that natural light from all the windows— everywhere—both gyms, the dance studio, training room and even the squash courts.” 46

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

“The girls are going to be overwhelmed when they see this. They are going to be so proud of their School!”

“The way that the project brings all the campus buildings together around the commons, from the oldest, Salisbury Hall, to the newest, with the expanded gym and dining hall, truly elevates the feeling of community and a sense of belonging. Perfectly done and perfect for Sacred Heart.”

“Seeing it in reality—it’s far greater than I imagined. If it was only just a state-of-the art gym we are getting, that would be great. But the way it opens up the campus is amazing.”

Alumnae share in the excitement of construction of the new Athletic Center to be open in September 2015 during a “Coffee & Concrete” tour with Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64.

the moon with their new cafeteria, dance studio, workout facility, and grounds. It is incredible that such a large project is being completed in such a short amount of time. It takes a village, and we are all working together.” The new Athletic Center will encompass 35,000 sq. ft. and incorporate a variety of needs, including a multipurpose space for all-school liturgies, assemblies and big events. It will open September 2015, and plans are underway for a student celebration on September 30 at the “Mass of the Holy Spirit” in the new gym. The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, will celebrate Mass and bless the new Athletic Center. As of June 18, 2015—just a year and a half after the launch—we have raised more than $20.8 million, or 82% of our goal. We thank all of those parents, alumnae, families and friends who have committed and pledged to make this project a reality for our students and Sacred Heart generations to come. “Every time I go through the new gym, I am filled with excitement as to what is to come for our students,” said Lisa Burke Fallon ’89, co-chair of the alumnae campaign. Her daughters will be in the third and sixth grades this fall. “I can see them practicing, dancing, training and being the best they can be. The new facility and beautiful outdoor spaces will not only add so many practical applications to their lives, but also will be such a point of pride and joy for our whole community.” of our extraordinary new facilities this fall. Stay tuned to the School website, www.cshgreenwich.org, for updates! We are excited about the opening

Campaign Committee members with Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 at “Cocktails & Concrete” on June 22. From left, Parents Committee Co-Chairs Cynthia van Eck P ’26 and Dolly Mayer P ’22; Steering Committee Co-Chair Doug Mellert P ’14, P ’20; Board of Trustees Chair Paula Tennyson; Mrs. Hayes; and Alumnae Committee Co-Chairs Mandy Murphy ’85, P ’17, P ’23 and Lisa Fallon ’89, P ’22.

We are so close to reaching our goal... less than $5 million left to raise! Your participation, support and generosity are the key to our success. Help us during this historical moment for the School. To discuss ways of giving, naming opportunities or to schedule a tour, please contact Melissa Canoni, director of advancement, at canonim@cshct.org or 203-532-3326. Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

r e m a rk • a bl e Talented Playwright Sylvia Khoury ’08 By William Mottolese, chair of the English Department

s a Sacred Heart student, Sylvia Khoury, Class of ’08, knew the power of language. As a ninth grader, Sylvia wrote carefully crafted poems, finding magazines in which to publish them. By the time she was a senior, she was winning Scholastic Writing Awards on the national level, and working in an editorial capacity on Sacred Heart’s two arts and literature magazines: Perspectives and Voices, the latter of which she helped found. In 2015, Sylvia has just completed her master of fine arts at the New School for Drama, staged her surreal social satire “An Inferno” at the New School’s playwright festival in Manhattan, and won a spot in the prestigious playwright’s festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Sylvia, the daughter of two medical doctors and granddaughter of a Turkish philosopher-poet, has interests as diverse as her forbears, and a cultural lineage that is truly global. Equally comfortable in the sciences as she is in the arts, Sylvia embraced her love of playwriting while at Columbia University, where she majored in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies, and shuffled between literature, political science and chemistry classes. She describes herself as a “New York–born writer…born to a French mother and Lebanese father,” and her plays reflect the tensions of America’s place as the world’s lingering superpower and of the delicacy of identity in a profoundly interconnected and multicultural world. Sylvia has written three full-length plays, three one-act plays, and a few short vignettes. Her one-act play “The Arab,” about a Lebanese refugee fleeing war to study medicine in Paris, was performed at the Manhattan Repertory Theater in 2013, supported by a vigorous crowdfunding campaign. She already has several publications under her belt, and she earned the Ted Snowdon Foundation Playwriting Award at the New School. “An Inferno,” a full-length play, enjoyed a week’s run this spring during the New School Festival. Part Dante, part Lewis

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Carroll, the satirical “An Inferno,” depicts the journey of four Americans through the hellish labyrinth of a five-star hotel that is being attacked by insurgents in an unnamed country. The play earned Sylvia an invitation to the Last Frontier Theater Conference in Alaska, and was instrumental in Sylvia’s winning the prestigious Kennedy Center’s playwright workshop offer. Sylvia was one of six playwrights chosen nationally to take part in the Kennedy Center workshop. The Center matches young playwrights with a director, a dramaturge and actors, allowing them to develop and produce a play they are working on. She comments, “This is a very exciting opportunity because it’s organized by the National New Play Network, and scripts developed at the workshop often go on to member theaters across the country.” She cites Caryl Churchill and Martin McDonagh as her biggest influences as a playwright.

Sylvia’s production “An Inferno” at The New School for Drama, March 2015, directed by Noa Egozi. (L to R) Nick Chris as Jacob, Jennean Farmer as Abigail, Paul Karle as Luke and Meghan Van Arsdalen as Ashley.

Sylvia’s years at Sacred Heart Greenwich were crucial in shaping her as a creative literary artist, whose work shows a balance of sharp intellect, surreal poetry and satirical wit. Sylvia is a living embodiment of wise freedom and intellectual values. “I feel very strongly that Sacred Heart provided an environment where creativity was encouraged and supported— particularly by the faculty!” says Sylvia. She recalls a story that she thinks would have ended differently at another school. “I remember sneaking off during study hall in Middle School to rehearse an Agatha Christie rip-off murder mystery I had written with my friends. When the faculty realized we had been going to the auditorium unsupervised, we didn’t get in trouble. They just found someone to supervise!” She comments, “I always think about that when I think about how lucky I was to grow up in such a supportive environment.” For the Khourys, Sacred Heart is a family affair. Sylvia is a lifer, as is her younger sister Claudia, now a junior at Columbia University. Sylvia traveled through the halls of Sacred Heart during years in which enrollment grew dramatically and the School built a new Middle School and library. However, what sticks with her most are her friends and teachers. “I made friends that I’m going to have for the rest of my life. If you’ve known each other since kindergarten, you’re pretty much stuck with each other. It’s family at that point.” She says just about the same thing regarding her teachers, who made a big impact on her: “I also really appreciate that the School never made an attempt to push students towards or away from any subjects. The faculty wanted us to pursue our interests, no matter how disparate, and I think that this really helped me when it comes to writing plays.” Sylvia remains close to her classmates, seeing them often, and she keeps in touch with many of her former teachers. Sylvia dreams of returning at some point in the near future to share some of her playwriting wisdom with Sacred Heart students.

“I also really appreciate that the School never made an attempt to push students towards or away from any subjects.

The faculty wanted us to pursue our interests, no matter how disparate.”

As much as Sylvia possesses the gift of language, her greatest asset might be her intellectual curiosity. She loves so many things and pours herself 100 percent into her endeavors, whether it be a debate about Middle Eastern politics, a podcast on the Rolling Stones or a biology research project. Wisely free in the great Sacred Heart tradition, she is passionate about so many things. From the vantage point of 2015, the future looks bright for this young playwright who challenges all of us to think about our attitudes and privileges as Americans in an ever-shrinking world.

In Sylvia’s production “The Arab” directed by Cody Holliday Haefner, Daniel O’Neill narrates the life of a Lebanese immigrant to Paris in the 1970s.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

ALUMNAE

news

ear Alumnae and Sacred Heart Family, Since our founding in 1848, Sacred Heart Greenwich has empowered young women to become leaders who transform society. We adhere to the Goals and Criteria through faith, intelligence, volunteerism, community and personal growth. The mission of our School has never changed. However, our campus has changed to meet the growing needs of our student body. By the time you return for Reunion on Oct. 3, 2015, you will witness the transformation of the back of the campus. The new sports complex, replete with six squash courts, a new workout room and two new basketball/volleyball courts, will open in time for the 2015 school year. The dining room has expanded and the green lawn stretches from edge to edge of the building; the road no longer bisects the green. This green is the picture of contemplation, relaxation and comfort, with a water feature, fire pit and amphitheater. The Alumnae Garden caps off the spectacular transformation of our campus. Dedicated bricks line the walkway with names of our esteemed alumnae and friends. We could not

Greenwich-Maplehurst Alumnae Association Board 2015–2016 President: Dreux Dubin Claiden ’77 Vice President: Sarah Jorquera ’79 Treasurer: Erinn Laragh Denson ’85

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Secretary: Deana McGlasson McCabe ’89 Board Members: Gabriella Almeida ’07 Maureen Mara Brown ’82 Roxana Maffei Burciago ’99 Johna McCoy Clear (91st St.) ’91 Rita Houlihan ’66 Kristen Joyce Kevorkian ’97 Barbara Linsenmeyer Malone ’85 Clare Heffernan Mulcahy ’97

have achieved the success of the capital campaign without the generosity of our alumnae. We contributed more than $5 million toward the $25.5 million goal! It is an honor and a privilege Dreux Dubin Claiden ’77 presenting to represent Sacred Heart the 2015 Alumnae Community Service Award to Abbi Wilson ’15 Greenwich alumnae. I look forward at Upper School Prize Day to welcoming you home to see how Sacred Heart meets the intellectual and physical demands of students today. Come back to campus to take a tour. You are always welcome. Sincerely,

Dreux Dubin Claiden ’77 President, Greenwich Maplehurst Alumnae Association

Margot Kearney Navins ’02 Jennifer Bentley Rivera ’94 Alexandra Rizk ’09 Ondrea Levitt Schiciano ’86 Nicole Russo Steinthal ’88 Sarah Quick Stuebe ’04 Colby Gargano Summers ’01 Liz Waldrup ’77 Kelly Whipple ’06

Ex Oﬃcio Members: Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 Head of School Melissa Strock Canoni Director of Advancement Meghan Mara Ryan ’01 Director of Alumnae Relations, maram@cshct.org, 203-532-3545

ALUMNAE GATHERINGS Cassidy Mara ’08, Annie Verrochi ’10, Christine Cahaney ’10, Victoria Niche ’10, Yesenia Gonzalez ’08, Dee Miller ’10, Paige Terry ’10, Kim Sebastian ’10, Katie Randolph ’10 and Adaire Carey ’10

Alumnae Lacrosse Game

Meghan Conway Rowan (Omaha), Liz MacKinnon Haak ’98, Colleen Considine ’08, Kate Heffernan ’99, Nicole Palmer ’98 and Kristin Uhmeyer ’05

Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, Cathy Maloney Claflin ’69 and Kate Fentress ’66

Jennifer Bentley Rivera ’94 and Micaela Rivera ’21

Kate Kretschmann Lederer ’01, Meredith Behr, Avery Bruno Armas ’01, Sara Wallace ’01, Laura Antonacci ’01 and Meghan Mara Ryan ’01

Alexandra Lilly ’16, Marcella Lilly Dresdale ’77, Marcella Seymour Lilly (Grosse Point) and Beth Dresdale ’06

Lauren Major Baber ’79, Lisa Fox Cleary ’79 and Janice Major Battle ’75

Magee Finn King ’93, Patreece Williams Creegan ’84, Noël Ausserlechner Gilbert ’00, Roxana Maffei Burciago ’99, Sarah Quick Stuebe ’04, Meghan Mara Ryan ’01, Katie Henry Zentko ’01 and Nathalie Banker Lencsak ’00

Molly Carroll ’15, Brooke Peeler ’14, Amy LaFleur ’14 and Jessica Johnson ’15

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

REUNION 2014 Class of 2009

eunion 2014 was a special homecoming for all, especially for Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, who was named Outstanding Alumna at her 50th reunion. “It was a wonderful reunion that brought 150 people together from many class years,” said Shannon O’Leary Pujadas ’87, who served as president of the Greenwich-Maplehurst Alumnae Association for the 2014–2015 school year. “It was a great opportunity to return to Sacred Heart and share in the spirit created when so many alumnae, family and friends gather.” At a special ceremony during the liturgy, the alumnae association awarded the Très Bien Medal to Mrs. Hayes as Outstanding Alumna. It was a very special moment for our head of School. The Board of Trustees presented her with two communion chalices for the chapel. Paula Tennyson, board chair, drew applause when she announced that in Mrs. Hayes’ honor, the Middle School commons would be dedicated as “Hayes ’64 Middle School Commons.” Mrs. Hayes is a former Middle School teacher and head. The Outstanding Alumna Award is given each year by the alumnae association to an alumna who has made significant contributions to her community or profession. Recipients are women who demonstrate a dedication to the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. Mrs. Hayes enrolled at Sacred Heart in first grade, graduated in 1964 and went on to receive her master’s degree at Manhattanville College. She began her teaching career at Sacred Heart, and served as a teacher and administrator at Greenwich and 91st Street. In 1996, she became head of Convent of the Sacred Heart Elementary School in San Francisco. In 2000, she was appointed director of the Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, a position she held until July 2009 when she became head of our School.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Erin O’Callaghan ’09, Jayne Collins, Mary McDonnell ’09 and Aline Souza ’09

Caitlin Brittan Kiehl ’04, Catherine Stanford ’04, Anne Schruth ’04, Katie Verhaegen ’04 and Natalie Cruz ’04

Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 receiving the Outstanding Alumna Award

ALUMNAE

Ciaran Browne ’89, Angela Dinger ’89 and Lynn Rhatigan Callagy ’57

news

Class of 1959

Sr. Rosemary Sheehan, Jeryl Tardio Malloy ’79, Debbie Heller Valdez ’79, Trish Davis Verrochi ’79 and Sarah Jorquera ’79

Class of 1989

Danielle Decina ’04, Stephanie Kocur ’04, Molly McBrien’04, Megan Hannigan ’04, Colleen Purcell ’04 and Emily van Buitenen Anderson ’04

Members of the Board of Trustees with Pamela Juan Hayes ’64

Jack Steinthal, Jane Gillespie Steinthal ’55, Rosemary Sheehan, RSCJ, and Helen Gillespie Plaia ’59

Gina Aufiero ’09, Mary McDonnell ’09, Jen Eliezer ’09, Liz Masi ’09, Ale Ferrara ’09, Elise Mazurak ’09 and Aline Souza ’09

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

ALUMNAE

news

Katie Phelan Contino ’95, Magee Finn King ’93, Sarah Grogan ’97, Michele Torlen Epperson ’94, Beth Wieber ’99 and Margot Dolce Sturz ’99

Class of 1974

Kathie Houlihan Clark ’64, Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 and Virginia Donahue Donohue ’64

Class of 1979

Cashie Joyce Egan ’68, Mary Catherine Joyce McCooey ’60, Pamela Juan Hayes ’64, Patricia Joyce Figge ’58 and Bonnie Joyce Grace ’63

Dolores Cox Agnew ’59, Sally Assheton Dodd ’59, Margie Naughton ’59 and Joan Egan Mendelson ’59

Elise Mazurak ’09, Gina Aufiero ’09, Iris Longo ’09 and Cailey Cron ’09

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Class of 2004

Class of 1984

Future alumnae enjoying their days at Sacred Heart Greenwich.

class notes

To submit information, please contact your class agent or meghan mara ryan ’01 at maram@cshct.org.

1936

1944

1948

1951

Ann Fullan Gilkes

Kathleen Casey McGrath

1939

Patricia Lamborn Coward Kolbe is enjoying life at 88! She spent Easter in Martha’s Vineyard with three of her children; all but one live on the East Coast. She sends her love to all of her classmates.

Virginia Beach Coudert, vcoudert@optonline.net

Sally Richie Scotton, srscotton@aol.com

Mimi Morgan Welsh has been actively supporting the retired RSCJs through the Florida Gold Coast Association, Alumnae of the Sacred Heart 25th Annual Luncheon and the Sacred Heart Alumnae of the Hamptons Day of Recollection. She also traveled to Rome in 2014 and was at St. Peter’s a few days after the canonization of Pope John Paul and St. John XXIII. She writes, “It was very moving—so many pilgrims and such love for Pope Francis.”

1952

Ann Jacobsen Brickfield

1940 Alice Jane Golden Maloy, ajwmaloy@aol.com

1942 Eileen Fitzgerald Brennan

1945 Florence Lamborn Peters

1947 Mary Jani Englert, maryhenglert@gmail.com

1950 Madeleine Price Naylor

Irene Lamm Haskell, sissyhaskell@aol.com

1953 Henriette della Chiesa de Bellegarde, HenriF96@aol.com Louise McKeon Belt has 20 grandchildren and six children. She is growing a large organic vegetable garden. Denise McCarthy Hattler welcomed her fourth great-grandchild, Cecilia Rose. There are now 17 grandchildren.

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

1954 Susan Herold Sr. Jean Thomas Dwyer retired from active ministry as an advocacy, outreach consultant for Seton Healthcare Family in May 2014, and moved in August to San Antonio, TX, where she will continue doing some healthcare advocacy and anti-human trafficking work for her community, the Daughters of Charity.

1955 Margaret Dealy Ackerman, mtda@aol.com Meg Dealy Ackerman and husband, Bob, celebrated their 50th anniversary with their children and grandchildren in Costa Rica during the Christmas holidays. Meg reports that she successfully mastered zip lining between 15 platforms in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Mary Beth McAnaney Barth and husband, Dick, continue to enjoy their hiatus from New York during the winter months as residents of Houston, where one of their daughters and family live. This year they are looking forward to joining some friends on an Avignon-Lyon barge cruise in France and ending with a visit to Paris. Bill and Sue Sughrue Carrington are again busy organizing a Sughrue family reunion, an every five-year occasion in Kennebunkport, ME, in August. Sue has been giving some thought as to whether there might be an interest among our classmates to participate in a conversation about religion in the current world. As she writes, “We all experienced a very privileged time when we were in school together, enjoying

a level of freedom and education that, especially as women, we should never take for granted. As we hear about the devastating condition so many women around the world suffer, it may be a good time for us to interact with each other.” Sue is willing to coordinate such a project via email if anyone is interested. Cynthia Crump Crimmins and husband, Arvid Klein, had a wonderful opportunity to visit Sicily last summer aboard a catamaran with six friends. She and Arvid principally live in Darien but stay in New York from time to time to attend the theatre, etc. Cynthia is very proud that her grandson is working this year for a nonprofit organization in Cambodia which is developing a water treatment plant. Judy Ollinger Depontes finds her schedule agreeably more flexible now that the grandchildren she cared for during the day are all in school in Jacksonville, FL. Judy continues to be very involved with her church choir, teaching Sunday school, and working on several committees, including one, which arranges monthly outings for the school group. John and Aggie Schmidt Dowd continue to be very involved in coordinating the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program for their small, local church, as well as leading Bible study classes. Two of their four sons and their families live nearby in the Richmond, VA, area, allowing the Dowds many opportunities to be spectators at their six grandchildren’s games. Joanne O’Connor Hynek and husband, Bill, are still delighted to be residents along the Charles River in Cambridge, MA, where they are able to walk to many activities and appointments and visit with a granddaughter, who is a student at nearby MIT, Dan’s alma mater.

ALUMNae REUNION OCt. 3

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Weekends are often spent on the Cape at their house in Falmouth, where Dan is a very active volunteer in a seniors’ health program. Their daughters live in Austin and Toronto, so there is also frequent travel to those cities. Sheilah Lane Malafronte and husband, John, were delighted recently to be able to move back into their house in East Hampton, NY, after a top-to-bottom renovation project. They are very excited and happy to report that in addition to grandson Guthrie, who was born in late 2013 to son Michael, and his wife, they now also have a granddaughter Eleanor, born to Peter and his wife earlier this year. John continues his work with the not-for-profit farm operation which contributes its produce to local food pantries. Bill and Ann Dinger McKenna now have 15 grandchildren and are happy to find room to congregate for their annual Christmas dinner! Ann is lucky to have a son in the restaurant business in New York, and he often provides a venue for other family occasions. KC Conway Morrish and husband, David, of Palm Beach, FL, found themselves welcoming many family members and friends arriving from the northeast this winter. KC continues her position as head of the library committee of the Society of Four Arts in Palm Beach. Jack and Jane Gillespie Steinthal have a condominium in the same Palm City, FL, complex as Mike and Penny Fishel Carr. Between Penny and Mike’s 18 grandchildren, they are kept busy attending family events including, this spring, three First Communions and two college graduations. Two of Jane and Jack’s granddaughters are students at Greenwich, so Jane is well up to date on the development of the campus. Kim Smith Wayne has scaled back her volunteer activities a bit in recent years. Her major focus at the moment is rallying support to

counter some of the unintended consequences of Proposition 13. Kim now has 12 grandchildren, nine of whom live nearby in California and three in Virginia.

1956 Markey Pullen Burke, markey.burke@comcast.net Markey Pullen Burke added a granddaughter this year, so that brings her up to seven! They are loads of fun—she loves it when they get together and to see how much fun they have with each other. She asks all to come to the 60th in the fall of 2016! It’s fun to catch up in person. Kathleen Dolan, RSCJ, is living in Atherton, CA and working in Formation to Mission at Sacred Heart Schools Atherton. Margaret Brown Gregory had a houseful for Easter as her family continues to grow with 14 grandchildren. Maggie, Katie and David live near Margi and Jim, son Jim is in Bloomfield Hills and Betsy is in Gaithersburg, MD. Two of Margi’s grandchildren are married and happily some are very young still. Margi and Jim are writing a book about their lives to pass on to family and friends and it has been fun for them to relive the different stages of their lives. Mary Grady Keith’s son Fred is still in San Antonio with three kids that are getting older and bigger! Trish, their daughter, is in Norwich, often taking care of her two step-sons. Mary and Fred sold their house in New Hampshire as they found taking care of two places too much. Joan Gormley MacLean has five children, 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, including identical twin boys! She has been doing a lot of traveling and husband, Mac, finished his bucket list last year with a circumnavigation of Cape Horn. Joan’s begins in June with a trip to Alaska and then a train

1 Members of the Class of ’59 at The Beach House in Old Greenwich. Left to right: Kathie Wall Healy, Cynthia Bush Logan, Kate Nugent West, Cynthia Krug MacSween, Margie Naughton, Helen Gillespie Plaia, Sally Ashton Dodd, Neepie DeCastro Bourne and Dolores Cox Agnew

ride through the Canadian Rockies to Banff and Lake Louise ending at the Calgary Stampede! Molly Wade McGrath’s husband, Norman, recently had a show of 13 Japanese scrolls he recreated from photos scanned and printed on canvas, which are very beautiful. Mary Ann Skelly Tragesser has trips to Ireland and Scandinavia planned this year, and her first grandson was married in May!

1957

Mary Lyman, RSCJ, has been offering Busy Persons Retreats to faculty, staff and parents in Sacred Heart Schools, including Greenwich. She says, “What our RSCJs cherish is alive and well in our schools. A joy for me to see!”

1958 Carole Antolini Scherer, casstretch@optonline.net Elena Garces Eder is the grandmother of four children, three girls and a boy, and lives in Washington, DC. She is currently translating her book, Colombian Women: the Struggle out of Silence, into Spanish.

1959 Dolores Cox Agnew, doloresagnew@hotmail.com 1 The Class of ’59 has seen much of each other this year. In August 2014, Cynthia Krug MacSween was in Connecticut from Florida, and Kate Nugent West was in Connecticut from North Carolina so Kathie Wall Healy, Cynthia Bush Logan, Margie Naughton, Helen Gillespie Plaia, Sally Ashton Dodd, Neepie DeCastro Bourne and Dolores Cox Agnew joined them for lunch. On December 29, 2014, Dolores Cox Agnew joined Sally Ashton Dodd, Dede Mannix Burke, Kathie Wall Healy, Frannie Kemmerer, Cynthia Bush Logan, Margie Naughton, Helen Gillespie Plaia, and Maureen Kelly Winter for a festive meal. There have been many visits to Florida over the winter. Dolores Cox Agnew and Maureen Kelly Winter met Betsy Egan Cochran for lunch in October 2014. In early February 2015, Dolores saw Helen Gillespie Plaia, who was in Palm City visiting her sisters. 2 In early March, Joan Egan Mendelson, Dede Mannix Burke, Mary Thompson and Dolores Cox Agnew met for lunch in Vero Beach. 3 Anne Kinney Duffy traveled with the Metropolitan

Anne Kinney Duffy ’59

2 Class of ’59, seated Joan Egan Mendelson left and Dolores Cox Agnew, standing on the left is Dede Mannix Burke and Mary Thompson

Museum of Art to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Dubai and Qatar in March of 2014, learning many interesting things while visiting museums and mosques with a guide from the Met. In February 2015, Anne skied in France at Courcheval, then Val Desire, before returning to their home in Arizona. Mary Earl Fox is living in Mill Valley, CA, and encourages anyone to visit when they are in San Francisco!

1960 Katharine Donahue Whamond, bamakaran@aol.com

1961 Pamela Raymond, RSKEYWEST@yahoo.com

1962 Pamela Wall Madden, topamad2@yahoo.com 4 In February, Pam Wall Madden met with some classmates for lunch in New York City. Sheila Hickey Cameron and Jackie Paterno Kirby arrived from Connecticut and stayed with Anne Haigney Roome. Chris Donovan and Elizabeth King joined them for lunch.

4 1962 classmates Pam Wall Madden, Sheila Hickey Cameron, Jackie Paterno Kirby, Anne Haigney Roome, Chris Donovan and Elizabeth King met in NYC

1963 Martha McQueeny Hosp, hospmartha@yahoo.com

1964 Ursula Moore Smith, ursie@comcast.net

1965 Stephanie Beaudouin Piper, spiper@utk.edu Anne Margaret Buell Baum lives in Bedford, NY. She and Dennis have one grandchild, Penelope, born in November 2014 with two more due before Christmas 2015. She is renovating a carriage house on their property and playing a bit of duplicate bridge. Susie Craig Conroy reports that she and Dan are enjoying life in Miami. They went to London in March to visit her daughter, Keirnan, and family. Their other daughter, Molly, and family joined them. Kate Graham

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Graham and husband, Stuart, summer on the New England coast and spend winters in Vero Beach, FL. One daughter lives with her husband in Manhattan and works for A&E producing reality TV shows. Another daughter is a lawyer in Boston. Their son lives in Connecticut with his wife and three little children. Kalo Hirschberg Heldt sent a great update from Vacaville, CA, where she and husband, Lee, have lived since 1981. They both retired eight years ago, and Kalo taught for a month at a remote university in China. Her aunt, Brigid, an RSCJ, founded the foreign language department there many years ago. Kalo and Lee have two daughters and four grandchildren. Liz Betts Leckie and husband, Geoff, bought an old farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. They still have their apartment in Venice and spend half the year in the United States. Liz works part time for the Victorian Society as assistant director of their London summer school. Cathy Collins McCoy lives in Oxford, MD, and keeps busy with volunteer work, including a current term as president of the local community center. Stephanie Beaudouin Piper is eagerly looking forward to the 50th reunion this fall and counting on her classmates to be there! She is director of development for the University of Tennessee College of Social Work and writes a monthly column for the Knoxville Mercury. She and her husband, George, will celebrate 48 years of marriage in October. They have three sons and five grandchildren. Sue Sullivan Simmons writes from Australia that she is retired from a long and wonderful career in the media, which included working for major advertising agencies and running her own freelance copywriting and publicity company for 15 years. Daughter Brooke is

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

following her parents’ example with her own public relations firm. Sue and husband, John, have traveled extensively throughout Asia, the Pacific and Europe. Sue takes art lessons and teaches scripture in her parish. She sends her love to the Class of ’65 and wishes she could be with us for our 50th reunion.

1966 Elspeth Tweddle de Barros, vickytweddledebarros@gmail.com

1967 Mary Francina Golden, maryfgolden@aol.com

1968 Cathleen Joyce Egan, cashie@optonline.net

1969 Marion O’Grady, ogrady.marion@gmail.com Stealey Jenkins Ashley lives in Annapolis, MD, where she is a Realtor. After 15 years, she joined a larger national firm. She attended recent high school and college graduations for two of her nieces. Stealey says “my doors are always open” to all! JoAnne Stevens Carter sold her company, Education Solutions, in March. While staying on for a while, she is already pursuing other interests, including teaching writing at a local college. This change will allow her to spend more time with her four grandchildren and go fly-fishing with her husband. We discovered this particular hobby is also shared by Cathy Maloney Claflin and her husband! Next class trip, folks! Cathy is well and enjoying her new home in Boston. Joan McAnaney Fay and husband, David, spent their first

winter in Vero Beach! They now have four grandchildren, three boys and a girl, and love their new roles as grandparents. This summer they are at Joan’s favorite haunt, Ocean City, NJ, with extended family. Marie Gerli spent a few months in Vail, CO, where her son, Tyler, lives. She was able to see Lee and Bill and do quite a bit of skiing. They got together for a day of skiing and dinner when Morgan Barry Morton visited Vail. Marie also had lunch with Joan McAnaney Fay in Vero Beach, and attended a CSH gathering in Palm Beach with her sisters. Marie is continuing her New Hampshire-based catering business. Morgan Barry Morton spent a relaxing, fun week with Joan in Vero Beach. Morgan and husband, Allen, live in Houston, and are happy their daughter, Deirdre, lives near them. Morgan caught up with Suzie Cole by phone, but missed her in Sea Island. Lee Rodriguez Schneider and husband, Bill, are retired, living in Denver, CO, and loving it. They spend most winter weekends skiing in Silverthorne. Daughters Ashley, an accountant, and Tracy, who graduated last year with a master’s in social work and now works at a counseling center, are both nearby. Daughter Echa works in Oakland, CA, at the Oakland Public Library. Peggy O’Neal Shepard and husband, Rock, welcomed their sixth beautiful grandchild in December, Lucia Cowles Shepard. Peg is still working hard at Sotheby’s. Daughter Mandy is a SoulCycle instructor and opened their new Westport, CT, location. Their son, T.R., is a manager for Tracy Anderson in Los Angeles, and their other son, Brian, is a teacher at the Brunswick School in Greenwich. Dee O’Grady sees Morgan on Nantucket in summer and gets together with Joannie WootersReisin as frequently as possible in New York. Joannie has a beautiful new home on the Upper West Side.

She is completing her master’s degree, while working. Dee writes that Gloria del Valle’s passport must be the size of a phonebook by now, with her continued busy job in re-insurance! Barbara Banks Schwam occasionally touches base in-between her hectic schedule with work, grandchildren and travel, as does Ingrid Cronin and the gifted and talented Anne Correa. Best wishes to all for a wonderful year ahead, filled with love and treasured friendships. Happy 64 Class of ’69!

1970 Joyce Gorman, jgormanesq@gmail.com; Lisa Gowdey Dotson, lisadotson@live.com 5 Teresa Cassone lives in Poughkeepsie, NY, and became a licensed aesthetician in April. She has earned several awards for her paintings and had them published in an art magazine. A woman of many talents, she taught ballroom dancing and took second place for her tango in a New England regional competition. She has a 13-year-old daughter, Chiara. Joyce Gorman returned to Ballard Spahr, the Philadelphia-based law firm she left in 1994, where her husband, Joe, is the managing partner of the DC office. Her household has expanded to include her parents and aide, who cares for her

5 Teresa Cassone ’70 and daughter, Chiara

Lisa Gowdey Prichard ’70 with new husband, Allan 7

6 Michael S. Press III, grandson of Priscilla Campo Press ’70, saying “please”

father and Joe’s father. Joyce’s son, Pete, graduated from Georgetown in May, and will attend a graduate program in acting. Stepdaughter Kathleen and her husband, Stephen, had twins last fall, and stepson, Michael, and his wife, Hsin-yi, are expecting their third daughter. Barbara Moran is retired in Rockland, ME, where she volunteers at a homeless shelter, works with the Camden International Film Festival, sails her boat, “Colleen,” and follows her drummer partner to his blues gigs. 6 Priscilla Campo Press works in finance in New York, and is enjoying grandson, Michael S. Press III, at every opportunity. Above is a recent picture of him saying “please,” using his symbol for the word. This winter she visited with Louise Parent Casaly, Sharon Rice Sklansky and Adele O›Grady Botticelli. 7 Lisa Gowdey Prichard was married on Valentine’s Day to Allan Prichard in a moving and wonderful ceremony with friends and family in attendance at All Saints Old

Catholic Church in Tennessee. 8 Meg Corroon Sheridan still lives in NYC and has bumped into Missy McHugh and Nora Finnegan Dolce at the same retirement home, where their parents live. Meg also visited Heather Hirson Long and husband, Mike, before attending her son Patrick’s graduation from Davidson College in Charlotte, May 2014. (She had to go alone because Patrick’s twin brother, Colin, was graduating from Colgate the same day!)

1971 Robin Clark, robincrjc@hotmail.com; Catherine Finnegan Nix, Cathynix30@gmail.com Meg Clary Bisharat is living in Somers, NY, and working on Web design and graphics at Bisharat Graphic Design. She has three grandchildren with a fourth on the way, all courtesy of her daughter Helen, who lives in Yorktown Heights. Her daughter Victoria she teaches preschool in Boulder, CO, and is working on her master’s in education. Son Andrew and his wife live in New Castle, CO, where he is a writer for national magazines. Christina Barbero, Jeanette Srubar Wallace, Robin Clark and Meg met

8 Meg Corroon Sheridan ’70 and Heather Hirson Long ’70 enjoying authentic BBQ in Charlotte, NC

for a holiday lunch in Greenwich and had many laughs. Monica Dursi Cimina has four busy grown happy kids with one marriage and one grandson. After 11 years flying for the Marines, her son John married, had a baby boy, and is finishing Harvard Business School. Daughter Maria is program director at Wakeman Boys and Girls Club in Fairfield, CT. Daughter Dominique is in her ninth year at Random House, and son James recently graduated from the University of Michigan. Monica teaches art in the Fairfield (CT) public schools. 9 Maryanne Bardwil Lynch is a client executive at Gartner, Inc. and recently welcomed new neighbors!

Daughter Jennifer and her husband, Christian, and their two boys, CJ and Luke, moved into the same neighborhood. Cathy Finnegan Nix welcomed a new granddaughter in 2014. Joslin Anne Nix arrived in October and lives in Washington, DC. Cathy is happily going back and forth to Houston to visit her daughter, Molly Nix Scioli ’97, and three children, Finn, Lilly and Archie, and to Washington. Kathy Carey Strom keeps busy between West Hampton, NY, and Palm Beach, FL. She is selling real estate in Long Island and loves spending time with her granddaughters, Cora and Grace. She spent last fall in Cambodia working in an orphanage, which was a wonderful experience. She hopes to do it again this year. Dee Dee Tostanoski’s family is well and growing. Her son has a daughter, Lily Anne Bryant, who is almost two. Dee Dee is enjoying being a grandmother. Her other son just started his legal career, having finished law school. They all reside in Alexandria, VA, so she gets to see them frequently! Jeanette Srubar Wallace is the co-founder with her husband of Greenwich’s Back Country Jazz. She is managing director and her husband, Bennie, is artistic director. They founded the organization in

Maryanne Bardwil Lynch ’71 and family

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

2007 with a mission to transform young lives and connect communities through the power of music.

1972 Patricia Steller Grace, PStellerGrace@msn.com Mary Ann Bankowski Tock’s newfound passion as a carriage driver won her many trophies at the Walnut Hill Farm driving competition!

1973 11 Susan Mara McDonnell welcomed her second grandson in November, Conor Timothy McDonnell. Marie Megaw Rubino is happy to say that her three sons have all graduated from college and she got a puppy!

Steers, Barbara Barsa Jamison, Cathleen Sullivan Stack, Mary Jo D’Agostino Razook, Mary Ashe Mahr, Kim Griffin Reynolds, Odette Mouakad, Mary Kay Campo Cobb and Margot Bilby Snellback.

1975 Joanne Kaufmann, josie.kaufmann@yahoo.com; Kerry Murphy Maloney, kmm2@optonline.net Libby McGarry has been busy studying at Syracuse University’s Florence campus, Christ Church at Oxford and Fordham University since retiring from the practice of law two years ago. She spends time with her mother, Norma McGarry, who was the director of community service during our class’s high school years and is still going strong. Libby is also writing, traveling, playing piano and enjoying what New York City has to offer in the arts and theater. Her son, Joe, is a graduate student in physics at Penn State, and her daughter, Nell, attends NYU’s School of Social Work.

1976 Kathryn Grainger Hobbins, kghobbins@verizon.net; Lisa Roman Johnston, LisaMRoman@aol.com

12 1974 classmates Bottom Row: Chris Rodda McKay, Leslie Benziger Meledandri, Bridget Burns Bucknall, Lauren Smith Steers, Barbara Barsa Jamison, Cathleen Sullivan Stack Back Row: Mary Jo D’Agostino Razook, Mary Ashe Mahr, Kim Griffin Reynolds, Odette Mouakad, Mary Kay Campo Cobb and Margot Bilby Snellback

1977 Toni Palazzo Maloney, palazzosister@aol.com Jeannie Boutelle lives in Chicago and got accepted into this year’s Chicago marathon. Look for her Oct. 11, 2015! She continues to find a niche in sustainable food writing and media (farmers markets, artisanal products, food issues) and is pursuing the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. Her brother, Jim, has a daughter attending CSH Greenwich. 13 Joanie Campo Carter is changing jobs and will work for Steve Roger in Greenwich. Joanie’s son, Reilly, will be a freshman at Dickinson

11 Jack and Conor McDonnell, grandsons of Susan Mara McDonnell ’73

1974 Mary Jo D’Agostino Razook hosted a dinner on Reunion 2014 weekend in honor of the Class of 1974’s 40th reunion! In attendance were: Chris Rodda McKay, Leslie Benziger Meledandri, Bridget Burns Bucknall, Lauren Smith 12

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

College. Dreux Dubin Claiden is the new alumnae board president. She plans to continue the good work done to increase attendance at events and to promote development. Her daughter, Sydney ’13, is a sophomore at Georgetown and her daughter, Schuyler, works at a NYC hedge fund. Dreux urges classmates to come back to campus to check out the new athletic center. It is stunning. So much has changed at CSH and it continues to be a place that welcomes us back. Hope to see you soon! Kathy Thormann Craven married her high school/college sweetheart, Jeff, and they have three daughters. The eldest, Jessica, is married to a Marine officer and they have two sons and live in North Carolina. Her middle daughter, Courtenay,

STAY COnnected with sacred Heart Join us at one of these social media outlets to find out what is new, and forge friendships with your classmates. CSHGreenwich @cshgreenwich @CSHGREENWICH

Sacred Heart, Greenwich

13 Tricia Sullivan Merrick ’77 and Joan Campo Carter ’77 enjoying Florida

works for Spence-Chapin in NYC and her youngest, Tori, graduated magna cum laude from Wake Forest University in 2015. Lisa Becker Edmundson’s three children are keeping her busy. Iain attends Dartmouth College, where, following his mother’s example, he is on the swim team. Daughter Chloe is studying philosophy and has one more year at Edinburgh. Caleb will be a Greenwich High School junior in 2015–16. Lisa travels as much as possible, while spending time with friends. Tricia Sullivan Merrick has returned to Greenwich after a hiatus in Baltimore. Carter, her oldest son, lives in Baltimore. Daughter Catie moved to Chicago and son, Sam, is a freshman at Trinity College. Tricia is planning a CSH cocktail party for the Class of ’77 so please send your email addresses so she will invite you. She met up with Joanie Campo Carter in Florida over the winter. Nancy Rodriguez has been living in Houston for over 15 years, most recently working for Shell Oil as a petroleum geologist. Last year, she transferred to Shell’s office in The Netherlands, where she and her husband, Burton, enjoy the cooler climate and the fact that they no longer have to rely on a car. She commutes to her office by bike and train. Her children visit from the Unites States on a regular basis and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together. Liz Waldrup has joined the CSH alumnae board. She has co-chaired the successful children’s boutique at CSH’s “Come Home For Christmas” in December 2015. Liz continues her career in retail as a buyer.

1978 Mary Raho Julian, julianstm@aol.com

Cristina Dolan ’79 received the Traders Magazine Charitable Works Award 14

1980

1984

Brenda Alison Shelly, bashelly1@gmail.com

Jillian Payne, JILLIANPAYNE@yahoo.com

1981

1985

Teresa Pica LeRuo, picaleruo@yahoo.com; Meghan Williams Hess, dmhsehess@aol.com; Sharon Heller, sheller@panynj.gov

Megan Cassidy Foley, meganf920@gmail.com

1982 Lauren Clark Kenny, lckenny4@aol.com Cricket Telesco Burns has started a fabulous home décor and fashion e-commerce website, cricketscrush.com. She is living in New York City and her daughters attend CSH 91st Street. 15 Kumi Akizawa Ikeba ’79 and Marianna Arellano Cuervo ’81 in Tokyo

1979 Cristina Dolan visited Sacred Heart Greenwich for the Upper School’s “Career Morning.” She spoke to the students about careers in computer science and the coding competition she organized, Dream it. Code it. Win it. Cristina recently received awards from Traders Magazine and from her alma mater, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for her work on Dream it. Code it. Win it. 15 Kumi Akizawa Ikeba is living in Japan and had a fun visit from Marianna Arellano Cuervo ’81 in January. She visited New York this summer and viewed the new construction at Sacred Heart. 14

1983 Margaret Heffernan Trimble, magtrimble776@hotmail.com; Jane Riley, jwriley@optonline.net Marny Lundy splits her time between Brookfield, CT, and Alabama. Her daughter is a freshman at a private coed high school in Birmingham where the quality of the education is excellent. She is so happy to have found this gem. Leslie MaxtoneGraham lives just outside of Nashville, TN, with her partner of 22 years, Cris, and their three dogs and two cats. They are very active in the dog sport, fly ball. Leslie works at ICON Clinical Research as a clinical trial assistant and continues to paint. Jane Riley lives in Rye, NY, where she practices physical therapy. Her daughter, son and family are well. Lisa Pollack Wallace has been living in Asia for almost 14 years now. Her twins are at boarding school in the United States, so she is back and forth for visits.

Cathleen Mendelson Daly and her husband, Kevin, live in Bronxville. Her daughter, Caitlin, attends the University of Delaware; son, Connor is captain of the Bronxville High School varsity golf team; and Quinn, a rising ninth grader, plays lacrosse. Genevieve Lynch DeBree is living in Fair Haven, NJ. Her daughter, Schuyler, has finished freshman year at Duke University, starting all 18 games on the women’s soccer team. She was named one of 24 women’s soccer players called into the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team training camp at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center. 16 Megan Cassidy Foley and husband, Larry, have five busy children and live in Southport, CT. They have four sons and a daughter. LJ is a sophomore at Taft; Liam is

16 Clare Foley, daughter of Megan Cassidy Foley ’85 as Ivy Pepper in “Gotham” (Courtesy of Fox)

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

heading to Greens Farms Academy this fall; Aidan is a fifth grader at Fairfield Country Day, and Declan is in prekindergarten at Fairfield Country Day. Megan’s daughter, Clare, who attends Greens Farms, is an actress portraying Ivy Pepper in the Fox TV show “Gotham.” Megan is looking forward to our 30th Reunion this fall!

1986 Alyssa Keleshian Bonomo, alyssa@kinvestmentsinc.com; Nicole Peluso, nicolepeluso@gmail.com

1987 Elizabeth Hawthorn, lizzylizzyny123@yahoo.com Elizabeth Hawthorn is living in Greenwich with her daughter, Mary. Her niece, Eileen Rooney ’09, graduated from the University of Kentucky and is pursuing a career in communications. Another niece, Elizabeth Rooney ’11, graduated from Fordham University this spring. Elizabeth is great friends with Katie Haynes Pepe, who lives in Greenwich with her husband, Bill, and their two children, Dylan and Tatum. Tatum and Mary are great friends like Lizzy and Katie! Erin Plunkett Niehaus is living in San Francisco and active with her four children, Lily, Colin, and twins

Henry and Claire. Erin is thrilled that Lily will attend CSH’s sister Sacred Heart school, Broadway, for high school!

1988 Kristina Sekor Hooper, kristina.hooper@gmail.com Kristina Sekor Hooper is the U.S. investment strategist for Allianz Global Investors. In January, she was on the cover of the annual forecast Issue of Kiplinger’s Magazine in which was quoted in a Q&A about where the market is headed. Nathalie Julien-Ishizuka is living in Tokyo and her children are speaking Japanese. Thanks to her stay at the Sacred Heart in Japan, Nathalie can speak with them in Japanese!

1989 Lucy Coudert Conrod, lconrod@verizon.net; Angela Dinger, angela_dinger@yahoo.com Annie Hawthorn-Connelly is living in NYC with her husband, Paul, and her two children, Paulie and Viola.

1990 Megan Lahey Sibley, megsibley@yahoo.com 17 Laura Treanor Coury, Margaret Cassidy and Julie DeFilippo visited Mohonk Mountain House in October.

1991 Margaret Donius Boscarino, mollyboscarino@yahoo.com Margaret Cassidy ’90, Laura Treanor Coury ’90 and Julie DeFilippo ’90 at Mohonk Mountain House 17

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Mary Hawthorn Kmetz lives in Rye, NY, with her husband, Dave, and their four children Katie, Michael, Caroline and Grace.

18 Madeline and William with baby Eloise Dattulo, children of Kelly Fitzpatrick Dattulo ’95

1992

19 William James Fitzgibbons, son of Martha Harper Fitzgibbons ’95

Christine Murtha Coogan, Christine.Coogan@morganstanley.com; Katherine Shafer Coleman, katherine.s.coleman@gmail.com

1993 Margaret Finn King, magee.king@gmail.com

1994 Mirsada Pasalic Hoffmann, mapasalic@gmail.com

1995 Dina Cortese Urso, dinaurso327@gmail.com 18 Kelly Fitzpatrick Dattulo and her husband, Tom, welcomed a new baby on March 11, 2015. Eloise Belle joins big sister, Madeline, 4, and brother, William, almost 3, both of whom could not be more thrilled to have a new sibling added to the mix. Elyse Mueller Dunbar lives in Wilbraham, MA, with her husband, Jamie, and two children Callie and Padraig, and two dogs. She works in admissions at Wilbraham & Monson Academy. 19 Martha Harper Fitzgibbons welcomed William James Fitzgibbons, born Nov. 28, 2014, at 8 lbs., 2 oz.

20 Dina Cortese Urso ’95 at the NYC Marathon

and 21 inches. William loves laughing with his big sister Mae, 3. 20 Dina Cortese Urso ran the New York City Marathon in November.

1996 Rebekah Goodhue, rcgoodhue@gmail.com; Erin Tiernan Patts, tiernanerin@hotmail.com

1998 Elizabeth MacKinnon Haak, emackhaak@gmail.com; Katherine Lavin Phillips, Kate.lavin.phillips@gmail.com

21 Jeffrey Block, Elizabeth Sweeny Block ’97, Barbara Sweeny and Stephen Sweeny (former trustee of Sacred Heart Greenwich) at Elizabeth’s graduation, December 2013.

22 Margaret Brennan ’98 and husband, Ali Iyad Yakub Credit: Washington Post

22 Margaret Brennan is a CBS News correspondent covering foreign affairs. She was the 2015 commencement speaker at Sacred Heart Greenwich (Read her speech in this issue of Horizons.) In April 2015, Margaret married Maj. Ali Iyad Yakub, a Marine Corps judge advocate. She and Ali first met 17 years ago when both were students at the University of Virginia. They were re-acquainted in 2013 when they ran into each other on the street in Washington, DC.

1999

Kathleen Heffernan,

Elizabeth Sweeny Block ’97 and her husband, Jeff, are thrilled to announce the birth of Catherine Constance Block, June 15, 2015. Catherine joins big brother, Christopher.

1997 Samantha Geary, samantha.geary@baml.com; Clare Heffernan Mulcahy, claremulcahy@gmail.com 21 Elizabeth Sweeny Block graduated with her Ph.D. in religious ethics from The University of Chicago in December 2013. Elizabeth, her husband, Jeff, and their son, Christopher, moved to St. Louis in June 2014, where Elizabeth is now assistant professor of theological ethics at Saint Louis University and Jeff is director of treasury and finance at Reinsurance

Group of America. Sarah Grogan finished her professional diploma certification program in school building leadership at Manhattan College this summer. She is moving to California after 12 years at Sacred Heart Greenwich teaching kindergarten. Megan Heanue and husband, Ravi, welcomed their third daughter, Priya Elizabeth, in January 2015. Priya joins older sisters Mia and Leela. Hilary MacDonald Lipner had a baby boy, Wells Lipner, in July 2014. Hilary and her husband, Drew, are happily living in Mill Valley, CA. Erin Hartigan O’Rourke was recently celebrated by the Connecticut General Assembly for receiving the “Outstanding Clinician of the Year” award from the Visiting Nurse Associations of America. Erin is a Nurse Case Manager with Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association (RVNA). She lives in Ridgefield, CT, with her husband and their two sons.

HeffKate@gmail.com; Kathleen Molloy, molloy.katie@gmail.com; Margot Dolce Sturz, margotsturz@gmail.com 23 Roxana Maffei Burciago and her husband, Daniel, welcomed the birth of their son, Francisco Mario, on July 29, 2014, weighing 6 lbs., 5 oz. 24 Kathleen Molloy Whiteman and her husband, Alexander, were married in the chapel at Sacred Heart Greenwich on June 21, 2014. Katie and Alex live in Greenwich, where Katie teaches prekindergarten and assists admissions at Greenwich Academy.

23 Francisco Burciago, son of Roxana Maffei Burciago ’99

2000 Margaret Feeney, margaret.m.feeney@gmail.com; Lindsay Smith, lsmith1211@hotmail.com

2001 Kate Kretschmann Lederer, Kate.Lederer@gmail.com; Cynthia Bouvet Heraty, cbouvet@gmail.com; Cristin McGuinn, cristin.mcguinn@gmail.com; Margaret Shafer, margaret.shafer@gmail.com 25 Laura Antonacci lives in New York City where she works for Random House Children’s Books. Avery Bruno Armas 25 Laura and husband, Antonacci ’01 Marc, welcomed

24 At Katie Molloy’s wedding: Victoria Bensen ’10, Julia Shullman ’99. Marisa Baldacinni Rokuson ’99, Katie Molloy Whiteman ’99. Sarah Grogan ’97, Emma Molloy ’13, Kerry Higgins ’99, Michaela Gorman ’05, Kate Heffernan ’99 and Jessica McGurty Nye ’99

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Eileen Hartigan Barendse ’01 Margaret Shafer ’01, Erin Higgins ’01, Touhy Ahern Bashian ’01, Cynthia Bouvet Heraty ’01, Cristin McGuinn Hayes ’01, and Colby Gargano Summers ’01 26

their son, Bennett (Beau) Francis Armas, on Jan. 25, 2015, weighing 6 lbs., 11 oz., 21 inches. 26 Tuohy Ahern Bashian married Alexander G. Bashian from Greenwich, CT, on Nov. 8, 2014, at the Equinox in Manchester, VT. Classmates Cynthia Bouvet Heraty, Eileen Hartigan Barendse, Margaret Shafer, Cristin McGuinn Hayes, Colby Gargano Summers, and Erin Higgins were bridesmaids. 27 Natalie Hernandez Bell and her husband Jim welcomed their

27 Emily Bell, daughter of Natalie Hernandez Bell ’01

28 Carli Garcia ’01 at Kanan Dume Road in Malibu, CA

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

first child, Emily, in October 2014. They have been living in Southern California for the past seven years and look forward to settling in Atlanta, GA, this summer. Diana Dove lives in New York City and works at Physique 57 as office and studio logistics manager. She continues to teach group fitness classes at night for M Dance & Fitness. 28 Carli Garcia moved this summer as she has been applying for teaching positions in New York and the California Bay Area. Sonia Nash Gupta and her husband, Vinay, welcomed their daughter, Alina Nash Gupta, to their family on Dec. 10, 2013. Sonia is the associate director of digital marketing at Random House Children’s Books in New York City. 29 30 Cristin McGuinn Hayes married Chip Hayes in Martha’s Vineyard on June 21, 2014. They met while working at the corporate offices of Vineyard Vines in Stamford, CT. Her sister, Meghan McGuinn Chew, was maid of honor and the bridesmaids were Cynthia Bouvet Heraty, Tuohy Ahern Bashian, Eileen Hartigan Barendse, Colby Gargano Summers, Erin Higgins and Margaret Shafer. 31 Meghan Mara Ryan’s daughters continue to grow. Lillie and Claire turned four in December and just finished preschool at CSH, while Caroline turned one in April. 32 Margaret Shafer ’01 ran the NYC Marathon in November 2014. Kathryn Henry Zentko moved from New York City to Greenwich and welcomed a son, Noah Henry Zentko, all in September of 2013!

29 From left to right, Cynthia Bouvet Heraty ’01, Eileen Hartigan Barendse ’01, Margaret Shafer ’01, Aditi Ashra Bhatt ’01, Touhy Ahern ’01, Cristin McGuinn Hayes ’01, Colby Gargano Summers ’01, Erin Higgins ’01, Meghan McGuinn Chew ’05 and Linda Ricci Fischer (Sacred Heart Elmhurst)

30 Cristin McGuinn Hayes ’01 and husband, Chip Hayes

Margaret Shafer ’01

31 Lillie, Caroline and Claire Ryan, daughters of Meghan Mara Ryan ’01

33 Sean Stuebe, son of Sarah Quick Stuebe ’04

2002

2004

Annie Mara Whitman, Annie.mara@gmail.com; Jennifer Raymond, jennifer.g.raymond@gmail.com

Alexandra Hines Watters, alexandra.hines@gmail.com; Canielle Decina, danielle.decina@gmail.com; Jaime Straub, straubj218@gmail.com

Katie Daley Carney married Jake Carney on Dec. 13, 2014. The Carneys live in New York City.

2003 Nicole Seagriff, nicole.seagriff@gmail.com; Jennifer Einersen, jeinersen13@gmail.com

33 Sarah Quick Stuebe and her husband, Riley, welcomed their son, Sean Kilroy Stuebe, on August 30, 2014 at 8 lbs., 14 oz. The Stuebes reside in New York City.

Lois Kessel ’04 with her parents, after completing the NYC Marathon in November 2014

35 Molly Marantz Hoffman ’07 and Zachary Peter Hoffman on their wedding day in New York City.

36 Amanda Weber ’09 exclaiming as she spotted the first group of Sacred Heart women at Mile 12 of the NYC Marathon

2006

2009

Kelly Whipple, kelly.e.whipple@gmail.com; Elizabeth Purcell, epurcell2@gmail.com; Katherine Colihan, katherine.colihan@gmail.com

Magee Quick McBride ’05 and husband, Matt 34

2005 Anne Dolce, annedolce@gmail.com; Meghan McGuinn, meghan.mcguinn@gmail.com; Katherine Gojkovich, kgojkovich@gmail.com Katie Gojkovich and Molly Breene ran the 2014 NYC Marathon. 34 Magee Quick married Matt McBride on April 25, 2015, in West Palm Beach, FL. They live in New York City.

Victoria Scala received her Ph.D. in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in December 2014.

2007 Gabriella Almeida, gabriella.j.almeida@gmail.com; Kristina Benza, kbenza@gmail.com Sade Joseph is moving to California, where she will attend the University of Southern California to study film. This summer, she is filming documentaries as she prepares for her exciting move. 35 Molly Marantz married Zachary Peter Hoffman in New York City on February 22, 2014 at The Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola on Park Avenue. The reception was held at the St. Regis Hotel. Bridesmaids included her sister and the maid of

honor, Kristina Marantz ’05, Emily Rubin ’05, Elizabeth Maloney, and Madeline Cole.

2008 Maria Zoulis, zoulism@gmail.com; Sarah Julian, sarah.j.julian@gmail.com; Margaret Larson, mryan1021@gmail.com Cassidy Mara lives in New York. She has just finished her second year at Fordham University School of Law. She is the online managing editor of the Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law.

Antonia Libassi, antonia_libassi@alumni.brown.edu; Lauren Manning, laurenmanning2013@u.northwestern.edu; Kyla Harrington, kyla_harrington@alumni.brown.edu; Alejandra Ferrara, ferrara.alejandra@gmail.com Amanda Weber ran in the NYC Marathon this year to benefit Catholic Charities of New York, raising $6,000 and finishing in 3:31 (top 9% of all runners, and 44th place for her age). She writes that it was an amazing experience and thanks the Class of 2009 for their support! 36

Members of the Class of 2009 at a Christmas gathering. Front from left, Gina Aufiero, Cailey Cron, Susannah Lawrence, Joan DeGennaro. Back row: Liz Carr, Liz Masi, Ally Manning, Lauren Manning, Emily Oehlsen, Erika Arias, Ale Ferrara

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

37 Mo Leitner ’14, Emma Molloy ’13, Sara Leitner ’07, Dee Miller ’10, Paige Terry ’10 and Maggie McLaughlin ’10 at Tory Bensen’s ’10 lacrosse game

2010

2012

Elizabeth LaBossiere, elizabeth.labossiere@yale.edu; Jennifer Traver, jenny.traver@gmail.com

Jennifer Schwabe, jschwab2@villanova.edu

37 Tory Bensen had a very successful lacrosse season at the University of Pennsylvania. She was named second team All-American and was Ivy League Attacker of the Year with a total of 64 points in 2015. Elizabeth LaBossiere is living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with fellow 2010 graduate Katie Randolph. She has been working at Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst in the consumer retail and healthcare industries for about a year, and would be happy to speak with anyone interested in the field or doing similar work. Beth has enjoyed seeing several CSH alumnae in New York and can’t believe it’s been five years! Elyse Yoder is teaching first grade at the South Bronx Classical Charter School.

2011 38 Alexandra Murray ’12 and Christiane McCabe ’12 standing in front of the North Korean Workers’ Party monument in Pyongyang, North Korea

39 Alexandra McCabe ’10 and Christiane McCabe ’12 at an old Argentinean research station in Antarctica

tell us your news To submit information, please contact your class agent or meghan mara ryan ’01 at maram@cshct.org. Below are Some tips for sending us your digital photos so they look great in horizons: > set the photo size to 4 x 6 inches or larger, in 300 dpi > set your digital camera to the best photo setting > save files as JPG or TIF > Identify everyone left to right in the photo and provide a caption > send images as attachments. Please do not embed them into your emails

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

Grace McMorrow, grace.mcmorrow@gmail.com; Margaret Trimble, trimblem@bc.edu; Kathleen Spillane, kathleen.r.spillane.15@dartmouth.edu After graduating from Villanova University, Bridget Mara is working as a marketing liaison at Bloomingdale’s corporate office. Lana Papa moved to Atlanta, GA, after graduating in January from George Washington University. She is a financial analyst at Sun Trust Bank.

38 39 Christiane McCabe has been studying geology at Bates College in Lewiston, ME. Through her geology studies, she spent a summer doing glaciological research while living on glaciers in the Alaskan wilderness. Last summer, she lived in Beijing for a month taking classes in Chinese cooking, and toured North Korea. This past year, she studied abroad in Svalbard, Norway. Alli Sciarretta was named captain of the women’s lacrosse team at Middlebury College for the 2016 season. Alli scored four goals in the NCAA Div. III Women’s Lacrosse Semifinals against Cortland.

2013 Sarah Hirshorn, sarah.hirshorn@gmail.com; Catherine Considine, cconsidi@villanova.edu Elizabeth Attubato is an intern at Lincoln Financial this summer. Jackie Batrus is an intern with Fox News this summer. Next spring, she will be going abroad to the Galapagos to work on research. Kimberly Benza has been the recruitment intern for Major League Baseball for the past year. She helps out with all aspects of hiring through the commissioner’s office. Taylor Blevin is heavily involved in VERDE, a service group, at Washington University. Affiliated with the Campus Y, VERDE is a student-run branch of the YMCA of Greater St. Louis. “We have about 15 members this semester and teach once a week at a local elementary school,” said Taylor. “We cover a wide range of environmental science lessons, and work to tie our topics in with what they are learning in their regular classes. In addition to educational outreach, we try to plan

Wendy Collins ’13 (fourth from the left) and the Skidmore equestrian team

a few events per semester focused on environmental restoration and development.” Maya Bond will study abroad for her junior year in Leuven, Belgium. This summer, she travels to El Salvador on a service trip, where she will hear various stories of how the war in El Salvador has affected people’s lives. 40 Wendy Collins is on the equestrian team at Skidmore College and won the regionals. She hopes to place in zones and move on to nationals! Alexa D’Allesandrini has an internship at a not-for-profit film production company Shine Global, which creates films to raise awareness and donate funds to children in various situations of global poverty. This summer, the company will finalize a project called Selling Our Daughters, which focuses awareness on the sex trade of young girls in Thailand. “They have some amazing work on Netflix and iTunes, if you’re looking for something moving to watch,” Alexa says. Margaret Dunne, representing Georgetown University, stroked the Varsity 8 at the Head of the Charles Regatta this year in the championship 8 category. Holly Geffs is an active and passionate member of the Yale University Debate Association. Hannah Godvin will be interning at the publishing company Meredith Corporation this summer. 41 Sarah Hirshorn is in the second year of running a service project of Stanford University’s crew team called Project S.W.E.E.P. (Stanford Women’s

Educational Erging Program). Through this program, Sarah and her teammates teach disadvantaged students. In March, she expanded the program by taking a team field trip to the boathouse. Devon Hoffman will be interning for a public relations firm in New York City, Nike Communications. This year at Colgate, Devon’s improv troupe opened for Rob Belushi! 42 Sarah Manning spent three weeks in Uganda in January researching public health, specifically the nutritional situation in Kampala. Sarah attended this program through Johns Hopkins University, but also joined several students from Makerere University (public health school in Kampala). Taylor Michael was recently chosen to photograph a gallery for women’s history month called “Eminence: Decolonizing and Glorifying Black Women’s Bodies.” Rebecca Quirke has been an active member of the Connecticut

College sailing team starting as the team’s B skipper. She is also the head instructor at Pequot Yacht Club, in Southport, CT, where she is responsible for managing 120 young sailors and nine coaches. She has declared a double major in government and American studies with an economics minor. This fall, she looks forward to studying abroad in Paris, France, in the IES Business and International Affairs program. “I intend to globalize my government and economics studies, while continuing to explore my passion for the French language,” said Rebecca. Lauren Wood and a team of four other student-engineers at Rice University designed a device to enable physical therapists to help children with balance issues. The Step-Up Floor Ladder is a simple frame with movable rungs that tests children’s ability to balance as they traverse obstacles.

41 Sarah Hirshorn ’13 and her crew teammates took a group of disadvantaged students on a field trip to the boathouse

42 Sarah Manning ’13 (top left) in Uganda

In Memoriam Alice Doclot Burns ’37 Marcia Finn Decatur ’49 Isabel Dougherty Dougherty ’35 Karen Hirschhorn ’83 Suzanne Richard Jacquand ’40 Patricia Lamborn Kolbe ’44 Madeleine Sexton McCarthy ’53 Joan Bliss McGarey ’48 Catherine Nix ’06 Susan Wallau Rohm ’64

Members of the Class of 2014 spending time together at Christmas

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

Second-grader Emily (in pink dress, back to camera) presenting roses to the Class of 2005

in view

End of An Era

T Emily in kindergarten

he road to graduation for Emily Hirshorn ’15 began before birth and marks a time of transition for her family. Emily’s mother, Hope Houston Hirshorn, graduated in the Class of 1982 and sent all three of her daughters to her alma mater, beginning in preschool. Grace ’11 graduated from Yale University this year, and Sarah ’13 attends Stanford University. Emily moves on to the University of Notre Dame in the fall. “I will miss being part of a community that is so extensive that it spans the globe, and so intimate that everyone knows my name,” Emily said. With three younger brothers, this is the end of an era for a family long active at Sacred Heart. Emily’s father, William, is a member of the Board of Trustees.

HORIZONS summer/fall 2015

“After 16 consecutive years of being a Sacred Heart parent and nine years on the alumnae board, next year will certainly be different for me,” said Hope. “While I will miss marking the calendar with the many distinctive CSH traditions, such as Mother-Daughter Liturgies and Prize Days, I am happy that CSH has provided our daughters with a solid academic and moral foundation.”

Join the Aloysia Hardey, RSCJ, Society Support future generations of Sacred Heart students. This bequest society is named for Mother Aloysia Hardey, RSCJ, foundress of Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich. Like St. Madeleine Sophie, Mother Hardey insisted upon developing in her students a sense of duty to those in the world outside the school. Mother Hardey’s influence allowed the Society of the Sacred Heart to grow; many Americans began to enter the Society and more and more students were attracted to the schools. She founded our School. Mother Hardey’s true American spirit, influenced so greatly by St. Madeleine Sophie’s example of self-discipline, love and devotion to the children educated in Sacred Heart schools lives on today, here in Greenwich, in our beautiful School on the hilltop. We are her living legacy. We invite you to this most special society, which honors all members of the Sacred Heart community who have made deferred or planned gifts, such as a bequest, to Convent of the Sacred Heart, regardless of the amount. Please contact Sacred Heart’s Advancement Office at 203-532-3160 for information about making a bequest. For additional information on planned giving, visit our website, www.cshgreenwich.org.

Why I Give to Sacred Heart “Being able to give this to Sacred Heart was one of the most joyous days of my life.” —Larry Henry, father of Caroline E. Henry ’06 and Mary Grace Henry ’15

“Sacred Heart Education over eight years helped me formulate my values and was foundational in who I am today.” —Mary Anne Diefenbach Sullivan ’58, president of the School in 1958 and recipient of outstanding awards for athletics

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich • cshgreenwich.org

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Save the Date Welcome Home Reunion 2015

Welcoming ALL graduates from EVERY year Saturday, October 3, 2015 Schedule of events: 1:30 p.m.—Luncheon for the Class of 1965 and earlier classes 2:30 p.m.—Tours of the School and New Facilities 4:00 p.m.—Liturgy 5:00 p.m.—Cocktail Reception For more information and to register, please contact: Meghan Mara Ryan ’01 at 203-352-3545 or maram@cshct.org

Grounded in tradition...building for the future