Durham Academy Magazine - Winter 2016 by Durham Academy

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Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go, Cavs!

Cheering for DA at the first all-school pep rally

A L S O I N T H IS ISSUE : Music video goes viral | Life-changing faculty | New Upper School director

Melody Guyton Butts

F ROM THE HEAD OF SC HOOL

n February of 1992, listening to Boys II Men on the cassette deck of my Plymouth Sundance (a car soon discontinued due to its lack of reliability, handling, safety, performance, beauty and sales), I drove from Chapel Hill to Durham to interview for a teaching job. I entered Durham Academy, noting the low-slung buildings and cryptic logo (since replaced by a cleaner, interlocking version). There were no phones in classrooms. There were only a few computers on campus. The Preschool and Lower School were located on Academy Road. There was no Taylor Hall, no Kirby Gym, no Moylan Field, no Learning Commons. Bill Clinton was the governor of Arkansas. Much has changed. What hasn’t changed is the abundance and effect of extraordinary teachers at Durham Academy. After interviewing with Jim Speir that sunny morning, I met some of the instructional icons of this place, teachers who had earned their reputations by drawing out the best from decades of DA students: Tim Dahlgren, Mary Clyde Bugg, Pete McWilliams, Gail Walker, Dick Forringer and others. Six months later, as I began my work as an Upper School teacher (my hiring the apparent result of some administrative mistake), I knelt at the feet of more DA teaching greats: Dave Gould, Jenny Wallace, Dennis Cullen, Harriet King, Lou Parry, Margarita Throop and more. Twenty-three years later, as I see my own two children make their way through the Middle and Upper Schools, I feel the same mix of wonder and gratitude when I watch their teachers in action. How varied the personalities and styles! How radiant their enthusiasm for their subjects! How deep their wells of generosity for my children!

Times have changed. Our campuses have developed. Our student body has grown more diverse. But the timeless refrain of the Durham Academy experience — the DNA of DA — is the life-changing impact of extraordinary teachers. This is why we have nationally competitive faculty salaries despite a modest endowment. This is why our alumni point to relationships with teachers as their most prized experience at DA. And this is the reason our yearlong process of discernment resulted in a clear first priority for our Strategic Plan: We will strive to create a faculty full of lifechangers: genuine, curious, passionate, striving, generous and accountable teachers/ learners who nurture, inspire, engage and challenge students and model the path to moral, happy, productive lives. So ... what exactly is a life-changing teacher? Given our high regard for autonomy, creativity and diversity, we do not try to capture extraordinary teaching in a checklist or prescribe it with draconian rules. Nonetheless, we have worked hard in recent years to derive and articulate clear standards of teaching excellence, to insist on continual learning and growth from rookies and veterans alike and to celebrate teachers who transcend their typical assignments to help students discover their best selves. Those very themes — learning continually, transcending the classroom and connecting with students as their best selves emerge — are the reasons I became a teacher. A series of life-changers during my high school experience in Albuquerque convinced me that a) I had something to offer the world and b) there was nobility and joy in a life of teaching. Father Jose Rodriguez led my confirmation classes and insisted that we include all voices in every discussion. Bob Philips taught 11thgrade English and revealed the immensity, humor and sublimity of American poetry. Bruce Musgrave taught AP English — sometimes in class, sometimes on the basketball court and sometimes over a burrito in the summer. Those teachers made life seem meaningful and surprising and beautiful. I longed to give back some of what I had gained from their mentorship. By October of my first year of teaching at DA, I knew I was hooked. My students were hungry, happy and often hilarious. My

colleagues were generous and gentle in guiding me from seat-of-the-pants improvisation to a deeper understanding of teaching and learning. Especially because each day, and each child, offered fresh challenges and rewards, I sensed that I could happily spend a lifetime in schools. I did not realize then that the richest rewards of teaching reveal themselves only with the passage of years. Watching students grow and mature, building relationships with siblings and parents, catching up with adult alumni — these are the soul-nourishing morsels of our work. While it’s easy to grow impatient or frustrated with the habits of a 15-year-old student, it’s impossible not to marvel at the cumulative, long-term products of a caring and capable faculty. As always, our campuses are brimming with life-changing teachers. In this issue of the magazine, you can read: • profiles of history teacher Thomas Phu and French teacher Teresa Engebretsen • the story of English teacher Jordan Adair and his oral history partnerships with local veterans • news of chemistry teacher Kari Newman’s nomination for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching • tales from the professional development trips of math teacher Ashu Saxena (to India) and first-grade teacher Rosemary Nye (to Finland) • an update on the championship program built by chess coach Craig Jones • and a feature on alumni pursuing careers in education: Katie Ballou Gardner, Ran Holeman, Jamie Gutter and Tatum Pottenger. After several years away from the classroom, I will resume my own teaching career in August — launching an interdisciplinary Upper School course on morality, happiness and productivity with Lee Hark. I feel some anxiety about balancing my roles and meeting the high standards of our students. At the same time, I can’t wait to resume what is, and always has been at Durham Academy, our most sacred work.

Michael Ulku-Steiner, Head of School @ MrUlkuSteiner

58 F EATURES

6 | FIRST-EVER ALL-SCHOOL PEP RALLY From Preschool through Upper School, DA students and teachers packed Kirby Gym for a rousing kick-off to Homecoming and Fall Alumni Weekend JEWELS IN DAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CROWN Outstanding teachers are what draw families to DA and what alumni remember after they graduate. Hailing from a tiny town in North Carolina and from across the globe in Southeast Asia, Teresa Engebretsen and Thomas Phu bring energy, expertise and excitement to the classroom.

Colin Huth

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34 | ROBOTICS TEAMS BUILD CHARACTER, PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS Now in its second year, the Middle School program is fielding three competition teams: RoboSharks, Programming Piranhas and the Cav Squad

FRONT COVER: Give it up for the Cavaliers! Fifth-graders Veronica Quiett (from left), Kayley Kim and Allison Preble were part of the crowd cheering for Durham Academy at the first-ever all-school pep rally on Oct. 2.

P H OTO B Y C O L I N H U T H

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Melody Guyton Butts

Colin Huth

CONTENTS

CON TENTS

DA ON THE GO Read the Durham Academy magazine on your tablet. Visit www. da.org/ magazine for links to the current and previous issues. •

WINTER 2016

VOLUME 43, NO. 1

DURHAM ACADEMY Michael Ulku-Steiner, Head of School

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Turn up the volume!

From Motorco to The Voice, DA musicians belt out a blockbuster year

Anne Lloyd ’82, Chair, Board of Trustees Seth Jernigan ’96, President, Alumni Board DURHAM ACADEMY MAGAZINE Kathy McPherson, Editor Linda Noble, Designer COMMUNICATIONS Leslie King, Director of Communications leslie.king@da.org Kathy McPherson, Associate Director of Communications kathy.mcpherson@da.org Melody Butts, Assistant Director of

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Commencement | New Preschool director | DA in China | $1 million gift

Communications melody.butts@da.org Send news and story ideas to communications@da.org.

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DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS Leslie Holdsworth, Director of Development leslie.holdsworth@da.org Tim McKenna, Associate Director of Alumni Affairs tim.mckenna@da.org DURHAM ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT: The purpose of Durham Academy is to provide each student an education that will enable him or her to live a moral, happy and productive life. The development of intellect is central to such a life and thus, intellectual endeavor and growth are the primary work of the school. The acquisition of knowledge; the development of skills, critical judgment and intellectual curiosity; and increased understanding are the goals of the school’s academic program.

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CO NT ENTS A D D I T I O N A L F E ATU R E S

12 | VIRAL MUSIC VIDEO ASKS: WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? A cappella group XIV Hours looks at pop music and teen relationships 14 | SENIOR LIZ ROBERTS SETS NEW DA HOOPS RECORD She’s at 1,852 points and counting

Leslie King

16 | LEE HARK TRANSITIONS TO ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL Lanis Wilson is new Upper School director

24 | THE CLASSROOM IS THEIR CALLING Katie Ballou Gardner ’01, Tatum Pottenger ’10, Jamie Gutter ’07, Ran Holeman ’00 28 | REFUGEE CRISIS BECOMES PERSONAL Seventh-graders hear first-hand journey of an Iranian family 30 | HONORING DURHAM’S GREATEST GENERATION DA students share veterans’ stories from World War II 32 | CHEMISTRY TEACHER IS FINALIST FOR PRESIDENTIAL AWARD Kari Newman’s teaching methods train students to truly think 37 | DA BREAKS ENROLLMENT RECORDS AGAIN School year opens with 1,185 students

38 | CHECKMATE: TOP-RANKED DA CHESS PROGRAM DA hosts 100th consecutive monthly tournament 40 | FEASTING ON FOUR WHEELS Food trucks roll on campus, bringing lots of lunch options 46 | AFTER A SEMESTER IN WASHINGTON, CONCANNON’S LIFE IS CHANGED Katie Concannon ’17 on the School for Ethics and Global Leadership

I N EAC H I SS U E

4 | THE BIG PICTURE

Melody Guyton Butts

53 | FROM THE GREEN

Connect with DA • DA on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DurhamAcademy • DA Alumni on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DACavsAlumni • DA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DurhamAcademy • DA Alumni on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DurhamAcademyAl • DA on YouTube: www.youtube.com/DurhamAcademyComm • DA on LinkedIn: www.bit.ly/LinkedInDA • DA on Instagram: www.instagram.com/DurhamAcademy • DA on Flickr: www.flickr.com/DurhamAcademy

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T HE BIG P ICTUR E

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RUN, RUN, AS FAST AS YOU CAN … and you might be able to catch physical education teacher Costen Irons, who was decked out in seasonal attire for Parents Association’s Nov. 14 Turkey Trot. The Fun Run is the draw for little kids, while lots of their older brothers and sisters, moms, dads, teachers and alumni friends gave it their all in the 5K race.

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ALL TOGETHER NOW

Entire School Gathers for First Pep Rally A

ll of Durham Academy —

from faculty and staff, to 4-year-olds only weeks into their time at DA, to seniors beginning to think about college applications — came together Oct. 2 in Kirby Gym for the first ever all-school pep rally, a kick-off to Fall Alumni Weekend. While it was the first all-school pep rally, it was not the first time DA brought its students together on one campus. They gathered in 1983 for a DA 50th anniversary photo, came together in 1999 to welcome new headmaster Ed Costello and celebrated DA’s 75th anniversary in 2008. A great — and very loud — time was had by all! P H OTO S B Y C O L I N H U T H

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“What fun to hear the roar of our students – from sweaty kindergartners, to pep-charged Middle Schoolers, to dancing varsity athletes!” — Michael Ulku-Steiner, head of school

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“He [the Cavalier] asked children to wear that hat, so I weared it. It was really sweaty on my head!” — Siona Mudvari, pre-kindergartner

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“We cheered the loudest, but I was screaming as loud as I can.” — Sophia Brigidi, first-grader 10

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Colin Huth

Cavaliers Then + Now

1. Eric Holmes ’16 (pictured on page 6) is the Cavalier this year, but third-grader Merritt Schulz – who dressed as the DA Cavalier for Halloween – delighted the crowd when he made an appearance at basketball games. 2. Betsy Wiener ’13 was the Cavalier when DA celebrated the opening of Kirby Gym in 2013. 3. Justin Paige ’01 paused for a photo op as the Cavalier at Unity Day in 2000. 4. Mark Chandler ’03 took a turn as the Cavalier in 1996. 4. Mike Eggleston ’09 played the Cavalier when DA celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008.

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Nathan Clendenin

Dave Cha

ndler Jon Gardine

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ABOVE: DA a cappella group XIV Hours worked over the summer to create a long-form music video examining unhealthy sexual relationships and gender stereotypes contained in the messages of popular music and culture.

XIV Hours Viral Music Video Asks: What’s Love Got to Do with It? By Leslie King, Director of Communications

ast winter, Durham Academy a cappella group XIV Hours created a performance piece for their first national competition at the International Championship of High School A Cappella — a meditation on the unhealthy sexual relationships and gender stereotypes contained in the messages of popular music and culture. The themes were rooted in an ongoing campus-wide dialogue about respect. It was a powerful performance, and while its message won accolades from the judges, XIV Hours didn’t advance in the competition, which was deflating. “We were all dejected and sad on the plane riding back to Durham when [Upper School music teacher] Mr. Meyer came back to our section and said, ‘You all, we’re gonna do a music video, because what were doing is too important to just let it go,’” said Brooke Joynes ’15. “And after he told us that, the whole atmosphere changed on the plane for us. We were so overjoyed 12

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because it meant that we weren’t going to let some judges stand in the way of what we all worked so hard for and believed in so much.” Over the summer, XIV Hours went to work on a long-form music video dramatization interpreting those same themes through characters played by members of the group. They were committed to inspiring conversation on a larger level about relationship expectations and the mixed messages teens navigate through the music they listen to every day. But they were under a tight timetable — more than half the group had graduated in May and was headed off to college. “This project was really big and really tiresome,” said videographer and singer Brad Hodgin ’15, “but also so rewarding and so much fun. I’m just glad that other people get to see what we created.” The video dramatization follows the structure and themes of XIV Hours’ |

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performance at the national competition: • Act One posed a question: What if people actually said in real life what “club anthems” discuss? The overtly sexual nature of some of those lyrics, when sung by teens, can be uncomfortable to hear or watch. • Act Two follows a couple whose relationship is intentionally vague, and is complicated by the fact that they are dealing with weighty decisions at a young age and may not be communicating with each other clearly. • Act Three shows the fallout from hookup culture: broken hearts and loneliness. In a breakthrough moment, our characters realize that open communication and holding each other up, rather than tearing each other down, is at least a start toward navigating relationships safely. The experience of shooting the music video itself impacted students on multiple levels.

“It was honestly a life-changing experience. For me, being the girl who was harassed in the club by all the guys in the group singing pop lyrics at me, I truly felt the effects that that kind of culture has on women,” MacKenzi Simpson ’16 said. “I had this realization through the process and made a point to give songs a harder listen, and be respectful of the sexuality of each individual,” said Andrés Rosa ’15 added. “I feel proud and accomplished to

have been a part of such an amazing, talented group of people,” Megan Pottenger ’15 said. “I feel like I learned a lot about how detrimental hookup culture and miscommunication can truly be, and I think we were able to show that in the video.” “Lost in the Game: A Musical Story of Relationships, Sex and Gender Politics” made its DA debut in September at an Upper School assembly, with music teacher and XIV Hours director Michael Meyer providing introductory context about the project. The video was shared with the larger DA community on Facebook hours later. So far, more than 8,500 people have heard their message on Facebook, 38,900 have watched the video on Vimeo and 1,900 on YouTube, and the group was featured on NBC and ABC affiliates. “Now that it has been put into an artistic piece that can be played over and over until people truly understand the message makes me proud,” Sofia Velazquez ’15 said. “I hope that through this commentary on lyrics, many others can start a conversation and open up this issue to their surroundings as well.” “For me, the video was amazing because it proved to us that we could use music, something that we all loved, to make a bigger statement and share a message. To be a part of something bigger than our group is a fantastic experience,” Kiran Nagar ’16 said. “The process reminded me how lucky I am to be at a school where the students and teachers genuinely care about TOP: Seventeen magazine featured the video in its each other and are passionate online magazine. MIDDLE: NBC and ABC affiliates about things,” Thea Lance ’16 ran segments on the XIV Hours video. BOTTOM: said. “The fact that we were MTV News said the DA group’s music video had able to touch people with our “an important message” and called it “amazing.”

music means everything to me.” “Although there were numerous times where I didn’t think that the video would be finished at all, I’m so happy that we did it,” Joynes ’15 said. “Michael Meyer is truly a genius, and Durham Academy would be hard-pressed to find a more dynamic, passionate and loved teacher for the music department.” “I couldn’t be more grateful to Meyer, for everything. He has done so much for his group this year, and we couldn’t have done any of it without his careful guidance and care,” Marie Li ’15 added. “I will sorely miss this group, and part of me is admittedly a bit sad that the video came out, only because it means that the year is truly over.” “Each member of this group has a special place in my heart,” Braden Saba ’16 said. “This project was something I’ll never forget.” At www.da.org/magazine:

• Watch XIV Hours’ “Lost in the Game” video.

“LOST IN THE GAME” BY 2014-2015 XIV HOURS Congratulations to the talented, creative faculty and student members of XIV Hours 2014-2015 who collaborated on Lost in the Game: A Musical Story of Relationships, Sex and Gender Politics: Derek Brown ’15, James Daubert ’15 (played by Morgan Jones ’16 in the video), Brad Hodgin ’15, Brooke Joynes ’15, Veronica Kim ’16, Thea Lance ’16, Marie Li ’15, Kiran Nagar ’16, Thomas Olson ’15, Megan Pottenger ’15, Andrés Rosa ’15, Braden Saba ’16, Ariana Sheeks ’15, MacKenzi Simpson ’16, Sofia Velazquez ’15 and Geri Williamson ’15. “Lost in the Game” was recorded and edited by Brad Hodgin, Derek Brown and Upper School music teacher Michael Meyer. Musical arrangements were by Michael Meyer. Audio was recorded, edited, mixed and mastered by Liquid 5th Productions. Special thanks go to Piedmont Restaurant, where the video’s opening scenes were filmed.

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Senior Liz Roberts Sets New DA Hoops Points Record By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

ven if she wanted to, it would be difficult for Liz Roberts to escape the significance of her latest accomplishment on the Kirby Gym hardwood. Every day, as the Durham Academy senior passes through the gym lobby, she walks alongside Athletic Hall of Fame plaques honoring DA girls basketball legends Katie O’Connor ’95 and Patricia Biggs Porcelli ’84. Both went down in the DA record books for holding alltime school records for points scored — records that Roberts has now eclipsed. Roberts’ points total stands at 1,852 and counting, with at least two games remaining on the varsity girls’ schedule. For comparison, the boys record, held by Jordan Lawson ‘10, stands at 1,444 points. Roberts passed O’Connor’s record of 1,468 points with a 24-point performance on Nov. 20, in the opening round of the Cannon Classic tournament vs. High Point Christian. “I had no idea I would even set it,” Roberts said. “I knew last year after I broke 1,000 points that I was 400 away from the record. I thought about it a little over the summer, but once the season started, it really left my mind. I was so focused on winning and making the team better.” But Roberts’ fans were keeping track, watching 14

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her total climb quickly as she notched more than 20, sometimes 30 points per game. After the High Point Christian victory in Concord, a cookie cake and enthusiastic gaggle of family and other supporters set the scene for a memorable celebration. “It was a really great feeling. It was more the feeling of being surrounded by all of the people who got me there — my mom, my dad, my brother, my two coaches,” Roberts said. “I was thinking about how much the people around you make a difference. That was a huge deal for me, being surrounded by everyone I love.” Fellow senior Serena Walker’s description of Roberts runs counter to the image one might expect of the top-scoring player of all time. Roberts’ focus has never been on herself, her teammate said. Rather, she’s focused on the good of the team as a whole and helping her teammates reach their personal goals. “Her drive and her ambition motivate me to keep up with her,” Walker said. “She’s always so positive, even at times when it’s impossible for me to remain positive. She’s always that source of positivity for the team.” Athletic Director Steve Engebretsen describes Roberts as “the face of DA women’s

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basketball for the last four years.” “She has worked hard to become one of the best players in our conference and in the 40-year history of DA women’s basketball,” he said. “It’s been a special treat for me to watch her play and get to know her.” Roberts began playing basketball at the age of 5. She’s always had a passion for the sport — the fast-paced backand-forth, the intensity of other players, the rush she feels when playing. And she loves being part of a team: “There’s nothing greater than being supported by your teammates. When you’re making a good play, they’re the ones who are hyping you up.” So when DA varsity girls head coach Krista Gingrich and assistant coach Robert White invited her to join the varsity team as an eighthgrader, it was a dream come true. But she was also a little bit nervous to play with and against players who were sometimes four years her elder. “When I was in the eighth grade, I was so terrified, trying to go with the flow and not mess anything up,” Roberts said. As a 13-yearold, she never would have imagined that she would one day make DA athletics history. But over time, she’s seen

Colin Huth

Now, reflecting on her eighth-grade self quaking in her basketball shoes, she’s so grateful that her coaches gave her the opportunity to play at such a high level at such a young age.

herself assume a bigger role on the team. It really hit home in November 2014, when she hit her 1,000th point. She’s among five girls players who are part of the school’s 1,000-point club: Katie O’Connor ’95 (1,468 points); Tracy Hardaker ’91 (1,323 points); Catherine Phillips ’03 (1,122 points); and Cha’Mia Rothwell ’16 (1,120 points). “That’s when it really set in — wow, look how far you have come,” Roberts said. Now, reflecting on her eighth-grade self quaking in her basketball shoes, she’s so grateful that her coaches gave her the opportunity to play at such a high level at such a young age: “I would have never done this if Krista and Robert hadn’t believed in me back then.” For Gingrich, it’s been a treat to watch Roberts — whom she describes as a “tremendous leader” — reach this quantifiable level of success after working so diligently. “She’s a gym rat, which is one of the best compliments a coach can give a player. She spends countless hours in the gym, and I’m pleased that her hard work is paying off,” Gingrich said. “I’m also proud of how Liz encourages and motivates our younger players, and also for her success off the DURHAM ACADEMY

court in the classroom. I have no doubt that Liz will find success in her life because of the work ethic and lessons she has learned from playing DA basketball.” The next chapter of Roberts’ basketball life is still being plotted. If she matriculates to a large university, she may look to play club ball, and if she elects to attend a smaller college, there may be a chance to play on a school team. After the girls game vs. Charlotte Latin on Dec. 4, Roberts stuck around to cheer for the boys team. At halftime of the game, eight legendary athletes and coaches were inducted into the DA Athletic Hall of Fame. Among them was Porcelli, who set the first documented points record in 1984 with 951 points. She was described at the halftime ceremony as “one of Durham Academy’s first great girls basketball players.” “Watching that, I just had a real appreciation for what she did,” Roberts said. “When you hear of someone else who accomplished that many points, it puts it into perspective, just how hard they had to work for that. I think over my years, it definitely hasn’t been easy — I have so much respect for how hard she and the other great players had to work.”

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Lee Hark Becomes Associate Head of School By Lee Hark, Upper School Director and Associate Head of School

Nathan Clendenin

his was a very difficult piece to write. I’m both thrilled and saddened by my impending job change. The upside is obvious: the chance to continue to work with a school leader I respect and admire; the possibility of serving in an expanded, “whole school” role; the opportunity to continue to grow and develop in a school I love. But I feel conflicted about turning away, at least in an immediate sense, from the Upper School families and faculty, which is a community I cherish. I have been the Upper School Director at Durham Academy for eight years, which rightly earns me no official recognition from the school (you don’t even get a book for eight years). The relationships you forge as division director can be intense, though (we’re handling precious cargo), and I continue to be energized and challenged by those close bonds. It’s also very strange to participate in your own replacement ... and to not be leaving. For one thing, there can be no shenanigans — no removing the “H” keys from the keyboards, no Clingwrap on the toilet seats, no looting the faculty silverware drawer — because I will still be here to answer for everything that has been done and not done (and thus the pressure I feel to keep the pedal down between now and July 1.) I’ll also need to stay out of the way of the new Upper School Director. Working initially for Ed Costello (a former upper school director himself), I was given the freedom to make my own decisions and mistakes. Ed was always supportive, but I never doubted that it was my division to run. Michael did me that same courtesy (although he was living la vie louche in Switzerland at the time); if he was nonplussed as I set about dismantling everything he had worked so hard to build, he kept quiet about it. But he was always at the ready to explain some arcane cultural or historical artifact, or to tell me how he had managed a difficult personality — or simply commiserate with me when I stepped squarely in some mess or other. Lanis Wilson deserves no less from me. The Upper School will be in great shape — in better shape — in the years to come. The goal with every new hire is to “trade up” when you can; it’s quite another thing entirely to be around to hear people say it’s true about you. Another personal challenge is that I’m moving from a role where I constantly respond to people’s needs to one where I 16

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Lee Hark

need to convince people I am needed. The nature of that new need is, of course, the $64,000 question. Durham Academy has always been known as an administratively lean school, and to some the associate head of school position smacks of “administrative bloat” (a term lovingly coined by Jerry Benson, Director of Business Services.) If we’re going to hurdle the challenges framed in the Strategic Plan, though, there needs to be someone accountable for the work. Most of the work of the associate head was outlined in Strategic Plan goals #1 (A Life-Changing Faculty) and #2 (A Cohesive, Connected and Collaborative Student Learning Experience), and it’s a daunting list: • Cultivate and celebrate excellence

in the faculty. • Reassess, standardize and ensure accountability in the faculty evaluation system and integrate with the professional growth program. • Expand and strategically award professional development and leadership opportunities. • Foster a culture and environment that encourages considered experimentation and innovation in classroom teaching and learning approaches in order to help every student reach his or her highest individual potential. • Examine and revise, as needed, scope and sequence in all disciplines. • Ensure core academic curriculum incorporates experiential education; critical and creative thinking; team-based projects; character and service learning; and appropriate, responsible use of technology. • Enhance the culture of intellectual curiosity. • Confirm appropriate consistency across key elements of the student experience: class sections/grade levels, student assessment, workload. • Beyond commonly agreed skill and content goals and instructional frameworks, affirm pedagogical autonomy for faculty. • Create more interdisciplinary opportunities across departments and fields of study for faculty and students. • Connect DA students to local and global peers using online technologies and creative programming.

moustache, monocle or a fez? In response, I have one word: Sansabelt. It will happen. It’s tempting to look past my current responsibilities to the new role, but there is much to do before that transition happens. For now, I will relish the opportunity to close out the year with the awesome class of 2016 and the time I have left to work with our great faculty. Durham Academy is an amazing place to work and be educated, and I will always feel grateful to be a part of this outstanding community and for what it has given me and my family. It’s a privilege to be a Cavalier.

LANIS WILSON NAMED UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR Melody Guyton Butts

I was a policy debater in high school, a form of debate that has sadly all but gone the way of the dodo. Policy debaters battled over a set of stock issues they had to prove or disprove, and the one that intrigued me the most was called inherency. Essentially, the affirmative team had to prove that the plan it was promoting couldn’t actually happen — that it conflicted with existing laws, policies or attitudes. Otherwise, the logic went, some elected official would’ve already proposed it. When I think about the tasks that lie before us, inherency comes to mind. The interesting aspect of these challenges is that they are neither surprising nor new; in fact, lots of smart, hardworking people have addressed them in the past ... and yet they remain. I don’t claim to have the answers at the ready, and as ever, it will be a fine line to walk. We’ll need to continue to respect the strong, independent cultures of each division and the autonomy of our faculty. I still can’t shake the notion that we’re all going to have to relinquish some turf to make Durham Academy the school we all want it to be. What’s different now, I think, is that there is a deeper institutional commitment to making real, substantial progress on these seemingly intractable obstacles. The initial results of the Strategic Plan taskforces indicate to me that the school is ready to dig deep on these issues, and it’s clear that cosmetic improvements won’t be acceptable. Speaking of relinquishing turf, where I will exist physically (sorry to air my existential crisis here) is also another interesting part of this transition. The “satellite” offices Michael and I have proposed in the different divisions is one of the least talked about aspects of the new job, especially because everyone thinks Michael is joking when he says we’re going to share an office on the Upper School campus ... and then they stare in horror when they realize he is not. I assume it’s the thought of 24-hour proximity to such unwavering optimism and positivity (me, not Michael) that makes them so perturbed. (I envision sitting on a tiny footstool that raises and lowers in concert with his standing desk.) The sharing of space brings to mind a conversation I recently had with my daughters one morning during breakfast: Jane: What are you making? Me: Turkey sausage. Eliza: You should give one to Mr. Ulku-Steiner. Me: [flummoxed] Can’t a man have his own sausages? Must I share everything?!?! My own children are lost to me. In fact, part of Michael’s very generous offer to share his space includes a plan for us to spend one day apiece at each of the school’s campuses, so in theory we won’t overlap that much. The real benefit (aside from preserving Michael’s sanity and not causing him to question the creation of this role) is the increased exposure both of us will get to all four divisions. I’ll be able to help tell the stories of those divisions more effectively and broadly, but personally, the real benefit is the “connective tissue” it will provide when pushing hard on the strategic plan initiatives. Finally, I was asked recently what the signature style accessory of the AHoS will be. Will the bow tie be carried forward, ran the question, or will it be accompanied by a

ead of School Michael Ulku-Steiner announced the appointment of Lanis Wilson as Lanis Wilson Durham Academy’s next Upper School Director on Feb. 3. The search committee received applications from more than 125 educator-leaders who aspired to join DA. Administrators, Upper School faculty, parents and students, trustees and alumni participated in the process. Wilson, who attended Durham Public Schools and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, earned an A.B. in English and Philosophy from Duke University and an M.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill. He served as a lecturer at Yale University and later taught and served as English Department chair at The Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. Since arriving at DA in 2002, Wilson has taught various AP English literature and composition classes, as well as AP Psychology and Ethics. His talents as a teacher have earned him repeated recognition as an outstanding educator. Beyond the classroom, Wilson’s administrative responsibilities have included academics, advising, admissions, student wellness and discipline. He was appointed Upper School Dean of Students in 2012. Wilson has deep roots as a Durham native, and the same could be said of his 14 years at DA. His commitment to and love for both Durham and DA are evident through the many connections he fosters. Since 2004, he has coordinated DA’s annual collaboration with Special Olympics and has a strong commitment to community service. Wilson’s priorities include connecting DA students to their responsibilities in Durham and the larger world, and working to create a community within the school where all students feel they belong. Look for an in-depth profile of Wilson in the summer issue of Durham Academy Magazine. DURHAM ACADEMY

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: LIFE-CHANGERS “A faculty of life-changers” is the #1 goal of Durham Academy’s 2015 Strategic Plan, and, indeed, DA teachers are that and more. Whether they came to DA three decades ago or arrived just this year, the faculty is full of genuine, curious, passionate and generous teachers who nurture, inspire, engage and challenge our students.

Eat, Pray, Love French, Teach: Middle School French teacher Teresa Engebretsen By Kathy McPherson, Associate Director of Communications

eresa Engebretsen has had a love affair with French since she was 15 years old. “I still feel that way about it. I think that’s what I bring to the classroom. I am just passionate about French, and the kids know that.” She tells Middle School parents that she’s going to brainwash their kids. “In Durham, North Carolina, French is not that big a deal, but in the big world it is, in all of Europe and in Africa. I just want them to love it.” Engebretsen brought her passion to Durham Academy in 1980 as a 22-year-old fresh out of Appalachian State with a degree in French. “I graduated in August with my car packed, ready to move here.” She heard about Durham Academy from a Chapel Hill friend at App State. “I didn’t know independent schools or private schools existed. We didn’t have those in Spruce Pine,” the tiny North Carolina mountain town where Engebretsen grew up. Teresa had planned to move to Raleigh and teach there once she graduated, but she wrote Durham Academy at the end of her junior year to see if the school would have any openings. Headmaster Rob Hershey responded with a job application, interviewed her and offered her a job teaching French in the Middle School. The position was set to start that fall, so Engebretsen completed a year’s worth of college over the summer and headed to Durham. In her first year at DA, Engebretsen taught first-year French to sixth-graders and second-year French to seventh-graders, and she had a homeroom of 22 students. “I had no idea what I was doing except that I’m bossy because I’m the oldest of four. I just wanted to be a teacher. I couldn’t have done it if [veteran teachers] Amelia Matthews and Mary Clyde Bugg hadn’t held my hand. Mary Clyde said some people are just born to be teachers and you’re one of them. That kept me going.” 18

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“I’ll keep doing a student trip as long as we have students to go. We have a wonderful time.” Engebretsen decided she wanted to be a teacher when she was in the seventh grade. “I think I knew it before then, but that’s when I made the decision.” And when she got to French class, she knew French was what she wanted to teach. Foreign language wasn’t offered until 10th grade in Spruce Pine, and French was the only choice because the teacher, Madame Buchanan, was a French woman who married an American soldier at the end of World War II and moved with him to Spruce Pine. “I fell in love with it, fell in love with the language, the culture.” Madame Buchanan took students on a trip to France when Engebretsen was a junior “but that was out of the question for me. It was just too expensive for my parents. I promised myself then that I would go as soon as I could.” Her yearning was sated a

ABOVE: Teresa Engebretsen spent summer and fall 2008 working with Chef Érick Vedel in Arles, France, cooking and helping run his bed and breakfast. Engebretsen was granted a faculty sabbatical for fall semester, and she said that time in France was the equivalent of graduate school for her. LEFT: Engebretsen travels to Paris several times a year.

bit her senior year, when the French Club raised money so that all the students could go on a trip to French-speaking Quebec City, Canada. Engebretsen’s teacher knew all the language professors at Appalachian State, took her to visit the school, introduced her to the dean of arts and sciences and made sure that’s where she would go to college. She was awarded a generous scholarship for students from western North Carolina, but at that time App did not offer any study abroad opportunities — and Engebretsen “just had to go to France.” She saved her money from working summers as a waitress at Eseeola Lodge in Linville, decided to take a year off from school and headed to France after her sophomore year of college. “I had never been on an airplane until my first trip to New York and then on to Paris. I was there for about five months, living with a family in the south of France and taking classes at a little international school.” The father of the family worked in a big hotel in Cannes and took Engebretsen under his wing. “We cooked together, and he made me watch French game shows to help my French. It was a great experience.” Engebretsen wanted her Middle School students to experience France, and she took her first group of students to France in 1987. With the exception of two years following the terrorist attacks in

2001, she has taken DA students on a trip to France every year since the early 1990s. This year, 22 Middle School French students will travel to France with her over spring break. “I can’t imagine teaching it and not going. I’ll keep doing a student trip as long as we have students to go. We have a wonderful time.” She has also continued her own travels to France. She spent two weeks in Arles, France, in 2005 on a summer enrichment grant from Durham Academy. “I wanted to do a cooking class, and I wanted to visit all the places Vincent van Gogh painted. I love Vincent van Gogh.” She stayed with Chef Érick Vedel, who teaches Provençal cooking and operates a bed and breakfast in Arles. Engebretsen and her classmates cooked dinner each evening with Chef Érick after spending the day together going to markets, seeing how goat cheese is made, visiting vineyards and learning where food comes from. “I grew up growing food — my parents had to — and my grandparents lived on a farm. But it was a new idea here [Durham].” She took a group of adults to Arles for the cooking class in summer 2006 and ended up translating because Chef Érick does not speak English and his wife had something else to continued on the next page do that week. D URHAM ACADEMY

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Kathy McPherson

“He asked me to come back the next summer because he needed an assistant, so I went for two months in 2007. Then the idea came to me: I wonder if I can turn this into a sabbatical and do this for six months.” Engebretsen applied for and was awarded Durham Academy’s faculty sabbatical, giving her a semester away from school. “I went over as soon as school was out in 2008. We stayed very busy with cooking classes until November and I helped run the bed and breakfast. There were five rooms. I helped with the cleaning — I can clean a toilet in French — did laundry and washed dishes. There was no dishwasher or dryer, but they had a washing machine. I hung out laundry from the second floor just like you see in the movies — sheets, towels, family laundry, my laundry. I was there until December.” The time she spent in France is equivalent of graduate school or professional development for Engebretsen. When former Headmaster Ed Costello prodded her about getting a master’s degree, “I told him, living in Arles, I got my master’s degree. I don’t want to study French poetry and literature. I did all of that in undergraduate school. It’s the culture and language that I want, and that’s what I did. I had always liked to cook, but I didn’t have enough confidence to not follow recipes. Then I saw what it’s like to go to a market, buy fresh and eat in season.” Cooking is one of the ways Engebretsen gets her students excited about French. They follow her Sabbatical Chef blog, read her recipes, give them a try for extra credit and bring them in for the whole class to sample. This year her classes may make their own cookbook. “I really have fun with the kids. Some of the younger teachers have asked me ‘How can you be so strict and have the kids love you so much?’ I think that’s part of the reason why. They need boundaries and need to know how to behave, and that’s what their parents send them here to us for. They know what I expect of them. I have very high standards. But they also know I love them and we’re going to have fun. That’s the key.” She is recognized as an excellent teacher and was the 2012 recipient of DA’s F. Robertson Hershey Distinguished Faculty Award. Engebretsen loves to write, and she’s been thinking about writing a memoir for four years. Publishers and other writers have advised her to sit down and write and edit later, and she’s written about a third of it. She wrote long letters to a friend during her 2007 and 2008 trips to France, and she’s been writing a blog since 2008. Her friend saved all the letters for her, and Engebretsen thinks the letters may provide the hook she needs for her memoir, which, of course, will include recipes! In addition to cooking and writing, Engebretsen loves to read historical fiction and anything set in France, particularly World War II in France and the plight of French Jews during that time. She likes to write notes of appreciation, and was so impressed by coach David Cutcliffe’s DA commencement speech that she wrote and asked him for a copy. “He said he talked from some bullet points, but a transcription of the speech was in the envelope! Someone must have watched the video and then transcribed it. I have used it when talking to this year’s seventh-graders to try to

ABOVE: Gratitude is important to Teresa Engebretsen, and it has been one of her themes this school year with her French students and her seventh-grade advisory.

motivate then to ‘leave a place better than they found it.’ ” When she came to DA in 1980, Engebretsen never expected that she would spend her career here. What has kept her here has been the kids — “who were great, so much fun” — and the way it just felt like home for her. “Rob Hershey hired a lot of young teachers. He took a chance on a lot of us and a lot of us are still here. We just became each other’s families. That’s played a huge part in it.” One of those teachers, who came to DA in 1981, did become family. Engebretsen is married to Steve Engebretsen, DA’s athletic director, and their sons, Jake and Grant, are DA graduates. Engebretsen takes the idea of “DA family” to heart. When a new teacher came to the Middle School, he found himself without a place to live when the person he moved here to be with ended their relationship. “He lived with us for three weeks until he found a place to live. It sounds silly to say this is a family, but it really is. We just look after each other.” At www.da.org/magazine:

• Read Engebretsen’s blog post tribute to her mentor Madame Buchanan.

Michael Barley

ABOVE: Thomas Phu wants his students to learn to be resourceful. “I try to get kids to problem solve. Instead of Google or Siri, put your computer and iPhone away and just problem solve.”

A Story of Survival: Upper School history teacher Thomas Phu By Kathy McPherson, Associate Director of Communications

homas Phu thinks he’s a very lucky person. He wouldn’t change a thing about a life that’s taken him from a childhood in war-torn Vietnam to refugee camps in Thailand to resettlement in Louisiana to college as a pre-med major to a career as a high school history teacher. “I’m a big believer in that’s the way it’s meant to be. If it weren’t for all of those events, I would not be the person I am. I am very, very viscerally still impacted by the war, from living in Vietnam, from the immigrant experience, from the refugee camp, from the bullying, being picked on. At the same time, certain adults had their arms around me and helped me when I was

completely clueless. I wouldn’t change anything because that’s who I am.” Phu has been at Durham Academy Upper School since 2003, and he has been recognized as an outstanding teacher — but his path here was anything but straight. Phu was eight when he escaped from Vietnam with his family in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve 1979. “We really didn’t have any future, being ethnically Chinese living in a communist country. We were seeing relatives’ property confiscated, and they were imprisoned or killed.” His father had served in the South Vietnamese Army, and he lived apart from the family in the countryside for several years after the war ended in 1975. Now the family was together, and they were headed for Thailand. They crossed the Mekong River by boat and walked, biked and sneaked rides on the back of convoys on their weeks-long journey through Cambodia and Laos, all the while trying to keep safe by disguising themselves as locals. They lived in refugee camps in Thailand for a year while Phu’s father made plans for them to move to Australia. continued on the next page

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When the Australia plans didn’t come through, he applied to go to America, and their immigration papers were processed quickly. Next came three months in a refugee camp in Indonesia, then on to Hong Kong, where the family boarded a plane for Seattle and then to Lake Charles, Louisiana. A Lake Charles man who owned hotels was the family’s sponsor, and Phu’s parents worked for him as janitors for four or five months. With their sponsor’s blessing, the family moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, where a military buddy helped Phu’s dad get a job as a janitor in a machine shop and his mother get a job in a Chinese restaurant. It was 1981, Phu was 10 and in the third grade, which he repeated the following year. He was the oldest in the class, yet was smaller than many American children because of a lack of nutrition and food during the war in Vietnam. “I felt lost, in a surreal world. I was picked on a lot, and I had to take care of my younger brother. I was protecting him, and almost became like his father.” He ended up doing well academically, skipping fifth grade and going straight from fourth grade to middle school. “I remember the very first day in the U.S., when we moved to Lake Charles. A woman gave my dad a hundred dollars and said this is your money for the month to buy food. We were in a store and I saw this bag of little olive-colored toy soldiers. It probably cost 80 cents and I wanted it.” Phu’s dad said if he wanted that bag of toys he could work for it. He got Phu a job mowing grass, and he mowed grass for the same woman from age 10 until he was 18. “Those little events like that, working as a janitor, working as a waiter, toughened me. If you want something, you earn it. It’s not given to you, it’s not on a silver platter. I bring that same attitude to [history] class. It’s sort of like tough love, but with guidance and nurturing. I borrowed that from the teachers who wrapped their arms around me. ... I think students need tough love more than the nurturing. It’s the resilience they need. I needed to see failure before I could succeed.” Phu graduated from Lafayette High School with a 3.85 GPA. He applied to college, intending to become a doctor because that’s what his father wanted him to be. He turned down several schools to attend Texas Christian University, which was “one of those great decisions that I didn’t mean to make.” A TCU admissions person visited Lafayette High and had encouraged Phu to apply. She helped him get financial aid, arranged for Pell Grants and showed him how to apply for bank loans. He went to the school sight unseen, and “that’s where I blossomed. ... In a small environment like that [8,500 students], I was able to make a number of really critical connections to staff and faculty who shepherded me through the four years there — people who cared and wanted to help me.” Phu struggled with the sciences in college and realized that while his high school grades were good, “I had no study skills, no strong study habits or analytical habits. I lied to myself that I’m a pretty smart person when in fact I had very little skills. I failed, making C-pluses and B-minuses and almost burned down the chem lab. ... A couple of teachers pulled me aside and said ‘Look, 22

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“I’m a big believer in that’s the way it’s meant to be. If it weren’t for all of those events, I would not be the person I am.”

ABOVE: Thomas Phu traveled to Europe after college, and was in Germany when the Berlin Wall was coming down.

this is what’s happening, and this is why you’re struggling.’ ” His advisor, Dr. Phil Hartman, told Phu “you might want to reconsider pre-med because you’re going to end up killing more people than you save.’ ” His comparative invertebrate anatomy professor, Dr. Gary Ferguson, said he would make a better teacher than he would a scientist. Ferguson made Phu his teaching assistant for the next semester, telling him “you have a way of talking to your friends that makes me think you may be a very good teacher.” After serving as a TA, Phu thought maybe he could survive college and maybe teaching would be his path. He stayed premed, double-majoring in biology and history. He was supposed to take the MCAT and apply to medical school, but decided his “heart wasn’t in it.” He took a year off after graduation, moving to Virginia with a roommate who was going to grad school at Charlottesville, and the following year he enrolled in the master’s program in history at William & Mary. “It was a leap — the analytical skills still weren’t there,” so he left W&M for a job teaching history at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia.

Kathy McPherson

ABOVE: “Traveling is one of the most memorable, most transformative things for me,” Phu said. He brought back a piece of the Berlin Wall from his travels, and has spent time in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Nicaragua and England.

After seven years in Alexandria, Phu was ready for a change. He accepted a job teaching history at DA, and moved here in 2003 with his wife, Kim, and daughters Julia and Meghan. It has been a great fit for Phu and his family. “There’s a whole 3-D thing about this place. It’s not just a job, seven to three or eight to four. It’s 24-hours in a good way. You care about the kids, the faculty and friends beyond academics. That’s sort of what I bring to the classroom, a 3-D way of teaching, the message in the classroom and outside. My message to the kids is it’s not about the grades. It’s about having a skill set to not only survive but to thrive in the real world. It’s about doing the right thing when no one else is looking. It’s about other people beside themselves. They have to go beyond their own little bubble. When they make decisions, think about who will be impacted. Will it be a positive impact or a negative impact? I know it’s hard for teenagers to think about that, but I have to plant the seed.” Phu sees himself not as Chinese, Vietnamese or American, though he is a U.S. citizen. He sees himself as a world citizen, and in class he “speaks from as many lenses as I can, based on my travels.” He was in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, and he brought a piece of the wall home with him. He was in Egypt six months before the Arab Spring movement. He has spent time in Saudi Arabia, has studied the Cold War in Cambridge,

England, and has been back to Vietnam three times. “Traveling is one of the most memorable, most transformative things for me.” He has been to Nicaragua twice with DA’s Nicaragua Club. He’s now the club’s advisor and will lead a trip to Nicaragua this spring. He also serves as a 10th grade advisor and coaches boys J.V. soccer. Phu played varsity soccer all four years he was in high school, but his soccer skills go back to his time in Thailand. “I was a kid in the refugee camp with nothing to do, and I was bored. I grabbed some newspaper, crumbled it together, tied a plastic bag around it, got some strings and made it into a little ball. That was my soccer ball. I ended up kicking it around with the other kids in the refugee camp, and that’s how I learned soccer.” He doesn’t expect DA students to make their own soccer ball, but he does want them to learn to be resourceful. “I try to get kids to problem solve. Instead of Google or Siri, put your computer and iPhone away and just problem solve. If you’re stuck in a bind, you need to know how to problem solve.” At www.da.org/magazine:

• Discover the life stories behind many of DA’s outstanding faculty. A different faculty member is featured each week throughout the school year. DURHAM ACADEMY

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Alumni in Education: the Next Generation Durham Academy teachers make a difference in our students’ lives. These four alumni have followed in the steps of DA faculty by becoming teachers themselves.

ABOVE: Katie Ballou Gardner is a kindergarten English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at a Title I school with 675 students, 70 percent of whom are Hispanic.

• Katie Ballou Gardner ’01

dergarten English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Knollwood Elementary School in Salisbury, North Carolina. Knollwood is a Title I school with 675 students, 70 percent of whom are Hispanic. Every year, I teach 40 to 50 Hispanic kindergarten students how to read, write, listen and speak in English through classes filled with technology and engaging centers. Due to the high poverty of my students and the lack of English in the home, I conduct home visits; offer parent involve-

Knollwod Elementary School

Growing up I remember spending my summers helping my mom, Leigh Ballou, set up her DA kindergarten classroom and prepare for her new group of students. Seeing first hand her passion for being a DA kindergarten teacher and the love she has for her students was priceless. Year after year, Mom created a kindergarten classroom environment filled with excitement, creativity and learning. Now, I am a kin24

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ment meetings and free after-school tutoring; and teach a two-week ESL summer camp. Recently I have presented at ESL conferences to share how I teach my young English learners, and I was interviewed for an ESL article in the 2015 August issue of Scholastic Instructor magazine. I strive to give my young English language learners a love for school and a positive outlook for the future. I hope I can touch the lives of my kindergarten students the way my mom did with all of her many DA kindergartners.

make decisions about their education. As challenging as the job can be, I feel a sense of urgency to play the even tiniest of roles in the movement toward an education system that benefits all its students, and that calls me back, day after day. My colleagues at Mariam Boyd and in Teach For America, as well as my amazing peers from Durham Academy and beyond who are teaching across the country, remind me of the power we have as educators to lead our students to believe in their own power and to advocate for themselves. Naturally, my experience at Durham Academy critically shaped my understanding of a holistic education — both a gift I received and, I believe, a right that should be afforded to every child in this country. I was blessed with teachers that embodied a passion for ABOVE: Tatum Pottenger, left, is part of Teach For America, teaching science and social studies to their career with every 60 third-graders in rural North Carolina. lesson they taught me, both in the classroom • Tatum Pottenger ’10 teaching third grade at Mariam Boyd and out. People like Sheppy Vann, Debbie Mariam Boyd Elementary School Elementary School in rural Warrenton. Suggs, Libby Lang, Tim Dahlgren, Dave Like most seniors in college, I spent Every day, I teach 60 wonderful Gould, Jordan Adair, Jeff Biersach, Owen a lot of time worrying “what’s next” from third-graders in science and social studies. Bryant, Michael Meyer, James Bohanek the moment I stepped foot on Davidson’s My time with them in the classroom has ... the list of inspiring and passionate campus in the fall of my senior year. I compelled me to look at the world — their educators at Durham Academy goes on and had no clue what I wanted to do after world, my world, our shared world — on, and I am truly grateful for the guidance graduating, simply that I wanted to be a through a new lens. Learning from my they offer me, even still to this day. These part of a diverse team of people working to thoughtful, funny, brilliant students brings individuals, and so many others who played create change in the world and to continue me so much joy, but this job has been far a part in my 13 years at DA, showed me learning, even though my time as a student from easy. I’m constantly challenged by what it looks like to deeply believe in the was coming to an end. Once I learned the pressures of teaching in this country power and privilege of leading students to about Teach For America’s mission, I felt — the emphasis on test scores, the deep recognize their fullest potential. In short, called to apply. Ultimately, I accepted a budget cuts and the priorities of those these people taught me, perhaps without teaching position with Teach For America’s who don’t know each of my students even realizing, how to teach. Eastern North Carolina corps and am the way I do, but who have the power to continued on the next page DURHAM ACADEMY

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ABOVE: Jamie Gutter teaches fifth grade math at a high-achieving charter school with a very diverse student body.

• Jamie Gutter ’07

of our scholars qualify for free or reducedprice lunch, while the other 50 percent come from middle- and high-income households. Our school was the top school in Nashville in overall achievement last year, topping schools that had much higher percentages of high-income families, as well as magnet schools that kids test into with high achievement scores. We were also the only school in the state in the top 1 percent for growth and achievement. I joined Teach For America in 2011, intending to teach for two years before heading to law school. I am now in

Valor Collegiate Academy

I currently work at a charter school in Nashville named Valor Collegiate Academy. We are a middle school in our second year that serves a diverse group of scholars. We pride ourselves on our diversity, so we recruit families to come to our school from all neighborhoods in Nashville. Currently, Valor scholars are 8 percent Asian/Other, 15 percent Hispanic/ Latino, 17 percent African American, 20 percent Middle Eastern/North African and 40 percent white. Additionally, 50 percent 26

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my fifth year of teaching, never having expected to fall in love with education, get my master’s of education and become interested in school leadership. I am one of two fifth-grade math teachers at Valor. I am also the math department chair, overseeing the development of the curriculum while also coaching the other math teachers. I often think about how I am following in the (big) footsteps of Mr. Wilson, the legendary fifth grade math teacher at Durham Academy. The only difference is I am converting fifth-graders into Tar Heels instead of Blue Devils!

ABOVE: Ran Holeman is an English teacher and upper school head at a primary to grade 12 school with 227 students.

• Ran Holeman ’00 Doane Academy

For the past five years, I have had the privilege of working at Doane Academy, a small primary to grade 12 school in Burlington, New Jersey. Built in 1837 on the shores of the Delaware River, Doane is often mistaken for Hogwarts by younger students like my 4-yearson George. Its faculty is committed to

knowing and loving every one of the 227 students who attend in a way that sets it apart from other, larger schools. I decided to make the transition into education because I wanted to devote myself to cultivating the kind of relationships that were at the heart of my experience at Durham Academy. Working as an educator [English teacher and head of Doane’s upper school] has

allowed me to make an enduring impact in the lives of others and ensured that my growth as a person is constant. The Durham Academy teachers who merit inclusion in a full list of my inspirations are too many to count. But certainly I am particularly indebted to Michael UlkuSteiner and Jordan Adair, who remain sources of advice and guidance 15 years after my graduation from DA.

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Middle Schoolers Connect with Iranian Refugees By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

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Melody Guyton Butts

ccording to the United Nations, there were 19.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2014 — a total that has ballooned in the months since as millions of people continue to flee violence in Syria. That vast number can make it difficult for people half a world away to see refugees’ plight in terms of individual men, women, girls and boys with hopes and dreams — rather than a faceless mass of people. So as her seventh-grade language arts students read Katherine Applegate’s Home of the Brave, the story of a young African refugee adapting to life in Minnesota, inspiration struck teacher Kelly Howes. In an effort to further humanize the challenges of refugees, she arranged for a family of Iranian refugees to address her seventh-graders just as they were completing their study of the book. “The idea that I really want to emphasize with them is when we see people on the street, when we know that someone is in a certain category, we sometimes make assumptions,” Howes said. “And we really don’t know anything about them until we hear their story. That’s another emphasis — just sharing stories so that we learn more about the people around us.” Mohammad Afsahi’s story is one of incredible courage and an unwavering desire for freedom in the face of unspeakable persecution. Along with his wife, Parisa, and 4-year-old daughter,

Deniz, he fled to Durham a little more than a year ago. They will never again step foot on the soil of their homeland, Afsahi said: “If I travel to Iran, they will kill me.” Before a transfixed audience of DA seventh-graders, Afsahi recounted his journey in English, with Howes — whose experience living in five nonEnglish-speaking countries and teaching ESL classes has honed her ability to communicate with non-native English speakers — guiding the discussion and |

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occasionally offering a helping word. Afsahi, who grew up in Iran as part of a family that was “quietly intellectual,” had planned to study engineering, but as a university student in 2009 and 2010, his interest in politics was piqued. He participated in some demonstrations in Iran and changed his academic focus to political science. Due to that change, it wasn’t long before the Iranian government forced him to drop out of school — but he continued to demonstrate.

And with no money to his name, he fled. For five or six days, he hiked through the mountains of northwestern Iran en route to Turkey. “I was hungry,” Afsahi said. “I didn’t have any money.” When he reached the first city in Turkey, there FACING PAGE: Parisa, Mohammad and Deniz Afsahi arrived in was bad news: An Durham a little more than a year ago. ABOVE: They fled their earthquake had native Iran and spent two years in Turkey before they were rocked the city just brought to the United States by World Relief Durham. days before, and all one staff member “I think we are so lucky because it has been but at the local United really hard for people to come to the United office had left States. The move to another country was so Nations for Ankara. hard, but I find here I have a lot of friends. ... was the Here, everyone wants to change your life for only “She one there. I said, the better.” — PA R I S A A FS A H I ‘I am tired, I am hungry,’ and I showed “The government caught me in a her my three pictures [showing signs of protest — a big demonstration with lots of his torture in prison], and she was sad and people. It was 2010 in Tehran,” Afsahi said. wrote a letter for me,” Afsahi said. “She “If you want to go against the government, said, you can go to the police and show the government will catch you, and you them this letter, and they will help you.” will go to jail and maybe even be killed. It’s The police helped him get to the very dangerous to say anything.” UN office in Ankara, where he learned In jail, Afsahi was tortured, and that the process to gain asylum could his life was threatened. In a kind of take years. Undaunted, he followed the bail system, his mother turned over the UN instructions to relocate to Adana, off ownership papers for her home, and over Turkey’s southern coast. For the first month, the next two years, Afsahi spent all of his he had no money or food, and he was money on fees for attorneys, who promised denied entrance to nearby Syrian refugee that they could easily resolve his legal camps. “The situation in Turkey is very bad woes. Even after being sentenced to 10 for refugees,” he said. years of prison for his political activity, his Afsahi eventually made contact with attorneys continued to imply that “it was Parisa, who sold their home and traveled nothing” — so Afsahi and his then-fiancé, to Adana with then 8-month-old Deniz. Parisa, married and welcomed Deniz into The money from the sale of the apartment their family, confident that they could move lasted for just a month or two in Turkey, on with their future. which they found to have a higher cost of “Then my time was up, and I had to living than Iran. But then their luck turned. go to jail. The lawyers took my money and “In Ankara, I had become a Christian. went. I saw that jail is not a good place I believed in Jesus. I don’t know what hap— not at all, not for anybody. I decided to pened, but when I prayed, just me and he, I escape from the country,” Afsahi recalled. said I needed a job,” he recalled. His prayer He didn’t want to worry Parisa, but he did was answered when the owner of a car wash tell his mother, knowing that his escape offered him a job — despite having a full would mean that she would lose her home. staff with no need for another set of hands.

Even while he was thankful for the owner’s act of kindness, Afsahi couldn’t help but take note of how his new lifestyle was a far cry from how he’d lived in Iran, where he owned “the best, beautiful cars in my country.” Now, he was washing them. After two years, the Afsahi family received word that their new home would be in the United States (refugees are typically not given a choice as to where they will go), and that World Relief Durham — a relief agency that works with local churches — would serve as their sponsor. World Relief covered the cost of the family’s airfare to Durham, assisted the family with bills and rent, and helped Afsahi find a job working in food service at Duke Hospital. He’s now taking courses at Durham Technical Community College, and the whole family is thriving. “I think we are so lucky because it has been really hard for people to come to the United States,” said Parisa, who is now pregnant with their second child. “The move to another country was so hard, but I find here I have a lot of friends. ... In Iran, everyone wants to down you. Here, everyone wants to change your life for the better.” In his homeland, Iranians are encouraged to view the United States as an enemy and are often told untruths about the country, Afsahi said. “But now I see the real United States every day. Here, I see everything is good.” Students reacted to the family’s visit with awe, Howes said: “They reflected a lot in class about how moved they were, how amazed they were by his courage.” Among the students who were moved by the family’s experience was seventhgrader Caroline Aldridge. In a blog post, she said they had changed the way she thought about refugees. “I had heard of refugee stories, and I was touched by them, but when I heard him speak in front of us about his unbelievable journey, it made me want to really make a difference,” she said. “He told us that he is very grateful for the way Americans have treated him and that he feels really safe here. I am really glad that I got the experience of hearing a real refugee’s story.”

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Melody Guyton Butts

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ginya Marr and Chris Villani interviewed 92-year-old Peter DiFalco for a tribute project that was part of Jordan Adair’s Literary and Artistic Responses to War course. • Cpl. DiFalco served as a translator during World War II. • Among the 16 veterans honored at the Croasdaile Village celebration was Tech 5 Lloyd Darter, who served as an electrical engineer during World War II..

Honoring Durham’s Greatest Generation By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

merican media too often serves a one-dimensional view of veterans, says Durham Academy English teacher Jordan Adair: that of the combat warrior. But veterans have served their country in myriad ways that haven’t involved firing a weapon, and veterans’ lives are filled with a variety of accomplishments, careers and interests apart from their military service. That’s exactly what DA seniors Ginya Marr and Chris Villani found at Croasdaile Village retirement community. They were there to interview Cpl. Peter

DiFalco for a tribute project that’s a part of Adair’s Literary and Artistic Responses to War course, and it quickly became apparent that while DiFalco served his country admirably as a translator during World War II, his real passion lay elsewhere. DiFalco came to the interview equipped with a boom box and castanets, evidence of his passion for dance. “To limit Cpl. DiFalco’s lifetime to just the two years and nine months he spent in the U.S. military would not come Melody Guyton Butts

“There is this perception that all veterans were in combat, and that’s the image that seems to be passed down to us in books, films and photographs, but in reality it takes tens of thousands of people to support the ground troops that go in and actually fight in a combat situation.” — J O R DA N A DA I R

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close to doing him justice,” said Villani, speaking at a celebration of Croasdaile’s World War II veterans on the Sunday before Veterans Day. Calling DiFalco “the youngest, most dashing 92-year-old man any of us have ever met,” Villani explained that the nonagenarian was a ballroom and ethnic dancer of “incredible skill” who worked as a dance teacher and choreographer, officially retiring from dancing a mere three years ago. DiFalco was one of 16 World War II veterans who were celebrated by DA students at the Croasdaile event, which is in its second year. In addition to their military service, the veterans excelled in a variety of careers — from an attorney who worked as a Supreme Court clerk on the Brown v. Board of Education case, to the founding director of N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, to a Harvard-educated physician. As Adair pointed out at the close of

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country in a non-combat role. “Fluent in Italian, he served as a translator and proved that a soldier does not need to see the front lines of combat to have extraordinary experiences,” Marr said. For example, he was stranded at sea on a liberty boat for 35 days. And on a happier occasion, after translating for an officer before Pope Pius XII, DiFalco earned a blessing from the leader of the Catholic Church. Seniors Maddy Samet and Rasika Rao also interviewed a veteran who didn’t serve in a combat role: Tech 5 Lloyd Darter, who worked as an electrical engineer. For Darter’s service, he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon and the World War II Victory Ribbon. Yet because non-combat veterans are not always celebrated at the level of their peers who did see combat, Darter didn’t see his service as worthy of celebration, Samet said. “He felt very guilty that we were giving him a tribute because he didn’t feel that he deserved it,” she said after the event. “But he spent three years in the Army, and he did extraordinary work. It meant a lot to us to be able to give him a tribute.” For many students in the Literary and Artistic Responses to War course, the Croasdaile veterans tribute project was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “They’re a generation that young

the event — in which one or two students spoke about their assigned veterans’ accomplishments, sacrifices, careers and interests, all based on interviews — military service takes many forms. “One of the things that teaching this class has given me is the rich variety of experiences that veterans have, and I think we got that today in the various stories you heard,” he said. “There is this perception that all veterans were in combat, and that’s the image that seems to be passed down to us in books, films and photographs, but in reality it takes tens of thousands of people to support the ground troops that go in and actually fight in a combat situation. I hope that you were able to see that there are so many different ways you can support your country in the military.” DiFalco, who earned three bronze stars and four gold bars for overseas duty, was one of the veterans who served his

people don’t normally get to talk to unless you are related to someone from World War II, which I’m not,” Rao said. “It’s something that I was able to do that I wouldn’t have been able to do if I weren’t a part of this class.” Marr and Villani came away from their conversations with DiFalco with not just new knowledge of World War II, but also life lessons. “Cpl. Falco was the first person in the 90s age who I’ve ever met in my life. When you’ve lived that many years, unintentionally, but good for us, everything you say seems to come out as a lesson,” Marr said. “He gave us so many lessons that we tried to emphasize in our speech,” added Villani, “like first impressions aren’t always valid, never stop talking when you’re married.” For DiFalco, “It was a tremendous thing. There’s so little interaction between this age and that age. It’s such a good idea.” For Samet, Adair’s Literary and Artistic Responses to War course has been an incredible experience. “Every day in class, it’s really clear that Mr. Adair is really passionate about this class and this [tribute] project, and a lot of that passion has rubbed off on all of the students,” she said. “We got really excited when we learned that we would get to interview veterans, and giving them a tribute is something really special. They’re not going to be around much longer.”

Melody Guyton Butts

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Molly Young and Ford Easley outline the accomplishments, both during the war and later in life, of Sgt. John Fassett. • Cdr. John T. Kerr III shakes the hand of Oliver Key after he and Zeb Williams honored Kerr at the Croasdaile event. • Liz Roberts and Eve Wallack pose for a photo with Cpl. Gordon L. Carpenter at a reception following the ceremony.

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Chemistry Teacher Kari Newman is Finalist for Presidential Award Melody Guyton Butts

By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

ABOVE: Kari Newman checks in with senior Tad Ghanem during an AP Chemistry lab. Students say she is relentless in her quest to help them understand what can be complex concepts.

raise for Durham Academy chemistry teacher Kari Newman comes from all directions. With boundless knowledge of her subject matter, she knows the AP exam “like the back of her hand,” says one student. She’s ever willing to try something new, says a colleague. Her teaching methods train students to truly think, says a parent. Her patience is inexhaustible, says another student. Now Newman’s formula for success is earning her praise from the White House. Newman is among just four North Carolina finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) science honor — the highest commendation bestowed by the U.S. government on K-12 science teachers. 32

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Dr. Michael Therien — a Duke University chemistry professor and father of DA alumnus Aaron ’15 and junior Aidan, both of whom Newman has taught — nominated her for the honor. In his nomination letter, Therien wrote that he is impressed with Newman’s integration of laboratory experiments and demonstrations and a teaching style that emphasizes “visualization, manipulation and communication.” “Required at the conclusion of her lab reports, students must describe either a real world application or analogue of the experiment or concepts they just studied,” Therien wrote. “As my son Aidan pointed out to me, no one in Kari’s course should need to ask her ‘why is this important?’ It is Kari’s expectation that this is the exact question they should be asking themselves. |

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This method of teaching has inspired both of my children to want to learn more about chemistry.” For Newman, “it was an honor just to be nominated, especially by someone who teaches at a higher level than me in my field.” She learned of her nomination in April 2015, and she had just a month to complete a time-intensive application, comprising a video recording of a class lesson, a self-critique of the video and answers to several questions about instructional methods and effectiveness. In June, she learned that of the 200-plus North Carolina teachers who submitted applications for both the science and math awards, she was among just seven (four science and three math) educators to advance to the finalist level.

“It validates what I do,” said Newman, who is in her 16th year teaching at DA. “I’ve always known from the students’ perspective that I’m a good teacher. But to be able to have a group of teachers outside my community tell me that I’m a great teacher just makes me humble and proud.” Committees comprising of educators and math and science experts select each state’s finalists. A National Science Foundation-appointed committee of prominent mathematicians, scientists and educators then reviews the applications of the state finalists and recommends to NSF up to two finalists in mathematics or science from each state. Those recommendations are then submitted to the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy. The entire process will span more than a year, with winners being recognized at the White House in July 2016. Newman was recognized with other state finalists by the N.C. Science Teachers Association at its annual Professional Development Institute; by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction at an awards reception; and by the N.C. State Board of Education at its December meeting.

shown me how to make professional development a passion rather than a chore.” Because of Newman’s dedication to her craft, her colleagues and, most of all, her students, it’s gratifying to see her recognized by PAEMST, said Lee Hark, assistant head of school and Upper School director: “Each year I ask my Senior Challenge group members about their favorite teachers and classes, and every year several list Kari as their favorite, in spite of — or perhaps because of — the rigorous, demanding classes she teaches.” Among the many students on whom Newman has left an impression are seniors Lindsey Molina and Matthew Mosca. They both took Newman’s Honors Chemistry course last year and are taking her AP Chemistry course this year. She is relentless in her quest to help her students understand what can be complex concepts, both said — with a straightforward teaching style and a willingness to provide multiple approaches, analogies and examples if students are struggling to comprehend an idea. “She is enthusiastic about the material and is always willing to answer questions

“I've always known from the students’ perspective that I'm a good teacher. But to be able to have a group of teachers outside my community tell me that I'm a great teacher just makes me humble and proud.” — K ARI NEWMAN The PAEMST honor recognizes not only excellence in classroom teaching, but also efforts to support other educators. Newman “has been one of the best parts of coming to DA,” said physics teacher Meg McNall, who is in her third year at Durham Academy. “She is a teacher who truly values her craft and her students,” McNall continued. “In spite of having taught for many years, Kari is never afraid to try something new if she thinks that will help her students better understand the material. She has been a wonderful example and

about chemistry that come purely from curiosity, even if they are not topics we need to cover in the class,” Mosca said. “This part of her teaching is important to me because I am especially interested in science, and I often want to dig a little deeper than the topics we need to cover for the AP exam.” Newman’s plate is full, as she teaches six classes, including three sections of AP Chemistry, works untold hours in her role as Science Olympiad head coach and is the mother of a DA fourth-grader. Yet she maintains a positive attitude and calm

demeanor, Molina said. “She still manages to crack jokes and be comfortable amidst students worrying about their grades and college futures,” Molina explained. “Mrs. Newman leads by example, which is what I think all great role models should do, and she has taught me how to be independent in such a challenging course even while guiding me along. Mrs. Newman is someone whom I can count on when I need to regain my sanity, and her passion for what she does consistently inspires.” Newman didn’t always know that she was destined for the classroom. She thought she’d be happiest working outdoors, either in environmental chemistry or environmental education. While studying for a master’s degree in oceanography at Florida State University, she began working as a volunteer with Envirothon, an environmental sciencefocused academic competition for high schoolers, and then took on two high schoolers as research assistants. “That’s when I was really like, this is what I want to do,” Newman recalled with a smile. “I like being outside, but I really like teaching.” She began her career in education as a chemistry teacher and house parent at Chatham Hall, a boarding school in Virginia. While at Chatham, she started the school’s AP program and fell further in love with teaching. Understanding that formal training in education would be helpful for career advancement, she moved to the Triangle 16 years ago to pursue a Master of Education in Science Education at N.C. State University while teaching at Durham Academy. Now, it’s difficult for her to imagine doing anything else. “I really enjoy confusing the kids and then watching them come out of that confusion — watching them come out and say, ‘Oh, that’s why!’ and then seeing the connections they’re making with other things,” Newman said. “I get a little bit of the tears, but also the ‘ohhh!’s and the light bulbs. I love watching it when they figure out some connection and all of a sudden everything falls into place. That’s my favorite thing.”

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Photos by Melody Guyton Butts

MORE THAN MACHINES Burgeoning robotics program builds character, problem-solving skills

By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

ach of the boxes was packed with hundreds of Lego bricks, wheels, tubes, sensors and motors — the literal building blocks of Durham Academy’s nascent robotics program. To even a techwired adult brain like Middle School digital learning coordinator Karl Schaefer’s, the sheer volume was daunting. “If you saw the boxes of Legos that came, with all of the different challenges ... I just didn’t think they would find solutions for them,” Schaefer recalled. But in the thousands of pieces and accompanying challenges, seventh-grader Zach Brown saw a treasure chest: “It was kind of relieving to see how much we had to work with. There were so many possibilities.” In the countless hours that students have since poured into the robotics program, hundreds of possibilities have been tested. And in the process, they’ve not only gleaned technical engineering skills, but also learned a great deal about problem-solving, teamwork and the joy of discovery. “They did find solutions,” Schaefer said. “It’s amazing, the grit and determination that these kids have put in.” The Middle School robotics program is now in its second year, and it has grown by leaps and bounds in that time, from six students on a single team in 2014-2015 to about 25 students split among three teams this year: the RoboSharks, the Programming Piranhas and the Cav Squad. The teams are part of FIRST Lego 34

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League (FLL), a program that challenges participants to design, build and program a robot using Lego’s Mindstorms technology. Teams compete in tournaments ranging from the regional to the international level. At tournaments, points are awarded not only for a robot’s performance during “the robot game” (completion of missions on a tabletop playing field), but also for “the project” (a solution to a real-world problem, as shared with others at a tournament) and demonstration of the program’s “core values” (as demonstrated by competitors’ demeanor throughout the tournament, including while under the pressure of programming their robot to complete a task on the spot). • It’s all about fun From teamwork and honoring “the spirit of friendly competition,” to valuing discovery over victories, core values are at the heart of the program. If one spends any amount of time talking with student participants about FIRST Lego League, one core value in particular will be mentioned again and again: fun. “It’s not about your robot. It’s about having fun,” explains seventh-grader Hutch Castelao, a member of the RoboSharks. “They say fun is the most important core value,” adds teammate Zach. “Instead of FIRST Lego League, we call it the Fun Lego League,” says Josh Longley, a fifth-grade member of the Programming Piranhas.

“It’s not about your robot. It’s about having fun.” “Really, we do it just because it’s fun,” says sixth-grader Aamer Husain, a member of the Cav Squad. “If you have fun, you’re probably going to go to states because you’ll have better teamwork,” explained fifth-grader and Programming Piranha Noah Triplett. Indeed, having fun and working as a team earned the Programming Piranhas a ticket to the 2016 state tournament, and the RoboSharks a spot in 2015 — each in their first year of competition.

FACING PAGE: RoboShark Tom Higgins adjusts his team's robot at the FIRST Lego League regional competition in December. ABOVE, TOP: Maris and Myla James, both Programming Piranhas, react excitedly upon seeing first-round scores at the regional event. ABOVE, BOTTOM: Members of the Programming Piranhas prepare to demonstrate their robot's capabilities.

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The Programming Piranhas fared well in all three categories — the robot game, core values and the project — but they attribute much of their success at the regional competition to their efforts in the third category. The team’s project examined the problems created by discarded toys, especially those with electronic components. The team set up an online survey to gauge the depth of toy waste, with respondents hailing from as far away as New Zealand, and then proposed a solution: a toy exchange, which the team organized on the Middle School campus in December. “I like that FLL challenges you to think about this kind of stuff,” said sixth-grader Sara Shaikh, a Programming Piranha. “Before, I didn’t know that toys and electronic waste weren’t recyclable and just how much waste is created by average kids. Kids buy up to $400 of toys a year. About 40 percent of the toys that are thrown away in the world are in America, but just 4 percent of the world’s kids live in America. These are things that we might not have discovered if it weren’t for FLL.” Each year, FLL centers the robot game and project on a theme. This year, it’s Trash Trek, so each team’s project must relate to garbage or recycling in some way, and each of the robot game missions has some tie to waste — from sorting Legos representing recyclables, to transporting Legos representing plastic bags away from animals. • A bot beginning Schaefer has long wanted to establish a robotics program on the Middle School campus, but it wasn’t until Zach Brown and his father, Greg Brown, came along that it became a reality. The Brown family has a tradition of attending Maker Faires — described as part science fair, part county fair, where “makers” of all stripes come to share their creations — all around the country. At one Maker Faire, a demonstration by competitors from FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), the high school level of competition, caught Zach’s eye. “They had the really big robots — all the big custom stuff,” he recalled. The Browns learned that Zach would be too young to participate in FRC, but that FLL, in which middle school-aged competitors build robots with Lego parts, rather than more professional-grade components, was an option. After considering finding an existing team for Zach to join, they embraced the spirit of the maker movement and decided to create one of their own, right on DA’s campus, and the RoboSharks were born. The six-member team, with Greg Brown as coach, met for a couple of hours on campus each Thursday and for a few hours most Sundays at the Browns’ home. Their diligent work was rewarded at the regional tournament, where they earned a spot in the state tournament, as well as a trophy in recognition of their continued on the next page

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That’s part of the beauty of the program; it’s not so much about the skills that a student brings in, but the process of discovery. The hard and soft skills developed in the process are of lifelong value — chief among them, real-world, objective problem-solving. demonstration of the program’s core values. And if there were any doubt that the core value of “fun” reigns supreme, the RoboSharks won a design award — a nod to the shark that emblazoned their bot — at the state tournament. With that success, interest among the student body began to percolate. To take advantage of the momentum and to work toward institutionalizing the program, Schaefer offered an afterschool robotics-focused enrichment course last spring. More than 20 students signed up to learn how to assemble a basic robot and program it to perform basic tasks. The enrichment functions akin to a baseball farm team, as Schaefer describes it: an opportunity for interested students to hone their skills and determine if they’d like to commit the time and energy required of competing on an FLL team. Whether students are interested and able to compete on an actual team or not, participants in the enrichment, which will be offered each spring, develop technical and teamwork skills that are valuable. “Everyone needs to program,” Schaefer said. “Even if you’re more of a builder, you need to be able to speak to it. Everyone needs to know everyone else’s job. There’s a shared responsibility.” The enrichment led to increased interest in participation in FLL, and Durham Academy fielded three teams in fall 2015. The teams are more institutionalized than the RoboSharks were in their first year, with the school providing the equipment. But, as with all FIRST Lego League teams, “this has to be heavily driven and supported by parents,” explained Schaefer, who serves as the DA liaison for the program. That means that not only do coach roles need to be filled by parents, but all parents should be involved in some way. Now, as members of the RoboSharks, Programming Piranhas and Cav Squad inch closer to the Upper School, a natural question arises: What’s next? It’s certainly on the mind of Lee Hark, associate head of school and Upper School director. He’s investigating the possibility of establishing a FIRST Robotics Competition program at the Upper School and has been in touch with local high schools that field teams. The establishment of an Upper School team would require more planning than the Middle School teams — materials are much more expensive, and it’s possible that the faculty involvement would be greater. • Rookies and veterans RaJade Berry-James coaches the Programming Piranhas along with fellow parent Gayathri Shaikh. While Berry-James’ daughters Myla James, a seventh-grader, and Maris James, a fifthgrader, had some experience with coding, they’d never dabbled in 36

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TOP: Nate Alexander and Ben Browner, members of the Cav Squad, cheer on their team's robot during "the robot game" portion of the regional competition. BOTTOM: FIRST robotics competitions are all about fun and innovation. Case in point: The wacky, wired hats worn by judges.

robotics and hadn’t played with Legos as kids. Other team members did have experience with robotics, having competed on other FLL teams in years past. “It was just a great combination of skillsets,” Berry-James said. “It was really great working with each other, learning from each other and trying to bring out the strengths in each other.” For the Programming Piranhas — a team heavy on younger students — advancing to the state tournament was especially gratifying. “A lot of us are rookies, so we’re just trying to get the best out of it and have fun,” Myla said. “We weren’t expecting to get to the finals. It really surprised us.” That’s part of the beauty of the program; it’s not so much about the skills that a student brings in, but the process of discovery. The hard and soft skills developed in the process are of lifelong value — chief among them, real-world, objective problem-solving. “They have an idea and build something to try to solve a problem, and it doesn’t work, and then they have to figure out how to fix it. They’ll do something to try to make it work, and it still doesn’t work. And they’ll do that again, and again, and again. And then after the 30th time, it works,” Greg Brown said. “It’s trial and error. It’s not a teacher telling you no, it’s not right. It’s you pushing a button and it not happening. There’s no subjectivity to whether it works or not.”

DA Breaks Enrollment Records Again D

urham Academy opened the 2015-2016 school year with 1,185 students, topping last year’s 1,183 opening day enrollment, which was also DA’s largest-ever. It was an unprecedented year for admissions: DA has reached a record enrollment, yet enrolled fewer new students, 143, than the 167 new students in 2014-2015. Admissions Director Victoria Muradi said fewer current students left DA, meaning fewer spots were available for new enrollees. “Our attrition rate was 4 percent, which is the lowest in DA history,” she said. DA’s 4 percent attrition is also low compared with that of peer schools nationwide. “We made really tough choices during the admissions process,” Muradi said. Applications were up 3 percent this year at DA, bucking a national trend that showed applications to independent day schools were down by 2 percent. Overall, 39 percent of applicants were admitted to DA for 2015-2016. The school year marks DA’s most diverse enrollment, with students of color representing 32 percent of the student body. “The percentage increase is on par with recent years, inching up about 1 to 2 percent per year,” Muradi said. “Diversity, in all forms, is something we continue to work on.” DA’s geographic diversity is also increasing. Families are driving from Wake Forest, Henderson and Elon, with larger numbers of new students living outside Durham and Chapel Hill. “The biggest growth is in Wake County,” Muradi said. Overall, DA’s student body draws 59 percent from Durham, 29 percent from Chapel Hill, 7 percent from Wake County and 5 percent from surrounding areas. The Admissions Office is already working on the 2016-2017 admissions season. Interested families can learn about the admissions process and schedule a visit at www.da.org/tours. At www.da.org/magazine: • Watch videos created to give prospective families a window into life at DA. DURHAM ACADEMY

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ABOVE: DA held its 100th consecutive monthly tournament on Dec. 12, drawing a large number of scholastic-level players, as well as adults and several former DA players.

CHECKMATE: Historic Times for Top-ranked DA Chess Program By Melody Guyton Butts, Assistant Director of Communications

urham Academy’s chess program is so ingrained in the fabric of the school that it can be difficult to fathom a time when it didn’t exist. But back in 2003, when coach Craig Jones offered the first organized chess classes at DA, he expected interest to be modest. Jones quickly learned he was wrong, with hundreds of students having learned the game of pawns, bishops and queens over the years through DA’s after-school and summer programs. The last 12 years has seen the rise of new state (and sometimes national) champions and the passing of milestones, and 2015 will go 38

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down as the year of two particularly historic moments: the 100th chess tournament hosted by DA, and the crowning of a new school individual rating record-holder, sophomore Eric Bradford. For Jones, chess is one ingredient in the magic that is the DA experience. “What I love about DA, what I’ve noticed for years, is the DA community finds something special in every child and builds upon that, and that’s a really special part of being here,” he said. “Chess is another of those things that many kids find they are good at.” Durham Academy hosted its 100th |

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consecutive monthly tournament, called Master Trek, on Dec. 12. The tournament included not just scholastic-level players, but also adults, and several former players joined in the fun. Participation in chess is concentrated in the lower grades, and that’s borne out in DA’s rankings among North Carolina teams: No. 1 in grades K-1; No. 1 in grades 2-3; No. 1 in grades 4-5; No. 4 in grades 6-8; and No. 6 in grades 9-12. As students grow older, sports, other extracurricular activities and more rigorous academics begin to compete for students’ time, and many are unable to devote adequate time to chess, Jones said.

Melody Guyton Butts Michael Barley

Leslie King

TOP LEFT: Head of School Michael Ulku-Steiner presented coach Craig Jones with a plaque honoring his 12 years of leadership with DA chess. TOP RIGHT: With a rating of 1790, sophomore Eric Bradford is DA’s new individual record holder. BOTTOM: DA’s chess program is particularly popular with younger students, including Tate Duensing.

But Bradford, who has played since he was a Lower Schooler, has made chess a priority, and that devotion paid off on Sept. 20, when he passed the rating of alumnus Connor Labean ’10. Labean’s rating of 1764 stood as DA’s all-time individual record for seven years and five months. Bradford’s rating now stands at 1790. “When I was younger, in early Middle School and later Lower School, there was a really good graduating class of Upper Schoolers, which I think was one of the last groups of Upper Schoolers to really

play chess a lot,” Bradford said. “As a younger kid, I didn’t think that I could ever be like them. Breaking [the rating record] was I guess an achievement, but I’m really respectful of those people as well.” Jones notes that Bradford’s name doesn’t begin to appear on DA’s ratings leaderboard until late in Lower School. Over the years, his performance improved steadily — evidence of Bradford’s dedication and diligence in practicing and studying the game, he said. “Eric was little of a late bloomer, and

I think that’s kind of inspiring,” Jones said. “He has passion for chess. He loves chess. He has that desire to want to know, the passion to play. He’s done that through hard work.” For Bradford, the benefits of playing chess have been myriad. In his younger years, it was a great outlet for social interaction. And there are academic benefits as well. “I’d definitely say it’s made my mind a lot sharper,” he said. “It definitely opens your mind and makes it easier to think about things a lot deeper. Chess really trains your deep-thinking process.” Jones sees additional benefits in the game. There’s a certain “harshness” to it that can be beneficial for some kids, he said: “It teaches you very quickly when you make a mistake what happens. You get immediate feedback on your decision-making ability.” Chess also hones visualization skills and can bolster students’ confidence. And it’s one of the few activities in which boys and girls compete against one another from day one. However, fewer girls than boys generally participate in chess, and that’s a national problem, Jones said. It has nothing to do with ability or even student interest, he said; rather, parents usually drive the disproportionality, with moms and dads typically initiating younger students’ extracurricular participation. Bradford attributes his success to Jones, whom he described as one of the best chess coaches in the state: “He’s really inspirational to everyone who tries it. You can look up to him, no matter what he’s doing, because he’s a really good role model. If you just dedicate yourself, he’s going to get you there as long as you have the focus.” Jones’ former players often approach him to tell him what an impact chess has on their lives. If nothing else, “it’s a great memory,” he said. And if one practices enough, “chess is a great skill,” Jones said. “Mentally, for most people, it’s the hardest thing they’re ever going to do, and if they pursue it to a certain level of thinking, they’ll realize that.” At www.da.org/magazine:

• Read an article Jones wrote about DA’s chess program for the Summer 2013 DA magazine.

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“Crunchy. Scrumptious. Really sweet.”

“Hot, cheesy, goodness.” 1

What’s for Lunch?

FEASTING ON FOUR WHEELS

“Straight outta Italy.” 4

“Enduring juicy deliciousness.” 40

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“Fresh, flavorful, exciting.”

urham is “the South’s Tastiest Town” according to Southern Living magazine, and anyone walking through the Upper School campus at lunchtime knows that the Bull City’s foodie culture has permeated the Durham Academy student body. Each day, one of 11 food trucks and four restaurant vendors — all local — dishes up such delicacies as Korean barbecue bowls and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to a winding queue of students. Locavores can find even more fare in the school store, which stocks a variety of healthful sandwiches and salads from the Refectory Café. We challenged a few of DA’s foodies to describe their favorite food truck dish in just three words. Warning ... you might want to go ahead and turn the page if you’re hungry!

“Aioli, savory ... worth the wait!” 3

1. American Meltdown’s Dirty South sandwich (pimento cheese, corn and Andouille sausage) and fried Brussels sprouts — Lanis Wilson, dean of boys (and lunch vendor organizer)

2. Belgian Waffle Crafters’ Cinnawaffle (waffle with speculoos spread, whipped cream and cinnamon sugar) — Addison West, junior

3. Bulkogi’s Korean barbecue rice plate with beef — Nikki Inocencio, junior

“Zesty, light, tropical.”

4. Deli-icious’ N.C. Caprese panini (tomato, mozzarella, mint basil puree and strawberry balsamic reduction) — Ethan Astrachan, junior 5

5. Bull City Street Food’s jerk mahi-mahi sandwich with Caribbean slaw — Jaxon Wilkerson, junior

6. Only Burger’s The Only Burger (made-toorder with tomato, ketchup and onion) — Jinger Callwood, freshman

7. Porchetta’s Mediterranean sandwich (slow-roasted Italian-style pork, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, mozzarella and garlic aioli) — Jake Jeffries, sophomore

“Juicy. Crispy. ... Delicious.”

8. Taco Grande’s chicken nachos — Sam Frey, senior

P H OTO S B Y M E LO DY G U Y TO N B U T T S

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Finnish Schools Teach Children How to Learn By Rosemary Nye, First Grade, Lower School

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Rosemary Nye

t’s a bright and beautiful Sunday morning here, but the middle of the night back home. Most of my educational travel mates are sleeping away jetlag. Much too excited to sleep, my camera and I are daring to walk the Helsinki streets alone. The plan is to move cautiously in this unfamiliar city, where a different language is spoken and signs are unrecognizable. As I walk along, I note the immaculate streets, graffiti-free buildings, gorgeous city gardens and bustling craft markets. I notice there is no sign of police (that day or any time during the 10-day visit) — it soon becomes obvious that this is a uniquely safe place, devoid of the problems plaguing most busy city streets. This initial impression of safety, cleanliness and order was confirmed day after day when our group noted young children riding bikes, skateboarding or playing in parks without adult supervision. Since there is obviously a different mindset here, educators have suspected it has something to do with the widespread efficacy of Finnish education. Although this causal link is difficult to prove, there is no question that the test scores of Finnish children are vastly superior to those of their Swedish, Norwegian and Russian neighbors, as well as the rest of the world. Pasi Sahlberg, a Finnish educator, scholar and author, describes the “big dream of Finnish education” as “the idea that every child should have a very good public school. If we want to be competitive, we need to educate everybody. It came out of a need to survive.” This seemed a rather enigmatic comment until I learned the historical context to which Sahlberg was referring. Finland belonged to Sweden until 1809, when it was ceded to Russia.

ABOVE: Rosemary Nye was impressed with the efficacy of Finnish education, which is central to Finland’s identity as a nation.

This move, at first unwelcome, actually promoted more selfgovernance. Finland formed its own legislature, court system, laws, postal service and army. By 1866, the Finns had organized their first public school system, in confirmation of the belief

Rosemary Nye Rosemary Nye

ABOVE: Nye observed that Finland was a country of immaculate city streets, and a uniquely safe place devoid of the problems facing most cities. She saw no sign of police at any time during her 10-day visit.

that education can be transformative for the life of an individual as well as the course of a country. The struggle for Finnish independence was long and difficult. When it finally came, Finns rose to the enormous challenge of independence by reestablishing infrastructure, paying debts, rebuilding towns and working cooperatively with focused determination. A significant part of this focus was devoted to education, which they saw as the best way to a better life for everyone. Thus education is not only central to Finland’s idea of individual achievement — it is central to their identity as a nation. The test scores of Finnish children are admirable, but as Sahlberg explains, the primary goal of Finnish schools is to teach children how to learn, not just how to take a test. As an example of this principle’s fundamental influence, Finnish educator and school principal Kari Louhivuori advocates delaying compulsory education until age 7 to avoid the frustration young children feel when they lack readiness for what they are expected to learn. According to Louhivuori, the material children under 7 would miss is not nearly as important as properly cultivating the love of learning. From its conception, the Finnish education system refused to evaluate children’s progress solely by use of standardized tests — with “bars and graphs and colored charts,” as Louhivuori refers to them. Educators want to “know much more about the children than a test can tell.” With a deeper view of successful education comes a need for top-notch teachers. In the Hechinger Report, Henna Virkkunen, head of Finland’s Ministry of Education, notes that while any educational system must be tailored to the local community it serves, teachers and their training “really are key for a better educational system. It’s really important to pay attention to teacher training, in-service training and working conditions.” Much of what has happened in Finland reinforces what we are striving for on every level at Durham Academy. As a first-grade teacher, I am constantly remembering that for each child, first grade is replete with countless first impressions about learning. Common wisdom reminds us that there is only one chance to make a first impression. I found it reassuring that the Finns emphasize the efficacy of education by how well it helps students enjoy learning, not by multiple tests and evaluations. At Durham Academy, we see proof of that when we facilitate the delight of discovering new information with our students, while simultaneously finding ways to bring out the best talents of each one. We see it, too, when our first-graders realize that they will be treated with kindness and fairness here because they reflect that in their dealings with each other. The fact that these ideals have remarkable outcomes on a large scale can re-energize our pursuit of them at DA. Truly inspired education must not be underestimated ... we suspected it. Finland proved it! EDITOR’S NOTE: First-grade teacher Rosemary Nye was awarded a Durham Academy Summer Grant to travel to Finland in July 2015 with educators from around the U.S. DURHAM ACADEMY

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An Adventure in India By Ashu Saxena, Math, Upper School

“Where you live should not determine whether you live.” — BONO

am a firm believer of the above quote, and I often consider why it is that basic necessities such as clean water, food, sanitation, security, shelter, health care and education are distributed inequitably around the globe. I am often inspired by and we hear about the positivity of people who manage to persevere and enjoy life in the midst of various obstacles, but on occasion, it can be much more meaningful ABOVE: Ashu Saxena with his wife and their young daughter at the Taj Mahal. to experience inspiration in person. From Oct. 10-21, I was fortunate to travel to India via a around the world whose parents are diplomats and international Durham Academy grant. Though my heritage is Indian, I have business people. The campus was absolutely beautiful in terms only been to India twice in my life — once when I was 2 and again of gardens, landscaping, buildings, facilities and meeting spaces. at 42. Realizing it would be a “once in a lifetime” experience, I Students were similar to DA students in that they pursue college decided to bring my wife and our young daughter along too. educations in excellent universities, take AP classes, participate in With approximately 1.3 billion people spanning all economic a wide range of activities and are globally aware. I enjoyed seeing strata, numerous languages and religions from cold, mountain various environmentally conscious posters around campus. I found ranges in the north to hot, tropics in the south, India is a country it interesting that they have removed SmartBoards from classrooms that is exceptionally diverse, certainly when it comes to life’s basic to focus on better student-teacher and student-student interactions. necessities. We visited three major cities: New Delhi, Agra and AES students regularly tutor children in a 3,000-person lowJaipur, known as the Golden Triangle. In addition, I visited Pardada income camp nearby, exposing them to technology on campus Pardadi Educational Society in the small village of Anupshahar. and providing computer and Internet access through two Hole-inNew Delhi: JPM School for the Blind helps vision-impaired the-Wall learning stations. Visiting the camp was one of the most students mainstream into society. We met inspiring educators and touching experiences throughout the trip, as we witnessed people students who introduced us to the Taylor board, an educational living in what we would call impoverished shacks, having to wait tool to help them work on mathematics skills. Students performed for twice daily water tank visits to get water for the day. exceptional music on classic instruments like the table drum. Anupshahar: The drive to Pardada Pardadi School (PPS) We watched a very impressive display of students playing chess, was quite an adventure, going from the metropolitan Delhi making decisions based on what they feel. They also play sports roads, on a highway through Utter Pradesh, and winding through like soccer and cricket based on sound. crowded roads in rural villages. It reminded me of how many Gobind Sadan was a fascinating school where all religious types of vehicles — cars, buses, rickshaws, bicycles, motorcycles, faiths are respected. On campus, they have various places of scooters — share roads in India with various beings — humans, worship, and people choose to attend various services at different cows, camels, elephants, goats, cats, dogs and monkeys. PPS was times of the day. My guide, Sheti Singh, joyfully shared with me established in 2000 by Dr. Sam Singh. Girls from villages are often that he feels that “God does not take a day off” and that “God has denied educational opportunities, so PPS provides free education no requirement of money,” two quotes that stuck with me, as I also and vocational training to help hundreds of girls become selfrespect all religions. reliant professionals. Girls are seen as equal members in society The American Embassy School (AES) has students from — a concept so powerful and inspirational in the way teachers and 44

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Ashu Saxena Ashu Saxena

TOP: Saxena visited several bazaars and markets, witnessing India’s daily life full of color, sounds, people, culture and architecture. BOTTOM: Girls from villages are often denied an education, but Pardada Pardadi School sees them as equal members of society and provides free education and vocational opportunities.

students work to support each other toward a common goal. The school has grown from a handful of students to approximately 1,300 students in grades 6 to 12. PPS teachers are highly dedicated, as they often have less time and less freedom with the curriculum. Class size in Indian schools can often reach 40 to 70 students, but at PPS, the average class size is closer to 20 to allow for a more personalized approach. Along with typical core courses, the school offers a unique program in the afternoon hours. From 2 to 5 p.m., students 18 and older go to work, whereas the younger students work on academic, athletic and personal development. Community development projects include installing toilets in homes so that families don’t have to depend on a community facility. I visited a production facility where girls sew cloth bags for a company in the southern part of India and earn a small income to contribute to their personal and family savings.

The teachers there were particularly excited to learn what I do in the classroom, and I hope to continue to share ideas. I had a question-and-answer session with a teacher and her group of students. It was such a joy to see their self-confidence in pursuing their dreams in various careers along with their love for school, both of which would not be possible without PPS’s initiatives. The school hosts volunteers, and this may be a potential connection for global service that is impactful on all accounts. There is a strong community feel — girls laugh and learn together, even while performing tasks such as setting up for lunch and cleaning up. One of the other highlights of this visit was spending time with a teacher who took me on a peaceful boat ride on the Ganges at sunset. Jaipur: My visit to Ryan International School was relatively short, but I enjoyed the energy, enthusiasm and excitement of the students. The k-12 coed school seemed to follow a fairly traditional curriculum. After 10th grade, students are placed into an academic or vocational track, with additional exams during senior year to determine university placements. There is quite a bit of pressure to perform, and it is not uncommon for students to work with tutors after a long school day. We were fortunate to also visit various sites: Red Fort, Amber Fort, India Gate, several bazaars and markets, hotels, restaurants and malls. Witnessing the daily life full of color, sounds, people, culture and architecture provided an endless source of points to reflect on. The highlights of my trip included seeing the Taj Mahal and visiting an elephant sanctuary, but each day provided personal and professional experiences to bring home and weave into life here at both DA and in the surrounding communities. Final thoughts: I enjoyed visiting all of the schools in India, as I gained new insights on the trip and re-visited many thoughts from a previous trip to India. I plan to stay connected with personnel at the schools that I visited and hope to use technology to connect on occasion. I definitely came away with a lot from this trip in terms of the importance of how global developments impact local communities (e.g., political ideals versus practicality), how diversity plays out in various settings, how important education is (especially for girls), how schools can be creative in offering “traditional” and vocational classes, service learning thoughts and so much more. I also had many reflections about what “want” means and how globalization creates opportunities and challenges that we ought to consider before always jumping to the conclusion that “development is always better.” Through some of the conversations and experiences, I also thought a lot about how people see things (issues, people, lands, etc.). Do we see things as we want to see them, as others want us to see them or as they really are? In addition, to borrow a line from The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I also believe strongly in a twist of a familiar saying: “there is no present like time.” I am again grateful for DA’s support in this adventure. Without a doubt, I was inspired by many of the professional and personal experiences in India and especially moved by some inspirational people. EDITOR’S NOTE: Upper School math teacher Ashu Saxena was awarded a Durham Academy grant to travel to India in October 2015. DURHAM ACADEMY

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After a Semester in Washington, Katie Concannon’s Life is Changed By Katie Concannon '17

SEGL

Georgetown professors to be called about your Comparative Government and Politics presentation, and late-night conversations to be had when, after a pause, your roommate will look at you with painfully vulnerable eyes and say, “I’ve never talked with anyone like this before. Thank you.” It felt unreal. Writing in my diary became an almost obsessive routine because the days were so full, I didn’t want anything to escape my memory. Yet even as days seemed impossibly long, the total four months passed by in a blur of uncomfortable shoes, Metro rides and late-night laughter and tears. Since the semester ended, I feel like I’ve been floating in the memory of these experiences, with still that compulsive need to record and categorize that I felt as I frantically wrote in my diary every night. When exactly did my semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership become one that changed my life? Of course there is no exact answer. This is because it is the people that make SEGL. The teachers and residential

[see-guhl]: abbreviation for the School for Ethics and Global Leadership; a semester-long boarding school located in the heart of Washington, D.C., founded in 2009 by Noah Bopp for 24 intellectually motivated high school juniors who represent the diversity of the United States. Having woken up early to attend the pope’s congressional address live from the National Mall, we obtain highsecurity badges at the Pentagon to talk with Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Derek Chollet about the United States’ role in defeating Daesh [ISIS], before traveling in taxis across D.C., still in our suits and dresses, to play basketball and read with kids from underprivileged families at Thomson Elementary. Dinner provides a brief break. Afterward, there are mock presidential speeches to be written (which don’t seem so mock when you’re presenting them the next day to Hillary Clinton’s former speech writer), 46

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advisors became more than their job titles. They were our role models, our unfailing supporters, our friends. They expressed genuine interest in each one of us as complex and capable humans, not just as teenagers or as students. Each of us responded in our own way to this unique experience of people we admired believing in us unconditionally. Gradually, our minds opened. Our guards slipped away when a particularly poignant question asked by our English teacher brought out tears. We became less afraid — of vulnerability, of inevitable failure. We began to believe in ourselves and as we did, we began to believe in each other. At SEGL it was rare to ever be surrounded by fewer than five people. As an introvert, I struggled greatly with this at the beginning of the semester, but I now see the intentional value of this environment. The academic core of SEGL is based in discussion. It is informed by the friction of opposing, constantly fluid opinions and perspectives. This was a style of education in which I was not a passive observer, but a needed participant. The discussions did not stop when class did. Combined with the social environment, this meant two things: That you never really left school, and that it never really felt like school. The turning point of the semester was the two-week long experience of our Collaborative Policy Document. Our challenge: “to produce a scholarly

“It felt unreal. Writing in my diary became an almost obsessive routine because the days were so full, I didn’t want anything to escape my memory. Yet even as days seemed impossibly long, the total four months passed by in a blur of uncomfortable shoes, Metro rides and late-night laughter and tears.” — K AT I E C O N CA N N O N

FACING PAGE: Katie Concannon wrote in her diary almost obsessively, because she didn’t want anything to escape her memory. ABOVE: The group presented a collaborative policy document at the Department of State. BOTTOM: Concannon and her SEGL-mates worked with children at a D.C. elementary school.

document that presents an in-depth ethical understanding of and practical solutions to one current international conflict or policy issue.” Our final document, which we presented at the State Department, was titled Statelessness, Forced Migration, and Ethnic Conflict in the Dominican Republic. The official-sounding name hides the countless arguments that brought about the document’s arduous creation. Tension was rife, sparked by fierce debates about how we would write our document that went further than we could have foreseen: If a system is unjust, do you work within it to create change, or abandon the system entirely? But it was in this time that my classmates and I gained something uncommon with each other. To bitterly argue over a topic that you and your opposition are passionate about, then to put the argument on hold and have lunch and laugh with that same person requires a deep respect and love that, in the “real world,” is very rare but entirely necessary to promote positive change. The environment at SEGL allowed for this to happen. Our job now is to re-create this at home. The day before the deadline for the

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document, nearing midnight and still with hours of work looming ahead of us, my group had a breakthrough. After sifting through 30 pages of a court case study, my group member found the one sentence that we had been searching for the past week to legally prove our argument about racial prejudice. We exploded in joy. Jumping up, hugging each other, laughing and laughing. I remember that moment so distinctly, in the yellow light of the dorm kitchen, clasping hands with people who, back at home, I might have never had the courage to talk to. It is my happiest memory. SEGLette [see-guhl-et]: someone who has attended the School for Ethics and Global Leadership; A teenager who has found an unlikely group of people to call family and a place that will forever be their home. EDITOR’S NOTE: Over the last seven years, at least one Durham Academy student has typically participated in the School for Ethics and Global Leadership. Soon after Concannon returned home, classmate Ginya Marr ’17 embarked on her own SEGL adventure, which will last through the spring semester.

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New Admissions Viewbook Theme H

ow do you tell the story of Durham Academy to a parent who has never experienced it yet? How do you convey DA’s values, its vision, its mission and its heart in a way that convinces families that they belong here? The centerpiece of that conversation, for any family interested in DA, is the admissions viewbook. It is the universal touchpoint every prospective family has with the school — a print piece that represents the core of who we are and what we do. “Much like the website, an admissions viewbook sets the tone for the whole school,” said Victoria Muradi, director of admissions. “Through quotes, photography and storytelling, we are able to convey what Durham Academy is all about.” The work that goes into creating a piece like this is monumental. This

viewbook was a year in the making when the first boxes of viewbooks were delivered to the admissions office just before the start of the 2015-2016 school year. DA is fortunate to have an awardwinning designer as one of its alumni — and, luckily, his specialty is print communication. This viewbook marks the fourth collaboration between DA and alumnus Alexander Isley ’80. Isley designed the school’s current logo in the late 1990s, the previous admissions viewbook, and the logo and development materials for the Evergreen Campaign. “It’s an honor to be able to help spread the word about DA’s mission,” Isley said. “So many things about the school have changed since the time I was here, but the underlying spirit and approach have remained consistent. Channeling that was therefore a piece of cake. (I wish I knew all my clients as well as I

do DA.) Doing this book made me want to go to school all over again.” The seeds for this viewbook were actually planted a year before it was printed. In September 2014, Isley visited DA during Fall Alumni Weekend and interviewed dozens of DA faculty, parents, students, alumni, trustees and community partners. Those interviews were used to capture the present-day essence of DA and to reflect what people hold dear about the school. The theme for this viewbook was prompted by a recurring question: If academic excellence is a given, what else do we stand for as a school? The concept Isley created as the answer to that question was called “DA Beliefs.” “When creating viewbooks, a lot of schools try talk about every single thing they do in an effort to try to sell you on their programs and what makes them special,” Isley said. “This can be overbearing and

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OUR COMMUNIT Y

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Reflects DA Beliefs pushy. Not DA at all. We decided instead to strip all that away and talk about what we believe and how those beliefs guide us as a school. This leaves the reader to decide if they think we might be a good fit for their interests and needs.” Muradi and the directors of communications and development (Leslie King and Leslie Holdsworth) worked with other members of DA’s administrative team to crystallize those central belief statements into the core of the book. Those statements would frame the storytelling to follow. They emerged as the following: • We Believe in Excellence • We Believe in Laughter • We Believe in Hopes and Dreams • We Believe Teachers Change Lives • We Believe in Hands On • We Believe in Our Community • We Believe in Becoming Your Best Self • We Believe You Belong Here

By Leslie King, Director of Communications

“I am especially proud that this viewbook captures our beliefs as a school community,” Muradi said. In fall 2014 and spring 2015, awardwinning photographer Michael Barley visited DA to capture much of the iconic imagery and day-in-the-life campus photos used in the piece. Over the course of the spring, Isley worked with Muradi, King and Holdsworth to refine layout, imagery and text. “It’s a viewbook with a view from the inside-out rather than the more typical outside-in. It’s an unusual approach, but to me it felt right when talking about DA,” Isley said. “In terms of design elements, it’s all pretty basic. The illustrations are the words. Simple and honest.” Isley did manage to embed some whimsy in the packaging; the cover of the viewbook is held in a folder with a cutout that reveals “A Closer Look” in tiny font.

The viewbook itself is just one part of the entire admissions package — the folder also contains inserts that describe each part of the DA experience by division as well as guides for applying to DA, an explanation of the financial aid process and an Upper School curriculum guide. All of the pieces came together at the end of July as the viewbook went on the press in Zebulon at Theo Davis Printing, and in September prospective families began to receive Isley’s powerful statement about DA. “Alex personally experienced DA’s excellent education, life-changing teachers and commitment to service first-hand,” Muradi said. “He is so talented, and we were lucky to have him — one of our own — working on such an important piece.” At www.da.org/magazine:

• See DA’s new admissions viewbook.

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Three DA Senior Athletes Commit to Compete in College By Leslie King, Director of Communications

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Greg Murray

urham Academy faculty, students and families packed the lobby of Kirby Gym in a celebration marked by hugs, flowers, cheers, tears and FaceTime as three senior student-athletes signed documents committing them to compete at colleges and universities. The Nov. 11 signing ceremony marked their first step in becoming a college athlete. Lakin Barry will play field hockey for Northwestern University, Leander Perun will play lacrosse for Denison University and Cha’Mia Rothwell will compete in track and field for Dartmouth College. “One of the really cool things about Durham Academy is how our student body supports their classmates and teammates and celebrates successes,” Athletics Director Steve Engebretsen told the crowd. “I know these girls are as proud of what they accomplished with all of you as teammates and coaches as they are of what they’ve accomplished individually and what their opportunities are going to be going forward. It’s a real pleasure when you get to recognize people who are outstanding individuals in all ways.” Lakin Barry was a spectator at DA’s signing ceremony last year, joining her family in the audience as sister Jordan signed her letter of intent to play field hockey for Stanford University. This year, as Lakin committed to play field hockey for Northwestern, Jordan was able to share

ABOVE: Lakin Barry (from left), Leander Perun and Cha’ Mia Rothwell will be competing at Northwestern, Denison and Dartmouth next year. FACING PAGE: Tanner Barry made sure his oldest sister, Jordan Barry, who is playing field hockey at Stanford University, could be a part of the ceremony via FaceTime.

in the celebration from California via the next best thing to being there — FaceTime. Former teammate Chloe Lewis ’15, who now plays lacrosse at Duke, also returned to help Barry celebrate. Proud dad and DA fourth grade teacher Tom Barry was touched to see so many of his daughter’s mentor/coaches in the audience. “It was so great to see [varsity field hockey coach] Judy Chandler, Susan Ellis and Betsy Brown take from their busy day to be there for today's celebration. It meant a lot to Lakin and Linda and me,” said Barry. “The fact that Betsy Brown, Lakin's |

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seventh-grade field hockey coach and advisor, rescheduled her day to be there to support Lakin, speaks volumes about how the faculty truly care ... even well after a student has ‘moved on.’ ” It was an emotional day for families, coaches and their players. “I’m very excited and very nervous — my hand was shaking when I was signing — but we’re all just full of excitement,” said Lakin. “I will miss Lakin terribly but am so excited to see what she and her team will accomplish. Northwestern is so lucky to be getting her!” Chandler said.

all-conference and all-state honors and scored more than 1,000 career points on the varsity girls basketball team, is looking forward to running at the college level. Her DA coaches have no doubt that she’ll excel. “Cha’Mia is extraordinary in her ability to see the big picture. She has a wisdom that is uncommon in someone her age,” said former DA track and field coach Dennis Cullen. “There is a joyousness about Cha’Mia which is uncommon in someone who is as competitive as she is. She has a great smile, which she shares frequently. She laughs easily. She is a warm, caring young woman. Cha’Mia is a natural leader. People respect her for her intelligence, for her athletic ability, for her ability to get along with everyone, for her sensitivity.” Cullen says during Rothwell’s varsity track career, she has set school records in the 100m hurdles, 100m dash and 200m dash that may never be broken. The four-time all-conference, five-time NCISAA individual state champion’s accomplishments include the following: TISAC Girls Track and Field AllConference (2014) and 2014 TISAC Athlete of the Year (achieving TISAC meet records in high jump, 100m hurdles, 100m dash, 200m dash), NCISAA Individual State Champion 2014 (high jump, 200m dash) and TISAC 2013 Championship winner (100m hurdles, 100m dash, 200m dash). Rothwell also earned national recognition at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships Kathy McPherson

Lakin, who also plays varsity girls soccer, heads to Northwestern with an impressive résumé — the most assists in DA history (76) and the team’s secondhighest scorer (75). Other accomplishments include NCISAA Field Hockey All-State Team (2015, 2014, 2013), TISAC Field Hockey All-Conference Team (2015 Player of the Year, 2014), as well as all-conference and all-region recognition in soccer. Barry also competed in AAU Junior Olympic Games in 2013 and 2014, helping the team win a silver medal in 2014. In 2014, Lakin, sister Jordan, Helen Morgan ’15 and Sarah Hantzmon ’16 were part of the 2014 Carolina All-Stars Field Hockey team that won their pool in the 2014 National Field Hockey Festival. Cha’Mia Rothwell’s Ivy League teammates, including Eliza Dekker ’15 and competitors at Dartmouth, will have their work cut out for them — trying to keep up with a DA sprinter regularly recognized as one of the fastest women in the state. Rothwell, who has also earned

competing with the Durham Striders, winning the 100m hurdles in 2014 and 2015. She credits Coach Cullen and her DA track family with being instrumental in her success. “He’s just a really nice, genuine guy who’s always looking out for me and making sure I have the proper resources to make sure I’m on top of my game. I think it’s pretty nice of him to invest into my life so much like he’s done over my entire high school career,” Rothwell said. “The family atmosphere — the Durham Academy track team is truly a special team — we’re all really close and we all get along and we all really push each other and I think that’s a pretty special thing.” Leander Perun came to DA as a freshman, and in four short years rose to the top of her game as co-captain of the varsity girls lacrosse team. Perun, who also participates in varsity girls tennis and swimming, is thrilled to be able to continue to play lacrosse at the collegiate level for Denison. “I’m really excited because I’ve worked really hard and it just kind of — it’s nice to have this celebration. The support that you get from your teachers and your classmates and all your friends and your coaches because they all just want you to do really, really well. And sports here are just fun to do. I’ll definitely miss my coaches, and all my players a lot.” Perun has earned honors in lacrosse at the local, state and national level, including the following: TISAC Girls Lacrosse All-Conference (2015, 2014), NCISAA Girls Lacrosse All-State team 2015 and U.S. Lacrosse National Tournament teams (2015, 2014). Coach Debbie Rebosa said Perun’s leadership will be missed. “Starting as early as her freshman year, Leander's vision and selfless play has been a driving force behind our varsity team's success,” Rebosa said. “DA could always count on Leander as a leader and role model with her consistent humility, dedication and work rate. Denison University can count on the same stellar qualities as she takes it to the next level.”

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Melody Guyton Butts

LEFT: Ninth-graders Jinger Callwood and Joy Callwood were among the students who helped make a “Say Yes” video encouraging donors to contribute to the DA Fund.

Donors Launch Fundraising Challenge Tied to $1 Million DA Fund Goal “Yes!”

That’s typically the answer whenever a teacher or student asks to launch a new initiative, asks for new resources or asks to bring new programming into the classroom. And that “yes” is delivered without hesitation or strings attached. This year, Durham Academy hopes to have one million reasons to say “yes” through its most ambitious DA Fund goal ever — $1 million dollars. “The DA Fund provides 4 percent of our operating budget. At most of our peer schools, their annual funds are providing at least 5 percent of their budgets, with goals of $1 million and higher,” said Leslie Holdsworth, director of development. “It’s our long-term goal to reach that 5 percent threshold, and this is the year for us to raise $1 million!” DA is taking aim at the million-dollar target after a record-breaking run. The DA Fund raised a staggering $975,000 in 20142015, and parent participation reached an all-time high of 79 percent. This year, a group of generous DA donors has joined together to offer a $50,000 challenge to inspire every family to participate in the 52

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DA Fund. A parent participation rate of 80 percent or more is the goal, and every gift will help DA reach it. “We are very excited about this challenge to our families. It is vital that we have broad participation in the DA Fund, which is our top fundraising priority,” said Janis Tillman ’84, DA development committee chair. “We will need every gift if we are going to reach $1 million!” Tillman says while a $1 million goal might sound intimidating, it’s certainly not impossible. Although the challenge gift is tied to parent participation, everyone at DA can play a part. DA faculty, staff, alumni, alumni parents and trustees support the DA Fund every year. Upper School Spanish teacher and Lower School parent Liliana Simón says it’s easy to underestimate the ripple effect of one person’s gift. “The first time I learned about fundraising at DA and they were asking me for money, I was skeptical. It was my first year here, 12 years ago, and I thought, ‘No, the school has money,’ ” said Simón. “But I saw that DA is a community that helps, and I began to understand all of the reasons fundraising would help, and that completely

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changed my mind, just with one conversation. As a parent I see why the teachers of my children are so wonderful — because as a teacher I see we have so much support from the school. Each gift says ‘We believe in you, we know you can do this wonderful work and we are supporting you.’ I’ve been a giver ever since.” Know one knows the value of supporting a DA education better than its alumni, and DA alums will also play a vital part in reaching the $1 million goal. Alumni giving is already on the rise with a 17 percent increase in alumni donors in 20142015, collectively providing $156,000, or 16 percent of total DA Fund dollars raised. The goal this year is to raise $160,000 from at least 375 alumni donors. The DA Fund closes the gap between tuition and the actual cost of a DA education. DA Fund dollars create a margin of excellence for every teacher, every student, every day. There are a million reasons to say “yes” to the DA Fund. At www.da.org/magazine: • Watch some familiar faces explain why you should give to the DA Fund.

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Science Talent Search, National Merit, Awards Panel, Apple Distinguished School

ABOVE: Senior Meredith Cox was named a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search.

Intel Science Talent Search Honors Senior Meredith Cox Where the average person might appreciate the mere warmth of sand between their toes, the aroma of ground coffee or the complexion-boosting magic of makeup powder, Durham Academy senior Meredith Cox sees so much more. Already an accomplished scientist, the 17-year-old has a deep interest in such granular particles, and she spends a great deal of time learning why they behave the way they do. And now, in recognition of her research, she has been named a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest high school science competition. Selected from 1,750 entrants, Cox is among 300 semifinalists nationwide — 11 of whom are from North Carolina. Also a semifinalist this year is former DA student Vibha Puri, who attends N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. After Cox whetted her appetite for granular materials through the summer Mars Outreach for North Carolina

Students (MONS) program — led by Upper School science teacher Howard Lineberger — she approached Duke University physics professor Dr. Bob Behringer with a request to further her research in his lab in the summer of 2015. “It’s not something we study in school, and the fact that it was something I hadn’t really studied before really interested me,” Cox said. “Sand may seem like something that isn’t super interesting to the average person, but there’s actually a lot that you can learn from sand or grains or cereal in a box.” In the thick of her research, Cox spent six or seven hours a day in the lab, where she collected and analyzed data with guidance from Behringer and graduate students. Cox’s research has been well received by the scientific community. Even so, Cox says she was surprised to learn of her advancement in the Intel competition on Jan. 6: “It does feel gratifying. I was really excited when I saw my name. I wasn’t expecting it.” In addition to her interest in science, Cox runs track and cross country at DA; sews anime cosplay and DA theater costumes; has had her poetry published in literary magazine Exurbia and is a senior features editor for student newspaper The Green and White; is an accomplished pianist who has performed at Carnegie Hall; and is an avid volunteer who has received the President’s Award and Volunteer Center of Durham Mayor’s Award. As an Intel Science Talent Search semifinalist, Cox receives a $1,000 award from the Intel Foundation. Cox is in good company as a semifinalist. DA alumnus Peter Kasson ’95 was a finalist in 1995 and is now a biomedical engineering professor at the University of Virginia. More recently,

John Pardon ’07 placed second in the 2007 competition. The valedictorian of his class at Princeton University, Pardon went on to earn the prestigious Clay Research Fellowship for mathematics research and is a math professor at Stanford University. As for Cox’s next steps, she plans to study mechanical engineering in college next year, with a goal of putting her skills and interests to work as an entrepreneur. “Something that’s really important to me is women in STEM. Sometimes, maybe it’s not expected for women to be involved in especially physics and engineering. There are a lot fewer women involved,” Cox said. “People like Ms. [Meg] McNall, Mrs. [Trish] Whiting, Mrs. [Kari] Newman, Ms. [Tara] Eppinger, are women involved in science, who are really knowledgeable and inspire me to learn from them, to try to know all of the things that they do.” 17 Durham Academy seniors are named National Merit semifinalists The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized 17 Durham Academy seniors as semifinalists in the 61st annual 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. DA’s semifinalist pool is even larger than last year, and is one of the largest in DA history, said Kathy Cleaver, director of college counseling. The following DA seniors are semifinalists: Anna Baker, Abby Breitfeld, Ellie Breitfeld, Christopher Camitta, Meredith Cox, Abe Dunderdale, Rowan Gossett, Lexi Kadis, Veronica Kim, Matthew Mosca, Bryce Polascik, Braden Saba, Matt Sale, Ryan Samet, Ryan Strauss, Felicity Walston and Eilene Yang.

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Semifinalists were chosen by virtue of their performance on the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Of the 1.5 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools who took the qualifying test, approximately 16,000 students were recognized as semifinalists. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors, and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. About 15,000 students from the semifinalist pool are expected to advance to the finalist level, and will be notified of that designation in February. About half of the finalists will win one of an estimated 7,400 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $32 million. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized 10 Durham Academy seniors as commended students. Students receiving letters of commendation were chosen by virtue of their performance on the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. DA commended students are Charlie Berman, Loften Deprez, Caroline Ghio, Stephanie Jaffe, Thea Lance, Hannah Lang, Kiran Nagar, Rasika Rao, MacKenzi Simpson and Nash Wilhelm-Hilkey.

Middle School librarian named to national award panel As Durham Academy Middle School’s librarian, Jennifer Longee is an avid reader. But over the next year, she’ll have her nose in a book even more often than usual, as she reads more than 100 nonfiction books with a very important purpose — to help select the 2017 Young Adult Library Services Association’s Excellence in Nonfiction Award winner. Longee is one of four committee members who have been selected to read and evaluate the nonfiction titles, all written with a tween or teenage audience in mind. Longee began receiving books for review in February 2016, and the committee will name five finalists in December. The selection process will culminate with the announcement of the winner at the American Library Association Midwinter Conference in January 2017. “I am both thrilled and proud to serve on the 2017 Young Adult Library Services Association’s Excellence in Nonfiction Award,” Longee said. “I love true stories and learning new facts, so this will be very exciting work for me.” It’s not Longee’s first time serving on a book award selection committee. As part of the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award committee, she helped select the year’s top book for beginning readers. DA again Apple Distinguished School Two years after first earning the Apple Distinguished School designation,

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ABOVE: Middle School librarian Jennifer Longee will help choose books for the Excellence in Nonfiction Award.

Durham Academy has once again earned Apple’s stamp of approval, a designation that lasts through 2017. The honor is in recognition of DA’s 1:1 iPad and laptop programs in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. The Apple Distinguished School designation is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments. DA’s 1:1 program began in the fall of 2012, when each Middle Schooler was given a school-provided iPad for use both during class lessons and at home — for daily homework, longer-term projects and research. Faculty immediately embraced the devices, and over the past three years, they’ve discovered more and more ways of using the devices to bring their subject matter to life. The Middle School’s success — including the 2013-2015 Apple Distinguished School designation — inspired the expansion of the 1:1 digital learning program in fall 2014. Each DA fourthgrader is now given his or her own iPad to use during the school day, and a 1:1 MacBook laptop program is being phased in grade-by-grade in the Upper School.

DURHAM ACADEMYAlumni email: alumni@da.org

website: www.da.org/alumni

DA ALUMNI TO HONOR BARB KANOY AND PATRICK NEVINS ’03 DA

Alumni will honor Middle School teacher Barb Kanoy and Class of 2003 graduate Patrick Nevins at its Spring Alumni Reception on April 15 at 6 p.m. in the Upper School Learning Commons. Kanoy will receive the Durham Academy Alumni Faculty/Staff Legacy Award, and Nevins will receive the Durham Academy Alumni Service Award. Kanoy has worn many hats during her 34 years at DA, including varsity volleyball coach, science teacher and seventh-grade advisor. She is credited with revamping the Middle School Student Council, has led the effort to get the two gardens established and growing at the Middle School and is known for helping out in many other ways on the Academy Road campus. Kanoy has built life-long relationships with students and no doubt will continue to do so in the years ahead. “I was lucky to have Mrs. Kanoy for both sixth- and seventh-grade science, and even though I wasn't a very strong science student, her passion and enthusiasm made a lasting impression on me,” said Alumni Board member Virginia Reves Hall ’91, who teaches and coaches at the Middle School. “She always had a smile on her face and boundless energy

LEFT: Patrick Nevins ’03 will be honored with the Alumni Service Award. RIGHT: Barb Kanoy will receive the Alumni Faculty/Staff Legacy Award.

“I was also inspired by her role as a coach. While I never played volleyball, seeing her live out the teacher-coach-mom balance was inspiring and surely helped shaped who I am now.” — V I R G I N I A R E V ES H A L L ’91

to teach us about how our world works and the wonders around us. I was also inspired by her role as a coach. While I never played volleyball, seeing her live out the teacher-coach-mom balance was inspiring and surely helped shaped who I am now.” In receiving the Alumni Service Award, Nevins is being recognized for demonstrating a selfless commitment to improving the lives of individuals and communities through service and action. After graduating from Duke in 2007 with a degree in public policy studies and history, Nevins decided he wanted to serve his country and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States

Marine Corps. During his seven years of service as an infantry officer, he was deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Nevins is a student at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and expects to graduate this spring with a Master of Public Policy. He was recently recognized as an honorary captain for the Duke men’s basketball team at Madison Square Garden, where Duke participated in the 2K Classic to benefit The Wounded Warrior Project. He is also finalizing the process of launching a nonprofit organization to offer substance abuse and mental health assistance for those with whom he served.

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Melody Guyton Butts

DA Hosts First Legends Lunch Honoring Long-serving, Retired Faculty and Staff By Leslie King, Director of Communications

t any school, there are tales of stellar teachers with reputations that long outlast their time at an institution and staff that are a part of the very fabric of it. At Durham Academy, we’ve dubbed them “life-changers.” They are referenced time and again by alumni who credit these influential forces in their young lives that last well into adulthood and beyond. They are, quite simply, legends. On a dreary Thursday morning in October, 22 faculty and staff from across the decades braved the pre-Hurricane Joaquin weather to gather for a family reunion of sorts — DA’s first Legends Lunch. Assistant Head of School Lee Hark was inspired to launch the event by a similar tradition at his alma mater, Darlington School. “Michael [Ulku-Steiner], Xandy [Jones] and I thought a Legends Lunch would be a great way to celebrate the contributions of our longest-tenured, retired faculty and staff members,” Hark said. “We wanted to give them a chance to reconnect with former colleagues and to discuss what has changed and what has endured at the school we all love so much.“ The idea took shape last spring, just as the 2015-2016 calendar was being finalized, and Fall Alumni Weekend seemed like the perfect timing. “We’ve wanted to do an event like this for a while,” said Associate Director of Alumni Affairs Tim McKenna. “It’s a great 56

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ABOVE: Among those attending the first Legends Lunch were (first row, from left) Marge Enberg, Cathy Smith, Beth Cornwall, Shelley Hausler, Liz Jasinski, Wendy Nevins, Priscilla McLeod, (second row, from left) Tiny Bradley, Melody Clark, Amelia Matthews, Dave Gould, Rick Dike, Emily Dike, Patsy Harlow, Phyllis Clark, (third row, from left) Earl Woods, Dick Forringer, Bobbie Hardaker, Jim McGivney, Margie Billinger and Pat Henry. RIGHT: Former Lower School teaching assistants Patsy Harlow and Phyllis Clark enjoyed reconnecting with friends at the Legends Lunch.

way to kick off Fall Alumni Weekend and encourage our guests to take part in the activities at a time when other alums would be on campus for the weekend. The one thing that connects alumni to their school is their teachers. There’s no better way to recognize this group.” Upon the legends’ arrival, Head of School Michael Ulku-Steiner welcomed the group in Kirby Gym, a building that some of them had never seen. There were enthusiastic hugs, eyes brimming with tears and lots of laughter. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity. You see the smiles on everyone’s faces when you walk in — it’s a family,” said Rick Dike, who served as athletics director from 1981 to 1991 and whose wife, Emily, taught in the Lower School for 21 years. “These are all members of the family over the years. It makes it special.” “Ninety-five percent to ninety-eight percent of the people here are people that I have known for years, and it’s just nice to get together again,” said retired Middle School math teacher Dick Forringer, who spent more than 30 years at DA. “It’s wonderful, it brings back lots of memories ... and it’s just a wonderful feeling

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to be here,” said Priscilla McLeod, a retired third- and first-grade teacher. “I figure if you all are going to this much trouble I should say yes!" longtime Upper School English teacher Harriet King said with a laugh. "My husband said, ‘Well at least you’re a living legend!’ ” Ulku-Steiner gave the group some insight into the DA of today — how their former students are now parents, with children of their own roaming the same halls. He touched on the fact that this gathering is emblematic of the first goal in the school’s strategic plan — a faculty full of life-changers. “It’s exciting to feel like you’re a part of the history, of the process of getting to where we are now. It’s exciting to see that it just keeps growing and growing and getting better and better, and I like the focus on hiring quality teachers and continuing the traditions — it’s exciting,” Forringer said. After a group photo to commemorate the moment, the group was off on a guided tour led by Ulku-Steiner and Hark through the gym, its fitness center, the Upper School Learning Commons, and then down to the Lower School, which included

DA ALUM NI

Melody Guyton Butts

When these teachers and staff members joined DA, no matter what the decade, they became part of a family, and that connection endures. When asked about their favorite DA memories, many of them were hard-pressed — not to remember one, but because they had so many to choose from.

a side trip to first- and second-grade classrooms. Cathy Smith, who taught first grade for 22 years, has her tenure marked by a plaque outside Debbie Suggs’ firstgrade classroom. Smith’s visit was perfectly timed to get a huge hug from Suggs, a 20year DA veteran herself. “Oh, it is just wonderful because I really am seeing so many of the kiddos that were with me in the Lower School, and of course other people I knew in the Middle and/or Upper,” Smith said. “I’m having a great time!” When these teachers and staff members joined DA, no matter what the decade, they became part of a family, and that connection endures. When asked about their favorite DA memories, many of them were hard-pressed — not to remember one, but because they had so many to choose from. “My favorite moment is coming here, being here, being asked to work here, because that led to all of the years after that and all of those memories,” Dike said. “I had a student who discovered what we thought was an original theorem in geometry — it turns out it wasn’t, but to him it was new. He created the solution to this problem and I had never seen it, neither of us had,” Forringer said. “And the excitement — we actually thought that maybe we had something that was ‘ta da!’, but in the end it really didn’t matter, because it was ‘ta da!’ to me, and to him and to his class, so that was great.”

“When I retired there was a party and they tried to encourage my first class to come, and there was a group of people greeting me. This young man kept waving at me and I kept looking at him, and I thought ‘What a handsome young man,’” McLeod said. “He had a beard, he was in his mid-20s and he came up and he gave me a hug and he said, ‘Hello, Ms. McLeod,’ and I said, ‘Please tell me who’s giving me a hug,’ and he said ‘It’s Nicholas Georgiade,’ and I said ‘Oh, Nicholas, now that I know, come back and give me another hug!’ I will always remember that.” The meaning of DA, both as a place and as a point in time in their lives, drew these legends back to remember those experiences and more. They came from as close by as Durham and as far away as Southern Pines, and distances of space and time evaporated in an instant. Smith recalled it seemed like fate that she became a part of this family. “When I was teaching down in Summerton, [then Head of School] Rob Hershey called to tell me I had been hired, and I had given him my wrong telephone number, and he was having a hard time getting in touch with me!” Smith said. “I just feel like it was meant to be that I would come to Durham Academy and have it work out so wonderfully.” “It was great to meet those I know only by their ‘legendary’ reputations!” Hark said. “I hope this becomes a tradition we continue for years to come.”

2015 Legends Lunch Attendees • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Margie Billinger Tiny Bradley Melody Clark Phyllis Clark Beth Cornwall Emily Dike Rick Dike Marge Enberg Dick Forringer Dave Gould Bobbie Hardaker Patsy Harlow Shelley Hausler Pat Isbell Liz Jasinski Harriet King Amelia Matthews Jim McGivney Priscilla McLeod Wendy Nevins Cathy Smith Earl Woods

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DA ALUMNI

Eight Legendary DA Athletes, Coaches Inducted into DA Athletic Hall of Fame By Kathy McPherson, Associate Director of Communications

Millie Long Barritt ’94

ive alumni athletes and three coaches spanning five decades were inducted into Durham Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Dec. 4. They marked the second class of inductees for the Athletic Hall of Fame, which was established in 2013 and will tap new members every other year. The new Athletic Hall of Fame members were honored at halftime of the DA Varsity boys basketball game versus Charlotte Latin. The new Athletic Hall of Fame members are Millie Long Barritt ’94, Judy Chandler, Steve Engebretsen, Brock Hilpert ’97, Patricia Biggs Porcelli ’84, Joe Seivold, Kelly Smoke ’00 and David Spach ’78. • Millie Long Barritt ’94 was a multi-sport athlete who excelled in cross country, swimming and softball. As a cross country runner, she was the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) individual state champion in 1993, but it was as a swimmer that Barritt made the biggest splash. She was an eight-time NCISAA individual state champion in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. She led DA to the NCISAA state swim team title in 1994 and was a high school All-American. Barritt had an accomplished swimming career at UNC, where she was team captain. She is an assistant professor of medicine at UNC and is the mother of three DA students.

Judy Chandler

• Judy Chandler has been DA’s varsity field hockey coach since 1992. In that time, she has won 22 conference championships and 10 NCISAA state championships and coached multiple athletes who went on to play in college. Her career field hockey record currently stands at 336-79-3, making her one of the most successful high school field hockey coaches in North Carolina history. Chandler coached varsity softball from 2007 to 2012, winning one conference championship. She is the mother of two DA graduates and teaches physical education at the Lower School.

• Brock Hilpert ’97 was one of DA’s all-time great soccer players. He was a four-time all-conference player and two-time all-state player. He was three-time team most valuable player at DA and led his team to two NCISAA state championships. He scored 82 goals and had 52 assists at DA, and he 58

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Photos by Melody Guyton Butts

• Steve Engebretsen began teaching and coaching at DA in 1981. As varsity boys basketball coach in the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s, he won 200 games and took DA to four NCISAA final-fours. In 10 seasons as varsity softball coach, his teams won 131 games and four conference titles. Since becoming DA’s athletic director in 1991, Engebretsen has served administratively at the state and conference level, has grown DA’s athletic program to 47 teams and has won 41 state championships. He and his wife, Teresa, who teaches French at the Middle School, are the parents of two DA graduates.

Steve Engebretsen

Brock Hilpert ’97

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participated in the North Carolina Olympic Development Program from 1991 to 1996. Hilpert played collegiately at Wake Forest University. He lives with his family in Seattle, Washington, where he works for Google.

Patricia Biggs Porcelli ’84

• Patricia Biggs Porcelli ’84 was one of DA’s first great girls basketball players, and she is also one of the all-time leaders in games played and in scoring. She was a three-time all-conference player and earned all state honors while leading DA to the state tournament final-four in 1984. She was named to Durham’s all-area team and was tapped as DA’s senior athlete of the year in 1984. Porcelli lives with her family in Durham and is a teacher in the Durham Public Schools system. • Joe Seivold taught at the Middle School and coached boys soccer and boys lacrosse. As varsity soccer coach from 1991 to 1999, he led the program to a 111-37-8 record and two NCISAA state championships. As varsity lacrosse coach from 1991 to 2004, Seivold’s teams won 10 state championships and compiled a 214-36 record. He coached multiple all-conference, all-state and all-American players and set a standard for excellence that remains a presence at DA today. Seivold and his wife, Joan, a former DA girls varsity soccer coach and physical education teacher, are the parents of two DA alumni. They live in Tampa, Florida, where he is headmaster at Berkeley Preparatory School.

Joe Seivold

Kelly Smoke ’00

• Kelly Smoke ’00 played basketball and was a member of the track team. She was a three-year starter on the basketball team and holds the single game record for rebounds with 20. As a track athlete, she holds every record in shot put and discus for DA in the NCISAA, and her records are among the best-ever for a North Carolina high school athlete. Smoke was a nine-time NCISAA individual state champion in track. She led her DA team to two state championships and earned 13 varsity letters at DA. She went on to have a successful track career at N.C. State University. Smoke lives in Durham, where she works with Inventive Health. • David Spach ’78 was one of DA’s first outstanding three-sport athletes. In cross country, he was the Durham city/county meet champion and NCISAA individual state champion, and he led his DA team to a NCISAA state championship. In basketball, he was a two-year starter at point guard and helped DA win the 1977 NCISAA state title. In tennis, he was the No. 1 player and team captain, and he won five North Carolina junior open tournaments. Spach played tennis at the University of Virginia, where he was team captain. He lives with his family in Seattle, Washington, where he is a professor of medicine at the University of Washington.

The 2015 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees join the members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class inducted in 2013: soccer player Matt Crawford ’99; former track and cross country coach Dennis Cullen; former athletic director Rick Dike; track athlete Steven Edwards ’98; former Headmaster Rob Hershey; field hockey, basketball and softball player Becca North ’94; field hockey, basketball and track athlete Katie O’Connor ’95; and soccer player Mollie Pathman ’10. David Spach ’78

At www.da.org/magazine: • Watch speeches from the Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.

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Fall Alumni Weekend Social P H OTO S B Y M E LO DY G U Y TO N B U T T S A N D K AT H Y M C P H E R S O N

Save the Date:

2016 Fall Alumni Weekend, Sept. 23 and 24 Celebrating reunions for classes ending in ’1s and ’6s

For more information, visit www.da.org/alumni

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Reunion Parties 2015

CLASS OF 1975

CLASS OF 2010

Classes ending in ’0s and ’5s gathered on Oct. 3 at Tobacco Road Café to exchange stories, recall memories and enjoy delicious food and drinks. More than 140 people attended the reunion party, coming from near and far. To see additional photos, visit www.da.org/alumni. P H OTO S B Y K AT H Y M C P H E R S O N

CLASS OF 1980

CLASS OF 2000 CLASS OF 1990 DURHAM ACADEMY

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What has Chris Rosati ’89 been up to? A lot! • The butterfly effect

February 2015 A stranger hands you $50. Your only instruction: Do something kind with it. The rest is up to you. Chris Rosati ’89 wanted to see how far one act of kindness could go. He put his theory to the test at a Durham diner one night, giving 13- and 10-year old sisters the money and sending them on their way. The girls paid for a feast for an entire village in Sierra Leone to help them celebrate being Ebola-free. In February, Rosati launched “the Little BIGG Grant Campaign” through his Inspire MEdia Network nonprofit, offering $50 grants to any child in grades kindergarten through 12 who had an idea to use an act of kindness to make an impact. Since then, hundreds of school children across the country, inspired by Rosati, have paid it forward. ABOVE: Several decades of DA alumni attended the Inspire MEdia Gala to celebrate Chris

• #by2021

Rosati and the exciting work he is doing.

June 2015 Chris Rosati is racing against time. Since being diagnosed with ALS in 2010, he has redefined what it means to live, inspiring thousands to spread kindness. Last summer he threw down the ultimate challenge to the leaders of the only national non-profit organization working to cure the disease that’s slowly killing him. Cure ALS by 2021. Period. Put a deadline on ending the disease that afflicts 6,400 people in the U.S. each year. In an inspirational and moving letter posted on by2021.org, Rosati appealed to ALS Association CEO Barbara Newhouse to “dare greatly” and take on the same urgency as JFK’s Man on the Moon initiative when it comes to fast-tracking a cure for ALS. Expedite research with the $115 million the association raised through 62

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the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. “And don’t tell me six years is not enough time,” said Rosati. “It’s six frickin’ years. Don’t issue a response explaining the difficulties and the realities. I have ALS. I know difficulty. I know reality.” • Inspire MEdia partners with 11

Triangle schools to launch Big Ideas for the Greater Good (BIGG) clubs October 2015 Engage in intentional acts of kindness. Put a world-changing idea into action. Make the world a better place. Inspire others to do the same. Last fall, Chris Rosati’s nonprofit Inspire MEdia Network created a playbook for making kindness part of the curriculum in Triangle schools. BIGG clubs will focus on character

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development through unique service learning experiences and celebrate student achievement as each club makes its “big idea” a reality over the course of a semester. • Inspire MEdia Gala

November 2015 An epic rap battle ... a silent and live auction ... a raffle for an incredible date night and a dress code described as “outrageous classy preferred” and consisting of wacky tuxedos? Yes, please! In November, Rosati’s Inspire MEdia Network hosted The BIGG Gala — a night of celebration, laugher and inspiration to raise funding for BIGG initiatives. In his speech that night, Chris talked about his struggles since being diagnosed

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with ALS — learning to love himself, mourning the future and facing fear and sadness — but most of all, he talked about choosing to believe. “I may die tomorrow. I may piss a few people off and live another five years. But despite the struggle and the sadness, I’m just not ready to give up. So I am going to believe. Because when I believe, I feel. Alive. When I believe, I believe I can change it. I know it can get better. I believe a small act of kindness can just go and go and go. On and on. Each act lifting a few others. Then they do the same. Again and again. “I am most alive when I am an unapologetic dreamer and a fearless believer. Do I really believe I can help change the world? Absolutely. “We’re going to build an army no one can defeat. My army, our network, the good they do, it’s contagious. Our network

TOP: Gov. Pat McCrory and Mayor Bill Bell congratulate Chris Rosati on receiving the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award presented by the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. BOTTOM LEFT: An entire village in Sierra Leone enjoyed a feast thanks to Rosati’s Little BIGG Grant Campaign. BOTTOM RIGHT: Delaney and Logan Rosati support their dad’s push to cure ALS by 2021.

spreads goodness further and further. Into the schools, through these young men and women into the souls of adults — jaded, lost, sad, searching. And each one of them, the teachers and students, the people they impact directly with their deeds and when their stories are shared, everyone is made better. The world’s never seen an army, a network like the one we’re gonna build. “Do I believe we can change the world? Damn right I do.” • Durham Chamber award

December 2015 In December, the Greater Durham

Chamber of Commerce honored Rosati with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award at its legislative forum event. Gov. Pat McCrory and Durham Mayor Bill Bell where there to congratulate him. Every day, Rosati inspires the DA community with his devotion to living life to the fullest and making the world better, one act of kindness at a time. At www.da.org/magazine: • Watch a video about the butterfly effect. • Learn more about by2021.

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ABOVE: Members of the JV boys soccer team dedicated their season to Chris Rosati. “When there are tough games, I think we tend of think about how tough it must be for Chris,” freshman Mac Lang said.

JV Boys Soccer Team Dedicates Season to Alumnus Chris Rosati ’89 By Melody Guyton Butts, Associate Director of Communications

wenty-six years after he last suited up in a Cavaliers uniform, Durham Academy graduate Chris Rosati ’89 still dreams of soccer. At DA, “soccer was my game,” he says. “It opened doors, introduced me to friends I still have today. The game and everything around it taught me a lot.” So the news that DA’s JV boys soccer team dedicated its 2015 season to Rosati meant a lot to him. Rosati can no longer run down the field or kick a soccer ball. He can’t cheer for his team. Everything changed five years ago, when Rosati was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that will eventually take his life. The idea to dedicate the team’s season to Rosati came to JV coach Thomas Phu after thinking about how to help his players to see each game as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Rosati’s optimism and seize-the-day mentality haven’t wavered in spite of his diagnosis, as chronicled by CBS Evening News and multiple other news organizations. That drive to live each moment to the fullest is one that Phu wanted his players to adopt. “They may play soccer next year, but it’s not the same team. It’s not the same group of guys,” Phu said. “Each season, each game, each practice is meaningful. Being a member of a team, a member of a community, is so important. If we’re in a tough 64

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match, when things are down, they don’t have a built-in excuse to quit — they’ll think, I’m not just playing for myself, but I’m playing for my teammates, I’m playing for my school, I’m playing for Chris Rosati. If they quit, they’re letting four, five layers of people down.” The team created a video that they emailed to Rosati announcing their intention, along with a letter and images of a poster that they created in his honor. Before each game, players wrapped their shin guards with tape bearing the phrase “CR89” as a reminder of why they’re playing. “This season is special in that we’re playing for something bigger than ourselves — in honor of someone whom we know personally,” said sophomore Scott Hallyburton. “It really gives us motivation when we start each game.” Rosati attended the team’s Cary Academy game, although he had some initial reservations about whether it would be too tough emotionally. “Not only was I not sad, watching those kids, on that field,” he said, “it was one of the best moments of the year.” Some of the players said they felt like a loss would be letting Rosati down. But losses are part of the lesson, Phu said. “They have two choices: either quit, or try to grind. Chris is losing his life. But he’s not quitting.” That message has resonated with freshman Mac Lang: “When there are tough games, I think we tend to think about how tough it must be for Chris, yet he continues to give back and do so much for so many people.” As for Rosati, the team’s effort meant the world. “When kids do something, when they acknowledge, hey, because of you I’m going to think, act, try, love ... whatever it is, those are the moments I feel like it’s not a waste. And that, along with my family and friends, is what keeps my heart and soul alive.”

Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times

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ABOVE: Hope Boykin snaps a selfie with dancers at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Hope Boykin ’90

Celebrating 15 Years with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

ope Boykin ’90, who has been dancing since her Durham Academy days, was the subject of The New York Times’ Sunday Routine feature on Dec. 11. Boykin, who is 43, has recently completed her 15th year with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has been called a “force of nature” on stage. According to the article, it’s rare for dancers to perform into their 40s. “We’re not dancing late, we’re dancing just right,” Boykin says in the piece. At www.da.org/magazine: • Read The New York Times article on Boykin. DURHAM ACADEMY

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ABOVE: Ryan Frost shares some pointers with members of the lacrosse team at New Hampshireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cardigan Mountain School.

Ryan Frost â&#x20AC;&#x2122;93

the Kinkaid School. While there, I also ran several lacrosse camps and helped start the first youth developmental lacrosse league and the first select high school travel team in the Houston area. I have spent the last nine years working as the athletic director at Cardigan Mountain School. I have spent a great deal of time helping Meredith raise our family while enjoying the great opportunities for four seasons of outdoor activities in New Hampshire. Some recent highlights for our family have been watching the kids all learn to swim, ride two-wheel bikes, ice skate and snow ski. One of my favorite family traditions has become our family summer bucket list: We take turns choosing 30 things we will do together as a family during summer vacation. Along with my work as the athletic director at Cardigan, I also serve as the middle school representative on

Athletic Director and Family Man I

recently had the opportunity to return home to my alma mater and be a part of the Durham Academy Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. I had the privilege to give the introduction speech for my former lacrosse coach, Joe Seivold. What an honor! I enjoyed seeing old friends and all the changes that have taken place at DA. I am currently residing in Canaan, N.H., with my wife, Meredith, and our three children, Caroline (9), Natalie (7) and James (5). Prior to moving to New Hampshire, I spent six years in Houston, Texas, working as the middle school physical education coordinator and head lacrosse coach at 66

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the executive board of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and as the Lakes Region Conference Secretary. I also oversee the exchange program my school has with the town of Hyvinkaa, Finland, which has allowed me to travel to Finland three times over the last eight years with the Cardigan hockey team. I have also served as the host for several teams, families and six exchange students from Finland. This has been a great experience for both my family and me. Two years ago I got the chance to oversee an extensive, $2.3 million remodeling and building project for the athletic department at Cardigan. This project is one that I am most proud of and it will truly benefit our student athletes. I feel very fortunate to have such a great family and an awesome work environment. To my former classmates and teachers, if you are ever up this way, please stop in and say hello!

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ABOVE: PictureDURM serves as a hub for documenting and preserving the city of Durham and the diverse perspectives of its citizens. RIGHT: Meredith Martindale curates and manages the site.

Meredith Martindale ’05

How Do You #PictureDURM? I

have always loved learning. I enjoy helping people (and by way of helping, teaching). I love kids. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, these three passions led me to pursue a career in education. Five years and several reasons later, I left the field to pursue other work. I now work for a small company that's a part of Durham's thriving startup hub, the American Underground. I have been energized by the strong ideas, the grit and the community I've found here. By day, I manage communications and plan national pitch events for a network of angel investors that fund early-stage social entrepreneurs. This employs my creativity, persistence and writing skills that I believe DA cultivated and nurtured during my schooling there. Among other things, this work has shown me the importance and value of social media outside of a personal setting. I've seen how social media can not only bring

communities together but also push forward powerful ideas. By night, I curate and manage PictureDURM. PictureDURM, a crowdsourced photography project, serves as a hub for documenting and preserving the city of Durham and the diverse perspectives of its citizens. The project combines the arts and social media. How does it work? Any and all Durhamites or lovers of Durham take pictures of something or someone they believe is quintessentially Durham. They either post the photo on social media with the hashtag #picturedurm, or email it. From its inception, the goal has been inclusivity. The arts are a good medium for this in that all can participate because we each possess a unique perspective. There is no right or wrong age, stage, zip code or color; each person has a perspective worthy of being seen and heard. Our city is growing. Businesses are moving here. Buildings are being renovated. Innovators, entrepreneurs, educators and creatives are constantly collaborating and generating growth in our city. Durhamites like myself and new residents alike are embracing and championing Durham for similar reasons. To that end, the PictureDURM vision has caught on quickly. In its first five months, PictureDURM received over 2,000 photo contributions and has grown its following by more than 150 percent per month. Architecture, emotion, art, landscapes, struggle, celebration, nature, home, events, people and more have been shared. I’ve enjoyed watching many from the DA community get involved. In particular, Katherine Black ’05 has been instrumental in brainstorming and promoting PictureDURM. A few Cavaliers have even had their perspective featured, including Imani Hamilton ’06, Alison Luntz ’05, Maggie West ’05 and Preschool art teacher Elizabeth Lyle. I appreciate how Durham Academy placed a high value on being a part of the community and how it taught me to think critically and with curiosity. I love being from Durham and love living here now. In fact, to this day, my DA experience is one of the many ways I #PictureDURM. Whether you’re a current student, alum, teacher, parent or fan of DA, I believe it’s important that we each share our perspective, learn from others and own Durham’s growing future. Learn more about PictureDURM at www.picturedurm.com. DURHAM ACADEMY

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Jasmine Williams ’13

Studying Public Health in Botswana D

urham Academy alumna Jasmine Williams ’13 is a junior at Meredith College in Raleigh with a double major in biology and public health and a minor in chemistry. In spring 2015, Williams spent the semester volunteering in health clinics in Gabarone, Botswana, in southern Africa. Botswana is home to some of Africa’s largest areas of wilderness — the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta. The trip was Williams’ first trip outside the U.S. and fulfilled a lifelong dream of international travel in her journey toward a career in public health.

clinics and health facilities, I shadowed many nurses to get a feel for the clinic. Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, is where I stayed my whole semester. Gaborone has different clinics for different health situations. For example, there was a clinic specifically for diabetes, and there were many clinics specifically for HIV/AIDS. After getting a feel for the health facility, I either rotated around or chose a specific room where I wanted to help out or learn more about. I was really fascinated with the HIV/ AIDS aspect of Botswana. A majority of the time, I wanted to be in the testing and counseling rooms for HIV/AIDS. It was fascinating seeing how people are tested, how people are counseled and the reactions from the patients to both of these processes. The stigma of HIV and AIDS in Botswana isn't as heavy as it is here in the States. [According to the United Nations, more than one in three adults in Botswana are infected with HIV or have developed AIDS, but the country also has one of Africa’s most advanced treatment programs, due to the availability of antiretroviral drugs.] I had the chance to learn a lot about the way the healthcare system works within these health facilities and within Botswana while also meeting and creating a bond with nurses and patients. It was truly a rewarding experience.

Q: How did you decide to spend the semester in Botswana? A: I chose Botswana because the program was focused on public health. The program that hosted my studying abroad was The Council on International and Educational Exchange (CIEE). While I was abroad, the program required us to take three mandatory classes, two of which were related to public health. I also took additional classes at the University of Botswana, where I studied the whole semester. One of my favorite parts about my time in Botswana is the fact that I got to volunteer at local clinics, hospitals and public health facilities while learning all about how Botswana's health system works. It was truly an amazing experience. CIEE took us on a lot of excursions like game drives and visiting cultural sites to really get us acquainted with Botswana. I also had time for independent travel, which allowed me to explore a lot of southern Africa. Q: What kind of volunteer work did you do while you were there? A: While I was volunteering in the 68

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Jasmine Williams poses with traditional dancers at Son of the Soil, a traditional cultural festival. • Atop Kgale Hill, overlooking Gaborone, the capital of Botswana where Williams lived and went to school. • Williams on her first day volunteering at a clinic that focused on diabetes.

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“Being completely submerged in their culture and creating lifelong bonds with my host mother and 11-year-old host sister was truly rewarding.” — JA S M I N E W I L L I A M S ’13

Q: Where did you live for the semester? A: I had to opportunity to decide if I wanted to stay on campus in the dorms or have a host family, and I chose to stay with a host family. That was my utmost favorite part about my study abroad experience. Being completely submerged in their culture and creating lifelong bonds with my host mother and 11-year-old host sister was truly rewarding. Q: What did you learn about culture, traditions and family life in Botswana? A: The family structure of Botswana, specifically in my home, was different from what I was used to here in the U.S. It was different because my 11-year-old host sister, Ludo, did most of the cooking and cleaning while also doing her homework and going to school. It was truly amazing to see a child at such a young age do so much. I feel like in our culture, that's not very common. She was very respectful and always did what her mom said. With all of her chores and responsibilities, I had the chance to help her with them and even learn how to cook Setswana meals. I had the chance to introduce her to grilled cheese. (She makes it all the time now!) The bond that I formed with Ludo was a huge highlight of my trip. We

often made homemade fries, watched a lot of SpongeBob and exchanged many of childhood memories. She is a very intelligent, curious young girl. She asked me many questions about my life back at home, and it was very fulfilling to share my culture with her. My host mother, Mma Ludo (Mma is a formal term of greeting and respect in Setswana, the language of Botswana, and is pronounced ‘Ma’), was pregnant during my time in Botswana. It was amazing being able to see her baby grow over the fourand-a-half months that I was there. I'm sad that I didn't get to be there when he was born. She worked at a telephone company in Botswana. She was very sweet and always cared about my whereabouts and how I was doing in school. Mma Ludo was definitely my mother away from home. There were a few things different about the home. The house was very similar to homes here in the States. It was a little small but the perfect size for a mother and her daughter. Showers are a luxury in Botswana, so many homes just have baths. In my home, I only had a bath. I got used to that difference within the first week. Also, washing machines and dryers are a luxury in Botswana. I hand-washed my clothes the whole time and then hung them up on the clothesline when I was finished. That experience definitely made me appreciate

having a washing machine and not having to spend three straight hours on laundry. Even though laundry was a tedious task, it was still a lot of fun! Ludo helped me a lot of the time, and we would just listen to music, talk and wash clothes together. It was even better because the weather was perfect outside underneath the tree in our backyard during the morning time, just before it got too hot. I had the chance to visit my family's church. They were relatively religious. Mma Ludo and Ludo are Seventh Day Adventists. I enjoyed seeing what their church was like. It was very similar to churches I have been to in the U.S., and that fascinated me. They did speak Setswana some of the time, but there was a translator for whenever that happened. It was so sweet how excited and focused Ludo was during the service. Q: Who are the people who most influenced you at DA? And what’s next after graduation? A: The people that impacted me the most at DA were Mrs. Liliana Simón and Mrs. Kemi Nonez. They were always there for me, listening to my dreams and aspirations, giving me advice and keeping me on track throughout my high school years. I honestly don't know what I would have done without them. After graduation, I plan on joining the Peace Corps to continue on my journey of traveling the world and helping people. I really hope to go to India. I also plan on getting my masters in public health while I'm in the Peace Corps or when I return. Editor’s Note: See more of William’s photos from her semester in Botswana on her Instagram feed: @jaswana.

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to receive so much from the school, from a winter jacket to free tutors. Though the life of a student-athlete may seem like one of a celebrity, there is a lot more that goes on that others don’t see. The tennis team has the distinct honor of waking up at 6 a.m. during the school week to either condition or lift. After my first conditioning session I remember questioning what I had gotten myself into, but I somehow Justin Warren ’15 endured the first week. After lift, many of us have class and then we practice for two hours later in the day. Combined with all the walking around, it is safe to say that I am very sore most of the time. Not to mention, I’ve never been so tired in my life. Although I have become more in touch with fatigue than I would like, competing as a UConn Husky has been the best part of my time at UConn so far. I had some great wins and some disappointing losses, but most important to me was the camaraderie that has already been formed with my teammates. My most memorable matches thus far have been against Sacred Heart University. After squandering two match points in my doubles match, I sealed the match with an ace and subsequently had my teammates rush the court because we had won the doubles point. That is a feeling that I never had playing USTA junior tennis and is something very unique to college tennis. Durham Academy has definitely ABOVE: Justin Warren appreciates the camaraderie he has formed with his teammates at the University of Connecticut. prepared me for my time at UConn. Academically, I have felt more than capable to handle my school work. hen I first made the decision to commit the next Though what is more imperative are some the skills that I four years of my life to the University of Connecticut, I was very developed at DA. Time management is key to being a successful nervous to tell anyone. With UNC Tar Heels as parents and many student-athlete, and this skill was definitely groomed at DA. Duke Blue Devils as friends, I was not sure if I could become a Students are constantly pushed to try different things and being Husky. Luckily, I am on the tennis team and not the basketball able to balance all of that is a skill that every Cavalier learns. DA team, which may ease the pain for some. However, after this past has also given me a confidence that I am not sure students get semester I can wholeheartedly say that this has been one of the at other schools. I feel that no matter what I put mind to, I can best decisions I have ever made. achieve my goals. Durham Academy instills this in its students. We Being a student-athlete at UConn is truly something special. are taught that with a plan in place we can accomplish whatever The benefits and opportunities have been abundant and we want. This attribute has distinctly defined my first semester at exceeded any expectation that I had. I’ve been privileged enough UConn, and I have Durham Academy to thank for it.

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ABOVE: Janis Bergman Tillman ’84, Mason Harris ’16, Julia Tillman ’16 and Jeff Tillman walked 39.3 miles in two days to raise money to help fight breast cancer.

My Avon39 Experience By Julia Tillman ’16

uring the summer after my junior year, I completed the Avon39 Walk for Breast Cancer with my mom, dad and best friend, Mason Harris. With months of training beforehand, we completed the two-day walk, which included 39.3 total miles and countless additional hours on our feet. Though a physically enduring and occasionally painful experience, it was truly life-changing because of the way in which I felt like I was helping women all across the world fight breast cancer, a potentially deadly and terrible disease. When I was in Mrs. Hawkins’ fourthgrade class at DA, my mom [Janis Tillman ’84] was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a fourth-grader, I was scared of losing my hero to a disease that I knew nothing about. My parents, being encouraging and supportive, assured my brother and me that, with treatment and time, she would get through it and be fine. From then on I knew that when I grew up, I was going to

do something to help more people become survivors of breast cancer like my mom. My mom walked in many breast cancer walks with many of her friends before I finally became of age to walk in one with her. I was honored when she asked me to join her, an opportunity that I quickly agreed to. When I told my best friend, Mason Harris, of my plans for the summer, she told me that she would love to join my family and me. After the four of us signed up for the walk, we began the arduous tasks of training and fundraising. To train, we followed a schedule that had us increasing the amount of miles we walked each weekend, starting with three miles and, by the end of training, walking 20 miles. Although very time consuming and physically taxing, it was worth it when I thought about the people I was helping and raising money for. I also especially loved sharing the many hours of weekly training with my mom and dad. The other task to complete before the walk was to raise the minimum $1,800 participation fee. I did this by writing a letter explaining my reasons for walking to all of my closest friends, family and anyone else that I thought might want to donate to this important cause. I ended up very much exceeding my goal, raising $4,623.60! I

was extremely proud because I had never dreamed I could raise that much money. Also, I knew that this money would help further research and treatment for women and men who are diagnosed with and are fighting this common form of cancer. After months of training with my mom, dad and Mason, we traveled to San Francisco for the walk. During the walk, the energy and attitude of every participant was different than anything I had previously experienced. Everyone was extremely supportive and encouraging; it was hard not to smile every second of the way, regardless of the pain that we were feeling in our feet. I really felt that I was making a difference and it was so special to share the experience with my parents and my best friend. Seeing the strength and perseverance of survivors, like my mom, I knew that I could do it as well. It was an extremely touching experience to hear so many stories and connections to the disease. The Avon39 Walk for Breast Cancer opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on the world. I now feel the need to live every day to the fullest and realize that I can do anything if I set my mind to it. I definitely plan on walking in more Avon walks and to continue doing my part to help find a cure for breast cancer.

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Battling Bands Raise Money for Books A

lumni Ritzi Chirinos ’14 and Daniel Holt ’13

joined forces with Durham Academy substitute teacher James Green and DA faculty Julian Cochran, Harrison Haynes, Trevor Hoyt, Mike Meyer, Elizabeth South and Jeff Zenter to form The Substitutes. The band rocked it at the Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands, a Sept. 19 fundraiser benefiting Book Harvest.

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What’s the Buzz about Wild Bees? ABOVE: Mark Bittman, left, interviewed Claire Kremen for a New York Times video and article on sustainable agriculture and healthy eating.

laire Kremen ’78 is renowned for her research on wild bees and the implications their demise has on global food production. The conservation biologist won a MacArthur “Genius” Award in 2007 and she was a key part of Mark Bittman’s New York Times article and video on sustainable agriculture and healthy eating. Kremen’s research at the University of California,

Berkeley, looks at diverse pollinators — not just bees, but also birds, moths and many insects — and the issues affecting them as emblematic of the broader problems of the food system. At www.da.org/magazine: • Watch Bittman’s video interview with Kremen.

Dr. Billy Fischer ’94

Billy Fischer ’94 Receives UNC’s Woods Junior Faculty Award D

r. Billy Fischer ’94 was presented the Dr. James W. Woods Junior Faculty Award by the UNC School of Medicine. Fischer is associate program director for research in the Department of Medicine Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine and was the 2015 recipient of DA’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2014 Fischer worked as part of a team from Doctors without Borders to help reduce the mortality from the Ebola virus. Fischer traveled to West Africa to assist in an Ebola treatment clinical trial. In the trial, plasma is taken from survivors of Ebola virus disease and given to patients who are actively sick in an effort to help them combat this disease. In addition to his work with the Ebola virus, Fischer's research interests include the role of aging in influenza and respiratory virus diagnostics in UNC patients with compromised immune systems. The Woods Award is given annually to outstanding young clinical faculty at UNC School of Medicine. It was established through the generosity of the late Dr. James Watson Woods, a cardiologist and professor in the school of medicine. Fischer will receive $3,000 to support his ongoing research and scholarly endeavors. Find out more about Fischer’s work fighting Ebola in the Winter 2015 issue of the Durham Academy Magazine at www.da.org/ magazine. 74

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The New York Times

Claire Kremen ’78

WASHINGTON DA ALUM NI

ALUMNI Calendar Spring 2016

CHARLOTTE

March 3 • 6:30 p.m. Alumni Networking Social in Charlotte March 8 • 7 p.m. Alumni Book Club March 22 • 5:30 p.m. Alumni Board Meeting April 9 • 6:30 p.m. DA Benefit Auction

NEW YORK CITY

April 15 • 6 p.m. Spring Alumni Reception April 27 • 7 p.m. Alumni Networking Social in Washington April 28 • 7 p.m. Alumni Networking Social in New York City

May 5 • 1 p.m. DA Golf Tournament Chapel Hill Country Club

Spring Regional Alumni Networking Events

May 19 • 5:30 p.m. Business Networking Event

Durham Academy Alumni will host regional networking events this spring in Charlotte, Washington and New York City. These events are free and are a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

• Charlotte

• Washington

May 27 • 3 p.m. Senior Commencement Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill

– March 3 at 6:30 p.m. – April 27 at 7 p.m. • New York City – April 28 at 7 p.m.

Visit www.da.org/alumni for updates on venues and additional alumni information.

For more information, contact Associate Director of Alumni Affairs Tim McKenna at tim.mckenna@da.org or 919-287-1717. DURHAM ACADEMY

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Brooke Joynes ’15 Lowell Oakley ’14

Andrés Rosa ’15

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Elizabeth Eason ’13 Ellison Littlewood ’10

Erin McLendon ’08

Kelly Moore ’14 and Ritzi Chirinos ’14 Kristin Sundy ’11

Hampton Smith ’11 Spencer Hallyburton ’14 and Ian Kirven ’15

ALUMNI PROVE THEY’VE STILL GOT IT

enan Auditorium was packed to overflowing and shaking with good music when 17 alumni joined current members of In The Pocket for a Jan. 9 concert benefiting DA’s Nicaragua Club. Not pictured are Tommy Monson ’14, Elka Rubin ’14 and Alina Walling ’15. P H OTO S B Y C O L I N H U T H

Marie Li ’15

Ralitsa Kalfas ’15

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ALUMNI WEDDINGS 1. Jaime Ortiz and Kirk Kirkland ’03 Sonoma, California Sept. 12, 2015 2. Kyle Sloate ’06 and Rob Kirkland ‘07 Durham, North Carolina Oct. 24, 2015 3. Sara Malenbaum ’03 and Brian Kasten May 30, 2015 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

4. The wedding of Kyle Sloate and Rob Kirkland could have qualified for an alumni event! On hand to celebrate with Kyle and Rob were Zac Allison ’08, Parker Preyer ’07, Vytas Degesys ’07, Phil Sloate ’05, Hannah Sholtz ’11, Jeff Jones ’07, Jamie Gutter ’07, Eliza Sholtz ’06, Taylor Diamond ’07, Stephani Tindall ’07, Christine Sailer ’06, Holly Gleason ’06, Imani Hamilton ’06, Robert Brazer ’07,

Nicole Pappas ’08, LaQuesa Gaillard ’06, Kirk Kirkland ’03 and Allison Kirkland ’01. 5. Sam Lamere and Jamie Gutter ’07 Oct. 3, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee 6. Kylan Lamont ’05 and Justin Smith Oct. 17, 2015 Pawleys Island, South Carolina 7. Mary Chesson ’03 and Vaughn Barnard III Aug. 22, 2015 Chapel Hill, North Carolina 6

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ALUMNI AND STAFF BABIES

1. Kathleen, daughter of Kyle Lavin ’00. 2. John, son of Emily Ballard Williams ’00. 3. Hudson, son of Chad MacKenzie, head groundsman. 4. Connor, son of Brienne Letourneau and Richard Bailey ’02. 5. Carter, son of Catherine Clark Everson ’02. 6. Troy and Owen, sons of Julianna Tabor Rozycki ’02. 7. Sophie, daughter of Christina Gaither Webb ’02. 8. Eli, son of Ben Mark ’03 and Rebekah Brenner Mark ’03. 9. Phara, daughter of Cedric Richardson, groundsman.

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in memoriam • Edward William “Ned” Back III ’77 died June 13, 2015, in Cary. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he founded a software development firm in Durham, which he operated for many years before illness forced his retirement. Back was an avid golfer and when he could no longer play, he enjoyed watching the golfers from his home in Preston or spending time at his parents’ beach home in Pine Knoll Shores. He is survived by his parents, Ed and Betty Back; his sisters, Susan Back ’78 and Carolyn Back ’84; and his nephews, Hunter Durst ’16 and Cameron Durst ’19, all of Durham. • Mary Clyde Bugg died Sept. 1, 2015, in Durham. She taught language arts at the Middle School for 30 years before her retirement in 1999. Bugg was a graduate of Duke University and earned a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a devoted member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, where she sang in the choir for 33 years and taught Sunday school. Mary Clyde was married for 31 years to Everett Bugg ’57, who died in 1993. She is survived by her daughters, Kathy Bugg Riley ’81 of Durham and Mary Margaret Bugg Connell ’82 of Marietta, Georgia; sister, Amanda Wade Peterson of Charles City, Virginia; brother, Louis Mann Wade ’64 of Hyco Lake; and six grandchildren. • Mary Elizabeth Wright Smith ’48 died Sept. 18, 2015, at Carolina Meadows Retirement Community. Smith graduated from Duke University, was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and was also active in the Junior League, the Debutante Ball Society and the House and Garden Club. She is survived by her husband, Charles William Smith; daughter, Mary Helen Smith Williams of Ashland, Virginia; sons, David Allen Smith of Durham and Charles Balaskey Smith of Raleigh; six grandchildren, including Adair Wright Smith ’06; and a great-grandchild. • Bruce Carpenter died Oct. 10, 2015, in Durham. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service after 35 years of service as a mail carrier, and later retired from Durham Academy where he served as a courier and developed many lasting friendships. Carpenter was an active member of Olive Branch Baptist Church, and he enjoyed farming, hunting, fishing and most importantly, spending time with his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Rebecca Carpenter; children, Rhonda Edwards, Terry Carpenter and Karen Kirby; sister, Janet Mishue; and five grandchildren.

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• Justin Radtke ’09, died Oct. 13, 2015. He attended Duke University and graduated from Reed College with a degree in Russian literature. Radtke had an enduring love of learning and continued his study of languages and literature. He loved nature and the outdoors where he felt closest to God. He is survived by his parents, Rodney and Sara Radtke; sister, Lindsay Radtke ’10; and brother, Tyler Radtke ’06, all of Durham. • Bill Boone ’55 died on Dec. 25, 2015. He went to Campbell College and Elon College before attending optometry school in Memphis, Tennessee, and while there he discovered his passion for boats. Boone opened London Marina on the Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard in 1960, the first of many entrepreneurial endeavors he launched in Durham. He is survived by his daughters, Betsy Boone ’79 of Rougemont and Bonnie Boone ’82 of Durham; brother, Stanley Boone ’61 of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania; sister, Myra Boone Harris ’62 of Durham; and five grandchildren, including Matt Lowther ’14, Dylan Lowther ’16 and Mariah Lowther ’17; and two great-grandchildren. • Olive Faucette Jenkins ’64 died January 4, 2016, in Mebane. She was a graduate of Salem College and the Cleveland Institute of Music. A harpist, she was an artist-inresidence with the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges, performing for classes, conducting lectures and demonstrations, giving recitals and performing for civic organizations and church groups. Jenkins was a teacher at the Interlochen Summer School of Music in Interlochen, Michigan, and later opened the Hillsborough Music School. She loved her career as a harpist, which was cut sadly short by multiple sclerosis. She is survived by her sister, Anne Jenkins Hallowell ’66, and extended family members. • Dr. William G. Anlyan died January 17, 2016. He served on the Durham Academy Board of Trustees 1963 to 1966. A graduate of Yale University with bachelor’s and medical degrees, he came to Duke Medical Center in 1949 as an intern. Anlyan served as dean of the medical school, chancellor for health affairs and chancellor of Duke University. He presided over a major expansion of Duke University Hospital, including nearly 4 million square feet of new or renovated facilities. He is survived by his sons, Bill Anlyan ’67 of Wilmington and Peter Anlyan ’68 of Durham; daughter, Louise Anlyan Harris ’71 of Tenafly, New Jersey; seven grandchildren, including William Anlyan ’01 and Emmy Anlyan ’04; and four greatgrandchildren.

TH E L AST LO O K

The Bigger the Ball, the Better the Fun Second-graders Lucy Lundblad and Seth McLean had a blast rolling Kin-Balls in physical education class on the Lower Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new turf field. P H O T O B Y K AT H Y M c P H E R S O N

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Pre-kindergarten student Connor King liked his DA “tattoo,” but his very favorite part of the all-school pep rally was the pom-poms! P H OTO B Y C O L I N H U T H

Headline here Cutline for photo goes here. Describing cutiepie. Cutline for photo goes here. Describing cutiepie. Cutline for photo goes here. Describing cutiepie. Cutline for photo goes here. Describing cutiepie. Cutline for photo goes here. P H OTO B Y X X X X X X X X X X X X X