Harvey Magazine Spring 2023

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FEATURES: HARVEY … THE WORLD IS OUR CLASSROOM

Cover: Several of our current international students

(COVER BACKGROUND©SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/REGINABILAN)

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Our International Student Program

Celebrating Its First 10 Years!

They came from abroad to Harvey and found a home away from home, and everyone’s life is richer for it.

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Never Stop Exploring

Two of our more intrepid alums share their hiking and touring excursions to places most of us have never visited but might now consider, thanks to their reporting about their wondrous journeys.

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Giselle Garcia ’19

Takes It to a Grand Stage

An alum whose genuine concern for the marginalized in society was made quite evident during her Harvey days is now ready and poised to make a difference with her college degree in hand, fully confident and committed.

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Don’t Stop Believing: A Totally ’80s Spring Celebration

The Harvey Parent Association set the clocks back five decades for a colorful dance party replete with music, dance, great food and drink, and even better, joyful and appreciative members of a school community celebrating everything Harvey.

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Hands On, Full Speed Ahead

With the pandemic now in the rearview mirror, middle schoolers hit the road for field trips that offer interesting and exciting opportunities for experiential learning.

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From the Page to the Stage

History comes alive in a special elective course that engage upper school students on several levels –from first reading and researching history to ultimately producing an original theatrical performance inspired by the historical account.

The Harvey School

260 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536 harveyschool.org // (914) 232-3161 harveymagazine@harveyschool.org

HEAD OF SCHOOL

William J. Knauer

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Karen Grazia

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Chris Del Campo

ALUMNI EDITOR

Greg Janos

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Susie Danziger

CONTRIBUTORS

Christina Alexander

Tim Cornell

Isabelle Correa

Susie Danziger

Barry Fenstermacher

Karen Grazia

Ray Lacen

Philip Lazzaro

Alexandra Lindquist

Dr. Stephanie Metz

William Porter

Rick Price

Denise Smith

Jessica Vicente

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gabe Palacio

Tim Coffey

John Brooks

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christina Alexander William Atkins, GWU

Tim Cornell

Karen Grazia

Abby Hassett

Dr. Stephanie Metz

John Wahlers

DESIGN

Good Design, LLC, gooddesignusa.com

PRINTING

J. S. McCarthy Printers, jsmccarthy.com

MISSION STATEMENT

Our purpose is to prepare and inspire students to become independent, adventurous thinkers and engaged, compassionate citizens in courageous pursuit of knowledge and truth.

CORE VALUES

» Passion for learning

» Respect

» Integrity

» Determination

» Excellence

From the Editor

The 2023-24 school year will mark the 10th anniversary of our International Student Program (ISP). When we were creating this issue, I was fascinated to see how far Harvey has come in broadening its cultural horizons and welcoming globally diverse students into the school community. In 2013, with just six students from China arriving on campus, the ISP was born and has since flourished into a dynamic cultural exchange that has welcomed 67 students from 12 countries during the last 10 years. There is so much that we can learn from peers who come from other cultures and countries sharing their perspectives, their customs, and their lives, and vice versa. Many have made outstanding contributions to the success of the program during the past years before they passed the baton to our current Director of International Programs Alexandra Lindquist who does an extraordinary job of recruiting these students and making them feel at home on campus and with their host families.

The opp ortunity to learn about other cultures isn’t limited to the ISP. Whether Upper School students embark on learning Japanese, studying global historical events through the lens of writing and theater, or middle schoolers explore the world through a number of educational field trips throughout the school year, the door is always open for students to broaden their perspectives. Our alums have also carried that need for exploration beyond their time at Harvey, continuing to travel the world and continue learning and growing.

The world truly is the b est classroom we have, and, at Harvey, we seek to instill that passion for knowledge and a curiosity to gain it from limitless places and people.

I hop e you find inspiration in this issue, sparking an ember in you to keep exploring, keep learning, and keep opening your mind to new endeavors.

Happy reading!

Karen Grazia, Director of Marketing and Communications

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Eileen Walker, Chair

Philip Bowers ’70, Vice Chair

Lara Casano ’95

Kevin Durkin

Ashley Foote

Jerri-Lynn Galgano, Secretary

Jonathan Kass

Edward W. Kelly

William J. Knauer, President

Ronice Latta

Wendy Lederer

Donna Leone

Joseph Plummer

Elizabeth Schwartz

Wallace L. Schwartz

Andrea L. Tessler

Dawanna Veneable

Lindsey Walker ’05

Clifford Wallach

Jennifer Waterhouse-Cooper

J. Eric Wise

Emeriti Trustees

Daniel K. Chapman ’73

Alice DeSomma

Barry W. Fenstermacher

Charles A. Krasne

Raymond G. Kuntz

Jeffrey Lasdon

Jane Petty

Frank A. Weil ’44

ALUMNI EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Lara Casano ’95, President

Pieter Catlow ’73

Erica Cheyne ’14

George Dallas ’64

Susie Danziger

Philip A. Eifert ’73

Daniel Galgano ’20

Andrew Jamieson ’09

Greg Janos ’98

Alexander P. McKown ’57

Laurel Meredith ’88

Seth Morton ’57, Secretary

Greg Presseau ’98

Lindsey Walker ’05

HEAD’S COUNCIL LIST

Tracey Davies, P’19

Dennis Dilmaghani ’62

Lori Garbin, P’16

John Hughes ’68

Richard Ledes ’71

Vivien Levy, P’16, ’19

Lucy Lopez, P’19

Dave Raneri ’69

David Silk, P’14, ’17

Vanessa Williams, P’18

welcome from the head of school

The World Awaits

This issue of our magazine explores the theme of the “World as Our Classroom,” focusing on the many ways that teaching and learning happen both intentionally and spontaneously beyond the halls of Harvey. At Harvey our goal is to offer a variety of diverse and enriching learning experiences that foster a global perspective, broaden the horizons of our students, and prepare them to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

This approach to learning is reflected and prioritized in the first main goal of the school’s new strategic plan: Offer each student a personalized educational journey that includes opportunities for meaningful experiential learning. During the coming years, the school will focus on two important areas related to this goal:

» Tap into the talents and experience of our surrounding community and our engaged alumni network to provide guidance, mentoring, practical experiences, and internships, on and off campus.

» Increase Harvey’s global interactions to connect cultures, people, and places and to provide students with different perspectives, challenges, and lessons.

Guided by these objectives, and as an essential part of a well-rounded educational program, we will continue to explore ways to connect our students to the wider community and the world beyond. Whether through class visits, guest speakers, internships, or opportunities for travel, we will emphasize experiences that highlight global perspectives, social diversity, and real-world connections. Our hope is that these experiences will offer students the chance to immerse themselves in different professions, communities, cultures, and traditions and will serve as a source of both knowledge and inspiration for each of them.

Ultimately, our goal is to foster a desire for lifelong learning and to empower our students to become responsible global citizens and to go boldly into the world, prepared and committed to face whatever opportunities and challenges await them.

All the best, William J. Knauer, Head of School

“Our hope is that these experiences will offer students the chance to immerse themselves in different professions, communities, cultures, and traditions and will serve as a source of both knowledge and inspiration for each of them.”

Its First 10 Years!

Our International Student Program Celebrating

By Chris Del Campo

Harvey’s International Student Program (ISP) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this academic year, and what an extraordinary first decade it has been. Proposed and set in motion in 2011 by the then Headmaster Barry Fenstermacher, the ISP initiative came to fruition two years later with the enrollment of six students from China.

When the six arrived on campus in the late summer of 2013, it would mark the beginning of a most dynamic learning experience for both the students from abroad and for their schoolmates born and raised in America.

hose of us old enough to remember the “Cultural Exchange Program” from our own high school days might think to liken it to Harvey’s ISP, but such a comparison most definitely pales.

Our participating students become fully immersed in the school community, joining the student body as either a ninth grader or sophomore and working toward earning a high school diploma from Harvey.

Along the way to graduation, the ISP students, who live in the dorms weekdays and stay with host families on weekends, are very much a part of campus life. “You will see our ISP students on the court or field, in the art rooms creating, or entertaining with their music, performing on the stage, or getting involved in community service and clubs and Model UN,” said Harvey’s ISP director Alex Lindquist. “They build friendships that last a lifetime with their classmates and host families,” she added.

Both academically and socially, the most enriching aspect of having ISP students on campus is the diversity they bring to campus. “Our international students not only offer their perspectives and life knowledge to the classrooms where they can share those with their peers in an educational

forum but they also share their talents and skills as well,” said Ms. Lindquist, who began her work with the ISP as the assistant to Robert Cook, the program’s first director.

Phil Lazzaro, head of the Upper School and a history teacher, said having the ISP students in class has served to enrich the learning environment. “They have brought new ideas, different perspectives, and interesting insights into classroom discussions,” Mr. Lazzaro said. When he reflects on the past 10 years, Mr. Lazzaro says, “What stands out the most is the quality of the individual students themselves and the special relationships they forged.” He added, “The International Student Program has resulted in establishing innumerable friendships and fostering wonderful life-lasting bonds.”

As it is with most educational programs, Harvey’s ISP has evolved during its first 10 years. The first six ISP students were residents of China because Harvey initially worked closely with one agency to bring students to Katonah from China. Now, 10 years later, the school works with multiple agencies around the world and recruits students from countries in Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America. This year Harvey

ISP by the

numbers 12 10 YEAR 67STUDENTS COUNTRIES

including China, Taiwan, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, Poland, Spain, Brazil, Lithuania, Haiti, South Korea

has welcomed 11 new students, four from Spain, two from Poland, two from China, and one each from Brazil, Sweden, and Thailand. Ms. Lindquist said that it is her hope that Harvey continues to have students come to Katonah from all over the world. There’s much to celebrate about the first 10 years of Harvey’s ISP — a decade of growing and evolving but, more important, of impacting young lives: those of the young people from faraway places and those who call America home. The ISP, as envisioned by Headmaster Fenstermacher and delivered by those who took the reins during its first 10 years, has clearly done what it was designed to do — enriched the lives of all who call Harvey home.

“Our international students not only offer their perspectives and life knowledge to the classrooms where they can share those with their peers in an educational forum but they also share their talents and skills as well.”

—ALEX LINDQUIST

host families

A Home Away from Home for Our International Students

By Karen Grazia

To travel thousands of miles from your home country to attend school in America takes a tremendous amount of courage, confidence, and a truly adventurous spirit. Our international students are filled with excitement, trepidation, and an eagerness to experience American life as a student abroad. In choosing Harvey as their school, international students get the bonus of experiencing boarding life in one of our two dormitories on campus during the week, and the opportunity to live with an American host family on weekends and during short vacations.

The host family program enriches not only our international students but also the Harvey families who welcome them into their homes every weekend.

Chris and Stephanie Gaur (pictured top) were excited to welcome their host student, Belén, a ninth grader from Cartagena, Spain, into their home this school year. The Gauers say it has been a wonderful experience seeing Belén interact with their three young children, Lincoln (2), Brooklynn (4), and Mila (5). “Belén has two younger siblings at home in Spain, so she acclimated to our kids well. My kids look up to her,” shared Chris. “Our fondest memory this year was having Belén for the Christmas holiday and sharing all of our traditions with her,” he said.

From a small town in Spain, Belén feels right at home with the Gaur family. “I met most of their family, and they’ve made me feel at home,” she said. “They also took me apple picking, which was something I had never heard of before, so it was exciting for me.”

Jeff and Stefanie Marvin (pictured opposite), along with their son Zack, a junior at Harvey, welcomed senior Vincent from Gothenburg, Sweden, into their home just as their daughter Alyx returned to college. “It was kind of nice being back up to four in the house,” said Stefanie of adding Vincent to the mix. As to the adjustment to being a host family, Stefanie said, “We all had to acclimate to different schedules, eating habits, and just had to find a routine.”

Coming from a large city in Sweden, Vincent has adjusted to the charm of Westchester County and living with the Marvins. “On weekends I go to the Marvins, which I can say, without a doubt, I very much enjoy doing,” Vincent said. “I think it is a privilege to have a family here when you are abroad — someone to talk to and someone who cares for you.“

Laura and Steve Taub (pictured opposite page bottom) host two boys from China, Hayden ’24 and Steve ’26. Their daughter Maya is a ninth grader at Harvey while their 17-year-old son attends public school. “Our biggest adjustment was learning to communicate our family values and make them feel comfortable,” said Laura. “Some days are filled with activities, and some are spent chilling out watching a movie,” she said.

The initial bumps and adjustments have been well worth it for all these families. “These kids are excited and nervous, just like us, but they want to come here to learn and experience the life we live here,” said Stefanie. “Hosting helps to open your eyes and see different perspectives on ‘our’ world while also learning about their culture and traditions,” she said. “It’s rewarding on so many levels.”

The Taub family agrees. “Steve and Hayden participated in our family’s Passover seder,” shared Laura. “We met Hayden’s mom, who was in from China during spring break. With Hayden as our interpreter, we spoke about their life in China and shared family photos,” Laura said. “She expressed how happy she was to see Hayden’s comfort with our family, and that meant the world to us.”

“ We have enjoyed learning about the culture of Spain, including family traditions and the unique foods,” said Chris Gaur. “We also met Belén’s parents and two siblings when they surprised her by visiting from Spain this past winter,” he said. “It was a great experience.”

For those who might be hesitant to embark on becoming a host family, Stefanie had this to say: “Take a leap of faith, and consider something different. Yes, the thought of bringing a stranger into your home is scary at first, but it truly is a wonderful experience,” she said.

“ We were not looking to be host parents,” shared Laura Taub. “But it was our best decision. We love watching our kids laugh and talk about differences and similarities between our cultures. With Hayden and Steve, our family now has four teenagers who spend time cooking, playing games, laughing, going to the gym, or ganging up on us,” she joked. “We celebrated Steve’s birthday at a Chinese Hot Pot restaurant. We took 10 kids to an April Yankees game for Hayden’s birthday.”

Without our host families, creating these wonderful moments and safe havens for our international students to make a family connection away from home, our ISP would not be possible. The homestay part of the experience is what makes being an international student at Harvey so unique and gratifying.

Vinc ent shared the sentiments of all our international students for their host parents. “I will very much thank them for a great deal of my life,” he said. “It’s been an incredible experience.”

reflections

From the ISP Groundbreakers

Ten years and thousands of flying hours later, Harvey’s International Student Program (ISP) is soaring on so many levels. Arguably, one of the greatest, most dynamic programs that the school has ever undertaken in its 107-year history, the ISP has helped change the face of campus life, literally and figuratively, not only in lending to a greater diversity within the student body but also in creating many cultural-sharing opportunities for students, faculty, and the entire school community alike.

To say that Harvey has grown in so many important ways since the inception of the ISP in the fall of 2013 is more than fair. Among several staff members who should rightfully be called groundbreakers are two whose efforts to establish an ISP played the biggest role in seeing it come to fruition. We thank ISP groundbreakers, Headmaster Emeritus Barry Fenstermacher and former Director of Admissions William Porter, for sharing their unique, historical perspectives on the genesis of Harvey’s ISP, its inception, and its first years.

Ten Years and Counting!

By Barry Fenstermacher (headmaster 1986-2016)

Recognizing the 10 years of Harvey’s International Student Program (ISP) requires a consultation with our collective memories. International education actually started, modestly, in the 1990s. Harvey partnered with a German high school to bring one or two students for only one trimester. Our first student was Silke Zydel from Gerlingen, Germany. Silke lived in the dormitory during the week and spent weekends with host families. This experience gave us valuable insights into what would be needed when we started to plan our larger and more comprehensive initiative in 2010.

At that point, the planning was nothing less than a symphony of moving parts conducted by many at our school that early on received the support of our Board of Trustees and our Harvey Parent Association. Robert Cook, then our Upper School head, became the first program director. It took nearly two years for Mr. Cook to receive the required U.S. State Department approval for us to accept properly credentialed international students and issue them visas.

We als o partnered with the Cambridge Institute in Massachusetts to help us find our students in China. We learned that Chinese families look to send their children to U.S. high schools to earn a high school diploma and to attend U.S. universities.

William Porter, then our director of admissions, accepted the awesome responsibility of finding, vetting, and enrolling our first group of Chinese students. Mr. Porter went to China to put Harvey front and center at admissions fairs and to meet with parents of our enrolled students. He also welcomed Julia Gooding from the Cambridge Institute to our faculty to share her vast experience with international students. Our business manager at the time, Michael Drude, also went to China on a recruiting and development trip. All these different efforts helped us to more clearly understand our new students and their needs.

Karen Walant, the parent association president, was instrumental in helping us find host families for our students when the dormitories were closed. We learned very quickly that this component of Harvey’s program was highly regarded and sought after by potential students from China. The weekend stays were enriching to all concerned and helped differentiate Harvey as a five-day program from the more traditional seven-day boarding schools. Many fond friendships and wonderful insights grew out of our weekend opportunities.

Harvey’s faculty and staff were remarkably open to the challenges our new students would bring. Senior faculty member Timothy Cornell, our Japanese language teacher, had brought children from Japan to Harvey and arranged homestays and special programs. One visit brought students who barely survived the great tsunami. These experiences, as well as Harvey trips to Japan, also helped to show the immense benefits of all aspects of international education.

When our first students from China arrived in the fall of 2013, we were delighted to see their immersion into Harvey culture, from drama to art, sports to robotics, and community service to club memberships. Our dormitory staff, then led by Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, provided a warm environment where our students felt safe and comfortable. Our food service often served familiar entrees on special occasions or holidays.

Several years ago, Alex Lindquist took over directing the program and, with the arrival of our new head, Mr. William Knauer, the program has thrived. No longer limited to students from China, today’s ISP has students from Scandinavia to Spain and beyond. By now, a sizable number of ISP students with their Harvey diplomas in hand have graduated from American colleges and universities. Everyone who has played a part in this “symphony of creation” during the last 10 years can rightfully feel a sense of true accomplishment. Who knows where the influence on everyone involved in this program will end? These folks have affected eternity! Onward to the next 10 years.

The China Trip That Started It All

By William Porter, (director of admissions 2008-20)

In 2011, when Headmaster Barry Fenstermacher proposed starting an International Student Program (ISP), the timing seemed perfect. The nation was finally emerging from the crippling recession of 2008-09, Sino-American relations were improving each year, and there was much evidence that a growing segment of the Chinese population supported the idea of sending their children to the United States — not for a traditional year abroad — but for their entire high school career. The timing also seemed ideal for Harvey, as the dorms were slightly underpopulated, and an additional influx of students from China each year would greatly enhance the school’s diversity — culturally, ethnically, and linguistically.

Upp er School head Bob Cook was asked to head the ISP and to find an agency to assist us with the identification and recruitment of well-qualified students. As the director of admissions, I was tasked with determining which students to admit to Harvey to begin this exciting endeavor. When the Cambridge Institute, the agency we had engaged to lead us in this process, offered to subsidize a trip to China — to learn more about their culture, to engage with educators who were starting similar programs at their own schools, and to interview prospective students — I began packing my bags! We had decided that we did not want an ESL-type program, so we were looking for students who were proficient in spoken English and who made my duties much less daunting.

On O ctober 31, 2012, I left for Beijing on the first flight out of Newark Airport, following Superstorm Sandy, leaving my wife with a basement full of water and no electrical power in our home. When I arrived in Beijing, I was whisked to a

hotel that became our base of operations for our first week in China. During the next five days, I met hundreds of families, conducted dozens of interviews, gave numerous presentations, and squeezed in some sightseeing to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and The Great Wall.

On November 6, I was placed in one of six small groups, and we began a seven-day, six-city junket with each group led by one of the Cambridge Institute associates. During this time, I actually met and interviewed three (Ben He ’16, Danni Qu ’16, and Terry Yan ’16) of the six students who would become our first-year contingent, and I watched from afar as Barack Obama was re-elected president and observed first-hand as Xi Jinping was first chosen as head of the Chinese Communist Party. As the return flight from Hong Kong crossed over the Aleutian Islands, I realized that I had circumnavigated the globe in 12 days.

The headmaster urged me to take a day to recover, but I couldn’t wait to get back to school to share my story. Besides, our work at Harvey had just begun! Bob Cook and I had to plan the program, conduct online interviews to fill our three remaining places, and — most important — find someone to run the program on a daily basis. Ten years later, I believe that the most important decision we

made was to persuade Julia Gooding, from the Cambridge Institute, to join us as the assistant director of the ISP. As a young, energetic, trilingual speaker with numerous trips to China on her resume and a great understanding of Chinese culture, customs, and traditions, Julia was a natural with our ISP students and their parents from day one.

We s ecured host families, planned an orientation program (my contribution was a day-trip to New Haven to visit an Ivy League campus and eat lots of pizza), and decided who would meet the students when they first arrived. One of my usual practices when interviewing the students in China was to try to connect with them immediately, such as: “Oh, I read that book,” or “Yes, we drove through your city this morning,” or “Nice to meet you, Ben, I have a son by that name.” As I waited at JFK, watching dozens of Chinese youngsters deplaning and wondering if I would recognize any of our students whom I had not seen in 10 months, I saw one young man waving: “Mr. Porter, it’s your ‘son’ Ben!” At that moment, I knew our ISP program would be a success. In the end, this was truly a team effort. My thanks goes out to the faculty and staff, the dorm parents, the host families, Chef Lee Robinson and his team, and to Alex Lindquist for taking this nascent program and moving it forward.

“Everyone who has played a part in this ‘symphony of creation’ during the last 10 years can rightfully feel a sense of true accomplishment.”

—BARRY FENSTERMACHER (HEADMASTER 1986-2016)

where

Are They Now?

Like their American classmates who graduated with them, Harvey’s international students went on to attend some of America’s finest universities and continued to find academic success. And those who have now earned college degrees have begun their professional careers in the U.S. and abroad.

Danni Qu ’16

Entering Harvey as a sophomore in September 2013, Danni Qu had just turned 16 when she left her home and family in Guangzhou, China, to come to the United States and join Harvey’s Class of 2016. Looking back, Danni recalls there were “mental” adjustments” she had to make to find her way so far from home. “Studying abroad on my own, I needed to be more proactive and make decisions on my own, instead of relying on my parents at home,” she said. “Gradually, I started to make friends through sports and became very close with my host family, which made me feel comfortable and settled as part of the Harvey community, knowing I could always turn to them for help if needed.”

As Danni felt more at home at Harvey, she began to appreciate how much the school encourages its students to leave their comfort zones and challenge themselves. Danni said, “Thanks to my experience at Harvey, I’m used to stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things, which helped me discover what major and career I want to pursue after taking different classes and studying abroad in different countries.” Danni credits Harvey for helping her discover that she enjoys communicating with people. She said her confidence in communicating, along with her international background, helped her land her current job with a private equity advisory firm in London. Her outstanding academic achievements, no doubt, made her an attractive candidate for the position. After graduating fourth in her class at Harvey, Danni went on to receive her Master’s degree in Economics from Boston University and a Master in Science from London’s Imperial College Business School.

As one of the first six ISP students Harvey enrolled in 2013, Danni is grateful for the experience of being a part of the Harvey community. “As a student at Harvey, I will always remember and cherish the feelings of being part of the close community. The vibe of everyone is so reachable,” Danni said, adding, ”Although it’s quite far from home, Harvey makes me feel like it’s my home abroad.”

Chris (Haobo) Liu ’18

Unlike Danni, Chris Liu began his Harvey career as a junior as part of the crop of international students who came to Harvey in year five of the ISP. When Chris left his hometown, the city of Chengdu, China, in the fall of 2016, he looked forward to the opportunity to live and study in the U.S. What he had not anticipated was how much of a language barrier he had to deal with in trying to get acclimated to American ways.

“ When I came to Harvey, although I understood most of the conversation, I had no idea of how to talk to peers and teachers,” Chris shared. He said it took him nearly the entire year “to learn how to fit in better and how to act like a normal student.” To make the adjustment, Chris said he tried to be more outgoing and adaptive to new things and new ways of thinking. “Thinking like an American definitely got me to talk more locally,” he said. Coming to Harvey as a junior might have also delayed his adjustment. “I think it was kind of hard since I got into Harvey in junior year, and my peers already sort of knew each other,” Chris explained. “The good thing is, however, Harvey is a small school and everyone is very friendly. So knowing that whatever weird things I said or did would be understood made me become comfortable to adapt quicker.” Chris also credits Ms. Lindquist’s ESL workshop as helping him fit into the community better.

Living in the dorm is Chris’ fondest memory. “I got to live with friends in such close settings,” he said. Chris stays in regular contact with his Harvey dorm mates.

After graduating from Harvey and having earned the Science Award at commencement, Chris went on to Northeastern University and received a B.S. in Computer Science and Cognitive Psychology. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Science in Computer Engineering at Columbia University.

When Chris lo oks back on his two years at Harvey, he recognizes how much he benefited from the experience and, specifically, from his participation in the school’s ISP. “I feel like the ISP really helped me to get a good start on adapting to life as an international student,” Chris said, adding, “The experience at Harvey definitely made me a better person and also a better fit into the U.S. lifestyle.”

Coraline (Xinying) Chu ’19

Coraline Chu entered Harvey as a sophomore in the third year of the ISP, joining the Class of 2019.

Coraline, from the city of Hefei in China, was not yet 15 when she arrived in smalltown Katonah, more than 7,000 miles from her home. Given her age and her lack of international travel experience, she understandably struggled with the transition. “I was extremely shy and nervous at first, and the real situation was that I don’t think I was mindful and aware enough about myself and others to make active adjustments to fit the environment,” Coraline explained. “Instead, it was a more passive adaptation mechanism of a teenager when facing the immersive experience of the different culture.” She said it took about two years to become more familiar with the surroundings and culture and feel comfortable. “I was able to actively participate in the many opportunities for activities on campus, which helped me build friendships and an appreciation of the cultural clash,” said Coraline, who credits her teachers for helping her adjust.

“Harvey faculty were especially supportive, and, later on, I felt a lot more confident in achieving my academic goals and being firmly grounded and connected to the people around me,” she said.

Coraline believes Harvey’s ISP was just the right fit for her. “It’s a small program that focuses on individual interactions and support from the faculty, where students’ needs and difficulties have more of a chance to be understood and worked on by the administration,” she said. “Not having a school too large helped avoid the formation of an isolated international students bubble, so that students of different cultures mingle and interact,” Coraline added.

Much of her recollections of her time at Harvey recalls the hours she spent in the robotics lab. “The majority of memory I have was working in the robotics lab with students and teachers chattering around me, and the background sounds of the machine shop,” she recalled. Her team won a Design Award during her Harvey years. She credits her time in the robotics program with teachers Chris Kelly and John Wahlers as the main reason why she was able to get into the prestigious engineering program at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering this past spring. Harvey robotics teacher John Wahlers was in attendance to help Coraline celebrate this momentous achievement. Coraline will be continuing her studies in the fall 2023 at Cornell University entering a fiveyear master’s and Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering.

When asked to describe the traits prospective international students should have to gain admission to Harvey, Coraline said, “ Applicants who strive to excel in academics, accept and respect the diversity in cultures and in opinions, and have the social ability or potential to connect with a vibrant community would be good fits for Harvey.”

Charles (Yaocheng) Zuo ’21

One of Harvey’s more recent alums, Charles Zuo left his home in Guiyang, Guizhou, China and joined the Class of 2021 as a sophomore soon after turning 16. He would become active in his three years at Harvey, playing basketball and golf, running cross country, taking part in the fitness program, and participating in the Music Club and the Community Service Club. However, he admits to having struggled in the beginning of his tenure at Harvey. “At first, I was not doing well because I had entered an unfamiliar environment and I lacked self-control,” Charles said. “I remember I had a B for my first chemistry class and I was mad at myself and Mr. Osborne, although he probably didn’t know,” Charles recalled. “After I talked to many teachers, including Ms. Lindquist and Mr. Osborne himself, I started to manage my time more properly so that I could have more time to study.”

G etting comfortable in your new surroundings, especially for a young student living so far from home, can take a while.

Charles said he owes a lot to the Harvey faculty for helping him eventually feel at home. “I think my teachers definitely helped me to become a part of the community,” he said. He also credits the many school friends he met who made him feel a part of the community, especially those who lived in the dorm with him. He said his greatest memory involves snow days when his dorm mates would spend hours in the gym playing basketball.

Reflecting on the role that the ISP played in his life, Charles believes the strength of Harvey’s program is that “every international student was taken care of.” He said, “When we were in trouble or wanted to talk to someone, teachers were always there to assist us.”

Charles also appreciated being able to live off campus with a host family on weekends.”Staying with a host family gave me more ideas of the local culture, and I had the chance to connect with some great people outside the campus,” he said.

Currently attending New York University with an anticipated graduation in May 2025, Charles credits Harvey with helping him do well in college. “Honestly, a great portion of success I have found in college can be attributed to my time at Harvey,” Charles said. “That period made me a more mature man, and that was when I started to think about what I want to do in the future,” he added.

Charles treasures his Harvey years. “My life was greatly changed at Harvey, mostly because I met many great people. I met my best friends there, and I met my favorite teachers there. Life there shaped my character and made me who I am today.”

Charles has not yet declared a major at New York University as he is not sure what his primary field of study will be. One thing he is very sure of, however, is how he feels about his high school alma mater. “I am grateful that I was a member of Harvey,” Charles said. ”I had a great time there, and it was one of the most memorable times in my life.”

GISELLE GARCIA ’19 Takes It to a Grand Stage

Those of us who were fortunate enough to have known Giselle Garcia while she was a student at Harvey from 2015-19 were ecstatic on hearing that she was selected as the 2023 Student Speaker at her George Washington University commencement ceremony in May.

Yes, delighted and very proud were we but not really surprised that the honor was bestowed on Giselle after she won the university’s 2023 class-wide Student Speaker Competition. After all, winning competitions that involve standing and speaking before large audiences was kind of her thing at Harvey, whether it was acting on the Lasdon stage, or capturing the first-place trophy in the 2016 Wells Speech Contest, or winning the 2018 Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation competition. Giselle’s 2019 classmates might also recall an assembly acknowledging Martin Luther King Jr. Day when she stood up and recited an excerpt from the civil rights leader’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.

The process Giselle went through to earn the selection as GW’s Student Speaker should sound somewhat familiar to every current and past Harvey student who had to write and deliver a speech for the Wells Cup competition. Members of the GW senior class signed up to write a speech. The administration then selected the top 10 from the entries, and the senior class voted to narrow it down to the top five finalists. The finalists had to recite their speech during a live audition before university administrators who then selected the winner.

Proud of her Latino heritage and fully committed to the cause of social justice and equity, Giselle early on showed her passion toward both by the topics she chose to speak about. Her winning speech as a sophomore was titled “A Unified Voice for Equality,” and her top prize for poetry recitation in her junior year came for her presentation of the poem “Latino-Americanos: The Children Of An Oscuro Pasado” by Monica Hicks.

When she graduated from Harvey, no better proof of the regard the staff had for Giselle came at commencement when she was

announced as the recipient of the prestigious Founders Cup, the Upper School’s highest prize, one that the faculty chooses to award to the student who has contributed the most to promoting the spirit and aims of the school.

Gis elle’s social consciousness has clearly not waned in the four years since she graduated from Harvey. Her GW speech called on her fellow graduates “to rock the boat and be moral agents of change.” She reminded her classmates to advocate not only for themselves but also for the people around them who may not be afforded the same privileges and opportunities as the GW graduates. Explaining her choice of theme, Giselle said, “I wanted to remind my classmates of the power and humanity they have within them because compassion and empathy are traits this world is lacking.”

Gis elle, a criminal justice major with double minors in psychology and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teaching, hopes to work for a nonprofit organization like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Equal Justice Initiative. “I specifically want to address the racial injustices that plague our criminal/legal/immigration apparatus,” she said, adding, “I’m not sure where exactly I will land yet, but wherever I go, I plan to make a difference.”

When Gis elle took the stage on Washington D.C.’s National Mall to deliver her speech with 25,000 in attendance, it may have been a far cry from her Harvey days in a crowded Lasdon Theater with 400 students and staff in the audience. At least two things remained exactly the same, however. Giselle’s deep and genuine passion for her topics and her extraordinary confidence in sharing her voice.

“I’M NOT SURE WHERE EXACTLY I WILL LAND YET, BUT WHEREVER I GO I PLAN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”

Hands On, Full Speed Ahead

By Karen Grazia

What middle schooler doesn’t love a field trip?

Once the destination is announced, and the permission slips are signed, the adventure begins!

A return to field trips and academic exploration as part of the curriculum extends our classrooms beyond four walls, allowing students to experience new and exciting learning environments that keep students engaged and their brains buzzing with new information.

“Middle School students benefit from interactive and engaging learning opportunities, and this includes learning from different resources beyond Harvey’s campus,” said Dr. Stephanie Metz, Middle School dean of students. “We wanted to have our students expand their learning beyond the campus through different field trips.”

After a long p eriod of COVID-related postponements and disappointments, Harvey Middle School went back to a busy schedule of off-campus field trips and experiential learning, which are valuable tools for enriching the educational and socioemotional experience of students in grades 6-8 in a more active, hands-on way.

“The first trip of the year to Boundless Adventures allowed the entire middle school community to get to know each other in a different setting. It was a chance to connect the classmates in different grades and to begin building positive relationships among students and faculty,” said Dr. Metz. “One of the highlights of the trip was seeing classmates support one another as they took on the challenges of the ropes course. That positive encouragement always sets a good tone for the school year,” she added.

Some field trips are designed in conjunction with what’s being studied in the classroom while some are aimed at exploring our local neighboring communities. “We try to partner with our local neighbors and provide all students the chance to connect and explore places and people in proximity to Harvey and where the students live,” Dr. Metz said.

“Middle School students benefit from interactive and engaging learning opportunities, and this includes learning from different resources beyond Harvey’s campus.”

—Dr. Stephanie Metz

History Close to Home

Sixth and seventh graders visited Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, New York, last November. “The trip reinforced concepts learned in history class and in the arts, and was an opportunity to explore more than 300 years of history relatively close to home in Ulster County,” Dr. Metz said. Students walked through historic stone-house museums, a reconstructed 1717 French Church, and a replica Esopus Musee wigwam to get a feel for the history of the area’s Indigenous and enslaved African peoples and Dutch settlers. Sixth graders visited Kensico Dam, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation. Completed in 1917, the dam is 307 feet high and 1,843 feet long and forms the Kensico Reservoir in the towns of Armonk and Valhalla, New York.

Scientific Exploration

Visiting the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford brought science up close and personal for sixth and seventh graders. Through exploring hands-on exhibits and programs, the students are better able to make connections between what they have read or heard about from their teachers in the classroom and also what they are experiencing firsthand.

The City of Brotherly Love

At the end of the school year, the eighth graders take their annual field trip to Philadelphia. By visiting a city so rich in American history, students grasp the importance of vital places and people who stood at the forefront of the birth of American democracy. “Students connect the city’s historical components to their in-class learning while also getting to climb the ‘Rocky’ steps and enjoy a cheesesteak,” said Dr. Metz. The Philadelphia trip is a favorite rite of passage for eighth graders completing their years in Harvey Middle School. Each field trip is an opportunity to engage students in a meaningful learning experience off campus while continuing to strengthen the middle school community. By exploring and experimenting with new ideas, concepts, and real-world context of what they are studying, students take charge of their learning rather than simply remain passive recipients of information. The result? Learning that is more meaningful and memorable, and just more fun!

Straight From the Source

When the Middle School Publications class decided to profile local businesses in Katonah for The Rambler, the Middle School newspaper, they knew that they couldn’t do the article justice seated inside the classroom. They put their journalism chops to the test to track down the story, visiting and interviewing local business owners.

“ We spent the winter term visiting stores in Katonah, which the students loved,” shared Middle School English and Publications elective teacher Christina Alexander. The students set out into Katonah to popular shops GWillikers toy store (1), Bijou jewelry (2), several pizza restaurants such as LaFamiligia (3), and Harvey’s close neighbor, the Katonah Museum of Art (KMA) (4)

“The students were excited to meet with the business owners and learn about their stores,” said Mrs. Alexander. “They took the lead on this project by reaching out through email; conducting in-person, phone, and email interviews; and then writing the articles. Getting out into the community was fun, especially after COVID,” she said.

“I think visiting and speaking with business owners helped me write the story because I could personally get the information myself, so the article felt more personal,” said seventh grader Lilah Groff. “I was able to gather more information beyond my knowledge.”

Embarking on in-person trips and interviews gave students a boost in their communication skills including listening, questioning, and responding, as well as learning how to formulate thoughtful questions and engaging in meaningful conversations. It was also an excellent way for these young students to boost their confidence and public speaking skills, skills that will grow and develop more in high school. Interacting with people in their environment also deepens students’ understanding of different perspectives and experiences, which gives a more authentic voice to the articles they are writing. Students put their critical thinking skills to good use, analyzing the information they gathered and then drawing conclusions in their written work.

After visiting KMA, seventh grader Isabel Doran gained new insight. “I learned that there are so many more interesting things from the museum’s past than just the artwork, which was very pretty,” Isabel said. “The visit helped me get details about the museum that definitely helped me write the story,” she added.

“This enthusiasm for taking the class on the road spread and inspired the Publications class to come up with a field trip for the spring term,” shared Mrs. Alexander. Switching topics, students took a deep dive into researching conservation and aquatic life for a new article for The Rambler, resulting in a field trip to the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut (5)

“Students were able to observe and experience up close all the sea creatures they were researching,” said Mrs. Alexander. “This type of learning is invaluable!”

NEVER STOP EXPLORING

Wilderness Hiking

My travels have been somewhat confined in recent months due to my contracting a case of COVID-19 early last October, following the completion of a transalpine hike from Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany to Milan in Italy’s South Tirol. Of course, I did not complete the entire route over the Alps on foot. I did only selected daylong segments of the route. Nevertheless, it was a great hiking experience with wonderful mountain scenery to enjoy!

Here in Europe, we offer walking tours that involve pre-booked hotels and charter bus transportation to the beginning point of each daily segment. Such an arrangement allows a hiker to carry a very light daypack and to hike individually (not in a tour group), yet we have the comfort of having travel baggage and gear transported by charter bus. At my age — next year I turn 90! — this is the way to go!

In last spring’s issue of Harvey Magazine, I shared my adventures at the FINOSE three-country corner on Lake Golddajärvi, where the borders of three countries meet: Finland, Norway, and Sweden. In the picture I am sharing here, you can see cross-country skiers in the distance, skiing further into Norway over the waters of snow-covered Lake Golddajärvi. The national border between Sweden and Norway in the Scandia Mountains is one of the oldest, still-existing, unchanged national borders in Europe. The marking of the border in the Lake Golddajärvi area dates from the border survey of 1764, well before the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in New England. There is a delightful Norwegian wilderness cabin, the Golddahytte (Goldda Hut), on the northside of this lake, about 2 km from the FINOSE. Golddahytte is a wonderful place to get out of the weather, boil the kettle, and have a much welcomed cup of hot tea! As a life member of the Norwegian Mountain Trekking Association (DNT), I have a “master key" that allows me to enter such cabins that are normally always locked. Keep in touch, and advise your Harvey students to undertake “wilderness“ hiking!

Richard Montague HARVEY SCHOOL CLASS OF 1948

Exploring the Mysteries of Egypt

I spent nearly a month in Egypt in late November and early December 2022. It was my second trip, having seen the pyramids both inside and out on my first trip. This time I traveled from Cairo to Alexandria and then followed the Nile to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. Along the way I photographed many of the classic sites: Pompey’s Pillar in Alexandria, the Temple in Abydos, and many of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Unless you are there and actually seeing these things for yourself, it’s hard to understand the scale and proximity of some of these places to each other and the effect they can have on you.

Going inside the Temple in Abydos was like entering a new and different world. It’s dark, lit mainly by the light creeping in from the bright outside. Here you are in this large, quiet space while outside there is noise and blinding sunshine.

In the summer of 2022, I had taken a tour with Bob Brier (Dr. Mummy) of the Egyptian collections in the museums on the East Coast of the U.S. His knowledge and insight led me to want to dig deeper into understanding Egyptian religious practices and the “Book of the Dead.

I remember reading a book while at Harvey, circa 1964, that was in the library at the time. It was about a woman Egyptologist who took photographs of the tombs, and it took as long as 45 minutes to explore a plate. She commented that she stirred her coffee with whatever implement she could find, including a screwdriver. Alas, I am told that no such book still resides in the library. I have searched to find it elsewhere, but, so far, no luck. I can still see the gray black-and-white photographs with the tissue-like paper protecting them, and the rough edges of the pages. It’s funny what one remembers!

Rick Kinnaird HARVEY SCHOOL CLASS OF 1965

Don’t Stop Believing A Totally ’80s Spring Celebration

Helmed by co-chairs Linda Holden-Bryant P’24 and Valerie Nelson P’22, ’24, this year’s annual Parent Association Spring Celebration was a blast from the past as attendees were transported back to the rad ’80s and inspired to Don’t Stop Believing in the Possibilities. The Fenstermacher Athletic Center was transformed into an ’80s time capsule through the extraordinary vision and finesse of Deanna Marano P’25. The Harvey community was prepped and primed for the evening’s festivities leading up to the evening of April 22 with the tactical communications and marketing genius of Gina LarsonStoller P’28. Guests enjoyed an exquisite menu prepared by Chef Suchada and her team. The event culminated with a gnarly duo of breakdancers who opened up the dance floor as attendees took cues from Whitney Houston and danced the night away.

This year’s event was the capstone to our year of “Imagine the Possibilities” and was truly a community celebration. Through the generosity of the Harvey community, we were able to raise $250,000 for our students and celebrate another incredible year at Harvey.

1. Lenny and Lisa Vasile // 2. Debra Forte, Jose Miguel, Naomi Silpe, Jenny Feighery Lazzaro, and Robert Silpe // 3. Craig Elkind and Christine Lai // 4. Jennifer and Ian Winters and Ashley Foote // 5. Joel Foote, Rick Price, and Adam Gueli // 6. Bill Knauer, Susie Danziger, Valerie Nelson, Linda HoldenBryant, Gina Larsen-Stoller, and Deanna Marano // 7. Auctioneer Lucas Hunt // 8. ’80s decor designed by Vinny Alexander and theater department // 9. Carly Byrne, Amy and Jonathan Kass, and Dr. Brendan Byrne // 10. ’80s break-dancer takes to the floor.

11. Laura Treseler, Jessica Gasch, Meredith Levine, and Wendy Lederer // 12. Deepak Thadani, Elena Paraskevas-Thadani, and Melissa Angelillo // 13. Faculty members Greg Janos and Vinny Alexander get retro on the dance floor. // 14. Dwayne and Tynelle Boothe // 15. Lara Casano ’95 and Leslie Berni // 16. Live auction action // 17. Joel and Ashley Foote // 18. Gina Larson-Stoller, Valerie Nelson, Linca Holden-Bryant, Deanna Marano, and Andrew Jamieson ’09 // 19. Stylish table decor // 20. David and Anne Runyan // 21. Bill Knauer // 22. Abby Hassett ’13, Leslie Berni, and Tracy Shepard // 23. Matthew and Rebecca Schwarz, Greg and Leanne Janos// 24. Lee and Jackie Freund, Jeff Moroch, and Suzy Wood

From the PAGE to the Stage

By Karen Grazia

Each winter term, curious and often hesitant Upper School students venture into the Page to Stage: Global Current Affairs elective classroom not quite knowing what to expect.

Once there, students take the lead as they explore topics in history through playwriting, culminating with the class working together to write a script and create a performance based on their study of history. With no prior acting experience necessary or required, students take to the Lasdon Theater stage to showcase their journey through a new way of researching, thinking, learning, and presenting their work.

Students often sign up for the elective to have Head of Upper School Phil Lazzaro as their teacher, and sometimes it is Mr. Lazzaro who nudges students to take the leap and join the class.

“I ran into Mr. Lazzaro while trying to change an elective, and he made me take his class,” senior Khalil Aguilar humorously recalled. “At first, I tried to change out of the class, but in the end, I’m glad that I stuck with it,” he said. “The class gave me a chance to experience something most of us never thought we’d be doing, which is acting.”

Inspired by a professional development workshop he attended at Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City, Mr. Lazzaro created the class in 2018 with the intention of using stage performance to deepen student learning in an engaging, new way. Using the philosophy of the Roundabout Theatre Company, which believes in “stimulating student intellect and creativity while leveraging elements of theater in the context of culturally responsive teaching practice,” students open themselves up to exploring areas outside their comfort zones and discovering new passions.

“Most students are uncertain during the first week or two in the class,” Mr. Lazzaro said. “Few, if any, have the benefit of a traditional playwriting class, but soon enough the students begin to see storylines and possibilities,” he said. “After some initial lectures introducing some historical eras, the students delve deeper into an area of interest and begin to imagine scenarios and concepts related to their chosen historical focus.”

The theme of this year’s Page to Stage play was the Polish Communist Revolution. “We had an international student from Poland in our class, so it was natural that we took a look at Polish history,” said junior Grace Alpern. “For the first week, we did improv and brainstormed topics until we settled on the Polish Communist Revolution as our theme,” Grace said.

The class gave me a chance to experience something most of us never thought we’d be doing, which is acting.”

—Khalil Aguilar ’23

The play titled “The Red Poppy” centers around a group of old friends in Poland who reconnect and discover they are much different from the people they each remembered of one another from childhood. “Writing the play and performing it has helped enhance my understanding of Polish history because I used all parts of my brain when working,” shared Grace. “Personally, I am both creative and academic at the same time. In Page to Stage, these two often contradictory strengths are combined, which allowed me to immerse myself in the history we were studying and use an inside-thetoes perspective to better comprehend the material,” she said.

Classmate and fellow senior Dylan Kluge agreed. “The class definitely helped me understand more of what happened in these communist countries during that time period,” he said.

The uniqueness of the elective certainly has many advantages. The act of writing helps students with memory retention and the organization of ideas while naturally engaging them on a deeper level. Acting forces students to step into the shoes of another person to understand their perspective, which allows them to build empathy and stronger communication skills. Acting requires students to take risks and put themselves out there in front of others.

“I’ve never acted before, so I hated the idea of trying it in class,” said Khalil. “Until one day I had to fill in for someone else in a lead role, and then I realized it wasn’t as bad as I had made it out in my head to be. Then I took a main role and was perfectly fine with it,” he said.

D ylan saw it as a chance to leave his comfort zone and try something new. “I have never done anything like this before, but it was really fun once we started,” shared Dylan.

Senior Liz Hurley has taken the Page to Stage course twice, admitting that it was “a little scary” the first time. Liz said, “I’m not an actor, but Mr. Lazzaro understood that and led me to love working behind the sciences, mainly with props and designing the stage.”

After putting on a Sunday performance for their families, peers, and the community, the Page to Stage students and Mr. Lazzaro reflected on what they have accomplished and gained in the process.

Mr. Lazzaro is proud of how students grow and transform in Page to Stage, acquiring important skills that will serve them well now at Harvey and later in college and in their career

pursuits. “Students gain confidence — acting is hard,” said Mr. Lazzaro. “They learn to collaborate, realizing that they must rely on others to have a successful production. They develop empathy and the ability to see their own mistakes and realize the importance of having empathy for others. And they improve their public speaking skills,” said Mr. Lazzaro.

Khalil said his favorite part of Page to Stage was “just the overall experience.” He explained, “We had the freedom to write a play that was funny, interesting, and historical. There were a lot of great moments in the class, and, despite most of us never acting before in our lives, we never made fun of anyone and we encouraged everyone to keep trying,” he said. “I naturally have a quiet voice, so Mr. Lazzaro helped me learn how to speak clearly and loudly,” shared Khalil.

D ylan said he gained confidence in public speaking. “The kids I took the class with made it so enjoyable and really changed it from being at first something stressful into a class that I looked forward to every day,” Dylan said.

Grace also believes that the class helped her gain self-confidence in public speaking. “It helped me come out of my shell, allowing me to be extroverted, collaborative, and, most important, allowing myself to be embarrassed,” said Grace. “My favorite part of Page to Stage was working with peers from different grades and being able to collaborate and come up with a joint idea. Nothing was ever one person’s fault or one person’s success,” she said. “Everyone worked together, every step of the process.”

“I want them to see the possibilities in everything,” Mr. Lazzaro said. “I see them walking away from this class with an appreciation for history, cultures, and people outside their world,” he said. “They leave with a broadened worldview.”

I see them walking away from this class with an appreciation for history, cultures, and people outside their world. They leave with a broadened worldview.”

—Phil Lazzaro

news + views CAVALIER

Middle School Learning & Growing

1. Amity Doyle ’28 wins the Middle School Poetry Contest. // 2. Isabel Doran ’28, Yamila Jackson ’28, Sidney Boothe ’27, and Lilah Groff ’28. // 3. Helena Klein ’29, Ben Shaw ’27, Sam Grossblatt ’28, Ben Cali ’28, Sam Palevski ’28, Emily Bigman ’28, and Ethan Gabin ’28 learn to sing the blues at a Middle School presentation. // 4. Sixth graders Melanie Perez, Senna Lieber, and Isolda Corena create poetry using colors. // 5. Seeing double! Eighth graders Madison Boothe, Rylan Gilligan, Sydney Boothe, and Mallon Gilligan // 6. Matthew Lerner ’27 and Sofia Solares ’27 enjoy ice time at Evarts Rink. // 7. Seventh graders Theo Yanni and Markus Jones and eighth grader Theo Leyva walking to class // 8. Seventh graders Joseph Brown and Vivienne Stoller dissect clams. // 9. Sixth graders O’Launi Ebanks and Jackson O’Sullivan study the effects of communities on the environment. // 10. Katya Stephens ’27 and Emma Mazzella ’28 share a humorous moment in class.

Harvey Founders Day and

On Harvey Founders Day and Day of Giving 2023, the entire community came together to show its appreciation and gratitude for Harvey by raising more than $250,000 from 370 donors. Our collective Harvey pride was showing!

With more than 3,000 visits to our Day of Giving dedicated webpage, members of the Harvey family across the country stayed connected to the school by cheering us on and encouraging one another to participate. We reached our “Early Bird” goal well ahead of the 10 a.m. deadline, unlocking $25,000 from a generous donor. We surpassed our goals for the athletic and arts departments, allowing us to purchase a Turf Tank for our fields and make some important enhancements to the gallery of The Walker Center for the Arts.

Thank you to all of you for making Founders Day and Day of Giving a meaningful and heartwarming day! If you didn’t get a chance to give and would like to support the school, please visit Giving on the website, or donate through Venmo @HarveySchool.

Students Thrive with HARVEY FUND SUPPORT

The extraordinary educational opportunities at Harvey open doors for students to try new things, take risks, challenge themselves, and discover their passions. When students are given the opportunity to explore their interests and expand their horizons, they thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.

The Harvey School’s programming is funded primarily by tuition, but to provide our students with the opportunity to fully experience all their possibilities, the Board of Trustees and head of school rely on the generous support of the community through the Harvey Fund. This fund enhances the operating budget and helps the school to hire and retain outstanding educators who prepare our students to become their best selves and independent thinkers of tomorrow.

On this page, you will find some of the many ways that gifts made to the Harvey Fund benefited the student experience this past school year, such as:

» Installing new flooring and benches for students in The Walker Center for the Arts gallery.

» Ac quiring the Turf Tank to line our athletic fields for game-day competition.

» Transforming three traditional Middle School classrooms into 360 flexible learning spaces, allowing teachers the freedom to rearrange them to apply different pedagogies within the classroom.

You can join the rest of Harvey’s supporters today by scanning the QR Code or visiting www.harveyschool.org/giving SCAN TO GIVE!

WE ARE GRATEFUL for your commitment and generosity to The Harvey School.

Harvey Perspective Learning the Rich Language and Culture of Japan

By Tim Cornell, Japanese language teacher and language chair

When learning a new language, it’s natural to be excited at first, but sticking with your study to master a language other than your native tongue takes dedication, perseverance, and a desire to accomplish a goal, which is much greater than just ticking off a requirement on your academic transcript. But if students commit themselves to accomplishing the goal of learning Japanese at Harvey, the reward is life-changing.

Most area high school students are not afforded the opportunity to study the Japanese language or its culture. At Harvey, students are embracing the chance to learn a language spoken by more than 125 million people worldwide.

O ften considered a challenging language to master, Japanese helps students acquire an openness and respect for other cultures. When students demonstrate a willingness to step outside their own culture and learn about others, they gain a broader perspective of the world and learn more about themselves. It takes academic and intellectual curiosity to choose to learn Japanese customs and traditions, and speak a language vastly different from English. Japanese requires a significant amount of time, effort,

and dedication, particularly in terms of the kanji characters, its unique grammar, and to some extent its vocabulary. However, students who see this through to completion strongly demonstrate an ability to adapt and think creatively. Colleges look for students who value seeing the world through a global lens and who look to challenge themselves. Bilingual individuals also show improved memory and attention, and their hard work pays off by strengthening their brain health.

Not only do Harvey students study and learn the language, starting with an introduction in Japanese 1 all the way through to Japanese 4 Honors, but they also have opportunities to experience the culture of Japan through our partnership with the Keio Academy of New York, a Japanese school located in Purchase, New York. Japan is a popular travel destination, with a rich and fascinating cultural history that includes Japanese arts, such as a tea ceremony, calligraphy, and flower arrangement, while also driving modern pop culture such as anime, manga, and video games.

The Harvey-Keio school partnership started in 2005, pairing Harvey students with Japanese students at Keio Academy. Every

Above. Harvey and Keio Academy students together at Evarts Rink

winter, Harvey travels to Keio Academy to spend a day at the bilingual Japanese boarding school, sitting in on their classes and taking part in unique cultural experiences such as Kendo, calligraphy, and a tea ceremony in their very own ceremonial tea room on their campus. Our students try traditional Japanese food at lunch and immerse themselves in the language with their Japanese peers.

Harvey returns the favor in the spring with Keio Academy students visiting our campus for a day to experience the environment of a traditional American high school and its student life. From attending academic classes to skating at Evarts Ice Rink, to participating in Stagecraft theatrical arts with Mr. Alexander, playing dodgeball in Fenstermacher Athletic Center, and enjoying a classic American BBQ on the Quad, Harvey and Keio students solidify their friendships and hone their communication skills, both in Japanese and English.

Every year more and more Harvey students discover the intricacies of learning Japanese, with 19 new students earning induction into the Harvey chapter of the Japanese National Honor Society as recognized by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese

this past winter. Pre-COVID-19, Harvey Japanese language students also had the opportunity to visit Japan every other year, living with Japanese families and exploring all that Japan has to offer. After a five-year break, we will once again be visiting our sister school Miyoshi High School in Hiroshima prefecture and taking part in a wonderful homestay experience there in addition to visiting Kyoto, Nara, and Tokyo. I find that this trip is truly a life-changing educational experience that further motivates many of our students to continue their Japanese language study beyond Harvey.

As te chnology continues to grow exponentially, the ability to connect to people around the globe also increases, opening new doors and opportunities to young people. It is more important than ever to be able to bridge communication barriers and have a cultural understanding beyond our own familiar borders.

I hope that the friendships my students forge with the Keio Academy students and the connections with the homestay families in Japan will further deepen beyond our program, and their connection to Japanese culture and the language will live on long after they graduate from Harvey.

This Page. Harvey and Keio Academy students experience each other’s cultures.

Upper School Making Connections

2.

Julian Marin ’24, Khalil Aguilar ’23, Dylan Kluge ’23, and Clayton Collum ’23 // 3. Jason Dempsey ’25 designed a garden in his Harvey Grown elective. // 4. Robotics excellence from Meghan Sullivan ’25, Katie McCulloch ’24, and Logan Alexander ’25 // 5. Seniors Celia Baer, Loveleigh Viera, and Juli Rocco show off their Class of 2023 sweatshirts. // 6. Varsity lacrosse teammates and friends Zack Marvin ’24, Jackson Saccamanno ’25, Jared Effinger ’24, and Jacob Weisberger ’23 //

7. Emi Knauer presents her independent senior project at the Senior Expo. //

8. Daniela Rynott is the 2023 Michael E. Lopes Poetry Contest winner. // 9. Tinsley Valenti ’26 and Eva Pfluger ’26 extract DNA from strawberries. // 10. Vishal Thadani ’26 plays football on the Quad. // 11. Lena Boyce is the captain in a student One Acts play. // 12. Our Upper School Model UN students attend the NAIMUN conference. // 13. Jonah Kass explores Newton’s Second Law of Motion in physics class.”

1. Senior and Student Ambassador Jordan Freund volunteers at a local food bank. //

Dylan Gueli ’24,

“Not only did we want a school that would provide strong academics and well-rounded experiences, but also it was important to us that its learning environment would develop, support, and reinforce a growth mindset in each student and help them find their purpose.”

WHY I GIVE Wendy Lederer P’27, ’25, ’23 & Trustee

A WORD THAT DESCRIBES HARVEY Possibilities

Why is it so hard to find your purpose in life?

When we were exploring independent schools for our family, this philosophical question weighed heavily on my mind. Many of the schools that we toured were seemingly focused on individuals being “the best” rather than becoming the best version of oneself. Not only did we want a school that would provide strong academics and well-rounded experiences, but also it was important to us that its learning environment would develop, support, and reinforce a growth mindset in each student and help them find their purpose.

Small Scho ol, Big Possibilities — that has been consciously woven into every aspect of student life and truly encapsulates the Harvey spirit and curriculum. It’s a process of resilience, noticing the small steps along the way to reach personal fulfillment and accomplishments.

Nurturing this ethos also grows from our connection to others: This is truly the “secret sauce” that makes Harvey so special. Together we are always better — being part

of a community that celebrates both individuality and inclusivity through strong mentorships and programs.

My husband and I have watched our children achieve on well-traveled paths, learn to self-advocate, build relationships, and try things outside their comfort zones. At varying times, they have also been faced with twists and turns allowing for contemplation and life lessons to be learned. We are grateful that Harvey has been a one-stop school for our family, and we know that while we cannot predict with all certainty what will happen in the future, the skills they have acquired will continue allowing them to face whatever lies ahead with confidence and possibility.

WHY WE GIVE

Simply put, we give because we want every student to have those same experiences as our children — to explore their passions, spend time with people who inspire and support them to become curious life learners, and who give back to their communities and find their purpose while creating new possibilities.

Student Ambassadors: A Night to Shine

We all know that Harvey’s Admissions Office Student Ambassadors assist with campus tours and the Open House each fall. In addition, they welcome new families in June and participate in panels and webinars throughout the year to share their experiences at Harvey with prospective students and families. However, the Student Ambassador role is much larger than that. It is an opportunity for our students to grow in their leadership and communication skills and broaden their perspective on the world around them through community service in the local community.

Throughout the school year, our Student Ambassadors volunteer their time at food banks, rake leaves for the elderly, and lend their support to those less fortunate and in need of assistance. One incredible event took place this past February, when our students volunteered to be buddies at a local “Night to Shine” event, a worldwide prom night experience held each year for people with special needs ages 14 and older. As buddies, our students were assigned to a Night to Shine participant as their guest for the evening, helping them to celebrate their special prom-themed night. When entering the prom, all participants walk down a red carpet which signifies “excellence,” and their VIP status is celebrated by all with clapping and cheering from “paparazzi.”

“ When my buddy walked down the red carpet, smiling from ear to ear, I could tell that she felt like a superstar,” said Tayla Langer ’26. “She was so happy.”

“I liked watching my buddy walk the red carpet because he was skipping and waving to everyone,” shared Mollie Weisberger ’26.

Senior Emiliana Knauer agreed. “Watching my buddy walk down the red carpet, and absolutely kill it, I might add, was so special,” she said.

Harvey students danced, sang, assisted in the buffet line, and just spent time with their buddies, ensuring their night was one to remember.

“ When my buddy Nolan got to the dance floor he was so excited and just so happy,” said Maeve Lazzaro ’26. “He ran to the front and we danced the whole time.”

“Seeing my buddy dancing her heart out with a smile on her face made my entire month. This experience really reinforced the reason why I volunteer,” Tayla said. “I volunteer to make other people’s worlds just a little bit better.””

“ Volunteering is rewarding not only because of the incredible cause I was supporting but also because of the meaningful connections I made,” said Emiliana. “By the end of the night, my buddy and I had made our own secret handshake. I also was given a very lengthy list of television show recommendations,” she shared.

This night will shine brightly in the memories of our Student Ambassadors as they move forward in their own lives.

“I feel good that I got to help my buddy have a great night, and it was also a lot of fun,” said Mollie. “There’s no reason to not volunteer. I really want to do something like that again.”

“This night showed me that anyone can have an impact on someone else’s life and give a special moment to someone else,” said senior Dylan Kluge. “This is something I will do again.”

Winter 2022-23: That Championship Season

The winter sports season of 2022-23 will be remembered as the year of varsity basketball with both the boys and girls enjoying outstanding success, capped off by the boys winning the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) championship for only the second time in school history.

With an 11-1 record against opponents in their own league, the boys captured their firstever Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HVAL) title and were primed for more glory. Victories at home in the NEPSAC quarterfinal and semifinal games sent them to the Class C final in Worcester, Massachusetts, where they held off Lexington Christian Academy in a 59-55 win and hoisted the all-New England championship trophy, Harvey’s first since 1995.

The b oys were not the only Cavs doing big things on the court. The girls made school history, being the first Harvey team to record 20 wins in a season and capturing their first-ever HVAL championship. Although their marvelous season ended with a loss in the opening round of the NEPSAC tournament, their 22 wins set a new record for most victories by a varsity basketball team.

While the two varsity basketball teams dominated the sports scene this past winter, the varsity hockey, indoor track, and ski teams, and all the JV and Middle School squads had their share of shining moments.

At the end-of-season dinners and parties, the coaches of each team recognized the following athletes for their outstanding contributions and achievements:

Boys Varsity BASKETBALL

(16-9; 11-1 HVAL )

MVP

Kirk Ortega II

MIP

Olaf Gorski

Cavalier Spirit

Marcus Diaz

HVAL All-League

Olaf Gorski

Jonah Kass

Kirk Ortega II

All-NEPSAC

Olaf Gorski

Jonah Kass

Kirk Ortega II

All-NEPSAC

Honorable Mention

Sukie Vongveeranonchai

Girls Varsity BASKETBALL

(22-3; 15-1 HVAL)

MVP

Kira Ortega

MIP

Celia Baer

Cavalier Spirit

Juliet Jaques

HVAL All-League

Fernanda Alexandre

McKensi Forde

Kira Ortega

All-NEPSAC

Kira Ortega

All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention

McKensi Forde

NEPSAC Class C All-Star

McKensi Forde

Kira Ortega

Varsity

ICE HOCKEY

(7-6-1; 4-6-1 FAA)

MVP

Anthony Galtieri

MVP Offense

Jordan Freund

Coaches Award

Daniel Gittleman

Corsano Cup

Vincent Andren

FAA 2nd Team All-League

Vincent Andren

FAA Honorable Mention

Anthony Galtieri

Varsity Coed

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

MVP Female

Adalay Shalov

Top Newcomer Female

Mollie Weisberger

MIP Female

Maeve Lazzaro

MVP Male

Lucas Roberts

Top Newcomer Male

Aidan Garcia

Cavalier Spirit Male

Jose Vasquez

Varsity Coed

SKI

MVP

Kathleen McCulloch

MIP

Brady Campos

Cavalier Spirit

Kathleen McCulloch

Top Student-Athletes

Winter Term

Olaf Gorski ’24 and Kathleen McCulloch ’24

Girls JV BASKETBALL

(4-6)

MVP

Juliana Rocco

MIP

Belén Ayala Abad

Cavalier Spirit

Loveleigh Viera

Boys JV Navy BASKETBALL

(11-3)

MVP Offense

Patrick Cuneo

MVP-Defense

Wyatt Bland

Cavalier Spirit

Thomas Schiwek

Boys JV Maroon BASKETBALL

(9-4)

MVP

Daniel Bussey

MIP

Julian Marin

Coaches Award

Brandon Levine

Middle School Maroon Boys BASKETBALL

(8-3)

MVP

Markus Jones

MIP

Benjamin Shaw

Sportsmanship

Leif Peters

Middle School Girls BASKETBALL

(3-7)

MVP

Madison Boothe

MIP

Yamila Jackson

Coaches Award

Sarah Fisher

Middle School Navy BASKETBALL

(2-5)

Coaches Award

Zakaria Boujid

Brayden French

Theodore Yanni

Middle School ICE HOCKEY

(0-3)

MVP

Daniel Kiamie

MIP

Sophia Thilo

Coaches Award

Samuel Palevski

Artistic spotlight

Artistic spotlight

Opening Page. Junior Łukasz Daszcynski as Renfield in the Upper School production of “Dracula” // 1. Painting by senior Kira Ortega selected for the Katonah Museum of Art’s 2023 Young Artists exhibition //

2. Mara van den Tols ’23 as Dracula and Alexa Williams ’24 as Van Helsing in the Upper School production of “Dracula” //

3. Sophia Thilo ’27 as Peter Pan, watches lost boys Emily Bigman ’28, Henry Leibowitz ’27, O’Launi Ebanks ’29, and Karen Dey ’29 fawn over Beatrix Mackil ’27 as Wendy in the Middle School production of “Peter Pan.” // 4. Shelby McCaine ’24 on drums in the Spring Band Concert //

5. Vivienne Stoller ’28 as Shrek and Sameera Britton ’28 as Donkey in the Middle School Showcase “Shrek the Musical” // 6. Jewelry piece by Rijk Shupe ’23 selected for the Katonah Museum of Art’s 2023 Young Artists exhibition // 7. Upper School students perform in the Spring Chorus Concert. //

8. Painting by senior Ricardo Paris Aguirre selected for the Katonah Museum of Art’s 2023 Young Artists exhibition // 9. Amity Doyle ’28 as Lord Farquaad in “Shrek the Musical” // 10. Joseph Brown ’28 on French horn in the Spring Band Concert // 11. Elena Pagan ’26 performing ballet in the Spring Dance Concert

alumni news

Dear Harvey Alumni,

As I look back on my years at Harvey, I recall the excitement of the last few weeks of the school year, not because school was ending for summer break but rather because of all the various experiences that were usually saved for the end of the year. The 8th Grade Class Trip to Boston is one that vividly stands out in my mind. The anticipation and excitement was palpable within the hallways of the Middle School as we eagerly counted down the days until we boarded the bus that would take us to Boston for an overnight as a class. We visited the museums and historical sites, all while enjoying the company of our classmates and teachers in a different type of “classroom,” the city of Boston, where we explored, engaged with one another, and enjoyed all that the city had to offer. Harvey continued this tradition with this year’s eighth graders traveling to Philadelphia. Whether it is the annual 8th Grade Class Trip, a day’s excursion to a local museum or gallery, or a visit to NYC to take in the sights or see a Broadway show, Harvey continues to encourage students to explore the world around them. And how lucky are Harvey students to have the chance to learn from their international classmates about their respective cultures! What a unique opportunity the boarding and host family programs create for our ISP students from around the world! This year, Harvey also hosted its first WinterFest —

A Cultural Celebration! What an extraordinary event this was for the community to learn about cultures throughout the world and enjoy food from the many countries that were represented at the celebration! I would strongly encourage our alumni community to join us next year.

Harvey is a place that continues to foster a student’s desire for learning, not just about the academic subjects but also about the world as a whole — its different countries with so many diverse cultures and customs. Harvey encourages students to find ways to also learn outside the traditional classroom setting and explore locally as well as globally. I am forever grateful for the spark that Harvey ignited in me to want to explore and learn about the world around me on a local and global level.

In this issue, we profile our exceptional International Student Program and celebrate its 10th year of opening up the opportunities at Harvey to students from around the world.

I hop e that you found the same spark that I did during your time at Harvey and that you never stop exploring.

Warm regards,

Lara Casano ’95, Alumni Association, President

www.givbee.com/donation/campaigns/previewiframe/6508

We hope that you will join the rest of the alumni community and experience this quick and efficient way to stay connected with Harvey. We assure you that we will limit texting to just important updates such as alumni and Harvey community events and celebrations. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP.

// If you have any questions, feel free to contact Greg Janos in the alumni office at gjanos@harveyschool.org or (914) 232-3161 ext. 122.

Alumni Association Mission Statement

The mission of The Harvey School Alumni Association is to create a lifelong and worldwide community of engaged alumni through increased opportunities for meaningful connections that raise awareness, increase participation, expand volunteer involvement, build pride, and grow philanthropic commitment to the school.

The Alumni Executive Council and the Alumni Association support the mission by:

» Keeping alumni updated about Harvey news, including scholarship awards, college acceptances, arts exhibitions and performances, and athletic achievements and signings.

» Communicating regularly with alumni regarding school events and campaigns.

» Creating opportunities to bring alumni back to campus to keep them engaged in the life of the school.

» Organizing s ocial gatherings and career-networking events both locally and across the country at locations where alumni are concentrated.

Lara Casano ’95, president

Pieter Catlow ’73

Erica Cheyne ’14

George Dallas ’64

Philip A. Eifert ’73

Daniel Galgano ’20

Andrew Jamieson ’09

Greg Janos ’98

Alexander P. McKown ’57

Laurel Meredith ’88

Seth Morton ’57, secretary

Greg Presseau ’98

Lindsey Walker ’05

Meet the Alumni Executive Council Members

Look for profiles on AEC members George Dallas ’64, Alexander P. McKown ’57, Greg Presseau ’98, and Lindsey Walker ’05 in an upcoming issue.

Seth Morton ’57

Activities/Clubs at Harvey Football, ice hockey, baseball

Fondest Harvey Memory

Relationships with fellow students that carry forward today.

Advice for Alums & Current Students

Time flies. Enjoy your experiences. Many happen only once.

“My Harvey time was during middle school, grades 6 to 8, all male, full-time boarding. The education I received was profound — discipline, application to a task, attention to detail, relationships with others in a small community, the fun of team sports, competition, the excitement of accomplishment. Staying connected means staying involved to keep that Harvey tradition alive and well.”

Pieter A. Catlow ’73

Activities/Clubs at Harvey Club (Pocantico), three seasons of athletics (football, ice hockey, and lacrosse)

Fondest Harvey Memory

June 8, 1973 — graduation and receiving the Ballard Loyalty Award

Advice for Alums & Current Students

There will come a time when you sit down and put together a resume of your life’s accomplishments. It may be 10 or 20 or 30+ years after your graduation. Then, you do a reflection of the experiences on this journey. You discover that there was an individual (it might be a coach, a teacher, a mentor, or a relative) who made a life-changing impact on your life’s journey. For me, it was a teacher at The Harvey School. His name was Mr. McMahon.

“Staying connected to Harvey is my way of saying ‘thank you’ to an individual teacher. Mr. McMahon, who made a life-changing impression on me, and I was not able to tell him ‘Thank you!’ in person.”

Andrew Jamieson ’09

Activities/Clubs at Harvey: Community Service, Global Green, Chorus and Chamber Singers

Fondest Harvey Memory

Honors British Literature in 10th grade when Mrs. Hooton recited “Beowulf” in Old English for our class. I don’t remember even in college having an educator who was so devoted to their work that they actually were able to recite, animatedly I might add, such a classic piece of writing — in Old English!

Advice for Alums & Current Students

For current students, every assignment has its own unique purpose. While in the moment, it may feel burdensome or even obsolete, but trust me that it will prepare you for your college/ university studies. When Señora Lindoro would require all of us in honors Spanish class to write two paragraphs summarizing what we did over the weekend, that couldn’t have been better prep for college when my professor required two papers per week. For alums, take advantage of every volunteer opportunity that Harvey has to offer. There are so many ways to stay connected with your former alma mater. Reconnect with former educators, coaches, and classmates, attend Homecoming, sign up to serve on our Alumni Executive Council, or serve as a decade chair. Harvey has given us many opportunities and a unique, exceptional education — it’s time to give back!

“Harvey offered me so much that I want to give back and return the investment. Even though I am no longer a student here at Harvey, I feel like it’s my duty as an alumnus to cultivate a culture of philanthropy and support current students.”

Lara Casano ’95

Activities/Clubs at Harvey

Soccer, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse

Fondest Harvey Memory

Most of my fondest memories were related to sports. Whether it was playing or cheering on a team from the stands, sports and the camaraderie that surrounded the athletic programs were always something positive and fun.

Advice for Alums & Current Students

As a current Harvey parent, I find myself often sharing stories of my time at Harvey with my three children (’25, ’27 and ’27). I encourage them to take advantage of the wonderful programs that the school offers, to try new things and allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Harvey fosters an environment where students are encouraged to try new things that they may have avoided in the past due to fear or failure or judgment. I encourage students to put themselves out there. You never know unless you try. To the alumni community, I would encourage you to stay connected or to engage again. We have a wonderful network, one which I hope continues to grow more and more robust through re-engagement and welcoming new alumni each year.

“Harvey has been an integral part of my family’s life for more than 30 years. My experience as a student is the reason that my three children attend Harvey today. The foundation that Harvey provided to my brother and me enabled us to go out into the world and have the confidence to set high standards and always strive to achieve and surpass them. The Harvey community is special, one that I still feel very drawn to give back to. For all that the school provided to me as a student, and now as a parent, I very much feel indebted to the community and feel lucky to remain an engaged member.”

Erica Cheyne ’14

Activities/Clubs at Harvey Volleyball, softball, musicals, Model UN, Spanish Club

Fondest Harvey Memory

Rehearsing for the musicals each winter. I really enjoyed being able to flex that creative side to my personality and have fun while doing it!

Advice for Alums & Current Students

Don’t be afraid to try new things, whether that’s a new class, club, or extracurricular activity. Who knows, you may really like it! To alums, staying involved with Harvey not only helps the school community, but also can help you continue to learn, grow, and network as well.

“I’m a big believer in ‘paying it forward.’ I feel it’s important to give back to communities that have helped you, whether that’s personally, professionally, or spiritually. Harvey helped to take me out of my comfort zone in ways that I never thought were possible. I experienced a ton of growth not only as a student but also as a person. I hope to continue to give back to the Harvey community so each new and current student has a chance to experience that same growth.”

I experienced a ton of growth not only as a student but also as a person. I hope to continue to give back to the Harvey community so each new and current student has a chance to experience that same growth.”

—ERICA CHEYNE ’14

Daniel Patrick Galgano ’20

Activities/Clubs at Harvey

Model UN, The Pulse, Student Council President, Debate Club

Fondest Harvey Memory

My fondest memory at Harvey is how the entire school got together to give the Class of 2020 the best graduation ceremony they possibly could, despite the restrictions at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I remember that, despite the fact we had to stay in our cars separate from each other for most of the ceremony, we all felt connected by the achievements and challenges we were all facing together.

Advice for Alums & Current Students

As a recent alumnus, I’ve found coming back to campus at least once a year to be a really calming experience. When you’re so far away from home and dealing with friends, finals, and internships, coming back to events like Harvey Homecoming and connecting with my old teachers and classmates can honestly create memories for me that make the rest of the year that much easier.

“Staying involved with Harvey after graduation can really be a fun and useful experience. Despite being a small school, Harvey does have a wide alumni network, and you can keep that feeling of connection in that community for years after you’ve left campus. Harvey also has alumni all over the country, all of whom have had different jobs, education, and experiences, which can be useful for recent alumni who are just getting started in those fields.”

Philip A. Eifert ’73

Activities/Clubs at Harvey

Football, ice hockey, lacrosse, Wells Speech Contest finalist, Slot Car Club

Fondest Harvey Memory

Senior field trips to New York City

Advice

for

Alums & Current Students

Always be grateful.

“It’s important to stay connected to Harvey to support the local community and support the school, as it is an important part of my past.”

Laurel (Elkind) Meredith ’88

Activities/Clubs at Harvey

Varsity soccer, student government, Model UN, theater, yearbook

Fondest Harvey Memory

There are so many, but in particular I loved the community of Harvey girls who were strong, supportive, and fun.

Advice for Alums & Current Students

Life rarely moves in a straight line. There will be successes and disappointments (usually not related to your choices or decisions but tied to circumstance or luck), and it is helpful to keep things in perspective by looking at the big picture.

“I value the friendships I’ve formed through Harvey and also appreciate the school’s mission. As an alum and now a Harvey parent, I care more than ever about the creative and flexible approaches to teaching that an independent school like Harvey can foster and encourage.”

Greg Janos ’98

Activities/Clubs at Harvey

Soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball, Science/Biology Club

Fondest Harvey Memory

Advisory meetings with Mr. Baker. He had a way of keeping us all in line and on track.

Advice for Alums & Current Students

To current students, realize the opportunities that you have at Harvey, and take advantage of them. There are a lot of students who would love to be in your school situation with all the resources and support you have at your fingertips. To alums, keep returning to campus and check out all the changes and how the school has evolved since you graduated, but you’ll find that Harvey has been able to keep its traditions at the core and honor its rich history.

“Staying connected to the school is important because it helps us demonstrate our gratitude for the opportunities that Harvey gave us, for the lifelong friends we made while we were here, and for allowing us to still be a part of the Harvey community. Staying connected helps show how students thrive after graduating and allows us to stay involved to help open doors for the next alums as they enter life after Harvey.”

April 15th: Spring Alumni Day

Harvey alumni were invited back to campus Saturday, April 15, for our first Spring Alumni Day to enjoy an exciting full day of spring varsity athletic games and matches and a delicious BBQ lunch near Evarts Rink. Associate Director of Alumni Relations Greg Janos and Alumni Association President Lara Casano greeted the 25+ alums who were able to attend this new event on a sunny, seasonable day in Katonah.

Alums were treated to several close athletic contests, including varsity baseball and girls varsity lacrosse, as well as boys varsity tennis and lacrosse. A few alums took to the ice at Evarts Rink to play hockey and reminisce about their memories of Harvey hockey. It’s always heartwarming to welcome our alums back to campus and see them cheering on our current student-athletes.

Networking in NYC City Winery in Grand Central Terminal

The Alumni Relations Office was thrilled to once again host our annual NYC Networking alumni event, this year at City Winery in Grand Central Station in early May. Attended by many recent graduates and well-established professionals in a variety of career fields, Harvey alums networked with other alums in similar professional fields and reconnected with old classmates. Throughout the course of the evening, alums enjoyed a wonderful spread of food and drink in a fun, happening location. Our Harvey alums shared everything from old Harvey memories to giving advice on their respective fields to those pursuing their dreams or interested in making a career change.

“The Harvey Alumni Networking event is a unique opportunity to connect with peers about their experiences after graduation,” said Associate Director of Alumni Relations Greg Janos ’98. “This type of networking can be invaluable to a recent graduate who is entering the workforce for the first time. Alums provide perspectives on postgraduate life that are often very different from what you will receive from your university’s academic program,” he said.

1. Harvey alums catching up at the Wine Bar // 2. Joshua Linder ’03, Dr. Nicole Wright ’05, and Andrew Heitner ’03 // 3. The Grand Central Station location provided easy access for alums. // 4. Dan Chapman ’73, Greg Janos ’98, and Lara Casano ’95 // 5. Randy Anderson ’74 and Nathaniel Jacobs ’06 // 6. Paul Riverain ’14 and Pieter Catlow ’73 // 7. Paul Riverain ’14, Brian Benjamin ’16, Sean O’Brien ’09, Andrew Heitner ’03 and Joshua Linder ’03 // 8. Laurel Meredith ’88 and Head of School Bill Knauer P’23 // 9. Director of Development Susie Danziger P’16 and Andrew Heitner ’03 // 10. Amazing selection of wines to enjoy! // 11. Assistant Head of Upper School Beth Visintainer P’07 with John Wise ’17 // 12. Nathaniel Jacobs ’06 catching up with Harvey teacher Bruce Osborne P’07 & ’09

class notes

To submit a note or share your Harvey memories, please contact your class agent or the alumni office at alumni@harveyschool.org.

1941

Class Agent: Jim Wood, (914) 922-1559, jimandtwink@gmail.com

1947

Norbert Lachman just turned 90 and “I’m sure Harvey is partly responsible!” he says. He reports that all is well and he still finds life both interesting and amusing. Norbert believes “developing a good sense of humor makes the inevitable bumps a lot smoother.”

1948

Richard Montague continues to explore the world, having completed a transalpine hike from Germany to Italy last October. Read more about Richard’s explorations on page 20 in this issue.

1950

Ellwood Robbins recently connected with Associate Director of Alumni Relations Greg Janos ’98 and shared that at 86, he is “still keeping busy by volunteering in town and giving back the best way that he can.”

1956

Class Agent: John Crawford, (540) 247-8810, celect@comcast.net

1957

Class Agent: Alex McKown, (718) 392-1373, alexander.mckown@gmail.com

1960

Michael Van Winkle is happily retired with his wife, Joanne, in Maine on the water near Bar Harbor. “I fondly

remember the old school at Hawthorne Circle as well as the new campus in Katonah,” said Michael. “Best wishes to all Class of 1960 alumni. It seems like a long time ago!” he said.

Michael Van Winkle ’60 and wife, Joanne

1961

Class Agent: Sandy Gabel, (919) 693-8099, sandy.gabel@icloud.com

Douglas Hirsh reached out to compliment the Winter 2023 issue of Harvey Magazine, saying, “Wow, what a production!” (Thanks, Doug!)

Doug shared, “I read the obituary of Ed Connors, who was my corridor master and who I stayed in touch with after I left Harvey. We reconnected in Denver while I was at Denver University and Ed was at Denver Country Day School.”

1965

Class Agent: Rev. Malcolm Starring, (603) 444-6016, mfstarring@gmail.com

Rick Kinnaird is also an avid traveler and explorer, and will be sharing his explorations in our “Never Stop Exploring” series in Harvey Magazine. Read about his travels to Egypt on page 21 in this issue.

1968 // 55th Reunion

Class Agent: Alex Edwards-Bourdrez, (631) 754-1041, alexb2@gmail.com

1973 // 50th Reunion

Class Agent: Phil Eifert, (914) 232-6489, peifert@yahoo.com

1978 // 45th Reunion

Class Agent: Patrick Peterkin, (203) 655-9917, p_peterkin@yahoo.com

1983 // 40th Reunion

Class Agents: Melinda Frey Arkin, bentleyshop@aol.com; Joshua Rosenthal, (970) 385-4723, weplay@bresnan.net

1984

Class Agent: Herbert Sloan, (203) 438-0051, hjs1988@yahoo.com

1987

Pamela Parsons is a 17-year veteran at Saatchi & Saatchi in Los Angeles. As the director of content production with an expertise in TV and digital campaigns, Pamela leads a team of 20+ producers and music supervisors in producing award-winning work for Toyota Motor North America. With more than 30 years of experience in production, Pamela has done it all — from Super Bowl campaigns to a Toyota Tundra towing the Endeavour Space Shuttle and everything in between. Throughout her career, Pamela has collected a long list of awards and accolades including Addy’s, One Show, Cannes, and AICP, proving that doing what you love can pay off. When she’s not passionately producing high-impact, award-winning work, Pamela can be found somewhere near the ocean, any ocean.

1988 // 35th Reunion

Class Agents: Charles Collin, (860) 263-7972, chascolin@gmail.com; Laurel E. Meredith, (917) 280-5233, laurel.meredith@gmail.com

1989

Class Agent: Chris Abrenica, (914) 556-8344, cabrenica71@outlook.com

1990

Class Agent: Peter Hall, (518) 369-1991, hallpeter1@gmail.com

1994

Class Agent: Russell Stamm, (781) 329-3004, rcstamm@rcstammco.com

1995

Class Agents: Lara W. Casano, (347) 539-7301, lcasano@harveyschool.org; Raphael Miranda, (917) 520-7808, mirandaraphael@hotmail.com

1996

Class Agents: Keith Harrigan, (412) 853-9392, kh1843@gmail.com; David Stark, (336) 771-5303, dlstark@kpmg.com; Jeannette Brandt Stark, (336) 771-5303, jeanettemstark@gmail.com

Steve Masiello will be Rick Pitino’s associate coach for the St. John’s University men’s basketball team this upcoming season. Steve had spent the past year working under Coach Pitino as the director of basketball operations at Iona University in New Rochelle after he left Manhattan College. Steve had served as the Jaspers head coach for 11 years, guiding them to two Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference titles and two appearances in the NCAA championship tournament.

Steve and his coaching mentor go way back to 1989, when Pitino was the head

Steve Masiello ’96

Pamela Parsons ’87

coach of the Knicks and Steve was the ballboy. When Steve graduated from Harvey, he went to the University of Kentucky and made the team as a walk-on. Pitino was the team’s coach in Steve’s first year. When Pitino left to coach the Boston Celtics, Steve stayed in Lexington for three more years. Although he didn’t play much, he was a member of the 1998 Kentucky squad that won the NCAA championship. As a senior, he was selected as a co-captain for the Wildcats.

Then, in 2006, Pitino hired Steve to assist him at the University of Louisville. During his six years with the Cardinals, Steve became highly regarded for his recruiting skills and for his work as an assistant coach.

We fondly remember how Steve led the Cavaliers to their first-ever NEPSAC championship in 1995 and became a member of the school’s exclusive 1,000 career point club, reaching that milestone in just two seasons after having transferred to Harvey as a junior.

1997

Class Agent: Blayre Farkas, (561) 929-1802, carolynfarkas@gmail.com

Hallie Rifkin is engaged to John Bagley.

1998 // 25th Reunion

Class Agent: Greg Janos, (845) 857-7688, gjanos@harveyschool.org

1999

Class Agent: Amy Albert Morello, papillia@hotmail.com

2001

Class Agent: Jennifer J. Vogeney, (914) 494-9397, jenn.j.vogeney@gmail.com

On April 1, 2023 — the perfect day to pull this stunt off — a group of family, friends, alums, and co-workers pulled off the

perfect surprise birthday party prank to celebrate John DePalma’s 40th birthday. The party was held at EuroBowl in White Plains, New York, and surprise guests traveled from as far away as Virginia and Colorado for the day’s event! Happy Birthday, John!

2002

Class Agent: Tiffany Franqui Hamilton, (845) 612-9858, travelsize84@gmail.com

Joanna Schiff Garren lives in Everett, Massachusetts, and is a full-time parent to her sons, Isaac and Jonah. She volunteers on the boards of the Everett Arts and Cultural Council and the Food Policy Council. Joanna is planning to run for the Everett School Board — “My first ever step into politics!” Her favorite memory from Harvey are the plays! “My first year at Harvey, I was cast as Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods,” and I had a blast!” Joanna said. “I eventually got the

lead part in “Once Upon a Mattress” my senior year. I am so grateful to Ms. Mahony and Mrs. Daily for giving me the opportunity to perform during my time at Harvey.”

Stephanie Glickman was promoted to Client Advisor at Louis Vuitton.

Robert Len lives in Pound Ridge with his wife, Tara, and their two children, Elena and Malcolm. Robert runs his own therapy practice in Bedford Hills and enjoys spending his free time with friends in the community, as well as playing golf and coaching youth lacrosse. At Harvey, Robert was involved in lacrosse, hockey, and Model UN. He fondly remembers the Harvey lacrosse trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and “good times with the fellas,” said Robert.

Alexander Milano has been promoted to the position of major case specialist at Travelers.

Joanna (Schiff) Garren ’02 with one of her sons Robert Len ’02 with his family

Surprise birthday party for John DePalma ’01 included past and current Harvey faculty and alums.

2003 // 20th Reunion

Class Agent: Jaclyn Walker, (914) 319-1699, JaclynMarisaWalker@gmail.com

Joshua Linder is happy to share the news of the birth of his son, Aaron Cody Linder, who arrived in October 2022. He reports that everybody is doing well, and “he’s already a Rangers fan and will be on the ice in no time!”

2004

Class Agent: Maria Neri, (845) 279-5234

2005

Class Agent: Brian Ryerson, (914) 329-6863, ryersonb@gmail.com

Ali Masterson Curran wrote a children’s book, “Nana Will Say Yes,” which was published in November 2022 and was inspired by Ali’s mom and her own daughter’s relationship. It is a sweet and sentimental rhyming book that kids will love and adults won’t mind reading again. “I am thrilled that I’ve turned this dream into a reality and people can now hold my book in their hands!” shared Ali.

Elizabeth (Katz) Pluskalowski is happy to share that after “lots of preterm labor scares, our sweet Emmett Joseph joined the outside world full term at 39 weeks and four days October 12, 2022.” Elizabeth said, “Everyone is happy and healthy.” She added, “We can’t wait for Ari and Emmett to be the best of friends!”

Gail Gershenov Zwiren shared the exciting news that “baby boy Zwiren” is here!

2006

Class Agents: Gregory Jurschak, (914) 260-8133, gjurschak@gmail.com; Teresa Neri, (914) 462-7440, teresa.neri12@gmail.com

2007

Class Agents: Doniella McKoy, (914) 960-9375, donimckoy@yahoo.com; Alexandra Pugliese, (914) 760-0119, alexandra.m.pugliese@gmail.com

Stephen Wallace is showcasing his incredible Caribbean Jerk Taco catering business Wah Gwaan, with his food truck at Smorgasburg, the largest weekly open-air food market, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturdays now through October. Stephen calls Smorgasburg the “Woodstock of food.” Read more: tinyurl.com/3arr3b6j

Ahmad Safieh and his wife, Melannie, along with their 2-year-old son, have moved back to Westchester County after living several years in Connecticut. Ahmad currently owns and operates LeafGuard Gutters, a business that his father started and has been servicing the Westchester area for more than 30 years. He said “Harvey taught me the value of smaller class sizes and the impact it has on education.” Ahmad reports that he is still very close with many of his fellow graduates from the Class of 2007.

Joshua Linder ’03 with his wife and baby son Aaron

The inspiration for Ali Masterson Curran’s ’05 book: her daughter and mother

Stephen Wallace ’07

2008 // 15th Reunion

Class Agents: Gretel Coleman, (914) 234-0907, gretelcoleman@gmail.com; Dylan Hackley, (914) 482-5318, dhack@me.com

Clara Lefton (he/him) recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife. He was a visiting student at Wisconsin Law for the spring 2023 semester, interning for the Chambers of the Honorable Judge William Conley of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. He said his plan was to graduate from Rutgers Law School this year. When he’s not playing with his three dogs or hiking, he loves hangouts and phone calls with Harvey classmate Lauren Judisky.

Joseph Lombardi and his wife, Linda welcomed twins, Joseph and Elliana March 13, 2023. Harvey Assistant to Middle School Division Head Joanne Lombardi is one proud grandmother!

2009

Class Agents:

Andrew Jamieson, (203) 273-3884, andrewjamieson91@icloud.com; Erika Osborne, osborne7937@gmail.com; Peter Sorenson, (914) 438-7486, psorenson68@gmail.com; Megan Taylor, (914) 234-6205, meg.kerrytaylor@gmail.com

Noelle Shanicee McKoy recently came back to the Harvey campus for the young alums event “Home for the Holidays.” She also made time to participate in a video interview with the Harvey Development team about her experiences at Harvey.

Refer

a friend

TO HARVEY!

2010

Dana Lombardi was fortunate to recently spend some time traveling in Europe and skiing in the French and Swiss Alps. I learned to ski only about two years ago,” says Dana. “Growing up, I played many organized sports, especially in the Harvey community. Getting older, I wanted to find fun ways to stay active and a sport that would still pique my interest. Skiing has quickly become that while offering incredible views of the world.”

Enjoying a beach day is Clara Lefton ’08 with his wife.

Dana Lombardi ’10 in front of the Matterhorn in Switzerland (absolutely freezing but breathtaking nonetheless)

Joseph Lombardi ’08 with his new twins, their proud grandmother, Joanne Lombardi, and their mom, Joe’s wife, Linda

Zuri, baby daughter of Andrew Abt ’10

Andrew Abt welcomed his baby daughter, Zuri Olive Abt, January 29, 2023.

2011

Class Agents: Amelia Slater, (914) 874-7436, ameliajslater1@gmail.com; Nicolette A. St. Lawrence, (914) 707-0414, ns669@cornell.edu; Konrad Testwuide, (914) 953-9006, ktestwuide@gmail.com

Carly Glenn is happy to share that she started a new position as an East Coast sales representative at The Station.

Molly Orell McGavock announced that her daughter, Olivia Blake McGavock, “joined the party” January 16, 2023. “Our hearts are fuller than we ever thought possible,” said Molly.

Nicolette St. Lawrence was promoted to the position of vice president at Goldman Sachs.

2012

Class Agents: Brandon Hickey, (845) 270-8670, hickbg05@gmail.com; Brett Marks, (914) 815-1686, brettmarks94@gmail.com; Nicole Pugliese, (914) 760-7148, npug@umich.edu; Julian Rissetto, (914) 539-1175, j.rissetto@icloud.com; Maya Sank, (203) 803-5850, mayasank7@gmail.com; Daniel Schonning, (203) 788-6811, danny.schonning@yahoo.com; Natalia R. St. Lawrence, (914) 707-0406; Mikhyle Stein, (914) 419-4615, mick909@gmail.com

Brandon Hickey stopped by campus in January to say hello to a few teachers and let us know he’s getting married in August.

Daniel Schonning returned to Harvey April 13 to be a judge for the 2023 Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation Contest. Daniel’s poems have appeared in or are forthcoming in POETRY Magazine, Poetry Daily, Orion Magazine, The Yale Review, and elsewhere. He was a runner-up for 92NY’s 2022 Discovery Poetry Contest. His poem “Aleph with all, all with Aleph” was selected by judge Cyrus Cassells as the winner of Crazyhorse’s 2020 Lynda Hull Memorial Prize. Daniel lives in Geneva, New York, where he serves as

the Trias Postgraduate Teaching Fellow at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the managing editor of Seneca Review.

2013 // 10th Reunion

Class Agents: Sharif Koonce, (914) 356-1553, skoonce29@gmail.com; Karina K. Lambert, (914) 844-9123, karina.k.lambert@gmail.com; Ben Walant, (203) 947-4541, bwalant@gmail.com

2014

Class Agents: Christian Artuso, (914) 462-0302, cjartuso@aol.com; Erica Cheyne, (914) 708-9482, ericacheyne@outlook.com

Erica Cheyne is starting a new position as field execution manager at The Coca-Cola Company. “I am very excited to start this new journey,” says Erica. “I look forward to partnering with the customers and collaborating with my new team to drive value.”

Michael Goodkind generously made a shout-out congratulatory video for the Harvey varsity boys and girls basketball teams on their fantastic winning 2023

Head of Upper School Phil Lazzaro, Nick Pantano ’10, Will Shearer ’10, and Joe Fraioli ’11 at a spring varsity boys rugby match at Harvey

Michael Goodkind ’14 at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

Daniel Schonning ’12 with Ms. Mahony

seasons from down on the Utah Jazz basketball team home court. The video included cameo appearances from members of the Utah Jazz organization, and it was played for the entire student body at a morning meeting. Michael’s video meant a lot to the Harvey athletes and the community.

Brian Silva announced the birth of his daughter, Lucy Ann, in March, saying, “Welcome to the world!”

2015

Class Agents: Julia Chatzky, (914) 420-6876, jbc310@gmail.com; Richard Hicks, (914) 233-6825, hicks.ricky1@gmail.com; Brendan Kneitz, bkneitz24@gmail. com; Ariana Weaver, (914) 703-0008, arianaweaver@gmail.com

John Colangelo is pursuing a degree in Residential Construction at SUNY Delhi, located in upstate New York.

Jackson Roberts is the lead sports anchor for NBC in Rochester, New York, heavily covering the Buffalo Bills as well as pro and college teams in the area. He also pays attention to high school sports. Jackson says his favorite Harvey memory was getting the chance to share cool stories about what was happening on campus. “One of my favorites was profiling the athletic center being built,” said Jackson.

2016

Class Agents: Hannah Herrera, (914) 714-5407, Hannahv_herrera@yahoo.com; Tyler Levy, (914) 572-3020, bbhockey22@gmail.com

Brian Benjamin received the Green Cross award in April from the Port Chester Fire Department with a few of his fellow firefighters of the Rescue Company. When he’s not working, Brian is volunteering as a firefighter in his local community. Brian shares that he is “grateful for the opportunity to make an impact and save lives.”

2017

Class Agents: Joseph Bakas, (914) 708-6131, bakasjoe@gmail.com; Alexandra Barber, (914) 414-7353, lgbarber1999@gmail.com; Jewel Li, (914) 920-1409, lijewel1117@gmail.com; John Wise, (203) 637-7876

Will Shaffer recently caught up with Harvey science teacher Bruce Osborne and shared some exciting news. Will was just accepted into medical school and will start this fall. He graduated from UPenn in 2021 and just completed a Master in Medical Sciences degree at Boston University. He will go to medical school at Creighton University at their new campus in Phoenix, Arizona. Will worked as an EMT in undergrad so he’s hoping to go into Emergency Medicine.

2018 // 5th Reunion

Class Agents: Marissa Annechiarico, (845) 546-2011, marissa.annechiarico@yahoo.com; Yulanda Huang, (203) 947-2885, hjuewei@163.com; Chloe Savitch, (914) 393-9432, cbsavitch@aol.com; John Sullivan, (914) 217-6364, johns2388@aol.com

Samuel Chumsky works as a digital associate at Legends, the company that runs Yankee Stadium. “It is a sports and entertainment firm doing everything from sponsorships to food and beverage to operations and everything in between,” said Sam. “I’m helping teams launch and track ad campaigns in their social streams, and then analyzing the engagement data,” he said. Sam is based in Addison, Texas.

Lily Koenig is excited to announce that after a “long and relentless job search,” she started a new position as a social associate at Hearts & Science in March.

Jackson Roberts ’15 as lead sports anchor for NBC

Brian Silva ’14 with daughter, Lucy Ann

Julia Mallon returned to Harvey for a boys varsity basketball game to cheer on her brother Brandon ’23 and attend the “Home for the Holidays” young alum event. Both were held in January. Brandon and the Harvey boys varsity basketball team went on to win the 2023 HVAL Championship and the 2023 NEPSAC Division C title.

Danielle Oddo has started a new position as head basketball coach at Central Mass Swarm Basketball. Dani coached this past winter for a girls middle school basketball team, and this spring she coached AAU for third and fourth graders. Dani recently shared, “After receiving my B.A. in Psychology from Salve Regina University, I earned my MBA from Johnson & Wales University to round out my time management, communication, and analytical mindset in preparation for a career in business. I enjoy using my business acumen in the areas of sports management, administration, accounting, finance, legal, ethics, and facility development. Thus, I am pursuing a full-time role in the Greater Boston and Providence Metropolitan areas.”

Aidan Roberts is thrilled to announce that he accepted a full-time offer to join National Hockey League’s (NHL) NFT & Blockchain content division as a production assistant. “Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to this point,” said Aidan. “I am incredibly excited to get started!”

Luke Taylor graduated from Boston University and now works as a program director at CITYarts. He is overseeing a program called Pieces for Peace, where he leads students in a workshop that gives them a chance to discuss what peace means to them. The students then draw something that represents peace to them. Luke lives in Brooklyn.

Nathan Ward returned to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office as a Major Economic Crimes Bureau paralegal in April. He says, “I’m grateful for this opportunity and the people who have supported me along the way.”

2019

Class Agents: Treshawn Felder, (347) 792-7458, joel@harlemlacrosse.org; Charlotte Levy, (914) 238-1099, charlottehailey16@gmail.com; Sebastian Wallach, (914) 763-2579, sebski01@gmail.com; Courtney Warren, (914) 755-6960, courtrw1@gmail.com

Alexander Breitenbach attended the “Home for the Holidays” young alumni event at Harvey in January, and reported that he is loving Cornell University. Alex also took time to share his reflections on Harvey in a video interview with the Development team.

Giselle Garcia graduated from The George Washington University in May with a major in Criminal Justice and a double minor in STEM Teaching and Psychology. At GW, Giselle was a Criminal Justice Intern for Latino Justice PRLDEF. She was also a member of the GWTeach Program, which prepared her to teach middle school science at a local D.C. school, her final teaching experience as an undergraduate. Giselle won the Student Speaker Commencement Competition and addressed her senior class at the National Mall in May. Read more about her speech on page 16 of this issue.

Gis elle shared the news with the faculty at Harvey, saying, “I want to stress that I would not have been able to accomplish this dream without each of you and the support and encouragement you gave me those four years. Harvey allowed me to find my passion and hold onto it, and all of you uplifted me through and through.

You know how incredibly passionate I am about public speaking and using my voice to make a difference, so to be able to address more than 25,000 people feels like I am fulfilling my destiny, a destiny each of you helped me create. You each gave me the space to grow and restored the confidence I often lost in myself in your own unique ways. I promise I do not cry as much anymore,” she teased. “Thank you for everything — for believing in me, pushing me, challenging me, having faith in me, giving me tissues, and just being the most influential support system I will ever have. All I feel is gratitude. I owe and dedicate this accomplishment to you.”

Katie Ketner exhibited her original work in Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute at the annual New York City Jewelry Week (NYCJW) as part of “Meanderings,” an exhibition of art, jewelry, and other objects by SUNY New Paltz students, faculty, and alumni last November. Katie is a member of the SUNY New Paltz Metal Program. Metal is an active area of study that engages a wide variety of ideas, objects, images, and modes of making.

Katie also had artwork shown during the thesis exhibitions at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art in SUNY New Paltz.

Elizabeth “Mae” Parker was named to the St. Lawrence University dean’s list for achieving academic excellence during the fall 2022 semester. Mae is a member of the Class of 2023 and majored in multifield bachelor of arts.

Carli Levethan graduated from Hofstra University in May and will be spending the summer traveling around Italy before coming back to Connecticut to prepare for her move into her new apartment. In August, she’s looking forward to joining JLL as an associate broker in their Stamford, Connecticut, office. Aside from that, Carli said, “I spend my days enjoying every second as these are memories to last a lifetime.”

Carli Levethan ’19 exploring Italy

HARVEY ALUMS ‘Home for the Holidays’

We were happy to welcome back alumni to campus for our “Home for the Holidays” event in January 2023 (postponed from December 2022 due to weather). Jacob Robicheau ’21, Kevon Patterson ’22, Christopher Marlin ’22, and Jeremy Sanchez ’22 participated in a video interview with the Harvey Development team, sharing their experiences and reflections on their time at Harvey.

Als o in attendance were Joseph DiGrandi ’21, Olivia Durkin ’21, Gabrielle Levinger-Louie ’21, Alexandra Simon ’21, Asher Berni ’22, Dominic D’Onofrio ’22, Halima Konteh ’22, Oscar (Kuan) Lo ’22, Anthony Lubin ’22, Ryan Rodriguez ’22, Tori Shapiro ’22, and Jadon Silva ’22

2020

Class Agents: Allan Dilone Rodriguez, (914) 393-3642, allanedilone@gmail.com; Daniel Galgano, (914) 763-0461, dpgalgano@gmail.com; Ryan Piken, (914) 628-4166, rypenguin57@gmail.com; Cameron Thomas, (914) 736-6565, cameronthomas155@hotmail.com

Michael DiVestea, a junior at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, reported he’s had “a lot of fun working with fellow students and Bill Werde, director in The Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries, to create a newsletter for anyone looking to understand trends in the music business.” The online newsletter, Full Rate No Cap, now boasts 50-100 subscriptions per week. Bill Werde, the former editorial director at Billboard magazine, began the newsletter as a tool for his students to gain a collective understanding of music news. According to Mr. Werde, “Michael has really taken the lead on managing the marketing efforts and production of the newsletter.”

Michael Martirano volunteered as a judge at the Southern New York State VEX Robotics Championships hosted by Harvey March 5, 2023, supporting the Harvey robotics program that he was a part of when he attended Harvey.

2021

Keegan Teag (Glucksman) released her latest single “Gravity’s Existence” April 28 which she wrote, performed, and produced, with co-production by Arthur Pingrey. “The gravitational power of this pop song carries listeners along the roller coaster of romantic turmoil,” says Keegan. As a student, Keegan shares that she continues to challenge herself to advance her knowledge and skills, inciting her to release “Gravity’s Existence” under the new artist name Keegan Teag.

The single is described as “a head bopping, gripping composition of deep emotion with a catchy rhythm of the chorus paired with the gut wrenching, cinematic bridge that engages listeners with no doubt.” Keegan is described as “possessing the rare gifts of insight, empathy, and honesty to resonate with a broad, diverse audience.” Reflecting on Harvey, Keegan says, “Harvey taught me how to juggle extracurricular activities all

Michael DiVestea ’20 with mentor Bill Werde and fellow student

Michael Martirano ’20 (center) judges robotics tournament at Harvey

Keegan Teag (Glucksmann) ’21 promotes newest single.

while being a student. I can definitely say that my Harvey experience has helped me flourish in college.”

Ac cepting a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, Keegan wrote, produced and released her first single “Baby Blue” under the artist name Kfirestorm. keeganteag.com/home

Olivia Durkin had lunch with visiting Harvey Director of College Counseling Meg Booth in April when she was on the Skidmore Union Colgate Hamilton (SUCH) counselor tour. Olivia is a sophomore at Skidmore College. Joining them was fellow Harvey alum Milo Flamenbaum ’22.

Eliana Katzin is excited to share that she accepted her first co-op position at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as a patient care technician in the Rosenberg 6, Trauma, Orthopedics, Spine, and Plastics unit which will begin in July. “Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me through this process,” said Eliana.

Milo Flamenbaum at Skidmore College where Milo attends school. Ms. Booth was on a counselor tour, the SUCH when she caught up with both Milo and Olivia Durkin ’21.

Justin Jaques was named to the University of Hartford dean’s list for fall 2022.

women’s Division III basketball team. Sophia, from Madrid, Spain, was an international student at Harvey.

Ash Champlain was a member of the cast and crew of the SUNY New Paltz spring 2023 staged production of “The Addams Family.” Ash is part of the Miami Theatre Players, a student-run club on campus that performs a fall and spring production during the academic year.

Ms. Meg Booth, director of college counseling at Harvey, had lunch with

Harvey Director of College Counseling Ms. Meg Booth reports that she visited the University of Miami in April and spent the day with Amanda Mohamad. Ms. Booth shared that Amanda is doing great and is already writing for the college publication Distraction. Amanda showed Ms. Booth where she works on the publication as well as the TV studio where she films news segments. Amanda is the only first-year student who was selected to be in the newsroom. Ms. Booth “was so impressed with how involved Amanda already is — and no surprise, she loves it there,” Ms. Booth said.

Sophia Marcos Munoz played forward for the College of Mount Saint Vincent

Jeremy Sanchez finished his freshman year playing baseball at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In his college baseball debut, Jeremy went 1 for 3 with an RBI in the first game of the regular season. “We played in the famous USA Baseball Complex in Cary, North Carolina,” shared Jeremy. “It was an awesome way to start my college career.” Jeremy’s favorite Harvey memory is winning the 2022 HVAL Championship, saying, “Our team worked so hard to achieve that goal.” Jeremy went on to say, “Harvey has impacted me by making a lot of relationships and bonds with not only with the students but also with the faculty. Harvey makes it easy to have relationships with your teachers with the endless extra help or being able to stop by their office to have a chat.”

Olivia Durkin ’21, Harvey Director of College Counseling Meg Booth, and Milo Flamenbaum ’22 meet at Skidmore College.

Amanda Mohamad ’22

Sophia Marcos Munoz ’22

Alums of Harvey Rugby came back to campus for a 2023 reunion dinner.

in memoriam

ALUMNI Theodore Orbison ’39 December 6, 2022

Theodore Tucker Orbison, known to most as Tuck, was born a twin Aug. 8, 1925, to Katherine Barnard Tucker Orbison and Douglas Campbell Orbison in Albany, New York. His twin brother, Douglas Campbell Orbison who preceded him in death Dec. 6, 2006, was known as Nip. And so, the brothers were Nip and Tuck. Their sister, Nancy, born when the twins were 13 years old, passed away in 1988.

Tuck began his education at New York City’s The Dalton School, progressing to The Harvey School in Westchester County. He then boarded at the Millbrook School, a preparatory school where he developed a lifelong love of tennis. He matriculated at Yale College (University) in 1943, only to be drafted into the U.S. Army after a single semester. He served with the 86th Blackhawk Infantry Division from 1944 to 1947, serving in both Germany and the Philippines. During his service, Tucker recognized his fascination with and skill for teaching. Later, Tuck wrote and published a book in 1999 on his time in the military, “Private Lessons — A Memoir of World War II.” After demobilization, Tuck returned to Yale, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature in 1949.

On Sept. 10, 1948, Tuck married the love of his life, Edith Vaillant Julier (Val) in Chappaqua, New York. They remained by each other’s side until his death.

The c ouple began their family together after Tuck took a job teaching English at Avon Old Farms, a secondary school in Connecticut. Their children Stephen Wentworth, David Vaillant and Katherine Tucker were born in 1950, 1952, and 1954. Tuck earned his master’s degree at Trinity College, Hartford, and finally, his Ph.D. in English from Boston University. The family lived in Needham, Massachusetts, and welcomed Michael Harris, their fourth child in 1957.

In 1961, Tuck obtained a position as an assistant professor at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He was later promoted to professor of English and taught Elizabethan Drama and Modern American literature for 30 years. He became known as “Easy D Orbison” at Bucknell due to his high standards and rigorous grading system. In reality, Professor Orbison had many devoted students throughout the years and was greatly respected by his colleagues.

Tuck and Val remained in Lewisburg, but they spent their summers at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. For many years, they had enjoyed a home in Osterville, on the Cape, where they entertained family and spent many pleasant afternoons on Nantucket Bay, aboard their boat, “Ariel.” Tuck was an avid beachcomber and collected interesting pieces of driftwood and shells. Tuck was also a devout reader, and was well known for his great accumulations of The New York Times New Yorker, National Geographic, and any books he happened to be reading, all stacked up on a table beside his living room chair. No La-Z-Boy for this man — always a straight and proper chair, most likely a hand-medown from his beloved Mount Kisco, New York, childhood home. He always wore a lightweight V-neck sweater, no matter the weather.

Tuck was a great supporter of the National Audubon Society and several conservation groups. Tuck was a diehard New York Yankees fan. Perhaps his most enduring love, besides his human family and, in truth, they WERE family, were his golden retrievers. You could always find one warming his feet, with Tuck’s hand always gently patting them. In his later years, their faithful Welsh Corgi, Louie, served this vital role.

Tuck is survived by his wife of 74 years, Val, and 4 children, Stephen, David, Kitsie, and Michael, along with 12 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cronrathgrenoblefuneralhome.com

Julian Lowell Coolidge ’48

November 24, 2022

Julian Lowell Coolidge II, 89, of Simsbury, Connecticut, beloved husband of Gail (Becker) Coolidge, died at his home, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 surrounded by family. Born Aug. 31, 1933 in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Archibald Cary and Susan (Jennings) Coolidge. He was a graduate of The Harvey School, the Hotchkiss School ’52, and the U.S. Naval Academy ’56. After graduation, he served briefly at the Naval Academy, and then reported to the USS Merrick. After completion of Submarine School, he served on the USS Halfbeak, with subsequent tours including USS Angler, staff SUBRON 8, Guided Missile School, and the USS Benjamin Franklin and staff SUBFLOT 2.

Julian left active duty in 1968, and began a career with the Travelers Insurance Company, where he remained until retiring as a vice president in 1994. In retirement, he served on numerous committees involved with land conservation. He was a board member of the Children’s Museum, West Hartford, Connecticut; the Squam Lakes Association, Holderness, New Hampshire; and as a member of the Lakes Region Conservation Trust Advisory Council. He was particularly active in the operation and development of the Roaring Brook Nature Center, Canton, Connecticut.

When not in Simsbury, he loved spending time at their vacation home in New Hampshire with family and friends. Julian enjoyed playing tennis, walking his beloved dogs, and fly-fishing.

In addition to his wife of 64 years, he is survived by his daughter, Margaret Fry and husband Ronald of Bristol; his son, David Coolidge and wife Caroline of Simsbury; his grandchildren, Cameron Coolidge of Simsbury and Christopher Fry and wife Kimberly of Bristol; his great grandchildren, Jacoby and Hudson Fry; several nieces and nephews; his sisters, Susan Battle of North Carolina and Elizabeth Miller and husband Lewis of Massachusetts. He was predeceased by his brother, Archibald Cary Coolidge.

Julian “Mepa” will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of spending time with him. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Roaring Brook Nature Center, 70 Gracey Road, Canton, Connecticut 06019 or to benefit The Henry C. Edgar Scholarship Fund at The Hotchkiss School, 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, Connecticut 06039. Please visit Julian’s Book of Memories at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online tributes.

Rufus Marsh ’50

February 26, 2023

Rufus King Marsh, a university professor and preparatory school teacher of French language and literature and, later, a technical writer, died peacefully of natural causes at the age of 86, Feb. 26, 2023, at his home in Clinton, Connecticut, with his wife Fruzsina at his side. They had been together for almost 70 years. He is survived by his wife and their children, Alice, Jonathan, and Catherine; and seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Rufus was born in New York City February 10, 1937, and grew up in Bedford, New York, near the village of Mt. Kisco, where his lifelong passion for nature was kindled among the fields, hills, woodlands and streams of the watersheds of the Kisco River and Byram Lake.

He received his primary school education at Chappaqua Public Schools and The Harvey School. He then attended St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, from which he graduated in 1954. He then attended Harvard College, first studying biology and enrolling in a premedical program, but eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1958.

Throughout his school days, Rufus participated in athletics, including ice hockey, rowing, lacrosse, tennis, and football. He spent the summer after his graduation sailing the Aegean with a classmate. While attending Harvard College, he enlisted in the Naval ROTC. After his honorable discharge from the NROTC, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, from which he also received an honorable discharge. He attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design for a year and later earned a master’s degree in French from Columbia University. He later earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University in French. While pursuing his doctoral studies at Stanford University, he won a Fulbright Scholarship in Classical Languages and Literatures to study the original manuscripts of the 17th century French playwright, Molière at the University of Paris Sorbonne. The title of his dissertation was “The Theoretical Concept of the Honnete Homme (1658-1671) and His Role in Molière.”

Rufus b egan his career as a teacher of French language and literature at Portsmouth Priory School (now Abbey) in Rhode Island, leaving to join the faculty at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, where he also coached crew for Shattuck Boat Club. After earning his doctorate from Stanford, he took the position of assistant professor of French Language and Literature at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1974 until 1981. He then taught French at Evansville Day School, a private secondary school in Evansville, Indiana. He supplemented his income in the summers by working as a technical writer at the pharmaceutical company, Mead Johnson. He enjoyed the work and was eventually asked to join the company, which had become part of Bristol Myers, in its new medical writing department. He then pivoted his career and spent the next 20 years working as a medical writer for Bristol Myers Squibb, Biogen, and Purdue Pharma, from which he retired as a senior medical writer in 2004.

During his career as a teacher, he made innovative use of comics to teach colloquial French, writing an article about it for The French Review. He also published scholarly articles on the French literary theme, honnête homme. While working in the pharmaceutical industry, he collaborated on several articles on clinical drug development.

Rufus’ parents were Norman J. Marsh, 1894-1973, a banker and stockbroker, and Cornelia van Rensselaer King, 1911-1989, active in promoting the arts in Northern Westchester and a co-founder of Cisqua School near Mt. Kisco. He is survived by his older brother Norman J. Marsh, Jr. of North Andover, Massachusetts; and Langdon Marsh, of Brooklyn, New York. His younger sister, Cornelia van Rensselaer Marsh, called Lela, died in 1959 at the age of 10.

Contributions may be made in his memory to Marsh Sanctuary in Mt. Kisco at www.marshsanctuary.org

FORMER FACULTY/STAFF & TRUSTEES

John Edward Clark

October 22, 2022

John Edward Clark, affectionately known as Johnny, passed away peacefully Oct. 22, 2022 at Westview Rehabilitation Center in Killingly, Connecticut. He is survived by his wife of 58 years Eleanor; brother Bobby; two children, Christopher, and Catherine; three grandchildren Jonathan, Charlie and Sam; and three nieces Wendy, Crystal, and Aimee.

Johnny was born in New London, Connecticut in 1938, graduating from Scarsdale High School in 1956 and Colby College, Waterville, Maine in 1960, where he was a fearsome fullback on the mighty undefeated Colby Mules soccer team. He was known to his Kappa Delta Rho brothers as someone committed to a life as an educator.

Following college, he enlisted in the Army for three years and completed another three years as a reservist until 1966. Stories from army life revolve around being chosen to be platoon commander, despite his inability to take apart a rifle and put it back together again, debugging radios with the help of his bunkmate, bowling nights, and general misadventures. Based on his telling of his army stories, it seemed like he lived a life of Bill Murray’s character out of “Stripes.”

After teaching, or trying to teach, the Army to lighten up, he moved on to a professional teaching career at The Harvey School, where he taught mathematics and met the niece of Headmaster Leverett Smith. Eleanor Gilman Smith won his heart, and they were married the following year. After the tragic death of Leverett Smith, they left for the Stanley Clark School in South Bend, Indiana, where their son Christopher was born in 1966. Their family returned to the East Coast, where daughter Catherine was born in 1968. The expanded family of four settled into prep school life. Johnny continued teaching mathematics at Fairfield Country Day School, Wooster School, and at Harvey part two. His life revolved around teaching, coaching, and being a dorm master. After a brief stint in the public school system in Mahopac, New York, he settled down at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York until, after 52 years of teaching, he retired to Pomfret, Connecticut, in 2011. On his retirement he was given two black lab puppies, Jake and Winston, who were as devoted to him as he was to them.

Johnny was an avid gardener, a master of Yahtzee, enjoyed playing tennis, and reading mystery books. He was a devoted father and husband. He will be missed for his sweet and good-natured character, and fun-loving spirit. “The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had one.” —Seneca, Philosopher

INTRODUCING

Initially begun in 2017 as the Weil House & Barn Complex, this essential facilities project was initiated to address the school’s goal of elevating the quality of its facilities to equal the caliber of its education and people as well as to ensure the protection of three historic buildings at the entrance to campus. The new, expanded campaign will enable Harvey to preserve and update these important buildings while also addressing significant academic and community space needs “up the hill” and transforming the entrance to campus.

The project now includes plans to convert offices into much-needed additional classrooms in Sylvan Hall and add a multipurpose gathering space for middle school students and staff in the lower level of the Krasne Middle School Building. In addition to renovation of the historic house and barns and the remodeling planned for the two campus buildings, the project will also include upgrades to the O’Malley and Stafford dorms.

Head of School Bill Knauer, is particularly excited about seeing the restoration of the three historic buildings as a functioning landmark. “The Weil House & Barn Complex will serve as a welcome center for the campus and a gateway to the

remarkable experience awaiting students up the hill,” Mr. Knauer said. When complete, the intimately scaled buildings and outdoor spaces will provide new flexible facilities for the offices of Admissions, Development, and Alumni Relations as well as a gathering place for the school community. “This redesigned space, which will maintain its historic, bucolic roots while modernizing the face of the campus, will offer a unique location on campus to enable the school, in concert with its existing facilities, to fulfill Harvey’s mission to prepare and inspire students to become independent, adventurous thinkers and engaged, compassionate citizens in courageous pursuit of knowledge and truth,” said Mr. Knauer.

In the spring of 2023 the project task force began to shift from planning to implementation. After securing all necessary approvals and permits from the Town of Bedford during the winter, the school began biweekly committee meetings to transition this project from a vision to a reality. Work on the landscaping plan, which includes rebuilding the traditional stone walls, installing a privacy fence, and planting a variety of native trees, shrubs, and plants, began in early May. The school also became actively

engaged in finalizing designs, developing construction drawings, and bidding out the work to contractors, with the goal of breaking ground in the fall of 2023.

With the transition from plans to construction, the school has also escalated fundraising efforts. In the spring of 2022, the school hired The Angeletti Group and put together a committee comprised of a cross-section of the community, including trustees, parents, administrators, and past parents, led by trustee Kevin Durkin, P’21, ’23. As a result of the committee’s efforts, the $6 million campaign is just shy of the $4 million mark.

We look forward to welcoming members of the community to campus for Homecoming 2023 currently scheduled for the weekend of October 20-21, 2023. The weekend will include information sessions, tours of the facilities, and a groundbreaking ceremony.

Thank you to those of you who have so generously helped the school to get to this point in this important project. If you’d like to learn more or participate in an upcoming funding study that The Angeletti Group is fielding, please contact Andrew Jamieson at ajamieson@harveyschool.org.

CAMPAIGN GOAL $6 MILLION $4 MILLION RAISED

The Weil House & Barn Complex will serve as a welcome center for the campus and a gateway to the remarkable experience awaiting students up the hill.”

—Bill Knauer, Head of School