HILLTOPPER innovation
All-Stars
+
winter/spring 2017 VOLUME XXV / ISSUE 2
REMEMBERING HEADMASTER BLOOM CHECKING IN
CONTENTS
4
innovation all-stars
WINTER/SPRING 2017
contents
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Find a page with a Layar call to action (pages 22, 25, and 28).
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Remembering 27th Headmaster John Bloom, credited for reviving Academy in 1970s
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election festival 2016
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Rachel Rios ’08
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departments 3 14 17 25 26 28 32 35 45
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HEAD OF SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWS ON THE HILLTOP THE MIDDLE FROM THE ARCHIVES WA ATHLETICS GIVING NEWS CHECKING IN PASSINGS
the
HILLTOPPER
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
officers & members
winter/spring 2017 VOLUME XXV / ISSUE 2
Head of School
Ronald M. Cino P’21, ’22
Hilltopper Editor
Neil R. Isakson P’15, ’19
Associate Editor
Barbara Strogoff P’97, ’03
Graphic Design
President Henry Dormitzer III ’88 First Vice President Susan Weagly Jacobs, J.D. P’03 Second Vice President Sarah (Sullivan) Pulsifer ’91 Secretary Brian A. O’Connell, Esq. ’67 Treasurer Jonathan S. Stuart ’86
Benny Sato Ambush ’69 Dr. Lauren S. Baker P’15,’18 William Breidenbach ’69 Patricia Z. Eppinger P’16,’20 R. Victor Fields ’71 Matthew Finkle ’87 David P. Forsberg ’65 J. Michael Grenon ’88 William Haddad ’92 Arthur Kentros ’74 Jamie E. Lavin ’02 Dana R. Levenson ’75 Andrew B. O’Donnell, Esq. ’73 Megan O’Leary P’20 Jacqueline Peterson James J. Pietro ’81 Susan Puryear P’19,’21 J.P. Ricciardi P’15,’17 Hervey S. Ross ’46 Robert Scumaci P’15,’18 David V. Shamoian ’70 Luke M. Vaillancourt ’01
MISSION
Worcester Academy exists to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.
CORE VALUES
We are a community—curious, thoughtful, generous, and thriving in our diversity. We embrace each of our core values as essential to the mission of Worcester Academy and as testimony of our beliefs and commitments. HONOR | RESPECT | COMMUNITY | PERSONAL GROWTH | CHALLENGE 2 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Good Design LLC
Photography Ursula Arello Marillyn Earley Alicia Figueiredo Stephanie Jackson Tom Kates Photography Neil Isakson Charley Mull Mike Nyman Photography Tony Rinaldo Photography Dan Vaillancourt
2015 Case DI Bronze Award winner for Best Designed Magazine 2016 CASE DI Silver Award winner for General Excellence, Independent School Magazines
Videography Neil Isakson OskeeVision Advancement Office
Marillyn G. Earley, Director of Advancement Ursula A. Arello ’85, P’21, Director of Donor and Alumni Engagement Frank R. Callahan ’71, Director of Planned Giving Alicia Figueiredo, Manager of Alumni Programs and Events Neil R. Isakson, Director of External Communications Anette Macintire P’22, Annual Fund Coordinator Dexter P. Morse, Headmaster Emeritus Tara Probeck, Director of Marketing Erica Driscoll Ribeiro P’20, Director of Annual Giving Donald E. “Dee” Rowe ’47, Special Assistant to the Head of School Kim Stone, Director of Donor Development Barbara Strogoff, Gift Coordinator/Editor
Jody McNamara P’09,’12, a marketing and communications consultant, is a longtime feature writer and former director of parent relations at Worcester Academy. Jody, who organized and chaired two consecutive auctions for WA, lives on Cape Cod.
Featured Writer
Contributing Writer
Frank Callahan ’71 is longtime director of Planned Giving for Worcester Academy. A member of the American Antiquarian Society, he is WA’s unofficial historian.
The Hilltopper is published twice yearly by Worcester Academy. Reader comment, as well as information of interest, is always welcome. Please write to Neil R. Isakson, director of External Communications, at Worcester Academy, 81 Providence St., Worcester, MA 01604, or email neil.isakson@worcesteracademy.org.
ON THE COVER Innovation all-stars are taking their passions to new heights as a result of WA’s commitment to technology and education. (Tom Kates Photography)
from the head of school
WA innovators taking tech passions to new heights “Technology is omnipresent at school with students using it throughout each day to manage their social lives and academic pursuits. They always seem to find an app to match just about any area of life.” Worcester Academy’s investment in technology is remarkable for its depth and breadth. We’ve been doing it comprehensively, thoughtfully, and strategically for well over a decade. We have fulfilled one of the goals from our previous strategic plan and have utilized technology to improve operational efficiency. Even more importantly, our faculty’s use of educational technology has improved our students’ learning and communication abilities. We are positioned as a leader amongst independent schools, as evidenced by our faculty frequently being called upon to deliver presentations and workshops at regional and national conferences. Technology is omnipresent at school with students using it throughout each day to manage their social lives and academic pursuits. They always seem to find an app to match just about any area of life. You need only to walk from one end of campus to the other to see students interacting with laptops, iPads, and cell phones, among other devices. There is a natural tension between the all-consuming nature of technology and the challenges it presents for students and adults to engage meaningfully with those around them. Technology can unite or isolate. We can use it to share or exclude. It can affirm our community’s core values— Honor, Respect, Community, Personal Growth, and Challenge—or it can test them. At Worcester Academy, we see technology as a tool that supports our teaching and learning. It prepares students to solve complex questions and to demonstrate learning while at the same time allowing for creative expression. Our classrooms and school culture support the active and purposeful use of technology. Students are prepared to use technology because it is among the best resources available to solve problems. Our most visible tech-learning program may have been the 1 to1 Laptop Initiative, but there have been many more programs, from Day of Code to iPad initiatives. Take a look inside this edition of The
Hilltopper and you will see an “all-star” lineup of WA tech innovators who are taking their passions to new heights as a direct result of our commitment to technology and education. They include Kaz Grala ’17, Maggie Reiter ’18, Ethan Student ’18, Aryan Mayor ’21, and Isa Cino ’22. Their work runs the gamut: They are focusing on engineering challenges regarding aerodynamics and cars. They are building robots and participating in competitions highlighting innovation. They are commandeering 3-D printing programs that put form to whatever their minds can imagine. Perhaps most striking is the fact that these students are representative of a campus that is teeming with examples of student-driven innovation, whether in English or math or history, or science or art or world languages. Technology at WA is everpresent, and in a way not commonly found in the ethos, or in the classrooms, of most school environments. In particular, faculty and staff seek opportunities for students to use tech to access information and to demonstrate knowledge differently. They use it in the creative process and in assessment. It adds value to teaching and learning by engaging students in new, elegant, and sometimes surprising ways. Sixteen years after arriving at WA, it is clear to me that technology education is as important to the Worcester Academy experience as any discipline that we teach. I have seen it in my many different roles at school, most recently as head of school, but also as a WA parent. The Hilltop is exceptional in this regard. More important, it is enabling Worcester Academy students to take advantage of the opportunities provided to them in order to take the lead when it comes to their own education.
Ronald M. Cino Worcester Academy
3
innovation All-Stars
4 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
by Jody P. McNamara
Here on the
HILLTOP we spend a lot of time exploring the topic of innovation. We’re constantly striving to keep our Hilltoppers not only competitive, but also leading in a world that seems to shift and change daily with new technologies and new methodologies. If Steve Jobs was right—that it’s innovation that distinguishes between a leader and a follower—then the Hilltop must be an innovation incubator as we move firmly into the 21st century. How do we do it? We know that a true learning community draws not only on the strength of its faculty members, but also on the strength and creativity of its talented students. “We try to give them a lot of
opportunities for active learning,” says Jeremy Smith, WA physics instructor and faculty advisor for the Academy’s Robotics Team. “In terms of method, I feel that a lot of it is just getting out of the students’ way. “Sometimes it’s setting up the problem or the situation and stepping back and saying, ‘What can you do with this? What can you figure out?’ We give our students the space to answer tough questions.” We nurture each of our 620 students every day, helping them all to find their passions and then nudging them to lead. Meet five Hilltoppers who meet that definition of innovative leader.
Supphachai Salaeman/Shutterstock.com
Worcester Academy
5
We never underestimate our students’ ability to teach us… Meet
ETHAN STUDENT,
grade 11, 3-d printing phenom “I was introduced to 3-D printing in my old middle school, so I entered Worcester Academy with a little background in it already. I didn’t do much freshman year because I was just getting used to WA. Then last year, I talked to Ms. Hanson [Jennifer Hanson, director of Library Services] about her 3-D printing, and I ended up being able to help because of what I knew. At the end of that year,
6 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
funds became available to buy more 3-D printers and I was able to help determine which printers to buy for the school. So now we have five 3-D printers and we use them a lot. I service them as well—keeping them all updated with the right software and keeping them up to speed. “Last year, I was in the Intro to Engineering class and we did a project on wind turbines. We were able to
Infill is how hollow the object is.
100%
is solid and about 10% is as thin as you can get before catastrophic things start to happen!
When I was a sophomore, I was in intro to engineering and 3-D printed a turbine with turbine blades. Each blade took 30 hours to make and the rotor hub took 15. I used 4 shells but only 10% infill in order Printing with to keep the blades as light as 4 shells means possible. I made 3 blades that your object’s and 1 rotor hub for a outer wall will be total of 105 hours of printing. 4 times your 3-D printer use the 3-D printers to print out three different types of blades. You want to make the blades as big as possible to get the most surface area, and the cool part about 3-D printers is that you can do this thing called infill, which has to do with the density of the object. We would set our infill to, say 10 percent, rather than 100 percent, so the object will be very light but still has the hard shell on the outside. We made these turbine blades and centered a rotor hub that connected to the motor. We then tested them to see how much voltage we could get from the turbine. “I’m in a different class now called Intro to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) and we’re making a ping-pong ball dispenser for the student center. The great thing about this project is that it’s using all these different aspects of design. We had to not only design the dispenser, but also make it visually pleasing. We’re using the 3-D printer, we’re using software code, and we’re using regular mechanical tools to put it all together. We went to Home Depot to get our various pieces. We came up with a design that uses the coin mechanism from a laundromat washing machine, a big globe to hold the ping-pong balls, scrap wood, metal, ball bearings, steel rods, and other materials. What we came up with is a machine—3-D printed—that, when you insert a quarter in, it turns a
nozzle’s diameter (i.e 4 X 0.4mm = 1.6mm outer wall). motor, rotates an assembly, and drops the ping-pong ball out. It’s a ton of fun. Hopefully it’ll work well! Now we’re putting on the finishing touches. We want to make it look better now, and we’re doing some quality control and beta testing. For example, we want to make sure that you can’t unplug it, plug it back in, and get a free ball! We need to work out little problems like that. “I think WA gives me a lot of support on being as innovative as I can. I talk to Ms. Hanson and the Science Department faculty a lot about the tools that we have to use and what we can get to enhance things. We are really doing well with the 3-D printers right now, but we’d like to get into laser cutting. There’s a problem with space, though. Laser cutters can be very big, so we need a larger room! “I really want to go into mechanical engineering. I’ve always loved it. When I was younger, my friends and family would save old pieces of electronics and give them to me. I was always taking things apart and either putting them back together or figuring out how to make other stuff with them. The school gives me plenty of resources to continue that experimenting.”
innov ation A ll-Star
s
We’re sure to reinforce and encourage already-existing passions… Meet
ARYAN MAYOR,
grade 8, builder extraordinaire “Two summers ago I had appendicitis and when I was recovering I got really bored. All I was doing was spending the entire day on my iPad, and even that got boring. I was always interested in knowing what was inside my computer so one day I opened it up and took it apart entirely! Then my dad came home from work and he was a bit mad at me. But then—he’s really into computers too—he explained all the different parts to me. Ever since then I’ve been hooked. I ended up building my own computer after that. “When I was building my computer, it took about two months of research because I wanted to build something really nice that wouldn’t mess up at all. I ordered all the parts, put everything together, and then it was the moment of truth: I pushed the button to start it up, and the computer didn’t work! My dad and I checked everything and we couldn’t find the problem. We narrowed it down to two different parts and then replaced them and the computer still didn’t work. So we did more research. We noticed that the computer’s fan kept turning on and off. Finally we realized that it might be a compatibility issue. And that’s what it was. Before that problem, I don’t think I really understood everything completely. I think I just thought it’d be fun to build a computer. It was really good for me that my computer didn’t work at first. Now I really know exactly what every single part does. I can build a computer in my sleep! “My sister had Mr. Smith [Peter Smith, Middle School math teacher] in class last year. She told him about me and how I’m really into technology. So this year, when I joined WA, Mr. Smith said it would be OK for me to join the Upper
School Robotics Team as an 8th grader. So it’s pretty cool. WA gives me the tools I need to keep going with the things I’m interested in. “I also built a drone. I’m actually still in the building process because I still have a software configuration issue. I’ve been researching the problem for a couple of months now and it’s very frustrating. I can’t find any information about what’s wrong. We’re going to have a free week in Robotics Club next week so I’m going to bring my drone in to see if my teammates can help with the problem. I’m really excited to see my drone fly and I just need to figure out this one last problem. It’s probably the flight controller that’s causing my problem, but I’ve read the entire manual three times and I’m just not getting the configuration right. “I’m also really into cars and fascinated by auto-drive cars. Once all the cars on the road are auto-drive, forget about 65 miles an hour. They’ll all be going 200 miles an hour because the cars will be able to communicate with each other and they’ll be able to go at much faster speeds because there won’t be any human error. “I know I’m only in the 8th grade, but I’m pretty sure I want to do something with robotics in college. The open environment at WA is really great for me because I can just go around campus and talk to any of the teachers that I want.”
It took me about
2
months to build my pc and it has a GTX 1060 GPU in it. Worcester Academy
7
n vartsio inno All-Sta
Ok so the wheels can go
We share leadership and ideas across different disciplines… Meet
MAGGIE REITER,
1,200
rotations per minute and there are 500+ parts to the robot.
grade 11, brains, bots, and blogs “I am one of the captains of WA’s Robotics Team and one of the editors of The Vigornia, so I guess I’m really using technology in two very different areas. “As a freshman, I was a little tentative about joining the Robotics Team, but then I saw the movie ‘Big Hero 6’ and that was it! I joined the Robotics Team because of that movie. That freshman year I was always a little nervous, but by sophomore year, I was ready to take on a bigger role, and the rest is history! “We have two seasons of competition. The fall season is much smaller in all aspects. It’s run by WPI and it’s called ‘Savage Soccer.’ Each year there is a game that is announced and the robots entered by competing schools must be able to score points in the game. It’s always very similar, though. Your robot must be programmed to pick up specific items and deposit them someplace. This 8 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
year, it’s eggs. Last year it was foam cubes, but it’s always the same principle. It’s a very small robot—15 inches by 15 inches by 18 inches—and we have four weeks to build it. We program it with a very simple program called easyC. During winter competition, the robots get bigger and more complex. The robot can be 6 feet tall. We use real motors and a big battery. It’s still a game but much more complex. These robots use Java or other programs. “Our team is still very young. It’s only WA’s fourth year (my first year was only the team’s second year), and other teams have 20 years of experience, so right off the bat we’re at a disadvantage. But in Savage Soccer last year, we placed in the top eight and made it to the quarterfinals. That was very important for us. It was very exciting. In the winter competition, our robot did not do so well. But
every year we’re gaining more experience and learning from the year before so we know how to do better. Already with Savage Soccer we’re seeing the building quality improve, and we’re hoping to do a lot better this winter. “I love the team. Everyone gets along really well and we work well together. I love the challenge of it. It’s a great exercise to think of a robot that can do these things … make sure that what you’re thinking of is reasonable to build, because you can have huge ideas that you think could work out great, but then we don’t have the right resources or not enough experience to actually build those things. So it’s a great challenge to not only come up with a great idea, but not to overshoot the mark. “As an editor of The Vigornia, I’m trying to reinvent it as a media outlet as well as a print piece. We still have the
paper issue, of course, but it’s only available on campus, so it really only works for students and faculty. But parents and alums are interested in what we’re writing about as well. Putting the paper online also gives our writers a chance to have an online writing credit. So I ran with it! I spoke with Mr. Isakson [Neil Isakson, director of external communications] and we decided that, to begin with, Facebook would be the best way to start to get these articles out to parents and alums. So our Vigornia Facebook Page is up and running. Our online Vigornia will allow us to publish more frequently and keep everyone updated with breaking news. “After WA, I think about studying a lot of things in college: engineering, finance, business, politics. Engineering is probably my first love, though and the others are interests, but you never know!”
We charge it with professional application… Meet
KAZ GRALA,
grade 12, challenging physics every day of the week NOTE: In addition to his “day job” as a high school student, Kaz is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing, and part time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for Ben Kennedy Racing, driving the No. 3 Toyota Camry. “Information is going both ways for me right now, which is really pretty cool. I’m learning things in school that are really relevant to my professional life, and I’m able to bring information about practical experience back to school. “This year, I was able to bring a professional racing engineer into engineering class to talk about the engineering factors in racing. There are really two main factors. First, there’s the kinematics—the way the car works and the way the car establishes grip with the geometry of the suspension and movement. Second, there’s the aerodynamics. It was really great because the engineering class was in its aerodynamic unit and we were building a wind tunnel. My engineer was able to relate the aerodynamics of racing with what we were doing with the wind tunnel. It was really pretty cool to hear it from his perspective. I’ve been around it for most of my life, but a lot of people have never heard this at all—and especially not from the perspective of someone in an industry that revolves around this science. It was really cool, too, for my classmates to hear a little bit about what I do outside of school. Racing, in fact, is really a complete engineering phenomenon! “And I’m taking information back with me as well. I’m trying to better
my understanding of racing by taking the toughest physics classes and the hardest math classes that I can in the hopes of becoming a mechanical engineer in college. This will ultimately improve my racing understanding and, of course, my racing results. “At the end of the day, I really want to learn what I’m most interested in, and WA is providing that for me. My school life and my professional life are really working together, and the school is absolutely providing me the means to fulfill that. In return, I bring my knowledge and understanding back into the classroom.”
His truck has about
190
460
“counts” (pounds of downforce on track at 135 mph) of drag in the wind tunnel
Will be racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
miles per hour, average speed he drives at Daytona International Speedway
Worcester Academy
9
Uses Book Creator with bigger, brighter fonts over
10-15
You can pages as collaborate with needed. 2 or 3 people on it; that way it’s not too crowded when you’re working She has created on a project.
10 & 15
iBooks between this and last year.
It begins with early exposure and managing your time well… Meet
ISA CINO,
Book Creator is always fun to experiment with, and is easy to work with once you know what you’re doing.
grade 7, an ace with an iPad “Last year, when I was in the 6th grade, my whole class started using iPads and we were the first class to use them at WA. It was really fun and we learned a lot of different apps that help make your schoolwork fun and interesting. “This year, the 7th grade is using iPads. All of us who were here in 6th grade were already used to using our iPads, but our 7th grade teachers were new to them. They had been using laptops in their classes for years, but
we had some experience to share in how to use a different technology. Right before school began, my classmates and I were asked to show the 7th grade teachers what we knew. We got their emails set up and showed them what apps work for us. We recommended a list of apps and they downloaded most of them for their individual classes. “This year, we’re using an app called Book Creator where you can use fun fonts and pictures and audio recordings
in addition to your text to create an iBook. We just used it in Latin Class for a project. We were all assigned a Greek god and we had to make a story to tell the god’s tale. My Greek god was Hades and we had some rules to follow: You had to include your god’s Roman name, his or her family background, a summary of powers, and influence over men. I did all of this with Book Creator. We used another tool in 6th grade called Glogster. The end product looks kind of like an iBook, but
better because you can include video or music. It was a really fun project. “Also this year, my class was asked to assist the 8th graders with iMovie. It works similar to other apps, so we could help them learn the tool. “I always thought I would do something with language or literacy when I get older. Writing is a little different now than it used to be, and working with an iPad helps me learn all of the elements of how to tell a story digitally.”
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. Ethan, Aryan, Maggie, Kaz, and Isa show us that the Hilltop is an innovation incubator, a place where students become teachers, where mistakes are valued as learning moments, where planning appropriately is part of thinking BIG, and where the reciprocity of ideas reigns supreme!
10 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Alumni Profile Andrew Duncan ’81 and June Pictures send three films to Sundance by Jody P. McNamara
“Humble & Hungry. This is what my business runs on,” says Andrew Duncan ’81, CEO of June Pictures. And if you’re looking for a formula to run your business, sit up now and take notice. June Pictures, founded just about a year ago, had three (count ’em—THREE!) of its films selected for screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Of the three, the documentary Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower walked away with this year’s World Cinema Audience Award. Let’s take a moment to consider what a truly singular accomplishment this is: Submissions to Sundance hover around 15 thousand per year. Of those, under 200 are accepted for screening. Do the math. Submissions have a less-than-2-percent chance of being accepted, and June Productions screened three films at one of the planet’s most prestigious festivals. They must be doing something right. We asked Andrew how he does it and how his experience on The Hilltop has helped to shape his career. “I started my career in engineering, working for EMC in Massachusetts
and several Silicon Valley start-ups. It may not be immediately obvious, but I definitely see a connection between software and film. Software is Art, in its own way, and my view on film is that it’s a chance for art to cross over into technology.” Andrew goes on to explain, “Film is an application that can run on many platforms right now. We run June Productions as close to a software business as we can. Our production models are similar to models I used in engineering. We’re diligent in allowing artists to create their Art, but in a way that makes sense financially.” The formula must be working. Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower tells the story of an unlikely dissident. As the Chinese Communist Party backtracks on its promise of autonomy for Hong Kong, Joshua rallies thousands of Hong Kong teens to skip school and occupy the streets. Thoroughbred, starring Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Anton Yelchin (sadly, his last role), was shot right in Massachusetts this past May. The story revolves around two teenage girls in suburban Connecticut who rekindle a friendship after years of growing apart. In the process, they learn that neither is what she seems to be, and that a murder might solve both of their problems. Fun Mom Dinner, a comedy that stars Molly Shannon, Katie Aselton, Toni Collette, and Bridget Everett as a group of moms whose night out takes a serious turn. The film was shot in Los Angeles in June. But how does June Pictures decide
on its films, and does Andrew’s past experience at Worcester Academy play any role as an influencer? “Absolutely,” laughs Andrew. “As it pertains to Joshua, Joel Strogoff was very big about teaching us about democracy and democratic values. That always stuck with me. The value of freedom of speech and democracy was definitely instilled in me by Mr. Strogoff and others, and that experience was certainly in the back of my mind as we documented Joshua’s struggle. Incidentally, Joshua was able to join us in Park City during Sundance and participated with us in a Q&A session. It was incredibly humbling to get that win. “WA’s Speaker Series also influenced me,” Andrew continues. “We had speakers come, many of them successful Worcester Academy grads, who would speak about their professions. The experience really reinforced
for me that you could accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. “From an Arts standpoint, I was a piano player at WA and every time we’d go into Warner Theater, it was impossible to ignore the connection to Warner Bros. and the movies. We had movies on Wednesday nights, I remember, and they were always great movies. The one that, to this day, had a huge effect on me was Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles. I love comedy and that movie was definitely a driver for me. My interest in producing comedies like Fun Mom Dinner was absolutely instilled by watching Blazing Saddles in Warner Theater! “I have a tremendous amount of gratitude towards WA for the lessons learned there. It all sticks with me to this day.” All three of June Pictures’ Sundance films were purchased for distribution. Expect to see Thoroughbred and Fun Mom Dinner in theaters later this year!
The moment Andrew Duncan was announced as an award-winner at Sundance. Worcester Academy
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John A.Bloom 27th HEADMASTER CREDITED FOR REVIVING ACADEMY IN 1970s
He ‘Fought to Keep the School Afloat’ by Neil Isakson
The Worcester Academy community said goodbye recently to a man who many say saved the Academy during a time of turbulence in the 1970s. Worcester Academy’s 27th headmaster, John Bloom, died Nov. 2 from complications related to diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, who was his partner in all endeavors and a source of strength for him in life, and their five children, Nadine (Bloom) Hill ’75, Derek Bloom, Glenn Bloom ’79, Grant Bloom ’81, and Leigh (Bloom) Cowdrick ’84. Granddaughters Emily Bloom ’07 and Sarah Bloom ’10 are also Academy graduates. This is a wonderful legacy for any person. But John Bloom was more. He was a hero—albeit an unlikely one. Maybe not a dashing Marvel Comics kind
12
of hero, but one that was entirely in keeping with John Bloom’s determined temperament, his love for WA, and his laser focus on the task at hand. According to Brian O’Connell ’67, who grew up on campus as the son of faculty member Andrew O’Connell, John was a gifted history teacher and soccer and wrestling coach, with a reputation for toughness, tenacity, and the ability to motivate others. His students admired and respected him, as did the administration. “John came to WA directly from undergraduate studies at Brown in 1958,” Brian notes. “During the next 16 years, he taught, coached, and served as dormitory master, counselor, advisor, and mentor to hundreds of students. He inspired in so many of them—myself included—a
love of academics, athletics, and the distinctive qualities and values of WA.” It was that devotion to Worcester Academy and to his profession that led John to be selected as chair of the History Department, during which time he developed an urban affairs program that viewed the city and what it could teach students as one of the Academy’s greatest assets. According to the current head of school, Ron Cino, the urban affairs program and John’s thinking about it continue to influence the way the Academy sees the city today. “I read some of his papers from 40 years ago when I first assumed the headship,” says Ron, whose own tenure at WA’s helm has emphasized urban leadership and community engagement.
“Many elements of John’s academic and institutional vision remain inspirational, relevant, and part of Worcester Academy’s program today.” John’s second big act at the Academy came when he was tapped to become the 27th headmaster. While a recognition of John’s abilities, it was far from being any sort of reward for his years of service. In those days, America was undergoing a period of economic decline, and independent schools across the country were not immune. Independent schools in New England in particular were feeling the pressure to reverse declining enrollments or to close shop altogether. At Worcester Academy, a daunting task lay before John Bloom—turning around a then-140-year-old institution that had suddenly, almost inexplicably, become
a losing proposition. Enrollment was half of what it had been just a few years prior, facilities were in disrepair, and there was talk of closing or of merging with the struggling Bancroft School or Shepherd Knapp School in West Boylston. Enter John Bloom, the fifth headmaster in six years. “John was the right person at the right time for Worcester Academy,” notes WA Trustee Dana Levenson ’75, whom John would often drive to school from the city’s west side each morning. “He was blessed with the intellect of a fine teacher as well as the mind of a superb manager.” In the next 11 years, John Bloom laid the foundation for a fiscally sustainable Worcester Academy, one that saw the enrollment of girls as well as boys, the growth of sizable international and postgraduate populations, and the upgrading of facilities. His efforts to open new markets took him to countries including Iran, where John recognized opportunities created by the unrest there. Many Iranians were looking for options to educate their children outside their country. John made sure Worcester Academy became a destination and welcomed them with open arms.
It was ultimately John’s relentlessness and tenacity—his willingness to fight for WA and his ability to inspire the faculty and others—combined with creative problem solving and able management, that enabled the Academy to turn a corner. John took nothing for granted and worked quickly to make changes in life and learning at WA, wherever it made sense, and enlisted the entire community in the effort. “John Bloom was one of the all-stars of Worcester Academy, having served the school for nearly 30 years,” says Board President Henry Dormitzer ’88. “As headmaster, his leadership in the ’70s and ’80s kept the school on firm financial footing through a challenging economic situation. We are all grateful for his contributions and honor his memory.” David Forsberg ’65, former
president of the Worcester Academy Board of Trustees, sums up John Bloom’s tenure succinctly. “John was a fighter who fought to keep WA afloat during some very difficult times,” says Dave, who also recalls happy times playing on John’s soccer team. “He was instrumental in the Academy’s survival, and he deserves all the credit in the world for pulling out all the stops to keep us going. He really was very much a savior of the school.” And so it was that John Bloom, with the force of sheer determination, drew triumph in the face of uncertain success. The 1975 Towers yearbook exudes the optimism that followed John from the start of his tenure to the end, and ultimately, led to the stability enjoyed today. An abridged inscription reads: “The hill; the Worcester Academy
hill; the 141 year-old hill is evidence of a school’s remarkable achievement. It was in the year of 1974 that the hill almost became a memory. It is now 1975, and W.A. still survives. This was the first senior class to graduate with girls in the modern era, plus, there was a changed day/year schedule. There were many activities for the students with the opening of the spa, and when it came time for a fund-raising drive, the entire school, students, faculty, administration, and parents, joined in the drive, producing great results. This is an example of the new W.A. that has blossomed with these changes. Appropriately enough, the theme of the 1975 Towers is ‘The New Worcester Academy.’ ” Worcester Academy had not just blossomed, of course; it had bloomed— under John Bloom, that is.
“John was instrumental in the school’s survival, and he deserves all the credit in the world for pulling out all the stops to keep us going.” —David Forsberg ’65, former president of the Board of Trustees
Worcester Academy
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Alumni News 2017 REUNION WEEKEND
reconnect, network, reminisce!
award recipients
On Saturday, May 6, at 5 p.m., Worcester Academy will hold the Reunion Weekend Awards ceremony. Outstanding alumni will be recipients of prestigious Hilltopper awards, and beloved retired employees will be inducted to the WA Hall of Fame. They are as follows.
Want to reconnect with classmates, faculty, and other friends?
Visit us during one of our upcoming alumni events! The schedule below includes many fun opportunities to share memories and rejuvenate fond friendships. For additional details, updates, or to register, go to worcesteracademy.org/register.
Duncan
Friday, May 5, & Saturday, May 6 Reunion Weekend
Saturday, May 6
Boys Varsity Alumni Soccer Game
Saturday, June 3
Monday, June 5
Rowe Golf Scholarship Classic © Oleg Golovnev/Shutterstock.com
14 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Heller
Bernstein
Distinguished Alumnus: Alan Duncan ’72
Cole Porter Arts Award Recipient: Steven Heller ’67
Alan Duncan ’72 will be awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award. A Greensboro, NC, litigation attorney, he is chair of the Guilford County Board of Education and is very passionate about public education. Alan and his wife, Pamela, have established the Paul Morano Sr. Fund at WA to promote volunteer and neighborhood outreach opportunities for Worcester Academy students.
Steven Heller ’67 will be awarded the Cole Porter (Class of 1909) Visual and Performing Arts Recognition Award. Steven is a three-time Grammy-awardwinning producer-composer, whose work has spanned the full spectrum of audio and video production—from CDs and live concerts, to television and movie scores. He has received numerous national awards for his music and recordings, including The American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Recording Award, various Parent’s Choice Awards, and Grammys for his production of David Holt’s CD of the popular children’s story, “Stellaluna,” and most recently for engineering and production of “Legacy,” featuring Doc Watson and David Holt.
Young Alumnus: Charles Nicas ’02
Girls Varsity Alumnae Soccer Game
To host an event or to suggest an event location, or for more information, call the Worcester Academy Alumni Team at 508-754-5302 extension 181.
Nicas
Charles Nicas ’02 will be awarded the Young Alumnus Award. Charles is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, where he specializes in topics relating to democracy, international security, and U.S. foreign policy. Since 2011, he has worked closely with Condoleezza Rice, serving most recently as her chief of research. He has published case studies on political risk and the global economy through the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard Business School Press.
Hall of Fame: Marsha Bernstein Marsha Bernstein will be inducted to the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame. Marsha worked at Worcester Academy from 1985 until 2012. A beloved admissions officer, she specialized in international recruitment and expanded Worcester Academy’s international admission program.
Cotton
Lefferts
Hall of Fame: Elisabeth Cotton Elisabeth Cotton joined the Worcester Academy English Department in 1985, after teaching in Holden, MA, and at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). In 2003, she was appointed Studies Coordinator and AP Coordinator. Elisabeth was the 1988 recipient of the O’Connell Award for Excellence in Teaching. She retired in 2014.
Hall of Fame: Pamela Lefferts Pamela Lefferts will be inducted to the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame. A member of the boarding school community for 28 years, Pam served at Worcester Academy as Director of Student Life and Community Service, as well as Director of Residential Life. From 2004-2014, Pamela led the Global Relations Program and has traveled extensively worldwide, raising both friends and funds. The Worcester Academy Pamela Lefferts Cultural Exchange Award was established in her honor in 2014.
alumni news
SWIM GATHERING FETES
Barbara Gould Liz Tripp ’07, Chris Devine ’06, John Anderson ’07, and Sam Tripp ’10
Jim and Sue Mulholland P’15 spearheaded the effort to establish the Barbara F. Gould Varsity Swim Coach Fund, to honor Barbara Gould’s work. They celebrated the swim team’s legacy at WA with Barbara and with their son, Robert ’15, at a Nov. 26 event in Daniels Gym.
Washington, D.C. WA alumni caught up with retired faculty members Peter Roberts and Mike Mallett at the Biergarten Haus in Washington, D.C., this past August.
hometown gathering Peter Roberts and Sarah Metz Krissoff ’04
Thanksgiving reception
Class of 2012 alumni Mason Clemence, Ashley Waddell, Michael Lifshitz, and Emily Doherty.
There were more than 70 alumni and friends at this year’s Thanksgiving Eve event. The class with the biggest attendance was 2012. Pictured are, from left, Chelsey To, Courtney Rose DykemanBermingham, Amanda Ghalibaf, and Raji Pyda.
WA staff member Kevin Zifcak with alumni Pete White ’09, Mike White ’10, and Adrienne Anderson ’10 at the Thanksgiving Eve reception at Whiskey on Water.
Casey Zuraitis ’09, Liz Tripp ’07, and Peter Rawinski ’08 at the September alumni reception at British Beer Co. in Worcester.
Luke Vaillancourt ’01 and Bill Littleton ’73, P’06. Worcester Academy
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alumni news
New York City
From left, Malcolm Evans ’09, Hailey Gordon, ’11, Esther Mann ’11, Michal Grabias ’11, and guest Addie Fleron.
Jessica Phillips ’89, and retired faculty member Diana Canterbury P’02.
From left, Jonathan Kaufman ’07, Chin-Chen Lee ’01, and retired faculty member Peter Roberts. 16 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Reunion
Alumni and friends gathered at The Players in NYC. Hosts Chuck Vassallo ’77 and Gifford Booth welcomed Head of School Ron Cino, Broadway and television actress Jessica Phillips ’89, and retired faculty members Diana Canterbury and Peter Roberts.
If your class year ends in a “7” or a “2,” plan to attend Reunion Weekend on May 5–6, 2017!
7
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22017 s
HILLTOP
e h t on
Rachel Rios ’08
BACK AT HOME ON THE HILLTOP by Jody P. McNamara
“One of the things I really want to instill in my students is the importance of community, and I think my return to Worcester Academy speaks to that. I want my students to know, as I do, that we always have a place on the Hilltop.” We couldn’t have put it better! Timing, they say, is everything, and that adage couldn’t be truer than in the return of Rachel Rios to WA in 2016. Every once in a while, the stars align and the right person is in the right place at the right time. Rachel has brought both her passion and her expertise to our students, teaching AP Western Government & Politics as well as Economics to Upper School students. After graduating from Trinity College in 2012 with a BA in public policy and law, Rachel headed to Vermont for a four-year teaching stint at St. Johnsbury Academy, also a day and boarding school. “I had the privilege to teach what I’m an expert in,” Rachel tells us. “Here at WA I’m doing the same.” And she is an expert. While at St. Johnsbury, Rachel began coursework at Dartmouth College for a master’s degree in Globalization Studies. She is completing her thesis while teaching at WA. “It’s really my passion,” Rachel elaborates. “In addition to AP Gov and Economics, I’m teaching an elective that I developed based on my master’s
program. It’s called Globalization and its Discontent. WA always encourages its students to think globally, and this course teaches students about the different types of globalization: political, economic, cultural. We also cover some of the problems with globalization while understanding the role of the United States and other western institutions in a global context.” And where did Rachel first acquire this enthusiasm for Global Studies? “Dan Dagenais was my AP Gov teacher at WA, and that was really the springboard for my passion. My own WA experience was certainly a good one, so that left me open to coming back. I got my ‘leg up’ here, and now I’ll be giving that ‘leg up’ to other Hilltoppers as well.” Rachel’s passions don’t stop with global studies. She has brought her athleticism back to the Hilltop as well. “I
played varsity basketball and soccer at WA and continued as a varsity basketball player at Trinity. I spent my junior semester abroad at the University of Capetown in South Africa and even had an opportunity to play basketball there.” Rachel is a perfect fit, all the way down to educational philosophy. “Worcester Academy values instilling 21st-century skills in its students. Topping the list of skills, I think, is critical thinking. This essential has always been at the forefront of WA’s teaching philosophy. I remember loving the fact that, even as young as 7th grade, my Worcester
Academy teachers were asking, Why? How come? Those critical thinking skills were definitely an asset to me, and I acquired those skills here at WA.” “I’m excited to be here,” Rachel concludes. “I want my students to understand that history is not a stagnant set of facts. The study of history gives us meaningful answers about how to approach our present. Since our present is always shifting and changing, the questions we ask about our past shift and change as well. I want my students to use history as a tool to help us face the future.”
“I want my students to understand that history is not a stagnant set of facts. The study of history gives us meaningful answers about how to approach our present. Since our present is always shifting and changing, the questions we ask about our past shift and change as well. I want my students to use history as a tool to help us face the future.” Worcester Academy
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3RD ANNUAL
cultural heritage celebration The Academy held its third Annual Heritage Dinner in Daniels Gym in October. The dinner featured foods from around the globe as WA celebrated the rich and diverse cultural, ethnic, and national heritages that make up the WA community. Thanks to everyone who brought a potluck dish to share!
18 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
on the hilltop STUDENTS VISIT FROM
Haderslev Katedralskole in Denmark Students from Haderslev Katedralskole visited Worcester Academy last fall, teaching classes in the Upper and Middle Schools and staying with WA students in their homes. The Danish students also taught Middlers the finer points of playing handball, a popular sport in Denmark. The students from WA mirrored the experience by visiting Haderslev, Denmark, a few weeks later.
day of activism UN-CONFERENCE
WA’s Activists and Allies Club proudly hosted a “Day of Activism Un-Conference” in October. Student attendees from throughout the region considered “The Power of Youth: Enabling Change in and Beyond School Environments.” What a great opportunity to partner with like-minded independent schools committed to equity, justice, and youth empowerment!
Worcester Academy
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new Worcester Academy trustees WILL HADDAD ’92 Will Haddad is a partner with the firm of Pasquarello | Fink LLC in Boston. A veteran litigator and problem solver, he represents companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation and governmental investigations. Mr. Haddad is well acquainted with investment advisory, broker-dealer, and private fund sectors of the financial services industry, though clients come from many industries, including health care, biopharma, social media, and aerospace/defense. Prior to joining Pasquarello | Fink, Mr. Haddad was a partner at Beck Reed Riden LLP in Boston. He previously practiced at New York’s Shearman & Sterling LLP and Boston’s Collora LLP. A 1992 graduate of Worcester Academy, Mr. Haddad was a standout English and French student who won academic prizes in both subject areas. He was a letter winner and member of the Varsity Club. He played JV and varsity tennis. Following graduation from WA, Mr. Haddad went to Georgetown University, receiving bachelor’s degrees in history and economics in 1996. He received a Master of Studies from Oxford in Medieval Historical Research in 1998 and a law degree from Duke University Law School in 2001. From 2001 to 2003, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Ernest C. Torres in the United States District Court in Rhode Island and, prior to that, as an extern in the prosecutor’s office of the war crimes court for the former Yugoslavia, located in the Netherlands. Mr. Haddad has handled civil litigation involving all manner of commercial disputes and has appeared in state and federal courts, as well as various government and industry forums, including those of the SEC, FINRA, and Massachusetts 20 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Securities Division. He has dealt with issues related to shareholder complaints, private equity investor disputes, professional services agreements, merger and joint venture agreements, and non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. He has defended clients in criminal cases, including witnesses and defendants in matters alleging securities and bank fraud, health care fraud, defense procurement fraud, and public corruption. He has experience in whistleblower matters. Mr. Haddad writes about securities litigation topics at The Securities Litigator, a periodical journal.
MEG O’LEARY P’20 Meg O’Leary is co-founder of InkHouse, a public relations and social media agency with offices in Boston and San Francisco. Named “Agency of the Year” twice by PR News and the “Fastest Growing Agency in the Country” by Bulldog Reporter, InkHouse serves clients ranging from Salesforce and Harvard University, to MIT and Toyota, and more than two dozen others. Her daughter, Tess, is a member of the Class of 2020 at Worcester Academy. Mrs. O’Leary received a B.A. from Providence College and a M.A. from Clark University. She has extensive experience in positioning and marketing new innovations across a number of technology market segments, including consumer technology, business-to-business e-commerce, enterprise software, and web/online services. She has tackled the challenge on both the agency and client side. She has a passion for launching innovations with a goal of connecting target audiences with messages that will inspire them to act. Prior to founding InkHouse, she was part of Charles River Ventures and its CRVelocity services. She consulted to the
firm’s portfolio of technology companies on a range of marketing issues, including company and product launches, positioning, demand creation, influencer relations, and go-to-market strategies. Before CRV, Mrs. O’Leary served as vice president of marketing for Novera Software, which was later sold to IBM, and held various product marketing and communications roles for RSA Security, where she helped position the company as an enterprise security leader. She began her career at Creamer Dickson Basford (now Havas PR), an international public relations agency, where she was a founding member of the firm’s technology practice. During her tenure at the firm, she served as account manager for leading technology companies, including Digital Equipment Corp., NYNEX, and Panasonic. Meg’s work on behalf of her clients has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including an Anvil Award (the “Oscar” of public relations programming) from the Public Relations Society of America, as well as Bell Ringer and Bulldog Awards.
SUSAN PURYEAR P’19,’21 Susan Puryear is director of the Office of Research Administration (ORA) at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, one of the nation’s top public research universities. Under her leadership, ORA provides assistance to faculty and research staff in all aspects of obtaining and managing external research funding. Previously, she was director of sponsored programs and research at Clark University in Worcester. Ms. Puryear’s daughters, Mykah Puryear DeMeulenaere and Tyla Puryear DeMeulenaere, are members of the classes of 2019 and 2021, respectively. A graduate of Yale University with a bachelor’s in history (1992), Ms. Puryear
on the hilltop
achieving the honorable earned her master’s in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education (1996), and a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School (2002). She was a corporate legal assistant in banking and institutional investing with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York City from 1992 to 1994. From 1994 to 2008, Ms. Puryear provided consulting services in entrepreneurship and business development, program design and development, fundraising and development, and research and education. Clients included Baruch College, the Interracial Council for Business Opportunity, Policy Analysis for California Education, ReadBoston, Renaissance Parents of Success, San Francisco Independent Scholars: Pacific Research Institute, and the Yale Black Alumni Network. She co-authored the report, “School Choice: Abundant Hopes, Scarce Evidence of Results,” published by the Stanford University-based Policy Analysis for California Education. She is president of the board of N-CITE Community Media in Worcester, a member of the California Bar, and a former member of the boards of the Habitot Children’s Museum, The Avenues Project: East Oakland Community High School, the Institutional Review Board at Clark University, and the Grant Review Board for the Ensuring Children’s Readiness for School Programs at the United Way of Central Massachusetts. Ms. Puryear has been an active parent at WA, serving on the Board of Visitors, the WA Heritage Dinner Planning Committee, and acting as a strong advocate for issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
SCHOOL MOTTO IS TOPIC OF ANNUAL BOARD OF VISITORS MEETING by Marillyn Earley
Achieving the Honorable was the topic of the day for the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Worcester Academy Board of Visitors. On Nov. 4, nearly 100 members—including Worcester Academy alumni, parents, parents of alumni, and Worcester community and education leaders—met to explore the topic of honor, its historical context, its place in modern society, and how WA faculty teach and reinforce honorable behavior. Dr. Davis Baird, vice president and
provost of Clark University and philosophy scholar, provided the keynote address considering the role honor has played in society, both historically and in modern times. Six members of the Worcester Academy faculty addressed the group in response to questions of how the school teaches honor within the curriculum. Faculty members included Dr. Timothy Markey, World Languages; Gladys Vasquez, World Languages; Patty Theodosopoulos P’17,’20, Science; James
Worcester Academy faculty panelists discussed how honor is taught throughout all disciplines.
Board of Visitors member Michael Coady ’89 lists the most honorable traits in a person described by his group.
Young, History and Social Sciences; Jack Haringa ’86 P’22, English; and Dr. Anthony Butler, interim director of the Middle School, who served as moderator. The members of the Board of Visitors also participated in discussion groups that addressed questions of the role honor plays in establishing and preserving communities, in decision making, and in creating and managing conflict. These were very dynamic discussions and were the highlight of the day for most.
A keynote address by Davis Baird, provost and VP for Academic Affairs at Clark University, prompted thoughtful discussions during the afternoon.
Stacie Lavine P’16,’18, Ed Sherr ’84, and Peter Hamilton ’93, all BoV members, enjoyed discussing honor this year. Worcester Academy
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election
Former Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray
FESTIVAL 2016
On Nov. 8, Worcester Academy held an Election Festival to celebrate and learn about the significance of Election Day in America. A group of student leaders from the Debate Club and the Politics Club led an assembly discussing the important issues in the election and where each party stood. Students then attended workshops on a variety of topics, including the effect of the election on the Supreme Court; where each party stood on climate change; the role of Hispanic voters in the election; and many more issues. Students also participates in a mock election in their advisory groups.
scan this page to see the TV coverage
Dave Forsberg ’65, campaign manager for Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker 22 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
on the hilltop ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASS VISITS
Polar beverages Stephanie Jackson ’07 and her Worcester Academy Accounting & Entrepreneurship class had a wonderful experience visiting Worcesterbased Polar Beverages last fall. Chris Crowley, executive vice president and treasurer of Polar, gave the class a firsthand look at the 134-year-old family-owned business. The close-up learning experience included a tour of the production floor, assembly line, warehouse, and board room. Of course, Polar Beverages (and the company mascot, Orson) were always at hand, especially the flavored seltzers. Many thanks to Chris Crowley and Polar for the opportunity they provided to our students!
veterans day SPEAKERS
Three veterans shared their stories with Worcester Academy students for Veterans Day. Speaking to the community were Captain Bryan Buckley ’00, a former Marine and Bronze Star recipient; Major Joshua Goodrich, father of WA’s Emily Goodrich ’19 and a Massachusetts Army National Guardsman who served in the Middle East; and Academy history teacher Ray LaRose, who served overseas in the U.S. Army. Ray is grandparent to WA students Loch ’17 and Grey Baillie ’23. Worcester Academy
23
on the hilltop
da Vinci EXHIBIT
The entire Worcester Academy community traveled to the Boston Museum of Science on Dec. 1 to see “Leonardo da Vinci—The Genius!” The goal of the visit was to inspire students as they explored the mind and ideas of one of the world’s greatest thinkers and assist them in making connections back to the Academy curriculum. While the da Vinci exhibit was the focal point for WA students, the Museum of Science as a whole piqued students’ curiosities and helped them consider ways to unlock their own creative genius.
24 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
the
middle:
news from Worcester Academy middle school
middle school
day of service
In September, the entire Worcester Academy Middle School spent a day providing community service to 10 different agencies and organizations throughout the city of Worcester. The Day of Service was designed as a way to positively respond to tragedies such as 9/11, as well as to teach students that they have something to learn by engaging in community service. According to Middle School Director Anthony Butler, reaching out to others is a natural response in times of local or national stress. ”While some of our Worcester Academy students were born after this date, we shall always remind our community of 9/11,” Mr. Butler said. “Moreover, we will respond. 9/11 is a
Worcester Academy Middle School students at the Be-Like-Brit Haitian relief organization in Worcester.
call to arms, hands, legs, and heart. It is a call to see, hear, and work.” Students provided service at many locations including Friendly House, St. John’s Soup Kitchen, Be-LikeBrit, Children’s Friend, the WA Community Playground, Sherry’s House, and Nativity School. At Worcester Academy, students regularly engage in service learning with support from the Academy’s endowed
community service funds. The funds allow students to impact a wide variety of communities and causes. In the Upper School, community service is a requirement for graduation, and more than a third of seniors receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Over the past seven years, WA students have provided more than 23,000 hours of community service.
scan this page to watch WNT coverage Worcester Academy
25
from the archives THE HISTORY OF WA’S SOUTH CAMPUS PROPERTY
by Frank R. Callahan ’71
Mariemont, about 1865, shortly after it was built
Music
est
g northw
ont, facin
Mariem room at
Worcester Academy’s South Campus, currently the site of Morse Field and the Performance Center, was the site of several major chapters in the history of Worcester. Here are the details. The South Campus is located at the northern end of a hill that starts at the Worcester train station and goes south to the city line abutting the town of Millbury. The northern end is called Union Hill, while the remaining slope is called Vernon Hill (where Gaskill Field is located). The original name for the hill on which South Campus is located is the Algonquin word Sagatabscot, or “Hill of Rocks.” That name was significant to the native tribes because the hill is mostly schist (Greek, meaning “to split”). This was important for the local tribes as it was easy to divide to make arrowheads or to fashion utensils. The local Indian settlement that resided around Sagatabscot was the Pakachoag, whose lives were disrupted by the arrival of the English settlers in 1673. Those settlers were driven away two years later during King Philip’s War, the first of five French and Indian Wars. A few years later, a King Philip’s veteran, Digory Sargent, purchased an 80-acre parcel here, and with his wife, Martha, and five children, he built in a garrison house on this site. The Sargents lived in peace until the outbreak of the Queen’s Anne’s War in 1702, the second of the
French and Indian Wars. Late in 1703, the family was ordered to vacate their farm, but Digory refused to leave. Soon thereafter, a young Indian squaw visited the family and pleaded for them to go, but Digory ignored her. Not long after the visit, the chief of the Pakachoag, Sagamore John, and some braves arrived in the middle of a snowstorm and surrounded the house. Digory fired his musket and the Indians returned fire. When Digory was wounded, they rushed the cabin, killed him with tomahawks and scalped him. They kidnapped Martha and the five children and set out for the western edge of today’s Worcester. Along the way, Martha complained she was too feeble to go on, which slowed the pace. When the party reached the Tetasset Hills (now called Tatnuck), a chief stepped out of the file and, as Martha passed, he slammed a tomahawk into the back of her head, killing her instantly. Soon after the attack, 12 soldiers led by Captain Howe arrived at the cabin. Its door was wide open and inside they found Digory’s bloodied body. The moccasin prints of the Indians were all over, so they set out after the attackers. However, the snowfall was so heavy that, by then, the Indians’ tracks had been covered. After a while, Captain Howe and his men returned to the cabin for shelter. In the meantime, another party of six Indians came to plunder
e, izabeth Gabl ouse with El shed at left The greenh ng tti po l na tago showing oc
New greenhouse, laundry, and boiler house, about 1904
Round pool 26 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
from the archives
and burn the cabin. When they sighted the returning soldiers, they hid in the cellar under a trap door. Entering the cabin, the soldiers spread a blanket over the door and spent the night. They left the next morning not knowing that the Indians had been hiding beneath them. The Sargent children were taken to Canada and ransomed. After the conflict, three returned to Massachusetts, but two chose to remain up north. One who returned, Martha, married Daniel Shattuck and lived on the land until they sold it to Jonas Rice in 1713. Rice was the first permanent settler and a nearby monument commemorates Rice’s farm. One of the Sargent children who remained in Canada changed his name to LouisPhilippe Langlais and a few years ago, some family members stopped by Worcester Academy and introduced themselves to Head of School Ron Cino. They commented that that they felt honored that their ancestral home was now a school. In the 1830s, the Blackstone Canal spurred the growth of Worcester, making the hilltop land more valuable. Still a barren outcropping, the owners of the hill had a vision of developing it into a neighborhood of fine residences. However, its Indian name was not appealing, so the owner chose a patriotic term: Union Hill. The heyday of Blackstone Canal in Worcester
lasted only about a decade, while the water impoundments created for its locks provided a steady supply of water as the source of power to turn mill wheels. Soon, Worcester became an early center for the American Industrial Revolution. By the 1870s, the mills created great wealth and the factory owners built large homes along Providence Street. The most notable was built by George Crompton, the founder of the Crompton Loom Works. A gifted inventor, he was granted more than 100 patents, which revolutionized the textile industry. The Crompton Loom Works was located near the Canal on Green Street. In 1853, George Crompton married Mary Christina Pratt, who had spent her early years in London. Their family grew to nine children, creating the need for a large home, so he acquired about a dozen acres of land at the southern edge of Union Hill. He named it Mariemount in honor of Mary, and it was a Tudor design because of her love of England. There were horse stables and other facilities on the estate such as a greenhouse for the gardens, a laundry, and power plant. One of the Crompton daughters brought the European sport of tennis back to Mariemount. A tennis court was built on the estate and the family believed it to be the first in Worcester. Three of Crompton’s sons regularly played tennis with the sons of the Jones family, who lived on the opposite
side of Providence Street. All of them attended Worcester Academy, and J.E.D Jones, Class of 1888, was the captain of the first WA tennis team. Jed went on to become a pioneer in early American tennis. A relative who lived with him was Edward Davis Jones, Class of 1873, co-founder of the Wall Street Journal and the Jones in Dow Jones. In 1953, the family sold Mariemount to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, and the mansion was demolished to make way for the second location of St. Vincent Hospital. Over the years, thousands of Worcester families were treated in this hospital. Along with all the births, deaths, and healing of other local families, Worcester Academy has had hundreds of its own connections to St. Vincent. In 2000, the hospital moved to downtown Worcester and over the past decade Worcester Academy has purchased the former hospital campus. Today, the only remnant of the past is the granite wall that extends along Winthrop and Providence streets. Though there is nothing that shows the site’s great history, I agree with the Langlais family who came down from Canada to say that it is an honor that this land is now a school. Frank Callahan is Worcester Academy’s director of planned giving and the school’s unofficial historian.
Drawing room
Stable at Mariemont, built around 1875
Georgie tta F. C ro with ho rses in mpton and he r tandem , on the brother, Georg e ground s at Ma , in a gig, riemon t
Worcester Academy
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WA ATHLETICS
Heisman finalist,
former WA coach and parent subject of ESPN film Two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy (1986 and 1987) and recently retired Worcester Academy varsity wrestling coach Gordie Lockbaum is the subject of a new ESPN documentary, “The Throwback.” Gordie, whose children, Gordon ’08 and Olivia ’16, graduated from WA, retired as the Academy’s head varsity wresting coach last year following 17 years of exceptional service. The 30 For 30 Short film recounts Gordie’s remarkable career at the College of the Holy Cross and his “two-way” offensive and defensive abilities—hence, “the throwback”—referencing a time in the football when playing both was not uncommon.
28 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
scan this page to watch the video on ESPN.com
WA athletics
ice hockey teams
to call new Worcester sports center home by Neil R. Isakson
Worcester Academy signed an agreement to become the first high school anchor tenant at the new Worcester Sports Center, with WA’s boys and girls ice hockey teams to maintain team rooms there. The Academy signed a long-term use and occupancy license for 2017–2018—the inaugural season for the facility, which is currently under construction. Worcester Academy’s long-term commitment will provide the Academy with permanent locker rooms for both teams in the center, while allowing its teams to practice daily and play home games minutes from campus in Worcester. “Worcester Academy is thrilled to
expand its footprint in Worcester and to be involved in the continued growth of the Canal District right down the hill from campus,” said Ron Cino. “Most importantly, this venture allows us to provide a top-notch practice and playing facility for our hockey teams that is within walking distance. Our partnership will benefit not only our student athletes, but their families and our community as a whole.” The Worcester Sports Center will be a 100,000-square-foot twin sheet ice facility that will house youth, high school, and collegiate players, as well as a strength and conditioning center, physical therapy center, pro shop,
scoreboard fall 2016 teams
wins
losses
ties
Varsity Boys Cross Country
9
4
Varsity Girls Cross Country
10
2
Middle School Field Hockey
5
3
1
Varsity Field Hockey
11
4
2
Varsity Football
2
6
JV Football
2
1
JV Boys Soccer
7
3
JV Girls Soccer
3
7
Middle Boys Soccer
8
4
Varsity Boys Soccer
19
2
Varsity Girls Soccer
18
1
JV Volleyball
9
10
Varsity Volleyball
3
16
full-service restaurant, concessions, and ancillary tenants. The Worcester Sports Center will be professionally operated and managed by Edge Sports Group, providing programming and operations for recreational facilities
from the East Coast to the Midwest. “The Worcester Academy agreement further emphasizes our commitment that this is a community resource built for the student-athletes of Worcester,” said WSC’s managing partner, Cliff Rucker.
Globe all-stars and all-scholastic Sam Hatem ’16 of Northborough was named a 2016 Boston Globe Boys Soccer All-Scholastic. In Worcester Academy’s march to a 19–2 mark and the NEPSAC Class A final, the senior midfielder racked up a team-leading 20 goals and 10 assists. The NEPSAC offensive MVP and NSCAA all-region selection will attend Columbia. Worcester Academy juniors Gabrielle A. Diodati of Mendon and Jonathan L. Wolf of Hopkinton were named to Globe NEPSAC Soccer All-Star Teams. Worcester Academy
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Jordan Lucas ’12
joins Miami Dolphins Jordan Lucas ’12 has joined the roster of the Miami Dolphins as a safety. A standout at Worcester Academy, Jordan played college football at Penn State. He was drafted 204th overall in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Congratulations, Jordan!
seniors sign
letters of intent
WA students who signed NCAA Letters of Intent in the November signing period. 30 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Fourteen WA seniors signed NCAA National Letters of Intent, affirming their decisions to attend top colleges offering athletic grant in aid. Among them were six members of the WA baseball team: Brendan Conley of Bristol, Rhode Island (University of Buffalo), Craig Corliss of Hopkinton (Siena), Pat Gallagher of Worcester (Wagner), Brendan Powicki of Lynn (Stonehill), Mariano Ricciardi of West Boylston (Florida Atlantic), and Joe Sacco of Shrewsbury (University of Rhode Island). Also signing were track and field athlete Christa Moore of Hubbardston (Holy Cross); basketball player Madeline Murphy of Norton (Southern New Hampshire); football players Brian Abosi (UMass), Cullen McCarty (Assumption College), and Mason Wallace (Assumption); and soccer players Gabby Diodati (Fairfield), Elysia Paolillo (University of Maryland-Baltimore County) and Ali Sanft (AIC).
WA athletics
Naismith basketball hall of fame
record breaking season
honors Worcester Academy’s Dee Rowe ’47 with Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award
>> NEPSAC Class A Finalists >> WNEPSSA Class A Championship >> WNEPSSA Class A Sportsmanship Award (WA was the first team to win both the WNEPSSA Sportsmanship Award and Championship in same season) >> WA Boys Soccer Ranked 6th Nationally >> Sam Hatem ’17 Team MVP; Boston Globe All Scholastic Prep Private MVP and NSCAA All New England >> Sam Hatem & Jonathan Wolf Massachusetts All State Prep Team >> Ivan Sebuffo ’17 & Michael Symecko ’17 NEPSAC Senior All Stars >> Owen Krisak ’18 & Graham Brenner ’18 NEPSAC Junior All Stars >> Ivan Sebuffo, Sam Hatem and Jonathan Wolf ’17 WNEPSSA Select Team >> Coach Proctor NSCAA Massachusetts Prep Coach of the Year
Legendary WA coach and athletic director Donald E. “Dee” Rowe ’47 has been awarded the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from America’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Previous Bunn Award winners include Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy, Dave Gavitt, and John Wooden. Dee, who was assistant coach for the 1980 U.S. Mens Olympic Basketball Team, led the Hilltoppers to 9 Prep School titles as well as having led the Huskies
accomplishments include the following:
to the Sweet 16 in 1976. His success at UConn laid the foundation for the university to become the basketball powerhouse it is today. Dee, who turned 89 this year, serves as assistant to the head of school at Worcester Academy. His legacy at WA also includes the Rowe Family Scholarship Fund, established in 1998 to honor his devotion to the Academy. Sixty students have benefitted from the fund since the scholarship’s inception.
Congratulations, Dee, we’re glad that your contributions to sport and sportsmanship are being recognized, and that Worcester Academy is able to count you among our most storied Hilltoppers!
Breakfast • Lunch • Golf Carts • Prizes • Cocktail Reception & Dinner • Hole-in-One Prize • Not a golfer? Please join us for dinner.
June 5, 2017
Save the Date! Join alumni and friends of Worcester Academy as they “tee it up with Dee” to benefit the Rowe Family Scholarship Fund on Monday, June 5 at Worcester Country Club. This special endowed scholarship fund was established in 1998 by Worcester Academy alumni, colleagues, and friends of the Rowe family as a lasting tribute to Academy alumnus Donald E. “Dee” Rowe ’47 and his family. This fund awards scholarships annually to students of outstanding character who, in addition to participation in athletics, exhibit strong leadership both at school and in the community.
Invitations will be mailed in April. For more information, call Ursula Arello at 508-459-6927, or email ursula.arello@worcesteracademy.org.
boys varsity soccer
girls varsity soccer
>> NEPSAC Class A Finalists >> Undefeated regular season to earn girls coveted Silver Bowls; 18 wins and 83 goals scored >> Consistently ranked in top 10 nationally in prep league polls >> Three students signed NCAA National Letters of Intent: Gabby Diodati ’17 (Fairfield), Elysia Paolillo ’17 (University of MarylandBaltimore County) and Ali Sanft ’17 (AIC) >> Niloufar Asdigha ’18 and Gabby Diodati each scored a record 20 goals >> Gabby Diodati—record 55 points in a season >> Gabby Diodati—Boston Globe NEPSAC Soccer All-Star Team Worcester Academy
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COMMUNITY CELEBRATES THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF ONWARD:
the campaign for Worcester Academy Donors, campaign staff, and friends of the Academy celebrated the successful conclusion of a $52.2 million capital campaign—ONWARD: The Campaign for Worcester Academy— with a gala event at the Worcester Academy Performance Center in October. Those gathered celebrated in an elegantly adorned performance center and equally elegant
32 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
outdoor space, where hors d’oeuvres and desserts were served. The highlight of the event was a performance by WA alumnus and NBC Last Comic Standing’s Alingon Mitra ’04. “We are so grateful to the many alumni, parents, foundation partners, community, and other friends who helped us attain and exceed our goal,” Worcester Academy Head of School
Ronald M. Cino said. “The ONWARD campaign has provided us with the opportunity to reimagine the way we teach, engage, and inspire our students, solidifying Worcester Academy’s place as a leading educational institution and bringing us closer to achieving our goal of becoming the best urban independent school in the country.” WA trustee and campaign chair
James Pietro ’81 agreed. “The success of the ONWARD campaign marks a historic milestone in the history of our 182-year-old school,” Mr. Pietro said. “As ‘ONWARD’ implies, this is a step—a dramatic one—toward redefining what an urban college preparatory experience can be. I, along with everyone in the Academy community, look forward to what’s next!”
“Gift tags� located at various WA buildings and spaces recognized those individuals and families whose commitments to Worcester Academy have had an impact.
COMMUNITY CELEBRATES GIVING TUESDAY On Nov. 29, Worcester Academy celebrated Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving back, for the fourth consecutive year! Thanks to a $20,000 challenge gift from a generous trustee, alumni and friends of the Academy were encouraged to make their own gifts to WA, allowing us to once again have a successful fundraising day on campus! Our students learned about the role philanthropy plays on campus and launched service projects of their own at an all-school assembly. On our campus, giving and giving back are the themse all year long!
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parents/grandparents PARENT ANNUAL FUND
signathon The Parent Annual Fund kicked off on Oct. 6 with a reception and dinner at our annual Signathon. Following a social hour, parents heard from Head of School Ron Cino and other parents about the importance of giving, made their own gifts or pledges to this year’s Annual Fund, and signed letters asking other parents to join them by supporting this year’s fund. All gifts to the Annual Fund support today’s school community and students, and we are proud of, and grateful for, parent support!
grandparents day 2016 On Oct. 14, more than 400 grandparents and students filled the Rowe Court of the Daniels Gymnasium for that perennial favorite—Grandparents Day! Grandparents (and “grandfriends,” in some instances!) enjoyed lunch, class visits, and a presentation on WA life held in Warner Theater. What a wonderful day for our students to share with these special guests!
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in 1942 The library at the Marine Museum at Fall River was named in honor of TOM COTTRELL and his wife, Margot. Tom received the Florence Cook Brigham Award from the Fall River Historical Society on Oct. 13 for making significant contributions to the Society and the greater Fall River community through preservation efforts, considerable historical donations, and volunteerism. The Cottrells, with three generations of WA alumni in their family, have made important impacts on their hometown communities.
1950 ARTHUR FOX caught up with his old basketball teammate and friend DEE ROWE ’47. They first met 72 years ago at Worcester Academy. Art was impressed by all of the great changes at WA.
1956
1962
55th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
DICK WOTRUBA is enjoying sailing with his wife, Patricia, on their sailboat. They live in Santa Barbara, CA, and wrote a book called “Into the Blue” after a five-year voyage around the world. Dick is very grateful for all of the memories and support from WA. He has enjoyed following the careers of many of his classmates and sends an open invitation to them to take a sail on his boat.
1959 It’s been three years since JOHN WOLF retired as a purchasing agent from a manufacturing company near his home in Levittown, NY. He’s been enjoying his newfound freedom teaching tennis to his teenage grandchildren, watching his children succeed in life’s challenges, and spending time with his wife. He also has been lucky enough to be acting at a local Long Island theatre company. Most recently, he played the comedic/ loony role of George in the Halloween thriller, “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight.” John hopes to see his classmates sometime in the near future!
GEORGE STRAIT wrote: “I thought you might like to know that the Academy is prominently mentioned in the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum reached out to several well-known Americans and asked them to write short impressionistic essays about their personal journeys through race based on place. I wrote three; one concerns WA and my first day as a new freshman (1958), the only black student in the school, and the first black student to attend for a number of years. The museum even found a class picture taken in front of the Megaron.” Congratulations, George!
1964
1965
In July, KEN PAYSON of Rutland, MA, won twice on the same Saturday in his T4 Mazda Miata in the New England Road Racing Championship at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, adding to his Sports Car Club of America New England Region Series points lead. He set a track record with a lap time of 1 minute, 22.9 seconds in the morning race.
RICHARD CHIN, M.D. has a new book coming out called “Dynamic Kung Fu” and a new e-book already out called “The Power of Qi Kung.” He is currently professor of neuroscience at Long Island University.
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1969
1970 STEWART LASSNER is enjoying being “Papa” to fraternal twins Ben and Teddy. He was recently elected trustee at Sepia Condominum at Ink Block in Boston’s South End.
1971
1977
40th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
The James Beard Foundation doesn’t only honor chefs. At a Leadership Award ceremony October in New York, the foundation recognized Congressman JIM MCGOVERN of Massachusetts for his work toward ending hunger. In July, Jim led his third annual “Summer Meals Tour” to highlight USDA summer food programs for low-income children. He also spotlights local farms, promoting fresh food and stressing the importance of providing nutritious food for people in need. Says Jim, “I tell people all the time that hunger is a political condition. We have the resources, we have the knowledge, we have the infrastructure to end it, but we don’t have the political will.”
1981 MIKE MORRILL has stepped down as football coach at Cardinal Gibbons Catholic High School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, after 17 years. Mike, who has stayed on as the school’s athletic director, had compiled an overall record of 113-67, and has the most wins in the school’s history. He guided Gibbons to 11 playoff appearances during his tenure coaching the Chiefs. Former WA staff member and coach STEVE MUNGER and his wife, Linda, stopped by campus to say, “Hello!” The Mungers were at Worcester Academy from 1970 to 1988. Steve was the first full-time director of college counseling and Linda ran the bookstore. They are parents of BETH LEAVITT ’87 and
1985
KRISTEN DOOLEY ’87.
1980 Kim Stone, director of donor development, recently enjoyed a wonderful dinner with HALBERT KATZEN in Mill Valley, CA.
VICTOR FIELDS performed in “The Melba Moore Weekend Experience” this past August in Chicago.
MICHAEL SCULLY is the producer of the fabulous web series, Knights of New Jersey. The series recently won Best Web Series from the Cinema Constant Awards. Check out all the episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UC9jwE78NBRzuWtakPI1VyTQ.
1987
30th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
GUY GLODIS opened a bar in Worcester’s Kelley Square named the Ballot Box Bar. It has a political theme with campaign memorabilia.
36 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
1994
checking in
1995
1992
1993
“The New Trail of Tears: How Washington Is Destroying American Indians” is NAOMI SCHAEFER RILEY’S newly published account of poverty, suicide, and violence on American reservations. Riley talks about the federal policies behind Indian poverty, which have created a Third World reality for them in America.
behind the post Congratulations to NICOLE SAHAGEN SCHIFF and her husband, David Schiff, on the birth of their son, Jonathan Issac Schiff. Jonathan was born on Oct. 29. The family resides in Los Angeles. Nicole is a partner, chair of the leasing practice, and head of the retail leasing and development industry group at the law firm Buchalter Nemer.
behind the post RACHEL ANDERSON and her 7-year-old son, Samuel, work as living historians at the Claude Moore Colonial Farm in McLean, VA.
behind the post Congratulations to Elisa and MO CASSARA on the birth of their son, Christian Thomas Cassara, in August! Mo also received the “Doc” McGann Leadership Award from Long Island’s South Shore community in October. Worcester Academy
37
Sharing
Worcester Academy Annual Fund / www.worcesteracademy.org/givenow
the joy of discovery
1996
38 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
Through the innovations of dedicated teachers, we deliver on our mission to cultivate progressive, forward-thinking leaders with a global perspective. It is the Academy’s Annual Fund that lifts us from good to great. Help us by making your contribution to the Annual Fund today!
1997
20th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
1999 1998
2000
checking in
After graduating from the Juilliard School and dancing professionally for 12 years, ANTHONY BOUGIOURIS went back to school and received his MBA from McGill University. He has been consulting over the past two years and recently relocated to New York City to join the marketing department at a Midtown law firm.
Captain BRYAN BUCKLEY, a former Marine and a Bronze Star recipient, spoke to Worcester Academy students on Veterans Day. Thank you for your service, Bryan!
2002
15th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
2001 SETH GOLDBERG and Allison O’Leary were married on Sept. 4 at the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester, MA.
BEN KAPLAN and his brother, JOE ’05, owners of Lakeside Bar in Shrewsbury, bought Herbie’s restaurant in Worcester.
Worcester Academy
39
Beth O’Neil ’02, Liz ’02, and Melinda Richardson ’01.
Liz with her step-daughters and husband, Russell.
LIZ SAMARA JENNINGS married Russell Jennings in Boulder, CO, on Aug. 7. BETH O’NEIL and MELINDA RICHARDSON ’01 joined in the wedding celebration!
NATALIE HOWARD attended the September British Beer Co. event and told us that she now owns her first home, located in the Tatnuck Square area of Worcester. She has also started a new career in the banking industry as an assistant manager at UniBank. Prior to banking, she was a teacher for several years.
DAN O’CONNOR and Jessica Bunnell were married on July 23 at the New England Aquarium in Boston.
2003
behind the post CATRIONA KALMANOVITCH is a pastry chef on the yacht “Safari Explorer” with Uncruise Adventures. She spends her summers working in Alaska and winters in Hawaii.
2004 After working as a family nurse practitioner in orthopedic surgery, SARAH METZ KRISSOFF went back to school at Georgetown in order to pivot from the clinical side into business and technology with a Master’s of Health Systems Administration. She married to Austin Krissoff in May 2016 in Washington, D.C. ERIC FINS and KALI PATRICK were there to celebrate too!
40 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
JIM CIOCIOLO and Christine O’Connor were married on Sept. 3 at Saint Thomas Chapel in Falmouth, MA. WA alums who attended were JIM CIOCIOLO ’72, father of the groom; DANIEL O’CONNOR ’76, father of the bride; CHARLIE O’CONNOR,
III ’73, KENNETH PAHARIK ’91, GARRET PIERMARINI ’99, JENNIFER GLOWIK ’01, DANIEL O’CONNOR, JR. ’02, KATHRYN PLANTE ’02, ELIZABETH O’CONNOR FERGUSON ’03, JASON HOWARD ’03, DAN ADAMS, BRENDAN LANDERS, TIM MASSARELLI, KATHERINE O’CONNOR ’06, MELISSA CIOCIOLO ’08, and PAUL O’CONNOR ’12.
Ron Cino and his wife, Natalie Perez-Cino, with Alingon.
The ONWARD Campaign celebration was headlined by comedian ALINGON MITRA, who has gained national recognition on “Conan” and “Last Comic Standing,” among other shows. His parents and his brother, ABISKAR MITRA ’01, were in attendance for the performance.
MARK ALLEN is in his fifth season in Northboro, MA, as Algonquin Regional High’s defensive coordinator. He previously coached at Worcester Academy for four years. In 2010, in honor of Mark’s father, the Allen family established the Dan Allen Foundation for the purpose of raising awareness of multiple chemical sensitivity disorder and similar neurological disorders caused by exposure to environmental toxins, chemicals, and pollutants. Through fundraisers, the foundation has provided aid to families and scholarships. Mark said in the future that the foundation hopes to run a free football clinic for inner-city youth in Worcester.
checking in
2008 AMANDA CROWE recently moved to Somerville, MA, and has been working as a project manager for Dell EMC for the past two years. Amanda’s love for running started on the Hilltop, and she has continued running by completing several races over the last two years: the 2015 Boston Half Marathon, 2015 TCS NYC Marathon, and the 2016 Providence Marathon. Amanda is very excited to be running her first Boston Marathon in the spring on behalf of Boston Children’s Hospital—Miles for Miracles Team!
2005 2007 JOMO FRAY is the “Man Behind the Picture,” winning a coveted KODAK Vison Award along with an Eastman Kodak Company 2016 KODAK Student Scholarship. He credits former Worcester Academy drama teacher Diana Canterbury with being a mentor on his path to working in the film industry. Congratulations, Jomo!
10th Reunion May 5–6, 2017
RASHONDA SPEED visited campus with her son, Kayden, and made sure to catch up with receptionist Marketta Carter in the General Office. Rashonda, a nurse practitioner, was a member of WA’s 2006 undefeated girls varsity championship basketball team and says she fondly remembers her teammates and Coach Sherry Levin. Rashonda and her husband live in North Carolina.
ALICIA MARCULITIS is working at St. Peter’s Central Catholic School in Worcester and was the assistant girls varsity basketball coach at WA this season.
The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and the Leadership Worcester Advisory Committee have named 27 professionals who will make up its class of 2017. The selection committee chose PETER RAWINSKI, who works at Commerce Bank, to join this group of motivated individuals who aspire to become future leaders in Central Massachusetts. Peter and the other professionals will attend sessions focusing on Urban Environment and Sustainability; Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity; Education and Youth Development; Arts, Culture, and Quality of Life; and Justice, Law, and Community Safety.
BRITTANY NYZIO has relocated from Attleboro, MA, to Atlanta to work at the Intercontinental Exchange-The New York Stock Exchange (ICE/NYSE) as a cybersecurity analyst.
CAYLA DIROBERTO started a new job at Randstad in Boston’s Financial District as a staffing consultant. She will be placing people in accounting, finance, human resources, and retail positions, both temporary and permanent.
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2009
2010
BOBBY GOURDEAU, third from left, ran the Boston Marathon in the spring of 2016 to raise money for Tenacity, an organization that provides tennis lessons and tutoring to inner-city children. In fact, WA’s Gaskill Field is one of the tennis sites. Patrick and Lindsey (John) Horan
behind the post
From left, Jim Crowley ’80, Henry Dormitzer ’88, Cody Fuller ’09, Patrick Horan ’09, Lindsey Horan ’09, Steven John ’81, Stephanie John ’07, Edward Reily ’09, Delaney Horan ’12, Daley Baldwin ’12, and Thomas MacLean ’12.
JENNIFER ZACHARIA was visiting Orlando for a medical conference and was able to spend a day in Disney World while she was there.
behind the post
ALEXANDRA KLIMAVICH is currently living in Los Angeles. Having just wrapped up a nearly two-year stint as assistant to Wil Wheaton, she recently began her new position as executive assistant to the president of Nerdist and Legendary Digital Networks. This past year, she also co-executive produced her first web series, “Future Girl,” a sci-fi comedy about three unlikely roommates, which premiered on YouTube in February 2016.
42 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
PAUL ZHANG finished two years in the PATRICK HORAN and LINDSEY JOHN were married on Oct. 1. They met at Worcester
investment banking field in New York and was moving back to China for work for the next two years.
Academy and got engaged on the steps of Warner Theater. They had many other WA alums in attendance at their wedding.
JOHN BUTTERWORTH began medical RACHEL GATES is in her third year at
REBECCA ANGOFF, a senior at UMass
Cornell’s school of veterinary medicine. Last summer, after her résumé passed in front of Jane Goodall, Rachel was given the opportunity to join the Goodall Foundation on the Ugandan/Rwandan border helping with a research study about the water quality in a river that is shared by humans and apes. Apparently, there’s a bit of cross-over illness, and the foundation is trying to rule out the river as the source of contamination.
Medical School, was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, a particularly meaningful honor since her late father had also been inducted into the same Society when he was a medical student. Honorees are selected for high academic standing, leadership among their peers, professionalism, a firm sense of ethics, promise of future success in medicine, and a commitment to service in the school and community.
school at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City in fall 2016. John also writes and co-hosts a podcast for SB Nation’s Miami Marlins’ blog, Fishstripes.
Congrats to DAN LIMA, a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley, on his recent engagement to Julianne Peixoto in September. Dan and Julianne met while studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, during their junior year in college. An August 2017 wedding is planned.
get connected
Worcester Academy has a variety of social media channels to help you stay up to date with the latest news from the Hilltop. Whether you still live in the area and want to know about upcoming events, or you live overseas and want to see what is happening in our classrooms through videos, social media is our way of bringing the Hilltop to you. Here are just a few ways that you can stay connected: Become a fan of the Worcester Academy Facebook Page and the WA Alums Facebook Page. See posts about upcoming events and connect with the Worcester Academy Online Community. Visit Worcester Academy on Flickr to see the latest photos from games, performances, and school life. www.flickr.com/photos/worcesteracademy
checking in ZOE ETH was recently named head coach of the Heron junior varsity soccer program at her alma mater, William Smith College. Zoe helped the Herons win the Division III National Championship in her sophomore year.
Watch videos of students, faculty, alumni, and parents experiencing a real-world education. www.youtube.com/user/WorcesterAcademy Catch breaking news about events, lectures, and more when you follow @WorcesterAcdmy on Twitter.
2012
5th Reunion
May 5–6, 2017
2014 2013 ALEX HOUSE’S mother reports that he is currently a senior English Literature major at Princeton, is busy prepping for his thesis, and fencing nationally and internationally at about 12 competitions a year, in addition to being captain of the Princeton fencing team. He has also been Academic All-Ivy for the past two years and First Team All-Ivy (an athletic distinction) all three years.
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2015
2016
KERSTIN PETERLEITNER, MICHAEL SCHEMERHORN, and MOLLY RIORDAN (all Class of 2014) completed 200 miles of the Pan Mass Challenge in honor of loved ones, including the late Francine Smith, a former WA faculty member.
CHAZ TUCKER left WA in 2011 to wrestle at Blair Academy, the perennial power in wrestling in the country. By his senior year at Blair, he was ranked fourth in his weight division. Chaz matriculated to Cornell in 2015, but sat out the 2015–16 season due to injuries. He has four years of eligibilty left at Cornell. His sister, Sydney Tucker ’12, and mother, Carol (Goldsbery) Tucker ’83, are graduates. Carol received WA’s Distinguished Alumna Award in 2013.
MR. SUMNER SENDS IT! The Quad never looked more beautiful in fall, even though our campus trees dropped their leaves! Witness Jake Sumner, our dean of students, who, while impeccably dressed (always!), could not resist the temptation of jumping into this pile of leaves (photo by faculty member Charley Mull).
TELL US WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU! To submit a class note, please send note and/or image to Alicia Figueiredo at alicia.figueiredo@worcesteracademy.org. Some tips for sending us digital photos that will look fantastic in print: > Set the photo size to 4 x 6 inches or larger, in 300 dpi > Set your digital camera to the best photo setting > Save files as JPG or TIF > Identify everyone left to right in the photo and provide a caption
44 the HILLTOPPER : winter/spring 2017
passings 1934 DR. JAMES THOMAS BLODGETT of Sterling, MA, and The Villages, FL, passed away on Sept. 15 at the age of 100 years and one day. After graduating from Bowdoin College and Harvard Medical School, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, earning all five European Theater Campaign Medals from the Army, plus one from Britain. He led the medic corps through the triage at the freeing of Nordhausen Concentration Camp. Dr. Blodgett was awarded Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French Ambassador of Boston in 2013. Immediately upon his return to the States he married his sweetheart, Alice Helen Crowe. He opened his medical practice in West Boylston, MA, made many house calls in Sterling, Holden and vicinity, and delivered numerous babies. Both he and his wife worked at Holden District Hospital. The family moved to Sterling, where he became active in helping to preserve East Lake Waushacum for the benefit of all, and he served for many years on the Conant Library Board. Dr. Blodgett also served as a trustee of Shepherd Knapp School in Boylston. He was an avid fisherman, almost always serving as mentor to at least one young person. Dr. Blodgett was an especially creative wood worker, lover of books (both as reader and author), and was truly a lifetime learner and the proverbial teacher. He was both respected and liked by his patients. He is survived by two daughters, one grandson, and seven other members of his extended family who called him Granddad and Great-Granddad.
1935 HAROLD J. ROSENBERG of Palm Beach, FL, and formerly of Newton, MA, passed away on Nov. 20. After earning a B.A. from Brown University in 1939, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. After Pearl Harbor, he instructed new crews on B-17s and B-24s before his deployment with a group of B-29s, which were preparing to bomb Japan. Unexpectedly, he was transferred to the secret Manhattan Project where he trained as a navigator under the command of Col. Paul Tibbetts, who later piloted the Enola Gay, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. After the war, he founded Rosecrest
and manufactured women’s clothing in Boston. He introduced the concept of coordinated sportswear, which is still a staple of women’s apparel today. Later Mr. Rosenberg founded New England Mackintosh with Evan-Piccone to manufacture pant coats, his version of the U.S. Navy peacoat, which became a very popular style. Shortly after the war, he married Edith Gertman and was happily married for 54 years until her death in 2004. They raised a son and a daughter. After his retirement in 1987, Mr. Rosenberg became a Florida snowbird, but continued to visit the fashion capitals of the world. Through a mutual friend, he met his companion, “Estey” Lesburg, with whom he enjoyed travelling, cruising, and collecting art. In 2007, they joined Devonshire, a retirement community. He is survived by his loving partner, Estelle; his daughter; and a brother.
1941 WILLARD C. “BUDDY” LEARNED SR. of Clinton, MA, died on Dec. 2. He leaves his wife of 71 years, Delphine; two sons; a daughter; ten grandchildren; and 15 greatgrandchildren. He loved playing football and went on to play at UNC Chapel Hill. He later instilled that love of the sport in his children and grandchildren. During World War II, Mr. Learned enlisted in the U.S. Navy Air Corps, eventually becoming a flight instructor, teaching young cadets to land planes on aircraft carriers on Lake Michigan. While on leave from the service, he married Delphine, who joined him in Texas, where he was stationed as the war ended. After his discharge, they returned home to Clinton, where they raised their family. Soon after, he began his 35-year career at Norton Co. in Worcester, retiring as an assistant superintendent in 1984. He was the third generation in his family to spend summers at the camp at Bare Hill Pond in Harvard, which he referred to as “God’s country,” and he always enjoyed it immensely.
former headmaster JOHN A. BLOOM, 80, of Auburndale, MA, a former Worcester Academy headmaster, passed away Nov. 2 of complications from diabetes and Parkinson’s. Upon graduating from Brown University in 1958, Mr. Bloom came to Worcester Academy as a teacher and coach of wrestling and soccer. As chairman of the History Department, he founded the Urban Affairs Program leveraging the school’s inner-city location as an asset. In 1974, the Board of Trustees tapped Bloom to turn around the financially distressed 140-yearold school that was teetering on the verge of closure. Headmaster Bloom reestablished the Academy’s reputation as well as its fortunes by opening the Academy’s doors to girls and expanding international enrollment. Bloom left the Academy in 1985 for a second career in property management at Church Park in Boston’s Back Bay. He returned to education briefly, serving as the development director at Austin Preparatory School in Reading, MA, before he retired in 1996. A graduate of Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University, and Assumption College, he was active as a volunteer in many civic, educational, and religious organizations in Worcester and Boston. He was inducted into the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame in 1991. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his five children and ten grandchildren; and a brother. Please see the story on John Bloom in this issue of the Hilltopper on Page 12.
1946 EARLE A. HALLSTROM of Longmeadow, MA, passed away on Oct. 9. He was an avid Worcester youth hockey player, lettered in hockey at North High School, and
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continued to play through college and into the adult league at Texas Instruments. He received his bachelor’s “with distinction” in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he was elected to Tau Beta Pi. He earned his master’s in mechanical engineering from Princeton University, where he was elected to Sigma XI. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Air Force. He dedicated 18 summers at YMCA Camp Morgan in Washington, NH, as a camper, counselor, and assistant director; and was very involved in the Boy Scouts and as a Scout Master as well. Mr. Hallstrom worked for many companies as a consulting engineer, or as director of product engineering and research, or as VP of operations. He enjoyed woodworking, golf, and great times with his two grandsons. He also enjoyed relaxing on his boat, “The Flickan,” and being a member of the Barrington Yacht Club. An active member at St. Paul Lutheran Church in East Longmeadow, he had served as financial secretary and previously as treasurer for the Order of the Vasa. He leaves his wife, June; a son and a daughter; and two grandchildren.
1949 PAUL J. “FIJI” MCNALLY SR. of Clinton, MA, passed
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away on Aug. 3. His wife of 37 years, Barbara, predeceased him in 2008. He is survived by his three sons and two daughters; a sister; and his brother, John McNally ’48 of Colorado. He also leaves his former wife, Betty; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Mr. McNally excelled in athletics as a fullback for the Clinton Gaels varsity football team, at WA, and at the University of Alabama. He began working as a union bricklayer before accepting a position as a representative for the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts. Devoted to bettering the lives of union laborers, Mr. McNally served for 30 years with the Laborers International Union of North America as an international representative. Later he was elected business manager for the Massachusetts Laborers District Council, a position which he held for many years until his retirement in 2009. Proud to have served under five Massachusetts governors from William Weld to Deval Patrick, Mr. McNally was appointed as a trustee, first for the Mass. Maritime Academy, and later for Massport, where he served until 2012.
RICHARD BENJAMIN of Brookline, MA, passed away
THOMAS P. O’CONNOR of South Dennis, MA, died
on Aug. 7. He is survived by Joan, his wife of 60 years; a daughter, Susan; and son Lewis; and son Mark, Class of 1979; three grandchildren; and a large extended family. His brother Harold, Class of 1958, died on Nov. 27. (See Harold’s obituary on page 47.)
STERLING D. CROWE LTC (RET) U.S. Army, died July 11 in Pembroke, ME. He served in the U.S. Army with the 7th Armored Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, and the Maine Army National Guard until retiring as a lieutenant colonel. A 1952 graduate of the University of Maine, he also graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS; and attended other U.S. Army schools. LTC Crowe was a Past Master of Lafayette Lodge No. 48 AF & AM of Readfield, ME; a member of Winthrop Chapter No. 37 Royal Arch Masons; and a member of Trinity Commandery No. 1, Augusta. He is survived by a son; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a dear friend, Alma Jane Kistner. His wife, Marion, and three half-brothers predeceased him.
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on Nov. 7. He leaves his wife of 23 years, Mary Theresa Ford-O’Connor; two daughters and two sons; ten grandchildren; and a large extended family. He also leaves Mary Theresa’s children and grandchildren. His first wife, Anne Baggan O’Connor, predeceased him in 1990. He lived in Worcester for 64 years before relocating to Cape Cod, where he had vacationed throughout his life. While at WA, he was a member of the undefeated and unscored-upon 1948 football team. In 1953, Mr. O’Connor earned his B.S. in electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he played football and was a member of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. He later earned his M. Ed. at Worcester State College. During the Korean War he proudly served his country as a radio operator in the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division. Following his military service, he entered the workforce as an engineer and soon afterward began his career as an educator at the former Worcester Junior College. He taught mathematics and engineering and was the dean of the evening college, where he mentored many young students with solid advice and understanding. He was a member of the Planning Board and Conservation Commissions in Worcester and Dennis. A member of the American Legion and the Korean War Veterans, Mr. O’Connor
was instrumental in the installation of the Korean War Memorial at Kennedy Park in Hyannis. His best moments were spent cheering from the sidelines of his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events, quahogging, gardening, building dollhouses for his granddaughters, and taking frequent cruises.
CHARLES O. “BUD” SWANSON II, a resident of Westford, MA, since 1971, died on Sept. 21. He earned his B.S. in political science from Bowdoin College and his master’s in political science from Brown University. Mr. Swanson served in the U.S. Navy on a destroyer stationed near Jacksonville, FL. He was the president of Town Talk Bread, his family’s historic Worcester business for 10 years, then served as president at Colonial Gas in Lowell for 23 years. Mr. Swanson was a member and past president of the Lowell Rotary Club, a world traveler, an avid reader, and a scholar of World War II history. Mr. Swanson is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two daughters and a son; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
1950 JAMES “JIM” ASHWORTH of Holyoke, MA, passed away on Oct. 17. A graduate of Middlebury College, he earned his master’s from Cornell University. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army, where he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Mr. Ashworth worked as a construction consultant for the former Keystone Leasing Co. in West Hartford, retiring in 1998 after 19 years of service. He then went on to work part time for Hulmes Transport for many years. Mr. Ashworth enjoyed reading books, telling stories, watching Christian television, singing, playing bingo, and spending time with his family. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Ashworth was predeceased by his wife, Claire. He is survived by his four sons; two grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and his four great-grandchildren.
FRANKLYN J. SCOLA JR. of Worcester passed away on Aug. 19. He pursued his love of learning at the University of Rhode Island, at Portia Law School in Boston, Clark University, and Assumption College. He began his career by obtaining real estate and insurance brokers licenses. In 1958, he founded Absco Pest Control and served as its president for the next 30 years before retiring and passing the company on to his son, Frank, in 1985. Mr. Scola also
passings co-owned the Tatnuck Driving Range and Golf School with his son, Kerry. He is survived by Virginia, his wife of 64 years; three children; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; his brother; and a large extended family. Mr. Scola enjoyed spending his summers at his Rhode Island home and his winters at his condo in Pompano Beach, FL. An avid New England sports teams enthusiast, he also enjoyed playing golf, bowling, and softball.
1951 KENNETH W. DOUGLAS JR. of Pawtucket, RI, and Nantucket, MA, passed away on Nov. 3. Mr. Douglas was president of the New England Paper Tube Co. in Pawtucket for many years. In addition to his devoted friend, Stanley York, Mr. Douglas is survived by his two brothers and two sisters; and several nieces and nephews. He was a member of the University Club in Providence, RI.
ROBERT B. JOHNSON of Vero Beach, FL, and Middlebury, CT, passed away on Nov. 15. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, JoAnne; four children; and 11 grandchildren. Mr. Johnson’s life was filled with music, great books, family, laughter, and world travel. A 1955 graduate of Bowdoin College, Mr. Johnson was a longtime vice president and director of Gibbs Wire and Steel in Southington, CT. A lifelong aficionado of all things “media,” he was also a former owner of WWCO Radio in Waterbury, CT. He wrote and recorded songs late in life for a folk music album he collaborated on with his band, Bob Johnson and the Flatliners, called “Fast Train to Nowhere.” Mr. Johnson spent countless happy hours rooting on his beloved Hartford Whalers and Boston Red Sox, accompanied by various cheering grandchildren.
1952 PETER FRABOTTA JR. of Uxbridge, MA, passed away on Nov. 18. His wife of 52 years, Barbara, predeceased him in 2010. He is survived by four children and four grandchildren. Mr. Frabotta owned and operated Frabotta Fruit and Produce, a 90-year-old, three-generation family business. He was the first inductee into the Uxbridge Hall of Fame, honored for being an outstanding athlete in baseball and football during his years at Uxbridge High. Mr. Frabotta was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean
Conflict. He loved all sports and was a 25-year season passholder for the New England Patriots. He enjoyed dining out, cooking, and being with his family.
1953 DAVID A. GLICK, a lifelong resident of Worcester, passed away on Nov. 14. He operated the family businesses, which included Bancroft Motors, Bancroft Tire, and Bancroft Rent-a-Car, for more than 40 years. Mr. Glick served on the boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, and Mount Pleasant Country Club, where he was a longtime member and an avid golfer. Mr. Glick enjoyed all New England sports. An avid photographer and reader, he loved spending his winters in Key Biscayne, FL, and summers in Ogunquit, ME. He leaves Sylvia, his wife of 60 years; a son and a daughter; five grandchildren, including Sam ’03; and three great-grandchildren.
NATHAN M. GRACE of Holden, MA, formerly of Worcester, died on July 28. He leaves Barbara, his wife of 33 years; his daughter, Meredith Reichheld ’84; a son; a step son and three step daughters; eight grandchildren; his step mother; and a brother and two sisters. A graduate of Brown University and Boston University School of Law, he practiced law in Worcester for 35 years until his retirement in 1996. He also owned Sixth Avenue Construction Co. for 20 years. Mr. Grace enjoyed traveling and traveled extensively throughout the world. He was a 50-year member of the Level Lodge of Masons.
1955 NICHOLAS GARY PETRALIAS of Cherry Valley, MA, passed away on Aug. 15. He is survived by his wife, Bernadette; his son; his granddaughter; two sisters; and a large extended family. He attended Clark and Rutgers universities. Mr. Petralias owned and operated Holden Package Store and Gary’s Eating and Drinking Saloon in Westborough, MA. He had also worked as a salesman for the former Edward Buick dealership. After his retirement, he spent many years working at the Disney Store in Framingham. A dedicated member of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, he was a former parish council president, volunteered at events and festivals, and was a longtime member of the Order of AHEPA.
DR. PAUL F. WEIHRAUCH of Newton, MA, passed away on June 15, 2015. He was a graduate of MIT, where he earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in metallurgy. Dr. Weihrauch was the co-founder of Therapro. He is survived by his wife, Karen; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren. His brother, Robert, predeceased him in 2009. Worcester Academy is grateful to Paul’s classmate Tony Aaronson for letting us know about Paul’s passing.
1956 REV. RICHARD “DICK” STEVENS was a Lutheran minister in southeastern PA. He was the loving husband of Barbara; father of two; and grandfather of two granddaughters. Rev. Stevens was an avid sailor, who enjoyed sharing his knowledge with family and youth groups for decades. He passed away on Sept. 13, 2014.
1958 JAMES V. “JIM” ASH of New York City died on Aug. 18 at his country home in Bridgewater, CT. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Deborah; two sons; two granddaughters; his brother; and a nephew. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ash worked at Morgan Stanley for 28 years, retiring in 2005 as an executive director in the Private Wealth Management Group. He was a member of The University Club for 41 years, serving on the Committee on Admissions and on the House Committee. He also volunteered in the Comfort Zone at Weill-Cornell Medical Center, providing a listening ear to families of patients. Mr. Ash was a member of Worcester Academy’s 1834 Society, having remembered the Academy in his estate plans. HAROLD “HANK” BENJAMIN of Southboro and North Falmouth, MA, formerly of Worcester, passed away on Nov. 27. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Nancy; his son, Matthew ’88, of Toronto; his daughter, Melissa Roiter ’91, of Southboro; and his six grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Richard Benjamin ’48. (See Richard’s obituary on page 46.) Mr. Benjamin was a graduate of Babson College, and attended the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He was a principal of the Mendall Benjamin Corp., and president of Bancroft International Stamping Co. and Benick
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passings Brands, all of Worcester. He served on the boards of the Worcester Jewish Community Center and Temple Sinai. A passionate fly fisherman, he traveled around the world to fly fish, from Argentina to Iceland and New Zealand to Alaska. He also relished going out on his boat to catch bluefish and bass on Cape Cod. Mr. Benjamin was an avid golfer, tennis player, and a superb gardener. He enjoyed college sports and took great pleasure in coaching high school basketball in Key Biscayne, where he and his wife spent the winters.
ANTHONY M. “TONY” BLASSBERG of Colonie, NY, died on Sept. 29. Having earned both his B.S. and his Master’s in Communications at Boston University. He began his career at the Connecticut Educational Association. His career then took him from communications director at the Travelers Insurance Co., to founding his own production company, to real estate sales. Mr. Blassberg was active in local and state politics and was later employed as a research coordinator for the New York State Senate until his retirement. A former vice president of Temple Beth Tefilah in East Hartford, CT, he wrote various newspaper editorials and was the author of “Naches and Tsuris.” Mr. Blassberg is survived by his wife, Barbara; a son and a daughter; a brother, Steve Blassberg ’60 of Wethersfield, CT; as well as a grandson; and a large extended family. He was considered a wonderful host, who loved nothing more than a house full of friends, family, and fun. He took special pride in introducing others to all types of events and entertainment, from Broadway to UConn basketball.
1960 HENRY HARLOW AUWERTER of Denver, passed away on Oct. 19, 2013. His wife of 42 years, Cynthia, survives him. Mr. AuWerter had four siblings and two sons. He found life hard, but was buoyed by his love for his family, a deep sense of the absurd, and a natural sweetness. In high school, he captained the football team and also broke javelin and discus records. Mr. AuWerter attended Allegheny College and Case Western Reserve University. For three years, he served in the U.S. Marines as a radar technician, both in California and the Far East. WA is grateful to John McGowan ’60 for informing us of Henry’s passing.
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1962 PAUL THOMAS MULLOY III of Belmont, MA, passed away on Oct. 9. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sherry; his two sons; and his grandson; a brother and two sisters; and a large extended family. He grew up in Winchester, MA, where his Little League baseball team played in the Little League World Series for two consecutive years. A graduate of Bowdoin College, he served with the first group of Peace Corps volunteers in South Korea for two years, which led him to Harvard University, where he earned an M.A. in Korean Studies. Mr. Mulloy then began his long career in education—teaching, coaching, and working in curriculum development and teacher training. He returned to Winchester High School to coordinate the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance for the National Geographic Society, and he founded the Massachusetts Global Studies Center. In those positions, Mr. Mulloy shared his enthusiasm for geography, world travel, and history through the introduction of innovative curriculums in elementary and secondary education. With funding from the National Geographic Society, Danforth Foundation, and other foundations, he provided teacher training and travel opportunities for teachers, particularly those who worked in school systems with limited funds for professional development. Throughout his career and in retirement, he was an avid reader with a focus on history and geography, and he enjoyed worldwide travel from the Lewis & Clark Trail to the Panama Canal and Machu Picchu.
1970 JAMES K. NURSE of Longmeadow, MA, passed away on Nov. 17. He leaves his wife of 25 years, Michelle; a daughter, Meighan Ruschioni ’97; a brother and a sister; his granddaughter; and two nephews, Matthew Topa ’16 and James Topa ’18. A descendant of New England’s earliest settlers, he was born in New London, CT, and grew up on the family farm, raising his prize-winning livestock. A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Mr. Nurse studied computer electronics at Sylvania Technical Institute before embarking on a career in business that took him around the world, living in Austria, Switzerland, and Singapore. He served as the director of Asian Operations for Leybold, for many years. Always a craftsman, Mr. Nurse studied
stone masonry and started Longmeadow Stone and Restoration. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Mr. Nurse enjoyed boating, skiing, biking, hiking, spending time outdoors, traveling, cooking, and fine wine. His most cherished times were spent with his granddaughter and his family.
1971 JAMES D. BONOFILIO of Worcester died on July 22. He is survived by his wife, Rita; two daughters; his mother, Regina, of Worcester; and two sisters; as well as his “four-legged kids.” He attended the University of Massachusetts, Quinsigamond Community College, and St. Anselm College. Mr. Bonofilio worked for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as a civil engineer for 34 years, retiring in 2015. He was a member of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and UNICO. A longtime avid train and car enthusiast, he was a member of the Train Collectors Association. Family gatherings brought him great joy, allowing him to demonstrate his culinary prowess and spend time with his family and friends.
1989 ANTHONY “TONY” PULEO, a lifelong resident of Auburn, MA, passed away on Sept. 2. He leaves behind his parents; two sisters; his paternal grandmother; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his English bulldog, Charlie. He attended Franklin Pierce College and earned an associate’s degree from Quinsigamond Community College. Mr. Puleo filled a room with his big smile, sense of humor, and ability to use his photographic memory, which extended from sports statistics to historical events. He was an avid sports fan and collector of sports memorabilia, especially of Boston and New England teams. In addition to collecting sports cards, Mr. Puleo was a connoisseur of junk food and enjoyed esoteric brands of soda; he loved music ranging from heavy metal to blue grass; and he was known for wearing bold socks. For more than two decades, Mr. Puleo and his father worked together at their family business, Premium Auto Body Supply in East Hartford, CT, until they sold the business in 2013.
Spend your summer on the Hilltop. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend your summer vacation, we have a camp that’s right for you! Worcester Academy’s Summer Programs offer a wide range of opportunities that meet all types and levels of interests for a variety of ages. Our programs are drawn from WA’s rigorous academics, strong leadership, competitive athletics, and inspiring arts programs. We are focused on helping children become the best versions of themselves. For program details, fees, and to register, visit worcesteracademy.org/summer.
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