GFA engages students as partners in an innovative, inclusive, and globally minded community to prepare them for lives of purpose.
Design
Greens
Carrie Amicucci
Yoon S. Byun
Nash
Rhonda Spevak
Carrie Amicucci
Ana Holwell
Michelle
John
On June 9th, the ninety members of GFA’s Class of 2022 sat on the Front Lawn during a commencement ceremony that marked the moment they crossed the threshold from students to alums. They received their diplomas on the same front lawn where only days before, hundreds of alumni had gathered in the same spot to reconnect and remember their time together at GFA. This special place is about relationships with people and with ideas for all of us who are lucky enough to be a member of this broad community.
Among our hopes for the Class of 2022 is that they continue to be the remarkably curious people we had the privilege of teaching and learning from and that they continue to be themselves. As I shared with them back in June, “The very fact that we are celebrating your graduation today is a reflection that you can do hard things. GFA has always been a school with high academic expectations. You have done some remarkable things. And to actually be able to surface that thing that is you that is the arguably the most important, that is the real work that you have done here at GFA.”
Appropriately, stories of students, alums, and faculty members being the truest, most authentic versions of themselves fill the pages of this edition of GFA magazine.
In addition to celebrating the moving up of our fourth and eighth graders to new divisions, and of course, highlighting the Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies (pages 18–26) this magazine honors the incredible work of our Board of Trustees, particularly those members whose tenure is ending (page 5). Lynne Laukhuf P’ 95, has attended GFA Board meetings for twenty years in her roles as Trustee and administrator. In an interview earlier this year she beautifully said, “it is not necessarily understood that we are here today because of decisions the Board was making twenty or twenty-five years ago and their thoughtful, careful planning for the school. The present Board’s commitment to thinking about what is best for the school, what the future is going to be, will set the path forward.” Well said, Lynne. We all owe our Trustees, past and present, an enormous amount of gratitude.
Campus was abuzz this spring with events across all divisions including Peace Games, Dragon Dash, Grandparents Day, World Perspectives Symposium, Day of Silence, and our Giving Day Field Day competition. And, speaking of mastering hard things, this year’s senior class graduates having won more athletic competitions, championships, and tournaments than any in the school’s history. A spring athletics season to remember is highlighted on pages pages 32–37.
Our voices and talent were showcased all season – from the Lower School talent show (page 47) to the Middle School musical production of 46 to the Upper School play Little Women (page 46–47).
I am particularly proud of our ongoing commitment to our Strategic Direction – Lives of Purpose. The ongoing work led by our guiding principles is evidenced in some exciting new administrative hires (page 6) and the continued success of our May Term program (page 14). I encourage everyone to revisit livesofpurpose.com this fall for ongoing storytelling as we continue to live by our strategic direction.
All of us at GFA wish you a restorative summer as we look ahead to the 2022-2023 school year – our 98th as an institution. Enjoy stories from Beachside Avenue and beyond and, as always, please stay in touch and continue to check back in now and then (gfacademy.org).
“This place is about relationships with people and with ideas for all of us who are lucky enough to be a member of this broad community. ”
David Durkin, P ’18, ’22, ’23, President/Chair
Samantha Rorer Mooney, P ’18, ’20, Vice President/Vice Chair
Michael Blitzer, P ’24, ’27, Treasurer
Vani Bettegowda, P ’22, ’25, Secretary
Roger Ferris, P ’18, ’18, ’20, ’28
Ward Horton, P ’24, ’28
Gil Aikins, P ’33
Barbara Cona Amone, P ’23
Rebecca Bliss
Bill Bucknall, GP ’24, ’26
Sandy Ewing, P ’20, ’23, ’26
Meade Fogel, P ’27, ’28, ’28
Sandra Frost
Roopali Hall, P ’31, ’33
Kristen McDonald, P ’21, ’23, ’25
Nadene McKenzie-Reid, P ’25
Thomas Murphy, P ’19, ’21, ’22, ’26
Sean Obi ’13
Kim Keller Raveis ’88, P ’23, ’25, ’28
Kate Roth ’90, Ed.D., P ’20, ’23
Don San Jose, P ’22, ’25
Gregg Tenser, P ’23, ’25
Angela Timashev, P ’21, ’23
Emily Von Kohorn ’96
Ex-officio: Bob Whelan, P ’24
With immense gratitude for their exceptional service and support, we bid farewell to three outstanding trustees whose terms concluded in June.
Rich joined the Board of Trustees in 2016. He served with distinction on the Advance Plan, Athletics, and Advancement Committees. Rich was an indefatigable chair of the Advancement Committee overseeing the significant growth of the GFA Fund and the launch of the school’s inaugural Giving Day and never failing to rally the volunteers and donors at numerous school events. For the past two years, Rich co-chaired the Strategic Design initiative, which resulted in GFA’s compelling new Strategic Direction: Lives of Purpose.
“From securing gifts to inspiring volunteers, Rich has been an exemplary partner and trustee. All of us at GFA are the beneficiaries of his strong leadership and unwavering commitment to the school,” stated Board president, David Durkin. “Rich and his wife, Celia, are among our most loyal and generous benefactors. Their quiet and visionary philanthropy has touched every corner of the school.”
A former Assistant Head of School at GFA, Lynne joined the Board of Trustees in 2016. She co-chaired the Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Head of School Search Committee in 2018-2019. She also served on the Marketing, Educational Policy, and Coyle Scholar Com mittees. In honor of her enduring commitment to fostering “lives of purpose,” an award in her name is presented annually to students in grades 9, 10, and 11 “whose citizenship, concern for others, and contributions to extracurricular activities best exemplify the high standards of Greens Farms Academy.”
“Lynne has been a tremendous resource for the Board as well as for me personally,” noted Head of School, Bob Whelan. “Her broad and deep knowledge of education and of GFA has informed many of our Board discussions. She has demonstrated exceptional support for GFA – championing students, staff, and faculty, encouraging all who cross her path, and embodying our motto, ‘Each for All.’”
An accomplished and stalwart volunteer with the GFA Parents Association (PA), Theresa joined the Board of Trustees in 2019. After serving in various roles with the PA, she co-chaired the association in 2016-17. As a trustee, Theresa served on the Finance and Centennial Planning Com mittees which benefited greatly from her expertise, experience, and entrepreneurial mindset.
“In her usual gracious and generous manner, Theresa always brought a collaborative and thought ful approach to our Board and committee work,” said Board vice president, Samantha Mooney. “She was focused on ways we could continue to enhance the singular education GFA provides and to strengthen the connections among the school’s various constituencies.”
Longtime GFA faculty member Meghan Chew has been named GFA’s first-ever Director of Excellence in Teaching (DEIT), effective July 2022. Chew has been part of the GFA Middle School since 2015, managing a wide variety of responsibilities: fifth-grade math teacher, Service Learning Coordinator, Dean, and Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics.
The DEIT role is new to GFA — its responsibilities include supporting the professional growth of faculty in all three divisions regarding curriculum, instruction, and profes sional renewal.
“A guiding principle of our Strategic Direction is that a GFA education is guided by purpose,” said Bob Whelan, Head of School. “As such we commit to devoting the time, space, and resources to support the professional growth of our faculty and staff -- to give the best in class all of the tools they need to most effectively connect with our stu dents. This new role will encourage the collaboration, the ongoing reflection and dialogue, and the leadership of our teachers and its creation should make us all very proud.”
“I am hopeful this role will simply spotlight the existing excellence in our classrooms. My goal is to create open ac cess for faculty to share their learning with and from one another,” Chew explained.
She already has big ideas for next year, like Open Classroom weeks during which faculty and coaches would in vite peers into their teaching spaces to share different tal ents and tactics.
“While we hope that our classroom doors are always open to one another, we are excited to showcase some of the expertise in our divisions, departments, and athletic fields in a more profound way,” Chew explained. “The goal of this week is to make teaching more transparent and public by facilitating opportunities for faculty and coaches across disciplines and divisions to see how we play our game.”
The DEIT role lends itself to the way Chew naturally oper ates. The self-described “systems thinker” said she loves to find patterns and discover links between seemingly unrelat ed areas of education. By connecting those dots alongside others and forming stronger connections, Chew believes that the outcome will be transformational for GFA’s stu dents.
She shared, “I am excited to work with faculty in all di visions and think concretely about behaviors, beliefs, and being. With this type of work and a systematic approach, we can begin to recognize how interconnected we are in a school community.”
Chew said that the best part of this new role is the consistent collaboration with a community of talented educators and coaches. This community, she said, is what drew her to GFA in the first place, and what has kept her here for the last seven years.
“On this campus, we have some of the most passionate, dedi cated, and thoughtful educators,” she said. “Having that type of expertise at your disposal each day is honestly one of the most refreshing aspects.”
A 2005 graduate of Sacred Heart, Greenwich, Chew attended Middlebury College. While earning her Bachelor of Arts (ma joring in Economics, with a minor in the History of Art and Architecture), she found — through coaching middle school lacrosse — that she was drawn to a career in education.
After graduation she taught kindergarten, elementary math, and high school art history at Birch Wathen Lenox School in Manhattan. Not one to be complacent, Chew also took on a role in the admissions department and administered assess ments for incoming students. At the same time, she earned a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College— where she became an adjunct professor in the same program.
It makes sense that the person initiating the DEIT position is also consistently pursuing her own educational path: Chew also holds a certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Busi ness School and is in the process of completing an Instruction al Leadership degree.
The degrees and certificates, combined with vast coaching and classroom experience, have given Chew the tools she will access in her DEIT role.
“Like a great coach, a great mentor helps their players cultivate their talent and bring their best selves to the field each day,” she said. “My vision for this position is to help the teachers and leaders in our community uncover their strengths and skills, and create space to harness new ways of working and being that are joyful and rewarding.”
“I am excited to work with faculty in all divisions and think concretely about behaviors, beliefs, and being. With this type of work and a systematic approach, we can begin to recognize how interconnected we are in a school community.”
GFA is pleased to welcome its next Associate Head of School – an educator who has been in our fold for years. This July, Sue Teyan, moved into the position and will work directly with Bob Whelan, our administrative team, faculty, staff, students, and parents in her new capacity.
Since joining GFA in 2014, Sue has taught Biology and served as a grade dean, Student Council advisor, Assistant Director of Enrollment, and most recently, as Assistant Head of Upper School. Ms. Teyan is a trusted colleague and men tor who has guided our Upper School students for the past eight years with her devotion and characteristic humor. “Those who have worked closely with Sue know that she is not only an inspired colleague and energetic collaborator, but also unwaveringly committed to helping students nav igate the complexities of life at school,” said Bob Whelan upon her announcement.
When asked what most excites our new leader about this role, Teyan said, “GFA has come out of the challenges of the last couple of years, firing on all cylinders. I look forward to continuing to push that high level of excellence and achieve ment as we approach our centennial. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve the school in this new capacity.”
The Associate Head of School serves an essential function in collaborating with school leadership across every division.
Always a student, Teyan spent the last several months of the school year meeting with faculty and observing classes in the Middle and Lower Schools in an effort to better understand the pulse of the two divisions.
So why does GFA have Ms. Teyan’s heart? “It’s the people. My colleagues truly care about students, and they model excellence while also constantly looking for ways to improve. The students are not only hard workers and intellectually curious; they care about nurturing the community,” she explained.
Teyan earned her B.S. in Biology from Binghamton Universi ty and M.A. in Secondary Science Education from Columbia University. She is succeeding the amazing Dr. Victor Llanque who recently moved west to be closer to family and to begin his tenure as Assistant Head of School at Seven Hills School in Walnut Creek, CA.
“GFA has come out of the challenges of the last couple of years, firing on all cylinders. I look forward to continuing to push that high level of excellence and achievement as we approach our centennial. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve the school in this new capacity.”
The Parents Association was able to host the annual Dragon Dash back on campus this year. The event invites people to take in the breathtaking local scenery while running or walking the 5K loop. Funds raised go to Komera, a nonprofit organization in Rwanda that “develops self-confident young women through education, community development, and health.”
“The Day of Silence is the one day where silence speaks volumes. Taking a vow of silence or pledging to be an ally to show kinship with our queer population is huge, especially in today’s world and even more so this year. For my community, it means so much to know that straight people are willing to walk in our shoes and speak out against LGBTQ+ prejudice. It is a constant reminder that actions speak louder than words. To claim to be an ally but not show it through actions is just empty words. The Day of Silence reminds us of that.”
Betsy Bergeron, Upper School Performing Arts
“The Day of Silence is so important because it provides a space for our LGBTQ+ friends and allies to come together and show their support. It is a reminder that you’re nev er alone and there are people at GFA, and around the globe, who love you for who you are.
There’s just something about the reflection that comes with being silent for a day to sup port those who have been silent their entire lives that makes me so grateful that GFA has made a conscious effort to create spaces so students can find their own voices.”
After two years, this past spring brought about the return of Grandparents and Special Visitors Day at GFA. It was a lovely day on campus during which Lower School students got to welcome their visitors with musical performances in the PAC followed by classroom visits and tours of the school. Grandparents and Special Visitors Day is an exciting time for the GFA community. Students and teachers had the opportunity to share what they have learned and created throughout the year. Welcoming back this cherished tradition was one of the highlights of this past school year and we look forward to having Grandparents and Special Visitors Day again on campus this coming year.
This annual field day is still going strong, as students in grades K–4 form teams to research countries and cultures, then represent those countries in a friendly, fun day of games.
After a two-year hiatus, May Term returned to the Upper School during the last two-weeks of school. These sevenday courses enrich the student experience beyond the core GFA curriculum and offer opportunities to dig into a topic in ways that are impossible during the regular school schedule. Students connect with classmates and teachers in a different way, explore new interests, and focus on their learning.
To see a list and description of this year’s courses, visit us at www.gfacademy.org/mayterm
Dr. Richard Falkenrath P ’22, Chief Administrative Officer for Bridgewater, kicked off the revamped GFA Symposium as the keynote speaker at the 11th annual event. Formerly known as the World Perspectives Symposium, this year’s event featured student presentations from a year’s worth of research on subjects in STEAM, sustainability, global studies, English, arts, athletics, and sciences. New this year was a symposium fair, featuring live demonstrations from presenters — virtual reality activities, video game programming, robotics, poetry readings, and many other creative endeavors. To learn more about the projects presented that day, visit www.gfacademy.org/GFAsymposium.
Now in its second year, Giving Day brought the community together — in-person and off-campus — to honor GFA’s 97year legacy by enabling the school to envision an inspired future for its students. With your support, we surpassed our goal, raising more than $785,000 from more than 950 donors.
“Today you showed your faith in our mission, as well as the people, programs, and facilities that allow us to fulfill it. The GFA Fund sustains and enhances what makes GFA life-changing: a diverse and thriving student body, passionate and caring educators, and exceptional opportunities.”
Bob Whelan, Head of School
Even the threat of thunderstorms could not keep away the joy, and eventually the sun, from shining on GFA’s ninety graduates of the Class of 2022 on Thursday, June 9th. They joined the ranks of alums on the beautiful Front Lawn surrounded by family, faculty, friends, and underclassmen in a return to the traditional GFA commencement after several interrupted years.
This year’s commencement speaker was Darryl “DMC” McDaniels who changed music and made history when he broke down cultural barriers with his legendary band Run-DMC. The first rap group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and the first to appear on MTV, Grammy-nominated Run-DMC changed music, culture, fashion, and made American history. The group sold over 30 million albums, set countless records, and blazed a trail that hip hop still follows today.
McDaniels is a philanthropist, a mental health advocate, the founder of a comic book company, and the author of a children’s book Darryl’s Dream. The book has already been enjoyed by GFA students and tells the resonant story of a bright, young kid who is on the road finding out who he really is - daring to be different, daring to be himself. He had teachers and family who made a profound difference in his life and took the time to listen, know, and love him.
As Head of School Bob Whelan said in his introduction of McDaniels, “DMC stands for devastating mic control. You cannot touch him with a ten-foot pole. A pioneer, an original, a man I deeply admire – he’s the king of rock, can’t get none higher. But we get to call him our honored guest and the commencement speaker for the Class of 2022.”
“I am not better than you I am not greater than you, I am not smarter than you and I am not even more talented than you,” McDaniels opened his address to the class. “What I represent today are the possibilities that exist in the world for all of you and also the potential in all of you.”
The world-class rapper could not resist throwing down some inspiring rhymes: “this graduation is confirmation for the preparation and elevation of your situation that is now in manifestation.”
Echoing a theme from Darryl’s Dream and GFA’s mission, McDaniels reminded the graduates that “along the way, there are people who were put here on this earth to help you get where you were supposed to go. All of your dreams have come true and they are waiting for you.”
“When you get to the end of the biggest chap ter, ‘connection’ is what it’s all about; that energy between people when we feel seen, heard, and valued. You know that. Those teachers who took the time to get to know you. It serves as a protective factor when the going gets tough, and it will, but you’ve got people to reach out to back here on your home planet, where your journey began in so many respects. That commitment to making a positive difference in the world - you have done that here, go out and do it out there. We love you.”
Bob Whelan Head of School
“Our class relies on questions to search for meaning and purpose behind the way we live and to question how we see our world. I believe this is why the power of curiosity is so strong. The questions we ask each other reveal not only our own skepticism about the conditions of our lives but also a shared skepticism of accepting what is given to us at face value. We love to question because we love to explore.”
Allie Farber ’22 Salutatorian
“Living with purpose isn’t about following one trajectory or being one thing in life. It is about all of the wonderful ways we affect the world around us along the way. GFA has always taught us to ask the right questions not assert that we have the right answers. To see the ways that our stories are interconnected and the ways that we can use our own stories to influence others. All of these little aspects of our time here at GFA that we might not have even noticed have allowed us … to explore the different facets of our own purpose and cultivate the different types of genius that exist inside each and every one of us.”
Shealeigh Crombie ’22 Valedictorian
“When I think about your class, I think about opportunity. Not just the opportunities that lie before you during this special moment in your lives but your collective capacity as a group of young people to find opportunities with every challenge presented to you. I think this web of support and willingness to overcome challenges was a theme that defined the overall tone of your senior year. Of course, it pulled and stretched at some of the more stressful times of the year, but it never broke. You all set a multitude of examples for the rest of the school to follow in your footsteps.“
Ward Abel Baccalaureate Speaker
Boston College (2) Boston University (2) Brown University (5) Bucknell University (3) University of California-Irvine California Institute of the Arts California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University University of Chicago (3)
Claremont McKenna College
Colby College
Colgate University Colorado College (2) University of Connecticut (2)
Dartmouth College
Duke University Eckerd College Elon University (2)
Emory University Fairfield University
Georgetown University (3) University of Georgia Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Harvard University Lafayette College (2) Macalester College University of MassachusettsAmherst Merrimack College University of Miami (3) University of MichiganAnn Arbor
Middlebury College (2) New York University (2) University of North CarolinaChapel Hill
Northeastern University (2) University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania (3) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Rhode Island University of Richmond (2)
Santa Clara University
Scripps College
Smith College
University of Southern California University of St. Andrews Syracuse University
Temple University University of Texas at Austin Tulane University Union College
Villanova University (4) University of Virginia (4) Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis (3) Wheaton College, MA
Williams College (2)
Yale University
“A teacher’s greatest hope is that they’ve prepared their students well enough to take on the next big challenge without them. That by the end of the year they won’t be needed in quite the same way.”
Jane Verlin Head of Lower School
“When going through the ways of life we all face ups and downs. But it’s the people you go through the storms with that make it memorable. I’m so grateful that the people I’ve weathered the storm with are my community at GFA.”
you to all the eighth graders who have given me a community where I can be myself and make multiple friendships that I will cherish throughout the years.”
we have
to our own voice and follow what’s in our own hearts knowing that those who truly care about us will always accept
That’s what being part of an inclusive community like
has taught us.”
This past year was one of the most successful sports seasons in the history of Greens Farms Academy athletics. The Dragons 2022 spring sports teams brought home plenty of hardware by the time the final buzzer had sounded on the school year.
Four FAA regular season champions, three league tournament titles, a New England championship, and a national runner-up finish were the highlights of this bright and sunny spring season.
The boys and girls lacrosse programs both won their first FAA tournament championships, while the GFA baseball team won its first regular season crown, serving as co-champions with Brunswick.
Here’s a rundown of the spring sports season at GFA:
After winning the 2021 regular season title with a season-ending win over King, the Dragons repeated as co-champs with the Vikings to end the 2022 season. In the playoffs, the Dragons avenged a regular season loss to King to win the league tournament championship by 11-5. The team finished the season with an impressive 11-2 record.
The Dragons shared the FAA regular season co-championship with Greenwich Country Day School. But, it was a post-season tournament win that will go down in Dragon history. Despite trailing a number of times, including by two in the closing minutes, GFA eked out a thrilling 16-15 win over Rye Country Day to claim the school’s first ever tournament championship. All in all, the Dragons lost just one game this season.
The Dragons brought home plenty of hardware from the tennis courts, but it was the second straight New England Class C championship GFA won on its home court that proved to be the icing on the cake. The Dragons also won the FAA regular season championship and clinched the tournament title as Emi Callahan (in a two-set win over teammate Lulu Wu) and Lane Durkin won FAA singles titles.
GFA senior Juju Wu won the FAA singles championship, as the Dragons fell just short of winning league crowns in both regular season and tournament play. The team finished second in the prestigious Newark (NJ) Invitational and advanced to the New England Class B semifinals.
The GFA sailing squad had another strong season, achieving national ranking, and capping off the spring with a secondplace showing at the National Invitational Tournament.
The Dragons established a handful of school records, while two runners earned postseason All-FAA honors for their finishes at the league championship meet.
The Dragons (5-3 on the regular season) were fifth at the Connecticut championship tournament.
The GFA boys golf team posted one of its best regular season finishes, winning four straight regular season matches to cap off a 6-4 mark on the season. GFA also finished seventh out of 16 teams at the Western New England tournament.
The Dragons posted their best record in the history of the program, notching six wins this season and having two golfers earn postseason honors.
In 2019 (prior to the pandemic), GFA baseball won just two games. This season, the Dragons went 10-6 overall and shared a regular season co-championship with Brunswick. In the playoffs, the team advanced to the championship, but fell to Hamden Hall.
The Dragons had their first winning season in almost 20 years by finishing 8-7 overall and advanced to both the FAA and Western New England Class C semifinals. A 7-6 win over Cheshire Academy in the first round of the Western New England tournament gave the Dragons their first-ever win in that tournament.
The Greens Farms Academy wrestling squad once again made the biggest splash of the winter season on campus, winning its second straight league title, another Western New England title, and falling just short of the overall New England championship.
A national championship by GFA’s boys squash team will also go down in Dragon sports history as a memorable moment. Here’s a look back at the winter season:
GFA won its second straight FAA championship. A dominant 51-27 win over traditional league power house Brunswick capped the championship for the Dragons. One week later, seven GFA wrestlers won their weight classes as the team won the Western New England championship at our home gym. In the overall New England championship, the Dragons won the small school title while finishing second overall.
The Dragons won the U.S. Squash National High School Division III Tournament championship by winning all four of its matches to take the title. A 5-2 win over Princeton Day School allowed the Dragons to bring the title home to Westport.
The Dragons placed third in the New England Class D ranks with Sahana Bettegowda taking a New England championship out of the number four slot.
basketball lost their head coach midway through the season, so veteran assistant Mike Harris took over. The Dragons rallied during the season, finishing 13-13 overall and advancing to the FAA semifinals and earning a spot in the New England Class C Tournament.
GIRLS BASKETBALL The Dragons were extremely young this season, but showed the athleticism and talent to post a 16-8 mark and advance to the FAA tournament semifinals.
Eight more Greens Farms Academy student-athletes were honored last season in recognition of their successful quests to play sports at the next level.
The event honored GFA students that were recruited by college athletic programs and who have been accepted by their schools of choice. Eight other Dragon studentathletes were previously feted in the fall after receiving pre-admission commitments from Division I and Division II colleges and universities, giving the school a total of 16 athletes from the Class of 2022 who will compete at the next level.
Friends and family members were on-hand to celebrate. The latest group of athletes who were honored included the following: tennis player Albert Bostoen (Grinnell College); sailor Griffin Gigliotti (Boston College); baseball player Tristan Jones (Macalester College); wrestler Peter Kane (Williams College); baseball player Andrew Keaveney (Union College); wrestler Caleb Seyfried (Williams College); and, tennis players Lulu and Juju Wu, both of whom will attend Middlebury College.
Love is a tennis term that literally means “nothing” when it comes to scoring.
But the Greens Farms Academy tennis programs loved playing together and not only did it show, but it meant everything to those who swung a racquet or coached them.
From the GFA boys squad being ranked nationally during longtime Coach Paul Groves’ final season, to the GFA girls team dominating the action from first serve to final points, the Dragons dominated the courts this season.
After posting a 14-0 regular season mark (in which the Dragons lost just 7 games), to stake its claim as the FAA regular season champs, the GFA girls squad dominated the postseason, winning the FAA team tournament championship, two league singles titles, and the NEPSAC Class C crown.
“It’s the best team I’ve ever had,” said GFA girls tennis coach Mo Rutledge, who has been at the helm of the program for more than 15 years. “That’s because the top four are just so strong, so solid, there’s no question going into any match what the outcome is going to be.”
The top four have been a dominant force all season long, but the depth of the program is equally as impressive.
In the singles ladder, the top two players leading the way—Lulu Wu and Emi Callahan—are a pair of seniors who will take their considerable talents to the college ranks next year. The two met in the FAA singles championship match with Callahan taking the title.
Junior Lane Durkin, who was playing No. 1 for GFA as an eighth grader, and Junior Charlotte Calderwood, a talented player capable of taking the lead spot on any given day, round out the regular singles players. Durkin won the FAA 3/4 bracket singles title.
“We all know that we’re all super good players and we
“We all know that we’re all super good players and just try to push each other to be the best players we can be,” said Wu, who will be playing at Middlebury College next spring. “I think that’s really been helping us.”
Callahan’s arrival has given the Dragons program not just another great player (Callahan will be continuing her tennis career at Villanova University), but also an intangible that Rutledge didn’t even know the team was missing.
“It’s a little polish, a little spark, that we didn’t even know we needed,” Rutledge said. “It has made all the difference. Everybody’s happy with each other.”
The strength of the GFA singles group—which also has included sophomore Riley Meyer stepping up to fill in, as needed—has taken a lot of pressure off the Dragons talented doubles squads.
“I think we have four of the most talented players in the league playing singles for us right now,” senior cocaptain Lane Murphy said. “That’s a huge advantage when you play just seven matches total. I love this group of girls and it’s so much fun. We don’t always have to be stressed out about winning a match. We can play and have fun.”
In addition to Murphy, who was undefeated in doubles play this season, Dragons stepping up in doubles roles include senior co-captain Anya Bettegowda, sophomore
Devin McCormack, freshman Viola Cullen, junior Eleanor Jannotta, and freshman Sofia Frost. Jasmine Rinzler, a junior, adds depth and can fill in at either singles or doubles spots, too.
“There is a lot of pride and confidence on this team,” Rutledge said.
The boys carried a lot of pride on their side of the court, as well, ranking as high as fifth in the national prep school rankings while finishing 11-3 overall, just missing out on an FAA tournament championship and advancing to the New England Class B semifinals.
“I mean it’s right there as one of the best teams I’ve ever had,” Groves said. “When we have everybody, we are really deep. This team just has great depth.”
The Dragons had Juju Wu playing out of the No. 1 spot, who won the FAA singles championship. The Dragons also had Coleman Merce, Mat Timashev, and Jamie Davis all advance to FAA semifinal play.
Albert Bostoen and Sam Lublinsky advanced to the league title match in doubles, but fell in the final as the Dragons got edged out of the team title by just points to Hopkins.
“This was Coach Groves’ last season, so we wanted it to be special,” said Juju Wu, who, along with his sister, will take his talent to Middlebury in the fall.
We had a plethora of performing arts events this spring, showcasing a wealth of talent! The Upper School debuted the play Little Women , while the Middle School featured two showcases: its firstever play, The Absolutely True Story of Robin Hood, AKA Rob Hat Guy, and a first-ever MS Musical Revue in May. The Lower School revived a Talent Show tradition, showing off skills from singing and dancing to musicianship and magic.
One of the many highlights from this year’s cross-divisional Earth Day mashup was a collaborative poetry session between Kevin Coll’s US Nature Writing class and the third graders. The groups of two or three collaborated on poetry based on three prompts: The White Pine in Spring, Blossoming Cherry Tree, and Spring Sonnet. Below are a few of the many creative contributions from the authors — to read more visit us at www.gfacademy.org/blog
By Ana (grade 3), Harper (grade 3), and Camille (grade 11)
Tall and piny, with a nest at the top, the white pine sees the daffodils as mustard-yellow ants scurrying across grass and the flowering cherry trees as white kittens playing in the wind. In winter, his feet were cold in the snow, and he felt unique and alone. Now, he looks out and says, “What a wonderful world!”
The green grass speckled with the yellow flowers. The wind blowing through the trees.
The bark feels like stone towers.
The fragrance of the flowers loved by bees.
Oh spring, I love the yellow jewels coating your trees, and how your sun glistens against my skin.
Spring, would you like to sit in the breeze?
“Of course. When would you like to begin?”
Your butterflies flapping their wings.
The pine trees standing still and beautiful.
The lavender flowers are beautiful things!
The breeze makes my hair full.
Oh spring, how can your heat be so lively and bright?
“I shine with the warmth of your own inner light.”
Friendly, complex, welcoming, with crazy branches reaching out to me, the cherry tree looks like a mini-jungle, a maze, surrounded by more cherry trees and familiar jungles. One big white void. Through the branches, leaves growing into flowers. Through the branches, no noise. Only peace.
As Earth Day 2022 approached, event organizers Sofi Kurtz and Heather Heenehan were excited as they considered how much bigger this event would be than in years before. For the first time in the school’s Earth Day history, not only would every division be participating, but they would be collaborating amongst each other at the same time. The day also provided an opportunity for the students to take the lead — to encourage and foster an appreciation of the environment they enjoy each day, from the beach and marsh, to the Audubon, garden, and even the playground.
“It's beneficial for all involved because I think that the Upper Schoolers get just as excited as the Lower Schoolers about doing more work together,” said Kurtz. “We are a PreK through 12th grade school
— that's something that not a lot of places have. That provides opportunities for our youngest learners and our oldest learners to learn from each other.”
Additionally, she explained, the more opportunities that all GFA students have to explore their own campus, the stronger connections they make to their local environment, building a greater appreciation, and a desire to protect these delicate places. She pointed to sophomore Jamie Paterson’s marsh lesson with the third graders, which he devised by himself.
“Not only is he then more connected to the marsh by teaching about it, but our third graders are learning from him. They listen to him more than they listen to me!” she joked.
The day included other activities like:
• A PreK exploration of dolphins taught by senior Hannah Shairer
• A kindergarten compost project, led by Upper School Inquiry students
• A beach scavenger hunt for second graders, led by sophomore Ella Reiling
• A first grade/Upper School Environmental Science garden project
• Poems constructed by Upper School Nature Writing classes in collaboration with third-grade writers
• Fourth-grade analysis of honeybee DNA, led by senior Katie Gabrielle
Kurtz said it was fun to see students make connections in unique ways. For example, each school year, fourth graders are paired with kindergarten buddies, who work together throughout the year on different activities. On Earth Day, the fifth graders (last year’s fourth graders) were matched up with first graders —their kindergarten buddies from the previous year.
“They all knew each other from being buddies the year before, so it was really fun to see them interact,” said Kurtz.
She said that the day also incorporated a sense of play — like the relay race led by Middle School students for the second graders. The inclusion of “play” as a part of the day’s activities was intentional — it’s something that each division felt was greatly affected by the pandemic.
“The pandemic didn’t provide a lot of chances to interact and play,” Kurtz said. “And just seeing the fifth graders kind of
be little kids again, and play with the first graders — they went on the playground afterwards — that's something that they missed last year.”
For the older students, the day provided leadership opportunities they might otherwise not experience. This allowed for a deeper engagement with the materials.
“[The older students] really loved being with the younger ones. I think they can kind of see themselves more in the younger kids — they're just coming out of it themselves,” Kurtz pointed out.
What was once a couple hours once a year to honor Earth Day has transformed into a daylong, community-wide, student-led event. Kurtz and Heenehan hope this will be the tradition going forward. They also hope to identify partnership opportunities that will last longer than just the day, but will take place with increasing frequency throughout the year.
“It just adds to a sense of community. The more you know who's learning and working here, the more cohesive a community becomes,” Kurtz affirmed.
It just adds to a sense of community. The more you know who's learning and working here, the more cohesive a community becomes.
Sofi Kurtz
Lower School Science; Lower School Service Learning
“ “
To allow students to learn and discover research and reporting methods.
To equip students with a better understanding of the factors that can affect these natural resources.
For the past four years, Dr. Heather Heenehan (AKA “Dr. H”) has been guiding student-led research in her Marine Science classes. Using the Long Island Sound —specifically Burying Hill Beach and occasionally Frost Point Beach — as their testing ground, each semester brings significant learning opportunities for the students. This year, the courses saw an expansion not only in the areas of focus, but the manner in which the students report their findings out to the greater community.
The goal of the Marine Science classes is three-fold: to allow students to learn and discover research and reporting methods; to equip them with a better understanding of the factors that can affect these natural resources; and — perhaps most importantly — to spark a greater appreciation of the ecosystems that they encounter every day.
“Students are used to seeing the beach as somewhere to hang out and have lunch, or go for a walk, but now they’re looking at the beach differently,” said Heenehan. “It’s kind of like putting different goggles on when they come to the beach — a place they’ve probably been coming to since they’ve been at GFA.”
In the fall, the Marine Science: Local class was initially divided into the five research topics: Asian shore crabs, shore birds, biodiversity, marine debris, and water quality. These topics had been studied in prior years, so there were processes and data to work from. Yet, a few students took it upon themselves to investigate two new topics this year: phytoplankton and microplastics. While the students spend the semester — or full year, if they move on to Marine Science: Global — studying their specific topics, they each have a chance to join the other groups to learn a little more about the topics, and different approaches to research and documentation.
To spark a greater appreciation of the ecosystems that students encounter every day.
The applications to this type of class are varied, and the students look forward to analyzing their own results, but they are equally excited about finding more efficient and effective ways to approach their data collection. Soren Morrison’s biodiversity group spent the year documenting Long Island Sound coastal life — from crabs, to fish, to seaweed. Part of their goal was to create a database of every organism they were able to identify.
“As seasons change you’re not going to find the same species. We set the next year’s class up to have fish graphs and crab graphs to compare to,” explained Morrison. “We want them to use our data to more easily find out what species they’re looking at, but we also want them to record their own data. It wouldn’t be helpful for them if they just used our data.”
While most of the groups had the advantage of building off the previous years of established protocols, the microplastics and phytoplankton groups had no previous data to build on, and no former protocols to implement. They had to start from scratch. Senior Andrew Keaveney initially approached Heenehan with the idea for the microplastics research project without even knowing whether he would find any — or more importantly, how he would find them.
“The first semester was almost like building my own curriculum where I would be able to follow my own process through a series of guidelines,” he said.
The new topics got off to a slower start than the established groups, but the trials and errors of research — be it an entirely
“Looking at the seasonal trends has been the most interesting part of the year. We’d love to improve the studies for future years so students who take the same survey can look at data trends for the next two, five, or even 10 years.”
Caroline Smith ’22
new topic or an established area of research — are what adds depth to the Marine Science courses. For example, the microplastics research required the sand samples to be dried out. This was unavoidable time during which no other work could proceed, and as a result, Keaveney spent more than two class periods each week doing analysis that other groups could achieve in one. He shared his conundrum with his peers, and those collaborative conversations resulted in a new solution: why not just dry it out in the chemistry ovens? This allowed Keaveney — who was joined in the second semester by senior Peter Kane — to cut his processing time in half, and that will allow next year’s group to get an earlier start on their own data collection. Yet Keaveney and Kane admit there are still opportunities to improve on their methods.
“I really want future grades to take my curriculum and — not follow it as precisely as I created it — obviously it’s still new — but to manipulate it and change it to make it an even better process,” said Keaveney.
This kind of long-term data collection also allows the school community to better understand and subsequently value the ecosystems by which they are surrounded.
“Long-term data is not easy to collect, and it’s really important. So for however long I’m teaching marine science we are going to collect this data,” Heenehan stated.
The students hope their findings will resonate beyond the school community. The microplastics team did in fact find microplastics embedded almost imperceptibly in the
Callari ’22 and Lilly Sutter ’22)
“I’ve started noticing when birds would come in and out during each season based on the temperature and tides. I also learned so many new bird species. … The construction [rebuilding a pier at Burying Hill Beach] has devastated us. The noise pollution has really affected how many birds we see, which is not normal.”
sands of Burying Hill Beach. Scientists have recently discovered microplastics in humans’ bloodstream, so the implications of that local discovery indicate that microplastics are not just “someone else’s problem.” Keaveney and Kane hope that their discovery can be the start of a call to action.
“I’d like for the work we’ve done to be 1) an eye-opener for the community to understand that some things that can harm you, you can’t always see coming; and 2) maybe be used to help enact future government policies,” Keaveney said.
Throughout the year, Dr. H’s students also brought Middle and Lower School groups out to the beach in hopes of sparking an appreciation for the local ecosystem, and an interest in continuing this important work well into the future.
At the end of the year, the months of research manifested in video reports and mini documentaries of their different processes and findings. The video component is new this year: an idea inspired by senior — and accomplished filmmaker — Santiago Mejia, a member of the biodiversity team. They hope that the videos will reach an even wider audience this year. To get a glimpse inside the semester, visit www.gfacademy.org/marinescience.
This spring, the Coyle Gym was packed with innovation and inspiration. The MS Science and STEAM Expo featured more than 100 original ideas from every student in fifth through eighth grades, with parents, faculty, staff, and other students free to walk around and explore each exhibit.
Middle Schoolers hosted a similar event in the past, but never had it reached this scope or size before. In previous years, fifth-graders demonstrated their solar car designs, while sixth graders presented results from their “individual explorations.” Separately, seventh and eighth graders would present their Science & Engineering research along with independent study results.
“This year we wanted to expand the expo to include the entire GFA community: parents, students, and faculty — we made it a part of the school day from the cafeteria to the gym,” said Modupe Oshin, GFA Director of STEAM and Middle School science teacher.
Oshin explained that the goal was to showcase the interdisciplinary work that occurs across the STEAM disciplines: science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Each grade had a different prompt:
• Fifth grade: Wearable Technology
• Sixth grade: Earth Science Innovations
• Seventh grade: Human Body STEAM Projects
• Eighth grade: Chemistry and Physics Projects
Other Middle School groups joined the initiative as well. Using CAD software and 3D printers, Mandarin students presented efficient solutions to over-crowded housing conditions in Beijing, China — their presentations were delivered in Mandarin. In addition, the first-ever Middle School Robotics Team hosted a video station, where they were able to highlight their fall accomplishments.
“This was a chance to communicate scientific and engineering feats with the greater community, and an opportunity to do inquiry-driven work,” said Oshin. “The Expo aligns with our STEAM mission: it focuses on authentic innovation, is powered by emerging technologies, and is rooted in rigorous STEAM competencies. We value joy-filled collaboration and innovative problem-solving.”
This year three recent alumni, Chris Glynn ’17, LisaMarie Johnson ’15, and Ashley Rintoul ’15 returned to campus to speak with the Senior Class about their college and work experiences.
Alumni from the Class of ’78 to ’21 tested their knowledge with trivia masters Jon Matte and Jason Hannum.
Reunion 2022 was a huge success with hundreds of alumni and their guests returning to campus after a long hiatus. Alumni mingled on the Front Lawn and honored, David Haskell ’97, this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient, and toasted Paul Groves, Kathleen Raby, and Stephen Stout on their well-earned retirements.
In advance of GFA’s upcoming Centennial in 2025, we are taking a look back. Please email Ana Holwell, Director of Alumni Relations, at aholwell@gfacademy.org if you recognize anyone in these archive photos.
Michele Orris-Modugno ’76 will be taking over for Michelle Cole Bickford ’01 as Alumni Council President. Michele is a lifelong Fairfield county resident with strong ties to the community. She has brought an energy and enthusiasm for the history of GFA to the role and has been regularly going through the school’s archives. Along with Michele, Matt Hintsa ’06 and Gioia Riccio ’84 will be serving as Co-Vice Presidents to round out the Alumni Council leadership. Matt Hintsa worked in the Advancement Office at GFA for three
years before leaving GFA for a role in Digital Engagement at Harvard University. Matt recently moved to Canada and is currently a Senior Communications and External Relations Officer at the University of Toronto. Gioia Riccio is not only an alumna and GFA Lifer, but is also the parent of Francesca Sullivan ’24. She is a long-time Alumni Council member, a Westport resident, and a radiologist and partner at Hammers and Riccio Imaging in New Haven.
Friday, May 19 - Saturday, May 20
Friday, May 19, 6:00-8:00 pm - Drinks at The Horseshoe
Saturday, May 20, 3:30-4:00 pm - Tours of GFA
Saturday, May 20, 4:00-6:30 pm - Reception on the Front Lawn
Contact Director of Alumni Relations, Ana Holwell at aholwell@gfacademy.org with any questions or if you are interested in volunteering.
Not long after graduating from GFA, siblings Matt Flynn ’09 and Katie Flynn ’05 suffered an unimaginable loss: their mother, Susan D. Flynn, died of ovarian cancer in 2013. It was a devastating blow to the family. Yet from that time of darkness shone a light that has helped brighten the path for the future of oncology and palliative care.
A year later, the Flynn family created the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Development Program to “attract, inspire, and develop the next generation of oncology nurses,” according to the program’s mission statement. Nursing students entering their final year are eligible to apply for a summer fellowship at one of the foundation’s partner hospitals. The fellowship provides aspiring oncology nurses with a comprehensive clinical immersion training that nursing school rotations do not offer; they receive real-life training in oncology care before they even begin their careers.
The program, according to Matt Flynn, was the perfect way to honor his mother. “My mom was not a nurse, but in my opinion, she had a lot of characteristics that a nurse has: she was very loving, compassionate and extremely caring,” he said. “This was a great way to honor her, but also do a lot of good for future cancer patients by addressing the need for more and better skilled oncology nurses.”
In its first year, the program funded 13 “Flynn Fellows” at five hospitals. As of 2021, the program supported more than 30 fellowships at 13 hospitals and has already produced 150 oncology nurses! Since its beginnings in 2014, the Flynn Fellowship Program has created handson training opportunities for 232 fellows — selected from more than 2,700 applicants nationally.
“There’s a lot of demand from students for something like this because it’s not necessarily exposure that they can get in their nursing programs,” said Matt. “In a four-
year nursing program, you get some clinical exposure, but oncology, being perceived as a specialty, is not necessarily an area where they can get hands-on experience. The program comes in to fill that gap.”
It doesn’t just fill that gap, though, Matt explained. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on budgets for many healthcare centers, resulting in a severe shortage of training and staff. The foundation helps these facilities provide specialized training that might not be otherwise funded, and it provides an extra set of hands for a short-staffed facility. Coming full circle, this means that oncology patients have a better chance of receiving a higher level of care.
“The [pandemic-related] labor shortage is affecting many parts of our economy right now, but nowhere more notable or more important than in our healthcare system and for nurses. Our family is proud to be able to be any part of the solution to that big problem,” Matt said.
The program has produced more than 230 Flynn Fellows graduates so far, two-thirds of whom have already taken positions as oncology nurses, and 46 of whom are working in Connecticut-area Hospitals including Greenwich Hospital, Stamford Hospital, Hartford Healthcare, UCONN Health Center, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and New York Presbyterian.
In a statement on behalf of the program, Donna Coletti, the former Medical Director of Palliative Care at Greenwich Hospital attested: “This fellowship has pushed the oncology nursing specialty to the forefront of undergraduate training so that students have this as an option much earlier in their careers.”
“The [pandemicrelated] labor shortage is affecting many parts of our economy right now, but nowhere more notable or more important than in our healthcare system and for nurses. Our family is proud to be able to be any part of the solution to that big problem.”
Now in its ninth year, the program is now pursuing a bolder, bigger vision. A new expansion plan was recently announced this May, with the goal increasing the number of fellowships from 32 to 54 by 2026. It is also expanding the scope of its fellowship opportunities to include palliative care training for future nurses.
Fred Flynn said in a recent statement, “Our fellowship program model has been successful in building an important talent pipeline for leading hospitals and creating new career pathways for nurses. We’re excited to take this important step to create more opportunities for nursing students and help improve the future quality of care for cancer patients.”
As the family pulls together to make positive headway in oncology and palliative nursing care, Matt said they are reminded of where it all began. The fellowship program is their way of saying thank you and giving back.
“This was really born out of the experience that we saw firsthand in terms of the quality of care that my mom received and the compassionate interaction with her nurses,” Matt said. “Oncology nursing is really hard to get into and it takes a very special type of person to want to do this as a career. Their fellowship experience really reverberates throughout the nurses’ careers and benefits all the patients they end up caring for.”
The foundation’s annual, flagship fundraiser - The Golf Marathon - is right around the corner on September 19…To learn more about this program, how to get involved, and how to contribute a positive future for oncology/palliative caregivers as well as their patients visit:
Hello class of 1966! Enjoying our retirement years traveling around the world. COVID slowed us down, but provided time for planning. Also busy this year with my daughter, Jennifer’s wedding in California and Jeff’s world in Kentucky. I reminisce often of our days at Laycock, our great homeroom, and dear teachers, especially Mr. Whittle, who sadly we lost this year.
My husband and I moved into Minneapolis after 32 years near Lake Minnetonka, selling our house to our oldest daughter and family. We feel so lucky to have our three grandchildren living close by!
I recently retired as the Rector (pastor) of the (progressive) Episcopal Church in San Carlos, California (Silicon Valley). My husband and I have moved to Petaluma (beautiful gateway to the Sonoma County wine country) to be near our son, his wife, and their now one-year-old. ‘Once a priest always a priest’ so I am now joyfully leading pilgrimages - including one this summer to Israel/Palestine and Petra in Jordan.
1972 Susan Durkee continues great success with her professional portrait painting career. Her most recent notable commissions this year are the official portrait of the President and former CEO of Webster Bank and a family portrait of a Greenwich/Stamford area philanthropist family.
1975 Maggie Moffitt Rahe
Hi! I am working in Westport as a Paraprofessional Teacher at Coleytown Elementary. I love my position and have been working for Westport Public Schools since 2018. It is wonderful to have grandchildren: Madeline Rahe and Doug Peck have three little girls; Sam Rahe and Lucy Biggers ’08 have a little boy, Reeve. CP Rahe is engaged to Curry D’Ignazio and plans to be married next year, and my mother, Butzi Moffitt, just turned 94!
1976
After 64 wonderful years in Connecticut I will be moving to Westminster Colorado in mid September to be closer to my daughter and live a clean healthy Colorado life. I’m happy to report that as of now I know two people who live in the Denver area, my daughter and Richard Aries! Looking forward to a new adventure.
1979
David Capodilupo
I’m catching up after two years of managing global collaborations from my dining room. Technology is wonderful, but, I must admit, breaking bread in person beats any Zoom call with high resolution.
Juliana Reiss Smith
I live in the village of Southport, stop on by, look me up!
1981 Robert Asher
My wife Stephanie and I just celebrated our 31st Anniversary. We have two beautiful granddaughters and fingers crossed we may have more coming in 2023.
I’m happy to tell you that 16 members of the class of ’81 convened at my house after the GFA Reunion and had a blast reconnecting as if no time had passed. (Twenty were expected but COVID knocked four out.) It was a joy!
I am an Episcopal priest serving as the chaplain at Kent School in Kent, CT. I also teach Chemistry and coach field hockey. Thank you GFA for giving me a solid start in those areas! My husband Theo and I have been married for 32 years and we have two sons and one daughter-inlaw. After all our moving around during our marriage, I never thought I’d end up in Connecticut, again, but we love it!
After the wonderful Alumni reception on the GFA lawn this spring the class of ’81 gathered at the beautiful home of Sarah Kerschner Ivy Balsey. More than half our graduating class attended. Covid had postponed our 40th reunion so seeing so many gather 41 years post graduation was a real joy. Even though most of us
Donna Chapin ’66 with her husband, Scott
Betsy Cooper Johnson ’70 and her three grandchildren.
Donahoe
don’t get together regularly, we talked and laughed like we hadn’t missed a beat since high school. For those in other classes contemplating reunion attendance I highly recommend it as a great way to mark the passages of life.
1982 Perry Bigelow
I became a Realtor in 2020 as my retirement job and am working in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. If anyone is looking for a place next to Sugarbush Ski Resort, reach out.
Lisa Kelly
After moving a lot as we started our family, I’m happy to report we have been at one address in Louisville, CO for
David Capodilupo ’79 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (note shirt)
The Class of 1981 Senior yearbook photo and the group at the home of Sarah Balsley after Reunion.
the past 12 years! Still loving the work I do as a Physical Therapist, but starting to think about winding it down in the not too distant future.
Robert Kirstein
My husband Alan and I relocated to St. Louis in January. Big change for me after living in Miami Beach for the last 19 years! In the unlikely event that any of my cohorts pass through St. Louis, it would be terrific to meet up.
Amy Sherts
I can’t believe it’s been 40 years! I am happy and healthy, and I hope everyone is doing well.
My wife and I have three kids (Madeline-23, Cooper-20, and Harrison-18). Harrison is heading to Chico State in the fall so Kristin and I will give empty-nesting a try. I am in Sales with Packaging Corp of America (PCA) and working out of our Sacramento, CA location. If I don’t get back to GFA in ’23 then I will definitely make it to my 40th in 2024.
Sarah Shea is celebrating a dozen years of leading Another Mother Runner, a highly engaged community of women runners she co-founded. She’s delighted to return to hosting in-person running retreats--on Hilton Head Island this past February, and in her adopted city of Portland, Oregon, this coming October. Next year her biz is holding three retreats, including another one on Hilton Head and one in Oregon’s stunningly beautiful high desert. If you want Sarah to keep you company on a run, download and listen to the podcast she’s hosted for 11 years, Another Mother Runner, available anywhere you listen to podcasts.
I have loved getting to know GFA again as a member of the Alumni Counsel, and was so sorry to miss the reunion weekend this year due to a death in the family. I wanted to express how much I have enjoyed meeting some of the current GFA students this year, and how much I support Bob Whelan, our Head of School. Bob is such a great leader and respects what GFA was to us, and to other alumni, and also has an inspiring vision for the future. On a personal note, I am still living in Norwalk, running my non-profit, PINK Concussions, and working as a therapist with teens and adults at the Fairfield Counseling Center. I recently earned my US Coast Guard Master Captain’s License, and plan to open a boat charter business this summer with tours of the Norwalk Islands. If you are visiting the area, please reach out and let’s get together!
Delighted to announce another full season is underway at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in Westport. Please stop by and say hi any time you are in the neighborhood. We’re producing over 50 shows presented free-of-charge plus an array of benefit concerts and events including Allison Russell, Twiddle, Robert Cray, Aoife O’Donovan and Hiss Golden Messenger, and more!
1987
Rebecca Safran is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her research group uses genomics tools and field experiments to study the evolution of new species, with a focus on birds. Safran and her husband have two teenage boys and two dogs, all of whom keep them on their feet!
I was so happy to see some classmates at our reunion! It was so nice catching up with Sunil, Kurt, Marisa, and Stefan - like picking right up again from all those years ago. While I didn’t make it back to campus, I definitely feel reconnected. I’m currently living in CT, working once a week in the city and enjoying the empty nest thing (our daughter is a rising sophomore at U of Maryland, School of Music).
In March, Jana Asher was appointed the chair of the International Statistical Institute Committee on the History of Statistics. She also received the Caucus for Women in Statistics Societal Impact Award. Jana Asher just got promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor this summer. She is employed in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
Justin Lacche is starting goalie for the Portland (Oregon) Sasquatch, USA Team Handball and thanks Andrew Grosso for including remote classmates at Reunion.
My sixteenth novel, Storm Tide, was published in the UK
in April under my pen name, Tom Harper, and spent five weeks in the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller list. It was written in collaboration with the great adventure writer Wilbur Smith, who sadly died before publication. The novel takes place during the American Revolution; while researching it, I actually dug out my old AP US History textbook, which was still lurking under the spare room bed. Storm Tide was published in the US on June 28th.
1996 Elizabeth Press
I am living in Berlin with my husband and son and am working at Babbel, the e-learning platform for languages, as Director of Data.
1997 Max Rosenberg
The Rosenbergs have been very busy. Zohar is working toward Eagle Scout. Asher joins Zohar at St. Joes next year. While working on my re-election campaign for Judge, I have been giving lectures and classes on Estate planning and Probate Law. Another one of my decisions was recently published in the Connecticut Probate Journal. And we just adopted a dog named Ambrosius!
Later this summer I will be moving to New Zealand to take up the role of British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands. High Commissioners perform the role of Ambassadors in countries that belong to the Commonwealth which the Queen heads. After ten years in the British foreign service and postings to New York, Libya, and Pakistan, I’m really excited about this posting and my first Head of Mission role. My husband, who is also in the foreign service, and our two cats will be accompanying me.
Emily Epstein
This past January I started classes at the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service. Getting an MSW has always been something I’ve wanted to do, and though I’m still performing, COVID gave me some much needed “it’s never too late’’ perspective. I’m still living in Brooklyn with my husband, Jon, and daughter Samantha (7). I recently performed at The Slipper Room and 54 Below while writing eight page research papers in between. I credit GFA for giving me the skills to write them, however, I’m grateful for citation generators, grammerly and google scholar, though at times I do miss microfiche.
John Welsh
I just completed a whirlwind first year of full time teaching at Christ the King Catholic High School outside of Charlotte, NC. It started unexpectedly last August with a phone call out of the blue from the principal needing someone to step in right away for the previous Latin teacher who suddenly had to leave his post in the middle of the summer. In addition to the new faces, new environment, new culture of a new school, we staged and sold our old house, bought and moved into a new house on the other side of town, changed our children’s schools in the middle of the school year, and became first time dog owners. I could not have made it through without the preparation I got from Joe Roll and all of my other awesome GFA teachers, or without the help of my wife, who is a saint. I am looking forward to a more relaxed pace this summer continuing to help our family get settled in and getting properly ready for the next school year. My wife and I will be celebrating 18 years of marriage in August, if we survive the driving lessons with
Amelia Bickford, daughter of Alumni Council President, Michelle Cole Bickford ’01
our 15 year old! If the stars line up right we might get to see Rich Delahunt sometime in the next few weeks as well.
Very happy to introduce Mia! Amelia Anne Bickford was born on April 5, 2022 at 7:45pm - 8lbs 12oz and 22 inches long at birth. Mia is a very happy baby and is growing and learning every day. Mom and dad are also trying to learn every day :)
Christine Daley is living in LA as a chef, running her food delivery service called Daley Delivery. If you’re in Los Angeles or in Fairfield County, check out her weekly menus to fill your fridge.
I am the Executive Director of Maplewood at Darien, an assisted living and memory care community. I love working with our seniors and their families.
North Shutsharawan opened a second Nit Noi Provisions in Greenwich this spring, vending organic broth, vegan, pork and specialty dumplings and other Thai offerings (including V and GF). While the original South Norwalk location predominantly operates as a take out/delivery ‘ghost kitchen’ the Greenwich location is retail and consumer facing, and they’d love for you to visit! They are hosting like-minded pop-ups, collaborations and fun programming, like dumpling cookery 101 and other classes. North lives in Rowayton with his wife, Jillian, son Bear (age 4), and daughter Bodhi (age 2). They’re also always actively searching for
sustainable packaging suitable for broth - please send any and all suggestions GFA Magazine readers! As always, they are grateful to be a part of this special community.
I cannot believe 20 years have passed since our class graduated from GFA. I hope everyone is doing well. My family is still rooted in NYC. In the coming year, I hope to travel more with my wife and kids, Charlotte (7) and Teddy (2). My private facial plastic surgery and hair restoration practice in Manhattan is thriving. I feel lucky to love going to work each day. I am excited to resume my medical mission work this summer. We have been on hold for two years due to Covid and the need is now so great.
Reid Berrien Livingston reports that Lauren Barrett got married in Crested Butte, CO on June 4 to William Dujardin and there were a lot of Dragons there to celebrate!
Nicholas D’Addario
My wife, Caroline, and our son, Fritz, are purchasing a new home in Easton, CT this June. We are excited to be putting down permanent roots in the area. We also just spent a week on Cape Cod with fellow GFA alumnus, Betty Stolpen ’04, her husband, and their son, Jake.
Chris Howard, lovingly referred to as “Hojo” during his time at The Farm, married fellow Dragon Alexis “Lexi” Teofanov (yes, really) in 2015. Alexis and Chris are very happily married and have three
beautiful daughters together, Lake (4), Naomi (2), and Sage (8 weeks). Chris is very excited to be the ultimate #girldad, but is also terrified for high school. Alexis is in sales because she is so persuasive and personable, and Chris is in tech because he couldn’t make it in finance, but still knows the value of private school education. Their most prized possession and the glue that holds their family together is undoubtedly their oversized Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Yummy (6). Chris and Alexis live in Manhattan Beach, CA and plan to never leave it. They also plan to tell their children that they were high school sweethearts (regardless of the truth).
My first graphic novel, Twelfth Grade Night, is being published by Disney-Hyperion on October 11th. The first book in the Arden High graphic novel series, Twelfth Grade Night, reimagines Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at a modern, magical high school. Now that Twelfth Grade Night is off to the printers, I’m working on book #2, King Cheer, a reimagining of King Lear on a cheerleading squad (only with fewer eyeballs being gouged out).
2005
Brett Aresco had a big start to 2022, getting married to his beautiful wife Susan Braden in January and graduating with honors from Columbia Journalism School in May. He will be traveling to England in the fall for a fellowship at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford.
Evan Windsor has been enjoying a new full time position playing electric and upright bass with country star and Grand Ole Opry member Josh Turner. He has a
15 Lauren Barrett’s ’04 wedding (L to R) Alex Triope ’04, Nik Schrobenhauser ’02, Nicole Barrett Kelleners ’04, Elizabeth Rueckert Henry ’04, William Dujardin (groom), Lauren Barrett ’04, Drew Barrett ’01, Reid Berrien Livingston ’04, Molly Desloge ’04, Lacey Berrien ’06
16 Stephanie Strohm
Lando’s ’04 first graphic novel, Twelfth Grade Night
heavy touring schedule with Turner the rest of the year and has enjoyed playing on the Grand Ole Opry, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, and a recent recording with Josh Turner featuring bluegrass legend Rhonda Vincent.
After making her first movies in the backyard at age 11, Evelyn Symington is thrilled that her first feature film has just been released by XYZ Films. Brut Force is a twisty wine country thriller starring her sister Lelia Symington ’10, and comes recommended by the New York Times. You can rent Brut Force on any major platform through July 20th, after which it will be on Tubi.
Hi GFA’ers. It’s me, Curren, playing the game of life. After two pandemic years playing cop to a now three year old who acted like a drunken rockstar, yearning insistently for more living space and leading countless conversations as to where we should live, we made a decision! Turns out that trepidation strikes hard at the notion of a lawnmower, and trading walking for driving, and so, just like that, we chose West Chelsea, NYC as our “forever home.” On November 22, 2021, I added a second dependent to our lives, Casey Kip Robbins, who, alongside his sister, Maisy, has completed our family (so my husband believes *wink wink*).
Chris Temple is celebrating ten years since he started his non-profit Optimist making films with impact. Recently completed a new feature documentary about the psychology of investing. Most importantly though, he’s playing on a soccer team in LA with a few other alumni Dragons.
Steve Swett ’08 and I welcomed our daughter Poppy in September, 2021! We live in Fairfield with our two dogs, Meredith and Kevin. Steve is the Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, and I am a Senior Placement Manager at Educator’s Ally.
Eddie Sebor has been playing a lot of Cookie Jam Blast. He works on that game as a Product Manager. He also wishes Andrew Fried lived closer than Honolulu.
My wife Gaga and I just welcomed our second child,
Alexander (Sasha) into the world and our first, Frederick (Fritz), will be two in early April, hard to believe!
Caroline Sollmann is currently living in Brooklyn, working for McCann Erickson, and volunteering with the New York Junior League.
Evan Bieder is an associate teacher in the 4th grade at GFA. He coaches upper school cross country and track with his old coach Glen Colello. He and his wife Britney had their first son, Zen, on April 5th. Evan is excited about the Mets team chemistry this season.
This past February, I professed solemn vows as a Dominican friar in a Mass at the Basilica of National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. It is such a joy to be consecrated to the Lord until death, and I will now continue my theology studies at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington in preparation for ordination to the Catholic priesthood (expected May 2024). This past summer, hearkening back to the halcyon days of GFA English class, I worked at Rosary Hill Cancer Home in New York run by the Hawthorne Dominican Sisters, founded by Rose Hawthorne, daughter of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who’s The Scarlet Letter was of course a staple of Ms. Schwartz’s renowned 10th-grade American Literature course.
2013
Clay Garner was appointed Chief Innovation Officer of San Jose, California in January, where he leads tech policy and strategic partnerships on behalf of the Mayor.
In January of 2022, I started a job as an Assistant Squash Coach at Yale University. I come to this job from being Director of Squash and working in the Advancement Office at St. George’s Boarding School. In this first season at Yale, both the Men’s and the Women’s team finished top 5 in the nation with semifinal finishes at Nationals. In addition to this, I still play tennis competitively and have even hit the courts with Groves a couple times! I still sing at open mic’s in New Haven and hope to catch a Beachers Zombie Jam performance soon.
Evan Windsor ’05
Evie Symington’s ’04 first feature film, Brut Force, starring Lelia Symington ’10.
Margaret Cissel ’08, Steve Swett ’08, and their daughter Poppy.
Scott Brown ’15
21 Br. Charles ’12 with his brothers Austin Rooney ’16 and John Rooney ’18 after the Mass of Solemn Profession in February.
Christopher Brown
In my first teaching job, I taught English and philosophy at GFA from 1971 to 1977, when I left to go to law school, clerk, practice, and teach law for one year. I quickly realized that my true passion was teaching secondary school English, and I returned to the English classroom in 1986. I retired from the Taft School in 2019 at age 72. My years at GFA were among the happiest and most rewarding of a very rewarding career, and I still keep in touch with Jim Coyle, who was the best headmaster I ever knew. I now live in Naples, Florida, and I would be delighted to see any former students who may visit or live in Southwest Florida.
After 45 years, I am laying down the chalk and seeking out other adventures. Finishing my career at Harbor Country Day School on the north shore of Long Island as the head of school, it is time for me, after 11 years of weekend ferry rides to and from CT to join my partner, Peggy Harwood, finally! I have been one of the luckiest people to find a profession that has given me so much, with my many years at GFA as a highlight for me and my whole extended Cisselwood family. I thank GFA for all it has done for all of us.
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