Alumni News

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Dear Harvey Alumni,

As we look back on the past 18+ months, I believe that we have all formed an even greater appreciation for teachers. How could we not have? Our teachers were unwavering in their commitment to our students throughout the pandemic. Their already challenging jobs took on additional obstacles that they tackled head-on, enabling their students to continue to remain engaged and feel connected. During a time when there was so much uncertainty for everyone, students at Harvey had amazing teachers, ensuring that they felt seen, heard, and connected on an academic and personal level.

As part of the Harvey community, you are well aware of the incredible teachers that Harvey has and has had during the years. Our teachers give our children purpose, and they establish relationships that inspire them to be driven to do well and succeed in life. They work tirelessly each day to create a solid foundation that allows our children to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Great teachers change lives for the better. They act as a support system when needed, serve as constant role models, and encourage our children to dream bigger by expanding their limits and challenging their creativity. The connections that many of our alumni had with teachers while at Harvey inspired many to return to Harvey as teachers themselves. Other alums developed the passion for educating and have gone on to become teachers because of the impact of the teachers they had at Harvey.

The dedication of Harvey’s teachers to their students is evident through their round-the-clock work, whether grading papers, providing extra help, creating new and exciting lesson plans, or communicating with parents or students. Teachers can make one of the largest impacts on another person’s life, and our alums, those teaching at Harvey or other institutions, have wonderful insights, strengths, and skills to share as they shape the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s leaders.

Warm regards,

Lara Casano ’95, Harvey Alumni Association, President

Upcoming Alumni Events

The Alumni Reunion and luncheon at Homecoming 2021 in October was amazing! Check out page 24 for the recap. We are looking forward to seeing many Harvey alums in 2022 with our annual NYC Networking event and our new Spring Alumni Day featuring the Alumni Hall of Fame awards, athletics games, and more.

Please visit harveyschool.org/alumni or scan the code to stay up-to-date on these events, log into the alumni portal, and learn about all things Harvey Alumni related!

Cavalier Speaker Series

Victoria Lily Shaffer ’11

The Harvey Cavalier Speaker Series returned December 9, 2021, with featured speaker Victoria Lily Shaffer ’11, dog rescue advocate, puppy guru, and new author of the recently published book “Pup Culture: Stories, Tips, and the Importance of Adopting a Dog.” Victoria returned to campus to talk to a live audience inside Lasdon Theater in The Walker Center for the Arts, sharing inspiring and meaningful canine adoption and fostering stories. Victoria surely made dog lovers out of all of us! After her presentation, Victoria answered audience questions and signed books for attendees.

Share Your Harvey Memories! ONCE A CAVALIER, ALWAYS A CAVALIER

By Ray Lacen, athletic director

For an athletic director, the common responsibilities of the position are to build safe and enriching athletic programs, hire and manage qualified coaches, purchase equipment and uniforms, coordinate travel, select officials, and the list goes on. These are part of the job description and the expectations. For me, I have taken on an additional responsibility to ensure Harvey’s athletic programs are ones that alumni are proud of and follow long after they leave campus.

As an athlete, I never gave this much thought. I believed my job was to play and move on. It was not until I attended my first game after graduating from college and saw the respect from the new crop of players toward those who came before them. It was eye-opening. They appreciated the fact that I came back and that I was supporting them as an alumnus. It was then I came to realize how the past makes an impact on the present beyond just wins, losses, and statistics.

Alumni provide the foundation for how traditions are passed along from generation to generation. Alumni allow me to tap into what made their experiences positive, inspiring ideas for ways to improve, and strive to continue Harvey’s traditions. One of the best reactions I get from alumni comes when they see changes in our facilities, uniforms, or campus since their years at Harvey. What makes it special is that they are not disappointed they missed out; instead, they are happy to see that their alma mater is moving forward.

We must understand and embrace the fact that sports play a defining role in the lives of student-athletes, before and after they leave high school. After graduating, most athletes stay in touch with their teammates and continue to work out, and a few will play at the college level. I continue to meet and speak with alumni student-athletes, and I deeply appreciate their time and the stories they share with me. A common sentiment is how very special Harvey athletics is to them.

I invite all our alumni student-athletes to be part of the process of improving and growing Harvey athletics for the future. We want all our alumni to know, “Once a Cavalier, Always a Cavalier!” If you would like to share your Harvey athletic experience or suggest ways to grow the program, email Ray Lacen at rlacen@harveyschool.org