Fall/Winter 2017 by Hathaway Brown School

The Admission Magazine of Hathaway Brown School

fall 2017

non scholae sed vitae discimus: LARGE AND INSET PHOTOS BY JASON MILLER COVER BY JASON MILLER

we learn not for school, Hathaway Brown is a school for girls, and it’s so much more. It’s a school for scientists and writers and artists and budding entrepreneurs. It’s a training ground for athletes and dancers and musicians and actresses. It’s a place where young people are empowered to ask questions, challenge conventions, and explore opportunities. And everything we do is guided by our motto: We Learn Not for School, But for Life.

Since 1876, HB has given students the tools they need to confidently embrace all the possibilities that exist for them beyond our Shaker Heights campus. The faculty’s dedication to hands-on experiential learning at all levels can be observed every day in the classrooms, libraries, science labs, theatres, dance studios, and art rooms, as well as on the athletic fields. In addition to the superior academic preparation they receive, at every turn HB students are inspired to become the best people they can be. We encourage girls of all ages and boys in our Early Childhood program to take chances, stretch their minds, work together, and pick themselves up and start over when they need to.

contents

Admission

News from North Park pg. 6 New Leadership pg. 8 Locker Room pg. 8 Blazer Athletics highlights

Making the Most of the Middle pg. 10

Hathaway Brown gives girls in grades 5-8 the freedom and intentional support they need to individualize their learning, stretch their boundaries, find their voices, and be their own best advocates.

Engaging Education pg. 18

Interdisciplinary Vitae Term curriculum helps students “learn for life.”

In Their Words pg. 20 Ask a Blazer Q&A with HB students

Ten Years of Unicorns pg. 22 HB’s Robotics Team 2399 celebrates a milestone.

Singing a Different Tune pg. 23

Upper School teachers Molly Cornwell and Laura Main Webster ’91 create their own musical version of Pride and Prejudice.

Shared Bonds pg. 24

but for life All of our students are able to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to their lives. They know how to test theories, hold authority accountable, find beauty in overlooked places, implement creative solutions, and lend a hand where it’s needed. Wherever they go from here, HB graduates bring strong character, unparalleled intelligence, unbridled enthusiasm, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge along with them.

Eleventh-graders enrolled in American Literature connect with HB alumnae who pursued a wide range of career interests to discover who they are, what they learned at their alma mater, and where they find themselves today.

pg.

at home at HB

he first time I visited Hathaway Brown, I saw smiling faces, heard joyful giggles, and watched the girls eagerly moving through the hallways to their next class. I was smitten. I was home again, back in the all-girls school environment that I grew up in. The school that shaped me was the place where my classmates and I became our best selves, made lasting friendships, and spent time with influential teachers. At HB I was immediately at ease and excited for the future. Since taking on my new role of Director of Enrollment Management at HB—which officially began on July 1—I have been welcomed through phone calls, emails and personal visits from many members of the HB universe. These kind gestures reaffirmed the strong sense of community I had heard about and witnessed during my first visit. I have enjoyed every minute meeting new people and learning about all of the aspects of the school that make HB such an amazing place for the youngest to the oldest who spend their days on campus. While I am new to Hathaway Brown, I know that a love for learning begins in the Early Childhood program and throughout the Primary School years, a passion for learning is nurtured in the Middle School and the opportunities for ongoing learning are boundless in the Upper School. It is evident that students are learning not just for school but for life, as you’ll see in the pages of this magazine.

LARGE PHOTO BY JASON MILLER

There are many reasons to fall in love with HB and I would be thrilled to introduce you to my new home. Just imagine the possibilities!

Elizabeth Pinkerton

Director of Enrollment Management

HB 5

Director of Enrollment Management 216.320.8104 epinkerton@hb.edu

Shelley Johns

Assistant Director of Financial Aid & Database Management 216.320.8098 sjohns@hb.edu

Mary Toth

Admission Coordinator 216.320.8767 mtoth@hb.edu

Kristin Kuhn

Director of Infant & Toddler Center, Early Childhood, and Primary School Admission 216.320.8093 kkuhn@hb.edu

Katherine Jenne Chapman â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04 Director of Middle School Admission 216.320.8091 kchapman@hb.edu

Hathaway Brown School seeks and accepts for admission students of any race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship/loans/fee waivers, rights, privileges, programs, and activities.

Learn more at HB.edu or call 216.320.8767 to schedule a personal tour.

NEWS f rom

NORTH

PARK

HB fares well

in international fair Four Hathaway Brown students spent May 14-19 in Los Angeles, where they competed in the Intel ISEF (International Science & Engineering Fair), the largest pre-college science fair in the world. While they were there, Isha Lele ’18 was awarded the Third Place Grand Award of $1,000 in the category of Materials Science, joining the ranks of only 15 HB students enrolled in the school’s Science Research & Engineering Program in the past 19 years to win a Grand Award. Additionally, Isha and Ananya Kalahasti ’17 were given special awards from the Naval Science Awards Program. Students attending earned the right to compete at Intel ISEF 2017 by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state, or national science fair. Each year, approximately 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for on average $4 million in prizes. The participating HB students won all expenses-paid trips to compete at ISEF as Finalists by advancing through the Hathaway Brown 19h Annual Poster Session judging in March:

Catherine Areklett, ’17: Surface versus Bulk Chiral Orientation Effects in Liquid Crystals with Dr. Charles Rosenblatt at Case Western Reserve University, Ananya Kalahasti, ’17: Presence of Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytes with Asymptomatic Malaria with Dr. Brian Grimberg at Case Western Reserve University Isha Lele, ’18: Investigating the Design of Nanoparticles to Target Difficult-to-Reach Tumor Sites with Dr. Efstathios Karathanasis at Case Western Reserve University, Maya Razmi, ’18: Heteromultivalent Approaches to Clot-targeted Nanomedicine: Combination Targeting of Platelets and Fibrin with Dr. Anirban Sen Gupta at Case Western Reserve University. HB has been honored to award spots to ISEF each year based on the quantity and excellence of the science and engineering research being performed in partnership with Cleveland institutions such as Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, NASA Glenn Research Center, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

in good company On top of being an amazing school, Hathaway Brown is an amazing place to work. And for the fourth consecutive year, we’re honored to have been named one of the 2017 Top Workplaces in Northeast Ohio by The Plain Dealer. Ask our faculty what they like best about HB and you might hear comments about the school’s on-site child care center, yoga and fitness classes for employees, monthly chair massages offered by an HB alumna, the fabulous lunches served every day in our beautiful dining hall, or about the myriad professional development opportunities available. You may hear how employees are encouraged to dream big, to try new things, and to make the most of themselves as educators and human beings. But what you’ll certainly hear again and again is how much everyone who works here is inspired by the passion and perseverance of our students and how much we enjoy being surrounded by some of the brightest, friendliest, hardest working people you’ll find anywhere in the world.

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meritorious achievement Hathaway Brown is proud to recognize seven members of the Class of 2017 as Merit Scholar designees, each of whom won a $2,500 scholarship from The National Merit Scholarship Program. This year’s HB honorees are Lauren Gillinov, Lina Ghosh, Lydia Spencer, Jasper Solt, Gigi Protasiewicz, Regan Brady, and Margaret Broihier. According to its website, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test—a test that serves as an initial screen of

approximately 1.6 million entrants each year—and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements. All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the National Merit Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. A variety of information is available for NMSC selectors to evaluate: the finalist’s academic record, information about the school’s curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official’s written recommendation, information about the student’s activities and leadership, and the finalist’s own essay.

highest honors Two members of the Hathaway Brown Class of 2017 have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars. This prestigious honor is reserved for only up to 161 graduating high school seniors in the United States each year. Regan Brady ’17 and Lina Ghosh ’17 were honored for their academic accomplishments through the National Recognition Program and were guests of the U.S. Department of Education at a special ceremony in June. They each received an all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital to meet with government officials and educators. To commemorate the achievement, the Scholars were invited to Washington, D.C., where they received Presidential Scholar Medallions at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. Each Scholar was able to select a teacher who has influenced her life to be part of the ceremony. Regan selected Middle School History Department Chair and Speech & Debate Coach Jason Habig to join her, while Lina chose Director of the Center for Global Citizenship Joe Vogel for the honor. Established in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was created by Executive Order of the President to recognize some of our nation’s most distinguished students graduating from high school. The Scholars represent “excellence in education and the promise of greatness in young people.” Regan and Lina were identified for the program based on their high academic achievement. Remarkably, this is the second consecutive year that HB has had two students from the same class earn this distinction. Hathaway Brown is proud to be the alma mater of eight alumnae who were named U.S. Presidential Scholars in their senior years: Isabella Nilsson ’16, Kavya Ravichandran ’16, Alyssa Bryan ’13, Laney Kuenzel ’08, Amy Hollinger ’05, Edith Hines Williams ’00, Caroline Campbell ’98, and Genevieve Mathieson Kilmer ’96.

dedication

to the mission Please join us in congratulating the following members of the Hathaway Brown faculty, staff, and administration who celebrated milestone anniversaries with the school in 2016-2017. 5 Years of Service: Hannah Bartell ’10, Jody Duecker, Grace Kattan, Chelsea McCallum, Jennifer Stilson; 10 Years of Service: Bill Adler, Vanessa Butler, Wayne Hatcher, Paul Korney, Kathleen Osborne, Hallie Ritzman; 15 Years of Service: Gail Fisher, Barbara Harris, Kristen Wise, Jill Spano, David Williams; 20 Years of Service: Lisa Jahnke, Barry Kallmeyer, Mary Kay Patton; 30 Years of Service: Lise deConingh, Sheri Homany; 35 Years of Service: Deb Southard.

LOCKER

ROOM

in review

new leadership Hathaway Brown is pleased to welcome two new senior administrators to the team for the 2017-2018 school year. Former Upper School Science Department Chair Sheri Homany has been named Associate Head of School, and former Dean of Students Hallie Godshall Ritzman is the Director of the Upper School. As Associate Head of School, Sheri, whose tenure at HB began in 1987, is responsible for overseeing curriculum in Early Childhood through Grade 12. She also will work closely with key administrators to set the direction for school philosophy, long-term planning, and strategic initiatives, and she serves as chief collaborator and proxy for Head of School Fran Bisselle when she is away from campus. Hallie has held a series of faculty and administration roles at HB for the last 10 years. She is now responsible for putting the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission into action in the largest division as she works to maintain and enhance traditional academic excellence through programming, hiring, and curricular initiatives.

Follow all HB sports on Twitter @HBAthletics

PHOTO BY EVAN PRUNTY

upper school sports

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SPRING SPORTS

WINTER SPORTS

LARGE PHOTO BYSHANNON AHLSTRAND

LACROSSE The Lacrosse team had a successful

BASKETBALL

postseason, making it to the OHSAA Division II regional

District Champions, Regional Champions, and State contenders.

semifinal game. The JV squad team fared quite well this spring

After a thrilling state Semifinal game, the Blazers became the

as well, finishing with a final record of 10-2.

OHSAA Division II State Runner-Up. The season was filled with

This year’s team was ranked

growth and success. And with only two starters graduating, the

SOFTBALL The rainy Cleveland spring didn’t allow

future is bright.

HB Softball to play many games under first-year head coach Joy Daniels, but the team was able to bond and develop

SWIMMING & DIVING

camaraderie. The Blazers experienced a tremendous amount

swimmers advanced from Sectionals to Districts, and eight

of growth, resilience, and spirit this year. We’re excited to see

advanced from Districts to States. Maggie Cha ’17 was District

them take the field again next year.

Champion in the 100 Free, Jamie Doak ’19 placed fifth overall at

Seventeen

/ INSET PHOTOS BY EVAN PRUNTY

District Diving and advanced to States, where she placed ninth

TRACK & FIELD The District Meet saw plenty of season and personal

overall. And the team earned fourth place overall at the State meet. State Podiums: Sixth

best performances. Jordan Abrams ’20 threw the discus

Place - 200 Medley Relay (Molly Paine ’17, Maggie Cha, Helen Sun ’20, Maggie Perry ’20);

nearly nine feet farther than her previous personal best

Sixth Place - 100 Free (Maggie Cha); State Runners-Up 200 Freestyle Relay (Maggie Perry,

for a new PR of 89’-1”. Discus school record holder Kate

Helen Sun, Maggie Cha, Nell Bruckner ’17 - first HB state runners-up since 2009); Seventh

Aris ’18 (96’-3”) had a solid throw as well, at 87’-11”. Ally Schwabl

Place - 100 Back (Molly Paine); Seventh Place - 400 Freestyle Relay (Molly Paine, Maggie

’20 heaved the shot put out to 22’-6” for a new PR. Hayden

Perry, Madison Miluk ’18, Nell Bruckner).

Brooks ’20, with a revamped run up, soared a season best 15’-0” in the long jump. Sadie Hertz ’20 made the 800M final, and set a new PR with 2:31.08. The meet concluded with the 4x400M team setting two season best times, first in the semis and then in the finals. Arianna Anderson ’19, Julia Sabik ’17, Brooke Sheffler ’18, and Sadie all recorded season best splits in the race, to finish sixth.

PHOTO BY JASON MILLER

Making the Most

THE MIDDLE of

HB 11

lose your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember your 13-year-old self. Remember the braces and the ill-fitting school uniform. Remember the stress of packing your field hockey bag, school backpack (which weighed 57 pounds), AND your bag for the dance after school. Remember stuffing your math homework into the front pocket because it was the last thing you completed and you almost left it on the floor next to your bed. Remember desperately trying to find that now-crumpled piece of paper to turn in to your nononsense math teacher second period. Remember tripping up the stairs on your way to your locker because the strap on your overnight bag was torn. Remember your friends tackling you as soon as you arrived at your locker so they could fill you in on all the latest gossip, tell you what your English teacher was wearing, quiz you on the vocabulary words you had to know for a test 11 minutes later, and asking you what answer you came up with for problem number three on the math homework that you can no longer find. You are probably holding your breath, so exhale and revel in the moment that you survived that period in your life. The middle school years often get a bad rap, remembered more for the awkward, angsty, developmental perfect storm that they are than for the incredible leaps forward in the cognitive, emotional, and social realms that they also are. While few would voluntarily take a time machine back to their 13-year-old experiences, it is worth zoning in on what an incredible opportunity those “middle of the middle” moments really have to offer. I spent a day in the life of a 7th grader this year so I could experience firsthand the life of “kids these days.” In addition to being incredibly exhausted at the end of the day, I was also incredibly impressed with

Hathaway Brown gives girls in grades 5-8 the freedom and intentional support they need to individualize their learning, stretch their boundaries, find their voices, and

BE THEIR OWN BEST ADVOCATES. BY SHARON BAKER

the skills and functions our girls seamlessly navigate in a day. I picked up my shadow student on the steps of the Hathaway Brown Middle School entrance, laden down with her athletic bag over one shoulder, a bulging pack on her back, her lacrosse stick in one hand, and her phone in her other hand. When I asked if she needed some help, she responded calmly, “No, I’m perfectly balanced like this.” On the trek up to the top floor to unload what seemed like a week’s worth of equipment, she checked her email to see if her math teacher had responded to a homework question she’d sent the night before. Though she lamented the fact that she’d fallen asleep before she finished her assignment, she planned to check in with her teacher during morning snack time and finish up the remaining problems during her third-period study hall. After we unpacked her luggage, she checked her schedule for the day and organized her textbooks and notebooks in order of her classes in her locker. “I don’t have time to search for random notebooks during passing period, so this is easier,” she explained. “We could use a couple extra minutes of passing time, Mrs. Baker,” she wryly smirked. As she made her way into advisory time, she asked her teacher if they could spend a few minutes reviewing the material for the upcoming World Geography test, during which they’d have to identify all the countries on a world map. One of her classmates offered up a Quizlet (an interactive personalized test) she’d created the night before, and the small group of girls decided to project it on the whiteboard so they all could participate in the impromptu study session. I was impressed with the easy negotiation of this gathering. One girl took charge of the technology aspect, while another quickly organized everyone into teams. They all already had their study notes with them and augmented and rearranged them throughout the game so they could focus again later in the day on the questions they answered incorrectly. In the class periods that followed, I learned so much from the students. Each of the teachers we encountered had a slightly different method for collecting or reviewing homework. Some liked it to be placed in their mailboxes before class began, while others wanted to collect it personally from each student. Some went over the answers with the class, while others simply asked the girls if they had questions related to the assignment. No matter where they were, the students knew exactly what to do without asking. They easily navigated the expectations of seven different teacher personalities in one day. In English class, we debated the actions of the star-crossed lovers

in Romeo and Juliet. Team Juliet was incensed when Team Romeo insinuated that her final act was one of true love; that she ended her life because she couldn’t live without her man. Team Juliet used Shakespearean insults to announce that Juliet had lived without him most of her young life and therefore acted in her own self-interest. What was most noteworthy to me was that the students freely engaged in (quite heated!) debate, unafraid to disagree with their peers and even their teacher. They were respectful, but they didn’t shy away from speaking their minds. At lunchtime, we attended the weekly Student Council meeting, which turned out to be a welcome distraction for my student guide. “I got in a fight with my friend yesterday, and I don’t want to deal with the lunch drama today,” she told me. When I asked her what she would have done if she didn’t have Student Council today, she shrugged and said, “I’d go to (school counselor) Ms. Lurie for some advice. I already have a plan to see her tomorrow at lunch anyway.” During the Student Council meeting, my 7th grade student guide was in charge of running a subcommittee focused on improving lunch options in the dining hall. Her committee consisted of a range of 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders and they had an intense discussion about whether the dining hall served food that was too healthy or not healthy enough. Middle School Director aside: I love that 1.) Lunch options have been an “issue” for generations at every middle school in every city everywhere, and 2.) The dichotomy of “too healthy” and “not healthy enough” can actually coexist peacefully in a middle schooler’s eyes. Although I was slogging up and down the atrium stairs in exhaustion that afternoon, we ran those stairs quickly because it was time to perform monologues in Theatre class after lunch. A few students were clearly shaking as they stepped up to the front to perform, but their voices were clear and unwavering. One girl started to say, “I’m really bad at public speaking. . .” but she was drowned out by her classmates as they shouted, “No bad reviews in here!” So she took a deep breath and belted out her speech, ending to rowdy cheers of “I told you so!” Our final period was the time slot for that dreaded World Geography test. My student flipped through her notes one last time, checking the sections she’d highlighted during the morning review session. When the teacher handed her the paper, she read through the entire test before starting, circling parts of the directions, writing mnemonics in the margins. She used test-taking strategies that I didn’t learn until junior year of high school.

HB 13

While packing up her things at the end of the day, she referred to her planner to check not only what homework she had to finish that evening, but also what classes she didn’t have the next day or when her study halls were scheduled so she could map out her overall homework completion schedule. She quickly checked in with her advisor to find out if there was a special schedule the next day. Before she sprinted off to change for lacrosse practice, I asked her how her day rated. She shrugged casually and said, “It was just a normal day.” To me, it was a busy day, full of curriculum and activities, social exchanges and problems to solve. It was stressful and required all of my focus and executive functions just to keep up, and I didn’t have to be mindful of upcoming activities, looming papers and tests, or a squabble with my friend.

plans about how to navigate it. They practice study tips and employ all sorts of strategies until they figure out what works best for them; they negotiate their relationships and identify who can help them when they need support; they learn how to ask for help and advocate for themselves. They run for Student Council seats and join sports teams, or cut back when they are overwhelmed. They find their voices and learn how to use them. I’m not ashamed to admit that I am still working on developing some of the skills that I saw those middle school girls utilize like pros. They sure have learned how to make the most of the middle, and I’m proud to know and be inspired by them. Sharon Baker is the Director of Hathaway Brown’s Middle School.

When I close my eyes and take a deep breath to remember this particular middle school day, I immediately smile. There is angst for sure—that lunchroom is no joke—but the students had all sorts of

The middle school years often get a bad rap, remembered more for the awkward, angsty, developmental perfect storm that they are than for

THE INCREDIBLE LEAPS FORWARD

in the cognitive, emotional, and social realms that they also are.

PHOTO BY JASON MILLER

Photo Collage by Anya Razmi ’20 Academy photo students used Adobe Photoshop to process their photographs of Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood and historic Lakeview Cemetery.

LEARNING for enjoyment athaway Brown’s innovative elective Academies program allows 7th and 8th graders to explore the subjects that most interest them. What do mapping the Silk Road to China and discussing the indigenous spices along its path, engineering a sustainable watercraft to transport Middle School students from one side of Hathaway Brown’s pool to the other, and editing video footage to appear on Hathaway Brown’s own myHBTV broadcast have in common? Each of these is an activity that 7th and 8th grade students have the opportunity to participate through the Middle School’s Academy program. In the early 2000s, several members of the HB faculty worked in conjunction with Dr. Joseph Renzulli, then Director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Connecticut, to develop the Middle School Academy Program. This innovative program reinvents and reinvigorates adolescent learning and transforms students from passive recipients of knowledge to independent and proactive inquirers. All 7th and 8th grade students attend the Academy of their choice for 100 minutes every six days, choosing from more than 20 course offerings. The trimester-long elective classes are exploratory and provide girls a springboard to self-discovery as they aim to develop a sense of achievement that is not dependent upon grades. The class offerings are fresh and innovative and are in-tune with students’ (and faculty members’) interests, talents, and passions. The Academy Program courses are interdisciplinary and emphasize the development of those critical skills in planning, researching, decision-making, organizing, and cooperative learning that form the basis of lifelong learning that animates the HB experience.

HB 15

I get to meet new people and interact with girls older than me. My favorite Academy was Broadcasting and it was lots of

We asked 7th and 8th graders what they liked best about

the Academy Program:

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s what they had to say:

fun. We made videos that were fun to create because we went around the school and gave surveys, made music videos, and took on different jobs while we were at the news desk.

Academies are interesting and can be relaxing. The teachers who teach the Academies are also fun to spend time with. I love Academies because they give you a chance to explore other activities outside of the school curriculum.

My favorite Academy was Food, Culture and Society. We would cook dishes from around the world. Each week, two girls would plan the dish, get the ingredients, and organize everyone to do the cooking. We ate everything from chess bread to stuffed peppers to tempura. Academies are a great time to have fun with friends and to learn a new skill such as hiking, cooking, broadcasting, photography, and many others.

PHOTOS AT RIGHT BY RIPCHO STUDIOS

now off to make their marks at some of the finest colleges and universities in the world.

PHOTO AT LEF T BY JASON MILLER

Congratulations to the HB Class of 2017,

hailed from a wide swath of Cleveland suburbs and neighborhoods, some even by way of other countries around the globe. Each girl brought with her unique interests, ideas, passions, and personality, and contributed to a richly diverse community that is representative of the world at large. HB girls earned nearly $11 MILLION IN MERIT and other college scholarships, including full tuition packages.

17%

of the Class of 2017 received 18 Ivy League offers, and HB students were accepted to all 8 Ivies.

82% 52%

of the Class of 2017 was accepted at a U.S. News & World Report Top 30 College or Top 30 University.

13 2

members of the class were named National Merit Finalists, and students were honored as U.S. Presidential Scholars.

The HB Class of 2017

Babson College (2)

Dartmouth College

Bates College

DePaul University (2)

Boston University (2)

Drew University

Bowdoin College

Emory University (2)

Brown University (3)

Franklin and Marshall College

Bucknell University (2) Butler University Case Western Reserve University (3) Chapman University College of William & Mary/ University of St. Andrews (joint program) Colgate University

Georgetown University Goucher College Harvard University (2) Indiana University, Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Lehigh University

Columbia University

Loyola Marymount University

Columbus College of Art & Design (2)

Loyola University, Maryland

Cornell University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Miami University, Oxford (5)

University of California, Berkeley

Middlebury College

University of Chicago (2)

Mount Holyoke College

University of Colorado, Boulder

New York University, Abu Dhabi

University of Dayton

Northwestern University

University of Delaware

Princeton University

University of Florida

Purdue University (3)

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Rochester Institute of Technology (3) Saint Lawrence University Saint Louis University Smith College Stanford University (2)

University of Michigan (4) University of Pennsylvania (3) Vanderbilt University (2) Wake Forest University

Swarthmore College

Washington University, Saint Louis (4)

The Ohio State University (5)

Williams College (2)

Tufts University (2) Tulane University

Xavier University Yale University

engaging education INTERDISCIPLINARY VITAE TERM CURRICULUM HELPS STUDENTS “LEARN FOR LIFE.”

by Reena S. Goodwin

t’s the middle of May, and the hallways of Hathaway Brown are quieter than usual. Ending their last academic year of high school just the week before, 95 members of the Class of 2017 are closing out the final month of their high school career writing their thesis papers off campus. The end of the busy school year is often a quiet time for the students and teachers still in the classrooms after AP exams have wrapped up. And while hallway chatter shifts from PSATs to Prom, in the classrooms a lot of listening goes on. In fact, it was during this quiet time a few years ago that a productive conversation sprang up between then first-year Upper School English Teacher Toni Thayer and her students. She says that while her students felt they were more than ready academically for college, there was some expressed desire for more hands-on real-life learning. Thayer, along with Director of the Center for Civic Engagement Stephanie Heidemann, developed a task force to address this need. Teachers and administrators came together throughout the next school year to explore topics outside of the standard curriculum in an effort to help make those connections for students in a classroom setting. It was there that the Vitae Term curriculum at Hathaway Brown School was first conceived, its title inspired by the Latin word for “life” and the school’s motto of “Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus” (We Learn Not for School, But for Life.) Launched in 2016, the Vitae Term classes offer Upper School girls the chance to participate in interdisciplinary mini-courses, engaging in dialogue and hands-on learning—all of which are part of the school’s strategic plan goal of creating a transformative curriculum and robust interdisciplinary planning. Topics for the Vitae Term have included Chaos & Fractals, taught by Upper School Mathematics and Computer Science Teacher Michael Buescher; Last Days of Pompeii, taught by Upper School Latin Teacher Adam Kollin; and Knitting, Theory and Practice taught by Upper School English Teacher Beth Armstrong and Director of the Center for Technology & Invention Leah Ridgeway Jackson ’99. “It’s a great opportunity for the students to dig into a topic themselves without being evaluated, encouraging curiosity, questioning, and finding answers,” says Thayer.

The students concur. “I had a blast during my Vitae Term because I was given the chance to learn about Pompeii, a topic I’ve been fascinated with my whole life but was never focused on in the classroom,” says Lekha Medarametla ’18. Two additional courses were introduced into the curriculum in 2017. One was Ending World Hunger, taught by Head of School Dr. Fran Bisselle, along with Director of the Center for Sustainability Torrey McMillan ’90, Thayer, and Hiedemann. Over the two weeks of class time, students examined hunger crises from Zambia to Syria and Nicaragua to at home in Ohio, while identifying problems and potential solutions. Also introduced last school year was a new course taught by educators from every school division, affectionately titled Adulting 101. Students gained baseline insight on everything from changing a tire to writing a resume—practical “adult” skills that help students navigate life after high school. The topics were crowd-sourced by faculty members and organized by Dr. Crystal Miller, Director of the Science Research & Engineering Program. In the age of Google, when students can learn about anything immediately, the classes offer an experience to learn these life skills firsthand from the educators they already trust, Miller says. “The students learn skills that are really worthwhile, and the teachers have really enjoyed teaching them,” says Miller. While Vitae Term classes are not formally graded, students are required to share their new knowledge in the form of a class presentation, case studies, or individual portfolios, for example. It’s one last project for the students to complete, putting their new skills to the test before the end of the school year, leaving them with more knowledge and confidence than before. Both Thayer and Hiedemann agree that the Vitae Term curriculum has so far been successful, and plan to continue the course offerings in Spring 2018. “Students and faculty both have had this really terrific opportunity to learn from each other,” says Thayer. Heidemann agrees. “It’s truly just all about learning.”

L A R G E P H OTO BY G E N E V I E V E N I S LY P H OTO G R A P H Y

ask a BLAZER

what

IS YOUR FAVORITE CENTER in the Institute for 21st Century Education?

THE CENTER FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS is my favorite because Mrs. Webster has personally helped me grow as a singer and she continues to give me great opportunities.

Alanna, Grade 12

Nikhita, Grade 10

THE CENTER FOR BUSINESS & FINANCE has afforded me opportunities such as meeting business executives, learning how to manage personal finances, and running my own business. Being the CEO of the HathCaff, a student-run coffee shop, was an invaluable experience that taught me both business and personal skills. It is because of this center and experience that I have switched my major from education to business management. Sarah, Grade 12

The Osborne Writing Center pushes me creatively outside of the boundaries of my core curriculum. Jane, Grade 10

THE CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT allows us to give back to the community and think critically about the issues of service both abroad and close to home. Evangeline, Grade 11

In GLOBAL SCHOLARS we learn about incredibly interesting and relevant international topics in class, and then we have the opportunity to travel and immerse ourselves in those topics and in the cultures of international countries. Claire, Grade 11

I love science and THE SCIENCE RESEARCH & ENGINEERING PROGRAM has allowed me to apply my knowledge in the real world, which has been invaluable. Through this center, I have been able to learn not only lab techniques, but also critical thinking and collaboration, skills that I will carry with me in life.

ten years of unicorns by Hanna Keyerleber ’17

athaway Brown’s FIRST Robotics Competition team, The Fighting Unicorns, celebrated its 10th anniversary with the 2017 challenge, FIRST STEAMWORKS. Forty members strong, Team 2399 took their robot and spirit to competition at the Finger Lakes Regional, held March 1518 in Rochester, New York, and to the Buckeye Regional, held March 30-April 1 in Cleveland. Since its first competition in 2008, the team has grown in membership and ambition. At regional competitions, FRC Team 2399 has received awards for both spirit and safety, as well as five awards in recognition of excellence in engineering and design. Three Unicorn members were the recipients of the Dean’s List Finalist award, an individual recognition for excellence in FIRST, and in 2015 the team received the Engineering Inspiration award and a ticket to the World Championship for community outreach and impact. In the 2016 offseason, FRC Team 2399 competed at the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge and came home with a trophy after winning the event with alliance teams from Milan and Columbus. This past year’s challenge, FIRST STEAMWORKS, had The Fighting Unicorns designing, building, and programming a robot capable of

manipulating gears, shooting balls, and climbing a rope. The team worked hard to rank well in competitions so they could advance to the playoff levels at each regional. At the Finger Lakes tournament, the Unicorns made it to the quarterfinals and earned the Excellence in Engineering Award. At the Buckeye Regional, FRC Team 2399 made it through to the finals undefeated and finished as runner-up, qualifying for the 2017 FIRST Robotics World Championship in April. Outside of time spent with the robot, the team could be found at area Mini Maker Faires, Lake County Captains Games, and at libraries with the NASA Graphics and Visualization Lab, working to inspire the next generation of students in STEM. The Fighting Unicorns would like to give special thanks to their mentors and sponsors. Without them, this program would not be what it is today. Recent graduate Hanna Keyerleber was two-year captain and a four-year member of The Fighting Unicorns FIRST Robotics team. Comprised of students in grades 9–12, the team is advised by eighth-grade science teacher Nicole Trombetta, Upper School computer science teacher Valerie Yarmesch, and Director of the Center for Technology & Invention Leah Ridgeway Jackson ’99.

by Molly Cornwell

eaching and directing theatre at an all-girls school is empowering and fulfilling. Our students are quick studies, readily grasping concepts and transforming them into physical

actions. Whether it’s improvisation, scene study, theatre history, or any number of curriculum lessons in portraying a character, HB girls welcome the challenge and own the part. How could working in such an environment not be stimulating and exciting? Everything about it makes you want to achieve the best, not only for your students, but also for yourself.

But there’s a catch. Selecting material for each mainstage production that is ambitious and female-centric is a continual challenge. Historically, plays that have achieved success on Broadway, in London’s West End, and around the world have been written by men, and are focused on men. Of course, there have been some genius men who have written brilliant plays about women, uncannily capturing women’s voices, plays such as Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, Euripides’ Medea, William Shakespeare’s Cleopatra, and Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. For the most part though, theatre has been an arid desert when it comes to female playwrights. Selections in musicals especially have been troublesome over the years. There’s always a male role at the center of the plot. Most women play supporting roles—the girlfriend, the mom, the best friend, or a group of worshipping shop girls. In fall 2016, having exhausted the list of published musicals and coming up dry (Mamma Mia! and Wicked licenses are unavailable for production at this time), HB’s Choral Director Laura Main Webster ’91 and I decided to make our own show, which was staged at HB in November. We wrote a musical—one that was female-centered, had detailed characters, and a script that our wonderful actors could sink their teeth into. Since neither of us had penned a full-length play before, we decided that the best route for our maiden voyage would be an adaptation of a book we loved. We chose Pride and Prejudice by the

inimitable Jane Austen. We went a step further and updated the story and set it in America in the late 1930s to see how life had changed for women. Since it was to be a musical, we decided to fill it with songs from that era as well. Who can resist “Puttin’ On The Ritz,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “We’re In The Money,” and “Blues In The Night?” Not us. A songwriter, Laura challenged herself with creating an original song to fit a special moment within the story. While she researched songs, I wrote the script. Instead of jetting off to our usual summer vacations to distant lands (ha!), we spent much of the summer drafting and redrafting, meeting and hashing things over.

It was a scary yet exciting journey. How lucky we were to have shared it with such a talented creative team: HB’s Tech Director T. Paul Lowry, making his debut; costumer Mark Baiza, returning for his fourth HB production; and choreographer Marlene Leber, HB’s longtime dance teacher who came out of retirement to stun us for the 21st time with breathtaking choreography. The most delight came when we brought the show to our students. They embraced it immediately. The girls loved the twist on the setting and time period, and as our rehearsal process went on, they learned more about the history, songs, and dance of that era in America. It was a beautiful collaboration. They found it empowering to be the first to play these revised characters, and they put their own stamp on the production. Though the cast included some talented young men, our HB thespians truly owned the show. Mrs. Bennet, Lizzie, and all her sisters were Americans at the eve of World War II. We saw the world through their eyes, the changing of women’s roles in America, the dreams of tomorrow. And through this adventure, we all learned that when we want change, whether big or small, we can be the catalysts. Molly Cornwell is HB’s Director of Theatre.

singing a different tune

Eleventh-graders enrolled in American Literature in 2016–2017 connected with HB alumnae who pursued a wide range of career interests to discover who they are, what they learned at their alma mater, and where they find themselves today Profiles excerpted from Upper School student research project papers. Interpretive artwork created by HB Middle School students. You can find the full text of these stories, along with more American Literature essays and drawings at hb.edu/magazine.

by Marty Frazier

ick Carraway, the elusive narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, takes on the complicated task of detailing the riotous life and—spoiler alert—harrowing death of the novel’s eponymous main character, Jay Gatsby. Nick chronicles the evenings in Gatsby’s “blue gardens where men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” and finds himself in a journalistic position, logging dispatches of the decadent world he inhabits. Throughout the novel, Nick is both a vigilant observer and participant, a character “within and without” the story itself, a narrative I often read as an extended profile of Gatsby, a highly enigmatic subject. With Gatsby’s countless references to observation—who can forget the looming eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg—our class embarked on a profile project of our own. Students were tasked with chronicling the story of a compelling person and bringing their own subject to life

through language. Though our student authors play a much lesser role in the stories they detail than Nick does in Gatsby, they endeavored to employ vivid descriptions a la Fitzgerald to amplify the journeys of the remarkable people around them. In an effort to connect current students with the fabulously gifted cadre of HB alumnae who continue to innovate and lead in myriad fields around the world, I partnered with Director of Alumnae Relations Dana Lovelace Capers ’86 and Director of Marketing & Communication Kathleen Osborne, who helped match students with compatible alumnae interested in participating as subjects. I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from alumnae and so grateful for their time and support of emerging writers. Prior to the interviews, students spent weeks learning the craft of writing profiles

by Emma Borrow ’18

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by examining models from The New Yorker, GQ, and The New York Times and then began the exhaustive process of researching their subjects and the potential angle for their stories. After transcribing their interviews, students often remarked upon the challenge of picking the best way to approach their subject’s story. Testament to the exciting and dynamic lives of our alumnae, potential content outweighed available space on the page. “There’s too much to say!” echoed as a frequent refrain from student reporters. One challenge of the assignment is to avoid writing a simple chronological biography of the subject and instead construct a compelling slice of life that anecdotally exposes why this person’s life matters today and what bigger “so what?” emerges from the writer’s narrative and the subject’s voice. Students worked through multiple drafts based on feedback from their peers and from me, and they’ve culminated in these multifaceted pieces showcasing the diverse voices and vibrant lives of HB alumnae, a group of women far more impressive than the people gathered at any party Gatsby ever threw.

Marty Frazier is an Upper School English and American Literature teacher.

NEXT: HB students share the stories of their alumnae sisters.

pittman ’01 by Jackie Carman ’18 Portrait by Shubhee Gandhi ’23

“I

f you only ever have one type of experience, you may only have one tool: a hammer. But in some situations, a hammer won’t get the job done. You really need a paintbrush.”

the diversity of cultures in the world. Yet, at both Penn and HB, she noticed one common thing: that almost all of her professors were white. To add diversity to her classroom experience, she made sure that she had at least one professor of color every semester, even adding an Iranian film class to her schedule.

Dr. Cassi Pittman realized that culture skills are like tools, and the more tools you have the better off you will be. She learned this at a young age when she walked the halls of Hathaway Brown. She soon realized the duality that came with going to a wealthy private school as a racial minority. On one hand she was getting a great education, but on the other hand, on many occasions she was the only black woman in the classroom.

On the first day of college, Pittman attended Race and Ethnic Relations, a class taught by Dr. Camille Charles. This class widened Pittman’s horizons significantly and helped her to realize,“I could be engaged in systematic empirical inquiry but focus on race, inequality, social problems and class.” This was her first real introduction to sociology and the endless possibilities that it holds as a discipline.

Going to HB, then coming home to a mother who works for Public Housing, Cassi understood what life was like at two extremes of the economic spectrum. “I had a different level of consciousness about things that I think my classmates were simply not very aware of ” she said. This piqued her interest when it came to questions involving race and class. With the opportunities that HB provided, Pittman flourished. Her love for research began to grow. This helped her piece together her career path. It soon became clear what she needed to major in: sociology. As she was finishing up her time at HB, Pittman was accepted into University of Pennsylvania. “UPenn is a great place,” says Pittman. “There was plenty of cultural diversity in Philadelphia that was very enriching too” she said. Her experience in college, much like at HB, shaped her thinking as a young woman and helped her to develop an appreciation for

After Pittman graduated from UPenn with her bachelor’s degree in sociology, she continued her studies at Harvard University, earning her PhD. Soon after her graduation, a job opened up at Case Western Reserve University as an assistant professor of sociology. Since this job opportunity gave her flexibility and an ability to teach the subject she loves right in her backyard, she could not turn it down. Being an assistant professor provides some days free of teaching. This is critical for a busy woman like Pittman. Between balancing her work, conferences, and research, she barely has time to even plan for her upcoming wedding. The bulk of her time is spent on initiating and completing a compelling research agenda. Right now, her energies are focused on two research projects. The first is a study of the Forest Hill neighborhood of East Cleveland. This was personal for her because she grew up on these very streets. Forest Hill has always been a point of controversy because of its

history. Prior to the 1970s, the neighborhood only accepted rich, white, and Protestant families. Now the neighborhood is very diverse and mainly is home to black middle-class families. However, despite its mostly middleclass population, the neighborhood is located in East Cleveland, which is now experiencing a great deal of economic instability. Pittman examines this changing racial and economic dynamic and what it means for the neighborhood’s current residents. Her second research project analyzes the question of “What does it mean to be black and part of the upper middle class?” This also is personal for her because she grew up in a black middle-class family. Stereotypes have taught us that black professionals are “sell outs.” Pittman believes that “selling out” is not a real concept, as most black professionals maintain strong ties to the black community. But at the same time they do not always and everywhere indicate their cultural and racial allegiances. As Pittman explains it, “we are all sort of cultural actors… it is all strategic.”

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mueller pierce ’78 by Grace Beneke ’18

Portrait Interpretation by Aaryana Sethi ’21

in some situations, a hammer won't get the job done. you really need a paintbrush.

elice Pierce is a fascinating woman and alumna of Hathaway Brown. She attended HB from kindergarten through ninth grade. She graduated from Hawken School and attended Barnard College where she fell in love with anthropology and archaeology. Her love for archaeology led her across the country before she returned to Cleveland to raise her family. Since moving back, Felice has opened up a branch of Plato’s Closet, a store that buys and sells gently used clothing, and she founded her own clothing stores that operate similarly: Revolve Fashion for women and Revolve Kids and Tweens. However, it is because of her truly unique childhood that Felice is the person that she is today. “I grew up swimming in ponds on weekends,” Felice says. Her childhood lacked one thing that was becoming increasingly popular in society: a television. This was a result of her mother (Margaret Reid Mueller ’47) becoming frustrated that her children were too busy watching television to come downstairs for dinner, “and she came upstairs and threw it out the second-floor window,” Felice says with a slight chuckle. “Not having a TV enriched my life immeasurably, because we were always outside doing something in almost any weather or playing games inside.” On most weekends Felice and her family would go to her grandfather’s farm. While she was there she would swim in ponds and make mudslides and squish mud between her fingers and toes. This may have inspired her attraction to the field of archaeology. The experience Felice had of being outside and one with nature is rare for many children today, as more and more kids are hooked to technology. At many schools around the country, recess time is being reduced as well. The time where children can disconnect from technology to play outside with their friends and take advantage of nature is limited, which is problematic because not only does recess increase student productivity, attentiveness, and creativity, it also decreases depression and anxiety. Felice Pierce grew up without a television and she used her imagination every day to play outside and keep her mind active and explore her creativity. She became an archeologist and a successful businesswoman. She also is an excellent example of the importance of disconnecting in order to explore the world in new and different ways.

PHOTO BY JACOB HANSON

Julie Schenkelberg â&#x20AC;&#x2122;92

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH LEVAK

schenkelberg ’92 by Carly Glickman ’18

“I

’m hoping for people to experience this in-between place, a multidimensional stitching between the known and the unknown worlds,” Julie Schenkelberg said as she described her artistic aspiration of leaving a lasting impact on those who have viewed her art. After graduating from Hathaway Brown in 1992, Julie went on to earn a B.A. in art history at the College of Wooster and then an M.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Additionally, she studied at the Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art in France and the Institute of European Studies in Vienna. Julie’s massive sculptures are exhibited throughout the United States in places such as Asya Geisberg Gallery in Manhattan, The Sculpture Center in Cleveland, The Mattress Factory Museum of Contemporary Art in Pittsburgh, the Miami art fair Untitled, and the Columbus College of Art and Design. Her sculptures, made out of industrial materials and unwanted household objects, are put on display all over the Midwest and will soon be shown overseas in Europe. In addition to these impressive accomplishments, Julie has received two National Endowment for the Arts Grants, a Harpo Foundation Grant, and was awarded a residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha. Julie’s success can be attributed to her fearless outlook on artistic expression. Julie shared that her most transformative moment as an artist came in high school when she began experimenting; using paint sculpturally on a canvas board, resulting in it not looking like what it was supposed to. Throughout Julie’s high school experience at HB, she struggled with feeling different. Julie described her era at HB as more homogeneous in its socioeconomic representation, different from her family background. This was challenging for her due to her distinctive

outlook on life as a young artist. Julie described everything as being amplified due to the highly intimate class size. She was lucky to have the mentors of Jamie Morse, art teacher, Kathlyn Gray, a former head of the Upper School, and Pam Bishop, a writing and language expert, who each recognized her strengths in art and literature and would restructure her education around math and science to help her progress. Although she described herself to be on the shy side in her earlier life, Julie’s introverted personality opened the door for opportunities to communicate in different ways; in her case, visually through her art. She credits Hathaway Brown for giving her the ability to communicate visually through creative and descriptive writing, for she is a believer that literature has a strong connection to art. At HB Jamie Morse would always allow Julie to find refuge in the art room, where she was most often practicing ceramics. She even occasionally helped teach ceramics classes to her peers. She feels very lucky to have had Ms. Gray, Mr. Morse, and Ms. Bishop recognize her artistic ability as a high schooler and, therefore, structure her education around it. From the moment Julie realized that she didn’t have to use materials in the way that they were prescribed, her own artistic voice began to develop. Julie exclaimed, “From that moment on, everything I did in high school was reaching for freedom out of that environment, to transform it, and that’s what I’m always looking for in my artwork. Like How can I have freedom of space? How can I have freedom of imagination? How can I have freedom of materials?” These questions speak to Julie’s journey as a whole because she ended up making art with overlooked and unwanted everyday materials. Julie grew up in a family of five with two brothers, Michael and Ted, along with her mother and father. Julie’s father is now deceased while her mother is an active supporter of her art practice. Growing up, Julie and her father were very similar people, bonded by their love for literature and classical music. “He was kind

of a dreamer and that’s essentially what artists are, dreaming about whatever perfect world they want to illustrate,” Julie said. She gives credit to her father for her sensitivity, and to her mom for her work ethic. Julie’s architectural and historical inspiration throughout her residence in Cleveland in many ways speaks to her creative process in general. Julie explained that she is most influenced by being in an unusual environment. She most often looks for inspiration by walking through abandoned or old buildings. The idea of what the place could have once been and the mysterious energy emitted sparks Julie’s imagination. Once she enters a space she immediately creates a story in her mind, not so much verbally but pictorially. Julie further broke down this fascinating artistic process by explaining that when she walks into an architectural space she gets a feeling, and that feeling is what she wants to communicate visually through her art. Generally, for Julie, it’s about severing the space and showing her audience the in-between, the world that we can’t see and the world that Julie imagines is there. Although Cleveland provided her with an ample supply of abandoned architecture due to its rapidly declining industry and aging factories, Julie still sought out a more industrial and liberal environment that could provide her with more lucrative artistic avenues. She moved to New York for the next nine years, to understand the art world there, and acquire an M.F.A. in sculpture and gallery representation in Manhattan. “The inspiration I found there is that New York kind of reminds me of a piano. If you learn how to play it, you can survive there,” Julie said. Against all odds, the chaos and complexity of the city actually led Julie to create large-scale sculptures. The confined environment of the city inspired Julie to go against it. Instead of being overwhelmed by the monstrosity that is New York City, she defied it by taking up even more space in the

already congested city through her sizable installations. Julie described New Yorkers as being in a constant “survival mode.” Living in New York, Julie was exposed to a whole new type of class division and wealth. She credits Hathaway Brown’s social and intellectual environment with giving her the exposure and tools to successfully navigate in these circles with poise and confidence. The competitive and cut-throat art industry of the city reminded her of how close she holds to her authenticity. Finally, after gaining representation through Asya Geisberg Gallery in New York and obtaining numerous reviews from well-known publications and grants, Julie felt that her work in New York was done and made another move to Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, one of the most impoverished cities in the United States, Julie found new and raw artistic inspiration. She saw how desolate the city was and how willing the community was to start rebuilding from the bottom. “There’s so much possibility here,” she exclaimed with a hopeful tone. Her initial drive to move to Michigan was her connection to the artists, finding that many of them thought the same way she did. Detroit is home to more large-scale building artists and inclusive community-minded work. Because Detroit is geographically part of the “Rust Belt,” a part of the Midwest characterized by declining industries, aged factories, and a falling population, Julie’s colleagues were excited to connect with her and learn about her eclectic background of experiences and connections. Julie described her art as a second part of her personality, something that shows people who she really is. “People meet me and maybe I seem really nice and unassuming and very polite, but then they see my artwork and realize, ’Oh, okay, so she can manipulate a chainsaw,’” she said. “It blows their minds and I love it.” It’s through transformation that Julie captivates her audience and makes them question what they know and what they don’t, a similar goal of the artists of the surrealist movement of the early 20th century. Julie challenges society’s constructs and norms with her artwork.

by Maddie Lynch ’19

boddy ’88 by Joyce Li ’18

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arla Boddy’s morning is spent working through organized piles of paperwork on her home office desk. As an employee of PayPal, she brings her legal expertise in state and local debt collection from the creditor and servicer perspective. After a long, busy day at work, she spends quality time with her husband and two teenage daughters, helping them with homework and cooking dinner for them. After that, Carla may fit in volunteer work. She successfully maneuvers through her busy day and attains it all by being an efficient and self-motivated person. “You just can’t exist in a vacuum,” this alumna of Hathaway Brown says. She describes how important it is to be a well-rounded individual who does well participating in many meaningful roles and activities. Even though she manages everything swiftly and smoothly now, that wasn’t always the case. Carla had to encounter many obstacles and life experiences to gain her admirable ability. Attending HB in high school from 1984-1988, Carla found it challenging to adjust to the intense educational environment and manage a big workload. Her 11th and 12th grade English teacher, Mrs. Syed, was an influential character in her life who saw her ability in the discipline and gave her the encouragement she needed to major in English later in college. At HB, Carla also gained a strong sense of self. One assembly speaker in particular made a big impact when she talked about her success as a businesswoman and how she remained financially independent from her husband after marriage. The speaker also kept her maiden name, which inspired Carla to do the same. Carla always knew she wanted to become an attorney. From 1992–1995, she studied law at Indiana University. She wasn’t sure if she was cut out for it—she didn’t even like law school. But she went through with it anyway. Carla prepared

Portrait by Rachel Broihier ’21

a tremendous amount for the bar exam. She would study every morning and then go to bar review class at night, five days a week for a month. She was devastated when she received information that she had failed that exam. To add more weight to her defeat, at the time Carla had already gotten a job that was dependent on her passing the exam. Fortunately, her employer let her keep the job when he saw how hard Carla had worked. She decided to give it another go and take the exam again. This time she studied on her own and she passed! “Just because you failed doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world, though at that time it felt like it,” she said. Today, Carla acts as legal counsel at PayPal. She likes her job very much and enjoys the fact that she gets to figure out solutions and help people in situations that aren’t all black and white. Though she is a successful career woman, Carla is most proud of being a mom. She loves watching her two daughters, 17-year-old Nina Moore and 13-year-old Hanna Moore, grow and become their own individuals. “Becoming a mother is life-altering,” Carla says. “Kids teach us to be better people and to grow.” When her girls were small, Carla learned how difficult it can be to balance being a new mom with being career woman. While she was on maternity leave, her boss called and said one of her coworkers were leaving and so she was going to replace his role as primary lawyer for collection and servicing unit. This was a big career jump for Carla because she was being offered a position as lead lawyer. Initially, she doubted herself. She was incredulous at the thought of taking on this big challenge especially with a newborn baby

now in the picture. When she voiced her worries to her boss, he told her that he had confidence in her ability to do well in this role. Hesitant but determined, Carla accepted the offer to be primary lawyer for the collection and servicing unit — and it turned out to be a rewarding and smart decision in her career path. She was able to balance her work and family life well, despite her concerns. Jumping up a level as a lawyer gave her many new opportunities and made her an attractive employee for many companies. She worked in the role as lead attorney for National City Consumer Loan Services for many years and then for JP Morgan Chase, and ultimately taking on work for PayPal. Not only is Carla a great mom and career woman, she is a well-rounded individual who spends her free time giving back to the community. “As I grow older, I make conscious decisions to do things more meaningful to me,” Carla says. She co-leads a Girl Scout troop, is a Sunday school superintendent who also teaches Sunday school classes, and she serves on the fundraising committee and domestic violence initiative committee for the Greater Cleveland Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Last year she began volunteering at the Cleveland Homeless Legal Assistance Program, where she provides help to the homeless at a homeless shelter. Carla Boddy’s determination and spirit allowed her to challenge and push herself throughout her life and many people around her are better for it.

Portrait by Sophie Carey ’21

chigurupati ’08 by Emma Borrow ’18

“T

his industry is not the most friendly environment for women,” said Shabdha Chigurupati, a first-year MBA student at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a member of the Hathaway Brown class of 2008 and a graduate of Yale University. At Yale, Shabdha majored in economics and international studies. She has worked in both investment banking and private equity. Through her experiences working in finance, Shabdha has noticed a glaring lack of gender diversity and has sought out opportunities to help more women succeed in finance. Although she is young and has only been out of college and in the working world for about five years, it is clear to her that the business environment that she is in is a culture dominated by men, and that the difference between a businessman and a businesswoman is not only the addition of a few letters. Beginning her days at HB just as she began to walk, Shabdha graduated in 2008, having been immersed in an all-girls education all her life. During her years at HB, she felt the presence of feminism and female empowerment. One example of this was through her experience in the Science Research & Engineering Program, one of the many centers at HB. She remembers that after the former president of Harvard University, Larry Summers, made a comment alluding to innate differences between men and women, PBS did a television special on girls in science, and used HB’s SREP program to show the ways that HB was trying to get more girls into science and fight perceptions that women were less competent in science. Shabdha says that one of her favorite messages that she received from the HB community was “you’re a woman and you can do anything you want to do.” In the SREP, she appreciated the way that Center Director Patty Hunt was very focused on placing girls in labs and “giving girls the opportunity to succeed in science,”

a field where girls’ capabilities have historically been called into question. After graduating from HB, Shabdha attended Yale University. During the summer after her junior year in college, she interned in New York City for Morgan Stanley, a global financial services firm that provides securities products and services to its customers, which include corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. At Morgan Stanley, she worked as an analyst in the Investment Banking Division, advising clients on matters related to corporate strategy. Shabdha was one of only three women among nearly 50 professionals in the Media & Telecommunications group, and, furthermore, was the only female analyst among 14 total analysts. When the summer internship ended, Shabdha received an offer to return to Morgan Stanley as a full-time analyst after graduation. Before receiving an offer, however, she faced remarks from her fellow interns that she would be held to a different standard than her male peers, and would undoubtedly receive an offer given that she was the only female intern.

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Although these comments were largely said in jest, they struck a chord with Shabdha. Remaining confident in her capabilities, she set out to prove that she had earned her offer based on merit and that she could be the best analyst in her group. Shabdha proactively took on more projects and was often the last person to leave the office, in an effort to establish her credibility and a reputation for competence. Her hard work paid off, and Shabdha received a job offer to work as an associate at Berkshire Partners, a leading private equity firm based in Boston. Although she was the only female associate among 12 total associates, there was a strong women’s network at Berkshire, with roughly 10 women of approximately 50 professionals on the investment staff, across all levels, including five female managing directors (the most senior position). Although most private equity firms are still overwhelmingly male, women are beginning to enter the industry’s senior ranks. Shabdha attributes much of her success and ambition to blaze a trail for women in investing to having strong female role models. “I was lucky to find female mentors who helped with my professional development and demonstrated that women could be successful both professionally and personally in the most senior positions.”

afnan gallagher ’85 by Katie Halloran ’18

ara Gallagher walked into our interview with a confidence that all successful businesswomen have. You would assume that she was born into the trade — when in fact she only began her enterprise five years ago. Despite having no previous experience in business, today her company, CiCi Soleil, an undergarments line, is booming, with her products carried in boutiques all across the country. Her popular product, the Bumbrella, which is a short non-compressive slip that smooths clothing you wear over it, has given many young women the confidence Tara hoped to deliver to them. CiCi Soleil started out as nothing more than a seedling in Tara’s mind. Recalling the initial spark, she recounted that once at a funeral, she was wearing a black dress and in a split second of realization she became

Shabdha has broken through the glass ceiling in finance, an industry that is largely dominated by men. Her experiences at HB through the SREP and by growing up in an environment that fosters ambition and confidence in women have helped her to succeed. At Stanford, she was recently elected by her peers to the board of Women in Management, and she has taken on the role of facilitating professional development initiatives and events to help support women in industries where building a female network may be particularly challenging, such as investment and technology. Shabdha’s success is truly inspirational for aspiring businesswomen, and she is definitely blazing a trail for the future of women in finance.

Portrait by Kristina Martinez ’22

conscious that the fabric of her dress was translucent in sunlight. Her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment, she imparted that she had wanted nothing more than some device that would make her outfit more opaque. But what product was there for her? Up to date with the medical dangers of compression clothing, Tara recognized that this product was not safe to wear. According to neurologist Orly Avitzur, compressive clothing can cause meralgia paresthetica, which happens when there is too much pressure on the body’s nerves. After prolonged periods of pressure on the nerves, the body feels painful burning. Furthermore, Jay Kuemmerle, a gastroenterologist, states that tight clothing can cause gastroesophageal reflux disease, and subsequently heartburn or breathing issues, because of how it squeezes the body’s organs. With these dangers in mind, Tara needed to find a healthier alternative that could give her and women self-assurance in what they wear. “And that was when the light bulb went off,” Tara recalls.

it is because of her optimism and creativity that tara was able to transform a simple idea into a nationwide company.

But where did Tara’s motivation to improve people’s health originate? One surprising detail about this business mogul is that she is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine. Although she resigned from her pursuit of becoming a medical professional in order to raise her three children, two of whom she delivered during medical school, Tara’s love of medicine lived on. She explained, “Even when I wasn’t actively practicing medicine I stayed attuned to what was going on in the medical world.” When the inspiration to create the Bumbrella manifested in her mind, it was in actuality a solution to the health risks that she had read about for nearly 15 years, and not simply a solution to the isolated embarrassing incident at the wedding.

It is because of her optimism and creativity that Tara was able to transform a simple idea into a nationwide company. While her company is booming today, it was not without difficulty that CiCi Soleil climbed to its high status. Most pressing for Tara was her lack of understanding of business. When asked what her first steps were in tackling such a large dream, she replied, “The most important thing you can do is gather as much information from as many sources as you can. Even though research sounds boring and dull, you’d be amazed by how much you can learn just by hearing about people’s experiences.” Although she did have four years of experience working at an advertising firm, running her own business was a radical change for Tara because she was completely in charge of all operations and conveying her own original ideas, not the ideas of another company. In addition to limited experience in business, Tara struggled to bring her vision to life. It took several years and an exhaustive list of changes to achieve her final Bumbrella product. She says the inspiration for the product’s design came from the comfort she experienced when wearing active wear. So she and her mother “cut things up and pieced them together sort of like Frankenstein to see what might work.” Once she had a workable prototype in hand, it was time to tackle the truly difficult part: planning, perfecting, and producing her Bumbrella to be sold on the market. Tara’s motto to “always tap into your resources” proved to be her most effective strategy in carrying out these plans. She asked a designer with 40 years of experience to create patterns for her product and make minor adjustments to the Bumbrella so it would be as beneficial, comfortable, and adaptable to as many body types as possible. While tweaking her product by miniscule amounts for each prototype was tedious work, Tara’s motivation to help women feel confident without unhealthy consequences allowed her to be open to every change. When the Bumbrella prototype was ready to be put on the market, Tara still faced obstacles of mass-producing it. Her hopes of producing her undergarment in the United States were tarnished after finding the quality very poor. However, after deciding on manufacturing the Bumbrella in China, she explained, “I have a blind faith and a very good relationship with my manufacturer but we have never met in person. It’s about trusting your instincts.” With her Bumbrella perfected and mass produced, Tara was ready to begin selling it in stores across the country. Ever since then, her company, CiCi Soleil, has profited and expanded, exceeding all her expectations. Tara Gallagher’s Bumbrella will be sure to make a difference in women’s health and confidence for years to come.

Portrait by Victoria Margulies ’24

HB 35

bowen ’99 by Jayla Blackmon ’18

y parents have always told me that it’s rare for people to pursue a career in the field they originally major in during their college years. College is going to change your perspective, they said. Meredith Bowen, a Hathaway Brown graduate, walked into Syracuse University on her first day knowing exactly what she wanted to do in life: Be an actress. She wanted to see her name on the stage. But her life took a complete turn and she found herself practicing law as an assistant attorney general in Tennessee. Lots of people begin their freshman year of college with an idea of what they want to do in life, but different experiences can take you down different paths. Talking to Meredith about her life was very exciting. After I asked my first question, the conversation began to flow. She talked about her earlier years of acting and described what led her to her career. As a child, she never thought about acting, but she found her passion for the field in high school. “Theatre combined my love for music and singing and I just got the bug. I was surprised to get into Syracuse’s conservatory program,” Meredith said. “I jumped at the chance; it was too good

an opportunity to pass up. I absolutely loved my college experience so much.” During Meredith’s college years, all she could think about was theatre. Never did she think about working in the government. On her first day of the job as an assistant attorney general, she walked into her office ready to embark on an adventure of law. Working in the legal field in a state she was unfamiliar with was a bit intimidating, though. She had wonderful coworkers, but she was almost immediately overwhelmed with the amount of work and the responsibilities that came with the position. Of course, each state has its own unique laws, and she was living in entirely new state. But as she continued in her role, her passion for the job began to grow. Meredith was able to experience things in life that others may never experience. After finishing college and earning a BFA in theatre,

she decided to go to Africa, and that’s when her life took a turn. Africa is known for being an inspiring continent. Its beautiful landscape and kind and humble people will make you want to move there! After living in Africa for one year, Meredith was inspired to pursue international law and human rights after doing an internship at the Rwanda Tribunal with the United Nations. But because Africa is so far away, she decided to move back the states to practice law. When she joined clerkship with an appellate judge from Ohio, that is when she knew that being an assistant attorney general was the job for her because it allowed her to practice both civil and criminal law. Living in Africa “completely changed not only my perspective but the trajectory of my life, career, and adopting my children. It opened my eyes to extreme poverty, things we don’t face in the US that so many Americans have no knowledge of,” Meredith said.

PHOTO BY JASON MILLER

HB at a

GLANCE

Since its beginning as “afternoon classes for

young ladies” at the all-boys private Brooks Military School in downtown Cleveland, Hathaway Brown School has been helping students find and pursue opportunities, maximize their own potential, and make a difference in the world. This co-ed Early Childhood and all-girls K-12 independent day

school

focuses

educational

innovation as it prepares students to rise boldly to the challenges of our times and live out the HB motto of learning “not for school, but for life.” HB’s inclusive environment, outstanding faculty, and unique programs draw families PHOTO BY KEITH BERR

from 89 communities across Northeast Ohio to its beautiful 16-acre Shaker Heights campus, which houses an aquatics center, IDEA Lab, visual and performing arts spaces, turf playing field, Upper School learning commons, and working television studio. Immersive academic, service, and cultural opportunities abound, and graduates attend many of the world’s top universities. The school is consistently honored by well-regarded

educational

institutions,

social service organizations, businesses, professional societies, and journalistic publications. HB is a 14-time NorthCoast 99 best workplaces for top talent winner, a five-time NEO Success Award winner, and has four times been ranked one of Northeast Ohio’s Top Workplaces by The

Plain Dealer. Established: 1876 Motto: Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus: We Learn Not for School, But for Life Colors: Brown and Gold Head of School: Fran Bisselle OHSAA Divisions: I and II Enrollment: 862 students; girls in K–12, boys and girls in Early Childhood Student:Teacher Ratio: 8:1 learn more at hb.edu/ataglance Hathaway Brown is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, the Ohio Association of Independent Schools, the Cleveland Council of Independent Schools, the Global Education Benchmark Group, and is a founding member of the World Education Alliance.

tuition & financial aid We look for talented students of strong character regardless of a family’s ability to pay tuition. For commonly asked questions and detailed information about HB’s financial aid program and eligibility guidelines, please visit hb.edu/admission. Students are admitted to Hathaway Brown and awarded financial aid on the basis of personal and academic performance and promise, and are included in all school activities and programs, without discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, or national or ethnic origin. Each year, HB commits $5 million to the need-based financial aid program. Students in grades K-12 are eligible to apply for these funds and approximately 43 percent receive financial assistance. Financial aid funds are delivered in the form of grants, ranging from $500 up to 98 percent of tuition. The Financial Aid Committee reviews each case individually, awarding grants on the basis of demonstrated need as determined by School and Student Services, a subsidiary of the National Association of Independent Schools. Hathaway Brown School does not offer athletic scholarships.

TUITION & FEES FOR 2017-2018 Infant & Toddler Center (6 weeks - 36 months) ranges from $3,080 to $15,500 Early Childhood (ages 2 1/2 – 5) ranges from $5,000 to $11,100 Primary School (grades K – 4) ranges from $21,500 to $24,200 Middle School (grades 5 – 8) ranges from $25,800 to $28,600 Upper School (grades 9 – 12) ranges from $29,500 to $31,100

admission calendar october

december

Upper School Parent Preview

ISEE Testing

for parents of prospective students in grades 9 – 12 Tuesday, October 10, 2017 8:45 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Middle & Upper School Open House for prospective families in grades 5 – 12 Thursday, October 19, 2017 5 – 7 p.m.

Middle School Parent Preview

for parents of prospective students in grades 5 – 8 Wednesday, October 25, 2017 8:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

november Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood, and Primary School Open House for prospective Infant & Toddler Center, Early Childhood, and Primary School families Saturday, November 4, 2017 10 – 11:30 a.m. Courtland Boulevard Entrance

Grades 5 – 12 Saturday, December 2, 2017 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Current Eighth Grade Parent Preview

for parents of students currently enrolled in HB grade 8 Tuesday, December 5, 2017 8:15 – 9:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Application Deadline for Early Decision Round

for prospective students in grades 4 – 12 Friday, December 8, 2017

ISEE Testing

grades 5 – 12 Saturday, December 9, 2017 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Imagine High School

for current HB grade 8 and prospective grade 9 students Tuesday, December 12, 2017 9:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room, The Ahuja Auditorium, HB Atrium

Upper School Parent Preview

for parents of prospective students in grades 9 – 12 Tuesday, November 7, 2017 8:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Middle School Parent Preview

for parents of prospective students in grades 5 – 8 Thursday, November 9, 2017 8:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

ISEE Testing

grades 5 – 12 Saturday, November 11, 2017 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

january CCIS Admission and Financial Aid Early Decision Date

for prospective students in grades 4 – 12 with completed admission files Friday, January 12, 2018

Accepted Middle School Parent Coffee for accepted students and their parents grades 5 – 8 Wednesday, January 17, 2018 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Accepted Upper School Student Dinner

for accepted students in grades 9 – 12 and their parents Thursday, January 18, 2018 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. HB Atrium, Margery Stouffer Biggar ’47 and Family Dining Hall

Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood, and Primary School Open House for prospective Infant & Toddler Center, Early Childhood, and Primary School families Saturday, January 20, 2018 10 – 11:30 a.m. Courtland Boulevard Entrance

Middle School Parent Preview

for parents of prospective students grade 5 – 8 Thursday, January 25, 2018 8:30 – 10 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Kindergarten Screenings

for prospective kindergarten and current pre-kindergarten students Friday, January 26, 2018 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Kindergarten classrooms

CCIS Grades 4 – 12 Early Decision Round Reply Date Friday, January 26, 2018

february Kindergarten Screenings

for prospective kindergarten and current pre-kindergarten students Friday, February 2, 2018 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Kindergarten classrooms

Current Eighth Grade Parent Preview

for parents of students currently enrolled in HB grade 8 Wednesday, February 7, 2018 5:30 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Middle School Reverse Egg Drop

for accepted students in grades 5 – 8 Thursday, February 8, 2018 3:30 – 5 p.m. HB Atrium, Margery Stouffer Biggar ’47 and Family Dining Hall

Early Childhood Screenings

for prospective Early Childhood students Saturday, February 10, 2018 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Early Childhood classrooms

CCIS Infant & Toddler – Grade 3 Admission and FA Decision Date Friday, February 23, 2018

Primary School Acceptance Day for accepted kindergarten – grade 4 families Friday, February 28, 2018 8:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

PHOTO BY KEVIN REEVES

I have attended Hathaway Brown for my entire life, and it is safe to say that leaving Hathaway Brown is parallel to leaving home for me. Commencement is a funny idea — yes, it’s graduation and goodbyes and see you soon, and I’ll miss you — but commencement is also a beginning. In French, and I know Madame deConingh is beaming with pride right now, ’commencement’ stems from the verb ’commencer’— to begin. Now, I’m not here to teach you all a lesson about the intricacies of the French language, unfortunately, but I think that the reason we call it “commencement” is not for the goodbyes, but for the new hellos. It’s no surprise that we’re all off to college next year, and whether it be to Case Western Reserve University right here in Cleveland, or all the way to St. Andrews University in Scotland or Stanford in San Francisco, we are all starting on a new foot. So maybe, instead of saying goodbye to each other, we should be saying hello to the people we are about to become and those we are about to meet. - Ally Persky ’17, 141st Commencement Exercises, June 9, 2017

march

may

june

Infant & Toddler Center and Early Childhood Acceptance Day

Middle School New Family Orientation

Early Childhood Summer Social

CCIS Early Childhood – Grade 3 Admission Reply Date

Eighth Grade Musical Reception

Primary School New Family Ice Cream Social

for accepted ITC and EC families Friday, March 2, 2018 8:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

Friday, March 9, 2018

for new families in grades 5 – 8 Thursday, May 3, 2018 8:15 – 11 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room, Worldwide Communications Center, The Ahuja Auditorium

for new families in grades 5 – 8 Sunday, May 6, 2018 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room

9th Grade Orientation

for current students in HB grade 8 Monday, May 7, 2018 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room, The Ahuja Auditorium, HB Atrium

Early Childhood Orientation for new Early Childhood families Thursday, May 24, 2018 6:30 p.m. Primary School Music Room

for new and current Early Childhood families Monday, June 4, 2018 4 p.m. Mixon Family Playground Patio

for all kindergarten families, new families in grades 1 – 4, and host families Tuesday, June 5, 2018 6:30 p.m. Mixon Family Playground Patio

Upper School New Family Picnic

for new families in grades 9 – 12 Wednesday, June 6, 2018 5 – 7 p.m. Margery Stouffer Biggar ’47 and Family Dining Hall Patio

Middle School New Family Picnic

for new families in grades 5 – 8 and host families Thursday, June 7, 2018 5 – 7 p.m. Margery Stouffer Biggar ’47 and Family Dining Hall Patio

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

PAID

Cleveland, Ohio Permit #3439

PHOTO BY JASON MILLER

learn more Visit HB.edu for additional information.

PHOTO BY SHANNON AHLSTRAND

The best way to get to know Hathaway Brown is to come see us. Call 216.320.8767 today to schedule a personal tour. We’d love to show you around. Extensive details about HB, including overviews of all of our signature customized academic programs, may be found at www.hb.edu. Navigate to the Admission tab for information about interviews, student visits, applications, screenings, and financial aid. Be sure to “like” Hathaway Brown School on Facebook. Find us on Pinterest, and follow us on Twitter: @HathawayBrown, and on Instagram: @HathawayBrownSchool.